Personal Narrative: Hiking Camelback Mountain

Although it’s entertaining to stay indoors and play video games, eventually one finds the experience to lack excitement. This calls for going outside into the blistering desert and spend time at my favorite recreational place; Camelback Mountain. Hiking Camelback Mountain is rewarding, because of the feeling of accomplishment and happiness, and it’s an enjoyable way to hang out with friends while relaxing outdoors. To being with, reaching the top of Camelback Mountain is a rewarding experience. That is, because after reaching the top a sense of deep accomplishment and pride overcomes you. The first gaze upon the rugged peaks of Phoenix can be viewed for days. Life is about taking risks, and climbing Camelback to the top without experience

This is because it teaches us to rely on each other allowing us to form everlasting bonds. Without friends, the steep sections would have been something couldn’t have tackled on my own. Every step I took forward led to me looking back, every time I looked down fear slowly built up. I specifically recall myself saying, “what if I fall?” one of my friends said to not panic if something happens we are here for support. Not only are my friends there for reinforcement purposes, but they can be a great source to find motivation especially when somebody yells out that the last person on top has to buy lunch for the winner. The most important reason, is that I get to see more of who these individuals and who they truly are in extreme situations; they also get a new perspective on what fuels me to keep on fighting. To follow, each and every individual always has a different experience which makes for lively conversation later in the day. My friends and I know it’s tough to go to the top and down again with very little water we all had to cope with that experience together. When a friend fell behind he discussed with us that he witnessed somebody drop and spill all their water, so they had to go back. He said he will always remember the instant when the water spilled on the dry environment the sun evaporated the water in an instant. Usually during climbs we have had our fair share of injuries

I especially enjoy hiking because I accomplish applying my time in the dry and hot desert environment that I love. I was born and raised in this type of environment where the summers are too hot and the winters aren’t cold enough, and have become accustomed to the point where I enjoy it. The desert is a unique environment in which day hikes are excruciatingly hot and night hikes can be cool; because of the lack of water surrounding the desert there is always constant change in the environment. Not to mention, I always discover something new and unique about Camelback Mountain. The praying monk is a must see rock formation, it is about a hundred feet tall and it is a lone rock formation on the mountain. This lone rock doesn’t look like much but its unique illusion works from certain angles which reveal in high detail what appears to be a monk praying to the heavens. Another worthwhile experience was taking a detour towards the Hohokam Indian caves. These caves appear natural at first glance but through careful observation one can notice where these individuals carved on the rocks to better accommodate their needs or to help write stories for generations to come. In the end, the desert environment does its job, as you arrive with blistered toes and sweltering skin due to the constantly beating down upon you and the continual transformation of the desert terrain does not help ease the pain.