After almost swearing off bagging highpeaks for good, I found that returning to the spot where it all began was helpful. Our Cousin from Maryland was home for the annual Labor Day Picnic and was hoping to get in at least one hike. She and I climbed Blue Mtn together in June and that day we discussed how close in comparison Blue was to a high peak. We decided Labor Day Monday morning that we would do Cascade. My Cousin, Jane, was psyched to be climbing a true 4,000 footer. It was a beautiful sunny day, warm but with a nice breeze. My father was with us on this one. Not because he needs Cascade in the quest to become a 46er but because we are in desparate need of a good workout in order to possibly be in shape to do the next peak without nearly killing ourselves. It's odd to think of a 5 mile hike as short, quick or just a warmup workout. Not to say it was easy.....but...it was pretty easy! It also did the trick. I was happy to be in the mountains. There was no mental war going on inside my head with each step. Best of all was being able to look out at the tremendous view of the other peaks and not only be able to name them without the map but also to have stood on top of many of them. Cascade is one that I will return over and over....it is nice to be able to introduce other family members to something that has become a passion. It was nice to be reminded of that passion. Esther might be next.
September 11, 2009
Recalibrating on Cascade
After almost swearing off bagging highpeaks for good, I found that returning to the spot where it all began was helpful. Our Cousin from Maryland was home for the annual Labor Day Picnic and was hoping to get in at least one hike. She and I climbed Blue Mtn together in June and that day we discussed how close in comparison Blue was to a high peak. We decided Labor Day Monday morning that we would do Cascade. My Cousin, Jane, was psyched to be climbing a true 4,000 footer. It was a beautiful sunny day, warm but with a nice breeze. My father was with us on this one. Not because he needs Cascade in the quest to become a 46er but because we are in desparate need of a good workout in order to possibly be in shape to do the next peak without nearly killing ourselves. It's odd to think of a 5 mile hike as short, quick or just a warmup workout. Not to say it was easy.....but...it was pretty easy! It also did the trick. I was happy to be in the mountains. There was no mental war going on inside my head with each step. Best of all was being able to look out at the tremendous view of the other peaks and not only be able to name them without the map but also to have stood on top of many of them. Cascade is one that I will return over and over....it is nice to be able to introduce other family members to something that has become a passion. It was nice to be reminded of that passion. Esther might be next.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Onward and upward,.... It will be a lovely fall to meet Esther!
It was a great day and I'm looking forward to our next hike which will include your mother.
glad you had a great hike.
i, for one have never had a bad day on cascade ;)
I would think that getting a parking spot for Cascade on a holiday weekend would be almost as hard as hiking the mountain :-)
Labor Day hike - what a great tradition!
I did Cascade and Porter on a misty overcast day... I wouldn't mind doing it again for the view. of course I've only bagged 3 peaks, I got a long way to go to finish them let alone do them twice!
I enjoyed reading this and you live in such a lovely part of the world.
What a terrific season for grabbing another peak or two, even just a simple hike. It's my favorite time of year - just perfect for outdoor pursuits. Have fun!
Cascade is my favorite peak. My spirit, my passion, lives up there and I was lucky enough to hike it again in August. I read your posts with relish. http://www.flickr.com/photos/27743124@N07/
Post a Comment