tech guy in midtown

Yesterday I hiked to the 14,271 foot peak of Mt Quandary.  Quandary Peak was my second fourteener.  A couple months ago, on July 4th, I summited Gray’s Peak.

Hiking reference guides declare that both hikes are easy by fourteener standards.  The key phrase there is “fourteener standards,” because they’re difficult.  Granted, I did both hikes just one day after flying in from New York, so I wasn’t acclimated to the altitude.  Even so, with a pack on your back and loose rocks under your feet, it’s always tough going past 13,000 feet.

Catching my breath on Mt Quandary's peak

The hike provides a lot of metaphors for business and software development.

1. Ultimately, you only reach the top by repeatedly putting one foot in front of the other.  To ensure success, break down the journey into a series of short term, easy to attain goals.  That’s how you get things done.
2. Experience helps.  On my first climb, even though I had read some trip reports, I was surprised at how difficult it was to keep moving in high altitudes.  I had to take breaks every 10 feet.  I wondered if the summit was worth the effort.  On the second hike, I expected to go slow, and I knew the summit was an ample reward.
3. Although the ascent and summit contain all the glory, the descent is both more difficult and equally important.  It’s exhilarating to release a new product or major feature, but you have to be prepared to maintain it and complete the life cycle.
4. If you need to remember part of your journey, then you have to document it.  On both descents there were several points where I had egregious recall of key landmarks.  For example, I’d think “wow, I really thought the tree line was much closer to this big white rock.  I can’t even see the tree line from here!”  Fortunately trails were well marked, so this wasn’t a danger.  In business, you must document key problems and decisions.  Otherwise your mind will surely blur them out over time.  If the trail isn’t well marked, you’ll get lost.
5. You can find excitement in every stage in the journey, from shopping for supplies, to standing at the peak, to tasting a celebratory beer.