Sharing the Adventure-Inspired Love with Pemba Serves and Section Hiker!

I've been a lucky girl the past week and a half. Well, all the time, but especially this past week and a half! I had the opportunity to share thoughts this Wednesday and last Thursday about two of my favorite topics outside of the Adventure-Inspired forum, those two topics being Big City Mountaineers and rock climbing.

The Beautiful, Winding Road to the Top of Mount Rainier with Big City Mountaineers
There's no quicker way to bring a smile to my face than to broach the Big City Mountaineers and Summit for Someone topics. The organization is has done and continues to do incredible things for urban teenagers by giving them the opportunity to have transformative outdoor experiences. In this guest post for Pemba Serves, learn what my Summit for Someone climb of Mount Rainier in August of 2010 was like from start to finish!

What Rock Climbing Can Do For You
If you read Adventure-Inspired regularly, you know how much I love climbing. Hiking and backpacking are among my other favorite activities, and I'm an avid reader of Philip Werner's Section Hiker blog. Philip took off on a long walk along the Appalachian Trail this month and asked if I'd be willing to write about a topic not often mentioned on Section Hiker - rock climbing! Read more about what I've gained from the sport and why everyone we know should try it.

Keep your eye on both of these forums if you don't already. They're great sources of information! And a huge thanks to both for giving me another soapbox to stand on and talk from!

How I Prepared to Climb a Big Mountain without a Big Mountain

I had a great time writing this as a guest post for Camp The Summit, but didn't want anyone to miss it! Here it is, and the guest post link is here.

 

Heading up to Camp Muir and later, the summit of Mt. Rainier!

“Omigod. Omigod. Omigod.”  Looking out the car window en route to Ashford, Washington, that’s all I could say. Beautiful snow covered Mount Rainier loomed in the distance. “Omigod. I’m going to climb that?”Some will argue Rainier isn’t a big mountain. There are 53 peaks in Colorado over 14,000’ and Rainier stands at 14,411’.  True it isn’t Everest big, but it is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous United States. Serious mountaineers come to Rainier for training. Depending on the route, you’ll gain upwards of 10,000 vertical feet and spend a good bit of time at altitude. To me, that makes Rainier a big mountain.

In January of 2010, I signed up to climb Rainier as part of the Big City Mountaineers Summit for Someone Climb Series. As part of an all-women’s team, I scaled the mountain with RMI Guides on a four day program in August. It’s the first climb of its kind I’d done and had no idea how to start preparing. Ideally, my training regimen would involve a lot of hiking and elevation gain, but I live in Southeastern Pennsylvania. I didn’t have easily accessible mountains to train on. But through research, help from friends and a lot of trial and error, I was able to prepare well enough to have a successful climb. Here are my five best tips for getting ready for Rainier or a similar peak without big mountains!

On Algonquin in the Adirondacks with EMS Climbing School!

1. Learn Some Stuff

I was a mountaineering n00b when I signed up for Rainier.  Even if you’re climbing with a guide, it’s important to have at least basic levels of knowledge. Reading books like Freedom of the Hills can help, but there’s no substitute for hands-on training. I took a three day introduction to mountaineering course with Eastern Mountain Sports in Lake Placid several months before the climb, and it helped me feel more confident about staying safe on Rainier. There are guiding companies across the country, including the renowned American Alpine Institute, that offer classes to help get you started. And if you’re doing a guided climb, sign up for one that has a training component, like RMI’s four day Rainier program.

2. Consult Experts, Including Experienced Friends, and Formulate a Training Plan

I knew how to train for some specific activities, but climbing a big mountain wasn’t one of them. Thanks to the twitter community I’ve found myself in, I was able to compile a list of training tips from friends who understand what it takes to climb Rainier. I owe them a lot! 

The actual day-to-day training plan I used came from a DVD called, fittingly enough, “Train to Climb Mt. Rainier.” The DVD was produced by Courtenay and Doug Schurman of Body Results, and is a targeted training tool for novice and intermediate mountaineers. Courtenay actually wrote the mountaineering conditioning chapter in the seventh edition of Freedom of the Hills! On the DVD, you’ll learn about aerobic and anaerobic training, flexibility, strength, and best of all, you’ll get access to their 6-month training plan. There are many different plans out there (from IMG), but this one is very specific, and it works. Find one that works for you and commit to it, no matter what.

