(no subject)
Oyyyyyyy I am SO tired and sore right now. I decided to go on a hike this morning to Juniper Peak out in Red Rock. It's about 4000 foot elevation gain in about 3 miles, so it's pretty steep most of the way. The beginning is just a trail that leads to a wash that you follow into a canyon. The wash is full of boulders that require scrambling over, through, under, etc...as well as pointy trees and cacti that like to poke you ferociously. After finally clearing about a mile of nothing but boulders, you scale several rather steep limestone slabs before reaching another bouldering section just below the peak. The hike started out with 8 people, but 1 decided to stay behind at the limestone cause he didn't feel comfortable with it; the rest of us went on. We get to the base of the last bouldering section just before the summit and it starts to drizzle a little bit. Nothing too worrisome...it was barely doing anything. So we start up these boulders; 4 of them got a bit ahead and three of us were bringing up the tail end quite a bit behind. The four got to the summit before the three of us did; in fact, we were about 30 feet or so from the summit, when all of a sudden it starts pouring rain down. Then the rain turns into snow. We put on some gloves, long sleeves, etc. to make ourselves a bit more comfortable and start to ascend the rest of the way to the summit. Well, the others are coming down, telling us not to go up there; it's apparently howling wind, freezing rain, etc. So, we made it to about 15 feet from the summit. Close enough :P
So we start descending...and it's still pouring rain...and still snowing...and now, with the wind picking up, it starts getting colder, so there's literally ice flying through the air (not huge pieces, but frozen raindrops) that are pelting your face relentlessly. We hiked back down the limestone slabs and into the boulders for about another hour and a half before the storm finally started to let up. We still had some wind, but no rain...and definitely no flying ice. Oy!
And now, my arms are just killing me. I can't even lift them above my head without being in pain. Hell, propping my arms up to type is killer. Other than that, I'm not too bad...a scratch on my elbow and a scrape on my right shoulder...and a little swollen, but other than that..it was... fun, if not a bit harrowing. :P
And now I'm exhausted. Bed soon...and it's only 7:30...
So we start descending...and it's still pouring rain...and still snowing...and now, with the wind picking up, it starts getting colder, so there's literally ice flying through the air (not huge pieces, but frozen raindrops) that are pelting your face relentlessly. We hiked back down the limestone slabs and into the boulders for about another hour and a half before the storm finally started to let up. We still had some wind, but no rain...and definitely no flying ice. Oy!
And now, my arms are just killing me. I can't even lift them above my head without being in pain. Hell, propping my arms up to type is killer. Other than that, I'm not too bad...a scratch on my elbow and a scrape on my right shoulder...and a little swollen, but other than that..it was... fun, if not a bit harrowing. :P
And now I'm exhausted. Bed soon...and it's only 7:30...