What was I thinking? OH - that's right, I WASN'T!

Friday morning - thinkin', hum... X96 free tram ride up Snowbird... why not! 7:30 am board the tram, 10 minutes to the top, then stupidity set in... why not run down? Read it again slowly, why not run down? So I think that I still live in the 16 year old body that used to live in the Mountains behind Mendon, hiking, horseback riding, going to the top of those mountains and down again for a simple workout on a Saturday. Well, that was many many moons ago. I decided to take advantage of the cool weather, quiet trails, and a little time alotted for adventure. At the top of Hidden Peak Summit you'll find yourself at an 11,068 foot peak, it's a 3,240 foot vertical, 1.6 mile straight down. But you're not thinking about that - you're looking around at the top where the heavens start and seeing glimpses of Mt Superior, Monte Cristo, Cardoff Pass, Albion Bason, Sugarload, Devils Castle , Mt Wolverine, and Sunset Peak. I bid Adeau to the Tram (did you know that most reasonable people ride it BACK down the mountain?) The run started out great - I am never the less invisable right? Not. 1/3 of the way down I realize that I'm not taking the hiking trail, but the trail I ski on - which includes random cliffs, deep ravines and several rattlesnake pits dotted with stinging nettle, which are normally covered by a million feet of snow! At this point I am realizing that my thighs and knees are yelling up at me "Hey Stupid!" and I actually fell and rolled a few times covering myself with burrs. I understand and remind myself that the only way to get down, is now to go up and return to some sort of actually marked trail other than a black diamond run sign, where ever that is. Did you know that God answers the prayers of even stupid people? I am now about 2/3rd down the mountain, making note to myself that this adventure only took 10 minutes to go up in the tram, and I'm working on an hour of getting down, going back up and still not there yet. (Don't be deceived by these switchbacks - shale is a new concept for me, added to steep, and shoot!) I decided to actually see if I could do a 911 call - silly me... But I did manage to find the small overgrown trail that was marked "Easiest to tram", and most all of the blasting towers. (please tell me there is civilization somewhere soon....) During the last 20 minutes or so, I'm sorry to admit that there was crying, praying and pleading, not a pretty sight. Pretty sure someone thought they were funny posting this sign.....but it wasn't....The 2 deer, 1 elk and 500 chipmunks laughed their butts off. I decided there and then - besides never feeling bad that I kill one of their offspring driving down the canyon - but that I was going to need a walker with tennis balls on the bottom of it if I ever made it to the car. At one point I did stop and take some pictures - you know - documentation of my final moments in life. I think I'll blow them up and say - ya - you've been there - don't go there again. Someone will find my bruise and broken body, next to the camera... right?

I did get to see the two Temples in the V...
(V being for - Holy Cow - what varmint just moved

in the bushes over there?!)You know you're really up there when the pictures
you are taking are of the TOPS of the trees....

My 50 before 50 list - is now - one less. *Ski and Walk down Snowbird's Hidden Peak Summit in the same year. (Does rolling into the trees count? Wanna argue with me? I'm a mountain woman now!) It's now Sunday - 3rd day on painkillers, no upstairs, no downstairs, and I believe sitting and standing would also be unavailable. I can, though walk forward and backwards very slowly and I really like the glow in the dark tennis balls on my walker. Lesson learned? Probably not. Humbled? In every way. Stupid? Beyond all compare. Prepared to actually run down a hill? Sure! I had my Visa Debit card and my Drivers License! Kinda grinning inside that I actually transversed down a mountain alone in the wild?

You know it.

Next time, ski down the mountain you idiot!
Pass my bed pan...and stop laughing...