Even though this semester is really going to challenge me, I know I’ll get through it if I continue to work hard and focus on graduation. However, I can’t help but look ahead to this coming summer. It will be nice to have a summer transitioning from undergraduate studies to graduate studies, where i do not need to stress out as much about getting an internship as in previous years. This will leave my summer open to have some great adventures! I figured I would talk briefly about some of the mountain climbs I am hoping to do this summer…
Mt. Ritter (13,150 ft) and Banner Peak (12,936 ft)
These two mountains have been on my list for a while now. My dad has talked repeatedly to me about how spectacular hiking in the Minarets (this sub-mountain range) is. From the highway, the mountains look like jagged spikes, and are markedly different than the peaks around it. Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak, casually referred to together as Ritter and Banner, are two of the most popular mountains in this range. These peaks are usually summited together on one trip, because of their proximity to one another. I hope to summit these mountains this coming summer.
The first time I saw this mountain was when I was standing on top of Half Dome. I was looking out over Yosemite Valley, and this mountain stood out to me. I think it’s spectacular, because it sticks out as a smooth dome. Since then, I have wanted to climb it, and I hope to get to the top this summer.
The summer after 6th grade, I went on an RV trip up to Oregon and Washington. On our trip, we stopped in Mt. Rainer National Park, and spent some time walking around the base of the mountain. I thought the mountain was so majestic, and shoots up into the sky, with nothing around it. It would be a hard climb, requiring ice axes and crampons, but I would love to add a third mountain to my list of 14,000 foot mountains.
This mountain stands out to me for a couple reasons. First, it is the tallest mountain in Yosemite, and stands over 12,000 feet tall. Second, it is far out of the way, as it takes around a day just to hike to the base of the mountain. It is a very spectacular looking mountain, housing the Lyell Glacier below the summit.
These are just a couple of the mountains that have been on my list for a while now. I hope to enjoy summiting these mountains with my dad this summer. In the meantime, I have to focus on graduating!
