Garnet Hill Lodge, Adirondack Mountains, New York. [July 2016]

Dogs of Manhattan transform into wolves in the mountains. It is in their nature to rebel against the leash, venture into unfamiliar surroundings, and explore what should be strange but feels so familiar deep within their DNA.

Maybe it is the same way with people too. Put away the iPhone, since there isn’t any good Wifi up here anyways. Throw on the hiking shoes. Embark on the trail. Question why you do this. Question harder as the rocks get bigger, the ladders steeper, the way back longer.

One look from the top and question no more. We do because we must. We must answer the call of the wild, the call from within. Climb on, dream on.

“Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory.” -Ed Viesturs