Starting at Paradise (5400 ft) and we climbed to Camp Muir (10,188 ft) on our third attempt.
Not only is the mountain steep, the learning curve also has a challenging incline. The first attempt at camp muir we made it to about 8000 ft before we turned around. The view was spectacular!!
The skies were clear and the sun was out! We couldn't ask for more...except for maybe a sunburn, and a sunburn is what we got.
If you know me, you know that I live and breathe by chapstick. Did you know that chapstick is just a tube of oil? Did you know that hiking in the snow with oil smeared on your lips and nose is the equivalent to deep-frying your face? Lesson learned.
How about the ever awkward sunburn line... Mike decided to wear a sweatband. I'm sure everyone can figure out how awkward he looked at work the next day.
For our second attempt at Muir we were prepared! We stocked up on fancy sunscreens, head covers and glacier approved sunglasses. I also wore a V-neck shirt, but put on sunscreen like I was wearing a round-neck shirt. The triangle is my favorite shape.
There was no stopping us on our third attempt. We couldn't see 50 ft in front of us, our sunglasses were fogging up and we got a late start, but we pushed on. The last two hours I was pretty sure that Camp Muir didn't exist. At about 9000 ft we passed a guy puking his guts out. Hard.Core. We cleared the clouds and there it was! It was real! I could have started running, but I was so freaking tired I just cheered instead, and took an awesomely awkward photo.
Is that one of Santa's helpers??? Nope, it's just Mike wearing his head cover like an elf. Notice the three bandanas that I am sporting??? Two for blowing my nose (I know, right? I even blow my nose hard core) and the purple one for covering my awkward triangle burn. Camp Muir is the tiny building in the distance.
Mike Griffith!!! Hard Core Hiking Champion!!!
We were surprised and relieved that we didn't feel the effects of the altitude. We had some lunch in a snow pile and tried to hide from the wind. We started heading back down and I began to feel the altitude. My body was so tired, I could barely move my legs. They just weren't getting enough oxygen to properly walk down the mountain. So I just fell over instead...like the ugly kind of fall. I just laid on my side with my pack still on moaning like Tina from Bob's Burgers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZigK8T9XNtE
Mike fed me Jolly Ranchers until I got back up. Such a good husband.
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