Fog lifts for great rewards on Cairn Peak

"Just step up, place your hand here, now another step, you've got it." I was talking out loud to myself, a sure sign I was a little nervous. It's not that the rock cliff I was scrambling up was difficult, it's just that if I made a mistake I could slide several hundred feet down a steep rock slope to the valley below me. When I was younger I had easily negotiated the same section several times with an expedition pack, sled and skis strapped to my back after a long Juneau icefield traverse. On day hikes I would rush through sections like this without a care in the world. But now I was older, and I had a different perspective on risk. I also figured I had probably long ago used up my nine lives surviving various scares in the mountains.

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The fact that I was so close to the summit of Cairn Peak was a minor miracle. I woke to fog and clouds on my day off. "I'm jinxed!' I complained to my husband before he left the house for work. He knew I had been trying for the past six weeks to get up the peak. I even went so far as to camp by myself at the very base of the mountain in the beginning of Aug., only to be thwarted by dense smoke from Canadian wildfires which obscured the view and almost made me sick. Since then, I was either lured away by the prospect of hiking other ridges and peaks with various friends, or the weather would simply not cooperate. At the beginning of Sept. I knew I had a limited amount of time left for a late summer hike to the summit of a 4,500-foot peak.

I took a chance, grabbed my pack and started the steep climb up the forest trail. An hour later I was above treeline. Few things are as rewarding as climbing above the clouds and finding a blue sky and mountains as far as you can see in every direction. The late summer morning breeze was just warm enough for a short-sleeved shirt yet cool enough to feel the first glimmer of fall. The mountain heather and alpine grasses were no longer the bright green of mid-summer dotted with colorful flowers, but were starting to turn various shades of yellow, orange, and dark red. I am thrilled and continually surprised to discover that the excitement I feel as I experience all of these sensations in the mountains is the same as I felt 36 years ago at the age of 20. As much as I enjoyed reaching the summit of Cairn Peak on this day, I think I was most thrilled during the first hour or so of walking alone on the ridge, knowing nothing was going to stop me from standing at the top.

But first I had to get up the short cliff between me and the summit. A few measured steps and firm handholds and I was up and over. I worked my way up the heather slope to the summit and was rewarded with a view I had not enjoyed in a long while. At that moment I was 20 years old again, drinking in the mountain vista and dreaming of great adventures. I could see as far as the Fairweather range to the north, vague white shapes of huge peaks. Closer but equally impressive were the peaks of the Juneau icefield - Split Thumb, Devil's Paw, and even a glimpse of Rhino Peak behind the Mendenhall Towers. To the other side I had great views of the peaks and ridges I had already hiked several times this summer - the Juneau ridge to Granite Creek Basin, Olds Mt., Mt. Jumbo, and the Gastineau-Roberts-Sheep Mt. ridge traverse. I happily snapped photos, ate lunch, and reminisced about the many adventures I'd had over the years in the mountains surrounding me. Finally, I started back down - a few hours older in age, and a few years younger in spirit.

The hike up Blackerby Ridge starts at the top of Wire Street, just behind Jack's Plumbing and Heating by Twin Lakes. A small parking turnout and a trail sign mark the trail head. A steep climb through the woods soon opens up to mountain meadows followed closely by the mountain ridge. The trail is not clearly marked but is traveled enough to leave a visible track that is easy to follow. As the track starts to disappear farther down the ridge, hikers have placed rock cairns to occasionally mark the way. Total roundtrip distance is about 9 miles and total elevation gain is around 5,800' due to the ups and downs along the ridge and back. Cairn Peak is 4,505'. Carry a map and compass and perhaps a GPS. If you cannot see due to clouds or fog the ridge can be difficult to follow. Allow 7-10 hours to complete the full hike to Cairn Peak and back. This is a strenuous hike and should not be attempted unless the hiker is familiar with mountain travel and navigation.

• Betsy Fischer is a local outdoor enthusiast. She co-owns Foggy Mountain Shop in downtown Juneau with her husband Scott. Contact her at 586-6780.