Grotto Mountain

Grotto Mountain was the mountain that almost didn’t happen! Jeff was very tired for this one but I managed to drag him right to the top. It was very windy and cold up on the ridge and we still had a long ways to go. Jeff waited for me on the ridge while I made a dash for the summit. I would recommend doing this peak in dry conditions as it’s much easier without snow and a bitterly cold wind. People have died on this mountain getting lost on descent, so I also recommend descending the way you came up.

I very nearly froze to death on this scramble! My fingers where so numb that I couldn’t hold my poles - they only stayed on because of the straps. On the way down the ridge from the summit a gust of wind became a whirlwind that almost tossed me into the gorge on the north side of the mountain! There is a direct route which I might try some day as well.