Hiking Pinnacle in 102 degree heat

Anyone who knows me at all or reads this blog also knows that Pinnacle Mountain is my favorite place in Little Rock. However, hiking at 1 p.m. -- the hottest time of day -- on a 102-degree August day might not be the brightest idea I've ever had. Lately, it seems that every weekend I hike it is harder than the weekend before. Thank you, global warming...or whatever can be blamed for the ridiculous heat Arkansas has experienced this summer.

I managed to get up and back down in not much longer than usual -- it just felt a lot longer. But on the way up, I witnessed the first mountain rescue I've ever seen. About halfway up, there is one spot on the mountain vehicles can get to. At that point, I saw the ambulance and a couple trucks arriving, and a couple EMT guys emerged. One began sprinting up the mountain, and on the way, he said a 14-year-old boy was suffering symptoms of heatstroke. As my shirt was already soaked through with sweat and my bottle of water quickly disappearing, that led me to wonder, "What exactly are the symptoms of heatstroke?"

The top third or so of the hike to the summit is rocky, and unfortunately, this was where the boy had to be rescued. This made safely retrieving him more difficult for the rescue crew because it's steep and not at all a flat surface for walking. When I got to the point where the boy was, the crew had loaded him onto a stretcher, and assisted by other hikers, they were slowly bringing him down. Overhead, we could hear a chopper approaching. The boy was breathing with difficulty and seemed very out of it.

Observing all of this gave me the chills, which couldn't have been provoked any other way, given where the mercury was today. I continued on my hike, perhaps stopping for some water more often than usual. As scary as this was, I want to emphasize that in four years of hiking this park, this is the first time I have ever seen this happen.

But if that's not a reality check, I don't know what is.

A little piece of heaven

My absolute favorite place in Little Rock is at the top of Pinnacle Mountain. The peak rises a little over 1,000 feet, and it's about a 1.5-mile round-trip hike. I can be up and back in less than an hour if rushing to beat sundown, but I prefer to bring a book and my ipod and take a moment at the top instead.

(I love Arkansas' state parks network, so I'll take this opportunity to direct you to their site: http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/pinnaclemountain/

There are 52; we're not called the Natural State for nothing.)

The summit of Pinnacle has become my "me" place. I hike it alone, and when I'm there, I'm in my own, intentionally isolated world. Once up there, the placid water of Lake Maumelle glitters below, while the Arkansas River is visible nearby. (This, in fact, is the image on the front page of the blog.) The rest of the view is green pastures that look as soft as freshly mown grass. This place is a mere 10 or so miles west of Little Rock, but for me, it's my place outside the city and everything work-related, stress-related and just daily-life-related.

Hiking Pinnacle is always strenuous, which provides a sense of accomplishment that can last the whole day. It's the way I'd start every weekend if I could. It's rejuvenation for the week ahead. It's peace. It's quiet. Next to lying on a beach at the Kinneret, it's what I picture in mind's eye when I seek perfect calm. And though I typically savor my time there by myself, it's also the first place I take anyone who comes to visit. And it's one of the reasons that when they leave, Arkansas' beauty isn't such a hidden treasure anymore.

The one time I brought Clyde, my 11-year-old bichon frise. He was one tired pup.