So what does one do after the 48? Keep hiking. I may do a second round, but I also need to do few apology hikes. Huh? Well, I insulted quite a few peaks. Insulted as in I made up curse words and kicking may have been involved...sorry Frosty. Whiteface is one. Wanted to love it, but 90+ and a sunny day makes for a cranky Karen. Some happened when I was in a bad place and could not enjoy what the mountain had to offer. Sometimes I was in a rush. Whatever the reason, they are back on my radar. This time, I went after a 52 WAV.
I tried Mt. Israel a few winters ago, but was scared by the conditions of the roads. 113 is one long frost heave in the winter and pock marked hell other times. They have tried to pave it. I don’t have much hope. This time I made it. The roads were, well, Diamond Ledge becomes a dirt road and then a forest road known as Sandwich Notch Road. Not bad really, besides I am getting new tires and alignment soon. The trailhead is behind the farmhouse at the Mead Conservation Center. They offer year round camping.
A few minutes on the trail and I made a new friend. A porcupine caught my eye. I got just close enough to get a picture, but not close enough to get quilled. This is my second encounter with a porky. He allowed me to take a few pics and scampered up the tree. As I continued, I realize why I was so tired and out of breathe. There are so many bugs out there right now, I consider myself lucky to be alive. It started out sunny, then got darker, windier, and wet. Great. I did consider going back, but I just kept hiking. There are a few ledgy areas on the trail. Add in wet leaves and, well, it was interesting. And my God the switchbacks. It reminded me of Cube. After lots of rocks, a scramble, I made it. To an outlook. It was getting late, but I pressed on.
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| Steep and cool in the fog. |
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| Not the summit |
Did I mention that it got colder and windier? And steeper. I really had to push myself. I kept telling myself that I could not give up, that this was a metaphor for my life now. It gets really, really hard, but I make it. I found myself starting over in a way. It had been hard, but I keep at it. I keep telling myself that I can do it. I have a lamp, I have a whistle. So I sloth on. Then I see it. The false summit. YAY, not. Yes, it is getting late, but I want to get to the summit. Not that I do not want to do it again, I had a awesome stormy view. I just want to do it again because I want to,not because I have to.
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| Still not the summit |
I press on, slip on a few rocks, but I make it. It is windy as heck. Chilly too. But the view of the clouds and weather is kinda cool. At the false summit and lookout, you can see the lakes. It is not much of a summit at all. But I had a view. For some reason I thought I could make it out without a lamp. NOPE. The wet leaves slowed me down. I do have emergency plans, but I really I not want to be rescued. I am telling you, lamps make me slower, unless it is winter and I know that I can just cruise. I make it back, grab some .99 coffee, and home I go.
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| Almost there |
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| Summit |
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| My foot on the summit |
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| See why it was windy? |
On the way up, I heard Sarah Silverman talk about depression and how she always said she needed to go home. Lately, I have said that. I realized the mountains are my home. I was quite sad going back home. Good or bad, stress is stress and we all need a break. I never really had that summer vacation people say I have. I was not out in the woods nearly as much as I needed. Sadly, I may have to take a tent day. Well, maybe hut day, I do not have a winter tent. Luckily I have Black Friday off, so I may have to take an extended hut visit. The good part about working at REI is the way they try to get people outside. However, as I inspire, educate, and outfit for lifetime of outdoor adventure and stewardship, I have to work inside. Oh well, I am helping others enjoy the natural world safely and respectfully. Yeah, that makes me kinda happy.
<3
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