Sitting on rocks above the alpine lake
our spare dinner eaten under
a canopy of high sierra sky,
we waited for the full moon to rise.

We planned at the end of our 30 day trek
to climb the back end of
of Mt Whitney and arrive on top
just as the sun rises.

Miscalculations of food supplies
left us with hunger in spirit and mind
with all thoughts of glory abandoned.
Hail on top sent us back down to head home.

I turned twenty-one during the trip,
broke my glasses, lost weight, climbed Mt Sill and
had my first peak experience
which still gives pause me now.