The Final Push

For the first time on the trip we started hiking when we had planned...at 5 a.m. with headlamps for the first half hour.  Then morning light took over.  Our target is somewhere near those two lights you see at the top.

Looks challenging!

The view below is from our first stop at Three Mile House (three miles left to go).  After one and a half hours I'm soaking with sweat and we're not out in the sun yet!  Temperature is supposedly in the low 70's..........but who can you trust anymore?

We have breakfast at Three Mile House and then press on.

Are we there yet?

We pass our first mules on the trip (they pass us, as per guideline).

It's a lot more satisfying to look back on what you have accomplished, than to contemplate what's left to do!

OK. Just get up Heartbreak Hill and you've got it made!  We're at about 6,000 feet at this point.

Ryan said there were two tunnels......must be getting close.

One more look back.  Three days ago, we started six miles past where you can see up the canyon opposite. Plateau Point is in the middle of the picture - you can see the trail to the point.  Indian Gardens Campground is in the oasis of cottonwood trees in lower centre...that's where we started at 5 a.m.

And we made it!  It's 10:15 a.m.  Just five hours of pain.  Thanks Ryan!  Not too many pictures of Ewen today........Ryan had turned us loose after Three Mile House and the scamp probably beat me to the top by about 20 minutes.

We earned our badge! Although it says "21 miles", with the side trips we made we're closer to 28.

Interestingly, when you reach the top there's a sort of letdown - now what?  The next morning when Ewen and I were enjoying a leisurely breakfast in the hotel dining room and looking out at the pine forest I suddenly felt like I was on vacation.  I realized that I had been on a mission till then.  Mission accomplished!

More to come.....