For 7 days, the Boston Basin became my home. It welcomed me with frustration, exhaustion, and more than my share of bruises. The mountain took every opportunity to test my physical strength and psychological vulnerabilities.
Every night, defeated, I sat under the stars wondering why I took on this journey. Every morning the crisp air of the sunrise reminded me why.
Life gets complicated after deployment. Every day for almost a year, I left a piece of myself in the mountains of Afghanistan. In that void, the sight, smell, and sounds of war followed me home. I thought that I was climbing the North Cascades make a film. But that's not why the mountain called my name.
The mountain wanted to return something to me that was left behind on a battlefield on the other side of the world...
My peace. My purpose. My sanity.
Words cannot express how thankful I am to the Sierra Club Outdoors and Adventure Film School for giving me the opportunity to heal the wounds of war through fun, friendship, and filmmaking.There is no better place to clear you mind than being in the great outdoors.
If you can't see the forest through the trees, then get above the tree line.
Elle Hansen, OIF, OEF Veteran
