We arrived at the trail head, strapped on our headlamps, and began the climb.  Scoots and McNattin took turns leading a virtual death march up the mountain.  I walked in back and listened to Eric and Eric's Friend talk about their previous trip to a Wyoming mountain.  Eric's Friend was from Denver, and had put his kids to bed Saturday night and then drove to Estes Park to join us.  We walked very fast.  We did not stop very often.  At times, I yelled up to the pace cars to slow down.  At times I was panting from too much exertion with too little oxygen.  My stomach was unsettled and I had little desire to eat and drink.  I began to realize that my lack of cognitive functioning was not due to lack of sleep, but altitude.

We stopped briefly at a stream, thought about purifying some water, but continued on.

It was kind of neat looking down from the mountain and seeing lights, bobbing up and down in the middle of the forest, as people came up behind us.