My last training hike! On Mt. Minsi. (P. Gensel)

3. Make Sport-Specific Training a Priority

The piece of training advice I heard most frequently was to train with a heavy pack as much as possible. When you’re climbing a big mountain, you’ll spend most of your waking hours with weight strapped to your back and your body needs time to adapt to what that feels like. I heard stories of marathoners stopping short of summits because, despite their cardiovascular conditioning, their bodies weren’t prepared for the long uphill weighted battle.

My training plan called for a gradual increase in elevation gain and hiking time over the course of six months. In the beginning, I’d hit one of my favorite local hiking spots with 20 pounds on my back and hike for two or three hours. By the end of the plan, I was supposed to gain 4,000-5,000’ of elevation over eight hours with 40 pounds or more at least once or twice a week, coupled with interval training. I’d do some of my favorite local hikes, like Glen Onoko Falls, multiple times in one day. If I couldn’t make it outside, I’d hit the Stairmaster or treadmill and try to gain the same elevation. It’s exhausting and time consuming, but it pays off. So, get a heavy pack on and start hiking!

4. Train Your Brain

"Mountaineering /n./ slow walking uphill while not feeling very well." 

Mentally pushing through the physical suffering and fear that makes mountaineering what it is can be the difference between summiting and not. On summit day, we climbed up Rainier for 16 hours on less than four hours of sleep. I was exhausted, my muscles were screaming, and I had an altitude-induced migraine. I spent a good bit of summit day absolutely terrified, glancing at gaping holes in Rainier’s beautiful glaciers that could swallow me whole. But I trusted my training, my guides, my team and myself. I had a mantra I recited with each step. Rock climbing had exposed me to primal fear, and I’d found ways to cope.

The fear, the risk and the suffering are all part of what makes mountaineering special. You’re pushing yourself physically and mentally beyond boundaries you thought were impossibly fixed. It’s exhilarating. Though looping the Mount Tammany hike three times on a 95º summer Pennsylvania day was monotonous and downright awful at times, it helped me prepare mentally for what was to come. A completely rained out backpacking trip in the Catskills did too. So get out there, try some things that scare you and push you mentally!

Altitude training on Quandary Peak in Colorado! (A. Campbell)

5. If You’ve Never Been at Altitude, Get There

Prior to my trip to Rainier, I’d never climbed above 6,000’. I had no idea how my body was going to react to the lack of oxygen at altitude. At 14,411’, Rainier is high enough to cause issues for climbers who have trouble coping and those who ascend too quickly. I took a short trip to Boulder, Colorado the month before the climb and hiked Quandary Peak (14,265’) to better understand how my body dealt with going from sea level to 14,000’ in two days. It wasn’t pretty, nor did it feel good, but I’m glad I was prepared going into the Rainier trip.

If you’ve got a big mountain or two under your belt, I’d love to hear more about how you prepared for it! Tell me in the comments! This post and associate comments also appears on Camp the Summit.com

Gear Review: LEKI Khumbu Aergon Trekking Poles

The poles and I out for a stroll on the AT this weekend.

My foray into the world of trekking poles was prompted by RMI Expeditions and the gear list I received for my Mount Rainier Summit for Someone climb last summer. I'd never used them before, nor considered them an essential piece of gear. Though I had trouble with the poles I chose initially, they became incredibly useful with a little help from one of our expert guides. I was glad to have them on the descent when my leg muscles started rebelling!

I chose LEKI after hearing and reading good things about the company. Of the four poles LEKI offers for mountain trekking, three are listed above $100. I wanted something reasonably priced, durable, easy to use and without the anti-shock feature. I find the noise created by anti-shock trekking poles nearly unbearable and invasive on the trail, like nails on a chalkboard.

Just by virtue of my price limitations and anti-anti-shock preference, I'd narrowed the field to three LEKI models - the Khumbu Aergon, Corklite Aergon, and Cressida Aergon. The Corkline Aergon grips were too stiff; I preferred the softer grips on the Khumbu Aergon. The Cressida Aergon only extend up to 125 cm (48"). Even though I'm 5'9" and the 48" extension would have been enough, I wanted flexibility in case the poles needed to become tent poles, or hold up tarps.

