105313 Photo courtesy Bill Bushnell

Mammoth Trip, 2026

September 15

Mammoth Crest



It takes forever to get anywhere, and usually we end up missing our goals which we had set too high. For example, Bill presents ambitions, like Cloudripper, that might once have been doable for me, but now seem utopian. This year he scaled that down to Vagabond but meanwhile I respond instinctively with skepticism and thus dismissed his idea to ward off disappointment. I feel I am holding him back from what the younger man might still acheive.

Again and again instead of chalking up accomplishments, we come up short. Some injury or another is always to blame, but next time, right! -F.