Day 3 Mt. Shasta - A downward breeze...

Scary Right?!?!?!

6:00am - After a 15 hour day under our belts, believe it or not I was fast to wake up with the sunrise! Our guides...not so much! :) It was quiet, the areas around us that were filled with energy and curiosity seekers the evening before were now quiet and deserted...I slept so soundly I never heard the groups depart for their ascents at 1am, 2am and 3am...they had a beautiful day for their summit. 
I started my day with meditation, soaking up the energy from the sunrise, filled with a sense of accomplishment and lots of thankfulness for a safe summit and safer descent the day before. I turned to stretch and look back at the mountain that kicked my butt and couldn't help but wonder...should I come back again when its all snow? How different would that ascent be? 

7:00am - Started packing my pack, gathering smelly socks and layers of clothes that never really air out, went to the magical stream to hydrate and fill a bottle for today's journey down to the trail head. I am restless and ready to go. My tent mates are up...stirring...ready to pack as well...tent down and dissembled in seconds, my pack looks bigger and feels heavier than the first day and I haven't even gotten everything in yet!

8:00am - Oatmeal. Birthday celebration (cupcake and singing) for one of our fellow hikers. War stories starting about the up and downs of the day before. All of us a little sore, definitely smellier but pretty psyched that we all made it.

(What?!? What the hell is in my pack?
And why does it look twice as big as everyone else's?? Too many luxury items...??? ;) ) 

The morning came and went...picked up and packed up all that we brought, and more it seemed.

We started our final descent of our Mt. Shasta climb. No helmets, harnesses needed on this leg of the journey.

I enjoyed a peaceful trek down - Happy I trained, happy I  went, happy to meet and learn from our guides and the other hikers, happy I made it up and down safely, and overall, happy. 

Where should I head next????