Bandera Mountain

Today looked like it could have been a bad day for sightseeing. The day started out so foggy, but by the time we got halfway through the trail, the fog started lifting.

Bandera Mountain is a fairly decent hike. The beginning parts of it were extremely easy, then when you suddenly split between Mason Lake trail and Bandera, the trail went insane. From the split point, you crawl up the mountain on a boulder field…by crawl, I mean with your hands because the damned thing was so steep. I had to tuck away my trekking poles and start grabbing onto rocks.

Yes, I own yuppie hiking sticks. I bought them with my snowshoes and my knees say, “We loves them.” Why my knees speak in Smeagol grammar, I have no idea…although it would explain why they constantly turn against me at the worst moments on the trails. One minute, I’m hiking along, happy knees, life is good. Next minute my knees are collapsing, and I’m telling my buddy, “I’m not going to make it. Tell my mom I love her. And tell my coworkers if they break my Darth Vader force choking code one more time, I will come back and haunt them.”

Other than the scary boulder climb, the overall hike was nice and uneventful. Most of the hike was out in the open, so you get a lovely view for a good part of the climb. Watching the fog roll up the mountain past you is nice too.