With a throbbing ankle, plagued by tendonitis in my achilles tendon, I heaved my heavy pack onto my back and headed down the trail.
A nice morning, cool, sunny and calm, I meandered forward with delicate steps, protecting myself from the pain in my swollen ankle.
The trail was gentle, rocky and slow.
The forest gave way to granite boulders, rocks and dirt. I was moving slowly, a couple miles to hell, the golden staircase. A long series of high stepping rocks and boulders forming innumerable switchbacks. the climb to Palisade lakes. A beautiful alpine basin and lake.
Hours later, halfway up the Golden Staircase, I stopped under the only tree on the climb. A spindly pine with very few needles, providing almost no shade from the scorching sun. Drenched in sweat, ankle throbbing, and water running low, I sat, in awe, gazing out from the mountain-side. Wondering how far I had to go to reach my destination, for relief, and wondering if it would all be worth it.
Spoiler, it was!
The sun getting hotter, the trail dry and dusty, my mouth and skin like sandpaper, this may been the first time since on the trail that I craved a drink of water. To make matters worse, a beautiful mountain creek, palisade creek, was within view, but unreachable.
The creek tumbled down the mountain a couple hundred yards from the trail.
The switchbacks eventually gave way to a steep, straightening trail as I crested the staircase and drew closer to my destination. The rocks that surrounded me all day receded as the mountain walls spread away and revealed a flatter opening in the mountains. Palisade creek now closer to the trail, wildflowers and lush shrubbery surrounded me.
As my breathing slowed and each step grew easier the basin expanded and Palisade lake unveiled itself. Crystal clear water, shimmering in the late day sun, this basin is an oasis between imposing mountains and a steep desert-like trail.
A paradise, like many others on the trail.
I sauntered on, another hundred yards or so. Found a spot to camp, dropped my backpack and laid in the dirt to take a short nap while the breeze and warm sun filled pampered my soul.
