The Top of the World
Finally getting around to posting the pictures of Saturday’s mountain adventure. Overall the days hike was a little more than 14 miles. However, 2 of those miles included an elevation gain of 2,000 feet to the trails end. Of course I didn’t stop there – because the mountain didn’t stop there. Up over some rocks and around a corner and I was filled with excitement. There, tied tightly to a tree about 15 yards up the trail, was a rope, the other end was tied to another tree just a few feet from me. The trail became very steep and for the next 1/4 mile or so ropes were necessary for most of it. At the top of the ropes and to the left was a rocky ledge on top of which I saw a man carefully making his way down. Those who know me know I love to climb rocks, so it was without hesitation that I took off up the first ledge. This was easy enough but then the next section brought with it some climbing and to my right a drop of a couple hundred feet, and to the left significantly more than that. I’m not going to lie, it was a little sketchy, but still up and over I went to the next ledge (which I won’t explain in as much detail because I don’t want to worry those of you who worry.) The climb, though scary in parts culminated in one of the most peaceful and beautiful moments on this trip so far. I worked my way to the edge(ish) and sat quietly eating my lunch, watching the birds gracefully floating on the air, playing in the updrafts and circling the mountaintop. Eventually I had to go down and, well, as fun as scrambling up over the rocks with death looming on either side was, down was a little less enjoyable. But I survived.
