We are not a risk taking family. We carefully plan our hikes based on the weather, our conditioning, hours of daylight etc. Sometimes plans go wrong. Today was supposed to be "mostly sunny." It was when we got to the trailhead and stayed that way for most of the time of the climb up. By the time we got to Mt. Hight it was raining. Our 4000 footer peak Carter Dome was still about 25 minutes away but we pressed on. After Hight the hike was almost always sheltered and the thunder had not started yet. The thunder and torrential rains did start on the trail down. Fortunately the trails were never steep (Carter Dome and 19 mile brook) or slippery. We had one difficult brook crossing which Kate and Jordan showed the way to us and a 76 year old hiker who came to the crossing at the same time as us. He had been hiking these trails for 60 years, he reminisced and in his younger days would have just skipped across. The key to high weather crossings is to not think too long at each step – which is why the kids showed the way. This was #34. (Mt Hight doesn't count as a 4000 footer because it is not at least 200 ft above the ridge.)
Distance 10.2 miles; Climb 3600 ft; Elevation 4832 ft. (Carter Dome); 4675 ft. (Mt. Hight)
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