The Foot

We made it to the foot of the Matterhorn at 11:00am, nearly six hours into the trip. We were at about 10,500-11,000ft.

Straight ahead of us was the northern boarder of Yosemite Park and a small lake. I speculated that it was a good way to obtain free admission, although it might take a few days worth of hiking to circumvent the park's entrance. We finally got to the foot of the Matterhorn where there was a most beautiful small lake unknown to the eyes of most men in this world, seen by only a handful of mountain-climbers, a small lake at eleven thousand some odd feet with snow on the edges of it and beautiful flowers and a beautiful meadow, an alpine meadow, flat and dreamy, upon which I immediately threw myself and took my shoes off. Jack Kerouac, Dharma Bums

A month ago, I snapped the picture below and to the left. We were not sure exactly where to start our hike up the final ascent, or even which peak was the mountain. There were three possibilities. I continued up for a little ways to investigate while Father rested. On the way back down to report my findings, I cut myself and marked my initials on the rock to the below right.

Father agreed to give it a try, but realized it was getting late and he was getting a bit tired. So I asked him if he would mind if I went on a head a little ways and he agreed. I gave myself 30 minutes, and started up again. I made it close, real close, to one of the possibilities. I took the picture, below left, of what I thought was the Matterhorn.

View Matterhorn panorama from the base

Page 9 >

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11