at the top




mount shasta

Originally uploaded by cygnoir

Mt. Shasta looms beside the I-5, so I snapped some photos of it on our drive home from Portland.

I have never climbed a mountain. I am not terribly interested in the idea of climbing a mountain. Some time in my thirties I gave up on the idea of doing things I wasn’t terribly interested in doing for the sake of saying I had done them.

Still, when I awkwardly aimed my phone at this massive landmark, I wondered what it would be like at the top. Because of this wondering, I won’t rule out the possibility that I might want to climb a mountain someday.

About Halsted M. Bernard

Halsted, a/k/a cygnoir, does stuff with words. Her favourite things to do with words are keeping this diary, writing stories, and organising information. She lives in Edinburgh with her husband, two cats, a few gadgets, several fountain pens, and many books.

Posted on 2 Nov 2009 in Diary
  • David

    I’m not big on doing things just to say I’ve done them either. And I don’t look for “climbing more mountains” to be on my to-do list any time soon. But in my teens and 20s I made it to the top of several. So I will tell you this. You may not want to do it a second time, but the first time you go to the top of a major mountain you will decide that it was well worth the effort of the climb. Be sure and take a camera.

    • http://cygnoir.net cygnoir

      You’re right, of course, David, but I am barely good enough at non-mountain hiking that I can’t imagine myself making it to the top of anything that tall.

      When I *can* imagine myself doing so, I will do it. And I will bring a camera!

  • http://www.atypical.net/ Joan

    Gorgeous picture.

    I’ve climbed Mt. Fuji – I believe the old adage is “Only a fool never climbs Fuji, but only a fool climbs it twice.” It wasn’t easy, even though I started halfway up (by bus). The shelter where I slept on the mountain was uncomfortable and the food was poor. The sunrise the next morning was worth it, though, as was the small Shinto shrine. Boy was I sore for days!

    Remind me and I’ll get a photo online. I’m shocked none of them are in my gallery yet.

    • http://cygnoir.net cygnoir

      This is your reminder: please post pix!

  • Matt

    i think it looks good from ground level.

    • http://cygnoir.net cygnoir

      Ditto here. :)

  • Matt

    Yes indeed.

    • http://cygnoir.net cygnoir

      What were you indeeding?

  • Jef Poskanzer

    Shasta is hard. Shasta kills people. I bet you could do Mount Lassen, though.

    Or just drive up Diablo.

    • http://cygnoir.net cygnoir

      I’m all for driving up things. Or, really, riding in the passenger seat while someone else drives up things.

      Wow, when did I get so boring?