俄羅斯厄爾布魯士 (Mt. Elbrus) 登頂日誌 My Summit on Mt. Elbrus, Russia
穿越鞍部陰影下的-15度酷寒，日出後升起的陽光曬暖了我僵硬、幾近無感的腳趾與手指。也給我了勇氣，繼續朝著厄爾布魯士 (Mt. Elbrus, 5642M) 的峰頂邁進。
七人小隊，其中一人因高山症，留在海拔5000M的鞍部休息後，在嚮導的陪同下返回基地營。其餘六人，成功在2018年5月30日登頂，抵達歐洲最高峰。
直到現在我才了解，我那時要克服的不是恐懼；我也不是怕自己高山症。我是怕自己完成不了這件事情而失敗，所以我便打算留在鞍部，不攻頂了，以避免面對失敗的場面與心境。我怕的是未知，那個無法掌握的狀況，也可能無法成功登頂的場景。在鞍部猶豫片刻，我最後逼著自己，也在嚮導與夥伴的鼓勵下，做到了。人生第一次用著冰斧、確保繩、結繩隊，穿著雙重膠靴與冰爪，登上人生最高峰。
山頂上放著來自各地人們帶來祈求家人祝福的照片、絲帶；身旁來自克羅埃西亞的團隊，展開他們的國旗，開心地合照。我們的主嚮導Vladimir也在一旁跪著禱告；一向嚴肅的面龐在我們成功登頂後，逐一鬆懈；笑容與幽默感在他長期曬紅的臉龐上，找回各自的位置。
喘息吸著稀薄冰冷的空氣，眺望著綿延到亞塞拜然、喬治亞的高加索山脈，白雪皚皚，我再次從絕望中活了過來。
我會喜歡爬山，就跟我喜歡IPA、DIPA那種啤酒花爆棚的啤酒一樣。一開始入口舌尖嚐到的是苦藥味，但入喉後，來自啤酒花的熱帶水果與濃郁花香，從喉頭與口腔中漫溢出來。接著是獨特的甘甜，與一開始品嚐到的苦成為對比。先苦後甘，苦盡甘來⋯⋯ 矛盾的稠苦與香甜交織，多麼衝突又迷人的存在。可能就是我奢望的生活與世界的樣子吧。
#隔了七個月的登頂日記
#新年新希望就埋在心裏默默實現🌱
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Zig-zaging the bitter coldness at -15 Celsius Degrees, I could finally absorb the fragile heat from the sunrise, to warm up my stiff, numb toes and fingers. It also gave my the morale to keep on trekking up to the summit of Mountain Elbrus (5642M).
We were a team of seven. One of us rested and stayed at the saddle (around 5000M) due to altitude sickness. He then would return to the base camp accompanied by one of our guides. The rest of us successfully made it to the top of Europe on May 30th, 2018.
Not until now do I realize that what I needed to conquer was not the fear. I was not afraid of altitude sickness. I was afraid that I could not make it and eventually would fail. So I intended to stay at the saddle, planning on not to go for the summit, in avoidance of confronting the situation and mentality of failure. I feared of the uncertainty, that situation I was unable to control, that scene of myself failing to summit. After a moment of digesting the thought, I still harnessed myself to no to quit. And, I eventually made it with the encouragement from the guide and the pals. It was my first time to use the axe, in a harness, double-boots, and cramp-ons; it was also my first to be strung in line, in the snow, to ascend to the peak of my life.
At the summit, there were ribbons and portraits brought by climbers who were praying for blessings for their family members. The Croatian team next to us was flagging out the national flag, and cheerfully taking a group photo. Our main guide, Vladimir, was kneeling and saying his prayers. His rigid jawline was smoothened after our success. Smiles and humour found their way back to his sun-kissed cheeks and chin.
Gaspingly breathing the thick, cold air, I bird-viewed the snow-peaked Caucasus mountains all the way to Azerbaijan and Georgia. I lived from the desperate once again.
My crave for climbing is alike my addiction to IPA and DIPA. It is the bitterness of pills tasted on the tip of tongue, but once swallowed, thick fragrance of tropical fruits and florals of the hops floods out from my throat into my mouth. A burst of a summer garden. An eccentric and caramelized sweetness conflicts with the initial bitterness. The bitter must come before the sweet. The paradox of the thick bitter weaves with the aromatic sweet. An addictive existence of the contrary parts. That might just be the way I wish for life and the world.
