I’m not really sure if this is the absolute highest point I’ve been to (actually, I’m sure it’s not), but it’s the one I thought of first. Chimney Rock, near Priest Lake, ID.

I didn’t actually climb Chimney Rock itself, but I hiked up about 3 miles to the peak that sits directly across from it. The view was completely breathtaking, both of the rock and the lake below.

And yes, the story was slightly interesting. I was photographing a wedding for a couple who were both getting re-married and both had teenage/college-age kids. So it was one of those hikes like you could imagine in a late 80’s movie where the mom and dad decide to get their nearly grown-up kids to join them on a big nature adventure to the top of a mountain as a way of bringing everyone together and bonding. So fill in whatever “awkwardness” blanks you want to with that… but the really funny part was the overweight, advertising account manager-slash-part-time-minister-for-extra cash who was performing the wedding. The dude must have signed up for this gig when he thought it was going to be a little 15 minute jaunt through a park and quick $300. Instead, he got 2.5 hours of driving, 5 hours of hiking, blistering heat, and sore feet. He whined like a little sissy the whole way to the top and then performed a typically lame wedding ceremony, devoid of anything original.

Oh, and the pictures were horrible. I’m sure I’ve deleted them by now.