08/26/2026
Hot take: Summits aren't goal posts.
Summit fever is that itch that many hikers get. It's the drive to reach the summit of the trail you're on at all costs. You simply HAVE to finish or your hike is "failed."
I don't think that's true, and not just for safety reasons.
The hike in these photos was a new trail for my group and me. That day, I was struggling with a really painful muscle spasm in my neck. I couldn't turn my head to the right at all, and likely had no business hiking that day. Speaking of wrong turns, we'd ended up making one as we neared the horseshoe section of this trail.
Nobody was quite sure if we were supposed to climb up and over a large boulder field, or climb up the steep section ahead of us, where three mountain goats lay in the sun... likely laughing at us. I watched my companions move painstakingly over the boulder field, the size of the rocks and the steepness of the area combining to create a serious trail challenge.
I thought about the muscle relaxer I'd taken and the slightly unsteady sensation it gave me. I looked up at the ridge as well, the blue of the sky colliding with the grey and green of the mountain and felt a pull towards the top.
I wasn't the only one feeling conflicted. The boulders were treacherous, but the top of the ridge was sooooo close.
After some deliberation, our group decided it would be wise to turn around and travel home along the trail we knew, instead of attempting an unknown section. We had hiked a long way to reach this point only to turn around, but I was grateful.
I never felt like we had failed the hike.
We had still gone out and enjoyed an incredible day. In fact, this hike is one of my favorites, especially because of the little waterfall we passed by.
Making the call to turn around on a hike for safety or comfort doesn't mean you failed. You still went out for a hike and you still enjoyed a day on the trail and got to see incredible sights.
You're still a hiker, and the trail will be there for another day.
