Climbing with Peter Pan of the Lost Boys. In the shadow of Mt Reynolds.

Original Post 8/25/2021

I had often wondered what would have happened if Peter Pan’s shadow had a voice. Like if he would have given out an occasional ‘ouch’ from time to time while Peter basically dragged him around. Maybe the shadow would use his two-dimensional properties to slide under a door. And then suddenly drag Peter thru the gap by his hair like in a Stephen King novel? With a loud good-hearted evil laugh for the full horror effect. All in good Neverland fun. You know Peter would have it coming. Right? I mean, why is the Red Man . . . .ah, . . . red?

Anyway, today my shadow had a voice, and it was Jon Wiseman. I’ve known Jon for over thirty years. He had a trip planned to GNP before I found out I’d be work here this summer. Today we took a climb up Mt Reynolds.

Although I’ve been there once or twice this season, it is a classic hill that is wonderful to have bragging rights to. And secretly I was hoping to have him help me look for my prescription sunglasses lost on the last trip there. If he had more time, I’d take him to another half dozen places in the park where I have donated my lost gear. Make him my own personal Bone Collector.

Always nice to have a second set of eyes that can actually see. It was a great morning with a pre-dawn drive to the pass to secure parking.

Of course, watching the Logan Pass parking lot never gets old. The downward spiral of the human condition that has become a enjoyable daily constant. People can be such a wonderful combination of moron/a**hole/urbanite that just makes such a fantastic audio/visual triumph of live entertainment. It is worth every minute of sleep that I have missed just to witness. This trip, it was so nice to have someone to share the shit show with.

In my cumulative hiking lifetime, I have never done so much alone/solo in the backcountry. I have found out it’s really not my thing. It was strange to be talking to myself, or making some overt caustic comment about something/someone, and suddenly now to have an actual person answer me. I really need to tighten my language up before going back into the general population. Like a guy on a lifeboat for two months too long. My own ‘Life of Pi’ experience. Except I beat the tiger to death the first week, and have been cursing (to myself) like a bad case of Tourette’s for a long time now.

Jon and I got an incredible morning. Sure, it sucks getting on the road at 4:30am, but this time it really paid off. Zero wind, temp in the 40s, dry, no smoke or haze. Finally a classic GNP day like the 1980’s before apparently the world climate went to crap.

Great moon rise and sunrise. Sorry again if the photos are a little repetitive, but when the sky opens up the Logan Pass area it is truly a remarkable place (sans all of the people, of course).

The nice thing about hiking with someone is I have people in the shots which gives a sense of perspective. Reynolds is a pretty easy climb from a technical point, with only one or two areas where the exposure makes you think twice but not enough to turn around (just don’t look down). Of course, the pictures of me on the cliffs are kind of funny, because those were taken at some of the spots with the LEAST exposure that felt pretty safe. I guess it’s all about perspective. Hate to have people see the really hairy stuff.

This was a nice half day commitment that put us back at the parking lot in a couple of hours and left plenty of time to find just the right kind of person to give our parking spot to. Actually, this time someone found us. A lady approached Jon just as we left the trail but before the parking lot asking for our space.

Of course Jon stops and starts vetting her qualification to park in a place we have claimed for Spain the last couple of hours. When she said she was from Ohio, I did the “OH” “IO” test. She not only passed it, but her husband from the trolling SUV told us to stop toying with her as it was the only word she knew how to spell. Sold.

It was a great morning with an old friend, and it made me miss company on the trail. But at least this summer I have found a lot of new places to take any friends that want to follow me into the mountains in the future. I’ve got some even better spots to take my enemies. Choose wisely.