Twin Peaks and the Dragons Breath

Trekked up Twin peaks the other day with A friend of mine. We were going to do the Williwaw lakes hike around O'Malley peak but something about all the rain and fog let us turn plans and head north some. When we Got to our destination it was raining harder than before we left Anchorage. This was a good sign that we were still alive so we headed up the trail. It rained pretty damned constantly all the way up to the tree line. This worked out nice because there was no one else on the immediate trail.(It seems the brim of my bush hat tested out pretty well in that I don't recall having the constant drip drip of rain invade the center of my back. Therefore I think a hearty thumbs up is due to whoever invented these things.) If there was no one else on the official trail there certainly wouldn't be anyone scrambling the unmarked areas up toward the peaks. We were right. By the time we hit the tree line the rain had ceased or been left below us and we were introduced to an amazing display of the dragons breath rolling and flowing around, above, and beneath us, opening occasionally to reveal a ridge or peak that we might keep our bearings as we headed upwards via any number of switchbacks toward our destination. Every time we thought we were cresting the uppermost ridge there seemed to always be another vertical ascension awaiting us that had been obscured by the ever thickening dragons breath of clouds. We finally opted to just trek around the various ridges. On a clear day I would find it a hard thing to not constantly be filled with amazement by the sheer vastness, scope, and beauty of this range of mountains and the valley below us. On this day because of the closeness of the clouds I was able to turn my gaze toward the more immediate surroundings. Goat paths and alpine tundra, mountain streams, rocks and marmot holes. At one rocky outcropping at cliffs edge we just had to stand and take it in. Still, the clouds swirled thickly below us giving the impression that we could just step right off that cliff and walk atop them out into the valley. Pristine mountain nature all around my feet as tho we were ones of a very few who trek this far above and beyond the marked trail.

Just us and "Jason and Amber".

What? yes, Jason must sure love Amber because he had bought her a nice little pack of expensive swiss chocolates to show it. "From Jason to Amber with all my love" did the half eaten package read. I suppose that the .00008 ounces of plastic wrapping and the 2 uneaten pcs of chocolate was just toooo much to pack out after the rigorous testing of some proposal or other showing of devotion so here's to you Jason and Amber. It could have been there for a few days, weeks, months, I don't know but Fuck you very much and I hope one or the other had to carry the other out with a sprained ankle as penance for not taking your plastic and chocolate out with you. Assholes.

P.S. Don't worry, I packed it out for you. Please don't return to get it. The land doesn't like you any more.


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