Why I Climb

One of the most prevalent and difficult questions received by mountaineers is 'Why do you climb'? I have heard this question from family, friends, and strangers more often then I recall. I will do my best to answer this question here.

So, why do we choose to spend most winter - spring weekends on the side of a mountain? Why do we willingly and enthusiastically drive hundreds of miles to carry 40+ pounds on our backs up thousands of feet? Why do we volunteer for cold feet, dehydrated food, the inside of a nylon tent, and 1:00am wake-up calls to step out into 20 degree weather? Why do we spend our weeknights obsessed with gear lists, armed with a kitchen scale, in pursuit of of a two ounce weight saving? Why indeed?

I will first offer the answer most commonly quoted by mountaineers. As famously stated by George Mallory, arguably the first to summit Mt. Everest with Andrew Irvine in 1924, mountaineers are driven by the central tenet that we climb "Because it's there". Part of me will always be sad that this quote, this terse soundbite, is the most well known legacy of this incredible pioneer. This statement does poor service to the complexity, respect for nature, and the internal struggles experienced in service to these pursuits. If we must turn to Mallory for wisdom I much prefer the alternate quotation - "Have we vanquished an enemy? None but ourselves."

With Mallory out of the way, no disrespect to those that have gone before, I'd like to talk about why I  personally choose to climb.

Mt. Rainier - Ingraham Flats Camp

Appreciation of Our Place in Nature: My first and primary reason is to remind myself, as often as possible, of my true place in nature. I feel strongly that is important to be in touch with our place in the universe. We, all of us, are tiny and fragile creatures in a great big world.

The wild places remind me that we are all but one small entity, no more or less important than the smallest chipmunk, but blessed with the powers of choice, autonomy, and appreciation. My time in these special places reminds me to respect our wide and wonderful world and take nothing for granted. Our time is short, these moments are precious, and our life is fleeting. We need to make the most of it at all times.

Summit Crater of Mt. Rainier

Our Capabilities Are Bigger Than We Think: This one is huge for me personally. There is a moment of fear at the start of every big climb, every new job, and every new learning experience. The self-doubt creeps in insidiously. Can I do this? Should I do this? What if I can't? Maybe I should just quit now? No. Never. Keep going.

These experiences teach me, again and again, that it is alright to feel fear. It is alright to feel overwhelmed. It is alright to sit in these moments but not for too long. These moments can be acknowledged but must then replaced with the resolve to move past them. You can reach that summit. You can keep going. You will reach your goal.

It might hurt, it might be harder than you expected it to be, and it might take several attempts before you get it right. But it will happen. The moments of breakthrough, in climbing and in life, are made that much sweeter by the effort required to achieve them. I have never achieved anything important without first seriously quitting at least once - at least twice on the way up Rainier! We are made better by pushing through these moments. The first step on the summit always makes it all worth it.

First Light on Mt. Adams Summit Push

Moments of Pure Joy: It seems that every outdoor adventure brings with it at least one moment of pure joy. This is what I chase. It isn't the adrenaline, it isn't the overcoming of fear, and it isn't proving myself in a male dominated outdoor arena. These are all worthy side goals but these are not the heart of the pursuit.

The photo above captures one such moment. This was taken in 2014 at approximately 9,900 ft on the summit push of Mt. Adams. My husband (seen here), myself, and a dear friend had spent the night at 8,500 ft. and started for the summit at 3:45am. This photo was taken at around 5:00am as the very first light hit the false summit of the mountain. There was something intensely magical about sharing this breathtaking moment with people I love. In this space everything was exactly at it should be. I will remember this moment for the rest of my life.

I have experienced similar moments on the shores of alpine lakes, on chair lifts with the sun on my face, and on warm rocks in flower meadows. Everyone has their special places and precious experiences that brings them their own version of pure joy. These moments are mine.

