I remember the first time I discovered the Great Outdoors. I was twenty-three years old, and had just completed my first year of law school. I decided to hike Half Dome in Yosemite without any preparation or experience with our law school “Mountaineering Society,” which I joined because it was the only club that had nothing to do with law. At the time, I could run a 5K without too much trouble so I figured that I was in good enough shape to do a 17 mile hike. Little did I know that I was about to embark on a journey that would not only humble me to my core, but awaken a fire that would take over a central part of my personality.

I am a city gal. I admit it. I was proud of the fact that I was actually born in Los Angeles. I went to college in New York. I never gave nature a second thought during the first 23 years of my life. I was too busy enjoying fine food (well as fine of food as one could find when you were a broke college student in New York living off street carts and ramen noodles.) I loved living in the concrete jungle. I was content to be climbing up the corporate ladder. I loved looking at the expensive clothes that came down the runway during Fashion Week. Haute couture was something to be coveted. What I told people I did at parties seemed to be important so it seemed natural that I left school to work in an entertainment law firm as soon as I finished college. I was determined to be one of those people defined by their job and hopefully make tons of money too. I thought this world was enough. That was, of course, until I discovered a world I was missing. A side of myself that I never knew existed. It was right in my backyard in California all along.

I made many mistakes on that first trip to Half Dome. I had a nice new fancy North Face backpack full of the following items:

1. Four (4) liters of water. Yes, you read that right. 4 Liters!
2. A change of clothes, shoes, and water-proof jacket.
3. Sandals
4. Almonds, Cherries, and enough dry fruit for a winter.
5. 10 Lara bars
6. A rather large flashlight
7. Matches
8. An ace bandage
9. A camera
10. Sunscreen
11. Mosquito Repellant
12. Lotion
13. Toilet Paper
14. Hand Sanitizer
15. An Instyle magazine (in case I had some reading time)
16. Food
17. More food
18. And more food because I was not going to die from starvation on my first hike.

Needless to say my backpack weighed about 40lbs for a “day hike.” Cut to me about a mile into the Trail of the Mist and struggling. Luckily, one of the guys offered to take 2 liters of water off my hands, which relieved some of the weight. I didn’t learn about the magic of water filters until much later.

I vividly remember pushing myself with every step. About every two hours I would want to quit and find the nearest ranger on a horse to take me down, but I kept going. We finally reached the last step where the cables start and the walking part ended.  My friends had to talk me into continuing because I was cowardly going to give up at the very moment at the very sight of those cables. For those who don’t know, Half Dome’s crux is the last 400 vertical feet up the eastern slope are so sheer that Yosemite staff installed cables for you to cling to as you pull yourself up. You’ll find poles holding the cables up every ten feet or so along the slope, with a 2×4 plank of wood attached to certain points so you can rest and contemplate your mortality.

I distinctly remember the fear and exhilaration of knowing that the only thing holding me up was a 2×4 plank and my grip in a glove that was far too large on a slippery cable line. I was painfully aware of the fact that if anyone ahead of me slipped I could very easily go over the side of cliff never to be seen again. I pushed with everything I had to get to the top. They say you confront your true self on the mountain. This is very true. You see your true personality. You have to face your shortcomings head on. If you didn’t train hard enough, your body will let you know. When I got to the top, I felt like a champion, but I was beyond the point of exhaustion. My hands were balloons from the elevation. We sat and ate a bit at the top and admired the view. Did you know that you get great cell service on the top of Half Dome? Some guy in front of me decided to call his mom to say he made it safely. At that point, I had finished 2 Liters of water but still had to carry them in my backpack. Pack in and pack out, people.

Next came the hardest part. I know you might be saying, but you already made it to the top what could be more difficult? Oh, Let me tell you – sometimes going down is harder than going up. I spent so much energy getting to the top that it never actually occurred to me that I would need energy to get down. Needless to say that I was a complete mess. First, climbing down those cables of 400 vertical feet is not for the faint of heart. Once at the bottom, there were what seemed like a million switchbacks. The sweeping views of the valley, deer, and trees kept me going. I ended up borrowing one hiking pole from a friend. That hiking pole probably saved my life because my knees were shot. I quite literally hobbled…And I do mean seriously hobbled down the trail. I was trying to race nightfall. Darkness was winning for a long while. Eventually, I saw the light at the bottom of the restaurant for the celebratory dinner. I had never been so glad to see civilization in my entire life. I hobbled up to my friends and happily ate a slice of pizza and drank beer. The steak and wine dinner would have to wait until the next night after a bit of recovery time.

This may sound like the kind of  introduction to nature that would make most people fear to ever venture into the wild again, but I was hooked. The sensory experience, the feeling of adventure, and pushing the envelope of what my body was capable of was enthralling. When I got back to the lodge I covered myself in icy hot patches because everything ached, but I was the happiest version of myself. I felt like I not only accomplished something, but I found that little piece inside me that embraced nature. Over the next seven years I would try everything that came my way from traveling around Europe to Rock Climbing to Skiing.

I felt like a woman of two minds. I wanted to balance being that badass chick who could handle herself in the woods, but also strap on some killer heels and a knockout dress to go to a fabulous dinner. This blog is for those ladies who like to swap out their heels for their hiking boots.