Higher Education
Sweat soaked into my shirt as I pulled myself up over the twisted channel of rock. It was my third season working as a Summit Steward in the High Peaks, and each step felt familiar. I paused at a large open rock and pulled out my radio to sign into service.
The words I used were second nature, as were most parts of my job. Yet like the rest of 2020, this summer had provided an amplified set of challenges.
In addition to having to wear a mask and use endless hand sanitizer, I was exhausted. My throat burned from overuse and my brain was muddled with blurred interactions from the day before. I had spoken to 326 people, the highest number I’d heard of for a non-holiday on Mount Marcy.
A few voices
