While Dr. Sexson said we can not go out and create a sublime day, I would have to disagree. Whenever a person sets out on a trip, hike, or daily routine they are inviting the opportunity for something extraordinary to come out of an ordinary day.
My friend John and I headed towards the Beartooth Mountain Range to commence our adventure at climbing Granite Mountain the highest mountain in Montana. We arrived at the parking lot below Mystic Lake around 3 PM and waited about an hour until Tim and Sam arrived from Cody, WY where they had been building a house for one of their friend's parents. Starting the hike around 4:30 PM we planned on camping after ascending the Switchbacks From Hell. We watched the sun set over Mystic Lake as we approached Froze to Death Plateau, which was absolutely beautiful.
After going to bed with a bit of whiskey in our system as no backpacking trip is complete without a pint of whiskey per night in the wilderness. We started the next morning around six and hiked across Froze to Death Plateau which is a five or six? mile hike without any cairns to lead you across but as you travel across. The mountain goats we encountered are what made this trip so special, they were salt deprived and would come up to you if you urinated on the ground. The goats would get within a few feet of you and as long as you didn't make any sudden movements they would hang out around you.
The goats would come in herds the elders got pee first and the youngin'(furthest left) fed last.
To reach the peak you must scramble up the final stage (photo above) where I was personally wondering where the route up was. It is setting out on adventures like this where I am introduced to a whole new world while working relatively hard on meeting my goal of reaching the summit that I enjoy so much. I was able to interact with goats on an almost intimate level and reach the summit only to descend and see more spectacular views I missed the first time. This is how I, personally was able to go out and create a subliminal day. This is something I have felt numerous times in the woods or while snowboarding and it is what drove me to get a split-board because half the fun is going up and makes you appreciate the turns on the way down. I know each one of us enjoys doing at least one activity that gives us the feeling of nirvana. Once we have found the nirvana it leaves us with a dire thirst for more, it isn't until we recreate the event that we are satisfied, and then as we drive away are thirsty once again..
View from 12,799 ft.
Sam on a part of the walk back along Froze-to-Death-Plateau.
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