On my hike to the top of Mt. McGinnis earlier this month, I was buzzed by a helicopter. I figure that since I was the only thing interesting on the mountain, he brought his guests in for a closer look. In one of my photos, I can actually see his passenger taking photos of me.

Mt. McGinnis has been calling me to climb her all summer. I had scheduled the climb several times but the weather this year made conditions too dangerous for the journey. I even got up at 6 AM once so I could climb it and be back in the valley in time for an appointment. It rained double-hard that morning. Finally, on October 7th, I reached the top. This was my 5th time climbing it but each time seems like a real accomplishment. I started on the trail at 10:00 AM and reached the top at 1:00 and was back home by 4:30. It was an extremely quick hike up to the 2,800 level. I can't wait to do it again next year.

So, what is the view like from the top of Mt. McGinnis? It was pretty cloudy most of the time I was up there but right before I left there was a little bit of clearing.