Søvn followed her oldest friend Kelly up the final stretch of the hike. It was steep, really steep. Steep enough that sometimes you had to use your hands on the rock above you to hoist yourself up. Steep enough not to foolishly look back behind you or to think about how on earth you were going to get yourself back down again. The trail was hot and dusty with crumbling brown rocks that sometimes slid out from under your hiking boots. The fall sun beat with a heat as relentless as any summer afternoon.

This hike had been on Søvn's bucket list for two summers and an open Friday on the last day of September presented itself. Do it today or wait until next year. And now the trail was kicking her ass. Her legs shook a little and her muscles screamed with exhaustion.  

Rest-step, thought Søvn, locking her back knee and trying to feel the rest it afforded the other leg. Admittedly, it was hard to appreciate. She stopped in the partial shade of a bush and leaned over hands on knees trying to catch her breath. Am I light headed?  She desperately tried to even out her breathing. Kelly who had seemed to lag behind during the first four and a half miles seemed to pick up speed once the summit was in sight. Though only a dozen yards ahead of her it felt like and impossible distance to catch up. 

Finally, three and half hours after leaving the car, they reached the top of of the mountain. A few other hikers milled about at rocky peak admiring the view, snapping photos, and looking to see what others had stashed in the infamous mailbox, hauled up by a postal worker and part-time camp counselor in the 1960's. 

Two women in their early twenties spoke to a young man on a cell phone. They wore sports bras and tight leggings, highlighting their slender athletic frames. One of them had an intricate jellyfish tattoo across her abdomen.

"We got up in about two and a half hours," exclaimed jellyfish girl.

Kelly and Søvn exchanged glances and a chuckle. 

"We never looked like that," said Søvn, "even if we could have hiked this faster 20 years ago.

"True," agreed Kelly.

"And they still have to navigate husbands and children," said Søvn. "I wouldn't want to do all that again."

Kelly, nodded in agreement. 

Soon the jellyfish tattooed girl and her friend put on their t-shirts and started down the mountain. 

"I'm not going to relax until we get back down that steep part," said Kelly. Søvn couldn't disagree. One small step could destroy your knee. In fact, Søvn had severely injured her knee 20 years earlier on the mountain right next to the one they were presently climbing (see photo below) and it was nearly 1000 feet lower in elevation. Why did she have to prove herself like this?

Slowly, but surely they picked their way back down. Kelly had saved her lunch for the shade of the forest rather than having scarfed it down at the summit like Søvn had. 

"The question is will we still be able to do this in another 20 years?" asked Søvn.

"Those two old men we passed on the way up did it," said Kelly.

"The ones talking about the cocktails they are going to make tonight," said Søvn.

"I think getting up will still be possible, but I think getting back down is only going to get harder."