First Solo hike for me for the 4000 club. It was a very cool saturday morning, and the weather was calling for storms. I parked off 302 the Ethan Pond Trail head, geared up, and started out. The trail map isn't very clear at all when it comes to the start, it shows Ripley falls off to the left of the trail but honestly you head up this trail to Mount Willey. I had prepared very well for this even had the trail map in my hand, extra clothes, and found myself sweating after the first mile. The entire trail from start to finish is a giant incline it never lets up, no balance out for a little, its climb climb climb.
 |
| Ripley Falls trail to Mount Willey. |
|
|
I found the entire climb to the top very hard on the knees, but not for endurance at all, infact I did not find myself tired one bit. The knees and thighs were a hurting from the constantly incline, and some of the section completely washed out. You find yourself on muddy inclines trying to climb rock, you slide because there isn't alot of foot hold to get steady with. Another common thing you will notice because of all the little creeks, you are basically walking the first half up in 2 inches of water. While it never really seeped into my shoes, this would be a nightmare if the temp dropped just a little. Unless you were in spikes or ice skates heh. About mid way you hit the AT trail until you get to the Willey trail head, its a nice small section but always makes me feel prouder of myself being on it. I don't have an real reason in my head, I think its because the AT is the hike, I'm sure some of you understand.
 |
| Another small part of the AT down. |
|
|
Willey Summit climb, I saw seven people total on this hike, all of them said the same thing to me, this part of the climb, just brutal. The incline with the soaking wet rocks till you get to the ladder section is scary, you feel like you could slip at any moment, and alot of the mud before the each section has eroded away, you feel the slide you grab a tree branch or dig your poles in. On the other hand, you felt like you were earning this hike (Another feeling in my head alot of you share). Ladder section, scary going up, coming down felt amazing. Going up felt scary because the boards were wet and old and I was leaning forward to jump from one section to the next. This going down, not an issue in fact going down ruled, the ladders were great. Might just be perception.
 |
| Climbing fool! |
|
|
After the ladders, is a small section of straight rock, you pretty much are going up sideways on the rock, I met a couple of hut to hut hikers we traded passing each other on this section, cracked a few jokes, I exhaled after they passed me on the final rock because I was like I don't want anyone to see me go holy crap this was tough part haha. From here its a straight 100 feet to the summit, the summit itself is pretty much all small tree you can't see anything unless you cross to the outlook section where it looks cut down over the rock. The view, killer, I mean I was stunned looking over, met a person named Eric who was a local this was his third attempt up willey and he finally made it. Said the weather for the last couple weekends made climbing passed the Avalon trail impossible, I felt like i lucked out.
 |
| This sets my soul at peace. |
|
|
|
I had started at 11 got to the top at 2, I was impressed the mountain itself pushed me to take so long, but also I was impressed with myself for being alone hiking. Around 2:30ish, I had finished lunch, I started to hear the booms, looked up, and the storm was coming in, thunder and lightening, oh so very frighting. Look its Doot on the top of the summit with metal poles, I decided to make haste down the mountain as fast as I could, and I did an impressive hour and half down, granted it was all literally down hill, and I did not faceplant once, but you cruise going down. Between the ladders and the slope you just keep chugging along. If you go, I will say give youself enough time, i wanted to get all three but unless you are starting very early, you won't Willey's trail is a time consumer, plus lots of creeks to enjoy. But at the end you can look over and say, wow. This was great, and a 7 mile round trip just willey's.
 |
| That's Rt 302, and it seems small. |
|
