September 11, 2010 - Columbia Peak 14,073 ft - I got an early start from
home and had to use my headlamp for the first half hour of the hike through the forest. It took two hours to get to the fork in the
trail - left to Mt. Harvard or right to Columbia. I already did Harvard earlier, so to the right it was.
This hike ended up being the hardest one of the summer for me. The main reason for that is the steepness of the hike. There
were very few flat or even gradual ascents. As soon as I got out of the forest, it was a battle with the steepness, the loose
dirt, all the small rocks and those frustrating larger rocks that many times slid under my feet.
I had finally reached a ridge that I thought would give me a view of the summit --- only to discover it was a false
peak. I hate those! I decided to pause and look around. Those white specs in the center on the ridge are actually mountain
goats resting. Seeing them resting on that ridge with the panorama behind them was really cool.
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