Well I did it. I managed to succeed in summiting Mount Massive. We started Sat. evening with a little camp fire and dinner and then quickly to bed. Even though Mount Massive is rated as an easy summit, I assure you it isn't. We started late Sunday morning and set foot on the trail around 9:00. In reality, we should have started around 6:00 but oh well. The first couple hours seemed to fly by as we all chatted about our favorite books, work, and just about anything that made us smile. As we approached mid day, the tree line was behind us and the two stronger hikers in the group took off took off in an attempt to summit before the weather got bad. So that left Tyler, Marissa and myself to enjoy a more manageable pace. However, with Marissa losing ground quickly, Tyler decided to help her with the descent. Now I was stuck in the middle and not willing to stop yet so I continued onward. At this time my blisters were making themselves known with every step. 15 to 20 yards then a rest. This seemed to be my pace for the last 2.5 hours of assent. Many times stopping to take a quick picture and wondering just what the hell I was doing. After what seemed to be an eternity, a little reprieve from the pain came in the from of sleet. It wasn't unpleasant rather odd to see sleet and cold winds in early September. This sign quickly reminded me of just how high this peak really was and just how dangerous mountain storms can be. With the ominous sky pushing a large thunderhead across the valley and up slope towards me, I quickly found the next gear. Unfortunately that only meant about another 10 steps before I had to rest again. As groups began to scramble down the mountain, I stopped several and questioned the weather to the west of the peak. Many seemed to think it was fine as long as there was no lightning. That was all I needed.
Now I have always been partial to gambling and being a betting man, I would have bet the farm that there was no chance that I would ever get near that summit but there was that little voice that kept pushing me until finally I had reached the ridge line. This was it. This was the place where I would say good by to my friend Jeff. I knew that the pain I had just endured was in no way comparable to Jeff's, but I did know that it brought me as close to him as i would ever be. I embraced the moment, ate a few bites of my last Luna bar and made the summit 45 min. later. My journey was now complete. I found a great deal of satisfaction and closure this weekend and hope that everyone else will have an opportunity to say good by as well.
The next 2.5 hours of descent I contemplated this latest feat and thought about all the good memories in my life and the many more to be shared with friends and family.