South Ridge Ascent

South Ridge Ascent – New Year on Mount Douglas I rang in the New Year with a purposeful hike up Mount Douglas, climbing via Whittaker, Harrop, and the South Ridge Trail. This outing doubled as a full-on gear test: a new chest-mounted camera running hands-free alongside my point-and-shoot, plus continuous audio recording tucked safely in my pocket. As I worked uphill, I focused on staying mostly in zone two, occasionally drifting into zone three as the grade steepened, checking heart rate along the way and reminding myself to keep my head up and my effort controlled. The trail was alive with dogs, familiar faces, and that unmistakable New Year energy. After reaching the antenna area in strong winds, I split the day into two video segments—Harrop to South Ridge, then South Ridge to near the summit—while keeping the audio rolling for the podcast listeners. With the wind howling and a brief low-blood-sugar wobble, I opted not to push all the way to the true summit, instead turning down Glendenning to finish safely. It was a blustery, satisfying start to 2026: solid climbing, honest effort, plenty of eye candy, and another reminder that these mountain outings are as much about the process as the destination.