LOWA BLOG

There is nothing easy about hiking up Humboldt Peak (14,070 feet) in Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Range.

First, there’s the mileage, about 14 miles round-trip from the trailhead to the summit.

Then there’s the 4,500 feet of vertical gain. The last mile and 1,000 vertical feet is a scramble up a steep talus field, culminating with a dizzying traverse of a knife-edge ridge. What’s more, there’s always a chance of high winds, lightning and snow, even in July, when I headed up this impressive rock pile.

Setting the new norm.

My first steps onto the trail attempting a recent solo 14er summit, I felt as though roots grew from my soul through the bottom of my LOWAs and reached deep into the soil holding me steady. Peace didn’t gently wash over me, it hit me hard on the head.

My senses were sharp and I haven’t felt that grounded since the pandemic started.

I think I can safely say, we feel as though the cloak of life has been yanked out from underneath us leaving us feeling lost, fearful and isolated.

This spring, the snow wouldn’t stop, putting the kibosh on any hiking in the Beartooth Range near my home in Red Lodge, Montana. There were plenty of other outdoor opportunities, like backcountry skiing, running, and mountain biking, but those weren’t the same as airing it out on a long hike.

Plus, I had a new pair of Lowa Innox Pro’s that I was dying to try.

We’re sure you have received lots of communications, from companies and organizations, about COVID-19, but we wanted to let you know our thoughts and our plans going forward.

Late last year my brother George and I began the journey to Mt Everest. As a Hillary, perhaps our whole lives have led to that journey, but in 2019 it became very real.

We were pouring immense effort and time into improving our mountain fitness and skill. I spent a month in the French Alps running steep mountain trails and doing long traverses and by the time we arrived in Kathmandu to begin our Mt Ama Dablam expedition, we felt strong and confident.

The highest we had climbed in the Himalaya’s before this was 6,200m; a long shot from our ambitions.