Every Bit The Journey

The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, and this is mine.

Montana Mountains

Author: Every bit the journey Page 10 of 11

A traveler, adventurer, outdoors-man, International Time Traveler, and a guide to making it happen. Based in South Carolina, I am an experience camper and hiker with a love of the outdoors. I've been camping, hiking, and paddling here for over 20 years, teaching, training and learning as I go.

Hiking South Carolina – Kings Mountain

By

On September 14, 2017

In Hiking & Camping in South Carolina, National Parks

This is a great hike any time but more so during reenactment weekends. The national park hosts several living history events with period encampments and demonstrations throughout the year. I  normally have done this hike over the Memorial Day weekend inconjunction with the park’s “Military Through the Ages” event. The historic significance of the battle ground really is driven home as you near the end of the hike. You get a real sense of what life and travel was like 200 years ago.

This 16 mile trail loops through both Kings Mountain State Park and Kings Mountain National Military Park. You can pick up the trail from one of the organized group primitive camping sites (+-800′) or from the state park camp ground, the trail loop conveniently passed both. Water and latrines are available in both areas. You will start out heading South and wind towards the South-west as the trail takes you over some rolling hills. The trail passes several wilderness designated camp sites and streams along the way. Near the state park’s southern boundary, the trail will make a fairly sharp turn to the North and rising up and away from the water. Just before this direction shift happens, the stream flattens out a little with some low banks. This is a good place to top off your water. The Garner Creek Campsite (+-700′) on the national park side is on high ground and dry. There is another stream past the Garner Creek Campsite but it’s about a quarter mile after the campsite. Once the trail shifts to the North, it rises out of the cooler valleys, becomes a little dryer and warmer. You know you are getting close to the camp site when you cross a dirt road. The Garner Creek Campsite is clearly marked and the only designated wildernes campsite of the national par side.

Up and on the trail the next morning this section goes pretty quickly with a run up bowns’s mountain and exploring the battle ground visitors center. about a mile after you leave Garner Creek, you will come to a spur trail for Browns Mountain (1045′). Summiting this peak is a short run up to the top of Brown’s Mountain and back down. The visitors center is only a couple short miles from here. The trail loop passes to the North of the battle ground and visitor center. Hike the spur trail on in for a stop at the national park visitor center.

This is a must do if you have not been here before. First of all, the visitor center has bathrooms and water. The area near the bathrooms is shaded and a great place to eat lunch. Second, but probably most importantly, the visitor center and 1.5 mile self-guiding walking trail around the battle field (+-1020′) is the heart of the park and key to understanding the history of the site. One of the cool things about Kings Mountain is the connection to the Appalachian Trail in the Roan Mountain area. In the late September-early October of 1780 (the rebel Americans were knee deep in a not-going-so-well break-away revolt against the British empire), hundreds of men crossed what is today the Appalachian Trail near the Over Mountain Shelter in Tennessee and hiked 80 miles in to history at the Battle of Kings Mountain, changing the tide of the Revolutionary war. Hiking these areas really adds a depth and an order of magnitude to history you just can’t get from a text book.

After touring all of the sights at the national park visitor center, simply retrace your way back to the loop trail and continue the remaining few miles to your starting point.

Favorite Time of year: Memorial Day Weekend, but check the park schedule for reenactments events.

Distance: 16 miles (the 1.5 mile battle field trail is a bonus)

Things to Know: This is a moderate hike. The actual battle ground is in the national park with regular park camping on the state park side. The 16 mile trail loops through both.

Camping: Primitive on the trail. Primitive, tent site, and cabins designated within the park (reservations required). There are several primitive trail camp sites on trail in the state park, however on the national park side camping is only allowed at Garner Creek Campsite.

Pet friendly: Mostly pet friendly, must be leashed at all times, okay everywhere outdoors except cabin and lodging areas of the park.

Getting There: Located near the Northern border of the state, Kings Mountain State Park is in Cherokee and York Counties, South Carolina, just to the West of Charlotte North Carolina. It’s about a 4 hour drive from the Charleston area.

