The Lure of the Mountains

[image error] Lure of the Mountains

Today, while working from home, I looked out the window at about 2:00 PM to see a clear blue sky. Then, I walked outside and looked west at the mountains. They were calling me to them. I had to take the rest of the afternoon off to go hiking. Besides, it was Friday. I wrapped up my work, then changed into my incredibly comfortable Kuhl climbing pants. By 3:00 PM I was on the trail hiking up into the mountains. I fully invoked the layering method of keeping my body temperature comfortable. I knew up in the shaded areas the temperature would be below freezing, and it was. There was ice-covered patches of trail. By 4:00 PM I was 1,000 vertical feet higher than the trailhead. The sun had disappeared behind the mountains. I put on a light fleece jacket and gloves.

I stopped for a short break under a Ponderosa Pine Tree and sat down on a thick layer of pine needles. There are days that I am happiest sitting against a pine tree, high on a mountainside, gazing at the natural beauty of the mountains. I experience a deep joy when I’m in communion with the mountains.

I wanted to climb higher before turning back, so I got back on the trail. I hiked and soaked up the natural solitude that I was immersed in. The next time I looked at my watch it was 4:38 PM. It would be dark by 5:30 PM. I picked a high point on a rock outcrop to be my summit for this hike. That gave me a respectable vertical gain of 1,500 feet. I carried a small Camelbak pack with some essentials and a headlamp. It weighed about 8 pounds. I could hike by headlamp if I wanted to, but I only use it as a last resort. I like to let my eyes adjust to the darkening sky so I can hike without a headlamp most of the time. I was the last person on the mountain.

At 5:40 PM I was back to my Jeep Grand Cherokee at the trailhead. It was pitch dark. I had hiked about 7 miles. My heart rate was up to 165 bpm at one time. I knew for at least the next 24 hours I would feel good.
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I took this photo shortly after sunset on January 15, 2021.