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| Hiking | 2.90 Miles |
1,700 AEG |
| | Hiking | 2.90 Miles | 3 Hrs | | 1.29 mph |
| 1,700 ft AEG | 45 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | Having bagged Big Horn, I drove down to the Saddle Mountain Trail Head Monster Group Camp/Parking Lot, occupied only by a couple packing up a snazzy SUV. I set up camp as they left, deciding to scramble up to what turned out to be a classic little saddle southwest of the trail head. I fiddled with the GoPro as the sun went down, heading down just as a young couple started up.
The fire restrictions killed my Swedish log plan, so I ate a dinner of cold homemade chicken noodle soup listening to the couple find their way down in the dark, giggling and happy. 
Zero-gravity lounging, party lights, American Honey, and excellent conversation followed*. I retired under the Milky Way, was rocked by high winds around 3 a.m., and joined by a Ringtail at about 6:30, his eyes blinking and surprisingly approaching my headlamp to about 30 feet before veering off to his morning.
30 minutes before sunrise I headed up, windy in the 40's. Recent rain left remnants of petrichor and a few tinajas to boot. The trail was fairly easy to follow, and everyone was right about trekking poles - this hike benefits greatly from them.
The saddle was awesome, killer views and roaring wind through the notch. The scramble to the summit was just right, a great view of major exposure, and your choice of how close to the edge you want to be. 
Once again the summit did not lend itself to relaxation, introspection, or celebration, so I headed down to the wind-sheltered alcove where I enjoyed among other things an Imperial Java Stout cradled in my Flex Lite.
I got my trekking poles free along with a pair of MSR convertible snow shoes almost 30 years ago when I lived in Michigan. They are within a few grams of current poles, still adjust, and made the trail down a breeze.
Without a doubt one of my favorite peaks. Perfect weather, recent rain, an actual trail for a change, dramatic geology, great carcamp, zero congestion, cool mountain.
There are about 50 songs on Google Play about climbing mountains, I listened to every one and it paid off.
youtu.be/h6gB2dqKb1o
* I stole this from BobP |
| _____________________
The past, the present, and the future walked into a bar.
It was tense. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
