On Top of Tennessee

Clingman’s Dome at 6,643 feet, is the highest point in Tennessee.  It is only a few inches shorter than North Carolina’s Mount Mitchell (6,684 ft) which is the highest point east of the Mississippi River.  As you might imagine, there are some spectacular views from the top of Clingman’s Dome, but those views are hard to catch.  We’ve been waiting all summer for a good view day.

With temperatures once again near 90 degrees, we decided to head for the top for our hike on Monday.  We had a great weather forecast of clear skies all day, so we were hoping for that illusive view.

We arrived in the large Clingman’s Dome parking lot about 9:30.  The busy tourist season is waning and there were very few cars in the lot.  Garnett was hiking with us again and we had worked out a plan whereby the three of us would hike from Clingman’s Dome northbound on the Appalachian Trail to Sugarland Mountain Trail.  At that point, Gene would hike back to Clingman’s Dome and Garnett and I would continue north to Newfound Gap Road where Gene would pick us up.

Of course, the parking lot is not at the top of Clingman’s Dome.  There is a half mile paved trail which leads to the top and the observation tower.  Even though this is a short distance, this half mile is always difficult for me.  Maybe it’s because we just get out of the car and start uphill.  It’s a pretty steep climb, too, gaining 300 feet from the parking lot to the observation tower.

We had great views when we got out of the car, but by the time we climbed to the top of the observation tower, the clouds had moved in.  Still, not bad though.

From the tower, we headed north on the AT.  Naturally, since Clingman’s Dome is the highest point in the state, we started out going downhill.  Basically, the AT follows the ridge line through the Smokies and generally straddles the North Carolina-Tennessee border.  This section of trail is in the high elevation spruce-fir forest which I love.

This is a well maintained trail, but it’s not the easiest walk in the park.  This section is steep in spots, very rocky with lots of roots and a few wet spots.  It’s not all downhill, either.  First comes Mount Love which is hardly noticable.  Actually, its a welcome relief to the steep descent.  Then comes Mt Collins where we gained about 500 feet before dropping back down to the gap. All that being said it is still one of our favorite hikes in the Smokies.

We were in high spirits, but hungry as we came to the junction with Sugarland Mountain Trail.  This was the turn-around point of our hike and a good spot for lunch.  I’d been thinking about that climb back up Mt Collins and then up to Clingmans Dome.  It seemed like a good idea for Garnett and I to continue north (generally downhill) to Newfound Gap and let Gene do the climbing back up to the top, retrieve the car, and pick us girls up down the hill.  The milage was about the same--Gene had 4 miles back to the car and Garnett and I had 4.5 miles to the Gap.  Everyone was agreeable to that, even Gene.

Garnett and I had a great hike down to Newfound Gap even though there were a few short uphill sections.  Our walk continued through the spruce-fir forest.  We took one break at Indian Gap.  The Trail comes out to a large parking lot on Clingmans Dome Road at this point and we found a grass spot to rest at the edge of the curb.  From here, we had only 1.7 easy miles to go.  At the Gap we again threw our packs down and stretched out on a grassy spot to wait for Gene.

It turned out to be a great hike with the last half being new trail for Garnett.  Glad we were able to help her color some map.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for tagging along.

Black Mesa, Oklahoma's High Point

Friday was our day for another high point adventure. Reaching Oklahoma’s highest point required a real hike of 8.4 miles round trip.  We haven’t hiked in a while so expected it to be more difficult than it really was.

Summit marker

We got an early start--leaving about 7:30.  On our way out of the park we saw our first wildlife of the day--10 mule deer.  About halfway to the trailhead we saw a group of four antelope.

Black Mesa in the distance

At the trailhead, we got suited up, or at least that’s the way it seemed.  The cool temperatures required a jacket and Gene even had on his gloves.  We also put on gaiters as a precaution against snake bite.  Dressed for whatever might befall us, we headed out.  The trail follows an old jeep road for the first couple miles.  It was wide and easy to follow.  However, there were numerous paths crisscrossing the area so the green arrows pointing the way were helpful. The day started out cool, but warmed up quickly.  We shed our jackets within the first mile of the hike.

The trail was an old jeep road most of the way

At every mile mark there was a bench.  The benches were nice for resting, but we especially liked having a mile mark to keep track of our progress.

