How To Find the Bozeman Mountain Climbing Route of Chris and the Narrator in the Book Zen and the Art Or Motorcycle Maintenance" (ZMM), by Robert Pirsig.
The first half of this page tells how to see and print ZMM Mountain Climb Maps.
The last half of is page is a collection of all ZMM Mountain Climb Descriptions with a brief commentary.
A full commentary may be found on my Mt. Climb Photos, see first link below.
You Will Find This Fun and Rewarding!
If You Are a Nature Explorer, Trail Enthusiast, Hiking Club, Boy Scout, or Mountain Climber, please help. Volunteers Are Needed To Help Explore and Confirming the Specific Route of Mr. Pirsig's Mountain Climb Trail Described In ZMM. Your Help Is Needed To Search For This Route The Gallatin National Forest. You Really Could Volunteer you know!
Please contact me if you have (or need) more information re Mr. Pirsig's Bozeman Mountain Climb Trail. If you plan to search for this trail or have any new ideas on where this "Pirsig Trail" may be, please email me: HenryG__Aiken.SC.edu.
The ZMM Narrator's Mountain Climb With Chris Starts in Cotton Wood Canyon, Gallatin National Forest, South of Bozeman, MT.
As described in ZMM pages 167 thru 232, this route most likely goes up Cottonwood Canyon and turns into Fox Creek Canyon. Fox Canyon is a likely choice, since it is a fair sized canyon that climbs relatively gently. It has high-up water sources and moves steadily upward the snow of Mt. Blackmore. As the TopoMaps show, this route is not as steep and does not form a "deep V-shape" as most of the other run-off ravines on either sides of Cottonwood Canyon. Thus it is a likely Narrator's choice because it is an easier way up for Chris. Also, this particular route, starts easy, but suddenly gets much steeper as is stated in ZMM. This route leads directly, by means of Cottonwood Creek and Upper Fox Creek, to the Northwestern end of a long ridge. The ridge itself leads to a continuing ridge that gets higher and higher to the highest peaks that have snow. This all fits what the ZMM Narrator stated.
For More Detailed Information About The Narrator's Bozeman Mountain Climb Trail, See First 36 Photos In My ZMM Part III Gallery Photos.
The captions for these photos considerably expand on what I have stated above. Also on these photographs I have identified a "Hypothetical Climb Trail" plus two alternate routes that seem plausible which the Narrator may have followed on their way up to the snow and back down to Hyalite Creek on the other side of the mountain ridge from Cottonwood Creek.
http://ww2.usca.edu/ResearchProjects/ProfessorGurr/gallery/album08?page=1
You will be able to study a map of this route, as well as two alternate routes, marked as a series of WayPoint Rectangles, on four maps shown as photographs in my Gallery. Click here for instructions and link to ZMM Bozeman Mountain Hypothetical Climb Trail Maps, which opens new browser.
http://ww2.usca.edu/ResearchProjects/ProfessorGurr/gallery/album08/108_0895_IMG
Printing Topographic Maps of the Gallatin National Forest Areas of ZMM Narrator's Mountain Climb Trail Route.
How to Print Maps On 8.5 x11 inches Paper the "The Narrator + Chris Hypothetical Climbing Trail"
The TopoMaps That Are shown in my Photo Gallery, shown link next above, can be printed. These can be used to guide your exploration of the Narrator's Bozeman Mountain Climb in ZMM. If you have a computer that can print on standard (8.5 x11 inches) paper, you can make your own maps.
A) Of course you can ask for a paper print of the Browser Page you see directly on you computer screen. But these will have no zoom ability and lack somewhat in resolution.
B) Far better to 1) Click on the map photo you see on your internet browser to get the largest version, then 2) "Right Click" on the map and, 3) Click on "Save As". 4) Then be sure to tell your computer where you want this file saved and remember where this is. 4) Then find this file and "click on it's name to "open" this file. It should open in a photo viewer (most computers will have a good viewer). 5) Then ask for File > Print. You may have to do “page set-up” to tell your computer to use "Landscape" so the map (really a photo) will print "sideways" on your printer paper. I have tried to adjust three of these four maps, so they have “overlap” when you tape them together into one larger map. The fourth map is a "zoom in" for more detail so you can read the WayPt Numbers.
Concerning Printing Some Better Maps.
CAUTION: Although these Maps will have better resolution and can be zoomed they, of course do NOT have my climb route numbers marked on them.
CAUTION: Although your printed maps will really be quite good, other WebSites might be better. Let me know if you know of a better site.
