Calf muscles stretched as we ascended Tom’s Thumb Trailhead to its summit on a hot, dry Friday in Scottsdale, Arizona. My brother Pat, who lives in Scottsdale near the butte located on the north side of the McDowell Mountains, offered to take my husband Steve and I on a hike while we were in town for a niece’s wedding. I was ready for a mountaintop experience and Steve, a supportive spouse with a bad knee, was willing to start the journey with us.

Tom’s Thumb, described as “extremely difficult” in the trail guide, ascends more than 1,300 feet in just 2.5 miles. “Experienced explorers like the cardio workout … At the top, they’re rewarded with panoramic city views that deliver well-deserved bragging rights for months afterwards.” “Bragging rights” were far from my mind as I concentrated on my footing and stamina level on the narrow, winding trail. God is always a companion on my outdoor adventures and I leaned heavily into God’s presence.

Early on, Steve chose, wisely, to retreat and head to a flatter trail. Pat offered multiple opportunities for the two of us to retreat but I persisted, determined to gain that mountaintop experience. The hot sun and the altitude caused me to reduce my pace and to sip from my two water bottles frequently.

At one point, I realized that the exertion had emptied my “fuel tank.” Pat provided an energy bar before we started our hike and I devoured it as we rested in a shady area that looked like a shelter created from two smooth boulders. The amazing rock formation, one of many we marveled at, put me in awe of God’s creation and presence. Rested and replenished, we resumed hiking and I recognized that Pat was also a tangible sign of God’s presence.

Pat encouraged me and provided reassurance that whether we continued ascending or retreating would be my decision. He quipped that it might be difficult to carry me back down the trailhead! What I lack in physical endurance I make up for in perseverance (or stubbornness?).

Along the way, Pat pointed out signs of God’s exquisite creation — a hummingbird that seemed to be floating in place with its wings moving rapidly, a falcon soaring high above us, an occasional cacti bloom of red or yellow. The saguaros (giant cacti) each seemed like a sentry stationed to protect the beauty of the trailhead.

A distance of 5 miles seemed too short for a good run but for this hiker, hiking the trailhead seemed like a marathon at times. For Pat, the hike looked almost effortless. I remember participating in my first RAGBRAI (the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa). Pat and our brother Tim accompanied me on that ride just a few months after I completed chemo treatments. They were God’s companions on that journey, which I could not have completed without their selfless encouragement and presence.

Pat and I made it to the summit of Tom’s Thumb and I took a couple of “selfies” to provide evidence of the victory. In reflection, I realize that the journey in and of itself was the mountaintop experience, for which I am grateful to God.