Mountain Tops and Moving Out

The days are flying by down here in Bend. On Monday, Ben and I took a day trip up Broken Top, one of the many beautiful mountains in the Oregon Cascades. The weather was much more cooperative than last week, we had sunshine all day long. We were on snow most of the way up the ridge, and then there was a little bit rock climbing/scrambling to get to the summit. The climbing was very doable, but it is on crumbly volcanic rock with significant exposure. We roped up for the top section of the climb, belaying each other when needed. Ben brought his GoPro camera, so we were able to get some video footage of the climb, which was awesome to watch. Like last week, it is priceless to be out in our happy place together. We will be lucky enough to get to stay there for several months starting next week.

As of yesterday, we are getting down to business, wrapping up all of the final details before we head out of town on Monday. We got a storage unit, and started moving all of our things out of the apartment. We got a LOT of non-perishable food at Costco and Trader Joe’s and Amazon, once we get to my mom’s house we will put together all of our resupply packages. For now, we just have a lot of chocolate and rice sitting around that we have to try to keep our hands off.

Another pre-trip project: Ben suggested that we write inspirational quotes on each page of our maps. There are several hundred pages, by the way. One of his friends had done this on the Continental Divide Trail, and the idea really resonated with me. So for the last several days, I have been looking up mountaineering quotes, song lyrics, movie quotes, yoga mantras, anything that I think will bring hope and strength and courage over the months and miles ahead. This one is fitting for today:

“The hardest thing in the world is to simplify your life. It’s so easy to make it complex. But what’s important is leading an examined life.”

-       Yvon Chouinard (180 Degrees South)

Part of the “why” of hiking the PCT is to simplify life, to go back to basics. Right now the process of simplifying is complicated in itself. Thank goodness we will be walking soon.

Ben on the ascent

Looking up at our ascent route

Looking down at our route and over at South Sister

From left to right: Middle Sister, North Sister, Mt. Washington, 

Three Fingered Jack, Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Hood

Team Two Man Wolf Pack on the summit

On the way down! 

Ben working his way down the snowfields 

The Three Sisters 

Some food for the journey ahead