Part of Something Larger

Rain: loud enough to force our voices to shout in order to be heard above the noise.

Wind: strong enough I fear my body will become airborne and swept away with the clouds.

I, a human, am out of my element in the midst of these elements.

Life stories. Questions asked. “In a hypothetical cage fight who are you fighting and who do you want to impress?”

I think this mountain overheard our private McKinley Fly conversation and said, “challenge accepted.”

To the mountain nothing is private. To the mountain nothing is left as personal. My feet are no longer my own. My toes are so cold that I almost feel the mountain might’ve taken them, and will keep them for good.

Then why am I here? Is it to feel small? Perhaps, but not quite.

Not to feel small, but to realize that I am not my own. I am not personal or private, but a part of something much larger. Something that I’m not at the center of. Something more powerful than myself.

And in that realization, once I embrace it, there is peace and rest. An end to striving and the beginning of watching (in awe) as the power moves, and joining with the power in its movement. Allowing myself to be moved. Realizing that I’m not the primary mover. That there is a primary mover greater than the mountains themselves, who even controls their movement. 

-Skye Cornell, Mountain Guide 

Freedom from Struggle

Peyton (middle) works in the kitchen at base camp. In her free time, she enjoys swimming in the inlet and playing monopoly deal. She is currently attending SDSU in California for biology. Peyton is passionate about Jesus, In-N-Out Burger, and the ocean. 

Sometimes it is important to be in a place not shaped by the hands of humans, somewhere where it doesn’t matter if you’re barefoot because your shoes hurt too much, and a place that doesn’t respond to the command of a light switch. It is important to be humbled and to realize how human we are. I am grateful for Beyond because it makes me celebrate simple things like hot coffee in the morning, loud singing during dish duty, community, worship, and pure silliness. Base camp has become home, but my week in the mountains climbing JJ taught me a whole new meaning of trusting God and truly relying on His strength. 

During the majority of our time ascending, we were in a whiteout. We were cold, wet, and anxious. As difficult as the weather was, I felt that it was very fitting for our group. Although we could not see the beauty beyond the clouds, we all knew that it was there. The same concept works in regards to our walks with Jesus; we may not be able to see him, but we know he is always there. All we have to do is invite Him in.

On our summit day, the clouds opened up and the sun came out for the first time. I have never witnessed anything so beautiful. That moment of sun on the summit made me realize that God had a plan for our group. His plan was for us to realize that it is okay to struggle, it is okay for things not to be perfect, and it is okay not to have any idea where you are at or where you are going.

The whole JJ group before leaving for the trail

Before going on this trip, I had a lot of fear. I am a “lupie”, meaning I have lupus along with my autoimmune disease; mixed connective tissue disorder, and arthritis. I am told I can’t do things pretty often, and I let a lot of those negative comments pull me down. Even in the midst of these physical struggles, I felt God tugging at my heart telling me this was something I needed to do.

The strength God gave me throughout this trip made me reevaluate how I place my identity in Him. The feeling of conquering that mountain with the Lord was far more empowering than nursing my wounds and clinging to my pain all the time. There is something about the outdoors that fuels my soul, my spirit, and my overall well-being. I was forced to lean on the Lord when I was uncomfortable in the whiteout, and the way He met me was with this beautiful mountain experience I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

-Peyton Cook 

Beyond Sea Kayaking: The Depths of Adventure

If you're looking for freedom, flexibility, and depth in your next outdoor adventure, you should check out Beyond's sea kayaking program. Enjoy the freedom of paddling some of Canada's most beautiful inlets and exploring the wilderness that skirts their edges. Sea kayaking trips offer an extreme amount of flexibility in both the length of the trip and the size of the group. Spend the day spotting God in the wildlife around you and in the conversations you share as you paddle. Enjoy streams and waterfalls and water that literally glows at night. End your day cozied around a beach campfire listening to the stories of the lives of your fellow travelers and sharing your own. Sea kayaking is a challenging but low-impact sport, making it an excellent choice for participants of all ages. So get a high school group together and ask a couple of moms or dads (or grandpas) to join you. The best part is, we're still booking trips for this summer. Check out the calendar below and then click here to get your trip planning started.

Rain Drops

Blue skies turned to a grey wind-blown canopy above our campsite at Morrie’s Mound, and not only was the wind blowing in rain clouds, it was making our task of setting up the tents difficult.
The eight guys from Tuscon and Seattle were out on an overnight solo, to experience the most quiet, still hours some had ever felt. Ryan and I, as guides, kept a watchful eye on the campers and the weather. Dark clouds to the west had pushed in. We had a great vantage of each individual, as we were able to monitor their safety from a distance. Our hope was that rain and wind would not be a limiting factor in their solo. As we were having trouble with the tents, and drops started to smatter the rocks, we called everyone in for dinner under the McKinly Fly, our community canopy.

The fellas wandered in one-by-one, thankful for warm food and dry shelter. As the storm calmed, Ryan sent the participants out again, this time for the night. We knew it would continue to sprinkle but prayed that God would change the winds and allow blue skies beyond the Albert range, the direction from which our foul weather was generated. And God did just that.

I sat up for a while longer watching the clouds pass, revealing white pinholes in the night sky. And when I slept, I felt cool rain on my face for a few minutes, but continued to sleep.

