Double Bow
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- Apr 29, 2005
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After my weekend plans had changed more than Cher's image, I found myself on Monday doing the peaks that were on the top of my "to do" list, the Wildcats. I hadn't been up there since September of '04 and it felt like it had been longer.
Mike P and I spent the night before at Hiker's Paradice and we each had a bedroom in the "Executive Wing" to ourselves! Sure, the ceiling in the kitchen had colapsed but, we ain't picky! After a gormet breakfast at the Arches of Gold, we headed over to the Nineteen Mile Brook trailhead. We started out barebooting but, we soon reached a section of ice flow that I really didn't see how I was going to make it past without putting on my crampons so, on they went.
We soon passed a fellow who we later found out was HarryK and then came across Nancy and a lurker friend who we talked to for a bit. Then we continued on and came across the world famous Shizzmac!!
We talked with him for a bit too long but that was cool. It was nice to finally meet him. Continuing on, we came across the VFTT parade and saw a lot of familiar faces and some new ones too. I'm not going to try to name them all since I know I'd miss some but, it was good to see such a lively crew. I just wish I could have spend the whole weekend with y'all! Of course, while all these people were very interesting (yeah... that's the word!), the most interesting person we saw was the old guy carrying the tripod who had a wreath on the back of his pack and was wanting guys to dress as Santa so he could take their picture!
A little later, I went on ahead to visit the hut. Mike wasn't interested in doing that so, we planned to meet on top of Wildcat A, providing the crossing of the slide wasn't bad. I put on some speed and soon reached the hut where the caretaker was eating a late breakfast. While there, two other guys showed up as did "the wreath guy". The wreath guy wouldn't come in the hut but, he called out the caretaker. He asked him if he would ask us if we would pose for him. He said he'd give his model $25. One of the guys joking said he do it but that he'd need to wait half an hour. After I finished writing in the log and snacking, I headed back out prepared to once again be asked to model. Sure enough, the wreath guys asked me if I'd put on a Santa suit and stand in front of the hut door on which he had hung the wreath. I told him that I was in the witness relocation program and that I couldn't have my picture taken. He said OK and asked me if there were still others in the hut which I told him there were.
Realizing that I had spend entirely too long at the hut, I raced back to the Wildcat Ridge trail and pushed hard to get up Wildcat A and to Mike as fast as I could. Luckily, the slide crossing wasn't bad and I was able to get to him in half an hour. Fortunately, he had only been waiting 10min so, I didn't feel too bad. We then continued on talking, joking, and laughing our way from bump to bump to bump occasionally stopping to take pictures as we made our way to the tower.
It was funny, the tower was covered with thick snow and ice. It seemed as though no one had been up there in a long time. Crampons were very helpful in getting up it! After some more pictures, we headed over to the lifts and started down the Polecat trail. It was a very unusual experience for me to be hiking along and have skiers and snowboarders go whizzing by! The going was (or seemed) slow but eventually, we made it back down to the base where we were greated by all kinds of strange looks. I got the usual bright questions: "Did you climb all the way up there?", "Was it cold?" etc. Gotta love it!
Here, we had the feeling of being done but, we were far from it. A three mile road walk in plastic boots awaited us. Let me tell ya', IMHO that was the roughest part of the day! Somehow, we plodded along and sore but happy, made it back to the trailhead. All in all, it was a great hike on a great day and I got to hike with a new partner and see some friends!
Here are all the pics Webshots would let me load!
Mike P and I spent the night before at Hiker's Paradice and we each had a bedroom in the "Executive Wing" to ourselves! Sure, the ceiling in the kitchen had colapsed but, we ain't picky! After a gormet breakfast at the Arches of Gold, we headed over to the Nineteen Mile Brook trailhead. We started out barebooting but, we soon reached a section of ice flow that I really didn't see how I was going to make it past without putting on my crampons so, on they went.
We soon passed a fellow who we later found out was HarryK and then came across Nancy and a lurker friend who we talked to for a bit. Then we continued on and came across the world famous Shizzmac!!
We talked with him for a bit too long but that was cool. It was nice to finally meet him. Continuing on, we came across the VFTT parade and saw a lot of familiar faces and some new ones too. I'm not going to try to name them all since I know I'd miss some but, it was good to see such a lively crew. I just wish I could have spend the whole weekend with y'all! Of course, while all these people were very interesting (yeah... that's the word!), the most interesting person we saw was the old guy carrying the tripod who had a wreath on the back of his pack and was wanting guys to dress as Santa so he could take their picture! A little later, I went on ahead to visit the hut. Mike wasn't interested in doing that so, we planned to meet on top of Wildcat A, providing the crossing of the slide wasn't bad. I put on some speed and soon reached the hut where the caretaker was eating a late breakfast. While there, two other guys showed up as did "the wreath guy". The wreath guy wouldn't come in the hut but, he called out the caretaker. He asked him if he would ask us if we would pose for him. He said he'd give his model $25. One of the guys joking said he do it but that he'd need to wait half an hour. After I finished writing in the log and snacking, I headed back out prepared to once again be asked to model.
Sure enough, the wreath guys asked me if I'd put on a Santa suit and stand in front of the hut door on which he had hung the wreath. I told him that I was in the witness relocation program and that I couldn't have my picture taken. He said OK and asked me if there were still others in the hut which I told him there were.Realizing that I had spend entirely too long at the hut, I raced back to the Wildcat Ridge trail and pushed hard to get up Wildcat A and to Mike as fast as I could. Luckily, the slide crossing wasn't bad and I was able to get to him in half an hour. Fortunately, he had only been waiting 10min so, I didn't feel too bad. We then continued on talking, joking, and laughing our way from bump to bump to bump occasionally stopping to take pictures as we made our way to the tower.
It was funny, the tower was covered with thick snow and ice. It seemed as though no one had been up there in a long time. Crampons were very helpful in getting up it! After some more pictures, we headed over to the lifts and started down the Polecat trail. It was a very unusual experience for me to be hiking along and have skiers and snowboarders go whizzing by! The going was (or seemed) slow but eventually, we made it back down to the base where we were greated by all kinds of strange looks. I got the usual bright questions: "Did you climb all the way up there?", "Was it cold?" etc. Gotta love it!
Here, we had the feeling of being done but, we were far from it. A three mile road walk in plastic boots awaited us. Let me tell ya', IMHO that was the roughest part of the day! Somehow, we plodded along and sore but happy, made it back to the trailhead. All in all, it was a great hike on a great day and I got to hike with a new partner and see some friends!
Here are all the pics Webshots would let me load!
