Picture of the week 36

As we inched up the Western Breach Route, I invested most of my limited cognitive and physical resources, rest stepping and breathing. While we were still in the shade provided by our early start, I happened to look to the left and saw the sun just beginning to touch the top of Lava Tower 2500-ft. below.

The only way to arrest the pace of our head guide was to call, “maji” (water) or “photo”. (This was also the technique, yours truly used, to grab a quick rest). At any rate, we stopped and I snapped the photograph. Like so many of the images I collected, viewing this now shows the sun-lit Shira Plateau way off in the distance and congers anew the feelings of anticipation and excitement from that awesome day.

Alas, with the closing of the Western Breach Route this particular view will only be available in photographs for the foreseeable future.