The Journey To The Top

Summiting The San Francisco Peaks

By: Spiritwalker Shikata

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Some mountains you climb for the view. Others, you climb to save your soul.

For two years, Spiritwalker and Gypsywind lived as nomads in the shadow of the San Francisco Peaks. Parked beneath the ponderosa pines of Flagstaff, Arizona, they felt the ancient pull of the mountain long before they set foot on its slopes. But when Gypsy entered a "Dark Night of the Soul"—a profound season of spiritual depression and pain—the mountain stopped being just a backdrop and became a calling .

"The Journey To The Top" is not a hiking guide. It is a raw, intimate memoir of two souls ascending the 12,633-foot summit of Humphreys Peak in search of healing.

This is the story of that climb—step by grueling step. From the ancient lava flows at the base to the crushing silence of the alpine tundra, Spiritwalker chronicles the physical battle against the altitude and the spiritual surrender required to reach the roof of Arizona. It is a journey through thin air, volcanic cinders, and the internal storms that rage when we are lost.

But the summit is only the halfway point.

This book takes you beyond the peak, following the couple as they descend back to earth, reintegrate into their van life, and hit the open road on a cross-country journey of recovery. From the beaches of Texas to the healing green tunnels of the Appalachian Trail, this is a testament to the power of nature to break us open and put us back together.

If you have ever felt the earth speak, or if you are walking through your own dark night, come take this walk.

A little on the eccentric side...

Author shared about her camping experiences and accompanying a friend experiencing a life crisis on a mountain climb, where some healing occurred. Probably not one of my favorite books, nonetheless I appreciated the author opening her life to share with the world her experiences in her corner of the world.