Lessons Learned from the Grand Canyon

This summer, I was invited to join the Hope Climb, a team hiking the Grand Canyon to raise support and awareness for Impact India 360, a non-profit I’ve served on the board of for over a decade. My longest workout in any recent memory had been a 5K, so it was time to get to work on training.

Be Prepared

The Girl Scout motto, “Be prepared!” served me well on this journey. Over 900 people have died in the Grand Canyon, with an average of 12 deaths per year. As part of my preparation, I read the award-winning book, A Walk in the Park, which dives into the sobering details. I took it seriously, tracked my mileage, and in my training, I hiked further than the distance from my home in Austin, Texas, to my son’s college apartment in Houston.

Be Flexible

The original plan was to hike Rim to River to Rim in one day. However, when we arrived, there were flash flood warnings and trail closures, forcing us to improvise. A friend and I mapped an alternative route, and by the end of the day, we had logged 16.8 miles, taken some beautiful photos, and enjoyed our somewhat rainy adventure in the canyon.

Remember the Goal

Why were we there? To take on a challenge, raise money for a really good cause, and experience one of nature’s most stunning and beautiful landscapes. In the end, we had a great time and raised over $75,000 for Impact India 360.

I’m glad that I said, Challenge Accepted.