All three feature LEKI's Speedlock locking system, hailed as one of the strongest in the world. The levers are easy to use with gloves on, operating a bit like the quick release lever on bike tires. The Khumbu Aergon, though 3-4 oz. heavier than the other two pairs, were under the $100 mark, and that was the final piece that tipped the scale.

The poles and I made it on to the trail a few times before Rainier. The lower portion of the poles never seemed to stay locked, which surprised me after I'd read so much about how innovative the Speedlock system was. I'd put weight on them and feel the lower portion slide all the way up.

Locked vs unlocked, lower portion compressed.

Frustrated, I took them to Rainier anyway hoping to rent a pair if I couldn't get mine to work. Guide Carrie Parker told me it's a common issue with trekking poles in general. She helped me make them usable by extending the top portion as far as it would go, locking it, and leaving the bottom compressed. The top lock stayed put and I didn't have to worry about the lower one sliding around. It worked and they felt sturdy enough, but the poles lost 6-8" of length flexibility.

I'd never heard of, or read reviews from, anyone with that issue and of course, that makes me think it's got something to do with the user! I'm hoping I'll get them to stay locked with a little fiddling. I found the poles themselves a valuable addition to my collection of gear. I've taken them out once or twice since, and regretted leaving them at home for our Ricketts Glen adventure.They won't have a place on day hikes for me, but I expect they'll come with me on backpacking trips this summer.

The bottom line: The grips are comfortable, the poles are sturdy, and the Speedlock system is easy to use. For my height and purposes, they're still functional with the lower portion compressed, but of course ideally, the entire pole would function properly. All that being said, I'm not sure I'd buy these again. If anyone has any suggestions about how to get the lower lock to stay put, I'd love to hear them!

LEKI Khumbu Aergon poles and others available through Leki.com, Eastern Mountain Sports, and REI.

Mt. Rainier Trip Report - Part 2

Day 3 - Hike from Paradise (5,400') to Camp Muir (10,080')

Heading to Camp Muir, 8/20,10.

The excitement at Mesdag Basecamp, where I had the immense good fortune of staying with Tiffany, Sara and Candace in Ashford, was palatable that morning. We'd unpacked, analyzed, giggled and repacked practically all night. We were ready. Guide Melissa broke the day into hour long segments with a short break for food and sunscreen reapplication at the end of each. Our goal was to get up there having conserved as much energy as possible for the summit bid.


At a pace that allowed us to gain 1,000' per hour, give or take, it took us just shy of six hours. The pace was very comfortable, not quite easy, but comfortable. At each break, we'd fuel up, drink water, find as much privacy as possible in the giant snowfield to do our "business," and move on. I'll never be shy about peeing in the woods again, that's for sure!

NPS Ranger Station at Camp Muir.

Camp Muir came into view after our last break, and it was as perfect as I expected. The camp consisted of several Himalayan-esque huts perched on a rocky ridge surrounded by snow. Prayer flags tied to the NPS Ranger Station fluttered in the wind. Us girls opted to give another RMI climb ascending at the same time* the RMI hut while we split into three Mountain Hardwear expedition tents for a "true alpine experience" devoid of snoring. Tiffany, Sara and I took turns sorting summit day gear in our tent, devouring freeze dried meals, and sharing our excitement with our teammates.

We finally turned in for the "night" around 7pm for our "nap." I fell in and out of sleep, discovering the 20º bag I'd brought wasn't quite warm enough. The forecast called for 5-10º at the summit with 30-40mph winds, and a slightly warmer 20-25º at Camp Muir. But it looked like a perfect day to climb a mountain. 

The Upper Mountain.

Day 4 - Summit Day and Descent via the Disappointment Cleaver Route

Melissa came by with a cheerful, "Good Morning, Ladies!" just after midnight. I was relieved to be getting up; the non-sleep and excitement were making me nuts! She'd given us rope team assignments the night before, and I was looking forward to climbing with Solveig and Tiffany. We left Camp Muir just after 1:30am. My favorite part of the nighttime climbing was watching all of the tiny headlamp lights winding their way up the route ahead of us.

