Ibelieveintheimportanceofpace.Igrewupinafrenetichousehold,bothparentsworkingjobsthatdemandedtheirattention24/7.Iwaslittleandfastandrushedaround,andIstillhavethatpersoninsideme,alwaysatriskofmovingtooquickly,missingtheconnection,makingmistakes.
Theforestbehindourhouseofferedapeacefulrespite.Mypassionfortheverticalworldtookmefromtalltreesinmybackyardtoclimbingsteepcliffsandcrags.Asateen,IwasmovingeasilyoverthelandscapesoftheAmericanWestandwasdrawntohighersummits.WhenIwas19,Ilearnedsomethingcalledthe“reststep”fromanoldmountainclimbernamedPaulPetzoldt.Headvisedmetorestinthemiddleofeachstepcompletely,butbriefly.Thereststep,whichIstillpracticetoday,allowsmetowalkorclimbwithlittleeffort.Icanmoveveryquicklyyetstillfindapauseineverystep.
TheawarenessofpaceIowetomyteacherhasservedmewhetherIamseekingtheworld’shighestsummits,sharingmyloveforthemountainswithothersorkneelingtolookmyson,Gus,intheeyewhenhehasaquestion.
ItservesmeasIdrive,adjustingmyspeedtogainabitofcalmandreachmydestinationonlyminutesbehindthe“recordtime”afasterlanemightprovide.Itservesmeathomewherewemaintainatraditionofgatheringeachnightatthedinnertabletoeatandtalktoeachother.
Intimesofcrisis,pacecomestomyaid.AnotherofPetzoldt’slessonswaswhenfacedwithanemergency,sitdown,collectyourself,makeaplan.Whenneedsseemmosturgent—evenlife-threatening—thepracticeofslowingdownofferscalmandclarity.
In1987,IwasinPakistantoclimbGasherbrumII,oneoftheworld’shighestpeaks.Wewereasmallgroupanditwasaverybigmountain.Ourexpeditionfacedmorethanitsshareofdifficulty:Alongstormwipedoutmostofourfoodrationsandanavalanchedevastatedourcamp,obliteratingourtents.Oneofourpartydevelopedaltitudesickness;bloodpoisoningthreatenedanother.Inthefaceofeachdisaster,wecarefullydevelopedanewplan.Snowcavesreplacedlosttents.Soupsreplacedfullmeals.Eventuallyweclimbedslowlytothetop,thenmadeourwaysafelydown.
ConcentratingonhowImovethroughtheworldisimportant.It’swhyIreachmountainsummitsandlifegoalswithenergytospare.
Thereismagicinanyfaith.Everyonceinawhile,rushingabout,mybeliefinpacerisesup,slowsmedownandgrantsmeaviewofasunset,asmilefromastrangeroraconversationwithachild.IowethesemomentstowhatIlearnedfromanoldmountainclimberandhavepracticedeversince.
PhilPowersistheexecutivedirectoroftheAmericanAlpineClub.HehasmadedozensofmountaineeringexpeditionstoAlaska,AsiaandSouthAmericasincehebeganclimbingasaboyinOklahoma.Powershaswrittentwobooksonmountain-climbingandlivesinDenverwithhiswifeandchildren.