The Pulpit Rock - conquered!
It was a perfect climbing day. Cloudy, but even as I was making notes earlier the cloud was lifting and the lake below the hostel cafe was completely calm.
Hans took off around 10:15 and I settled down to wait, having been told it is a 2 hour trip each way. I was pretty sure Hans would be faster and the waitress in the cafe told me it can be done in 1 - 1.5 hours up, and somewhat less coming back.
Hans was back in just over 2.5 hours and that included a half hour at the top to eat his lunch and take photos. He told me later he passed 30 people on the way up and was damned if he was going to let some 80 year old Swede pass him! However, an 18 year old woman did... and near the top.
The climb starts out deceptively gentle for 200 metres. Then it gets steep (35% incline) and just when you think you can't take it anymore, it gets worse - 40-45%. He felt his heart thundering in his chest a few times but couldn't clutch his chest as he needed his hands balance on the rocks. The terrain is all thick boulders, nothing is even and you constantly have to watch your feet so you don't snap an ankle. That would be a very unfortunate accident as there's only one quick way down. It's not a recommended descent though apparently some have taken it.
Meanwhile, back at the cafe I'm all by myself until a young man walks in and orders 2 sandwiches. While he waits, I ask where he's from.
"Korea," he replies.
"Kamsamnida, " I say, one of two words I remember from our trips to Korea. I invited him to join me so I could tell him how much we loved his country, how we hosted some wonderful Koreans on a GSE team, and how Alethea had climbed Taebek mountain back in 1999.
After he leaves I try to make more notes but I feel my eyes slide sideways and lock on the water. I can't tear them away, it's so beautiful out there. From the cafe you can't see the pulpit rock but I try to imagine where Hans is in his journey, whether he's finished and on his way down. And then I drift away again letting my eyes float over the water far beneath me. There is no gentle descent here into the water. The cliffs plunge down vertically and most of what you see are huge granite outcroppings bursting through the trees. The landscape looks so old. Even the picnic tables fit in. They look like a short Stonehenge: one large slab of rock across 2 smaller ones and circled by seating rocks. They are perfect.
Hans took off around 10:15 and I settled down to wait, having been told it is a 2 hour trip each way. I was pretty sure Hans would be faster and the waitress in the cafe told me it can be done in 1 - 1.5 hours up, and somewhat less coming back.
Hans was back in just over 2.5 hours and that included a half hour at the top to eat his lunch and take photos. He told me later he passed 30 people on the way up and was damned if he was going to let some 80 year old Swede pass him! However, an 18 year old woman did... and near the top.
The climb starts out deceptively gentle for 200 metres. Then it gets steep (35% incline) and just when you think you can't take it anymore, it gets worse - 40-45%. He felt his heart thundering in his chest a few times but couldn't clutch his chest as he needed his hands balance on the rocks. The terrain is all thick boulders, nothing is even and you constantly have to watch your feet so you don't snap an ankle. That would be a very unfortunate accident as there's only one quick way down. It's not a recommended descent though apparently some have taken it.
Meanwhile, back at the cafe I'm all by myself until a young man walks in and orders 2 sandwiches. While he waits, I ask where he's from.
"Korea," he replies.
"Kamsamnida, " I say, one of two words I remember from our trips to Korea. I invited him to join me so I could tell him how much we loved his country, how we hosted some wonderful Koreans on a GSE team, and how Alethea had climbed Taebek mountain back in 1999.
After he leaves I try to make more notes but I feel my eyes slide sideways and lock on the water. I can't tear them away, it's so beautiful out there. From the cafe you can't see the pulpit rock but I try to imagine where Hans is in his journey, whether he's finished and on his way down. And then I drift away again letting my eyes float over the water far beneath me. There is no gentle descent here into the water. The cliffs plunge down vertically and most of what you see are huge granite outcroppings bursting through the trees. The landscape looks so old. Even the picnic tables fit in. They look like a short Stonehenge: one large slab of rock across 2 smaller ones and circled by seating rocks. They are perfect.
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I'm really enjoying your little updates, even thought I don't have much time at work to make lots of comments!
FD