The first leg took just over an hour, winding across the Cowlitz Glacier to Cathedral Gap, then on to the Igraham Flats. The ascent was minimal and gave us a great chance to warm up. Melissa warned us to keep our ears open for the sounds of rock and ice fall, which we'd heard a few times during the night. It's enough to make sure you're acutely aware of your surroundings, that's for sure.

The second leg, which took us across the Ingraham Flats, to the base of the Disappointment Cleaver, then to the top of it, would be the longest and the most challenging. The hour and a half took us up a section of mixed climbing - hand over hand crawling and high stepping up boulders, scree slopes, snow, and everything in between, all with crampons on in the dark. It was all I could do to keep my heart from jumping out of my chest. At this point, I realized what a big deal this climb really was; Solveig and Melissa told us to stay on our feet with good reason. Part of me was grateful the night shrouded the route.

Break time in the summit crater!

By the time we reached the top of the Cleaver at 12,300', I was both physically and emotionally ready for a break. But to spend an hour and a half being so scared and persevering was the best feeling in the world. I felt exhilarated and re-energized. As the guides worked with us to assess ourselves, I realized for the first time that I was going to make it. On the next section, we had mostly steep snow to deal with, and the sun began to rise. I could see each separate layer of clouds in the distance and lightening over Mt. Hood miles and miles away. My focus remained on the trail, the rope in front of me, and my breathing. Glances at the great deep blue crevasses in the Emmons Glacier running parallel to our trail sent bursts of adrenaline from head to toe.

Our last break before the summit was short. The wind had picked up and I could see clouds blowing past the summit above us. Our guides made sure we focused every inch of our being on climbing, and I could see a small rock band above us - the crater rim. Before we could reach it, we crossed a small aluminum ladder spread across a crevasse with a hand line. We continued up, and before I knew it, we'd climbed to the rock band, over it, and began dropping down into the crater. We picked a flat spot, dropped our packs, and I sat down, letting a few tears out, and wondered in happy disbelief how I'd managed to get there.

By the time we were ready to descend, the wind had picked up and gray clouds had started forming above us. Melissa discussed again the importance of descending "in good style," and how the climb was only half over. It took us six hours to ascend from Camp Muir and three hours to get back. (I blame that stretch of the climb for the soreness in my quads the next day!) After an hour at Camp Muir and a migraine pill, we descended the rest of the way to Paradise. I learned I'm not as adept at boot-skiing as I thought, and glissading is more fun if you've got waterproof pants on. But by 3:30pm, we were safe at Paradise, and on our way down to RMI Basecamp for celebrations.

Our team of mountaineeresses! From left, standing: Alicia, Hillary, guide Carrie, guide Melissa, Kruti, Amy, guide Solveig, Sara, Tiffany, Me. Photo courtesy of Tiffany Royal.

You don't conquer mountains. You respect them, learn as best you can how to climb them safely, and sometimes, you're lucky enough to reach the summit and return home in one piece a changed person. I am a changed person because of this experience. The physical challenge of climbing the mountain, the mental battles each of us fought, the way we worked together as a team, and the cause we worked toward have given me a renewed sense of what we're all capable of if we care enough. And I can't wait for the next adventure!

*As it turns out, some members of this co-ed climb led by Gabi were ascending Mount Rainier on behalf of the Seven Ribbons Foundation. Congratulations, and good luck to them with their Seven Summits endeavor!

Mt. Rainier Trip Report - Part 1

The crunch of snow under my crampons. The blasts of wind. Glancing up at the knot dangling from my harness to make sure I maintained proper rope interval. Humming 'The Drumming Song' by Florence and the Machine. One foot in front of the other. Rest step with attitude. Use your knees as hinges. Big pressure breath. Ice axe in the uphill hand planted in the slope for balance. Listen for rock fall. Ignore the sound my crampons make on rock. Repeat who I'm climbing for - "Candace, Kids, Supporters at Home, Myself." Chomp down on frozen Snickers bar and remember to put summit food in my pocket so it doesn't freeze.Watch the sun rise over Mount Adams and realize, again, how small I am. Look around at Tiffany, Sara, Hillary, Alicia, Amy, Solveig and Melissa and feel like I deserve to be here. I belong. I am strong enough, and I'm going to make it.  