After about 2.5 miles we began our climb to the top of the mesa.  We passed the 3-mile bench along the way which offered a great view of the valley below.  Once we gained the top it was smooth sailing for the last mile to the summit.

A monument of Oklahoma Indian granite stands at the summit.  Pictures were made, of course, and I signed the summit register.  At the summit, we were only 4.7 miles from the Colorado state line and a mere 1299 feet from New Mexico.  After a short break, we headed down.

Trail to the top of the mesa

It’s always exciting to go to a state high point and today was no exception.  However, I think the highlight of the hike was the ten antelope which dashed across the mesa about 50 yards in front of us as we were approaching the high point.  They were beautiful and we had the privilege of witnessing the event.  Of course, they were moving far too fast for me to get the camera out of the case, focus and get a shot, so I just stood there spellbound and watched as they turned and headed out of view.

Mile 1 bench

Actually, it was an easy hike.  Pretty flat for the first 2.5 miles, then the climb of 632 feet up to the top of the mesa, then a mile across the top which was ever so slightly uphill.  The trip back to the car, of course, was all down hill.  However, it was a busy hike with dodging cow piles in the middle of the trail and watching for rattlesnakes.  From a distance I kept mistaking dried up cow dung for coiled snakes.  I didn’t learn until afterwards that I should have also been on the lookout for mountain lions and bear.

We completed the hike and were back at the car in just over 4 hours.  We were real pleased with that, all things considered.  After showers, it felt so good to sit down and prop the old, sore feet up.

Once again, it was a very windy day here.  We have decided to leave in the morning.  Hopefully, Colorado won’t be quite so bad.

Wildlife count for the day:  15 antelope, 10 deer, 4 rabbits, and a lizard.  Thankfully, we didn’t see a rattlesnake.

That’s it for Friday.  Thanks for tagging along.

Mount Magazine, Arkansas Highpoing

Possum pie, dead batteries, and first bear of the season were all contenders for the title of todays post.  We have had a busy and varied day.

It started out in the Walmart parking lot.  I wanted to get one of those sunrise over Walmart pictures, but the cloud cover was just too thick for the sun to shine through.

As is my custom, I got up early, fed the cat, made myself a cup of coffee and sat down on the sofa for my Bible reading.  When Gene got up, I was still sitting there, with the cat in my lap, and the flashlight in my hand.  Gene commented that I could turn on a light, if I wanted to, instead of using a flashlight.  I explained that my intent was to save the house battery to run the furnace blower.  That was my primary concern since it was only about 40 degrees outside.  With that comment, he went over to check the battery level.  That was when he discovered the battery charge indicator showed the battery was dead.

Now, that was a surprise.  We had only run the furnace for two cycles Sunday evening and two cycles this morning.  Being snuggled under a down comforter when we went to bed, we turned the furnace off overnight.  We’ve certainly used much more battery power in times past than we did last night. We both ran through everything we could think of to determine what might have happened.  The battery is relatively new, so it shouldn’t have failed, we don’t think.  Gene is very diligent about checking the water level and this morning when he checked, the water was fine.  We have a couple theories we’re going to check next time we’re off the grid.  Gene started the motor home to quickly recharge the house battery and now, everything is fine.  It sure did start the day off with a brief moment of panic.

With that issue on the back burner for the time being, we pulled out of Walmart with a short 70 mile drive for today.  That 70 miles, however, took forever.  We were headed to Mount Magazine State Park, just below the summit of Mount Magazine, the highest point in Arkansas, and there’s no easy way to get there.  The roads were narrow and curvy and it wouldn’t surprise me if our average speed for the entire trip wasn’t but about 35.  Onward and upward; slow but sure we finally got here.  This is the first state park we’ve stayed in in over 5 years and it’s wonderful.

The campground only has 18 sites, all paved, and all with full hookups.  Each site has a fire ring, picnic table, charcoal grill and tent pad.  The price--$25 per night plus tax and if we’d been 62 years old there would have been a 20 percent discount even though we’re not Arkansas residents. There is only one other occupant here with us tonight.

After we got checked in and set up in our site, we dashed off to climb the mountain.  Perhaps that’s a little over-stated.  We had less than a half mile hike to the summit with about a 150 foot gain.  Still, it was fun to be on the trail.  At the top we did the photo thing and signed the summit register and made our descent by continuing on around the loop to where we had started--at the campground.

