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Sunrise at Big Butte

Doug Mahugh

• 2 min read
Sunrise at Big Butte
Watching the sunrise over the Continental Divide from Big Butte.

Today was a milestone on my recover from infection cleanout surgery: I hiked up Big Butte, for the first time since last summer. I took it slowly (especially on the way down), and all went well.

This is Day 128 since the infection cleanout surgery, and for comparison, after total knee replacement surgery last year I first did Big Butte on Day 39. Those numbers reflect how much slower this recovery has been. But January has been the month of most improvement so far, and I'm getting stronger slowly but surely.

The trail is on the north side of the hill where it never gets direct sunlight, so there's currently lots of slick ice to navigate.

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Arriving on top just after sunrise.

Heading slowly down the icy trail. I had on good ice cleats and used trekking poles, so it was safe, but I probably won't be back until conditions improve. Either a foot of snow or a heat wave would help.