I recently spent the night on the summit of Gold Star Peak. In all my years of climbing this mountain, this overnighter was more peaceful and absolutely surreal.
Not being on any timeline, I took my time and absorbed every step of the climb thinking about all the past adventures. Moreover, I thought about the memorable moments and climbers that have come from all over to venture to the summit, their energy, their story, their emotion, their hero.
We always say that the reward of making it to the summit is the incredible views and the tower of honor that greets every visitor. The tower’s beauty and the sight and sound it projects alone make reaching the summit so very rewarding.
The part that’s missing is the detailed description of the tower. We share our thoughts and stories about it with all that climb with us, but there is a more detailed story.
After my camp was set up and as night began to fall, I sat next to the tower and listened and watched as the sun slowly faded off the horizon. For about 20 or so minutes, the setting sun perfectly lit up the star…exactly as planned.
The next day I reached out to Big John to report the news and share this picture and asked him to share his thoughts or memories of the idea we discussed before.
He replied: “by knowing ones north one may always orient themselves and find their way. The orientation of the star points north much like our North Star giving direction to those who are lost.
The tower’s prominence also casts a shadow in concert with the rising and setting sun which is simpatico with the rise and fall of our heroes and the fact that their memory is never forgotten and occurs daily.” His description cannot be said any better.
The setting sun is perfectly illuminating the western point of the star, day is done, gone the sun.