When we checked in, the lady at the desk encouraged us to do two things--visit the new lodge and hike out to Sunrise Point to see the bear.  We really didn’t have much hope of seeing a bear, but since it involved a hike we went for it.  When we got to Sunrise Point, only about a quarter mile from the trailhead, the Assistant Park Superintendent and her husband were out there with binoculars.  If they hadn’t been there, we would never have seen the bear.  As the crow flies, she was maybe a half mile away across the ravine, stretched out on a rock catching a few rays.  From where we were standing, she was just a black dot.  I’m surprised the picture turned out as well as it did.  She’s the first bear this trip.  We expect to see them daily, once we get into Canada, especially the Yukon.

Signing the summit register

Our next stop was the lodge.  It was definitely worth a visit.  Mount Magazine State Park is the newest state park in Arkansas and everything is in mint condition.  The lodge is new, of course, and has a fantastic view of the valley below from its perch on the side of the mountain.  Gene offered to treat me to coffee and dessert in the restaurant.  How can a girl pass up an offer like that.  We selected the Possum Pie, but both agreed it was nothing nearly as special as the waitress made it sound.  That didn’t stop us from eating every bite, however.

A full day to say the least.  I think I said yesterday that we’d be in Fort Smith today.  I was wrong.  I forgot about Mount Magazine being on the way.  So I end today by saying again--Fort Smith tomorrow.

That’s all I have.  Thanks for tagging along.

Mt Washington

First, let me correct something I said yesterday about the accident in Tuckerman Ravine.  We either got bad information or we misunderstood what was said by the lady behind the desk at the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center.  There was definitely an accident, but it was in Huntington Ravine--the next ravine over from Tuckerman.  A teenage boy was climbing on the Huntington Ravine headwall and fell 150 feet.  He was rescued and airlifted to a hospital where he is expected to recover from “multiple injuries”.  He’s very lucky.

Mt Washington is, by far, the most prominent feature of the landscape here.  It is the highest peak in the Presidential Range, in the White Mountains, in all of New Hampshire.  I usually don’t post entries about places we don’t visit, but I have to make an exception here.  Yesterday’s hike up to Hermit Lake will probably be as close as we’ll get to the summit on this trip.  At the caretaker’s cabin, we were less than 2 miles from the summit.  Since we probably won’t get any closer than that, I decided to dedicate this entry to Mt Washington and include photos taken on our last visit in 2006.

I guess when most people think of Mt Washington, they think of the weather.  This mountain boasts of having the worst weather in America.  The wind up there is remarkable.  Even on a clear day, the wind can be challenging.  Combine that wind with a decent snowfall and you end up with something otherworldly.  Because of the weather, the summit is covered up with weather equipment.

Gene making his way to the top

There are several ways to get to the top--you can drive yourself, ride the Mt Washington Stage Line van, or take the cog railway.  Of course, if you’re a truly hearty hiker, you can walk up there, but you have to go by trail, pedestrians are not allowed on the auto road.  We drove up. That was the second time for Gene to drive the auto road and he has now moved that into the category of “never again”.

Summit Stage Office

We were last here in August, 2006.  We stayed a month at that time and had the opportunity to watch the weather forecast and wait for a “perfect” day.  As I recall the temperatures were in the mid 50s, visibility was great, and the wind was not so bad.  We drove up in the truck.  The Auto Road is paved, but very curvy and a little narrow, especially in a truck.  Being high vacation season, it was bumper to bumper traffic in both directions.

From the top, we hiked down one and a half miles to Lake of the Clouds hut and then hiked back up.  We looked around at the various buildings, got a cup of coffee at the snack bar, watched the movie about the weather conditions, and made photos at the summit sign.  So here are the pictures from that trip.  I hope they make you want to come see for yourself when next you’re in the area.  It’s definitely worth the effort by which ever way you choose to get to the top.

Mt Frissell, Connecticut High Point

Once again, what we ended up doing today was not what was planned.  It’s good to be flexible.

We started out the day with an adventure in route finding.  We had planned to hike the next section along the AT and got ourselves and our stuff loaded in the truck.  The directions were simple and we went straight to the parking lot where I was to start walking south.  However, in the small community of Falls Village, the bridge over US 7 was under construction.  Motorized vehicles were allowed to cross the now 1-lane bridge, but not hikers.  Also, along the way to the parking lot, Gene just happened to notice a detour sign posted where the AT crosses Warren Road.

