Go Climb a Mountain

So back to our Hawaii business trip.  Wednesday morning, last full day....it's time for the annual climb up the Sleeping Giant.  There he is in full repose in the distance.  That's his head on the left, Soaring 1284 feet above sea level.  And I'm at sea level here.  This is the view from the resort beach.

So a bunch of us adventurers car pooled to the parking lot at the base.  You want to get an early start as it gets pretty hot later in the day.  There he is.  We call that pointy part on the right his chin.  You'll see more of that later.

 Here are the climbers for this trip.  Hopefully the same number return.

This isn't a stroll in the park.  Some parts are a little tough.  And this isn't one of them.  Gerrit has baby Finn strapped on his back.  Now that's confidence, I think.

 The trail switch-backs up the side.  Here is a view of the head on the way up.  Still have a ways to go.

 Making the final assault on the head.  Troy is probably already up there.  He is speedy.  I like to look around and take pictures, which covers for resting.

 At the very top.  On his forehead part, but he never woke up.

Here is a view back to the South towards our resort.  It's hazy due to volcano fog or vog from Kilauea volcano on the Big Island.

 Now to scale the chin, as Troy has done here.  It can be a little treacherous, especially if you look down.  So I don't.  There are no hand rails, and when I look at these pictures it seems a little crazy to do that.  But everyone does!

Kayla Duckert poses on top of the world.

 Nick and Andrea do a couples pose.

 Darn it Dale, you're not supposed to look down!  It's only 1281 feet to the ground.  The trees down there should break your fall.

Well he must have made it back up.  I saw him at his desk the other day.