- excerpt from my journal, 8/ 23/10

Our team after climbing school on day 2. From left, standing:
Alicia, Hillary, Sara, Me, Kruti, Amy, Tiffany. Photo courtesy of Tiffany Royal.

I can't believe it happened. But I know it did. I just took out the certificate of achievement my rope team leader and mountaineeress extraordinaire Solveig handed me while we chowed down on recovery pizza at RMI Basecamp in Ashford. She told me she knew I'd overcome a lot of anxieties on the trip, and she was right. Seven months of preparation, encouraging words from friends and family, $5,153 raised for Big City Mountaineers for four days of learning and climbing, and life changing experiences. In total, the Mount Rainier Women's Climb participants raised over $38,000 for BCM.

It's been just over a week, and I'm still learning from it all. The days after, I'd feel as though I needed to cry on several occasions, whether out of pure relief we accomplished our goal safely, out of sorrow because it was over, or another reason entirely. It was one of the most physically and mentally demanding things I've ever done. My whole body ached by the end. I spend a good portion of our upper mountain ascent feeling like I do when I lead climb - mildly in control and absolutely terrified. But every time I glanced forward to the lifeline tying me to Tiffany, or to the side at the expanse of snow, ice, and rock below us, I couldn't help but think, "I am the luckiest girl in the world."

It was at our second break atop the Disappointment Cleaver at 12,300' in the dark on Saturday morning, August 21st, that I realized I was going to make it. I felt tired, but strong and capable. I had no appetite, and despite both that and being half asleep, I knew Mount Rainier was going to allow me to climb her that morning.

Day 1 - Gear Check and Meeting the Team, 8/18/10
Our journey as a team began three days prior when we all met in Ashford, WA at RMI Basecamp for our gear check. It was a chance for us to get to know each other and ask any last minute questions. I had a little celebrity shocker moment when I met our lead guide, venerable mountaineering powerhouse and First Ascent sponsored athlete Melissa Arnot. Assistant guides Solveig and Carrie, equally talented and impressive, would join us over the course of the next day or two. We couldn't have asked for a stronger, more cohesive group of ladies. Each brought their own strengths, their own climbing history, their own personalities, and each made a significant contribution. We bonded over Nepalese food, joking about how much more fun we'd have than the guys' teams.

Suiting up at climbing school!

Day 2 - Climbing School, 8/19/10
We woke early Thursday morning to a cloud covered sky, and took a shuttle up to the Paradise Visitors Center. Melissa made sure to point out our shuttle carefully, lest we jump in the one full of climbers planning to hike to Camp Muir that day by mistake! With light packs, we easily made our way up to a snow-covered slope. We spend the morning learning how to use the rest step to conserve energy, how to pressure breathe and how to kick steps, making sure each step was better for the person behind us. The word of the day was "efficiency."

The afternoon's lessons included self arresting, traveling in rope teams, rope management, proper rope interval, good communication, and lots of giggling. It was the best day of mountaineering instruction I've ever had. Solveig and Melissa did an amazing job of explaining and demonstrating skills in a way we could all understand. After discussions of layering systems, food rationing, and what to expect en route to Camp Muir the next day, we hiked back down to Paradise. I managed a giant bowl of fettuccine alfredo at the Copper Creek Inn for dinner despite the butterflies in my stomach. After seven months of preparation, we were ready to climb.

...to be continued

My Mt. Rainier Gear List

All packed up for Camp Muir/Summit Day!

One of my favorite parts, and one of the hardest, about life-changing trips is coming home and attempting to process everything that happened. For me, that's still in the works. Until that process is complete, you're stuck reading about my gear!

Between test packing at home with a scale close by, packing to board a plane to Seattle, repacking at Tiffany's house, unpacking at Mesdag Basecamp, repacking for climbing school, repacking for our trek to Camp Muir, unpacking at Camp Muir, and repacking for our summit bid, I could get everything in its place in my backpack in my sleep.

(When Melissa woke us at midnight for summit day, that's basically what we did!) But all of the packing, unpacking and repacking served a much greater purpose - ensuring we had all of the proper gear to stay safe on Mount Rainier.