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Hiking South Carolina – Table Rock

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On September 4, 2017

In Hiking & Camping in South Carolina, SC State Parks, Travel

With some challenging hiking and amazing views, this Table Rock trip is one of my favorite backpacking campouts in the state. Any time of the year.

This trip strings together a combination of trails which basically form a 12.5 mile loop around, in and out of the park. As the park rules state you can’t camp within Table Rock State Park (other than in the designated campground areas), this hike takes you out to a campsite on the adjacent Foothills Trail running next to the West park boundary for the night. The next day you will come back in to the park and summit two of South Carolina’s higher peaks including Table Rock. Table Rock is a mountain with a bald face providing amazing views. Sitting on the face of of Table Rock you can eat your lunch and on a good day, see halfway to Columbia.

The Table Rock State Park area is in general, on a leading edge of the blue ridge mountains which skims the border between South and North Carolina. This state park includes the tallest mountain totally within the state, Pinnacle Mountain (3425′) and of course Table Rock Mountain (3124′). Just as a footnote, the highest point in South Carolina is the nearby Sassafras Mountain (3563′), but it straddles the border between South and North Carolina.

The Trail: You will start in the parking lot Near the Nature Center (1160′), located just past Pinnacle Lake. You can leave your vehicle in the parking lot overnight, but you must display a valid parking permit. You can pick up a parking permit at the park Visitors Center (located across Highway 11 next to the East park entrance). Once you’ve parked, gather your gear and head to the Nature Center trail head. Hikers must complete a trail registration form at the kiosk before hiking the trails. I also usually checked in with the Nature Center if they are open. They are a good source for trail information before you head out. Bathrooms and water sources at located at the Nature Center.

Leaving from the nature center, the trail is easy along the boardwalk and paved portions along Carrick Creek, but rapidly increase in difficulty as you shift to the Pinnacle Mountain Trail and continue up and West towards Pinnacle Mountain. There is a little spur trail which take you to the Mill Creek Falls. The falls are somewhat seasonal, so depending on the time of year and amount of rain fall there may or may not be any water for there to be falls. You’ll continue towards Pinnacle Mountain passing Bald Knob (2849′) which offers a great view and is a good place to take a break. The trail continues and then splits just before Pinnacle Mountain. This split away from the mountain will take you down and out of the park to campsites on the Foothills Trail. The first big campsite you come to is one of my favorites. It’s furthest from the water source but the site has an open view to the East which will catch the sunrise. If you continue along the foothills trail you will pass some more secluded camping sights on the way (+-200 yards) to a strong water source.

Once you are ready to hit the trail again in the morning, you’ll retrace the route back and up in to the park to the Pinnacle Mountain trail and continue up to summit Pinnacle Mountain. The wooded peak can be a little anticlimactic and depending on the time of year you may have a limited view of the surrounding areas. What ever the view you have here,  it now gets better as you go. Just to the north of the summit you’ll pick up the Ridge Trail and continue on along the ridge line between the Pinnacle and Table Rock mountains. There is a bit of a saddle at Panther Gap where the Ridge Trail and Table Rock Trail intersect. Depending on your pace and progress, you can either lunch here or continue on and lunch on Table Rock. If you’re inclined, you can ditch your packs out of sight to the north of the trail and slack-pack up the rest of the way to Table Rock (you’ll comeback here later). Some of the remaining trail up to Governors Rock (2854′) and on to Table Rock can be a bit of a scramble. Depending on the time of year, I’ve encountered sheets of ice on Governors Rock which definitely increased the challenge factor. There is a summit sign at the peak of Table Rock but continue past and the trail slopes down and will lead to the South Eastern balds over looking the entire state of South Carolina. It’s probably worth noting here, the bald rock face is a huge curved rock. It slopes more as you head out on the bald more. There is no “edge” to tell you to “stop here.” It just curves down more. Be careful. When you are done enjoying the breathtaking views, simply retrace your route back to Panther Gap and take the Table Rock Trail down and back to the Nature Center where you started. Take your time descending as the Table Rock Trail is steep and can be hard on the knees.

Favorite Time of year: Any

Distance: 12.5 miles

Things to Know: This is a strenuous hike. The hiking trails within the park officially close ½-hour before dark and overnight camping is not permitted on park trails.

