July 16, 2009 Forum Peak

Sitting on the shore of Forum Lake and looking at the rock cliff at the other end one would believe that there is no way for a person to walk there.

On July 16 when I approached the rock cliff there was a clear foot path to the west. I took confidence in the fact that many people had passed this way before me so I should be able to as well. And so I began to work my way along a ledge on the south end of Form Lake. The ledge was wide in places and not near wide enough in others. I sat on a rock (where the first picture was taken from) and it seemed like I was just dangling my feet in mid air. I wasn't but it seemed like I was. I was engaged in a lot of "self talk' at this point. Like "what am I doing here" "okay lots of people have walked here so it must be possible", "its no worse than Crypt Lake", "look its only a 100 metres or so to where the trail ascends on to the ridge, you will be there in no time". Its true there were places where I could just walk like I was on any hiking trail but there were places where I gave the mountain a lot of hugs. Then where I thought the trail would ascend a little gully up to the ridge ... it didn't. Instead the ledge became. what seemed to me, too narrow. I might have uttered an expletive at this point and turned and looked back at the way I came. More self talk, "not going back there". So I gave the mountain a few really big hugs and begged it not to drop me and worked my way around the face of the rock. Was I relieved to see a decent scramble which still took the little remaining breath that I had away. BUT I DID IT!!!!! What a relief to get of of that ledge and up onto the ridge. I could have kissed that ridge, in fact I might have! So I rest and sent a SPOT message. I had to let somebody know that I was okay YAY! As I was having a rest I noticed three hikers walking my way. The guy walked up to me and we started talking. Then he said 'Alan?". It Shaun, my friend Rick's son. I'm saying "so I have to climb all the way up here just to meet you?". We visited a bit about our lives and the people in then and the trail. He and his party where heading down.

From there on the hike up to Forum Peak was a gentle slope. At that point I felt like I could just run up it, that is until I actually started up the slope. But it was an easy walk. I had succeeded in my first objective. And I wasn't going down the same way that I came up, I was sure of that.