Top of Mount Shuksan

This is the end of the blog. Keep going and you'll get the complete story! I made it to the top! Actually this is staged. Erin said we needed a picture of me summitting, so I backed up and came over the edge again. Erin is sitting on top with Mt. Baker behind her. The blue ring in the middle of the bottom photo is the melted portion of Lake Ann. Shortly after our ascent, the weather we raced all day caught up with us and we scurried off the top while we still had a bit of visibility. Okay, I didn't do any scurrying.
Rappelling, from my point of view, is definitely the unnerving portion of mountain climbing. As I stood perched at the top of the first rappel point wondering how to get my legs out from under me, Erin said, "Don't worry Lin. That anchor is bomber."
"Excuse me?"
"It means it's a great anchor. The best. That rock isn't going anywhere."
"So, I just have to lean back, kick off and trust the rock?"
"Right!"
I did just that and after the first one, it got easier. I learned to only look as far down as the next spot to perch me feet. At the bottom, I was relieved to be on my own two feet again. We retrieved our ice axes from the rock shelf where we'd stashed them earlier in the day and headed back onto the Sulphide Glacier and down to our camp. What a day!
It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it!!!
Lin