tuesday's doorstep entertainment: 6] be awfully original and hike timp in the middle of the night just in time for the sunrise.

July 30 • 2010

It all started with an idea produced by my dear friend Sarah June. She asked me one evening, "Katelyn... what are you doing this Friday from about midnight to 6am?" A question I really have never been asked before so I knew exactly what she was about to go down. The only activity worth participating in from midnight to 6am on a weekend is either sleeping or hiking [of course]. So with no delay we planned a trip up the mountain to hike timp that very next weekend. The hike was scheduled to start late Friday evening and go through the night into Saturday morning. But... before that went down of course we had to make much preparations. We spent Friday doing everything rather normal... work and such ya know... then we dined finely at the pitted pita and laughed our pants off at HumorU [BAM!!]. This was followed by a couple of semi-productive naps before heading up the mountain. After arriving at the trail head and gathering our troops [me, Todd, Jenny, Emily, Alicia, Sarah June, and a super hip 40 year-old lady] around 12:30 a.m. we found the trail head and buckled in for a long night of much vertical gain. We hiked and hiked and hiked... there were switch backs and rock fields and water falls and anything you could imagine to be on a mountain side. We only took two minor detours and didn't lose too much time finding our way back. The whole way up was beautiful... even though I am a little night-blind and did a lot of tripping and plant facing. Nonetheless the moon lit the entire hike and I really enjoyed seeing the mountain's glamor in a different light. After a handful of hours it started to light up again and we were not at the top yet!! <> Up to this point I have made this hike sound very pleasant and happy... well guess what... now is the part where I die. I wanted to make it to the top for the sunrise! and like I said... we were definitely not at the top yet!! So I told the group peace out and I dragged Todd up the rest of the mountain with me. Probably one of the most memorable quotes came from Todd when he pointed out that my thunder thighs were the ones getting me up the mountain so fast. Psh thunder thighs... anyways... we got a little lost for a third time but found our way shortly there after and kept booking it to the top. Booking and booking and booking and every corner we turned there was more trail to go and booking and booking and hiking and booking and hurting and booking and finally arriving!! We made it to the top!!! and just in time too... as planned ;). We hit the summit at about 6:20 a.m. and the sun peaked over the mountains at about 6:32 a.m. Let me tell you... it was beautiful. So many pretty colors and the company was just as fine. Not to mention it was freezing and we were extremely tired... I tried to take a baby nap but every time I drifted off I felt like I was falling off the mountain. Now that's a scary feeling! Somehow everyone else though didn't experience the same thing 'cause there were hikers passed out all over the place. Even Todd joined in and someone got some rest. After enjoying the view and getting plenty of cool pictures we decided that it was time to begin our 4+ hour journey down the mountain. It seemed like a whole new hike as we now could really see the trees and rocks which were previously creepy shadows that looked like large carnivorous animals. Mother Earth loved us the entire way and we were granted with over cast as we tromped down the east side of the mountain where the sun would usually be beating it's merciless rays. The wildflowers painted the trail and the entire decent was a whole new experience that went a lot faster than expected. After 1 potty break, 4 granola bars, 1 apple, 1 banana, a few dozen pictures, and a gallon or so of water we made it to the bottom. As soon as I stopped walking my body instantly froze and I was totally ready to sleep for a good 8 hours. Unfortunately I only got about 5, not counting the nap on the car ride home. Overall the entire night was wonderful! I may have come out of it with blistered feet and an extremely sore body [especially in the hips] but I also beefed up my adventure resume and got some great pictures with the people I love.