Tuesday July 19, 2007
Swedes reaching the summit of Mount Elbert
We woke up early at Elbert Creek Campground, around 4.30 a.m. We were well prepared, had a quick breakfast and then we took off. Our plan was to start out at the parking lot at North Mount Elbert trailhead. My hiking friends had head lamps, and I kept a small flashlight in my hand. It was completely dark outside, so we really needed those lights. Luckily we had walked the very first part of the trail the day before. We had our back packs filled with eight bottles of water, 4 litres each, which was a heavy start. First time on a high mountain and we didn´t know how much water we would need!
At 4.55 a.m. we headed out. It was very tough in the beginning. We had decided to hike for 25 minutes and then take a 5 minute break, and then try to follow that pattern. However, it was hard to keep up the pace. I found it very hard to catch my breath, and get enough oxygen, so the guys walked on and I moved as fast as I could. We reached the tree line at 6.35 a.m. One of my friends was not tired at all, he looked as if he could have run all the way to the summit, but he waited for us.
However, the closer we came to the summit, the easier it felt for me, but the third person in our group became more and more tired, and it almost seemed as if he wasn´t going to make it. I had to stop often and rest, but it was enough for me to rest only for 10 seconds, then I could move on again. The closer I got to the summit the more energy I got. So, by the end of the hike towards the summit, I raced the guys, passed them and was no 1 to the summit. I was very proud!
It took us 3 h 45 minutes to reach the summit. A couple of other hikers had passed us, during the morning. One of them was Paul, the very nice man, who we met the night before at the parking lot, and who had given us, beginners and inexperienced hikers, some good advice. Thanks for that Paul!
We stayed at the top for a while, rested, took many pictures, watched the beautiful view, registered and talked to some other people. It was awesome for a Swede, to be at the top of Mount Elbert. What a cool thing to do! The weather was beautiful, exactly as it was on our first hike, the summer before, to the summit of Kebnekaise, Sweden´s highest mountain.
However, you haven´t hiked a mountain until you´re back down. I found the hike back down, quite easy, much harder to hike up. But, my hiking friends didn´t share my opinion in this case. At least one of them thought it was a heavy walk back.
At 12.10 p.m. we were back down at the trail head. The hike was an adventure for all three of us, since none of us had been that high up before. But, we had managed and we were very happy.
This hike made me long for another. However, I didn´t get the chance this summer, but maybe next! 
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
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