Where the spirit leads the feet will follow.
Down distant paths for unmapped miles.
Heads forget but hearts remember:
The art of living knows no bounds.

"The best journeys answer questions that in the beginning you didn't even think to ask." - Jeff Johnson, 180 Degrees South

"The best way out is always through" - Robert Frost

Sleep doesn't help if it's your soul that's tired.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

* Marcie's 50th Birthday Climb


Hiking
Heading to Hidden Valley from the Bunny Flat Trailhead.

The hike in.





The Alpine Lodge at Horse Camp.


Pure Mount Shasta spring water.


Marcie starts the climb to Hidden Valley.

Arrggggh!


More Arrrrghhh!

The traverse across Giddy Giddy Gulch.

Looking down Giddy Giddy Gulch at the town of Mount Shasta City, Mt. Eddy and the Trinity Alps.

More climbing to get to Hidden Valley.


Marcie drops into Hidden Valley.

The West Face from our camp.

Marcie brews up!

Our Hidden Valley bivy.

West Face Splattski.

Her commemorative 50th birthday helmet sticker.

Getting psyched at sunset.

Shastina, Mt. Shasta and Casaval Ridge at sunset.

On frozen snow at 3:30am.

Higher up the route.

Marcie traverses above Snow White, Sneezy, Dopey, Doc...

Mount Shasta shadow at sunrise Splattski.

Mount Shasta casts her shadow out over Mount Eddy and the Trinity Alps.



Making a short rock traverse under Casaval Ridge to gain the West Face proper.

Guided roped teams start up the West Face.

Enjoying the view at sunrise.


Shadow climbers.

Looking down the West Face from high in the dirty gully.

Marcie tops out the West Face.

Looking across at the summit pinnacle and Misery Hill (right).

A windy snow traverse over to Misery Hill.

Climbing Misery Hill.

Looking down into the Mud Creek Canyon drainage.

A look at Shastina.

The summit plateau. Almost there!

Shasta summit plateau Splattski.


Marcie works her way across the plateau.

I made it! Shasta summit shop.

Marcie gives the big 5 - oh!

Contemplating and savoring the moment. A lot of hard work to get there.

Summit group shop. :)

Birthday kiss!

We left a bead totem in a crack on the summit for whatever Goddess watches over Mount Shasta. We were blessed with perfect weather and given the opportunity to summit.

Signing the register.
Another look at Shastina on the way down.

The guided teams head back to the West Face route for the descent...

...We chose to slide down Avalanche Gulch on our rears.

One lastlook on the hike out. Until next time Mount Shasta.

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