Hiking Goals

I decided to hike Mt. Olympus again today with the goal to get to the grove.

I have little milestones -- the name for milestones to the first river hearken back

to my very first hike (as an adult) on Mt. Olympus and all the interesting people I met that day.

"Snake Seat" -- 20 min.

"Tree Bench" -- 25

"Cave" -- 30

"Tai Chi Tree" -- 35

"Meadow" -- 40

"Hill" -- 45

1st River -- 50 (or 55 which is what I've been at the last few times.)

It looks like in past years when I'm in good shape they are 4 min. intervals, 

making it to the 1st river in 44 min. 

Today I had the plan to keep going to the grove past the 2nd river. 

At 10 minutes past the 1st river I came to

"Flat Rock"

20 minutes past was the "Quartz Climb" (2.4 miles/1978 elev.)

 (With a resting seat that I didn't need to use today.)

25 minutes past I came to the 2nd river. (Dry.)

And 30 minutes later I was at the grove. (2.75 miles/2313 elev.).

There was a time I hiked to the grove here as easily as I get to the first river now.

So at the grove I was feeling pretty good and decided to go another quarter mile.

And when I got there, some girls passed me. And I thought, "I've already gone 3 miles, and AllTrails says its about 6.3 out and back (including the scramble to the very top). 

I might be really close to the saddle."

So I kept going. Very slowly. I wanted to call out to the girls, 

"How far is the top?"

to see if they were hanging out just above me and I was almost there. But I didn't.

Also, I didn't bring water since I wasn't planning on hiking this long. That was a bad move.

I made it to a huge tree log and sat to rest. 

By now I'd hiked 2 hours and was at 3.3 miles. 

A man walked by and we chatted for a bit. He usually hikes Mt. Olympus in the snow with cleats and was telling me all about it. He asked if I was coming or going and I said I was still deciding.

He said, "The saddle is only right there! You need to finish."

So I agreed with him.

BUT it was still a third-mile away and took me 20 more minutes!! 

I ate snow at the top because I seriously was a little bit worried about not having water with me and feeling a little light headed.

And while I'm proud of myself for making it to the top even when it was hard etc. etc.

The moral of this story is actually,

"Don't run faster than you have strength."

Although, I am glad that now I have milestones recorded so next time I can hit my goal and turn around when I'm ready instead of wondering if the top is "just around the next corner."