Porter - done!

On our second full day, we decided to tackle Porter Mountain via Blueberry. It and Phelps were supposed to be merely 0.2 miles total difference in length, but this turned into 2 additional hours.

Turns out the elevation gains are very different (Porter ascends 3,275 feet compared to the 1,980' of Phelps) and that particular way to Porter is a little traveled, steep bushwack-like hike in large sections. We only saw 4 other people all day! The only flat sections were at the very top.

We had lunch at the east summit; Jan's posing here in front of Cascade Mountain, which we have hiked a few times before (it is the short way to Porter) and then finished up the last and flattest section really to get to the real summit for a photo op.

We were on this trail for 7:38 hrs, expending all kinds of effort. We aren't exactly approaching any of our hiking s day hikers, more like backpackers, ie we carry more weight than we need for the hike as we are training for hiking in big mountains when we'll need to carry our things from camp to camp.

All that to say, we had fantastic hike: beautiful views along the way, challenging terrain, enough food and water, and we summited our 7th mountain of the 46ers - only 39 to go!

On our last day we took it easy. We got the first swim of the season in at Chapel Pond, after a 1 hour hike to the Giant Washbowl just to stretch out the legs. Chapel Pond is Jan's favourite swimming hole, and it is practically unheard off to go swim in it in May. (Well... Jan swam and I cooled off my feet.)