Camping: Primitive on the Foothill Trail. Primitive, tent site, and cabins designated within the park (reservations required).

Pet friendly: Mostly pet friendly, must be leashed at all times, okay everywhere outdoors except cabin and swim beach areas of the park.

Getting there: Located near the North-West border of the state, Table Rock State Park is in Pickens County, just to the NNW of Greenville South Carolina. It’s about a 4 hour drive from the Charleston area.

Table Rock SC Webcam
(as seen from the visitors center live webcam)

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The Watchmen

By

On August 26, 2017

In Life

They sit in a darkened room, each bathed in the soft glow of a half-dozen large computer monitors, their windows to the outside world, watching, waiting, for you.

Each monitor providing a virtual world into which they stare, watching, listening to constantly streaming sound. Their headphones they wear not connected to music as you and I might have, but instead connected to dozens of radio frequencies and hundreds of phone calls. Calls pleading for help, radio responses and reports from responders … and more calls for help. The constant din of distress. This is the music they listen to, hour after hour. This is the symphony they direct. Music few will ever hear. Music no one ever wants to see.

Always more calls for help, it’s a never ending screaming sound in their ears. A mother discovering she forgot her baby in the car, after eight hours of work, in August. An unknown male body found in a ditch. A house fire. A cat in a tree. A boat sinking. A dog killed a child. A car crash. A drunk driver on the interstate. A kid brought a cookie to school – and it looks like a gun. Another car crashed, this time in to a bus full of school kids. Another burning building – this time it’s the BBQ place – the smoke is coming from their chimney. Stolen car. Gun shots heard. The drum beats on, continuously thumping, the deep dark beat of the community.

At first they listen, then try to calm, simultaneously dragging and dropping the nearest resource on their screen to provide assistance. “Help is on the way and will be there in two minutes ma’am.” Constantly watching the other screens, moving assets to try to fill response coverage gaps, “Unit 2, please move to Rivers and Ashley Phosphate and standby.” Handing calls over to fellow watchmen as the chorus plays, “additional assets are needed at this location.” A man shot himself in his truck. Another has a shotgun in a parking garage – distraught over a bad school grade.  A child stung by jelly-fish. A house broken into. A missing cat. A stolen bike. Another school yard fight. The drum beats on, continuously thumping, the deep dark beat of the community.

No one thinks of them, or the others. The emergency dispatchers, these watchmen. Nor the other first-responders, the police, the EMS, the fire-fighters, or the other dozens who stand on-call, waiting for the call. They stand in the shadows of our community. Not hiding, just forgotten. Out of the way. Some say a necessary evil. A hidden net of safety, waiting. Until something happens, then your call starts their flow of action. The conductor guiding the dance and music of the responders. “I need help! My wife is giving birth to our first child – in our car – with a flat tire!” a couple mouse clicks and EMS is activated and rolling towards them. “It’s going to be okay, help is on the way sir.” My father wandered off and we can’t find him.  A couple fighting – she is unconscious. A robbery. A neighbor too loud. My mother fell, again. I need a ride to the mall. The drum beats on, continuously thumping, the deep steady beat of the community.

In a darkened room they wait for you, to calm you, to help you. Yet sometimes … “I didn’t evacuate for the storm – I’m trapped inside and the water is rising – help me!” a pause before the reply “I … can’t ma’am … the hurricane is still raging, no one can get to you, the roads are blocked, we will try as soon as we can … ma’am? … are you still there?” Most don’t last too long, while their electronic windows through which they watch over you, record the story, the sound of the sonnets echo in their ears, like a bad song you just can’t get out of your head. “The pain is too much” says the caller as he pulls the trigger. The good ones last longer than most. Hoping, I think, every day they can get to save just one more life in the confusing concert of tragedy which plays out on the windows in front of them, every hour, of every day. They arrive for their shift, take their seat, and put on their headphones. My mother died last night, who do I call? My child didn’t come home from school today. I think my cat ran away.  Another body found – an old man this time, might be the one who wandered off last week. Another car crash, single car this time, but no seat belts worn. A plane just hit a building.

Dispatcher

Post & Courier photo of Charleston County Consolidated 911 Dispatch Center in North Charleston SC.

