I peed on a National Monument.

Twice. What else is a girl to do when she's trying to overdose on hydration on a hot day while climbing a volcano?
This is the Mt. St. Helen's crew getting ready for the climbing battle at way-too-early-O-thirty in the morning. Big D, Deeann and Mama Klavano. Now all 3 of these ladies had climbed Kilimanjaro in June so I had to bring it. Bring it Krista bring it!

So the first 2 miles is easy-cheesy. Were doing a gradual climb in the forest, stopping to pick berries, I'm reminding myself to stay awake - it basically feels like any other hike. I basically have no idea what to expect. Big D doesn't either - we just know somehow we'll be at the summit of Mt. St. Helen's eventually that day.
Soon the forest disappears and were presented with this huge lava boulder field. It is so steep that I'm still not comprehending how far were going to climb. The night before I was thinking "Elevation of 4500 feet in 5 miles? Oh, that's easy!" In my head anything less than 1000 ft elevation gain per mile is do-able and a great workout. And here's where my simple thinking failed me: Those hikes are usually long switchbacks. In forests. With dirt. And stable ground. To get to the summit of Mt. St. Helen's it's just a bit different...
To start we had to "look out for the posts" in the rock fields. There is no trail. Big D and I kept saying "Just up." Look for the posts and climb up.

*****Where's Waldo: Can you spot the post in this picture? One of many******

So this is "just up." These are lava boulders and can be sharp to the hands so eventually Big D and I started sporting garden gloves. Oh yea, they are also for massive rock gardens. Some rocks weren't stable. It was a constant maze of testing rocks, looking out for posts, finding a boulder that was small enough to climb over, asking "Where are you?" over the tall boulder and dodging squirrels. Yeah, you heard me. Those ferocious squirrels.

Check out this assertive bastard! He jumped on Big D's pack trying to get food! So here's a rule for the outdoors: Do not feed the animals. And don't ask me why not feeding squirrel's applies - you can ask Big D that question. Guess in actuality I really can't answer that question except to say they'll expect food and jump on your pack to get it! No squirrel guts, no squirrel glory!

Oh, and at this point I only heard one pika. Just one. I think there's a squirrel gang overtaking the lava field. It's not how it once was back in the day: a rock field that pikas, squirrels and marmots could live together in harmony. Those were the days...damn those gangster squirrels - they think they run the place now and all the granola bars are their's for the taking!

Anyway - all this drinking water (Ok, I finally admit having a camelback *is* nice), made our bladders full. After Big D braved a gut-relieving pee I decided that I couldn't hold back anymore and had to take advantage of her pee skills. She went to work and quickly found me a great pee spot. Mt. Adams and I had a very private moment as I took care of my business sans penis.

Climbing over the rock fields took FOREVER. But I didn't take many pictures because it took me a while to regain my balance everytime I stopped. I was kind of glad when the rocks were left behind and our portion of climbing thru the loose pumice stone and ash began. We broke out the trekking poles (thanks Mama Klavano!) and slowly trudged up the mountain taking one step, sliding down a half step before going on to the next step.

A lot of this climb reminded Big D of Kilimanjaro - except today wasn't as treacherous for her! She talked of steeper terrain, back in the pitch black dark which made her unaware of how much risk she was really taking navigating her way up...thank God today for bright sun. I like to know how much my life hangs in the balance...I think.

Finally to the top! This was my first official big picture! I saw a familar friend in the distance - why hello Mt. Rainier! Big D I were in awe...I hadn't been to Mt. St. Helens since I was a kid and puked pink pop out the window of our moving german station wagon. (it was white and looked pretty bitching with the pink racing stripe if I do say so myself...) Anyway - I was suprised to see all the trees were still collected in Spirit Lake. I was also impressed to see how much work our little Helen has done rebuilding her dome! But it was really cool to see it from this perspective.

I just like this picture. It's Big D and her shadow taking in a panoramic view for the very first time at the summit. Sah-Weet.

So one of our picnic neighbors at the summit was very nice to take pics of Big D and I with Mt. Rainier in the background...

....Then with Mt. Adam's in the background (shout out to Coach Sh ull and Andrea for climbing that bitch in one day last summer)

...then finally with Mt. Hood in the background so it wouldn't feel left out.

Enough with the pictures - we were stinking hungry. I could of been eating tuna fish and would of been the happiest girl in the world....no, that's not true. I would of thrown tuna fish in the crater. Which reminds me - when they climbed Kilimanjaro one night the cook's made "tuna fish stew." Gross. Seriously gross.

Anyway - Big D took a nice pic of my hiking boots hanging over the rim while we ate lunch. After stuffing ourselves with summit food goodness Big D and I laid our heads down in the ash and had a light nap while we waited for the rest of our hiking party. Life is good.

It didn't seem to take long for Mama Klavano and Deeann to make it to the summit to join us! Deeann met 2 of 2 goals that day: reach the summit and not injure herself on the lava rock field requring stitches. I'll let you guess what happened to her last year. But man oh man I was thinking of stiches every time I navigated a boulder and loose stone.

So Mama Klavano revealed we were *not* at the true summit yet. The true summit was beyond that crowd pictured above...then down (which was treacherous), then back up. OK. Were here. Might as well officially summit right?

So that treacherous part...holy crap. My butt was puckering the whole time! I was fighting off sheer panic while we were trying to navigate a steep rock field that was lining the crater's rim and a steep slope. A few times I put my weight on a unstable rock and watched it tumble, and tumble down the hill with a mini-avalanche. I couldn't decide if I wanted to die by falling into the crater or tumbling down the steep mountain. Both which seemed like very probable outcomes to me at that point. Big thanks to Big D for keeping me calm and showing me the way...

...to this. The true summit! Yes I was sitting on the crater's edge. It felt WAY safer than the treachery I just climbed thru with Big D! I waited as Big D went pee for the...3rd or 4th time I think. Yeah, take that national monument - at least I limited it to twice. After this I dropped shorts and relieved my bladder for the 2nd time. It was a really weird experience to be out in the open, on top of the world and mooning Mt. Rainier. But I liked it.

Here's Big D and I being picture whores. I still don't think I took enough pics - it was so amazing up there! (Mt. Adam's in the background).

*******2nd Where's Waldo: Can you spot Big D hiking along the crater's rim? Badass.*********

Here's Big D heading back up and over the rim of the crater to get back to the trail to head back to the car. I mean, there's not really a trail. Going down the ash/pumice stone was the best part! You take a step and "PLUNGE" down far! It was far easier going down that part. But then we hit the rocks. Holy hopping snot it was harder getting down that part. How we made it out without stitches, twisted ankles and broken wrists (yes, we fell a bit) is beyond me.

One last self-portrait at the top! Yay us! We made it! Big thanks to Mama Klavano and Deeann for helping and sharing this experience with us. Big thanks from me to Big D for helping me combat my inner-scaredy cat. And thanks Helen for reminding me to be more thankful for my trails. I forgot how nice it was to take a nice long stride again.

It has now been over 24 hours since the summit. I am sore. Beyond sore. My arms and legs are sore. Going down the rocks you basically have to do tricep dips to get down the rocks (and lat pulls to get up actually). Oh, and not putting sunscreen on the back of my legs was a bad idea. I'm waddling around like ET - if I had a sunflower it would be suffering too.

Was it worth it? Hell yeah. Will I do it again? Hmm....

PS - Unrelated but big props to Jenny and her first 5k! Big D and I could barely keep up with her in the last mile when she informed us she was going to "kick it". Even up the hill folks. Jenny got a PR and an amazing time - 9:35 miles. Did I mention she just starting running 2 months ago? I'm so proud and inspired!