| Rights of Passage Trip Report |
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| Rights of Passage   | 
| Page Type: Trip Report Location: California, United States, North America Lat/Lon: 36.16970°N / 117.088°W Date Climbed/Hiked: Nov 10, 2007 Activities: Hiking Season: Fall | Page By: ryanclear Created/Edited: Nov 14, 2007 / Nov 14, 2007 Object ID: 356615 Hits: 238 Loading... Page Score: 86.71% - 2 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
The War HorseTo many years ago is when I can last remember my father and his friends in the mountains together. As time passes by friendships fade and contacts are lost. For my father and his 3 friends time would slip through the cracks of existence for a brief period. To let them join again for a final climb.
My father's friends had children of their own who I had not seen in many years. Sadly my uncle Ed's son who had been present in their earlier mountaineering trips, including Whitney, had passed away 6 years ago. Briefly we shared his grief as he showed his struggle with this loss. My uncle Mike's children decided to go, Erin and Jessica. Both who I had not seen in over 10 years. Finally the last uncle of mine, Tim, had two step children who where not yet old enough.
This was their so called reunion. No test to see if they still had "it." Nothing about testing their limits. It was about the relationships they had missed for so many years. For the first time whether they said it or not, their emotions outweighed their reason. On Our WayIn reflection camping at Mahogany flats for a night sharing stories and catching never felt so natural. I guess thats when you know that you have true friends. We acclimated in the 15 degree freeze of the night to waken at 5:45am to pack up, eat some oatmeal and get on the trail. At first we saw the service road thinking that would be the trail. I thought "Well there are a hell of a lot of switchbacks." I mentioned cutting them and my uncle Ed just laughed and patted me on my back. We hiked to the trailhead to find out the sign pointed left and that the trail we where analyzing from a far was the service road. We went left onto the trail.
The beginning of the trail is a subtle grade to the acclimated hiker. Set on a straightforward ridge of the mountain we where able to see incredible views of the mountains. My father and my uncle Tim fell behind due to their lack of shape. Busy lives equal lack of shape for the modern man. I led the trail for a good couple of hours followed by Jessica and Ed. We stopped for a while when the terrain became flat. We where able to see a rangers station where the service road had left. From there we waited for the rest of the family to meet us. From here was the first visible sight of the peak. It looked so near yet it was so far away.
When everyone arrived we had some beef jerkey and power bars to carb up and set forward. In my eyes it seemed as if we where going to hike straight up the backbone of the mountain and we would call it a day. So had I mistaken. We hiked around the traverse and downhill a bit to the stunning realization that we had quite a ways to go. Fine with me, I was in good shape for this. The other guys, not so much. We hiked up another mountains ridge slowly climbing to near 10 thousand feet where we took a break.
This was our last break, we proceeded. In this time my father and Tim fell further behind. They where old warhorses who wouldnt give up, so I wasn't so worried. They would make it. We walked forward to the switchback in which Mike, Jessica and Ed passed me. I was getting shortness of breath due to the altitude. Jessica and Mike where avid runners and I knew they would pass me in the higher altitudes. I didnt have alot of time to train for this hike. I started up the switchbacks, my goal hitting the top of the mountain. I then tried to cut a few switchbacks leaving me even more tired due to the loose gravel. There where only 5 more to go so I toughed it out until I got to the top. I could see Mikes daughter Erin behind me about 4 switchbacks behind. We relayed back to each other. Finally I was at the top. I could see the peak so near. I took a 30 second break to catch my breath and went forth to the summit.
Funny how my second wind kicked in right at the top of those damn switchbacks. I felt great at the summit. Soon Tim and Erin both made it leaving my dad. I decided to go back and find him. I headed down the switchbacks to find him tired. We had a brief talk as I told him he was going to regret this if he didnt make it up. Hell, he had crossed the Sierras at a point in his life. Why couldnt he do it now. I carried his pack up the switchbacks without any problem leading him to the summit. It was a beautiful view.
We stayed at the top for about 30 minutes and headed back down because it was getting late. The trip back down seemed to take longer than I expected. Near the final downhill grade I hurt my knee (doctors verdict coming tomorrow) and there was still two more miles to go. I pranced around in pain for a little while throwing a little bitch. I told Erin and Jessica to go on without me. I cursed it and then realized that I wasnt going to get down magically. So I toughed it out and made it back to the camp grounds at Mahogany Flats. My dad and the rest came down 20 minutes later. All triumphant in their ways.
We laughed and shared stories again that night. The weather was better that night. In the morning we packed up and went home. It wasn't a trip that I learned anything on, except for to take my time while walking downhill. Well again, if there was anything I would have learned is that wisdom comes over time, and time does not dictate a mans will to push himself. I will be back again to hike this mountain from Shorty's Well.
Rights Of PassageOn a personal note this was my right of passage from my father to me. He had spent his life mountaineering the Sierras, Death Valley and other harsh climates. Since I had taken interest in the same love/addiction I know that he accepted my abilities and my wisdom of the mountains. I had been waiting a long time for this. There is no more shadow casting over me, except for the shadow of the mountains themselves. Images
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Death Valley