In the parking lot, we got out all the information we had which wasn’t much since we don’t have the official ATC guidebook and map for Connecticut.  The information we have from trails.com is 10 years old.  The parking lot information was our best source, at least it was current.  What we badly needed was a map which we didn’t have at all.

The parking lot information indicated the trail had been rerouted due to the bridge construction and gave the names of the roads being used, but not where the detour started.  Without a map, we didn’t know where the roads were.  We drove back to the detour sign which was posted above a white blaze.  We knew that was the trail, so we decided to follow it and see what happened.  In about a mile we were out at the bridge construction.  We walked back to the detour sign.  We finally decided that this sign, which also gave the names of roads being used for the detour, was actually on the portion of trail that is temporarily closed.

One of the roads mentioned in both the parking lot information and on the detour sign was route 112.  We thought we knew where that was, so we got in the truck and headed that way.  Sure enough, we found a detour blaze.  We just kept driving on following all those orange and white blazes.  Finally, after about 3 miles down a couple country lanes, the detour blazes ended and the beloved white blaze appeared.

By this time, however, a couple of hours had passed and we were out of the notion for a 9-mile hike.  We found a place to turn around, we reviewed our options, and decided to check out Connecticut’s high point.  We were already pretty close, anyway.

Mt Frissell is in the far northwest corner of the state.  Well, actually the top of Mt Frissell is in Massachusetts.  The Connecticut state line runs along the south side of the mountain and the highest point along that line is Connecticut’s high point.  Connecticut is the only state where the high point is on the slope of the mountain.

The directions to the trailhead for the 1.2 mile hike to the high point were very clear and easy to follow.  The road, however, was something else.  First, we turned onto Mt Riga Road in Salisbury.  It quickly turned to gravel.  After 3 miles, we came to the junction with Mt Washington Road.  It, too, was gravel, but not as recently grated as Mt Riga Road.  We very slowly traveled the 3 miles to a small parking area just shy of the state line.

Looking toward New York

You would think there wouldn’t be anyone else around, but not true.  There were 2 cars parked at the trailhead, one car drove by on the road, the road grater from MA wanted to turn around in our parking area, and there was someone who stopped to ask us directions.  Unbelievable.

Much of the trail was through low shrubs on solid rock

We headed up the trail; and I do mean UP.  This was more a rock climb than a hike.  We finally made it to the top of Round Mountain and could see across to Mt. Frissell.  We descended slightly to cross the saddle between the two mountains.  The hike started out in MA and wove in and out between MA and CT so that when we finally reached the high point we were going downhill.

We made the photos, sat on the rock for a short break, then headed up and down, up and down to the truck.

I’m not saying what we have planned for tomorrow, because the plans are always changing.  We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

Connecticut state line marker

Til then.......

Harney Peak

Our objective for today, Harney Peak, was a pure delight.  We have spent so much time in the truck over the past two weeks that just getting out for a little leg stretcher was a welcome change of pace.  The fact that the Harney Peak Trail  was a wide, nicely graded woods trail which led to a historic lookout tower on the highest point in the state of South Dakota made it perfect.

Our trail started in Custer State Park, about 10 miles from our campground.  We soon left the state park and entered the Black Elk Wilderness.  After about three-quarters of a mile, we came to a rock outcropping which gave us a clear view of the lookout tower in the distance.  We climbed steadily for the first mile or so, but then lost all the elevation we had gained over the next half mile.  After crossing a small creek at the bottom of the decline, we headed uphill again.  The last few hundred feet of our 3-mile trail was up a rock staircase built by the CCC when they built the lookout tower in 1939.

About half the trail is open to horse travel.  There are some advantages to horse trails.  Generally, they are a little wider than foot trails and they are also more gently graded.  Those are pluses for the hiker, but the heavy weight of a horse can really tear up a dirt trail.  This trail, however, did not have any significant damage due to horses.  There were a few horse “piles”, of course, but there were none of the smelly mire pits that we often see in the wetter climate of the eastern mountains.

View from the top

This historical fire lookout tower sits atop Harney Peak which rises in the Black Hills to an elevation of 7242 feet.  I was surprised to read the plaque on the entrance to the tower which stated this to be the highest peak east of the Rockies.  The views were magnificent on this clear day.  This is a popular trail in this area and there were several others on the peak.  We stayed for about half an hour enjoying the view, the great weather, and our lunch.

