The field notes
How it got out of hand.
We packed for a quick climb and somehow brought enough gear for a small expedition. The backpacks were enormous, the trail was stubborn, and neither of us was willing to admit that the other had chosen the harder route.
At every turn, the mountain offered a new reason to stop: a ridge, a cloud, a view that made the last mile disappear. We called those stops strategic planning sessions.
At the summit, Robert and Sandy held the most successful meeting of the season. The agenda had one item: stand there together and enjoy the fact that we made it.