To Do This Go To
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?lat=45.526&lon=-111.0617&datum=nad83 Ask for “large” and View scale = 1:100,000, and Click “Update map” then click on “Print this Map” at lower left. NOTE: On this first topo map, Cottonwood Creek/Canyon is in seen the upper left corner. The DeWeese home is off the map, but close to the upper left corner of this map. On first first map linked below, the '+' "locator mark" is close to a side canyon (really a ravine) to the left of Cottonwood Creek. This marks the turn-up the canyon side of one of several alternate Narrator and Chris Climb Routes. (In the URL address box of these maps you will see the latitude and longitude numbers at top of map. <b>Caution:</b> If you click on the map, a confusing & different set of lat & long numbers will appear in the address box.)
If you have time, you can ask for THREE MORE maps following the above procedure:
To get print of the map next right (East), click (or copy and paste the following into the address line). http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=12&n=5041822&e=502419&s=100&size=l&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
For the next map down (South), click (or copy and paste the following into the address line). http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=12&n=5038390&e=495476&s=100&size=l&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
And to get the next map Left (West), click (or copy and paste the following into the address line). http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=12&n=5035660&e=501383&s=100&size=l&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25
I have tried to adjust these four maps so they have just a small “overlap” when you tape them together into ONE LARGER MAP. Your composite four page map should have:
1) Cottonwood Creek/Canyon (attach Upper Left),
2) Hyalite Creek/Canyon (attach Upper Right),
3) Hyalite Lake, (attach Lower Right), and
4) The highest snow covered mountains Southwest of Hyalite Lake (attach Lower Left).
Please tell me if these have a good (and not excessive) overlap. (I have selected these by watching the computer screen, but haven’t actually tried these as print, since I already have a full print of these). If you do not have a computer printer, or you are on the road and need a place to get webpage print-out's, you can do the above steps at almost any public library in the USA.
Getting Software For Working With Topo Maps and GPS WayPoint Markers.
For example, consider the TopoZone Company. That's where I got all those free topo maps that I have linked from many, many, places in my WepSite Photo Gallery! They are GREAT!! And many, many thanks to TopoZone!!
Now, TopoZone also offer, for reasonable $, a really nice, easy to use, soft ware called ExpertGPS. It is for manipulating and viewing their collection of free internet topo maps. I have used this ExpertGPS to mark, accurately reliably and easily, all my GPS WayPoints and Hypothetical Trail Waypoints onto the abovementioned three topo maps. (These are in my Photo Gallery, ZMM Part III.) In addition, ExpertGPS can nicely Import and Export GPS data and your map WayPoints to and from your handheld GPS unit. Once you have this ExpertGPS SoftWare in installed your computer, you can use "screen capture" software to make a paper printable file. Resulting prints are much clearer than mentioned above. To make a "screen capture", you will need installed a computer software such as Irvanview, a wonderful free download (or ACDsee at a medium $ cost). Both of these are Photo Browser/Editors, with many, many important features. You should have one of these if you do much computer photo view/edit work.
Once you have these maps assembled, you can do the following:
You can start with the first Photo In My ZMM Part III Gallery Photos http://ww2.usca.edu/ResearchProjects/ProfessorGurr/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album08&page=1 . On these photos, read my explanation for the location of the Narrator's Mountain Climb Trail. (These photos are at the start of ZMMQG Part III.) As you read my explanation, you should be able to mark the Narrator's Mountain Climb on your map prints. What do you think of my proposed trail analysis? Please send email: HenryG__Aiken.SC.edu
If you are a mountain climber, you could attempt to climb the Narrator's Mountain Climb Trail. If you do this, I would like to hear what you find out. Is my analysis reasonable and adequately fit the ZMM Narrative? How was the climb? Did you find any other probable routes? Please send email: HenryG__Aiken.SC.edu
If You Don't Have Time To Climb The Trail, You Can Ride Car or Your Cycle On A Public Paved Road, Up Cottonwood Creek, Several Miles Beyond The Deweese Home.
Starting at the DeWeese Home, Your Drive Will Be Along The First Part Of The Narrator & Chris's Trail Along Cottonwood Creek Road. You Will Also Experience a Small Portion of Their Trail Into the National Forest, and Even Hike Further On an Easy Well Traveled NFS Trail. More below.
ZMM Narrator's Trail Clues For Bozeman Mt. Climb, Plus Henry Gurr's Analysis of Where These Places Might Be In Gallatin National Forest.
