“Just go and do it!” I’ve heard that small clear voice in my head before, urging me forward. On that particular day, if I hadn’t listened, I would have stayed safe at home. I likely wouldn’t have taken the risk and “done it”. I would have missed the spectacular view, and I would have let a personal goal slip quietly away.

On that beautiful autumn day, I started out with my visiting British friend to hike the peak of Mt. Cinnabar in the South Chilcotin Mountains. I had never been on this trail or to this summit, and there were no real maps. The trail started out clearly enough, but the further we hiked, the less defined it became, and the more challenges we had to consider.

Given the lateness of the season, our first challenge was Hunting Season! We pulled out our brightest fluorescent clothing and hats to avoid being mistaken as a tree or a bear. While we didn’t see or hear any hunters, we did spot numerous very large grizzly paw prints along the trail. Having forgotten the bear spray I thought for more than a few minutes that we should definitely head back. But then, “Just do it!”, crept into my mind.

We had to bush whack off the nonexistent trail, at times scrambling up 45 degree slopes. We maneuvered around and through slippery snow patches. At one point, having slid back down a section, I was sure that we should wait to hike this peak in spring. And again I heard, “Just go and do it – now!”

With each challenge, we faltered just a little bit and tried to convince ourselves to turn back. And in facing each challenge, we decided to continue – to keep going to the top. Even though the challenges became progressively more difficult we continued to overcome them. We became more and more confident to continue, to follow our own path, to listen to that voice urging us onward.

I stopped thinking that it was too difficult, too dangerous, too far, and that I was too old, too inexperienced, too tired. My reward was truly a “peak” experience – the pun is intended! To eat lunch at the top of that mountain was to claim bragging rights that we reached our goal, our peak.

It will be my ongoing challenge to continue to overlook all the excuses that keep my life too safe, too easy and too boring. This autumn trek solidified in me that it is never too late in my life season to venture outside to learn from new hikes, new activities and new challenges.