rhapsodic.org is a weblog by Valette Keller

Flattop Hike

The weather was seriously awesome all weekend, and Olive and I decided to take advantage of it by climbing up Flattop. Along with half of Anchorage.

The Glen Alps parking lot isn't very big, especially during one of the few sunny and warm days we've had in months. There are No Parking signs all along the road leading to the parking lot, every single one of the signs had a car parked in front of it. I managed to circle the lot twice before someone left and I took their (legal) spot.

This is the second Flattop hike Olive and I have made this summer, the first was done with some friends and in the rain. I didn't bring my camera and managed to drop my iPhone in the grass by the car - it was still there when we made it back down and undamaged by the sprinkling rain.

This trip I remembered to bring my camera and remembered to not drop my iPhone in the grass. The sheer number of people up there would guarantee it wouldn't stay in one place while I was out hiking.

It took us an hour to make it to the top and 45 minutes to make it back down. I have no idea if this is "good" time, though I have heard of people running up and back down in under an hour. I am not those people.

Olive did wonderfully on the mountain, only inhibited by her leash the few times that she needed to rock climb faster than I was able. When we got back to the car she sad quietly in the back seat, and once home she jumped onto the bed and promptly fell asleep.

I had wanted to climb Flattop five times this year as part of my Thirty before 30. The weather hasn't cooperated this summer, but maybe if it keeps up being nice on the weekends I'll get up that mountain three more times before the snow falls.