An Invocation of Kant's 'Sublime'

This climb didn’t look to be too challenging – roughly 200m up a tufty slope to the ridge – and then out along a point that projected like a dislocated vertebra from the spine of the ridge out, over the valley. But at that altitude is wasn’t easy and I resorted to very lowly ambitions – aiming to scramble up the slope bush by bush, and stopping to catch my breath at each one. Eventually I reached the saddle at the top and set out across the ridge at about 3,800m. Either side of the arête were slippery, boggy patches of ground – I presume due to the snow that frequently covers the area. I inched my way along the top, fearful of the drops down either side to the valley floor below – but it was thoroughly worth it.

From the point at the end I had a view that spanned the Tien Shan mountain range in all directions – glistening peaks rearing out above the tree line and towering above shadowy valleys. On several of the closer slopes I could make out avalanche trials evidenced by the husks of fallen pine trees pointing away from the source of their destruction. I had a sense of freedom, clarity and an appreciation of the enormity of nature that I know is hard to find. I studied Kant’s theory of the “sublime” in aesthetics and I think this is the best description of this emotion. To explain: Kant states that there are two kinds of finer feeling: the feeling of the sublime and the feeling of the beautiful. Feelings of the beautiful "occasion a pleasant sensation but one that is joyous and smiling" for example the relatively pedestrian sight of flower beds, grazing flocks, and daylight. Feelings of the sublime however “arouse enjoyment but with horror" and can be the result of seeing mountain peaks, raging storms, and night.

Kant subdivided the sublime into three kinds. The feeling of the terrifying sublime is sometimes accompanied with a certain dread or melancholy. The feeling of the noble sublime is quiet wonder. Feelings of the splendid sublime are pervaded with beauty. I think the Tien Shan inspires a potent mixture of each of these, the exact proportions of which depend on the viewer.
At this point David decided descend by going straight down the face of the mountain through the pine woods (at lower altitude) and Sacha shrugged and left him to it. After his disappearance last night I decided to follow Sacha rather than trust David’s relaxed attitude.