Summit Achievement (continued)
I, on the other hand, represented the tortoise in the oft told story...except I never did overtake the hare. As it turned out, we had a beautiful day for our assault on the summit. The fall colors were resplendent and the storms of the previous days had left the air fresh and clean. In hindsight, maybe we should have been a bit more attentive to a number of hiking details "...not to be underestimated." For example, there were far fewer cars in the parking lot at the trail head...and the two people we did see were carrying a rake and shovel in addition to their standard hiking gear. Read on...
No "strenuous trip" would be complete without incident...and our adventure was no exception. Fortunately, neither Katy nor I suffered any serious injury...unless perhaps, you count injured pride. It turns out the couple we encountered was heading up the same trail as we were...to meet friends who were the official AMC volunteers responsible for maintenance of that section of trail. Their work party was busy clearing and digging new channels for the rush of water draining down the trail. After a quick conversation with them, we were on our way...mindful of the press of time and now concerned about the added challenge of hiking a trail that was more like a running stream in sections. "What time does the sun set today?"
A short distance up the trail...and still well within the 'easier to turn around than go ahead' range of the hike, we encountered the first of several stream crossings required on the trail. Now, bear in mind that Katy and I had attempted this same hike the weekend before, but couldn't finish it due to time. The runoff of two days rain made the stream that we easily rock-hopped the previous weekend present a much more daunting obstacle. As we began to look upstream and downstream in search of a bridge of conveniently located boulders, I stepped confidently onto a rock on my way to a better vantage point... only to suddenly have a water level view! Yes, I had fallen in. Both feet and the sitting down portion of my jeans were immersed in the rushing water. Now what?
"Do you have a backpack? How about a good pair of hiking socks?" Andrea's motherly questions to me before the hike, which I of course answered in the affirmative. Good advice...especially the socks. We were not to be turned back at this point, so we sloshed our way upstream (actually I sloshed, Katy was still dry) and found a navigable set of rocks to cross the river...I mean stream. I was concerned that I was going to be cultivating a fine crop of blisters by continuing, but completing this hike was important to me and Katy seemed dogged in her determination to complete it so we continued on our way.
As we continued, we encountered a number of obstacles that weren't there last week. There were large trees that had fallen across the trail in such a way that it was difficult (and time consuming) to get over, under or around them. The trail's still wet, but there are dry spots too so we're able to continue. At this stage of the hike we are able to settle into a kind of rhythm...looking for rocks and roots to avoid, observing the woods around us and talking. Very pleasant...but not to last. Once we passed the point on the trail where we had turned back the previous weekend, things got interesting. The hike entered a more challenging phase. The trail became much steeper and, for a stretch, it was necessary to add searching for handholds to the routine we had established for our feet. We were ascending the rock face that gives rise to the Baldface name for the mountain...which meant we were nearing the summit.
And then, it was there...the summit called Eagle's Crag. For me a return, for Katy a first chance to appreciate the wonderful view and for both of us a sense of achievement.
"We made it! Wow, this is amazing. What time is it? How far did we come? How far back is it? Wow, I'm hungry...where's the sub? We've got to get pictures...hurry, the sun is going to go behind those clouds. Oh oh...those clouds look pretty threatening. Where are the ponchos? Boy, it's cold here...the wind. My hands are freezing. OK let's use this big rock to set the camera on self-timer....Is this where you took the pictures of Joe?"
There was no time to loiter...we had to get on the trail back to be sure we were back before dark. Our plan was to take the Bicknell Ridge trail back...but what kind of shape would that trail be in? At least we knew the trail we had come up...we needed to make a decision. Katy made it. "We don't want to have to deal with going down that section of rock face we just came up." Okay, Bicknell Ridge trail it is.
The trail down presents it's own challenges with many sections traversing sheer rock faces, albeit seeming to be less steep than what we remember from our ascent on the Circle trail. And the Bicknell Ridge trail offers breathtakingly beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and valley as we descend. And then there is the section we begin to think of as the enchanted forest...bright yellow and gold leaves shimmering in the late afternoon light. Very pretty, but we're still not making very good time.
My digital camera memory card is full...it's a new camera and I haven't yet gotten backup cards for occasions such as this when there are photo opportunities at every turn. We probably don't want to take too much time now with pictures anyway. There's still a lot of trail ahead of us...and we have to get back across the wet foot river. We better pick up the pace...
The trail begins to level out so we can make better time. Once again we get into a rhythm and focus on moving as quickly as we can through the late afternoon forest. Somewhere along the line it dawns on us that, other than the work party we saw early on, we haven't seen anyone else on the trail. Last week was different...more people along the trail. Is there some reason for this? Did I just feel raindrops? Keep going...we don't want to be out here in the dark.
We make good time and eventually make it back to the river crossing. Despite our best efforts to move quickly, it's getting dark. And now we have to get across the river and hike another mile to the car. We can't waste any time on the river crossing. We know the crossings upstream are questionable, so we begin searching downstream for a string of rocks. I find a less than perfect group of rocks that I think will work. Of course, I just did the whole hike with wet feet, so what's the worst that could happen here? I made it to the middle of the stream and called Katy over. Kersplunk...that was the sound of her right foot slipping into the water. But we're experienced hikers now...not to be overcome by the challenge of crossing a raging torrent in the descending gloom. A couple of deft hops and we're across!
Back on the trail and now there's only one remaining obstacle...it is dark and getting darker. Amazing how fast it gets dark in the forest. We knew it was coming but there's nothing to do to slow it down. Have I mentioned that we did not think to bring the flashlight that was right next to the backpack in the car? No one on the trail...no flashlight...a mile to go and it's getting really dark...
The thing about the situation we were in is that we had to balance our need to make time with the need for safety. The trail was rocky and uneven. In the dark it was easy to stumble and twist and ankle...and we just didn't have time to stop to attend to an injury. Katy took the lead and seemed to be able to pick her way along the trail without difficulty. I was doing okay, but I did have a couple of scary moments when I felt my ankle turn. And then there was that fork in the trail...where was it? We can't miss it! Well, if we do miss it, we should end up at the road anyway...I think. How quiet it is...and dark. Man, I thought it was dark before, but now it's really dark. I can just about make Katy out in front of me...are we still on the path? We must be getting close to the road by now. No, we haven't come to the stone wall we saw...remember we noticed the stone wall when we started the hike? We haven't gotten there yet? No, wait...there's the stone wall now...that dark line that's darker than the other dark stuff. I see it...there's the road. No problem...I wasn't worried. We had at least a couple of minutes to spare.
Epilogue
Katy and I had an adventure this day. An adventure that was an important and fitting way to remember and be close to Joe. There is something about the majesty of nature--in abundance on this hike--that engenders an introspective process to understand one's place in the universe. Joe always seemed at peace on outings like this...a peace that was elusive to him at other times and places in his life. It felt good to be near him like this for a little while.