Back at the truck, we both agreed, this was a very nice hike.

Tomorrow, we have a few chores to do.  If we can drag ourselves out of bed early, we may drive the wildlife loop at Custer State Park.

Mount Rainier

This mountain is the highest peak in Washington, rising to 14,410 feet.  It is the 4th highest peak in the nation after Alaska’s Mt. McKinley, California’s Mt. Whitney, and Colorado’s Mt. Elbert.  It ranks along with Alaska, Montana, Oregon, and Wyoming in degree of difficulty to climb--all being class 4 technical climbs.

Our intent for today was to check out the Muir Snowfield.  This broad expanse of snow must be traversed to reach Muir Camp.  Typically, climbers leave Paradise Lodge on the Skyline Trail and hike 4 miles and almost 5000 feet to spend the night at Muir Camp.  The next morning (well, it is usually somewhere around 1 AM) they are up and on their way to the top--another 3 miles and 4500 feet across the glacier.  After their ascent, they come all the way down making it a very long day.

Muir Camp is accessible to the hearty hiker, so they say.  Skyline Trail to Pebble Creek is usually dirt in August (peek climbing season), although we crossed some snow today.  The snowfield is not so steep that you need crampons, so they say.  When we got to Pebble Creek, we perched ourselves on a rock and watched as several climbers made they way onto the snowfield.  Most slipped and we made a mental note of that.

Once upon a time, in a life far, far away, I wanted to climb this mountain.  People die on this mountain and I wouldn’t climb without a guide service.  Rainier Mountaineering came very highly recommended so a very good friend and I made reservations to climb with them.  They will not take anyone without mountaineering training so we also signed  up for mountaineering school.  My guardian angel was no doubt watching over me, because I just happened upon a photograph in a book somewhere of climbers high on the mountain.  It scared the beegeebies out of me.  I cancelled.  My friend subsequently took 3 mountaineering courses and was still unable to get up the mountain.  However, since that time, I have thought I would climb as far as Muir Camp.  That could be my summit.

There were hundreds of climbers on the trail

Gene at Peeble Creek

Today, we went to look at the snowfield.  We definitely noticed that most people slipped and we also noticed how long 2 miles looked from our vantage point and how high it went.  Information gathered, we backtracked on Pebble Creek Trail to Skyline and continued on around the loop.  On this portion of the Skyline Trail we had to cross many large areas of snow--enough to convince me that I didn’t need to be on Muir Snowfield.  I’ve always said I’ll go as high as I feel comfortable and on Mt Rainier, my summit was Pebble Creek.

Climbers getting ready for the snowfield.

I ain't going up there.

On our return, one of those snow areas had the trail marker buried and we missed our turn off to Paradise Lodge.  We probably went (downhill, of course) three quarters of a mile before we crossed another patch of snow.  There were hundreds of people on Skyline Trail and this patch of snow had not been crossed today.  That was our clue that we had missed our turn.  Adding that 1.5 mile to the already 6.5 miles, made two very tired puppies and a very long day.  Did I mention that one of the main roads to Paradise is closed resulting in a 2 hour drive around from our campground.

We have planned to hike again tomorrow, but that will depend on whether we can move well enough to get out of bed.

Mt Hood

Mt. Hood is the highest point in the state of Oregon.  This glaciated dormant volcano rises 11,239 feet above sea level.  As a high point, it is on my life list.

Now, I’m not into ropes, crampons, or ice axes.  If I can’t see dirt, I don’t want to go there.  If my hands and arms have to support most of my weight, I don’t want to go there.  I also like to have an established marked trail.  There are no trails to the summit of this mountain.  Since Mt. Hood is rated a class 4 technical climb, the top was never on my list of things to do.  To mark this mountain off my high points list, I planned to go as high as I felt comfortable.  At least, I can say I’ve been there--I saw the mountain.

Summit Parking lot, summit is 4 miles away

Gene had researched possibilities for our “climb” and came up with Cooper Spur Trail on the east side of the mountain.  Although Cooper Spur does not go to the summit, it is the highest established and maintained trail on the mountain.  Plus this is the second most popular climbing route to the summit.  That all sounded good to us.  Gene printed the directions to the trailhead, trail description and maps off trails.com and we started out just before 8 AM for the 60 mile drive.

