Loaf Mountain IV
April
1, 2013
Solo scramble.
Some unfinished business. On January 1 of the present
year I had reached the middle summit of Loaf Mountain, from the south side of
the peak. It was easily one of the most scenic trips I had ever done, because
of the outstanding rock scenery. A viciously cold west wind and the shortness
of the day prevented me from completing the ascent. My goal for the day was to
repeat the route and then continue on to the summit.
The weather and length of the day were not going to be factors. The
skies were clear, there was no wind, and April Fool’s Day in this part of the
world grants one a solid 13 hours of daylight.
Cursing and swearing that I didn’t bring a bike for the approach, I
hiked the 4 km road to and past the last gas plant. Initially, my plan was to
follow the same route that granted me close-up views of the amazing rock
scenery of January 1. However, a seemingly easier but equally scenic route appeared to the
west on the intended route and so I picked that one.
The route was fantastic! Though maybe not quite as stunning as the rock
scenery on January’s route, there was plenty to ogle at. Of course the summit
view was as breath-taking as earlier visits, even more so with a good dose of
lingering Spring snow.
Wanting to maximize the time I spent at elevation to further enjoy the
view, I chose an alternate descent route that did exactly that, without
requiring any significant elevation gains. The route was straightforward and
brought me to a point quite far west of where I left the trail. My only regret
was that I had chosen to hike the approach instead of bike it. Had I arrived
back at the point to find a bike and a bucket of delicious KFC chicken, with
the choice or take one or the other but not both, I probably would have chosen
the bike – given my love (lust) for KFC, this is monumental! (In retrospect, I
would have eaten half the bucket, grabbed the bike, rode halfway and dumped the
bike – KFC is too good to pass up!
