Hello 2025

Do you ever feel like maybe life is actually just a crazy fever dream? Like we are all going to wake up at some point and say, "Wow, that was really weird!"

I'm actually super grateful for 2024 - it was a wonderful year. But there have been big "WTF?" moments too. So starting off 2025 by ascending Mount Weird felt apropos. Why not embrace the insanity.

On the opposite side of that thought was wanting to celebrate "hatsuhinode" which is the Japanese tradition of watching the sunrise on the new year. It's believed to bring good luck and symbolizes renewal and aspiration. Life might be crazy, but it can't hurt to hope for a good kind of crazy.

And so my friend, Randi, met me in the pitch dark at 6:45 am to hoof it up to the Heybrook Lookout to welcome the first light of 2025. It's only a mile, but with 980 feet in elevation I knew it'd take me close to an hour. 

It was just the two of us, and Sammy, with our chairs and blankets and thermos's filled with good cheer as we awaited the glowing orb to crest the mountain top with shining glory and good fortune. 

Randi's "blanket"...I need one!!

Wah wah...the sunrise was kind of a dud. So much for that...on to Mount Weird! Ha ha, I mean, it was still a fun way to start the year, and a big thank you to Randi for her willingness to do it with me.

But she was off to do her Polar Plunge (a big no thank you for me) and I was headed up to Welldigger's Ass. Yep, that is how you start up Mount Weird. Whoever named these places was definitely having a fever dream. 

After parking at the Yodelin parking area after Steven's Pass, you only need to hike the short road to the upper parking and you'll find the trail in the left hand corner. I renewed my Alltrails subscription because I was worried about navigation (you'll find it under "Yodilin Ski Tour") but it was pretty straightforward. 

Second snow face - Somebody on this trail had a sense of humor

I was able to use my micro-spikes for the first half mile or so, but definitely needed my snowshoes for the last half mile. This trail does not mess around with a steady thousand foot gain, so I was huffing and puffing it. But I really wanted to say I stood upon the top of the weirdest of mountains to welcome this weirdest of years.

 Instead, I waved the white flag right here. (Screenshot below) Too many clouds with too much elevation and too little aspiration granted from the mediocre sunrise. Maybe next year. May your 2025 trails be happy, with only the best kind of weirdness.