While other high school students spent their summer burying themselves in the comfort of their bedrooms, Ojai Valley School junior Mike Jin was on top of the world.
Almost literally.
Mike took on high-altitude alpine climbing, incorporating a mix of rope climbing and ice climbing on a 6000-meter mountain. This behemoth of a mountain was Tshiburongi, located in China, and the highest peak of the Daxue Shan mountain range.
“The weather was really bad, and I climbed down before reaching the top,” Mike said. “But I’m glad I tried and want to keep trying.”
This was Mike’s most challenging outdoor endeavor yet, facing harsh weather conditions and rocky terrains buried under thick layers of snow. While he didn’t make it to the top of the 6000-meter mountain, the experience simultaneously serveed as a testament to how far Mike has come as well as his untapped potential.
Mike discovered his love of the outdoors at the age of eight, when his family thrust him into simple day trips and hikes on long trails. While he was initially indifferent, by the time he had reached middle school, he found that the outdoors provided a sense of comfort that was missing from simply staying indoors and playing video games.
“Doing those things can make me very focused,” he said. “Like when I’m climbing, my brain is just climbing. When I’m mountaineering, it’s just mountaineering on my mind.”
Day hikes became backpacking trips. Backpacking trips became climbing trips. Low altitude climbing became high altitude.
When Mike enrolled at Ojai Valley School, the campus was a goldmine of possibilities in his eyes, with him capitalizing on the resources and environment around him to further develop his passion for the outdoors. Students and faculty often see him in his personal hammock or flying his drone over the surrounding nature. Any free time he has is an opportunity for him to deepen his connection to the natural world.
Ojai Valley School Upper Campus outdoor education program coordinator Zach Byars expressed his pride in witnessing Mike’s growth.
“I think anytime I see students who take an exposure to an activity, whether it’s surfing, biking, equestrian, even our athletic sports, when they put in the time and they have, it’s nice to see a student have a goal and work towards that goal,” Mr. Byars said. “Especially when it’s kind of an adventure skill set that takes a little extra time, that’s not just running around on a court or a field.”
Mike’s outdoor journey is far from over, as he plans on traveling to Alabama Hills for rock climbing in early October on a school trip.
Moreover, looking further into the future, he dreams of returning to conquer colossal climbing challenges such as Mount Matterhorn, and one day, even Mount Everest, a goal that reflects his burning ambition and calling for the world’s highest peaks.
“In the next three years, maybe during my time in college, I plan to climb Mount Everest. Maybe,” Mike said. “I’m not sure yet. Mount Matterhorn might be a more realistic goal. Either way, I want to go bigger, even higher.”