Alta Rim

The cool and sharp limestone feels rough on my hands. My shoes although prematurely wearing out seem to still hold a grip on the black rock as I descend off the airy second summit of Devil's Castle. I have been in California for a while with my family. Coming off a beach lifestyle the exposure on the route seems significant as I work my way down the knife ridge as swiftly as my sea legs allow. I have just visited with a nice guy named LJ while he was standing on the first summit, and I a few hundred feet away on the second summit. He and his partner (whose name I didn't catch) had bigger plans than did I this morning as they intended on reaching the Pfiefferhorn sometime today. I hope it went well for them!  I gaze back now from the east ridge of Devil's and I can see them descending off to head west to the bigger peaks of the range. Behind these two gentlemen I see where my morning began and can view Sugarloaf Peak and then Baldy's Summit both of which I reached prior to my moving across the ridge and black summits of Devil's Castle. The air has warmed now as compared to the dark 530 AM start at the Goldminer's lot this morning.  I would ultimately run from the castle over to Catherine's pass and loop back to my car. To run in these mountains and on these ridges is ever so special and I consider myself blessed to be able to experience them in their beauty while still being home in time to wake up my kids for breakfast.

First Summit of Devil's Castle -Photo Courtesy LJ

LJ and Partner On First Devil's Summit- Photo taken from Second Summit (South East Summit)

LJ and Partner Among the Beauty and Exposure

Looking Back Nearing Catherine's Pass