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My dear Scotsman: The weather has conspired against us, forcing a reconsideration of our grand adventure this weekend. In determining a new course of action, I have but a few requirements: I want to stride under a canopy of trembling aspen leaves, the high ridge above bursting to flame at the sun's first call...  I want the path, carved through crumbling red stone, to be carpeted by the brightness of phlox, pennyroyal, and paintbrush...  I want to step into the sunshine atop a gentle pass, passing still lakes reflecting every nuance of rock and snow and tumbling water...  I want to pass below the watchful gaze of a grand mountain, stretch my legs across meadows laced with lupine and soft grass, draw water from a calm outlet starting its run to the sea...   I want to scramble among steep boulders, reaching a summit that causes nothing less than applause as the ridges fall away to reveal broad vistas...     I want to run across the slabs and ledges of an undulating landscape, ducking at each crack and rumble and deepest thrum and echo of thunder, smelling the oncoming rain and watching the first fat drops falling into upturned faces of columbine...  [img] http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4827508066_3deebdefe2_z.jpg[/img] [img] http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4826833275_b96e99e12d_z.jpg[/img] In short, I want it to be another perfect day. Yours truly, The Hungarian The rest of the photos from our hike to Pilot Knob are here. Thanks again, Scottie Mac, for another grand day in the heights, and for helping me get ready. From the luckiest girl in the world: Climb Hard. Be Safe. -L 
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Joined: Jul 2004
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Very Very nice Laura! Lovely words & beautiful pictures! I see you got to see some Fireweed..one of my very favorite wildflowers  I really miss being at home in the Sierra this summer.
Last edited by madeintahoe; 07/25/10 07:58 PM.
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... And you got what you wanted. Once again. Awesome.
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Ok, now that the goosebumps have subsided, that was beautiful, both in words and pictures. Do we have to call you The Hungarian? Not Frost, Emerson, Thoreau or Wordsworth?
Thank you for so many things in that piece.
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Laura, you tell your stories in photos as well as anyone I've ever known. Absolutely mesmerizing. Just when my summer Sierra fixation starts to moderate and I'm beginning to accept the "normality" that I won't see these mountains for almost another year, you go and post this exceptional TR. Damn.
"Captain Kirk is climbing a mountain . . ."
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Laura, you tell your stories in photos as well as anyone I've ever known. Absolutely mesmerizing. Just when my summer Sierra fixation starts to moderate and I'm beginning to accept the "normality" that I won't see these mountains for almost another year, you go and post this exceptional TR. Damn.
"Captain Kirk is climbing a mountain . . ." I second what the big dog said  I am thinking a year is way too long to wait  Your breath taking pictures and wonderful TR are pulling on my heart strings.......
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Dang it, Laura, you're gonna make me retire just so I can find a place to crash out in the Sierra each summer and meander around through some of these vistas. Y'all know I spent way too many years trying to summit Mt. Ritter, "my" mountain, and have wandered through the Evolution Basin, backpacked Whitney in '01, made multiple trips to Yosemite and a few other spots in the Sierra, but being stuck here in the flatlands of MO just makes it all that much harder to see the great shots you take and share with us. Out of curiosity, are you shooting some HDR (high-dynamic-range) shots, merging multiple frames at different exposures? A couple of these look like it...both more highlights and shadows than digital cameras will usually render in the same shot. Whatever you're doing, keep it up...even if it makes the rest of us jealous. (I just got back from a week of Scout summer camp in 90+ degree heat. Even the lake felt like bath water when we did the Mile Swim. Made me long even more for some crisp mountain mornings. At least our Older Scout Patrol is talking about a mountain trip next year. I have a couple in mind, depending on whether airfare is involved or we end up driving to the Rockies instead of flying out to the Sierra...we'll see...)
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Epic prose and stunning vistas. Please keep it coming.
Fiddy
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Wow! Thanks, everyone. It was another tremendous day for Scottie Mac and myself, even if plans had to be adjusted due to growling skies. Our original intent had been to include Four Gables in our loop, but with the first roll of thunder we beelined for the pass. Anita: the fireweed was just coming out around the campgrounds at North Lake and up the trail along the seeps and beyond the creek crossings. Already stalks (along with monk's hood, bog mallow, and more of my favorite tiger lilies) were standing between 3-4 feet tall! MC: I know, I'm a spoiled brat that way.  James: as someone who writes as beautifully as you, I'm truly flattered. Thanks. But "Laura the Hungarian" make me feel like I should be walking around in a mountain lion skin waving a club...  Gary and Barb: Moose Lodge is open year-round. Y'all just drop on in! Alan: so good to hear from you! I was thinking you had been completely swallowed by the hell that is the midwest. Gotta get you up for air, soon! Fiddy: For anyone who carries as big a pack as I do, you got it! -L
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What's happening this coming weekend? I've been training to keep up with you and try to get into one of your pictures. Eventually these will get into some outdoor photography contests and I'll be that infamous fool in the background.
When in doubt, go up.
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L, outstanding photo TR, as usual. Thanks for sharing. Your trip reminds me of day #3 of the 2005 Sierra Challenge hike up Pilot Knob. I recall ScottM got injured the day before on Merriam Peak, so he didn’t get to enjoy the epic weather in 2005. We had almost the same conditions (5 years ago) as you and ScottM experienced this past weekend. We had beautifully clear skies in the morning all the way to Pilot Knob and then by the time we got back to Piute Pass the weather gods became very angry (we may not have made the best offering on Pilot Knob summit). Anyhow, coming down Piute Pass we got pelted with uber rains, hail and thunder & lightning. It was the first and only time I’ve seen a flash-flood in the Sierra…spooky but very cool SC folks a bit concerned about how to get across the flash flood. This flood came down from the south side of Emerson  Same folks relieved & very happy after safely hurtling the flood  Say, this reminds me……isn’t there another Sierra Challenge coming up in a few weeks? Cheers, RickG
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Kev-bo: you mean like this??  Or this one?  Or perhaps this (good butt shot, at least)...  The mime look is hot:  LOL... I'll call you later, buddie. Grahamcracker, the mystery of the great trench down the moraine is solved! Scott was reminiscing about that SC this weekend. Pilot Knob is a really fun little peak with amazing views from the summit. I wasn't kidding about applauding once we reached the ridge! Sierra Challenge... hmmm... I might have heard of that somewhere... You know, I have some vacation time saved up... -L
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