Please see my Photo Gallery for ZMM Part III For the Most Up-to-date and Full Detailed Version Of My Commentary Information Given Below. Especially See the First 36 Photos There. Photos 37 thru 41 show "The Narrator + Chris Hypothetical Climbing Trail" Maps Mentioned Above. http://ww2.usca.edu/ResearchProjects/ProfessorGurr/gallery/album08?page=1
The Following Is a Complete Collection of All the ZMM Narrator's Trail Clues For Bozeman Mt. Climb. These Passages Also Have Henry Gurr's Abbreviated Commentary.
Page numbers from Bantam Paperback Editions.
PAGE 167 Chris and I have had a good night’s sleep and this morning have packed the backpacks carefully, and now have been going up the mountainside for about an hour. The forest here at the bottom of the canyon is mostly pine, with a few aspen and broad-leafed shrubs. Steep canyon walls rise way above us on both sides. Occasionally the trail opens into a patch of sunlight and grass that edges the canyon stream, but soon it reenters the deep shade of the pines. The earth of the trail is covered with a soft springy duff of pine needles. It is very quiet here.
COMMENT The "up the mountainside" must mean their trail has moved them higher and higher up the overall mountain, whether they are by a stream or some other portion of the mountain. It is almost certain that " the stream" and ” the canyon" refer to Cottonwood Creek and Canyon, since they start from DeWeese's. Once they enter the Gallatin National Forest, their Trail most likely is the NFS Trail up Cottonwood Creek Canyon as is shown on the above mentioned TopoMaps. This trail, which is well traveled, is also marked on as my "The Narrator + Chris Hypothetical Climbing Trail Map". The ZMM Narrator repeatedly mentions ” a trail” . Evidently it is well traveled because later he says the trail is a ” seldom entered canyon” , implying the previous trail shows it was much more traveled. I believe the Narrator uses one of the existing NFS trails, so as to be as easy on Chris as possible. And he uses a canyon floor trail, since these are relatively level and almost no slope up. (This is why, in the mountains, most highways follow streams for as long as possible.) In addition, the Narrator uses these trails, as long as possible, so they will have a relatively easier approach to the snow covered mountains. Still, characteristic of the Narrator, they depart from the established trails to make their own route on the final ascent. Additional topo map study will show that the NFS trail in Cottonwood Canyon, which eventually leads to the top of Mt. Blackmore, does so in a more circuitous route, is considerably longer distance, and has many more switchbacks = low quality.
PAGE 169 A whirr sounds and a partridge disappears through the trees.
"Did you see it?" says Chris.
"Yes," I say back.
"What was it?"
"A partridge."
"How do you know?"
"They rock back and forth like that when they fly," I say. I’m not sure of this but it sounds right. "They stay close to the ground too."
"Oh," says Chris and we continue hiking. The rays of the sun create a cathedral effect through the pines.
COMMENT This may be an relatively open and hence grassy area somewhat away from the stream. I observed several of these in my hike up the NFS trail in Cottonwood Canyon.
PAGE 173 Just up above the top of the ridge the snow can be seen now. On foot it’s many days away though. The rocks below it are too steep for a direct hiking climb, particularly with the heavy loads we are carrying, and Chris is way too young for any kind of ropes-and- pitons stuff. We must cross over the forested ridge we are now approaching, enter another canyon, follow it to its end and then come back at an upward angle along to the ridge. Three days hard to the snow. Four days easy. If we don’t show up in nine, DeWeese will start looking for us.
We stop for a rest, sit down and brace against a tree so that we don’t topple over backward from the packs. After a while I reach around over my shoulder, take the machete from the top of my pack and hand it to Chris.
"See those two aspens over there? The straight ones? At the edge?" I point to them. "Cut those down about a foot from the ground."
"Why?"
"We’ll need them later for hiking sticks and tent poles."
Chris takes the machete, starts to rise but then settles back again. "You cut them," he says.
So I take the machete and go over and cut the poles. They both cut neatly in one swing, except for the final strip of bark, which I sever with the back hook of the machete. Up in the rocks you need the poles for balancing and the pine up above is no good for poles, and this is about the last of the aspen here. It bothers me a little though that Chris is turning down work. Not a good sign in the mountains.
A short rest and then on we go. It’ll take a while to get used to this load. There’s a negative reaction to all the weight. As we go on though, it’ll become more natural . . . .