Expedition Preparation: Vaccines & Medications

I have noticed over the past weeks and months that there is a wealth of online information on certain areas of Himalayan travel. Every blog and every guide service has multiple posts dedicated to gear and training. (I will too very soon!) These are important but only a part of the overall preparation scope.

You know what these sites don't seem to spend time on? The required vaccines and medications. I can only imagine that this is either glossed over or ignored due to their overall lack of shininess. No one wants to include the potential side effects of dexamethasone and whether or not to get the rabies shot in their summit fantasies. And, while I completely understand this impulse, this remains an overlooked but highly critical part of expedition preparation.

Not My Actual Pill Bottles - Too Few

Your required vaccines and medications are a very important topic - no one wants typhoid - requiring a great deal of upfront planning, risk analysis, and significant financial investment. This is top of mind as I will be journeying to get my second of three Hepatitis A/B vaccines this afternoon. We also filled most of our required medications a little over a week ago - the pile is impressive! (not my actual pill bottles)

NOTE: These information is provided to represent my experience alone and not intended as a source of medical advice. Always consult your physician to access your individual medical needs.

There are three primary sources of information in determining what vaccines are required for international travel. The first source to consult is the CDC Travel section. This amazing resource is a great first step in determining your traveler profile, destination, and overall risk profile for disease exposure. A traveler to the rural interior of Brazil will have very different needs from a traveler to the high altitude areas of Nepal. This resource will provide you with a list of Recommended and Optional (Some Travelers) vaccinations for most world destinations and excellent guidance on general travel health considerations.

So Shiny and Pointy

The second resource is your local Travel Physician Clinic and/or a qualified General Practitioner. We are lucky in the Seattle to have access to the Travel Clinic at the University of Washington. Most other major metropolitan areas and/or medical schools should have similar resources. We worked with the University of Washington to schedule a consultation with a Physician experienced in both travel medicine and high altitude preventative and acute care. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that our physician had previously been to over 18,000 ft. and was very versed in AMS related regimens.

The third resource is your guide service. International Mountain Guides maintains a high level list of recommended vaccines and medications within their larger expedition form packet. (see section 5 - Physician's Certificate) Most larger guide services seem to provide similar conversation starting points for physicians. Your guides can also provide you with an excellent resource on their own preparation approaches, client stories, and expedition specific advice.

So, where did all of these bring us you ask? Our final list of vaccines and medications are noted below with a brief description of each. The total cost of these items, over and above our expedition cost, is expected to be $700. Note that this amount does not count the potential rabies vaccination we may also elect to receive. This vaccination, addressing a low risk but very serious and fatal disease, would add an additional $1,300 to the existing $700 total.

I am sharing these here to emphasize the reality of the risks and medical preparation requirement, in practical, financial, and emotional fronts, of a climb over 5,500 meters / 18,000 ft. This is an amazingly serious adventure but also impressively serious business.

• Vaccinations:
• Routine Childhood / Maintenance Vaccines: Polio, MMR, TDap, Flu, etc.
• Hepatitis A & B - Twinrix: The Twinrix hepatitis A / B combination vaccine is administered over a period of one month in three doses. This vaccine is administered in your upper arm. The CDC notes an expected > 98% protection against both types of hepatitis one month after the third dosage. We elected for the accelerated option in the interest of time. Cost: $105 /per Dose - $315 Total