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Stone Stacking – Spiritually Art or Criminal Mischief?

By

On August 19, 2017

In Life

This year I’ve read several different posts and articles about artful rock stacking, the most recent showed up in my news feed a week or so ago. This seems to be a hugely sensitive topic, bringing out strong emotional responses from people. Most lamented about how terrible, destructive, and sometimes criminal this practice is and how it messes with nature. Generally these types of posts seem to put out a lot of negative feelings towards the stone stacker. After reading this last post, I said to myself, “Really? just use some common sense people.” But I guess that’s part of the problem. At the end, the writer sums up a basic truth, “Most people are simply unaware that their actions are disturbing the natural environment.” Yet, I am left to wonder, is there a time and a place for such things?

I think one of the biggest issues with people is they don’t understand things any more. I’m sure you’ve heard some variation of a story about a person complaining because some people eat animals and how horrible and cruel it is to eat animals and people should just go to the grocery store for their meat because that’s where they make it. Yep. One of the jobs I had involved helping customers in a home improvement center. From my experience there, I can not tell you the number of people who walk in with an internet project idea they want to recreate, but have no idea how to stick two pieces of wood together. Seriously. Some have never picked up a tool and want to build a massive home project and are asking me “how do I do this?” Quite endearing. I try to help the best I can but the point is, I think people see these artful images of stacked stones and it invokes needed feelings of tranquility in them. So the next time they are out communing with nature, they get this urge to stack stones, maybe thinking it will enhance their experience. Little do they realize the sometimes negative impact of what they are doing. I think maybe, some folks see rock balancing as a zen form of self therapy. The others who proliferate a stream with their work are probably just a bit egocentric.

The reality is rock balancing can be inspirational when done appropriately. But this is a very, very, narrow window of opportunity. And from most of what I’ve seen, this level of “art” usually falls into the “cute – but stop it” department. Not to be too harsh about it, but trying to impressing others with your ability to pile rocks really isn’t how it works. To me, there is a more organic or deeper feeling and turning over a river bed to fill it with balancing rocks simply isn’t it. Seriously, please use some common sense folks. Walk softly, take pictures, enjoy nature, please leave the rocks alone. Sigh, with the Leave No Trace issues aside, I think to disrupt a pristine (or any level of use) wilderness area with this fad is just dumb at best, and criminal at worst. I really don’t need to (or want to) see it to enhance my out door experience, thank you.

Yet, every once in a great while, something surprises me. Recently on a day hike through the Narrows and Virgin River in the Zion National Park, I came across a stack of stones which caught me by surprise. Now you must understand, this section of the Virgin river in the Zion National Park is visited by hundreds and hundreds of people every day. All walking in the river bed as far as they can, and then back. The impact on the river is to turn over ever stone and stir the sand for several miles. This explains the silted look of the water down stream. There is no low impact aspect in this massively popular and amazing natural attraction, especially within the first several miles of the walk up river. Anyway, there were actually dozens of stone stacks in various parts of the canyon, some where done on sand bars, some even on the larger boulders. All definitely in the above previously mentioned “cute” category.

But yet, there was this one stack. It was a small, almost tiny” single stack of stones, set peacefully in a green, almost hidden, corner of a canyon wall. I was completely caught off guard by this total exception to everything I have just said about the general nature of stacked stones. And it should not have been there. The act was in all likely hood absolutely prohibited by park regulations under the “don’t mess with stuff” clause. But yet in the chaos of the hundreds of tourist stomping up and down the stream, it provided me a surprising balance to the activities around me. Absolutely and totally inappropriate, but yet somehow perfect. Almost sacred.

As I said, I guess I pull a deeper meaning from such things, so you just can’t pile rocks and have magic. In some cases, the custom of adding a stone at a memorial or grave marker is the same thing. Leaving a stone at a grave or someone’s marker, which I have done, sometimes ends up making randomly built small stacked carins or balance stones. For me these carry a special meaning. they say “I was here, I saw you, I remember you.” All along the Appalachian Trail, there are graves and markers for people who have either died or been buried in the mountains. One of the very first ones I remember coming across was in North Carolina. Hiking along the trail, it surprised me. It was just there, On a small foundation, build on the side of a hill, in the middle of seemingly nowhere, is a small bronze marker for Wade A. Sutton. It simply states he was a forest ranger who died fighting a fire “so you might more fully enjoy your hike along this trail.” I left a stone. I will continue to leave stones. Maybe the small stones, carefully balancing in the quiet, green, hidden in a corner of a busy canyon, were for me, telling me “I saw you here, I remember you.”

