We all have our own reasons for choosing to be
involved in Endurance Riding. It can be the camaraderie, the competition or
just a good excuse to spend time on our horse away from it all.
On Wednesday here in Seattle the weatherman said that it would be
the last of the 70 degree days until next spring. Wanting to get in on the
action, King and I headed up to Crystal Mountain Ski Area that is located a
little over an hour away, on the east boundary of Mt Rainier National Park. We
parked at the Sand Flats Horse Camp (built by Backcountry Horsemen) and headed
up to NorsePeak
and GoatLake. It is a very Tevis like trail,
starting at 4000’ and going over a pass at 6000’ through incredible
alpine forests and around shear rock cliffs. The Vine Maple and Huckleberry was
doing its fall thing with bright greens, yellows and reds. This feast for the
eyes coupled with the wonderful high alpine smells and absolute quiet and
warmth on the south slope made for a special assent. We dropped down into GoatLake
for a quick drink and snack. The area looked like a farm yard there was so much
activity from Elk. I never saw them but a couple of bucks started to bugle from
the next ridge over, marking the start of rutting season.
On the ride back up to the pass I noticed a herd of
Dahl Sheep on the backside of the ridge I missed on the way in. So King and I
climbed to the top of the peak (6305’) and came out just a couple hundred
feet above them. From small yearlings to the patriarch, there were almost two
dozen and they were mostly unconcerned with our presence. King is a grey so
they probably though he was a lost long legged cousin. A pair of Ravens did
come over to investigate, cackling and laughing at the intruders. The view from
the top is dominated by Mt Rainier with its 14,410’ height only 10 miles
away. Across its east shoulder stands Mt Adams off in the distance. The
glaciers were brown and grey, cover with the summer’s debris; waiting for
the season’s first big snow (may be happening right now). Watching the
disasters from the GulfCoast makes me realize
how close we all are to some major problem. If any of these large volcanoes let
go (Mt St Helens was a small one), look out…
King and I are new to each other and he doesn’t
have a lot of trail experience (5yo full Arab). He has never spooked but he certainly
has been shying away from the scary stumps, rocks and dirt piles. This trail is
all single track, cutting across steep hillsides and with drop-offs, so not a good
place to have a melt down. King had a prime chance when a Grouse jumped up from
3 feet away to land in a tree near by. Thankfully all he did was a little
twitch and a head bob, without even losing stride. Heck, I jumped more than he
did.
So in three hours at a walk, trot and a (little)
canter we covered 10-15 miles with over 6200’ elevation change. The sun
blazed down with the Lenticular clouds on the mountain peaks marking the change
in weather and the inevitable march of the seasons. Almost assuredly without my
involvement in Endurance and the associated “pressure” to train, we
would not have gone out.
Protect your sanity. Breathe deeply. Hug your family
(human as well as horse). Relax and go riding.
