I Went to the Mountain

So I live near a mountain. Technically, it's an active volcano. I have wanted to go up there since I moved here, but I'm afraid of heights and terrified of driving those switchback mountain roads. And mountains scare the shit out of me... I am a total flatlander.

Well, there is a state highway that goes up to the ski resort on the mountain and for a few months out of the year, the state highway is open past the ski resort. It's only open a few months because they can't start clearing the snow until May or June and it often takes them a month, and then the road is closed when it begins to snow again--usually September. Some years the snow is so deep they won't open the road at all.

Mom was visiting me right after ALA and when I saw the mountain road had just opened (earlier than normal), I decided we should drive up it. Now, let me restate that I don't like heights and I don't like switchback mountain roads. Just getting to the lower parking lot just past the ski resort (which is 2.6 miles below the upper parking lot) was a challenge. Several times I got very squeamish. And when we stopped at the lower lot I said I couldn't drive any farther. I was shaking and pretty freaked out. So we took some pictures and walked around.

Then I announced we were going to the top. We didn't come this far to not make it to the top.

Holy shit.

At least twice I told mom she couldn't talk and I announced I was going to cry--I was that freaked out. But we made it. And then I said we were living there because I wasn't driving back down the mountain.

The upper lot is just that: A parking lot at the end of the road surrounded by massive amounts of snow. Because it is in a National Forrest there was a park ranger in a tent answering questions and giving out tips (like, it's 20 minutes to sunburn at that altitude). They had a telescope so you could look at the peak of the mountain; the ranger said you can often see mountain goats wandering around.

The snow surrounding the parking lot is massive. Some winters the snow is close to 50 feet deep (last time it was that deep the upper road didn't open), but this year it was around 15 feet deep. The snow is deep enough and packed enough that you can climb up it like a hill. I climbed up the snow so that I could see the peak of the mountain on one side, the Cascades on the other, and turn turn around and look down at the parking lot (and look south towards the Cascades). It was amazing. It was breathtaking. I felt like I was standing on top of the world. I also had to resist the urge to drop to the ground and make snow angels.

Looking out over the Cascades. I think this is north-ish. 

Our local mountain and active volcano. 

And I am so very glad I drove the last 2.6 miles, because the experience of being up there took my breath away. It was worth every ounce of fear I felt to stand up there and look out over the Cascade range.

And the drive down wasn't nearly as terrifying.