“Glorious!” “Bully!” “O the Joy!” How many other historical figures can I quote to describe my hike up to North Peak? John & Elizabeth O’Neill (perhaps not as well known as Muir, Roosevelt, or Clark) write in their book, Tioga Tramps, that the view on North Peak is “one of the best! Far below, the turquoise Conness Lakes, and thrusting up just across the way, the spectacular peak of Conness. To the north and east you can gaze down dizzying steep cliffs and snow and ice couloirs.” Truly, the day was perfect. Once I left the shuttle boat that transported me across Saddlebag Lake, I encountered no one. A clear blue sky, slight breeze, and moderate temperature made for ideal hiking weather. Fall had begun her colorful painting on the landscape and hues of yellow, red, and orange adorned the vegetation. Delicate white alpine gentian flowers still dotted the terrain, the last vestiges of summer.
×