Big City Mountaineers and RMI provided the Summit for Someone climbers with an extensive gear list prior to the start of our 4-day program in Ashford. The first day served as our gear check, the second day was climbing school, and the third and fourth days made up the summit attempt. We had to have the proper clothing and gear for each of those days. Given the varying weather and temperature changes, that meant a lot of testing different layering systems.

Below is a complete list of my clothing and gear for climbing school, our trek to Camp Muir, and summit day. My biggest issue was finding bottom layers that were long enough; I discovered some of my favorite gear companies produce pants with a 32" inseam and call them "long." Thanks to help from our wonderful guides, I managed to figure out exactly what to wear and was, for the most part, pretty comfortable with what I chose!

All geared up on the descent from the summit of Rainier.

 Key: used just at snow school | used just to Camp Muir | used just on summit day | used on all 3 days 

Top Layers
Patagonia Women's Active Classic Cami, Mountain Hardwear Wicked Lite Short Sleeve Tee, Mountain Hardwear Advance Zip Tee, Smartwool Midweight Crew, Eastern Mountain Sports 6 year-old crossing guard yellow fleece, Mountain Hardwear Cohesion Jacket, First Ascent Peak XV Down Jacket

Bottom Layers 
REI Midweight Polartec Power Dry Long Underwear Bottom, Mountain Hardwear Yuma Convertible Pant,
Mountain Hardwear Winter Wanderer Pant, Marmot PreCip Full Zip Pant

Head, Feet and Hands
Petzl Elios Helmet, North Face Wool Beanie, Petzl Tikkina Headlamp, Julbo Colorado Glacier Glasses, La Sportiva Women's Nepal Evo GTX Mountaineering Boots, Black Diamond Sabretooth Crampons, Smartwool Liner Socks, Smartwool PhD Outdoor Heavy Cushion Sock, Outdoor Research Crocodile Gaiters, Mountain Hardwear Women's Powerstretch Gloves, Burton Gore Tex Gloves 

Other Gear
Black Diamond Primrose Climbing Harness, North Face Badlands 60 Backpack, Black Diamond Raven Ice Axe with Awesome Summit for Someone Logo, Leki Khumbu Trekking Poles, Back Country Access Tracker D.T.S Avalanche Beacon, Granite Gear Compression Sacks, 1L Nalgene Bottles, Green Superfeet Insoles,

Things I Brought and Didn't Use
Marmot Safari Hat, Eastern Mountain Sports Mittens, Smith Optics Ski Goggles 

Stuff I Wish I Had or Remembered to Bring
Buff, lip balm with actual SPF, trail shoes for the base of the mountain

In a Matter of Days...

"This is my body. This is my mind. And this is my heart.

They are what they are today, and I am going to do the best with what I have."

~encouraging words and a new mantra from Tali

 

It's 7 o'clock on a Sunday morning, and I'm wide awake. I've got a gear list in front of me with items checked off, crossed out and highlighted, the fruits of last night's labor. There's a full backpack sitting behind me and a pile of stuff still waiting to be arranged in another suitcase. The thought of checking the backpack at the airport makes me nervous. What if the airline loses it? I have two days before we leave Bremerton for Ashford for them to find it. What if one of the buckle breaks? Dan taught me to always take the waist buckle off and carry it with me, that's the most important one to keep safe. I'll have a few extras, just in case. Well wishes from my wonderful coworkers, amazing friends, and my beautiful family ring in my head. It's times like these when my faith in the human race is renewed. I don't know if I've ever experienced this combination of nerves and excitement in my life.

Nearing the top of Mt. Minsi on my last training day! photo by Patrick Gensel

It's Finally Here!
I signed up for the Women's Summit for Someone climb exactly seven months ago to the day, largely thanks to Sara telling me about it, and Brendan of Big City Mountaineers making me feel like it was possible. The thought of combining something I've always wanted to do with something I'm passionate about made perfect sense.

The first donation to my climb came from Twitter friend Mark Anbinder, who hails from my hometown, went to Cornell, and knows four of my friends, but whom I've never met. The most recent was a matching gift that Cornell swimming buddy Jessica Brookman submitted to her employer several months ago after donating herself. Big City Mountaineers and I have received nearly 100 donations from 47 cities in 16 states and 2 countries. The donations amount to $5,128, enough to support 12 kids on their entire BCM trips. I am humbled, overwhelmed, and eternally grateful.

