Have you even tried to reach your limit?

   The word limit is defined in Merriam-Webster dictionary as ":the utmost extent". Have you gone to your utmost extent? Have you even tried to reach your limit? Do you do what you need to do and that's it? Push your limits and go as far as you can! This life and earth has so much to do and see. I want to experience as much as I can. My birthday is tomorrow and I do not feel 53 years old. I just found out that being in your 50's is considered middle age. What?! Middle age?! To me that only means that I'm halfway there to my utmost extent! 

   I climbed Mount St Helens Friday. It was my second time being on this mountain in two years. Last time was May 14th, 2018, day after Mothers Day and snow the whole way. Made it to the top on that clear day with friends. This day I almost made it, solo. The wind close to the summit reached up to 70 mph! I could see the summit! So close, however,  I reached my limit. I wanted to go as far as I could go. See what this little body God gave me could do. The wind and the fog that rolled in making it wet kept me from my goal. I was soaked but was warm. The wind blew the ash and snow in my face. I could feel the grit in my teeth. I did stay upright and was not going to let the mountain blow me over. I was sooo close but when my vision was starting to be affected that is when I called it done. Sheryl -1. Washington volcano -1. 

   I slept in my car at the trailhead. I had wanted to go the winter route up the mountain but the snow park was closed and no one else was there. I would have given me 2+ more miles on myclimb. To be safe I drove to the summer route trailhead called Climber Bivouac. Doing a quick search, the term bivouac means campsite. I learned something new! Arrived with right before dark. There were two other vehicles already there and more came later throughout the night/morning. 

   A pesky mouse was in my car and scratching and scrambling all night! He must have been in the tirewell. I found no mouse droppings or other signs of the guy. He was IN the car. I finally had to put my earphones on to drown out the guy. I had set my alarm, so I thought, to 4:30 but I ended up waking up just before 7am. I needed that extra sleep. So ok. I did not want to hike alone in the dark anyway. 

  I got dressed, ate a Picky Bar and finished my coffee from yesterday while getting my pack together. There must have been a couple dozen cars parked by then. For spring till fall only 100 climbing permits are given out for each day. Signed the check in book at the trail start and off I go. Another couple was heading out at the same time. 

   The forest is beautiful!! I shot a video while hiking and you will see. A mile in my left stupid heel started to hurt. The rubbing of my hiking boots was starting to bother me. My heel is still numb from the surgery and tender. I packed a pretty good first aid kit which included moleskin. Thank goodness. Stopped and got that on while tightening the laces better. 

   I kept waiting for the treeline as I hiked. I was excited to get to it. That meant I would have a better view and also knew what kind of climbing was involved after the treeline ascend. Rocks! Big ones. Lava rocks to climb over. I love climbing over things. Umm. Spartan-esk?! 

   At 2.75 miles a couple passed me coming down. Not sure if they made it to the top. I chatted with them a bit. The next person to pass me coming off the mountain was a solo older guy. I mentioned the wind and he said it was good for polishing teeth! He laughed when I told him what I do for a living, dental hygienist! Now I have something to tell my patients when they bitch about the polish I use on them. At least it's flavored! Get over it. 

   The wind blew the clouds in and blew them away. The views came and went. So pretty and amazing. Caught a glimpse of Mt Rainier and got a photo of Mt Hood. At times I could see the summit and people hiking then the cloud came in and was almost white out. I climbed from pole to pole that guided the way. I decided to get to the weather station near the summit and evaluate from there. Super duper windy!! You know those weathermen that stand out in the beginning of a hurricane and are blown off their feet? Yeah, like that! Having my hiking poles helped to brace me from the gusts. It was slow going. 20+ steps. Evaluate. A little farther. Evaluate. Finally when my vision started to be effected I called it good. The couple earlier that had started when I did quit sooner than me. The guy said that if I could put up with the wind and getting wet I should be fine. By golly I was going to put up with it, till I reached my limit. I had probably a hour at that pace till I got to the top. Then I had to put up with the weather going down and I was not wanting to do that. 

   Bummer that I did not get to the top of that mountain that day but happy that I did push my limit. Who knew that I could even get that far, alone. Not many did make it. It was too much wind. The videos will show how that bitch kicked my ash! lol I kicked her ash last year! 

   I took up 3 liters of water and lots of food. I only used the caffeinated chews on my way up and only drank 1 liter of water. Bad on me but I go by feel. I also did not want to bare my bum to pee in that wind and my four layers of clothes was soaked and warm to my skin. I kept thinking how cold it would be after stripping and how hard they would be to pull back on. 

   On the way down the only part of my body cold was my hands. My leather gloves were drenched. I switched out for small cotton gloves and they felt awesome! My left arm though was starting to hurt. More from gripping the poles than anything. I enjoyed a quiet hike down once I got to the tree line. The forest was so amazing! I even thanked a tree! (That's for you Hazel!)

   Total time was 6:40. Miles: 7.53. Elevation gain: 4249 ft. Max elevation: 7732. Sumit was 8363. So close! Almost there! Calories burned: 1791. I stopped on the way home for a burger, fries and Coke! I never drank pop and I deserved this one! I needed the caffeine for the four hour drive home too. 

Here is a link to my photos and videos. Hope you enjoy! 

Flickr photos

What's next?? Stay tuned. 

Sheryl Perales, Mountaineer