I cant fugure out how to get up the mountain. I've gotten as high as north skybound watch. AM I close? I cant see a trail going up from there. ANy help is appreciated.

Go to Ivarsteed and cross the bridge at the end of the town. It's a straight path to the top. Or you can be like me during my first playthrough and find a pathway up through the rock ledges by continuously jumping and moving around until you find a spot to move up. The first way is less tedious, but the second way allowed me to avoid a rather hard fight for my level at the time.

It's the tallest mountain in the game, and you still have to climb up 7000 stairs to get to the top. I believe you will find a town on the East side of the mountain that begins this set of steps.

Watch out for the Frost Troll.

in Ivarsteed there are two stone bridges leading out of town. One of them goes straight into that mountain. That's the one. Don't forget to stop at each shrine and read the lines. Their pretty awesome and informative, and they also get you in the right mindset by the time you reach the top.

In my first play-through I didn't know there was a path up the mountain so I hopped up the backside of the mountain for a very long time only to go "OMG THERE'S STAIRS" later on.

Clairvoyance spell helped me out. Watch out for the Bear near the Honeydew** Caverns (or whatever cutesy name they gave it). That guy was almost as fun as the Frost Troll.

Just follow the instructions http://www.rarityguide.com/articles/articles/1003/1/Skyrim-Walkthrough-Part-6-The-Way-of-the-Voice/Page1.html. There is first a (very) long road from whiterun to iverstead. Or you can cut through the mountains but thats dangerous. just use the road even thorugh its long. Follow the signs. Get to ivarstead then exit on the bridge on the other side of town and you will see the path going up the mountain. There will be flags and markerpoints along the way. Good luck