Hiking: Bald Mountain

Last Fall for work, I had the privilege of taking some college students up to Bald Mountain in Old Forge, New York. Growing up in Northwest Indiana, there aren’t any mountains nor is there a mountain range. There are steel mills, corn and soybean fields. No mountains. Just Mount Baldy which is a Dune out in Michigan City, Indiana. In elementary school, we took a field trip out to Mount Baldy it was windy, sandy, and I rolled down the mountain with my classmates. I loved it and next time I’m home in the Summer, I should check on Ole’ Mount Baldy.

Back to Bald Mountain, I’ve never climbed on. I’ve climbed Mayan Ruins in the Yucatan in Mexico but no mountains. I’ve driven through some in Upstate New York and in Pennsylvania. Bald Mountain was the first mountain I climbed. It’s a work out! It uses different muscles than biking and working out in the gym. I was told climbing the mountain was easy. In total climbing up and down Bald Mountain is about a mile walk. Of course that’s with elevation and nature obstacles going up and down the mountain.

It should take about 45 minutes to make it to the top. Then it rained the day before so the rocks were slippery and they was mud. I was constantly slipping and regaining my balance. Mainly because my balancing skills need work not due to the environment or climbing skills. I’m sure my beaten down gym shoes needed more grip as well. It took five minutes for me to start sweating and it doesn’t take much for me to sweat. I could sweat if you stared at me long enough.

After three or four breaks for photos and catching our breaths we made it to the top. I took all the pictures with my Canon camera except for the ones with my back turned. Those are all iPhone and someone else took them. Yet, the view alone and the finishing photo was worth the sweaty shirt and sore leg muscles. Go climb your nearest mountain!