In late 2011, John asked a handful of folks to provide a brief testimonial about their first experience hiking a 14er. Here are a their experiences:

 

A friend told me one day that everyone wanting to become a disciple should climb a 14er first. As I look back on the Quandary climb last summer, I must say I agree with that idea. The climbing of a mountain is an apt comparison to being a disciple. When you first arrive at the mountain, there is excitement and wonder. " What awaits us?" "How hard can it be?" The same thing the day you are baptised. So much wonder and excitement. Then you get going up the hill. Breathing gets difficult as you adjust to the altitude. Your legs, not used to the large steps up, begin to ache, and you start to wonder what you have gotten yourself into. When stumbling blocks come into our lives as Disciples, we begin to breathe a little differently, and we sometimes stumble around. On the hill, your companions encourage and advise you how to deal with the aches and large rocks. They teach you to take in every breath and not stress about the lack of oxygen. As Disciples, we have friends who have either been in our situation or know someone who has. Our friends are able to advise, encourage, and guide us using their experiences and the word of God. About 3/4 of the way up the hill, I actually thought about giving up. My body simply would not move. I was encouraged to fight for this. I was so close. So I took some deep breaths, pulled myself together, and moved on. The last hour or so of the climb, I was literally taking about four steps and stopping. Four more. Stop. This went on until we got to a short rise. I was in pain. My legs would not move. And John asks me if I realize that we are at the top. I was so overwhelmed with emotion, that I was weeping.I then proceeded to begin crying openly. I had done it!!!! As Disciples, we come upon sections of our journey that we think there is no way we can make it through. But when we reach out to others, listen to advice, and get our strength from God, we can move mountains. And when we have fought through, whether there are tears of pain, joy, or both, we have done it. There will be many mountains in our walk with God. Getting that first one under your belt right away is a great start to a fantastic journey.

Tony Rugg -
Recently I achieved a goal I had previously only dreamed of – climbing to the top of a 14 thousand foot tall mountain!  It was a thrill!  I don’t think it would have been possible without the help of John and Joyce Hanson and the Colorado Mountain Ministry.  The Hansons have a lot of experience in outdoor activities and gladly supplied the practical know-how, instruction, encouragement (and missing equipment!) needed to make this trip a success. Every part of the trip was rewarding.  The trip over, talking with a new friend, my first hike with a backpack, my first overnight camping trip at 12,000’ and my first summit!  I will never forget the good times talking, in the truck and around the campfire…bonding and building deep friendships that changed me.  In this ‘busy’ lifestyle we rarely get to spend more than an hour with someone. But after this weekend, I got to know my fellow hikers in a way that would have ordinarily taken years, which I found immensely rewarding. The Colorado Mountain Ministry (CMM) provides the venue for dreams of outdoor fun and friendship to come true!