Wow, I almost fell off a cliff yesterday...

[Anaheart]

Well, my children and I went graveyard video shooting yesterday. We went to an Indian graveyard first and then we went out to an old cemetery by Whiskeytown Lake next. The week before, a woman had been kidnapped and taken out to that particular cemetery and strangled. Next, we went to Old Shasta to the Early Pioneer gravesite. Up the hill from this one is an even older cemetery. We were fine for a while we hiked up to the oldest cemetery, but discovered locked gates. The Parks are keeping it locked now to keep out vandals I suppose. We went down a different trail, but discovered we were going the wrong way. That is when the trouble started. My daughter went a different way and my son and I started up the hill together to go back to the first trail. We were fine for a while until we were almost to the top. Then the rocks started breaking away. There was loose sediment as well which offered no purchase for footing. At one point I slipped and started to slide back down.

I managed to find a solid rock with my toe and one with my hands. I clung there and got my breath. My son started slipping next and crying. I used my hands to give him something to put his feet against until he could get to a more stable part. I got him stabilized and then tried again to climb up the hill. More rocks came loose and I completely lost my footing at that point.

I started to slide and tear the skin on my legs and hands, however I managed to get a fingertip purchase on a rock strata. I was holding on with everthing I had as I dug my feet into the hill again and again trying not to slide down. I knew if I started sliding I would not be able to stop and I would have been injured perhaps severely. My son again started to slip above me and started to cry. I told him to hold on I was coming.

His cries gave me more strength and I managed to pull myself up with only my arms. I was inches within a manzanita bush and finding a tiny solid spot with my big toe I pushed myself up and caught a dead branch. My son was still clinging to the hill and crying and I just told him to stay still I was coming. Another inch and a solid branch. I rested my weight on one knee and held the branch and then reached out for my son to grab my hand. I managed that and got him to the branch as well.

From there we climbed up again. Once more we slipped but managed to hold on and inch our way, literally an inch at a time to the next bush. There was only one moment when I thought we weren't going to make it and we were calling for my daughter to help us. She couldn't hear us because she was too far away. At one point as well son and I both cried for a moment. When we reached the top we were really shaky from the exertion and my heart felt like it would burst. My son was crying hard by then and told me how scared he had been that we might die. Then he told me that he had, had a dream of him and me climbing a steep hill, only we had fallen and died. He felt like his dream almost came true. I told him that he was brave and he had beat the bad dream and he was like a hero because he never gave up and he made it to the top.

Whew, that was quite a day folks and I am so glad to be back home!!!

[ArizonaBob]

Wow! I was gripping the carpet with my toes...so glad you two didn't get injured!!! Glad you two didn't panic either!

[Anaheart]

thank you Bob, I'm really sore today from what happened, but relieved that we got through it. :)

[SuburbanRider]

I'm glad everyone came out of the adventure safe. :)

[Anaheart]

@Nigel, it was very scary Nigel. I haven't felt like that in well, never. My son needed me and I was able to garner the strength to help him. Thank god. @Suburbanrider gosh, me too!! I will be much more careful in the future and scout the trail first and make son go behind me. :) thank god it's live and learn this time!!!

[Mike_D]

Dayum, glad to hear you guys are OK.

[TDougout]

Now talk about a close call,thank God you guys stayed out of harms way.Hopefully you won't be doing any more climbing or will you,NOT!