Monarch Peak

I asked Lisa, what do you think of a Scenic Tram Ride up 12,000 foot Monarch Peak.  She said NO!  HELL NO!  "The height thing again huh?"  I muttered "Wimp" .  She said WHAT?  I said " Still got this damn LIMP".  Take pictures she said as I hopped into the Truck

So I had to go myself.  It's a 22 mile drive to the summit, itself around 11,000 feet climbing around 4000 feet. A big parking lot with a gift shop and the scenic gondola ride is located.  It's a bit of a climb to where the embarcation point is and at eleven thousand feet I was huffing and puffing.  The attendant guy looked at me a bit scared.  Something about my blue lips.  "It's nothing" I said.  "Just a snow cone I had before I got here". Then I  paid making damn sure I got that  Sr. discount I'd worked so hard to get in order to save myself three bucks.  "Paid for my gas up here I said".  The attendant, nice guy, looked at me a little funny.  I realized my mistake immediately but retained my composure and dignity.  There's just no way I got that Mayo completely off my Mustache from two days ago before coming up here.  That and the blue lips, I must look really funny.

Now in my youth I must have taken a thousand rides up the ski lift.  Many just as high and steep as this one.  But now I'm older.  And though I might yet still hop on a ski lift someday, should it malfunction in some manner, I like the option of lying broken and bloodied on the side of the Mountain rather than soupified by rolling to the bottom trapped in a rolling fiberglass ball.  Kind of like making the decision to jump or burn.  Few stay to burn.

Those were exactly my thoughts as he locked the door from the outside  But sweaty hands and all ,I weathered the trip completely in control of all my faculties until a couple of yards from the top.  Then the little gondola rocked to and fro as it was hit with a fifty plus MPH wind.  Even then I remained stone faced.  Just unsure where that shrilling sound was coming from.  So after all, nine out of ten faculties ain't bad.

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There's an observation bldg up top.  And amazing views of both sides of the Continental Divide.  It's cold and windy as hell and visitors only stay a short while.  But I did get awesome pictures.  There's even an imaginary line of the Continental Divide but in reality, it's the entire ridge.

I put a Panorama in that works nice if watched with a touch screen.  Still have not worked a viewer in.