| Screaming from the Minarets Trip Report |
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| Screaming from the Minarets   | 
| Page Type: Trip Report Location: California, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 37.66010°N / 119.1789°W Date Climbed/Hiked: Sep 3, 1991 | Page By: Clydascope Created/Edited: Aug 20, 2004 / Sep 1, 2008 Object ID: 169558 Hits: 645 Loading... Page Score: 86.17% - 1 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
In September 1991 I climbed Michael Minaret with my friend David. We had quite an adventure and shortly after returning home I wrote the following:
Michael Minaret
The trip was planned, everything was packed, all details thought out. A late start, to be sure, neither knew the way things would turn out. Might as well head out with style, eat those brownies, then eat some more. The buzz hit when the whiner bus driver dropped them off at Agnew Meadows, everything packed, all details thought out, the trip was planned.
Forgot to tell ya, those brownies packed quite a punch and the boys hit the wall fast. Nothing like running into a bunch of people you know while the blurry brain tries to cope. Bosses, friends, cops, you name it, they saw them. The time went slow, soon hunger crept back and the feast was grand. Still, all details were thought out, the trip was planned, everything was packed.
Indecision slowed the camp location; thunder boomed its primordial cannons upon their fearful ears. Around dark a resting place was found and more food consumed before storing it high on a rock face. Sleep was easy and one of them jumped to wake screaming “BEARS!”, then falling back to sleep.
Sunrise saw sleepy eyes greet the day and soon travel was had. Up to the rock face for some breakfast, but, but, but, where?, where?, where?, it was a, a, a bear – got the food high on the rock face, now piles of trash at their feet.
Panic? No. Fear? No. Pain? No. Anger, disbelief, disappointment? YES!! The boys filmed the destructive mess, decided to continue on, climb the summit. Be bold, starve!
Many hours of loose walking, slipping, crawling saw them high on the slender mountain reaching for more reserves and pressing higher. Around noon the final obstacles were surmounted and the two relished the summit fever of hard cragging. Old register entries entertained them briefly, while mushroom clouds began to roll and rumble and arc and spark and they knew it was time to go.
Descent: Long, steep, narrow, overhanging, rappel, rappel, rappel, collapsing snow bridges, rockfall, stuck ropes, fossils, hunger. At the bottom of the gully a small cake treat was split in two for the day’s nourishment, accompanied by small sips of water.
Clouds now are black and full, no sun shines. They still need to cross the ridge and all haste is spared. Reaching the east side of the main Minaret chain was a relief to the mind, but not to the stomach, by now it has begun to affect the body as well. Stumbling back to camp the boys were greeted by the large drops of thunder born rain. Flashes and crashes of drops came down. Hide deep under thick trees and water has a hard time finding you. Dry they stayed.
Sunset glowed fire reflected fire, clouds flamed and rained. Soon the ashes blew away and stars replace them. Coming out from the nests and onto flat ground felt good, hunger felt good, fatigue felt good.
Morning was slow, sore and dizzy. Time to go home, many miles before breakfast. Drive set on cruise control meant time to think about food, women and food. A water break was met with two power bars from a friendly stranger; they in turn met the blood stream faster than an IV. It was the boost to power the rest of the way.
Two meals were eaten in a very short time upon reaching town.
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Minarets
