Stats:
Distance: 23 miles
Total elevation gain: 10,400 (8k over the first 12 miles, 2.4k over the following 6)
5th hardest day hike in the country
Our stats:
Start time: 4:15am
Amount of sleep: 2.5 hours
Time it took up: 16 hours
Deals Todd made with God if we survived: 1
# of times I screamed "are you fucking kidding me?": Too many to count
A 4:15am start time meant we slept in Palm Springs the night before. Well, "slept." 3 normal people in a hotel room with someone who snores like a dinosaur was not a great way to kick off this hike. At best I got two and a half hours of sleep. Likely less. Wes, the snorer, got a solid 5 hours. Todd got maybe an hour. Manny didn't sleep at all. This colored the rest of our day.
A few miles in we got our sun rise.
Posing with the scenery. At this point things were still enjoyable.
The tallest visible peak? Yeah. Once we hit THAT we'd be halfway there.
Halfway done with the hike. 8,000 feet climbed. The last time we attempted this hike, this was as far as we got. The last time we attempted this hike I felt pretty good at this point. This time, I was already done.
The second half was all covered with snow and ice, which meant putting on crampons (basically, strapping spikes to my shoes).
The only way we knew we were on the right track is the tracks in front of us.
And then...lots of miles. Lots of cold, hard, never ending miles. The signs said 5.5 miles, but, fuck, it felt like so much more. At some point the ration of curse to none curse words in my thoughts got kind of messed up. That's as much as I want to think about that point in the hike.
Summit!
The view from the top. Almost worth it.
Kicking back at the top.
Proof that *I* made it, and didn't quit on the way to the top, lie about it, and steal some pictures. And I totally never considered that.
Video from the top.
The final 6 miles back down to the tram were a race to beat the setting sun. The wind was blowing snow over the tracks. The tracks that were our only way to tell where the trail was. Yeah. We were all tired and miserable and the wind was ripping through the mountain, slamming against us.
Finally fucking done. I look way better than I felt.
Conclusion. Never again. NEVER AGAIN. Everything leading up to the hike was fun and hilarious. The company was wonderful. I was well fed and well hydrated. I was tired the whole time. I was unhappy most of the time. We all were. We all entertained thoughts of quitting.
I don't know what exactly went wrong. We had everything we needed. Lack of sleep played a HUGE factor, I know. I don't know if that was entirely it. Everything was just...off. If I had known what it would be like when I woke up Sunday morning, I would not have gone. It's a hike I will never do again. I don't know who I'd recommend it to. I'm pretty awesome. But, it's a seriously hard hike. I don't know. I feel like we failed somehow. It was much, much harder than I thought of we be. Yes, I knew it was the 5th hardest day hike in the country. Hardest in California. And yet, I didn't think it would be this hard. User error in that regard.
It was beautiful. I'll give it that. And, yeah, I feel pretty bad ass for finishing it. The company was awesome. I'm sure my legs are stronger because of it.
I don't know. It was a long, hard day.
At least you didn't get altitude sickness! When i got to the top of the peak we were climbing Sunday, we were in a blizzard!
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, I've had really hard hikes before. Like REALLY hard. But I never thought of quitting, so maybe not that hard. But like, totally in pain and misery hard. And I'd do that hike again, most likely. So, maybe in a couple weeks you'll feel better about it. I mean, you did it! That is awesome and a great accomplishment. Congrats!
ReplyDeleteThis hike looks awesome! I mean, in that miserable, i hate myself while doing it but feel like a badass afterwards because you did it kind of way! 10,000+ feet in a day is brutal--I've only done it a few times and I didn't walk much the next day!! Way to go!!!
ReplyDelete16 hours of hiking is a long freaking day. And it looks beautifully brutal. You know, do you think your outlook on how awful it was is colored by the lack of sleep? On a far, far smaller scale, that was my experience on Saturday's run. I am never as unhappy to be on a run--especially a trail run!! With friends!!--as I was that day. Or maybe it was underestimating what one of the hardest entails (I totally would). Either way, even if you never do it again, you've got great pictures and a good bad hike story. :)
ReplyDeleteYou are crazy! Beautiful pictures though, and I'm sure you're glad you did the hike...in retrospect.
ReplyDeleteThat looks awesome! I kind of want to do it now. And crampons scare me.
ReplyDeleteI did Half Dome a few years ago and I swore up and down that I'd never, ever effing do it again. I'm currently counting the days until the permits go on lottery to go back. You never know.
Even though you say it was miserable, this still totally made me want to do this hike. It's like a sickness I have. Proof: I was like "Hmmm 16 hours to hike it...I wonder how much faster it would be to RUN it? I wonder if there is a race that does it...."
ReplyDelete"The last time we attempted this hike I felt pretty good at this point. This time, I was already done."
ReplyDeleteJust because of the differences in to 2 attempts, I'd try it again... maybe 5 years from now.
The summit is breathtaking.
Holy shit! That's insane. 23 miles of hiking? I'm not the biggest fan of long hikes over about a mile or so anyway. It just seems pointless when we can run. But that is just absurd.
ReplyDeleteHats off to you. If you can do that, running the Grand Canyon is going to be cake.
ReplyDeleteI would say total lack of sleep has impeded the amazing climb you just did. Amazing effort and stunning view as your reward. Sorry I can't take the "blagh" away from you you guys rocked :-)
ReplyDeleteCongrats! That sounds like a difficult hike so one for the ages.
ReplyDeleteI am sure lack of sleep was a huge factor. Either way that is a pretty badass hike!
ReplyDeleteYou crazy. So crazy.
ReplyDeleteyou're the badassiest badass i know. That looks ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteSo what you're saying is you'd totally recommend this hike to me? Because I'm not a weenie at all. No way, not me. I'm soooo tough. A complete force to be reckoned with.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you went so we could all see the pictures and now not have to do it ourselves. Did you go home and crash and sleep forever?
I want to have EMS friends! Can I borrow yours sometime? :)
ReplyDeleteAlso, you are almost fit enough to save your life, if you ever had to:
http://artofmanliness.com/2009/09/15/every-man-should-be-able-to-save-his-own-life-5-fitness-benchmarks-a-man-must-master/
Cactus to Cloud hike - check. Done, never have to do it again! Yay! I thought our trek up Mt. Whitney last summer was brutal...You're so BA, Chica!
ReplyDeleteAh, what a great hike! I loved San Jacinto (though my hike started from Idyllwild, which - comparatively - is a piece of cake.) Great photos.
ReplyDeleteFucking impressive. This hike is so hard that it will *never* be on my bucket list. I bow in your direction your highness!
ReplyDelete