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A AGC JOURNAL 2018GC 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 diff erent 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 diffi cult, 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,
fi eld and we knew we were near the summit. from the California
When we fi nally 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 fi nally 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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