Mine may be a bit longish, sorry, but there are pictures!
I'm not sure where this ranks on the reason vs fear scale. I am certain that it ranks waaay high on the testosterone vs smart scale.
In my 20's I got into back packing bigly. I started out slow doing local hills then the Catskills and Poconos. When I thought I had some skills I hit the Adirondack park. Again going easy in good weather until I had a lot of time under my feet and a few of the major peaks.
Fast forward some years into my 30s and I start winter packing with the same training curve. I was hooked! No bugs, fewer people and a sparkling wilderness right out of a story book. I promised myself I'd bag the big peaks in winter...solo....before I turn 40.
I was 38 and I planned to do Tahawus/Mt Marcy in one day. Why? Because the forecast was for -40F overnight all week and I DID NOT want to overnight in the hills(BTDT it sux).. It's only 5000 ASL but it's a goodly journey there and back. I don’t quite remember the klik count.
So I signed in at the Ranger station just after dawn, gave them my route and expected timing. They did their due diligence including equipment check and concluded that I was prepped well enough just not too bright.
I started off on skis, switched over to snowshoes at 4000 ft ASL and then to walking crampons as I got to the treeline. I made it to the peak had some lunch took a pic or two and when the Nikon froze I figured it was time to bug out.
Well by the time I got back to my skis I was kinda tired but I was running out of daylight and energy. I was still hours out from the Ranger station when the sun started brushing the tops of the hills. “Oh baby this is getting real” says I. I pound down some GORP and honey, fill my mouth with snow and soldier on.
I get to a trail junction at sundown and realize I still have at least two hours to go. I’m on the verge of a freak out because my thermometer is already reading -5F! I have my gear for an overnight but I do not want to bivouac out there. So deep breath and I soldier on for another hour. Now I need my lamps. I have lamps on my head and both of my legs just at the knees. But I’m so tired now I can just about gear up again. I’m talking to myself now and say “maybe I should stop, no , right, half an hour more should bring me to a trail side shelter and then I’ll stop”. Well I got there quicker than I thought and what did I see? A Ranger with a big shiny snowmobile who was just about to return to HQ. If I had lingered just a few minutes more I’d have missed him.
somewhere on the trail and, coming out of the treeline
at the top, the original selfie stick was a bunch of rocks