七人小隊，其中一人因高山症，留在海拔5000M的鞍部休息後，在嚮導的陪同下返回基地營。其餘六人，成功在2018年5月30日登頂，抵達歐洲最高峰。
直到現在我才了解，我那時要克服的不是恐懼；我也不是怕自己高山症。我是怕自己完成不了這件事情而失敗，所以我便打算留在鞍部，不攻頂了，以避免面對失敗的場面與心境。我怕的是未知，那個無法掌握的狀況，也可能無法成功登頂的場景。在鞍部猶豫片刻，我最後逼著自己，也在嚮導與夥伴的鼓勵下，做到了。人生第一次用著冰斧、確保繩、結繩隊，穿著雙重膠靴與冰爪，登上人生最高峰。
山頂上放著來自各地人們帶來祈求家人祝福的照片、絲帶；身旁來自克羅埃西亞的團隊，展開他們的國旗，開心地合照。我們的主嚮導Vladimir也在一旁跪著禱告；一向嚴肅的面龐在我們成功登頂後，逐一鬆懈；笑容與幽默感在他長期曬紅的臉龐上，找回各自的位置。
喘息吸著稀薄冰冷的空氣，眺望著綿延到亞塞拜然、喬治亞的高加索山脈，白雪皚皚，我再次從絕望中活了過來。
我會喜歡爬山，就跟我喜歡IPA、DIPA那種啤酒花爆棚的啤酒一樣。一開始入口舌尖嚐到的是苦藥味，但入喉後，來自啤酒花的熱帶水果與濃郁花香，從喉頭與口腔中漫溢出來。接著是獨特的甘甜，與一開始品嚐到的苦成為對比。先苦後甘，苦盡甘來⋯⋯ 矛盾的稠苦與香甜交織，多麼衝突又迷人的存在。可能就是我奢望的生活與世界的樣子吧。
#隔了七個月的登頂日記
#新年新希望就埋在心裏默默實現🌱
-
Zig-zaging the bitter coldness at -15 Celsius Degrees, I could finally absorb the fragile heat from the sunrise, to warm up my stiff, numb toes and fingers. It also gave my the morale to keep on trekking up to the summit of Mountain Elbrus (5642M).
We were a team of seven. One of us rested and stayed at the saddle (around 5000M) due to altitude sickness. He then would return to the base camp accompanied by one of our guides. The rest of us successfully made it to the top of Europe on May 30th, 2018.
Not until now do I realize that what I needed to conquer was not the fear. I was not afraid of altitude sickness. I was afraid that I could not make it and eventually would fail. So I intended to stay at the saddle, planning on not to go for the summit, in avoidance of confronting the situation and mentality of failure. I feared of the uncertainty, that situation I was unable to control, that scene of myself failing to summit. After a moment of digesting the thought, I still harnessed myself to no to quit. And, I eventually made it with the encouragement from the guide and the pals. It was my first time to use the axe, in a harness, double-boots, and cramp-ons; it was also my first to be strung in line, in the snow, to ascend to the peak of my life.
At the summit, there were ribbons and portraits brought by climbers who were praying for blessings for their family members. The Croatian team next to us was flagging out the national flag, and cheerfully taking a group photo. Our main guide, Vladimir, was kneeling and saying his prayers. His rigid jawline was smoothened after our success. Smiles and humour found their way back to his sun-kissed cheeks and chin.
Gaspingly breathing the thick, cold air, I bird-viewed the snow-peaked Caucasus mountains all the way to Azerbaijan and Georgia. I lived from the desperate once again.
My crave for climbing is alike my addiction to IPA and DIPA. It is the bitterness of pills tasted on the tip of tongue, but once swallowed, thick fragrance of tropical fruits and florals of the hops floods out from my throat into my mouth. A burst of a summer garden. An eccentric and caramelized sweetness conflicts with the initial bitterness. The bitter must come before the sweet. The paradox of the thick bitter weaves with the aromatic sweet. An addictive existence of the contrary parts. That might just be the way I wish for life and the world.
#thediaryofmysummitdaythatis7monthapart
#newyearresolutionBScanbedonesilentlyinheart🌱
#newyearresolutionBScanbedonesilentlyinheart🌱
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| Captured on the summit day of Mt. Elbrus, May 30th 2018. Photo Credit: 山癮 Thin Air Fiend |
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| Taken during one of our acclimatization hikes in the snow. |
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| There were snowstorms after noon usually. We were caught up in it during our first acclimatization hikes. The sky and ground were both covered in white. |
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| Returning to the base camp after the summit, I was carrying the axe and helmet in my backpack, while walking down with poles. |
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