Pico Norte - La Segunda Vez

For those of you who are bilingually-challenged, the title means "North Peak - The Second Time"

This past Saturday I got up at 4:44 and prepared to lead a group of four buddies up the tallest mountain in Monterrey. If any of you have been reading this blog for the past year, you will remember that last May my friend Nolan and I had a crazy day and night on this mountain. That experience proved to be very valuable, as I knew the trail well having already navigated it in the dark.

By 6:00 A.M. we had started our trek up the steep, winding trail. The first hour flew by in darkness as I set a quick pace along the ancient riverbank that dried up centuries ago. We stopped to rest at about 7 and I took the picture below.



By 8 A.M. we were to an old campsite that I recognized and I knew we were making great time. On the previous trip we had taken a different trail and had arrived at this spot after 3 1/2 hours. The two trails converged at this point, and I was really glad we had taken the faster one. We made a quick stop and the guys were encouraged to know we making such good progress. I was hoping we would be to the top in another two and a half hours.

At 9:12 we stopped to take a drink and watch the sun slip up over the mountain. For the first time we could see the rays and it was warm and energizing. I knew we were near the top, even though we couldn't see much in the thick trees. I told the guys that if we didn't stop we could make it by 9:30. We pushed ourselves hard for the final fifteen minutes, and made it to the peak it a remarkable time of 3 hours 30 minutes. It felt great. The next picture is of all the guys at the top.



I was able to find where I wrote my name on the antenna the last time I climbed the mountain. I added the second date, and plan to add a few more before I leave.



It is tradition for successful climbers to leave their mark or flag at the peak of the mountain. I like this tradition, so I left a flag of sorts on the antenna. See if you can pick out which was mine.



This next picture is me in front of the city I call home. If you look just to your left of my right arm you will see the stadium and campus of Tec de Monterrey, home of Los Borregos. I live just to the left of the campus.



We stayed on top of the mountain for about two and a half hours. Some of the guys napped, while others took pictures and enjoyed the view. I stretched a lot, drank a lot of water and Gatorade, and tried to make a few phone calls. The reception up there was excellent.

The trip down the mountain was more difficult that the trip up. For people who have never been on a mountain, this is a little hard to understand, but we all agreed that coming down was no joke. Gravity is pulling you down the slippery slope, making it much easier to fall and get hurt. There is also a lot more pressure on the joints in muscles in your legs. By the time we got to the bottom, all of us had had several close calls and were thankful to have nothing more than some cramps and bruises to deal with. The following picture is the group at the bottom of the trail. We were tired, sore, hungry, and victorious!