In the morning, Kurt, the leader from Tuscon, mentioned that the night was a great parallel to how God cares for people. He sends us out, allows some storms to pass through, but is always watching for our safety. Then, when the circumstances are too stormy, he calls us in, provides us shelter, feeds us when we are hungry and sends us out again.

Psalm 36:5 – 7 ‘Your unfailing love, O Lord, is vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.

We still encountered rain, but was refreshed by the reminder that cares to know us. He wants our attention, and that night He had 11 undivided hearts and minds. Some were fixed on His amazing display of beauty in the mountain peaks, some on from the stillness during a star-studded night, and others asking if there is He is really there at all. I was encouraged that we didn’t have to call it off, that it didn’t rain or blow too hard.

The solo was a great experience for the guys, and was something they will remember and draw from next year as they go off to their first year in college, where they will be on a different kind of solo. Hopefully they will think back to their time on the mountaintop, where they saw blue skies turn to a grey wind-blown canopy and remember God was there, present in their lives. Maybe they will wonder where else they can experience God if they stopped to listen. And they will know Him.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Brandon Sawaya is a first year mountain guide at Beyond Malibu. 

Training Complete - Let the summer begin!

In June, I participated in my 4th Beyond Malibu 10 Day, this time as a trainer. My first go-around with 10 Day was frightening. The hike up Chatterbox was endless. My VW Bug-sized backpack toppled me like a house of cards as we swung under logs, crawled through Caldwell's Corridor, and kicked steps up the... snow!?!? (I'm from Arizona). One reason I think God placed me at Beyond Malibu as a camper, then as a guide, and now as a trainer is that being in His creation allows change, growth, and hope in the face of discomfort and fatigue and fear. Making myself available to RISK makes room for God to do his thing. Climbing up Chatterbox will ALWAYS be a challenge, but the difference this time around is I understand what we're aiming for-- geographically and spiritually.

A few days of mountain life shared with fellow guides is SO fun. This year on 10 Day we shared life stories, led one another in Bible studies, talked about mountain metaphors, practiced self-arresting with ice axes, followed the leads of maps and compasses in white outs, roped up on a glacier, and as the song proclaims: hiked it like your mama's stairmaster.

Here's the rundown of our week on Sun Peak & JJ:

Day 1, teams “Risk-Eh?”, “Boot Axe”, and “[Whistle]” (pronounced, “brackets whistle”) said "packs on!" and began hiking on the boardwalk at Chatterbox Falls; which soon turned to something more closely resembling a staircase. As the day turned to evening we reached Panorama Point, and as the sky began to sprinkle our muddy knees clean we finished the long trek to Sun City for the night. The rest of 10-Day -can you believe this! - it didn't rain or snow!!! Some people were bummed about this "less-extreme-weatherless-experience", but I was elated to sleep in a dry sleeping bag.

On Day 2, we found Rock-'N-Roll rock covered with snow and proceeded down to Contact Lakes where we got to camp on ROCK! The guides then practiced their rope skills of fixed handlines, anchors, and belays.

Day 3, piled with sunscreen and polypro tee's, we focused on map and compass, rappelling, and self-arrest. That night, the guides and mice alike breathed in the delicious aroma of Mexi-Meal.

On Day 4, a nimble rope team tracked down the perfect crevasse for "Hurk" and "Z-Pulley" rescue system practice. Gallons of "Ricky" were guzzled, numerous up-the-nose sunburns were acquired that day and spirits were high as we withdrew from the glacier and headed back to the Moraine to camp.

Day 5, we compass marched across the JJ Glacier amidst huge, rolling clouds with intermittent glorious views of surrounding mountains and valleys. All 3 groups summitted that day... Happy Snickers to all!

Day 6 commenced our commute home. By this time life stories had been traded, mountain treats devoured, and skills polished. Talk began of upcoming trips - kids and adults were on their way to Beyond for week #1 already! Excitement stirred as we all contemplated what was waiting for us in the Valley below.

Day 7: Each team awoke early to retrace their steps back down towards the inlet. Upon our return to base camp, we thankfully pulled off our boots and sock liners, dried out the tents and flies, shared stinky hugs with gracious base camp staff members, and sighed with relief as we donned cotton shirts and bare feet.

10 Day 2010 was a journey of redemption, humility, stillness, and huge leaps outside ourselves. God tugged all 24 of us up and down the mountain to be affected and maybe even changed by what He had made. I am SO thankful to have gotten to join this summer's guide staff at the beginning of their summer pilgrimage with kids and adults into the mountains of Beyond. Let the summer begin!

- Lauren Hamman

  Mountain Guide 2006-2008

Visual Reminder 4

Now we're really close to the summer.  Looking forward to seeing you at camp this summer.  Here's two new desktop backgrounds for you.

(click to view full size image for you desktop)

(click to view full size image for you desktop)

Visual Reminder 2

Our year in Seattle is more than half over.  Let's just say we're pretty stoked to see this view again.

(Click on the image to get a full size version for your desktop).
[Updated]

A Visual Reminder

When stuck in the middle of winter, it's sometimes good to get a little visual reminder of what summers look like at Beyond. This snapshot should be familiar to many of you. (Click on it to get a full size version for your desktop).