Our driving directions indicated we should continue on US 35 to Cooper Spur Road.  After several miles we came to an intersection with a road sign “to Cooper Spur Road”.  We were confused so decided to continue on to the Forest Service Office just a quarter mile down US 35.  We learned from the ranger, to our shock and dismay, that the forest service road we were to take after Cooper Spur Road was closed.  The only way to get to our trailhead was to walk an extra 9 miles.  That was not an option.

Cooper Spur Trail being eliminated, our only other choice was to go around to the south side of the mountain to Timberline Lodge.  This is the ski area and the trailhead for the most popular route to the summit.  The only problem with that is that the snow comes all the way down to the lodge.  This may be the only ski lift in the country that is open year round.  Besides that, the only established trail in the lodge area is the Pacific Crest Trail and its high point on the mountain is the lodge.  Oh well, no other choice, so that is where we headed.

As high as I got on the first try

When we got to Timberline Lodge parking lot, we were surprised to see that the snow had melted in areas as far up the mountain as perhaps a 1000 or 1500 feet.  And in the dirt, we could see several paths going up.  These were paths made by skiers and snowboarders who were not using the lift.  We hoisted our packs and chose a path that looked pretty good.  After a half mile or so it went under the snow.  We could see other paths that looked heavily used so we went back down and took the Pacific Crest Trail to connect with one of these other paths.  We got lucky this time and were able to climb for about a mile.  We were pretty high on the mountain, almost as high as the ski lift and almost to the glacier.

This is my summit

Speaking of the ski lift.  Yes, we could have ridden on the lift higher than we were able to climb.  However, since I wasn’t going to the summit, riding the lift seemed somehow like cheating.  If I wasn’t going to the top, the least I could do was hike as far as I went.  Most climbers don’t use the lift anyway; they either hike or hire a sno-cat to take them to the top of the lift.  They reduce their chances of getting off the mountain safely, if they way until morning to ride the lift.  The climbers are on the mountain far before day light.

Timberline Lodge, Mt Jefferson in the background

While at Timberline we toured the lodge.  It was built in the late 1930 and is fairly rustic--what you would expect of an early ski lodge.

We were pretty pooped after the 60 mile drive back home, but excited to have experienced another one of those “life list” things.

Guadalupe Peak, the Highest Point in Texas

If you have been reading this journal for very long, you will know that I am a “high pointer”.  One of the things on my life list is to go to the highest point in most of the states.  I say most because I have no intention of climbing Mt. McKinley in Alaska or any of the technical climbs in the lower 48.  However, for those drive-ups and walk-ups where I can keep my feet firmly planted on the ground, I hope to be able to do.

First break on the way up

Today was number 22 for me—Guadalupe Peak in Guadalupe Mountains National Park.  Guadalupe Peak is ranked number 14th of the 50 high points at 8,749 feet.  

American Airlines 50th Anniversary monument on the summit

I am a little vague about what this National Park is preserving.  There doesn’t seem to be anything really special here, just more of the same from here to Big Bend.  The area was made a National Park in 1966.  I think that was during Lyndon Johnson’s administration.  Maybe that’s why it is in the National Park Service.

Taking my own summit photo

It is really nice that Guadalupe Peak is within the National Park.  It is so much easier than trying to get permission to hike on private land.  The trial was in fantastic shape.  It is also a horse trail.  Sometimes that is not so good, but out here in this dry climate, it was fine.  In fact, we could not tell that it had been used by horses.  The only way we knew was from the signage.  The trail was graded for horse travel, so it wasn’t too steep and it was plenty wide.

View from the top

We got an early start on this 8.4 mile round trip hike.  I was very pleased to reach the summit (a 3,000 foot climb) in 4 hours since we have hiked so little lately and certainly not anything with any elevation gain.  We moved along at a slow, steady pace and took a break every hour.  Of course, there are no trees here so we were moving up the side of the mountain with a drop off on one side all the way to the valley below.  Gene is afraid of heights and about a quarter mile from the summit, he got to a switch back that he couldn’t get around.  It was pretty scary.  I went on to the top without him.  I didn’t linger, however, because the wind was remarkable.  In fact, I didn’t go the last 3 feet or so because I was afraid of being blown off.  After a couple photos, I was on my way down.

About halfway down and my feet
are hurting.

Tomorrow, if we can drag our sore muscles out of bed, we’ll try hiking down into Carlsbad Cavern.