H
HikerBob
Guest
So, seven weeks after her surgery, and a small warm up last weekend, I have Karen accompany me on a hike up to Jefferson via the Caps ridge. The esteemed Mr Metsky titles a picture of one section on the caps as 'interesting'. Karen had a few choice words of her own and a good helping of anxiety, particularly as it was raining at the time. I gave her lots of encouragement and plenty of offers to back out but she was a real trooper and went all the way, and back down again! She did ask about alternative descents.
Started out around 7:15am with the tops in the clouds but clear below. Despite a forecast offering a clearing day we watched the clouds roll up the valleys to ungulf the slopes. We were in the clouds from above the second cap to the summit and back down until after the bottom cap. A little rain on the way up and 45* with strong blowing rain on the summit. Stopped long enough to get a few summit pics and then headed straight back down again.
A short ways down off the summit Karen managed to smack her knee into a sharp rock. Quite a few more choice words and a few tears too, it was a very painful bang. I ascertained that nothing was broken and after downing a couple of pain pills and applying a topical anaesthetic she could put weight on it again.
A slow and careful descent ensued and, despite her fears, we tackled the caps without incident or too much stress. After determining a high coefficient of friction between butt and wet slab some of the more tricky sections went incredibly well.
The clouds rolled away, except for the summits, as we made our way down through the lower sections. Bugs seemed to be concentrated at the top end of the scrubby section below the caps but a slap of Off sunscreen worked wonders.
Despite the lack of views, the rain, the injury and the high stress levels for Karen it was still a great day to be in the mountains. She even agreed, although I have been warned never to take her on a similar hike again. I guess Castellated Ridge is out for next weekend then...
Pictures are up starting HERE
Bob
Started out around 7:15am with the tops in the clouds but clear below. Despite a forecast offering a clearing day we watched the clouds roll up the valleys to ungulf the slopes. We were in the clouds from above the second cap to the summit and back down until after the bottom cap. A little rain on the way up and 45* with strong blowing rain on the summit. Stopped long enough to get a few summit pics and then headed straight back down again.
A short ways down off the summit Karen managed to smack her knee into a sharp rock. Quite a few more choice words and a few tears too, it was a very painful bang. I ascertained that nothing was broken and after downing a couple of pain pills and applying a topical anaesthetic she could put weight on it again.
A slow and careful descent ensued and, despite her fears, we tackled the caps without incident or too much stress. After determining a high coefficient of friction between butt and wet slab some of the more tricky sections went incredibly well.
The clouds rolled away, except for the summits, as we made our way down through the lower sections. Bugs seemed to be concentrated at the top end of the scrubby section below the caps but a slap of Off sunscreen worked wonders.
Despite the lack of views, the rain, the injury and the high stress levels for Karen it was still a great day to be in the mountains. She even agreed, although I have been warned never to take her on a similar hike again. I guess Castellated Ridge is out for next weekend then...
Pictures are up starting HERE
Bob
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