I do think about this stone thing, it’s such a precarious fragile thing. It’s a fool’s errand to think you can simply stack stones for others to appreciate. They will not. It is the stones not stacked by others which are most appreciated.

stones

just a stack of stones

Pike’s Peak – My first 14er

By

On August 10, 2017

In Life, Travel

Two years ago I set a goal for myself to hiking Pike’s Peak. This past week I completed this goal hiking to 14,115 feet, summiting Pike’s Peak, and claiming my first “14er.”

When I first saw Pike’s Peak a couple years ago, I was enchanted by the amazing views of the mountain. Once I learned there were hiking trails to the summit I declared I wanted to hike to the summit. While you can, I didn’t want to simply drive to the peak. What fun is that? For some silly reason I thought hiking to the peak was more in line with the idea of the personal challenge I felt I needed at the time. So from conception, the idea was to hike to the summit. Fortunately for me, my three children (and their dear spouses) were all very supportive and offered to go with me on this adventure as well. Fast forward to August 2nd 2017 and now everything’s a “go.”

With all of the planning, scheduling, re-scheduling, and logistics of getting six people from two coasts to the same spot at the same time aside, I was very pleased we all arrived at our agreed upon predawn time at the Crags Trail-head on the West side of the mountain. As we all pulled in to the parking lot together, I was so excited and happy my family was hiking with me. I might even have been a little misty-eyed, but it was dark so no one will ever know. The early morning was chilly as we all hugged, chatted, and quickly donned our gear, made our final hiking preparations and last bathroom calls.

Our objective for the day was to hike up to Pike’s Peak, seven miles away and 4,110 higher than our starting elevation of 10,005 feet, and then hike back down. For gear, everyone had the basically the same or similar elements of their own. Everyone had some sort of day pack ranging from 20 to 40 liter size to carry extra layers of clothing, rain gear, trail snacks, 4 liters of water each, and between us the usually ancillary essential hiking items like flashlights, first-aid kits, maps, compass, etc. We hit the trail together just a few minutes after 6 A.M.

The Crags Trail leaves the parking lot and snakes into the woods for a short distance where the “664A” trail to the Devil’s Playground (and Pike’s Peak) spurs off and heads up through the tall pines and aspen trees. The morning is cool and with the newness of the trail, the hiking is fairly easy through this section. Generally the trail is a mix of straight incline and switchbacks. As we climb, the trees get progressively shorter and shorter as we hiked higher and higher. Watching the tall pines shrinking as we climbed helped mark our progress. The short stubby trees started to give way to grassy meadows. Somewhere around 11,500 and 12,000 feet the trees simply stopped. In this transition area we lost the trail for a moment (I think we zigged when we should have zagged) and dead-ended in an old camp site. After a couple minutes we were able to regain the trail in the grassy meadows above the treeline.

We followed the trail as it continued up through the grass meadows dotted with yellow and blue wildflowers. Once we had cleared the treeline the hiking became noticeable more difficult, the trail a little steeper and the air a little thinner. As the trail finally seemed to level off a little near 12,500 feet, we took our first break and rested a bit. Looking back over from where we had just hiked up were amazing views. The sky was clear and blue, the morning sun shining on the Crags to the North and other rock formations around us to the South. The view of the valley and the countryside to the West below us was breathtaking.

Rejuvenated from our break, we hiked on. The grassy meadows yielding more and more to simply small patches of sparse tundra. Eventually even the tundra simply fades away to just rock. The climb leveling off as we entered into the Devil’s Playground area. Apparently this area is so named due to “the way lightening jumps from rock to rock during a thunderstorm.” Awesome. I did not expect that. I was thinking more along the lines of “oh, rocks. The devil likes rocks.” Not “oh, dancing lighting.” Did I mention we were trying to summit prior to a forecasted rain storm?

