A Climbing Break At a Place Where the View Is Way Down.

…. “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."
.... 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. “

Higher Up From The Very, Very, Steep Climb Slope, On A Side Of Smaller Canyon, of Cottonwood Canyon, Gallatin National Forest, MT Another rail clue =>. Arriving at the top of the very, very, steep part, would give somewhat of a good cliff, over which to throw rocks and test an echo. This feat accomplishment, might well have prompted a burst of bravado in Chris, hence his behavior.
… This "N+C Hypothetical Climb Trail " WyPt N+C 12 well fits the Narrator's above description. And once a final hypothetical trail is chosen, these clues are testable on site..

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(Photo = September 2006 161 ...... ZMM Page = 200 ..... Photo Simulate WayPt = N+C 12 7080ft = 6.75mi fm DeWeese.)