Page 118 - AGC Journal 2018
P. 118

2018
              GC JOURNAL
             A AGC JOURNAL 2018




             Sickness
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Entrance to the
             In the morning, one of our team members was                                                                                                                                                             Grand Canyon
             unwell so we had to abandon our journey and                                                                                                                                                             National Park.
             leave the mountain the way we had come as it                                                                                                                                                            Jessica Denton
             would have been too dangerous to continue.                                                                                                                                                              is second from
             On the way back another team member fell ill.                                                                                                                                                           left
             A short day for us all as we headed back to Lone
             Pine.
             Day Nine

             We planned to climb Mount Langley the next

             day, a different trek so we did not have to
             retrace our steps from the day before. We had
             a relaxing day as we sorted out some personal
             administration, caught up on some much
             needed sleep and more importantly allowed
             our bodies time to recover after some seriously
             arduous trekking.
             Mount Langley

             We got permits for Mount Langley and set off
             in the minibus for Cotton Wood Trail Head. We
             trekked along the Cottonwood lakes trail for
             eight miles through a lush forest and ended the
             day by camping at High Lake, a boulder strewn
             landscape with a stream pouring into a crystal
             clear lake. This camp site was in a good position
             for us to climb Mount Langley the next day.

             The Summit
             We woke at 2 a.m. and got ready to leave for
             the summit. We left the tents and our kit in
             the campsite and set off only with day sacks   The view from the

             carrying food and water. As we climbed, the   South Rim of the

             altitude started to make breathing difficult,   Grand Canyon

             but we continued steadily.  The ground was
             loose and gravely which caused us to lose our
             footing, but eventually we came to a boulder                                                                                                       The view                                               High Lake,

             field and we knew we were near the summit.                                                                                                          from the                                               California

             When we finally reached the top we looked out                                                                                                       top of
             on the amazing view and took Serpents with                                                                                                         Mount
             our team and celebrated. On the way back we                                                                                                        Langley
             collected our tents and kit and left the campsite
             and trekked all the way back the way we had
             come. The entire journey that day, from the
             campsite to the summit and all the way back
             again was 18 miles. We were all exhausted once
             we exited from the Trail Head.
             Las Vegas
             We left Lone Pine excited to get to Las Vegas
             to celebrate completing our journey and to                                                                                                    At the top of Mount
             relax. We drove back through Death Valley and                                                                                                 Langley looking                                              The Death
             through to Nevada. When we finally arrived at                                                                                                  out over the Sierra                                          Valley Sign

             Las Vegas we checked in to the Luxor hotel for                                                                                                Nevada Mountains
             two nights rest and relaxation, before returning
             home.
             Endnote

             This is the last time that Exercise Northern
             Integrated Serpent will take place. It has been
             an amazing experience. I have learned that I am
             much more capable than I originally thought   Watching the sun
             and I have grown stronger physically and   rise on the Mount
             mentally because of this trip.         Langley







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