Hiking on we passed through the huge rock formations, now within sight of the peak, I can even make out one of the buildings on top of the mountain. Because of the lack of vegetation now, the trail is hard to follow. Cairns start marking the way. Map check. It’s about 11:30 A.M., we’ve made really good time and are so close now. Literally within a quarter mile of the top. And 800 feet up. 800 feet up this huge rock & boulder incline. This huge rock & boulder incline with no discernible path. That’s not really true. There is a path. And it is marked with cairns. The problem is the stacks of rocks marking the path are made with the same rocks as the rock & boulder incline & mountain are made with, so it’s a little hard to see the path beyond the next cairn. The thin air helps make progress slow. Every step is a climb up the rocks. The exertion requires me to pause every couple of steps to try to pull more air into my lungs. As we are climbing this last painful piece, the sky is building up around us in preparation for the day’s forcasted storm. So there is this extra motivation to get to the peak before the dark clouds around us open up. We slowly pick our way, up through the boulder field, as fast as we can and make summit around 1:30 P.M., just ahead of the weather unloading. Still trying to catch my breath as I hobble over to the visitor center building for shelter, it starts snowing, hailing, and raining, with lightning and thunder beginning as we ducked into the building.

Sitting in the visitor center bathed in the afterglow of success (or maybe it was hypoxia?), was a little surreal. It is storming outside, snow and sleet and rain and lightening and thunder, and I’m panting like a fish out of water after my climb, I’m watch the seeming hundreds of tourist folk who had either drove or rode to the top as they scampered about talking and eating and acting as if everything is normal, like they were thousands of feet lower. I finally get enough air in me to enjoy one of Pike’s Peaks famous donuts and refill my water bladders in preparation for our hike back down once the storm passes.

Rested a bit, the main storm has ended and the sun is peeked through the clouds swirling around us. Now to hike back down. Leaving the visitors center, we start retracing our path down the mountain. Getting sprinkled with sporadic rain and sleet, we descended back down through the wet boulder field. We are able to get through this downhill piece pretty quickly, but this was probably the most dangerous section we encountered of the trip. Both my oldest son and I fell in the tricky rocks. My other son opted to hike around the boulder field along the road (he might have been the smarter of the group), but was informed by a ranger doing so was illegal. The rest of the descent went fairly smoothly and quickly. Tired, with sore feet, and with few bumps and bruises, we all came off the trail together just a few minutes after 7 p.m. Absolutely epic awesome and I would do it all again. We completed the round trip in 13 hours total, covering about 14 miles total, all of us earning and claiming our first 14er summit. Standing on top of my first 14er with my family, it was quite the journey.

The tundra along the trail to Pikes Peak
The new 14er hikers, all finished safe and mostly sound

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Seven Falls practice hike

By

On August 1, 2017

In Travel

for our first full day in Colorado Springs

Today our big adventure is a practice hike at Broadmoor’s Seven Falls at the eastern edge of the Pike National Forest in the South Cheyenne Canyon area.

The thought of a practice hike is a great idea. It helps work out some of the kinks from traveling, shakes out the gear a bit, and makes you ask yourself “do I have everything I need?” It also helps when hiking with as new group to figure out each others pace and styles, and helps you ask yourself again “do I have everything I need?” I tend to pack a bit minimally and am always wondering if I have the right gear for the hike. 

The trail we picked to hike is a place called Seven Falls. It’s a relatively small privately owned park but the falls are spectacular. I learned later, the falls originally opened as an attraction in the early 1880’s. Most recently, when the property was severely damaged in a 2013 flood, it was purchased by a resort company and restored. They made a number of improvements and and reopened in 2015.  One of the improvements was to move visitor parking off site and provide a free shuttle service which reduces on site traffic congestion. The shuttle which picked us up and carried us to the park entrance. The shuttle and park services seemed well run, the park and trails were clean and well maintained. On the day of our visit there were probable several hundred people there coming and going while we were there, yet generally it didn’t seem crowded. there are several things to see and do and a number of trails to explore. We picked the longest hiking route we could, up to Inspiration Point. I think we would have hiked more if it hadn’t been for the rain.  