I board a plane for Washington tomorrow. Our gear check with RMI Expeditions is on Wednesday. Climbing school is Thursday.  We start our two-day climb to the summit of the 14,441' glacier-covered stratovolcano that is Mount Rainier on Friday. We'll climb to Camp Muir, attempt to sleep until midnight or so, then leave the comfort of camp for the summit in the dark. We'll be back to Ashford by dinnertime on Saturday, and that'll be it, at least until the next one!

Patrick and I on Mt. Minsi

Last Day of Training Hikes
Yesterday was my last weighted training hike, and thanks to good friends, I didn't do it alone. After receiving some devastating news from family in the morning, I was glad to focus on the task at hand. It was the first perfect weather training day of the summer - just under 80º with no humidity. Patrick and I climbed Mount Minsi on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware Water Gap, both with weighted packs. He's awesome. I don't know too many people who'd accompany a friend on a hike and take a heavy pack for absolutely no reason other than to be supportive! It was a relatively standard sized pack for me, about 35 pounds, and we made the four mile trip in two hours. He and Aleya will be climbing Mount Washington in New Hampshire the same days we're on Rainier, and I can't wait to hear how it goes!

After refueling at the Village Farmer Bakery, Patrick left for an engagement party and I met fellow TerraMar Adventures organizer Andria and her friend Mike to climb Mount Tammany. This time, the pack stayed in the car. I am tapering, after all. Two hours later, we were back at the parking lot and en route to the Village Farmer again. Yes, the pie is just that good.

The Journey is the Real Adventure
It's been a wonderful, sometimes stressful several months of preparation, and I can't believe it's finally here. I can't thank everyone enough for your support and generosity, both those who've donated and those who've spent the past weeks listening to me talk about my nerves! I know that whatever happens on the mountain, this experience has and will change me. I'll be back a week from now, and can't wait to tell everyone about it!

Climbing Mount Rainier...Yeah, I'm Doing It!

I don't remember the first tale I read about mountaineering, or the first person I idolized who'd climbed a peak I'd probably never see. I don't remember thinking for a second when Mt. Mckliney exploded out of a faraway horizon in Denali National Park that I'd ever be able to climb it, or that I'd want to. (The jury's still out on both). I felt the same way when I saw Mount Rainier for the first time this past summer. But I'll never forget how I felt the first time I saw real mountains, big mountains, flying over the Chugach Range in Alaska in 2006.

I was fresh out of college with the opportunity to explore career options with an incredible company as far away from home as I could get without leaving the United States. I flew in to Anchorage mid-June, and was moved to tears by the expanse of peaks, glaciers, and alpenglow out the window of the plane. I remember thinking, "It's just a bunch of snow and rock, why am I crying?" Those emotions were something so special, something I now have a deeper understanding of.

Generally, life's been pretty phenomenal, and I've been so fortunate to have been able to see places like Alaska, Olympic National Park, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and many others. I certainly have many, many people to thank for those opportunities, including those within the company I work for. But it's these opportunities that have allowed me to explore who I am, what my passions are, and what I truly care about.

Turns out I care about a lot of things! But among those at the top of the list are making sure my generation, the next generation, and everyone else have the chance to have outdoor experiences that help them understand how special our planet truly is. Or at least have the choice whether or not to have those experiences. I believe we'd all be a little happier, healthier, and the world would be a better place if we all understood and spent quality time with Mother Nature.

So after much debate within myself and encouragement from friends, I've signed up to climb Mount Rainier on an all-woman's team in August 2010 with Summit for Someone. The climbing series, sponsored by Backpacker Magazine, lets people like me raise funds to help provide a life-changing wilderness experience to the teens who need it most through Big City Mountaineers. These kids wouldn't have the opportunity to experience the wonder of the wilderness otherwise, something I can't imagine.

I made the decision to do this not only because it will be an incredible personal challenge for me, but because it's for a cause I think is extremely important. Please consider supporting me in my fund raising efforts. Help me reach the top of Mount Rainier, and help me help other experience the wilderness I hold so dear.

My donation page.

Also, please consider supporting my teammates Sara and Tiffany.

 Beautiful Mount Rainier from Tacoma, WA, more than 50 miles away.