Trigged on Bird Ridge: TrailMates Navigate Emotions and Adventure in Alaska

By: Kayla Bolster

Who Has Hiked Bird Ridge?

I imagine myself asking this question classroom style with a group of fellow hikers, “who has hiked Bird Ridge?” Because having hiked it might be the only way to truly understand this mountain. However, I will do my best to paint the picture. For those that know Bird Ridge, I think we all can agree it is quite the climb. That mountain is steep and it’s a commitment to get to the top. We’re talking 4.4 miles out and back with over 3,200ft elevation gain, no switchbacks, just vertical gain the whole way. For those not living in Alaska, yes this is the norm. Bird Ridge is not the tallest mountain, it’s not the steepest mountain, and it’s not the longest trail - but Bird Ridge is a grind to get to the peak. 

Bluebird Day, Big Crew

I hiked this mountain with TrailMates in early July and we had 18 people join us for this venture. We got lucky with the weather, it was a blue bird day with almost no clouds in the sky. The group gathered in the parking lot for the pre hike debrief and then we embarked on the trail together - heads held high. The first part of this hike takes you through a forested area and right off the bat we felt the warmth in the air. We were trudging through the trees for the first mile or so and it felt humid - you could tell the sun was starting to heat up. Regardless of the increasing heat all of us were experiencing, conversations flowed as our feet stepped one in front of the other, all of us gaining elevation with each step. The group climbed, and climbed, and climbed, and we continued to make progress toward the peak. This hike felt extra special because it had been rescheduled twice due to weather reasons, and now we had the perfect day. The skies were blue, the flowers were in bloom, and we were spending the day with the community. For me personally, the way up was a grind but it was manageable and per the typical Alaska hike, there were a few false peaks before we actually made it to our destination. 

Summit Celebration

When everyone got to the top our hike leader Pete surprised us with champagne and we celebrated the accomplishment together as a group and enjoyed the beautiful day Mother Nature had given us. We had wide spread views of Turnagain Arm and a sweeping scape of the Chugach mountains. The views were stunning and perhaps most of us forgot about the climb we just accomplished because the reward at the top was more than worth it. I think it’s safe to say everyone in the group was happy and grateful. We sat and enjoyed our champagne and snacks and the sun on our faces for a longer moment than usual on the peak. 

Then the first couple people announced the start of their descent and one by one we realized the peak celebrations were coming to a close. The trek down was about to begin, and who knew it would be more challenging than the climb - for me. Maybe it was the heat, maybe it was the incline, but the descent was brutal for me. The sun was shining directly in my face and I could feel myself getting more dehydrated by the minute, coupled with the fact that I just climbed a mountain - it made for an interesting descent, but still I kept trudging down. 

The Descent Challenge

There was a level of annoyance and anger that was building inside of me that I couldn’t pinpoint. I was in shape to climb this mountain and still my legs felt tired as I climbed down. I was with a great group of people, but I still felt my positive attitude was diminishing. Why? I decided it was the mountain’s fault, Bird Ridge - you were to blame. I started to resent Bird Ridge as if Mother Nature was the cause of the anger that was building inside of me. I was convinced it had something to do with the hike. Bird Ridge is a bold hike and I was feeling some bold emotions, how fitting. 

When Mountains Mirror Life

I’ve been doing some reflecting lately and somehow I circled back to the Bird Ridge hike, because I was recently feeling some very bold emotions, but this time a mountain didn’t trigger me - life did. When I thought back to the Bird Ridge hike I realized I was trying to place blame on the mountain, when in reality the mountain didn’t do anything wrong. The only thing Bird Ridge showed me was an area in my life that was requiring some attention, it wasn’t the cause of my anger. Isn’t that essentially what triggers do? Maybe they aren’t such a bad thing after all. 

Gratitude on the Trail

Bird Ridge served a purpose that day for me. That mountain supported me with every step regardless of the energy I was giving back, and I am embarrassed to say it wasn’t good. The mountain did nothing wrong and yet I placed blame on it. Bird Ridge accepted my anger with open arms, because that's what the mountains do. They exist in a peaceful presence and patiently wait to pass on their lessons. They might even send gentle reminders for us to pay a visit every once in a while - most of us probably know the feeling of being called to them. The mountains don’t turn us away when we’re angry and have a bad attitude, instead they say “Okay, I’m ready for you. I’m here to support you and I will listen to you. You’re going to get through this.” The ground stays steady for us to walk through whatever battle we’re facing at that time. The mountains don’t judge us, their medicine is quiet and the feedback is gentle and it’s provided only when we’re ready to accept it. 

Big Emotions, Bigger Lessons

Bird Ridge didn’t boot me off the trail the moment I started to wish the hike was over and began sending anger toward the mountain. Instead it continued to provide a clear and open path for me to find my way all the way back to my car, sore legs and all.  To the mountain I said “it’s your fault I’m feeling like this” and Brid Ridge said “I’ll show you where your trigger is coming from, and I’ll help you through it.” No questions asked and no payment required, but that leads me to my second point - the importance of gratitude.

From Frustration to Thankfulness

Now that I’ve realized those big feelings I felt on Bird Ridge had nothing to do with the mountain and everything to do with a wound that needed tending to - I’ve shifted my perspective toward gratitude. I’ll let you in on a little secret - the energy of gratitude feels way better than any of the other big negative emotions we feel sometimes, so the faster we can get to the level of gratitude, the better. I’m not saying we shouldn’t feel those other not so pleasant emotions, but the quicker they can be processed - the better we’re going to feel. I’m grateful for the challenges I experienced hiking Bird Ridge.

Processing the Tough Stuff, One Step at a Time

Nature is out there to support us, to work with us, not to fight against us. Let’s be grateful for this wonderful place we live in. We’ve talked about some big climbs lately my fellow TrailMates. Last month we reflected on Harp Mountain and the importance of listening to our bodies, and this month it was time to sit with Bird Ridge and a little bit of anger. I led my first hike up Slaughter Ridge in September and the experience was fantastic - I can’t wait to tell you all about it. Watch for my recap and life thoughts in November’s newsletter - and in the meantime, come hike with us!