COMMENT Having been some 2 miles along the trail from the DeWeese's, I can say I did not see any views of the any distant mountains, let alone those with snow. Nor were there any places even close. And even without the trees I think that there would be little chance to view any part of such mountains. So the places to see snow must be further on where Cottonwood Canyon changes direction some what and then "points at" high mountains, such as Mt. Blackmore and Elephant Mountain. I estimate that this occurs at a total distance from the DeWeese's of some 3 miles, where the canyon continues fairly straight for about another 1.2 miles. This "v" cut would allow a low viewing angle consistent with seeing ’above the top of the ridge the snow can be seen” some 9 miles away. Consistent with ZMM, the topo maps show a lower ridge 2 miles away from the fairly straight section. That well could be the ridge the Narrator mentions as part of viewing the snow. I believe the ridge mentioned is the one labeled as El 7621T on the above mentioned TopoMaps. This is close by and NE of Fox Creek intersection with Cottonwood Creek. My abovementioned Gallery photo describe how to use GoogleEarth to show that indeed snow covered mountains can be seen in summer from the bottom of Cottonwood Canyon. These may be found by typing Google in search box upper right of the All Albums pages at
http://ww2.usca.edu/ResearchProjects/ProfessorGurr/gallery/
PAGE 178 As DeWeese said, from here straight south you can go seventy-five miles through nothing but forests and snow without ever encountering a road, although there are roads to the east and the west. I’ve arranged it so that if things work out badly at the end of the second day we’ll be near a road that can get us back fast. Chris doesn’t know about this, and it would hurt his YMCA-camp sense of adventure to tell him, but after enough trips into the high country, the YMCA desire for adventure diminishes and the more substantial benefits of cutting down risks appear. This country can be dangerous. You take one bad step in a million, sprain an ankle, and then you find out how far from civilization you really are.
This is apparently a seldom-entered canyon this far up. After another hour of hiking we see that the trail is about gone.
COMMENT We can deduce from this that roads mentioned are NOT in the Southern Direction. And indeed, there are well traveled roads and campgrounds, the mentioned distance from reasonable trails to say Mt. Blackmore. The "seldom entered canyon" must be the same canyon mentioned as "enter another canyon", on p173. The language suggests a canyon different from the one they have been in (Cottonwood), and still a respectable canyon. Not one of those many run-off gulches or ravines that come fairly steeply down the slopes and which do not have a year around stream water. The only real candidate that turns to snow is Fox Creek Canyon. This turns left to Mt. Blackmore.
PAGE 181 It’s looking bad for Chris. For a while he was way ahead of me and now he sits under a tree and rests. He doesn’t look at me, and that’s how I know it’s bad.
I sit down next to him and his expression is distant. His face is flushed and I can see he’s exhausted. We sit and listen to the wind through the pines.
I know eventually he’ll get up and keep going but he doesn’t know this, and is afraid to face the possibility that his fear creates: that he may not be able to climb the mountain at all. I remember something Phædrus had written about these mountains and tell it to Chris now.
COMMENT This trail location must be a fairly long distance for Chris's strength. Would some 4-5 miles from the DeWeeses' be consistent with his out of shape body? Is the climb up a slope already happening? A turn into Fox Creek Canyon, which climbs steadily and much more steeply than Cottonwood canyon, nicely fits the Narrator’s overall descriptions. See the captions of my 36 photos which contain an location analysis of each of the successive ZMM passages and shows all this in detail at: http://ww2.usca.edu/ResearchProjects/ProfessorGurr/gallery/album08?page=1 .
p 182 I help Chris get to his feet. "You were going a little too fast," I say. "Now the mountainside’s becoming steep and we have to go slowly. If you go too fast you get winded and when you get winded you get dizzy and that weakens your spirit and you think, I can’t do it. So go slow for a while."
"I’ll stay behind you," he says.
"Okay."
We walk now away from the stream we were following, up the canyon side at the shallowest angle I can find. .... This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are things you should notice anyway. ....
COMMENT They have been following the ” seldom entered canyon” and apparently have already been moving up enough slope, combined with some 6 miles of NFS trail, to exhaust Chris. The Narrator says they have left the trail. I believe this means they are no longer on the trail that is by Fox Creek shown on the TopoMaps, continue climbing the ramp along Fox Creek. They are climbing up the "seldom entered canyon". As stated above I believe, from the clues f the ZMM Narrative that this is Fox Creek Canyon. The Soon after they turn into the "seldom entered canyon" ZMM Narrator says (p 183) in discussing what things should be noticed says that "... From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer". A GoogleEarth view shows that this is possible.
PAGE 187 I turn to see how Chris is doing. His face looks tired.
I ask, "How do you feel?"
