Carter Dome

[dmottram]

#64929 |

I met up with Erik at the 19 Mile Brook Trailhead bright an early and we were quickly on trail. I was reminded of the beautiful morning 20 years ago watching the news and discussing what happened with my boss prior to the ‘regular’ start of our day and discussing the smoke from the North Tower and suddenly seeing the second of the aircraft impact the other tower. We started making calls to get our employees out of one of the adjacent buildings, some of whom were standing on the rook watching the horrors of the day unfold.

It doesn’t seem that 20 years have passed us by as I remember it, like many of us, as if it were yesterday.

Erik and I enjoyed some good conversation as we headed up. We encountered several groups coming down trail from their overnight hut stay, and others who were just starting out just ahead of us. The first leg went pretty quickly and we stopped for a moment at the junction with Carter-Moriah trail and captured a few pictures looking across the pond to Wildcat A. We turned and headed up the steeps to the Dome, pausing at a couple of overlooks to look down into Carter Notch and reached the summit in plenty of time to setup. We were asked what the poles were for several times and we explained their use. Some thanked us for our efforts and others had never heard of the event, mostly from outside the area.

We dropped out packs and began setting up with my newly constructed poles (the last ones destroyed 2 years ago on Mt. Jackson and the high winds that day). We lashed the pole down, played the National Anthem as I do every year and everyone on the summit stood and waited respectfully while the music played and I asked for a moment of silence in memorial and reflection upon those lost that day and for those sacrificed after.

The day continued to be a mostly sunny and comfortable day while we witnessed the flag flying proudly against a mostly blue sky. I Walked over North edge of the summit area and could see the flag flying on South Carter and I believe I could just make out the flag on Madison. After receiving the thanks for what we were doing from many passing through, we dropped the colors, policed the area and headed off to Mount Hight. You can’t go to Carter Dome and not hit Mount Hight!

We stopped for a few moments to take a couple of pictures and look back at where we were, before picked up and headed back down through Zeta Pass back to 19 Mile.

I want to thank Erik for signing up for the summit with me, it was a great day with good company. I want to thank him for his service to the local Fire Department where he lives and hope we have the opportunity to hike together again.

I look forward to this even every year and hope to continue participating in the event as long as the years allow. I don’t ever want the people who were a part of this tragic day to be forgotten, nor the thousands of our Military members who served to fight and take down those who would attack us by their cowardly acts. It’s a privilege to carry the flag and memorialize the day so those who come after us also know and remember.

Another successful hike in the books! We’ll see you all next year!

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