I usually hike with my friend Pam and her dog, Dahla on Fridays. Today looked like a perfect day to climb Matanuska Peak but Pam didn't have enough time because she had a dinner date. We got a fairly late start too, about 11 am before we started our hike. Thinking I might still do Matanuska Peak, we started at the Matanuska Peak Trailhead. But I still couldn't talk Pam into climbing the higher peak. I considered climbing it from the top of Lazy Mountain but that is longer than the 10 miles along the regular trail and I knew I would get back after dark. So we hiked the Matanuska Peak Trail to where it intersects with the Lazy Mountain Southside Trail and turned up that way instead. We took a nice break at a spot nicknamed Stonehenge because of all the large rocks scattered around there. Bella led the whole way to the summit of Lazy Mountain. It really was a perfect day to be up there. No wind, nice and warm. Just beautiful conditions. While up on the summit elite runner Meg came sprinting up to the top and passed over the summit and sped like a gazelle down the far ridges towards Matanuska Peak. I joked that I wish I could follow her but knew she would likely be back to her car before I got to the summit. So reluctantly I hiked back the way we came with Pam and our dogs. It really was a beautiful hike and a great workout. Now I am determined to try Matanuska Peak, starting at 7 am on the next sunny day, even if I have to do it alone. A couple days next week look promising. I'll be watching the weather forecasts.
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| Matanuska Peak |
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| Pam and me and our dogs at the flag just below the summit |
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| The ridge towards Matanuska Peak from the top of Lazy Mountain |
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| Bella on top of Lazy Mountain |
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