"Okay," he says, but his tone is defiant.
"We can stop anywhere and camp," I say.
He flashes a fierce look at me, and so I say nothing more. Soon I see he’s working his way around me on the slope. With what must be great effort he pulls ahead. We go on.
COMMENT Chris is continuing to be stressed, so they are continuing up slope by Fox Creek as previous. Since the Narrator does not change language the slope must continue about the same.
PAGE 188 Up ahead all of Chris’s movements seem tired and angry. He stumbles on things, lets branches tear at him, instead of pulling them to one side.
COMMENT Chris is continuing to be stressed, so thy are continuing up slope by Fox Creek as previous. Since the Narrator does not change language the slope must continue about the same. The Narrator already implied that they left the trail. Consistent with this Chris is walking the cluttered slope and has trouble with branches and stumbling. Thus the foot places are irregular, with plenty of low branches to duck through.
PAGE 192 Chris turns and flashes a tormented look at me. It won’t be long now. Even before we left there were clues this was coming. When DeWeese told a neighbor I was experienced in the mountains Chris showed a big flash of admiration. It was a large thing in his eyes. He should be done for soon, and then we can stop for the day.
Oop! There he goes. He’s fallen down. He’s not getting up. It was an awfully neat fall, not very accidental-looking. Now he looks at me with hurt and anger, searching for condemnation from me. I don’t show him any. I sit down next to him and see he’s almost defeated.
"Well," I say, "we can stop here, or we can go ahead, or we can go back. Which do you want to do?"
"I don’t care," he says, "I don’t want to . . . "
"You don’t want to what?"
"I don’t care!" he says, angrily.
"Then since you don’t care, we’ll keep on going," I say, trapping him.
"I don’t like this trip," he says. "It isn’t any fun. I thought it was going to be fun."
Some anger catches me off guard too. "That may be true," I reply, "but it’s a hell of a thing to say."
I see a sudden flick of fear in his eyes as he gets up.
We go on.
The sky over the other wall of the canyon has become overcast, and the wind in the pines around us has become cool and ominous.
COMMENT Chris is now severely stressed, so they are continuing up slope as previous. Since the Narrator does not change language the slope must continue about the same. All this is consistent with the long ramp along Fox Creek. One thing we should remember is that as progresses, the climb gets higher and higher in altitude. This means thin air and this, in addition to being "out of shape", can add immensely to the fatigue. In fact when Chris and Narrator get to the really steep part, mentioned below, the narrator is taking three breaths per step! Indications of steepness and thin air!
PAGE 196 I look back and see Chris is way behind. "Come on!" I shout.
He doesn’t answer.
"Come on!" I shout again.
Then I see him fall sideways and sit in the grass on the side of the mountain. I leave my pack and go back down to him. The slope is so steep I have to dig my feet in sideways. When I get there he’s crying.
"I hurt my ankle," he says, and doesn’t look at me. ....
I relay the packs upward. I work off the resentment at having to do this by realizing that it isn’t any more work for me, actually, than the other way. It’s more work in terms of reaching the top of the mountain, but that’s only the nominal goal. In terms of the real goal, putting in good minutes, one after the other, it comes out the same; in fact, better. We climb slowly upward and the resentment leaves.
For the next hour we move slowly upward, I carrying the packs in relays, to where I locate the beginning trickle of a stream. I send Chris down for water in one of the pans, which he gets. When he comes back he says, "Why are we stopping here? Let’s keep going."
"This is probably the last stream we’ll see for a long time, Chris, and I’m tired."
"Why are you so tired?"
Is he trying to infuriate me? He’s succeeding. ....
He goes off a distance and picks a stem of grass and puts it in his mouth. Then he buries his face in his hands. I make lunch for myself and have a short rest.
When I wake up again he’s still crying. There’s nowhere for either of us to go. ....
I settle back in the grass and rest again. Maybe it’s not having answers that’s defeating both of us. .... "I think what I’m going to do, Chris, is put all the heavy stuff in my pack and the light stuff in yours. That way I won’t have to go back and forth with both packs."
He agrees to this and his mood improves. It seems to have solved something for him.
My pack must be about forty or forty-five pounds now, and after we’ve climbed for a while an equilibrium establishes itself at about one breath for each step.
We come to a rough grade and it changes to two breaths per step. At one bank it goes to four breaths per step. Huge steps, almost vertical, hanging on to roots and branches. I feel stupid because I should have planned my way around this. The aspen staves come in handy now, and Chris takes some interest in the use of his. The packs made you top heavy and the sticks are good insurance against toppling over. You plant one foot, plant the staff, then SWING on it, up, and take three breaths, then plant the next foot, plant the staff and SWING up . . . .
