Why hike a mountain?
I have been hiking all week, and going up higher, not having reached the top yet.
Well, this week we did have my granddaughter in the bob–the baby jogger, and my daughter (pregnant with no. 2), pushing it up hill.
I helped a little.
So we could not get to the top due to Mother Eve circumstances.

I looked  at the people who hike, and bike and wondered what motivates them to do this?

Standing, looking out over the city from above, seeing the streets all lined up, and nature all around I suddenly feel better.
All these people in the city, living, working–so many people. It makes me think about life, and the purpose of it all, and what does God see when he looks at us? Not that he sits up there on the clouds, looking down. But when you step back, or climb up and look around, you get a different perspective. You see things in macro instead of the micro.
The physical effort makes me feel like I have accomplished something, too.
I got to thinking — Why are mountains considered sacred territory?  Higher to the heavens? It’s interesting that communication devises are perched up on the tops–radio towers,  receivers and such.
Better communication.

I definitely feel removed from people, businesses, cars, that sort of thing. You are set apart from the things of the world.

Not very many people hike the mountains. It’s not very crowded up here.
“Moses was caught up into an exceedingly high mountain.” (Moses1:1) and there communicated with God. He went up to the mountain of God.
Others have been caught up into a high mountain to be taught of the Lord. Nephi when he pondered on the teachings of his father.
On the mount of transfiguration–“And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves…” (Mark 9:2)
 

“And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.  And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.” (Mark 9:4-5)

The brother of Jared talked with the Lord on a high mountain. Nibley says  ‘mountain’ “was called Shelem because of its exceeding height. The original word of Shelem, Shalom, means “peace,” but it originally meant “safe” (safety, security) because it was a high place. The Shelem was a high place.”
The temple in Jerusalem supposedly had an iron rod to grasp to make your way to the temple mount–  “before the top of the mountain was leveled off for the temple, it was much higher, and it was risky. When it was rainy and stormy (it was spring when people would have to go), it was hard to get up there, to follow the sacred trail up.” (Nibley)
 

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us ago up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths… (Isaiah 2:2-3)

Sinai was a mountain top, and a sacred spot, a place set apart from the world to communicate with the Lord.

I sat up on the top and viewed the city below, the sage brush and some dirt my carpet. And yes, several communications towers.

 

It was great.
And how funny is this, but the speaker at church today shared his story of climbing that very same peak years ago.