I was feeling pretty fatigued going into this one after running up Gearhart Mountain that morning, so I went into this one with the idea that I could allow myself to walk or even turn around if I wanted to. The landscape here is beautiful, and I found myselt really absorbed in the colors of the changing trees and the textures of the grass and sagebrush. I saw a large herd of deer while on the dirt road on the way up, plus lots of coyote scat. The bushwhack is not long, but the vegetation is fairly dense for a short ways before hitting the steepest part of the climb. I was tired, dehydrated, and low on calories, but kept pushing upwards. The steepest part is not very long, and the rest of the way to the summit is easy going. I didn't stay up there very long because it got quite windy and cold, and the sun was setting. I high-tailed it out of there, enjoying the colors in the sky on the descent and easy-jogging my way out on the dirt road. I needed a light for the last mile or so.
Gear:
Ultimate Direction Adventure Vesta
Hoka One One Stinson ATR 6
Tailwind Nutrition