COMMENT As analyzed in my photo captions and shown on "The Narrator + Chris Hypothetical Climbing Trail" Maps, the Fox Creek route is consistent with a long climb, followed by 1) ” next hour we move slowly upward “ , then 2) ” beginning trickle of a stream “ [where they cross the stream], then 3) ” Huge steps, almost vertical “ . I believe the Narrator here describes the suddenly much steeper cliffs shown on my TopoMaps. If this "near vertical" part is so bad, why did the Narrator come this way? Even he questions: "I feel stupid because I should have planned my way around this." So why did he plan to even come this way? Well it fits other criterion: Their trail permitted a long time on very easy canyon bottom with preexisting trail, followed by a fairly easy canyon grade offering a direct connection, ahead, to good inclined-ridge approach to a high mountain with snow. And even at this ”near vertical” part, there is a relatively easy grade before and after. The Fox Creek Canyon route fits the Narrator’s overall plan: "enter another canyon, follow it to its end and then come back at an upward angle along to the ridge (that takes them to Mt. Blackmore and snow). Ok, you study the maps. You will not easily find a better option! My two alternates, shown on my Topo, are clearly less than optimal, although these routes are somewhat similar to a route mapped by Mr. Pirsig recently in answer to my request about what route he and Chris followed. When I pointed out to Mr. Pirsig why his mapped reply did not fit the “get water” nor the “larger side canyon” clues, he said he did not remember. But did add: If Chris’s 40 year weathered leather jacket, with elbow patches is found, that would mark their route!
PAGE 200 We stop for a break and look down below. Chris’s spirits seem to be better now, but I’m afraid it’s the ego thing again.
"Look how far we’ve come," he says.
"We’ve got a lot farther to go."
COMMENT After that super steep part that evidently did not last too long, the lower slope offered a good slope good enough to rest and look over the cliff formed by the "near vertical" part. This would make a great view.
PAGE 201 Later on Chris shouts to hear his echo, and throws rocks down to see where they fall. He’s starting to get almost cocky, so I step up the equilibrium to where I breathe at a good swift rate, about one-and-a-half times our former speed. This sobers him somewhat and we keep on climbing.
By about three in the afternoon my legs start to get rubbery and it’s time to stop. I’m not in very good shape. If you go on after that rubbery feeling you start to pull muscles and the next day is agony.
We come to a flat spot, a large knoll protruding from the side of the mountain. I tell Chris this is it for today. He seems satisfied and cheerful; maybe some progress has been made with him after all.
I’m ready for a nap, but clouds have formed in the canyon that appear ready to drop rain. They’ve filled in the canyon so that we can’t see the bottom and can just barely see the ridge on the other side.
COMMENT The trail I have here pointed out offers, later on, places that fit "Chris shouts to hear his echo, and throws rocks down to see where they fall." Also my trail offers "flat spot, a large knoll protruding from the side of the mountain." And this spot over looks the canyon so that we can’t see the bottom and can just barely see the ridge on the other side.” (Cottonwood Canyon to the West.) If my p201 "Hypothetical Climbing Trail Map" is in any way correct, it is surprising that Chris could come this far, given his inexperience, fatigue, resentment, and anger. Especially with the added fatigue of high altitude thin air!
PAGE 203 Beyond the flap of the tent now the needles on the ground send vapors of mist up toward the sun. The air feels moist and cool, and while Chris still sleeps I get out of the tent carefully, stand up and stretch.
My legs and back are stiff but not painful. I do calisthenics for a few minutes to loosen them up, then sprint from the knoll into the pines. That feels better.
The pine odor is heavy and moist this morning. I squat and look down at the morning mists in the canyon below.
COMMENT We learn that the flat spot is a knoll. There must be fairly heavy forests, since the Narrator must squat to look into the valley in that direction. But the trees are open enough, in at least one direction, for the Narrator to sprint to an edge of more dense trees. On my "Hypothetical Climbing Trail" Map, I show a reasonable choice for a knoll.
PAGE 205 We still have a lot of climbing to do, but on the trail we discover it’s easier than yesterday. We’re getting to the rounded upper portion of the ridge and the slope isn’t as steep. It looks as though the pines have never been cut here. All direct light is shut out from the forest floor and there’s no underbrush at all. Just a springy floor of needles that’s open and spacious and easy hiking . . . .
