Wednesday, March 21st, the spring equinox

Ceremonial hike up to Black Elk Peak

(formerly Harney's Peak)

Following a physically grueling Inipi experience on Tuesday, the Pine Ridge, Nightingale and Agnes Irwin girls mustered up their mental and physical strength to accomplish an 8 mile hike up Black Elk’s Peak, a sacred mountain which is climbed to usher in the Spring Equinox. After a meal of granola bars and breakfast burritos, kindly prepared by the Pine Ridge staff, we circled up in age order in the parking lot to say a prayer before the journey. Having prayed, we began the ascent onto Black Elk’s Peak, an icy, uphill terrain. Though beginning the hike in a large group, quite soon did the students and adults begin to disperse along the trail. Some fell behind due to their unfortunate relationship with the ice while others with experience trekked ahead, providing their followers with footsteps as guides. Nevertheless, unity was an omnipresent force as friends and strangers alike assisted and supported others along the trail during the most trying times. Unbearably steep inclines would intimidate exhausted voyagers, but these moments of uncertainty were inferior to the constant help offered by others. Step by step, slip by slip, we made our way to the peak, exhausted yet exhilarated by the feat.

Nothing can compare to the sight that had awaited us, unknowingly. White mountains and blue sky veiled us as we stood on the terrace of a small tower located on the top of the mountain. We were isolated in a sea of rock. Nothing but the blurry horizon was in sight. At that point, the hike, in our eyes, stripped itself of its task-like quality. This was indeed a sacred journey to usher in another Spring, another chapter of our lives that we ought to be grateful to have.

• Anna Fighera, Class XII, The Nightingale-Bamford School

After the hike, we weren't sure if we would see the Pine Ridge girls before departure, so the Agnes Irwin and Nightingale students gave their parting gifts of friendship bracelets and said their goodbyes. (Only to see them again the following day in the Badlands, a terrific surprise!)