Once we ticketed in, the first part of our hike is an easy walk of just under a mile from the entrance to the base of falls at the head of the box canyon. As you follow South Cheyenne Creek to the falls there are several named rock outcroppings along the way, some as high as 1000 feet above the canyon floor. At the base of the falls there is and observation area around the collecting pool and a staircase to the top of the falls. The water fall cascades down several tiers, dropping 181 feet from the top. We climb the 244 steps in a set of open stair up to the top of the falls. This is the one time the place seemed a little crowded. The stairs are no wider than a normal stair maybe a couple feet wide (three feet tops) but open as in you can see the canyon and falls between the stair treads and between the handrails. It looks really cool, but can be a little “holy crap” about the time you realize it too late to quit. As you are ascending, gripping the hand rails, trying to not look down too much, focusing on the next step, there are people descending doing the same thing. and when passing each other, everyone wants to be in the center of the stairs. Fortunately we didn’t have the same problem later when we were descending, in the rain, and with the lightning. 

Once at the top of the falls there are a number of trails heading off in different directions, we picked the trail to Inspiration Point and hiked on. From the top of the falls you are in the 6800 foot elevation range. I think our original plan was to spend a few hours here hiking several of the trails here. Sometimes things don’t go quite the way you plan. Hiking out past the canyon Overlook point and to Inspiration Point is only a little better than a half mile has some nice honest inclines to get your heart rate up and sweat going. We reached the Overlook point and were provided with an awesome view of the canyon area and a peek of view looking over the city, you just know the view of Colorado Springs will be better at Inspiration Point, we can even see some approaching afternoon rains. We move on with purpose now knowing we may have a little less hiking time than previously planed.

Helen Hunt Jackson, 19th century poet and writer, was originally buried at Inspiration Point, reportedly it was one of her favorite spots to write, inspired by the views and beauty of the area. So of course, despite imminent rain and distant thunder, it makes perfect sense to get at least to her marker. Just as the rain started.

One of the reasons for a practice hike is to discover what gear works and what gear you don’t have. Like zip-lock bags. Sounds like a little thing, but they are really great for keeping things like cell phones and cameras dry in case of rain. That way you don’t need to use your rain shell to wrap up said cell phones and cameras to keep them dry, and I can wear my rain shell instead of my phone and camera.

The hike down went very well. We made good time. We paused at a shelter packed with people only long enough to allow the rain to increase a bit. The second shelter we passed was overflowing. At this point we are committed to hiking down off the mountain as purposefully as possible, with the occasional  not-so-far lightening and corresponding thunder clap motivating us along the way. Interestingly here, when we started this trek, our group was the only few people in the part with hiking poles, day packs of water & gear, hiking shoes, etc. so some of the comments overheard from passersby might have been less than complementary. The general exception was related to envious comments about hike poles during passing on the previously mentioned “nice honest inclines.” Now the huddles masses with Birkenstock sandals, sneakers, and no jackets or rain gear, had more complementary words as we hiked past. The hike down reached it’s most exciting period when we reached the open stairs. Metal open stairs. 244 wet steps of metal open stairs. They really weren’t too bad. at this point the rain was subsiding, and we were able to grip both sets of handrails without interruption all the way down to the base of the falls. Mission accomplished! down at the base level, it was now just a simple walk out to the shuttle and back to our car and then back to our cozy airbnb and warm showers.

The following days consist of drying out thoroughly soaked hiking shoes and making gear adjustments, like buying some zip-lock bags.  Overall an outstandingly memorable hike. Now on to bigger peaks.

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Arrived! (day 4)

By

On July 30, 2017

In Travel

It’s the final leg now, Grand Junction  to Colorado Springs. The highway winding up and through the mountains following the rivers, first the Colorado river, then the Eagle river, then Gore Creek.  the country side and mountain are gorgeous. Small alpine communities  sprinkled through the mountains. Ski lifts dot the mountain sides, running along the long ribbons of now green grass. Later when the snows fall you can imagine the slopes covered in snow and alive with skiers. Now the slopes are quite. all the activity is in the river snaking its way through the mountains. River rafters and fishermen abound. As we descend from the mountains as we approach Denver, and its associated urban civilization. The mountains give way to the plains as we turn southerly toward our destination, Colorado springs. It’s misty and rainy as we arrive at our airbnb, the mountain peaks and the view of the peak are obscured, shrouded in the clouds and veiled in the mist, almost as if the mountain is being coy.

