"Turn Around..."

I very much like really early alpine starts, especially when heading out solo. There is just those many special somethings that unfold when we get going before first light and are already moving with the dawnings as our adventure day begins... This day though, I was to find out what it meant when we go too early. This was a difficult scramble route; meaning more challenges with route finding, exposure, and lots of focused hands on the rock as well. I had made quite reasonable time, but even by headlamp, had reached a point in that darkness where it was no longer safe to continue. It would have been very easy to get off route too and now this scramble would have technically become much more. So I made the decision to descend. I pondered the aspects of our 'turn around points' as I did. Those altitudes, timings, and places on long routes, where we have previously determined that a decision like this is imminent. Then when almost down in the valley, as the real first light began revealing itself, I turned around and looked back up at my route. Most of it was now illuminated by the emotional warmth of alpenglow. Then I began to wonder, looked at the time, thought about another 180, and what my energy level was... Then turned around once more - I headed back up, into such a very long day of climbing, up in the midst of the lingering alpenglow, then later among that rays of the setting sun. Another level of meaning and metaphor it seems, had been shown to me about 'we don't know if we don't go', and all by simply turning around..... DSD

My appreciation for your own 'turn around' wonderful images my friends.