ON THIS SEPTEMBER 11, 2017, LISA VAJDA AND MYSELF DECIDED TO ATTEMPT TO REACH THE TOP OF TOWER MOUNTAIN FROM VELOCITY BASIN AS A MEMORIAL HIKE FOR THE 16TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE 9/11 TERRORIST ATTACKS. THIS WAS ACTUALLY JANE MARIE JOHNSON'S IDEA AND SCHEDULED HIKE BUT DUE TO THE POOR WEATHER FORECAST SHE RESCHEDULED THE HIKE FOR LATER IN THE WEEK. LISA AND I HAD BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS HIKE SO WE PROCEEDED WITH CAUTION KNOWING THAT RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON FORECAST. THIS IS A "HARD" STEEP HIGH ALTITUDE HIKE OF 6+ MILES RT HIKE MOSTLY ON ANIMAL TRAILS THAT GAINS OVER 2300' TO REACH THE TOP OF TOWER MOUNTAIN AT AN ELEVATION OF 13,552'. ONCE ON THE RIDGE ABOVE THE SADDLE, THE 360 DEGREE VIEWS OF THE SURROUNDING PEAKS AND THE VIEWS DOWN INTO VELOCITY BASIN ARE OUTSTANDING. WE STARTED OUT EARLY IN THE MORNING WITH SUNNY SKIES BUT AS WE REACHED THE RIDGE HEADING TOWARD TOWER WE SAW CLOUDS AND LIGHT RAIN IN THE DISTANCE. WE DECIDED TO STOP FOR LUNCH (SO THAT I COULD EAT MY PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICH) AND ACCESS THE WEATHER. WE DECIDED IT WASN'T WISE TO CONTINUE ON SO AFTER A QUICK STOP, WE PACKED UP AND TURNED BACK. AT THIS TIME, WE HEARD THE FIRST SOUNDS OF THUNDER. I WAS SO SCARED THAT I HIKED AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT AND TURNED AROUND TO FIND LISA WAY BEHIND. THEN IT STARTED TO RAIN AND THE WINDS WERE PICKING UP. LISA DUE TO HER RECENT ANKLE FRACTURE WAS DESCENDING SLOWLY AS TO NOT HURT HER ANKLE. BEING THE KIND AND CONSIDERATE MOXIE THAT I AM, I CONTINUED TO HIKE DOWN EVEN MORE QUICKLY AS I AM A BIG CHICKEN WHEN THE THUNDER AND LIGHTENING STARTS. WHAT A FRIEND I AM!!! BUT...SHE DID SAY THERE WAS NO NEED FOR BOTH OF US TO DIE AND SHE HAD THE KEYS TO THE TRUCK SO SHE KNEW I WASN'T GOING TOO FAR WITHOUT HER. ANYWAY, WE DID END UP GETTING RAINED ON BUT WE SURVIVED AND IT WAS A FUN DAY. WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR NEXT ADVENTURE. NEXT TIME LISA I PROMISE I WON'T LEAVE YOU BEHIND BUT ONCE YOUR ANKEL IS FULLY RECOVERED YOU WILL BE THE ONE LEAVING ME IN THE DUST.
