End of
the trail
Mary Jean Stockdill 1935–2008 By Sallie Stockdill and Sheryl Randall
Born in Fairmont, Minnesota, and relocated in Colorado, Mary joined the CMC in 1968 because of her love of the mountains. She hiked throughout Colorado and around the world— Kilimanjaro to Peru, Patagonia, Nepal, Russia, Finland, the Arctic Circle, England, Scotland, Ireland…. Of course, before Mary set out on these adventures, she completed her goal of climbing all of Colorado’s 14ers and had inspired others to do the same. She was known for her patient instruction and encouragement, which was her trademark from being a special education teacher and working with children. Many enjoyed Mary’s pictures of her trips. Her keen observational powers and great sense of humor when she told stories of her trips made them alive. She could find an upbeat way to describe her fellow companions and could even make rain, mud, bugs, and unexpected mishaps seem a part of the adventure. After she had a very unpleasant experience during her first trip to Nepal, many wondered why she would want to go back again. The answer was easy: she had not accomplished her goal. During a CMC in-state outing some years back in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness after a big snow year, the snowmelt made many streams impossible to cross, which limiting the hiking. One morning, Mary had enough and decided to drive to Hahn’s Peak. It was quite a distance away but did not involve stream crossings. When she returned, her reply to the question why she drove so far for such a short hike that wasn’t particularly scenic was classic: “Because I had to get on top of something.” Mary was very fond of the reply George Mallory, of Everest fame, gave to the question “Why climb mountains:”
What’s the use of climbing mountains? My answer must be at once, “It is no use.” There is not the slightest prospect of any gain whatsoever…. We shall not bring back a single bit of gold or silver, not a gem, nor any coal or iron. We shall not find a foot of earth that can be planted with crops to raise food. It is no use. So, if you cannot understand that there is something in man which responds to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it, that the struggle is the struggle of life itself—upward and forever upward, then you won’t see why we go. What we get from the adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means. That is what life is for. We are so happy for Mary that she can once again climb new mountains and experience that joy. P
