Bryan's Blog - Getting Back to Basics
By Bryan Wiegers, EHMI President
We just celebrated the two-year anniversary of East Haven Mountain, Inc (EHMI) purchasing The Cabin from its original owner, Greg Gordon, who entrusted us to carry on the mission up there on top of the mountain. Over the past two years, many have enjoyed this sanctuary for a night or two and numerous Cabin improvements and repairs have been made.
Much of my time as President had been devoted to working on these improvements and assisting new people who wish to plan a stay. As we wrapped up 2021, I had longed to get back to the basics of just guiding new people to The Cabin to build friendships and offer them an experience to rest and enjoy God’s creation. This longing was fulfilled in January.
I was hosting a meeting at my home in early January when the doorbell rang. I proceeded to open the door, when immediately I was being asked to take some guys to The Cabin who had just heard about it. I offered a weekend that month right then and there, and within 24 hours, everyone had confirmed. I was able to provide the gear they needed (backpacks, snowshoes, gators and ski poles) and we departed on a Friday night around 5:30 pm from my garage.
For three of us, it was the first time we had ever met, and two of our group had never snowshoed before. Now we were on this journey together, driving four hours to the mountain base from Massachusetts, followed by a two-hour nighttime snowshoe climb up East Haven Mountain with hopes we’d reach The Cabin around midnight.
We arrived at the trailhead around 9:30 pm to begin our climb in the dark. As always, fears of being too cold quickly dissolved as guys were shedding outer layers once the sweat began pouring down their faces. We had a team-building experience where one of our crew was unable to carry his pack, and it offered a group challenge in learning how to be humble and serve others.
As we had expected, we arrived at The Cabin around midnight and spent the next two hours getting warm and set up for our weekend. We all slept well and long only to be awakened the next morning by the smell of coffee brewing on the stove.
What followed then was four hours of non-stop conversation and food. In spite of new acquaintances, we felt comfortable enough to tell each other our raw and honest stories - some funny and some sad, though we were all encouraged by one another.
The Cabin is an experience where people can connect at such a basic level of friendship and shared experience. With no Cabin work projects or repairs to be concerned about on this trip, it felt so good just to get back to basics by simply being a guide and host with some new people up there.
The Cabin is small and at times it can even feel boring, but it has some of the most expansive views of the White Mountains that I have ever seen. The setting allows space for friends to talk and rest in an unhurried way, and even the work projects that tire every bone in my body build a camaraderie that brings joy to my soul.
I encourage all of us to get back to basics and invite someone new or old to The Cabin in the near future.
