Recently I was asked, "Why do you still want to climb Mt. Shasta with COVID-19 and limited flights?" The more I thought about it, regardless of what's going on currently, there will always be something. The one thing that comes to mind is "NO EXCUSES!" Lauren and I have a philosophy that we don't want to look back and say, "I wish I had done something..." or be the person who says, "Someday...," which we all know ultimately becomes "never" for most. There will always be something. Yes, COVID-19 is an extreme, but I don't want to live my life wondering, "What if?"
The time is now! I am excited to announce that although Mt. Whitney has been cancelled, Mt. Shasta, California's fifth tallest and most glaciated peak at 14,179 feet, is officially on for June 27-28 via the Avalanche Gulch. Mt. Shasta is a mountain I've been eyeing since last June, during my last climbing adventures on Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams. Due to multiple days of snow on Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams last June, we had to shift summit days around. Eventually, the weather cleared and the avalanche warnings went away, but if that hadn't happened, my climbing partner Paul and I were going to road trip it to California to get below the low pressure and knock out Mt. Shasta instead. Fortunately, we were able to summit both Mt. Hood and Mt Adams, but Mt. Shasta has been on my radar ever since.
Like many things these days with COVID, etc., in mountaineering there are always circumstances that present challenges. When on the mountain, I do my best to control every single circumstance in order to reduce my exposure to risk, and for the things I can't control, I do my best to be prepared to handle them to the best of my ability. That includes wearing a mask on the plane and wiping everything down on my way there and home. The great thing is that on the mountain, social distancing won't be a problem, as there aren't a whole lot of people sleeping on a glacier at 10,500 feet.
There is more to it than taking calculated risks and attempting a new summit. I've been training since February, and it's time to complete the end goal. Otherwise it's like training for a marathon or a big game but never completing them. After five months, it's time for the main event!
More so, I'm also in need of a change of pace and up for a non-work-related challenge. Work has been crazy this year. Returning to the mountains is a much needed escape! After everything that has gone on in 2020, it's time to decompress, to escape the world, leaving just me and the mountain.
As I've said in prior blogs, with every climb the mountains positively change me. Each time, I come back transformed, with a new perspective on life and work thanks to the unique experiences, lessons and mental and physical challenges each mountain provides. Of course, the views each mountain offers, at high altitude, void of any noise and light pollution, don't hurt either. Better yet, I will be climbing with my friends from Portland, Oregon, who are always great to see and spend time with.
On top of work being crazy, training my butt off, visualizing and memorizing the routes, testing new freeze-dried food, inspecting my gear, and rehearsing my glacier and crevasse rescue protocols, I am ready! Ready to head out West, escape reality, decompress, push my limits and learn someting new about myself from Mt. Shasta.
Rgardless of what it may be, hopefully you are able to find that escape this summer as well, as we all need it after three months of craziness across the country and the world.
Be safe my friends, and whatever your challenge may be, Climb On!