• Medications:
• Azithromycin / Zithromax: Zithromax is a general purpose antibiotic used to combat a range of conditions from respiratory infections to general bacterial gastrointestinal distress. (Ex. travelers diarrhea)
• Ciprofloxacin: This is a much more powerful bacteria fighting antibiotic. This is used only in more serious situations as this drug can have a powerful negative side effect on the strength of tendons.  This is obviously not desired on a highly physical adventure.
• Tinidazole: The intended purpose of this antibiotic is in response to an infection of Giardia or Beaver Fever. Isn't that a fun thought in rural facilities?
• Advair HFA: This is a steroid inhaler intended for the purposes of combating the 'Khumbu Cough' or respiratory irritation, accompanied by cough, brought on by exertion in cold and dry air. 
• Acetazolamide / Diamox: This drug is the first of three in the arsenal against AMS - Acute Mountain Sickness. This condition can start in some individuals at quite low attitudes and can present itself as nausea, headache, disorientation, and/or swelling of the brain and/or heart. This condition can be fatal. Diamox works as a preventative by acidifying the blood, which causes an increase in respiration and arterial oxygenation and thus aids acclimatization.
• Dexamethasone: This is the second of three in the arsenal against AMS. This particular medication is focused on the treatment and stabilization of symptoms of HACE - High Altitude Cerebral Edema. We clearly hope not to need this medication - at all.
• Nifedical: This is the third in the arsenal against AMS. This particular medication is focused on the treatment and stabilization of the symptoms of HAPE - High Altitude Pulmonary Edema. This we also do not want to need - at all.

I hope this was helpful to you. I promise a more fun and lighthearted post for our next visit. In the meantime, happy medication reading!

NOTE: These information is provided to represent my experience alone and not intended as a source of medical advice. Always consult your physician to access your individual medical needs.

We Are Going to the Himalayas!

Words cannot truly express how exciting it is to type those words. We. Are. Going. To. The. Himalayas.

The Himalayas are a natural obsession of every mountaineer, beginning or advanced,  and a long time dream of mine. The Himalayas are home to the tallest mountains in the world and some of the most breathtaking scenery on earth. I simply cannot wait to see Everest, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and so many other famous vistas with my own eyes.

Lobuche Peak

We will be climbing in the Spring of 2016 with International Mountain Guides on summit climbs of Lobuche East and Goyko Ri. The tallest of these mountains - Lobuche - is classified by Nepal as a 'Trekking Peak' which is a bit of a deceptive term. This term does not imply anything but elevation - a trekking peak is any mountain requiring true mountaineering skills and under 7,000 meters or 22,970 ft in elevation. Other well known peaks such as Island Peak, Mera, and Tent Peak are also included in this category. These are certainly smaller than their over 7,000 meter cousins but are serious mountains in their own right.

Everest Region - Lobuche Marked by Green Dot

Both of these mountains are located in the Khumbu region of Nepal right next store to Everest. We will be traveling into the Khumbu region following the traditional counter-clockwise route from Lukla to Everest Base Camp. Our travel companions for the first leg of the journey will be the first wave of Everest climbers on the Classic Climb Western Guided option. The journey up from Lukla will take almost two weeks, with three acclimatization days at Everest Base Camp, before pushing on to the Lobuche summit attempt five days later. The journey will next take us to Goyko Ri after bidding farewell and good luck to the Everest climbers. We will be in Nepal for a month total.

The climb of Lobuche is a technical climb requiring the use of fixed lines, crampons, and ice axes to reach the false summit at approximately 300 ft lower than the true summit at 20,075 ft. The continuation from the false summit to the true summit requires a high degree of technical climbing, including 2000+ ft of rappelling, in an area of very high exposure. I will be quite content with the false summit objective. An amazing video of the view from the summit has been uploaded here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTee4r5rnT0

Lobuche Summit View of Everest Massif

I will be blogging more frequently as we prepare for this journey. I will do my best to cover the topics of training, gear, health preparations, and other considerations for a journey of this scope. We have already encountered a few surprises not covered in other information sources.

As a side note, we also had the pleasure of climbing Mt. Rainier with IMG in the summer of 2015 and are proud to be journeying with them again. The IMG team provides amazing support, top notch guides, and top-notch skills training in the mountains. It is incredibly important to know that you are in good hands when you are up high.

Other Online Sources on Himalayan Climbing:

Alan Arnette - Top Notch: http://www.alanarnette.com
Mark Horrell - Great Insight Into the Overall Climbing Environment: http://www.markhorrell.com
Paul Pottinger - Account of 2015 Everest Climb: http://pottinger.net/osm/