Black Butte, Oct 19, 2008

Now, I'm going to finish the October trip once and for all... not that you need to know more about the trip per say, but it's important because the last part of the trip included a new summit in the bag. And some of you should summit as well.

The entire trip we had this thought that we (my brother Matt and I) should climb to the top of Black Butte, the large lava dome on the east side of I-5. Matt had found directions to the trail head, and it really seemed necessary to attain the summit.

But we didn't have time on Friday, and we left from Nevada City so late on Sunday that I despaired that we would have the time on Sunday. Matt actually seemed serious about climbing Sunday afternoon... but I thought when it came down to it we would drive past the Butte and feel sad and say, well, next time we go to Calif. we'll have to be sure to do it.

"So, are we going to climb Black Butte? That's going to get you home pretty late," say I as we neared the exit for Mt Shasta, CA.

Who cares that it'll be like 4-5 pm once we start. Who cares that the sun sets at like 6 pm. Matt chooses to go, and so we do.

It took a bit of time to find the trail head. A bunch of electrical line/logging roads without markings. There were supposed to be arrows... maybe there were, eventually, but really no signs of much use. So we found the trail head. A fellow on a bike (who had just arrived as well but did not plan to summit that night -- he had done it before) commented "Even if you don't make it to the top there are some good views on the way up."

Not make it to the top?! Heinous thought, but the guy was realistic and we were crazy. Once we start a trail, we like to finish so we don't have to come back later to do it again. But it was less than an hour before the sun was to set... and we had ahead of us 1,845 vertical feet and 2.56 miles of trail. Yeah.


We set out. I developed a cramp. No matter. The sun was fast sinking toward the horizon. We kept thinking the summit might be near, but there were multiple false summits. We finally started on the steeper, more rugged trail about 1/2 way up or so. It was growing dusk as we gauged where to place our feet to ensure the hillside of somewhat loose boulders would not be disengaged and come down to flatten us. Having a boulder land on your leg is not advantageous to summiting, or quickly returning home. I did not relish the thought of traversing this in the dark (especially since I had left my flashlight in the car).

There were multiple rockslides held back by chain link fencing which bulged precariously toward the trail and us.

I wondered if it was insanity to continue, but who can turn around at this point? The adrenaline raced, and the feet raced for the top.

We made it! 1,845 ft in about an hour. Definitely a record for us. Trying to beat the sun is a good impetus.

It looks like I took no pictures until the top was reached. Some great views... which would have been better during the day but were unique in the night light.

Mt Shasta (we even saw a few Lemurians blinking on the side)

The narrow crest at the summit, Matt in the foundation of the old fire lookout


Matt and Mt Shasta


I-5 as viewed from the summit


The graffiti smiley at the top


The dark of night and one shining man

Thrilling Escapes by Day

It's somewhat unfortunate that I haven't posted for almost a month... it hasn't even seemed that long.
And I still haven't finished posting about the October trip. Rats.

Yesterday my tech SN and I went out to a gated community (oooh!) to trim toenails on a cat. I know, I know... but it was actually legitimate. Turns out the cat (a Tonkinese) gets all worked up going into the vet clinic and it landed a technician (from another clinic in town) in urgent care after attacking said technician. And the cat's nails were so long it would snag them on the rug as it ran through the house.

So SN and I trimmed nails on the cat in about 5 minutes -- which cat hissed at us but displayed no bodily force -- and then spent the rest of the time listening to the lonely owner talk about his life and move to Oregon, etc.

On our way back to the clinic, I was driving along in Dr Hendy's clinic truck, driving in a law-abiding fashion along a not very busy road... when a larger truck stopped at a stop sign on a road which Tee'd into the road we were on... and then proceeded to head straight at the side of our rig! Must be our truck was in the guy's blindspot when he first looked to his right, or maybe he really had it out for us... but whatever the case he was about ready to broadside our truck and wasn't slowin' down or nuthin'.
Great, so I evaluate the surrounding territory and it "just so happens" that there's a parking lot (instead of a ditch, like most of the rest of the road) to my right and it has one of those driveways that basically merges the entire parking lot with the road. So I swung into the parking lot and stopped. And the guy in the bigger truck drove (sheepishly?) by and smiled.
Man, it coulda been bad. But it seems God had other plans for me for this weekend.