COMMENT The Narrator says his route, as they get to the higher slopes, is in mature dense forests. This is also shown in Mr. Pirsig’s own photo, link below. This eliminates many mountain tops and slopes, because they show evidence of logging within the last 38 yeas since 1968.
Click here for Mr. Pirsig’s photo of mountain climb dense forests at their campsite. http://ww2.usca.edu/ResearchProjects/ProfessorGurr/gallery/Pictures-Robert-Pirsigs-original-1968-trip/aav
PAGE 207 I see a deer move about two hundred yards ahead and above us through the pines. I try to point it out to Chris, but by the time he looks it’s gone.
COMMENT This tells us they are starting up fairly steep since above is used instead of ahead. For seeing 200 yards, the woods must be fairly open to vision. Is this perhaps due to the old and un-logged forest which prevent any underbrush as mentioned p213 next?
PAGE 213 Chris shouts, "When are we going to get to the top?"
"Probably quite a way yet," I reply.
"Will we see a lot?"
"I think so. Look for blue sky between the trees. As long as we can’t see sky we know it’s a way yet. The light will come through the trees when we round the top."
Last night’s rain has soaked this soft duff of needles sufficiently to make them good walking. Sometimes when it’s really dry on a slope like this they become slippery and you have to dig your feet into them edgewise or you’ll slide down.
I say to Chris, "Isn’t it great when there’s no underbrush like this?"
"Why isn’t there any?" he asks.
"I think this area must never have been logged. When a forest is left alone like this for centuries, the trees shut out all the underbrush."
"It’s like a park," Chris says. "You can sure see all around." His mood seems much better than yesterday. I think he’ll be a good traveler from here on. This forest silence improves anyone.
COMMENT The Narrator and Chris are both expecting the top and not too far away. This tells the reader to expect a climax and so helps to actually build that climax!!
PAGE 215 And at that point, when he wrote that, he knew he had reached some kind of culmination of thought he had been unconsciously striving for over a long period of time.
"Blue sky!" shouts Chris.
There it is, way above us, a narrow patch of blue through the trunks of the trees.
We move faster and the patches of blue become larger and larger through the trees and soon we see that the trees thin out to a bare spot at the summit. When the summit is about fifty yards away I say, "Let’s go!" and start to dash for it, throwing into the effort all the reserves of energy I’ve been saving.
COMMENT On "The Narrator + Chris Hypothetical Climbing Trail" Map, I show a reasonable choice route fitting these ZMM descriptions.
PAGE 216 I give it everything I have, but Chris gains on me. Then he passes me, giggling. With the heavy load and high altitude we’re not setting any records but now we’re just charging up with all we have. Chris gets there first, while I just break out of the trees. He raises his arms and shouts, "The Winner!"
Egotist. I’m breathing so hard when I arrive I can’t speak. We just drop our packs from our shoulders and lie down against some rocks. The crust of the ground is dry from the sun, but underneath is mud from last night’s rain. Below us and miles away beyond the forested slopes and the fields beyond them is the Gallatin Valley. At one corner of the valley is Bozeman. A grasshopper jumps up from the rock and soars down and away from us over the trees.
"We made it," Chris says. He is very happy. I am still too winded to answer. I take off my boots and socks which are soggy with sweat and set them out to dry on a rock. I stare at them meditatively as vapors from them rise up toward the sun.
COMMENT On my "Hypothetical Climbing Trail" Map, I show a reasonable location for the mountain climb triple climax of Chris and the Narrator consistent with the overall descriptions in ZMM. The knoll leads to a ridge going ever upward to the peak of Mt. Blackmore.
PAGE 216 Evidently I’ve slept. The sun is hot. My watch says a few minutes before noon. I look over the rock I’m leaning against and see Chris sound asleep on the other side. Way up above him the forest stops and barren grey rock leads into patches of snow. We can climb the back of this ridge straight up there, but it would be dangerous toward the top. I look up at the top of the mountain for a while. ....A sound of falling rock draws my attention over to one side of the mountain. Nothing moves. Completely still.
It’s all right. You hear little rockslides like this all the time.
Not so little sometimes, though. Avalanches start with little slides like that. If you’re above them or beside them, they’re interesting to watch. But if they’re above you—no help then. You just have to watch it come.
COMMENT On my "Hypothetical Climbing Trail" Map, I show a reasonable place to see ” barren grey rock leads into patches of snow” and study ” "the back of this ridge straight up there”
COMMENT And this ridge identified On my "Hypothetical Climbing Trail" Map, does go straight from the climax knoll to the top of Mt. Blackmore, one of the highest mountains available for the DeWeese home.
