Group: Tropical Flab
Route: Southern Slopes
Total mileage: 0.011 Miles
Total elevation gain: ~ 1'
Despite the impending fury of Tropical Storm Barry
, I set out yesterday morning to conquer Britton Hill, the lowest state high point. I hit the highway at 9:25AM; a little late, but there was plenty of drive to make up time. 360 miles (and $31.45 in gas) later, I approached the towering massif, just outside of Lakewood, FL, and mere yards from the Alabama border. From this point, you can see most of the route:
A closer look at the crux of the route:
Once reaching the parking lot, you must get out of the car and negotiate the rest of the route on foot. It was difficult, and I was really beginning to feel the altitude, but I managed to push through.
Here's a detail of the final pitch to the summit:
It was a triumphant moment when I reached the top. I quickly set up my tripod and took a picture. I wore my full 14er climbing gear. After all, it just wouldn't be a proper summit shot in shorts and a t-shirt. (I'll admit, it was a little bit warm)
Then I got down to the business of finding the summit register (it was in the rack of pamphlets attached to the bathrooms) and signing in for Talus Monkey and myself. I am very disappointed to have not had a can of Colt 45. However, I stopped at four different locations (grocery store, Wal Mart, and two gas stations) along the last 40 miles of my drive, and nobody stocked it. There was a ton of Old English and Steele Reserve, but not a drop of Colt 45 to be had
.
Finally, some of the breathtaking views of from the summit. The southeast has some extreme exposure:
Spectacular other peaks to the northeast (most of these are in Alabama):
