It left me with a memory I would never forget no matter how hard I tried. The climb up Mount Manitou in Colorado was by far one of the hardest physical things I’ve ever done during my time on this planet. The way there was precarious, the climb was treacherous, and the way down was as rewarding as it was beautiful.

The sun was almost fully risen as we drove down the long road; clouds lingered in the sky as people wandered the city, the mountain clearly in view. Chatter filled the bus we took to the mountain, and many people walked around as we got off. At the bottom of the mountain, I and the people I was with checked in, preparing ourselves for the worst. As I turned towards the mountain, I could see the hundreds of steps leading up to the summit, the people climbing seeming like tiny ants.

As we began climbing, we noticed that every 100 steps there was a metal plate on a step, telling us how far we were. Only within the first 150 or so steps, my legs were beginning to ache as I looked up, spotting something in the far distance that seemed to be the summit – But no, it was not the summit, but rather a false summit. We took many breaks on our way up the mountain, drinking water and eating lightly as we climbed, slowly beginning to crawl up each step due to the fire burning in my legs.

After about 2 hours, we reached the summit. For a few moments, I didn’t realize we were there and I was a bit shocked we had made it. There were a few people sitting at the top, others wandering around and climbing around on rocks. When I turned around, I could see the entirety of the city and the vast landscape beyond. Storm clouds filled the sky around Pikes Peak, just out of reach of where we were. After we had gotten more than a few pictures, we began the treacherous 4-mile-long trail down the mountain. Once we arrived at the bottom, we met up with some family and had one of the most needed meals in my life.

I will never forget this time of my life, as it inspired me and continues to inspire me every day. It taught me many things, one of them being to never give up and keep persisting until you reach your goal. Remember, no matter how hard things get, the end will always come as the greatest reward.