Mount Columbia

scramble was hellish, and to be quite honest, it reduced me to a level of frustration and anger that I didn't like. It is important to remember that the scree scramble can get you down quicker, but it is a scary struggle and not to be attempted if you are feeling exhausted.

After much jumping, hopping and some very sore calf muscles, we finally reached the tree line where we splashed our faces and necks with the creek water and looked up at the slope we had just come down. Unbelievable. Even the dog had had it by this point. He lay panting under a tree and he wasn't inclined to come out. We finally coaxed him out with water and some cheese. The return trip after the tree line is a mess because the trail disappeared. My hiking partner had a good idea of the direction we needed to go. So we used the GPS and kept on course. Eventually we found the Harvard Lakes trail, which is very well traveled and a comfortable trail for tired and sore feet. We hiked this trail to the parking lot and kept traveling down the gravel road to our parking place.

Disclaimer: Don't be stupid. Use common sense. Do not use this article as your only source of information. Do not hike a fourteener without adequate knowledge, skills, equipment, supplies, and physical ability. Do not hike a fourteener if you are new to hiking or new to altitude. If you are new to fourteeners, do not hike without an experienced guide.

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