I Conquer a Mountain

I conquered Green Mountain! I can’t even remember how many years ago I first noticed that power line clearing and thought it looks like the chair lift on a ski slope…and I determined I must climb it. I am not an outdoorsy person or athletic. Not at all. But there is something about a clearly visible, steep path up a hill that is irresistible. It looks so easy (but I know it isn’t). 

Just barely getting started here. It didn't feel like it though.

Last week, I decided that it was finally time and I convinced my son to do it with me. Yesterday turned out to be the day, a beautiful spring day. Being that I am not a morning person, we didn't make the hike until the hottest part of the day. If it had been summertime my bleached bones would be up there now; I’m sure it would only take a matter of hours. Instead, there was some shade and, despite the temperature rising to 81°F, there was a decent breeze.

It is much more steep than it looks in photos.

It so happened that just before we headed out, new patch notes for Dota 2 were released. So, Daughter #1 also joined us in order to discuss this with her brother. It simply could not wait until he got home – and he brought his phone along to read the notes. “Bla, bla, bla….Ice Frog, bla, bla.” The kids are bilingual (gaming language) and I am not, so that’s what I heard of their conversation.

We parked in a church parking lot at the base of the mountain. (The mountains in Alabama are more like hills than mountains.) As best I can tell from topographical maps, we started at an elevation of 600 ft above sea level (Huntsville’s official elevation) and I climbed to about 1300 ft. I say “I” because the young people couldn’t hack it and barely made it half way up. Daughter #1 figured the top was about three more utility poles up from where I left her. 

I agreed, although I did remind her of Lewis and Clark’s disappointment in seeing another larger mountain range after crossing what they thought was their final mountain range during their trek west. After expending quite a bit more energy, I eventually made it to that third pole, only to see a small plateau and then another steep expanse. 

Ugh, it’s not the top.

I decided it was just too much and I would have to turn back. I actually sat on the ground to rest – I did say I am not an outdoorsy person. I had already been scared by a lizard and saw what I think was a little snake – or a long, creepy worm, along with a myriad of insects, so I had to be really exhausted to sit on the ground. 

The longer I rested the more I thought about going just a little further to see how bad it would be. I determined that if I did not conquer this hill now I would continue to think about it every time I drove by and all the effort I had put into the climb so far would be a waste. I valiantly continued on (yes “valiantly,” I am really a couch potato; this was not easy). 

I was still worried that when I got to what I now thought was the top I would find yet another slope to climb. However, I climbed the last steep portion and found myself…in someone’s yard! You can drive to that spot! I took a quick selfie and headed right back down because two big scary-looking dogs were coming my way from another house next door.

I made it!

That’s the Tennessee River in the background.

I made my way back down to the kids (falling once on some slippery tall grass) – the conquering hero! I was awesome. The kids said my face was very red (from the effort, not sunburn). Unfortunately, I may now need two knee replacements after the walk back down that hill!

It took almost 2 hrs to make it up and down that little blip on the map.

Along the route there were several areas with remains of some sort of water system:

Today I can still walk, so I conquered and I survived!