But we have arrived safe and the weather is due to clear in the next day or so. I can’t wait to get a view of the mountain peak.

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Sampling National Parks (day 2 & 3)

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On July 28, 2017

In National Parks, Travel

Driving to Colorado provides for the opportunity to check out some places along the way. Our fluid schedule had some time built in to “stop and smell the roses” a bit and Zion National Park was first on the list of roses to smell.

The Zion National Park is simply an amazing place. If you haven’t been, you need to add this national treasure your Life List. You will need at least a week to explore and really enjoy what the Zion canyon has to offer. At first, the Disney size crowds and shuttle waiting lines made me wonder if it was really worth the waiting. In all reality the park folks do an amazing job of managing the thousands of daily visitors. Free shuttle buses run during the peak of the season, the park was clean, and the visitor traffic (foot and car) seemed to flow fairly smoothly.  But the beauty of the canyon is the inescapable magic. The canyon walls rise up hundreds of feet in most areas and run for miles along the Virgin River. You can’t help but look up and when you do, all the questioning of other things around you fades away with the wonder of the natural beauty to witness.

Despite a late start on the first day, we hiked a part of the Angel’s Landing trail and then in the evening took the scenic drive around the park. We returned early enough the next morning to get in a good hike in part of the Narrows and Virgin River. The two days couldn’t have been more different. Sunny and warm, the first day seemed to find us behind the bubble of daily tourists. While the trail is largely paved, hiking up Angel’s Landing Trail in the afternoon sun was extremely challenging at best. Our second day was overcast and cooler, we were in early and on the shuttle quickly. Again the river-walk trail was paved but once we were hiking in and along the Virgin River in the shadows of the canyon walls, it made for a refreshing and most enjoyable time. But our time was up and we had to move on.

Back on the road we high tailed it from Zion up to visit the Arches National Park. When we arrived, the iconic Delicate arch was closed due to flooding, so we drove to the Window Arches section of the park. I think this was the better experience. It was a short walk to the several aches there and we were able to explore them much more. As the sun was getting low it was time to drive on. We rolled in to Grand Junction, CO for the night. On to Colorado Springs in the morning.

As a first time visitor through this particular part of the country I found passing through Utah, or at least southern Utah, pleasantly surprising to me with its diversity of terrain and features. There is so much of nature to see here. The magnitude of the way these lands formed and continue to change is amazing to see. These two short stops at these two parks told me I think I will definitely need to add a couple new things to my play list.

Narrows1

 

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The sun is rising (day 1)

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On July 27, 2017

In National Parks, Travel

The sun is rising in the Eastern sky as we leave Las Vegas behind us. The skys are clear, maybe some white cotton ball clouds at the edges. The mountains to the North of use are both bathed in the light of the rising sun and still cloaked with shadows as the night melts away. The pristine desert floor is dotted with man’s influences. We are clearly moving into western desert terrain.

We left San Diego late yesterday afternoon and traveling through the Mojave desert, made the outskirts of Las Vegas late last night. Even late at night the desert heat was oppressive. Fortunately the hotel AC was able to reach ice-box level cold, along with some home crafted ale we chilled and sleep well. 5 AM came quick and we’re back on the road heading to Pike’s Peak via Zion National Park. The weather today is forecast to be much cooler – mid 80s which should make for good hiking in Angels Landing.

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My bags are packed, I’m ready to go

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On July 26, 2017

In Travel

Sitting here in a San Diego coffee shop, I’m watching the world go by, drinking my coffee, listening to a little music, knowing very soon I will be heading East towards Pike’s Peak. This is an item I’ve had on my Life List for a couple years now, to hike up Pike’s Peak. To stand on top of a mountain and to look out across the world is somewhat awe-inspiring. But this is only a piece of this adventure. To travel and explore somewhere again with my family is something I find really cherish. It’s been too long.

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