Switching gears . . .

Late summer leaves low water and a desire for a different type of adventure.  We decided to leave our boats in the yard and climb the mountain that feeds my most favorite river all year long . . . Mt Adams!

Mt Adams

Mt Adams is over 12,000 feet high but not a super technical climb (unless you get lost like we always do).  From the trailhead, the climb totals 12 miles and 6,000 feet. 

We started our ascent at 4:00 a.m.  We've only attempted the summit as a 1-day mission, which we realized is not the most comfortable approach.  Most people attempt the summit in 2-days.  The journey started out pretty chill for quite some time.  With it still being dark, we ended up veering off the super easy trail and found ourselves climbing up scree, kicking rocks down at each others heads and wondering if we were going to come out of this experience without injuries.  After sometime of crawling up the rocky, steep face we turned back, slid down the scree we had just climbed and reassessed.

By that time it was becoming light and we managed to see the super, duper chill trail that just wrapped around the West side of the mountain.  We walked and walked and walked . . . it took 14 1/2 hours to complete our entire mission.  We went slow, took photos and enjoyed the experience as well as the view.

Mt Hood

It's always challenging to figure out what to wear when going on new, less experienced adventures.  You never know if you'll be too hot or freezing to death.  A big thanks to Level Six for their product.  I wore the one-piece hot fuzz fleece which is the perfect thickness to not be bulky under my jacket, but provides plenty of warmth.  I also wore the Level Six pant that is lightweight and perfect for hiking.  The combination of the two created the perfect layering for the climb.  An additional garment:  the Level Six bikini for our annual "bikini shot" on the mountain.

    

It's funny . . . as I was finishing the hike to the vehicle I was thinking to myself, "Oh man, this was such a long day, if I NEVER do this again, it will be too soon!"  However, as I write this, I'm actually looking forward to another visit to the summit.

Here's to ADVENTURE . . . in whatever form!  Thanks, Level Six, for making product that lasts and keeps me comfortable in any environment I choose to play in.

Heather Herbeck


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