PAGE 219 We walk to where the ridge we are on creases inward to the start of a ravine. I see that we can follow this ravine down and eventually find water in it. I start angling down now.
Some more rocks clatter up above. Suddenly I’m frightened.
"Chris," I say.
"What?"
"You know what I think?"
"No, what?"
"I think we’d be very smart if we let that mountaintop go for now and try it another summer."
COMMENT On my "Hypothetical Climbing Trail".
Map", I have shown a way down that includes the ravine where there is eventually water. The route I have chosen somewhat follows this stream, then heads East, curves round a protruding ridge followed by a steep part that then heads down a gentile slope towards the nearest road. This is the road from the Palace Butte Campground, where consistent with the Narrative, Chris and the Narrator could reasonably expect to obtain a ride to Bozeman. Consistent with the Narrator's descriptions, this route does feature: 1) A steep cliff portion. 2) The base of this cliff is near enough to hear a stream. 3) The mountain stream must be crossed, prior to the road, which is close.
PAGE 220 We continue walking down. "Okay?" I say.
He finally says, "Okay," in a noncommittal voice.
The descent is easy now but I see it will be steeper soon. It’s still open and sunny here but soon we’ll be in trees again.
COMMENT My marked route on my "Hypothetical Climbing Trail" Map, includes an descent is easy now but I see it will be steeper soon."
PAGE 221 Now we enter the trees again, and the sight of the mountaintop is obscured by their branches and I’m glad.
.... "Feels good to be going down, doesn’t it?" I say.
No answer.
We’re going to have a little fight, I’m afraid.
.... Soon I’m clomping down the slope in a kind of two-step idiot gallop . . . ga-dump, ga-dump, ga-dump . . . until I hear Chris holler, "SLOW DOWN!" and see he is a couple of hundred yards back through the trees.
COMMENT My "Hypothetical Climbing Trail" Map, route includes song stretches down with gradual slope suitable for clomping down the slope in a kind of two-step idiot gallop . . . ga-dump, ga-dump, ga-dump".
PAGE 229 We’re down quite a way from the summit now, and the mixed pines and leafy underbrush are much higher here and more closed in than they were at this altitude on the other side of the canyon. Evidently more rain gets into this canyon. I gulp down a large quantity of water from a pot Chris has filled at the stream here, .... From here on it looks like a slow descent. This slope has evidently been logged and there’s a lot of underbrush higher than our heads that makes it slow going. We’ll have to work our way around it,
COMMENT My "Hypothetical Climbing Trail" Map, shows a route that goes along a mountain streams. This area is near enough to logging roads and on slopes consistent with logging and the creation of lots of dens underbrush.
PAGE 230 We’re on steep mucky soil now that’s hard to keep a footing in. We grab branches and shrubs to steady ourselves. I take a step, then figure where my next step will be, then take this step, then look again. Soon the brush becomes so thick I see we will have to hack through it. I sit down while Chris gets the machete from the pack on my back. He hands it to me, then, hacking and chopping, I head into the brush. It’s slow going. Two or three branches must be cut for every step. It may go on like this for a long time.
COMMENT My "Hypothetical Climbing Trail" Map, route shows steeper parts down where, as they get closer to the campground, there are steeper North slopes so the soil could be mucky in the shade of trees and brush.
PAGE 231 For the remainder of the afternoon we climb down over grey weathered trunks of deadfalls and angle back and forth on the steep slope.
We reach a cliff, angle along its edge in search of a way down, and eventually a narrow draw appears which we’re able to descend. It continues down through a rocky crevice in which there is a little rivulet. Shrubs and rocks and muck and roots of huge trees watered by the rivulet fill the crevice. Then we hear the roar of a much larger creek in the distance.
COMMENT My route to the campground includes a long stretch of very steep down and depending on where the route starts down could have equivalents to a cliff and require a rocky watery crevasse to go down. The base of the steep part is close enough to hear Upper Hyalite Creek, a major stream direct down and full of snow melt. Consistent to the Narrative, reaching the road requires crossing Hyalite Creek prior to reaching the road. A road from a campground would regularly have moving vehicles.
END ZMM clues re Narrator's and Chris's mountain climb.
Please contact me if you have (or need) more information re Mr. Pirsig's Bozeman Mountain Climb Trail.
If you plan to search for this trail or have any new ideas on where this "Pirsig Trail" may be, please email me: HenryG__Aiken.SC.edu.
