On September 17th, a Tuesday, Dad, our Uncle, a Cousin, Anne, Matthew, Jean, and I, started the long, and daunting climb up the high mountain in California: Mount Lassen!
The day before this adventure it had snowed on Lassen’s peak, making the journey colder, and more slippery. After paying a $10 parking fee, our party shouldered the sandwiches and water bottles in our two backpacks, and started up the zigzagging trail.
With Matthew and our cousin in the lead of the group, the girls and I began to pelt them with snowballs with snow from the patches of snow on either side of the trail. All of us wore short sleeved shirts, jeans, and light slickers, or jackets. We were in California so the Washington group thought it would be very hot.
The higher we ascended the mountain, the colder it got. We stopped throwing snowballs and put on our jackets. Now we could see a cloud shrouding the peak from our view, and the sun was hidden by another. All the “real hikers” had already climbed to the peak, and were passing us on their way down.
We started to see more and more snow as we neared the top of the mountain. The wind was strong and brought with it a biting cold. There was still a cloud covering the top, and now we were in it. Fog was so thick, we could hardly see 10 feet in front of us!
Once we reached an observation sight , we only had to cross a glacier field to get to the very top of the mountain. This we did. There was no real trail here, and the rocks, and snow were loose and rolled away where you stepped! Finally, after a 3 hour climb, we reached the summit. It was disappointing that our view was obscured by clouds. We huddled by each other to hide from the freezing wind, then started hurriedly back down.
After descending to a lower spot on the mount, we took shelter behind some rocks and ate our lunch. I was freezing because my shoes were cloth, and not right for ice, and slushy snow. We continued our journey down the mountain after our short sandwich break, and after one brisk hour we were back at the parking lot.
In the car our fingers began to thaw, and we discussed the day’s climb. With the mountain behind us we thought it had been a great experience! However, we all agreed the we wouldn’t want to do it again under the same circumstances. Well maybe we would, but I for one will bring a heavier jacket!
Psalms 90:2
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.
~Kate~
Rosehaven Homestead 
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