Started our Trek Early in the morning to beat the expected crowds. We were sure to bundle ourselves in warm layers as it was expected to be in the 40's and 50's, sorry East Coast friends, being a Cali girl, that is darn cold for me.
Thankful we got there before 7am so we were sure to get parking, by the time we changed our shoes and started toward the trail head, the parking lot was full. Excitement coursing through my veins I started with a pick at the trailhead marker. Off we go!!!!
I heard from others there were narrow trails and some ‘false peaks’ ahead so I tightened my pack, put my head down and began my ascent.
My hiking partner and I started out at a nice pace that would surely get us done in the expected four hours, chatting along the way, and catching up on our binge-watching habits. As we chatted, we began to wonder about the rest of the hike as the trail seemed even thus far. As soon as we began hitting narrowing of the trail, our conversation slowed and became more about concentrating on the trail at our feet.
No matter what you hear about ‘False Peaks’ I expected worse, I feel that while they can be a challenge to your mental acuity, the pain of them is more in the mental argument you inevitably have over wanting the break. Like reading the preview before the book, having that warning prior helped.
While the trail may be have been empty the peak was not. A Strawberry party and line to take pictures with the coveted signs famous on Social Media Hiking Groups made for an entertaining social gathering that many of us are missing during this time of social isolation.
By the time we began our descent the hiking community had woken up and began their own way up to the top…. we counted at least 15 groups ranging from 2 to 5 people along our path down.
Happy to achieve our goal, our aching feet and legs were very happy to be changed into warm socks and comfy slippers for the ride home. As we drove home, memories already taking shape, we eagerly discussed our next peak, to date, still to be determined.