Thin Air

The big Mt. Adams climb was this weekend...

Was it fun? Yes.
Was it hard? Yes.
Would I do it again? Not any time soon.

It was a 2-day climb which meant packing in a tent, sleeping bag, extra food and water etc.

Also, we chose to hike up the snow fields in some areas instead of the lava rock, so we packed in an extra pair of snow boots and attachable spikes and an ice axe. Spending the night on the mountain gives a chance for the body to acclimate to the elevation as the total gain is almost 7,000 feet.

I was supposed to be hiking with a group of youth from church and 5 other leaders. However, myself and one other leader got a late start getting out of town and starting the climb. We never caught up and didn't see the rest of the party until we were 3-4 hours from the summit and they were on their way down. I ended up climbing the last 2,000 feet solo as my partners legs were maxed out and we decided to meet back at base camp.

The higher parts of the climb were amazing. I was able to look down at Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Hellens and across to Mt. Ranier and see each of them piercing up through the clouds.

The descent is unique in that climbers can actually sled down the snow fields that they hiked up. I carried a piece of plastic in my pack for just that reason. It turned out to be a pretty wild ride and I came home with a bruised rear to go with all my other sore parts.

Melissa has been very nice to me and after being home for 24 hours I'm starting to feel a little more like myself. A hot bath, a couple warm meals and a soft bed!