Hot and humid

Sure would be nice to be able to work on the trail without the heat and humidity to contend with. I went up at daylight this morning. It took 30 minutes to get to where I had left off, so I worked for two hours before the heat exhausted me. But I think I can finish the trail in two more trips up, three at the most. That may be too optimistic, especially since the heat isn't going to get any better any time soon.

Here's a sketch that may or may not give you some idea of things where I'm currently working. (I'm not good at writing via photoshop.)

Everything on the sketch is very general, keep in mind. I see a lot wrong with it. For one thing the trail (red) is getting higher all the time as it goes up the ridge. By the time it gets to the "corner" it won't be ascending very much anymore. Right now it's really bad. I keep switching between steps and switchbacks so neither will get too overwhelming when hiking the trail. I couldn't go up 100 consecutive steps, but endless switchbacks that slowly gained altitude would be a misery too, not to mention endless to construct. And I make plenty of steep ramps too, but not too steep, I hope.

At the last minute I decided to detour onto the upper landing. Adds more interest to the grueling ascent. And the detour is like a switchback so makes the trail not so steep there. This photo is looking up to that landing. Note my red stool sitting there. Normally I try to keep my shadow off photos, but there was no place for me to move to. I was really dragging at this point. It was either work on the trail up ahead with a hoe, or pick ax this spot and be through for the day. I chose the latter.

It looks really steep going up to the landing, but I don't remember it being steep there. Photos are so tricky.

June 18 update: It's killing my body so I decided I can't do consecutive days anymore now that the work is so far up the mountain. Monday it's supposed to be a bit cooler, so I'm going to go up for 4 hours and rough in the rest of the trail, if possible and not go up again for at least 3 or 4 days, if at all.