A five-year-old ascending at a 1500'/hr clip?!?! Behold the next Reinhold Messner! :-) I'm jealous that you experienced a sky island. That has been a long-time goal of mine, but alas, I have been disappointed.
That trip is one I'd never forget. The sky island was unbelievable. I here it is somewhat common out here due to the marine layer setting up off of the Pacific Ocean. Often time the marine cool air will slip underneath the warmer continental air and is trapped by the Cascade Mountains. The western Cascades are a good place to find a sky island due to these factors. That being said it is rare and when you get once those day you will cherish it forever!
As for Lance that is completely unexplained except that Lance has overwhelming energy. I remember getting in the car and looking at the kid and thinking "Are you crazy!!!". As Lance and Kirk passed me on the Class 2 boulder scramble (unmarked, uncairned with boulder easily 7-10 feet tall in some places) I thought to myself "Wow". This kid could have easily done Mt. Lafayette and Mt. Washington back east. On my five trips up Mt. Lafayette and two up Mt. Washington when I lived in New Hampshire, I never saw a child below the age of 14. I was also amazed at how well behaved Lance was! I would have been crying at the age of 5 especially on the scramble. Towards the end the kid was literally running down the last mile of trail (he was determined to beat me and did).
Not only does Lance have the competitive juices of his dad, he has the consititution of his Aztec mother. I wish I could have been there to share in your humiliation.
WalksWithBlackflies - Sep 20, 2007 2:32 pm - Voted 10/10
LanceA five-year-old ascending at a 1500'/hr clip?!?! Behold the next Reinhold Messner! :-) I'm jealous that you experienced a sky island. That has been a long-time goal of mine, but alas, I have been disappointed.
EastKing - Sep 20, 2007 10:41 pm - Hasn't voted
Lance and Sky IslandThat trip is one I'd never forget. The sky island was unbelievable. I here it is somewhat common out here due to the marine layer setting up off of the Pacific Ocean. Often time the marine cool air will slip underneath the warmer continental air and is trapped by the Cascade Mountains. The western Cascades are a good place to find a sky island due to these factors. That being said it is rare and when you get once those day you will cherish it forever!
As for Lance that is completely unexplained except that Lance has overwhelming energy. I remember getting in the car and looking at the kid and thinking "Are you crazy!!!". As Lance and Kirk passed me on the Class 2 boulder scramble (unmarked, uncairned with boulder easily 7-10 feet tall in some places) I thought to myself "Wow". This kid could have easily done Mt. Lafayette and Mt. Washington back east. On my five trips up Mt. Lafayette and two up Mt. Washington when I lived in New Hampshire, I never saw a child below the age of 14. I was also amazed at how well behaved Lance was! I would have been crying at the age of 5 especially on the scramble. Towards the end the kid was literally running down the last mile of trail (he was determined to beat me and did).
magellan - Sep 23, 2007 3:38 am - Hasn't voted
Good stockNot only does Lance have the competitive juices of his dad, he has the consititution of his Aztec mother. I wish I could have been there to share in your humiliation.