Another Reason We're Climbing

There are many reasons to raise money for Cancer Research. We've heard personal stories from many people, many of which are absolutely inspiring, but some of these situations would honestly break your heart.

The photo here is of my first climbing partner, Paul. This shot was taken on the summit of Mt. Lefroy, high above Lake Louise during a memorable season in the 1990's. Paul was a crazy Brit that loved the Beatles on vinyl, Jeeps, road biking, hiking, camping and, of course, rock and alpine climbing. Paul and I learned to handle ropes, crampons and ice axes together. We slowly progressed from top rope 5.5s to sport climbs, run-out gear climbs and eventually Multi-Pitch Trad Routes on Alberta's Rock Climbing Playground, Mt. Yamnuska. It was on this relative Big Wall that Paul and I pushed our limits and learned a lot. We would drive out from Calgary after work, eating dinner in the Jeep, rushing up the 2000 ft apron of Yamnuska, roping up and swapping leads with minimal protection placed it to save time. We would get within a couple pitches of the top before the the sun set, forcing us to finish our climbs by headlamp. Our focus was on safety and fun, and it was definitely both.

It was on Mt. Yamnuska that Paul and his wife Kris would have to bivy out in the open after a surprise rain storm turned to driving snow, soaking them in their fleece jackets and resulting in a very uncomfortable night near the summit of the mountain and a long walk back to their Jeep the next morning. Paul was always prepared, but this one caught him off guard. He was proud of his experience and his skill, so he turned this into another learning opportunity.

Paul loved Road Trips and each Autumn many of us would head down to Smith Rock in central Oregon for a few weeks of Rock Climbing in the sun before we had to face Winter back in Canada. One year, only a few days after returning from Smith Rock, Paul collapsed on the floor of his home in Calgary. He was out of breath and had to drag himself to his Jeep to get to the Emergency Ward of the Hospital. After several tests it was determined that Paul had Skin Cancer that had worked its way into his lungs. Paul was a fighter who, as I said, never wanted to be rescued, but this was more serious than any climb he had ever undertaken. Skill and experience couldn't get him out of this one. Within months Paul was gone, after having just met his own son who was born just a few months earlier.

Paul was never forgotten. A short time later, Paul's Wife, some friends and I climbed Paul's favourite route on Yamnuska called Grillmair's Chimney. At the spectacular finish of that route, right near where it tops out at the peak of that mountain that overlooks the Prairies of Alberta, we mounted a plaque in memory of Paul that read "Climb On, Monkey Boy, Forever In Our Hearts". Anyone who has seen Mt. Yamnuska will agree that it looks like the World's Largest Gravestone, which is fitting for Paul who was larger-than-life in many ways.

Paul's life was cut way too short by this brutal disease. Most of us know someone that has faced similar challenges, and in fact it is tough to find anyone who has not been influenced somehow by cancer. It is for this reason that we are doing what we can to make a small, but hopefully meaningful difference in the search for a cure for cancer.

If you read this, please donate. If you can't donate, please pass along our message to other people that you know. Thank you.

Hanging Out With Hamish

Here's a photo of Hamish, aka Jamie, at a hanging belay on The Grand Sentinal, a 100m+ quartzite tower, the height of a thin 35 storey building, near Moraine Lake, AB. Jamie, his wife Bonnie (lower left) and Terry summited this prized rock climb way back in the 1990s BC -Before Children- but it remains one of the most enjoyable rock climbs that they have done together.

"...It's just a Big Pig in the Middle of Nowhere" - Terry Lipovski

Words Of Wisdom from the World's Greatest Mountaineer

"After 12 hours we had reached the top of Kilimanjaro at 5895m. The risk had been incalculable" - Reinhold Messner, following his first ascent via freestanding ice pillars high on the Breach Wall of Kilimanjaro, 1978

Words of Wisdom

Words of Wisdom from a High Altitude Climbing Veteran and successful summiteer of Mt. Everest ('97) and K2 ('99 without oxygen), Canadian Andy Evans. "We have to remember we're here to have fun; this is just a sport. You have to remain focused on the rest of your life"

Kilimanjaro is the World's #2 Climb!

According to this National Geographic article, Mt. Kilimanjaro is a more worthy climb than both The Matterhorn and Mt. Everest: http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/top-10/climbs/

I tawt I taw a puddy tat!

Cat tracks on my favourite training hike? I've taken to turning off the iPod and looking over my shoulder. At least the bears seem to have gone to sleep. I wonder how high the African cats go??

15 in -15 with 50

Did a new 15km route this morning in -15C sunshine with a 50lb pack on my back. Loved every minute of it :-)

Terry will remember this classic - Mount Sir Donald at Rogers Pass. The left skyline is the famous northwest ridge. That's Peter Roginski in the photo just before our vertical descent of 500 meters in perfect boot top powder. Now THAT would be the way to come off Kilimanjaro!

Dedication

Tonight is cold: -13C and dropping. So how am I spending my evening? In front of a cozy fireplace? Snuggled up in jammies on the couch? Nope. I am testing out my sleeping system - a Big Agnes air-mattress, a North Face -20 bag and an MEC Overbag. I'll be sleeping out in the yard if you need me.

Canada's Toughest Climber

Some people just won’t give up. They keep trying and trying until they get past the obstacles that would discourage the rest of us. They keep focused on their goals, ignoring adversity, pain and even injury. They ignore cold, fatigue and isolation. You never hear them complain, not even once.

These are the people that we meet only a few times in our lives. They are focused, determined and confident. Sometimes they are well known leaders, mentors and guides, but sometimes they are humble, preferring to sweat quietly in the shadows while others bask in the spotlight. An even smaller subset work hard - not for themselves - but to help others. These are the toughest people I know.

In 50 days I will be fortunate to spend a few days with someone like this. He has previously been called "Canada’s Toughest Biker". Last Summer he put his Project Management company on hold for the month, said goodbye to his Wife and Daughters and he rode his motor bike from the Atlantic Ocean in Newfoundland to the Pacific Ocean on Vancouver Island, BC. His efforts were part of the Ride For Dad’s Coast To Coast Team, a small group of people that were hardy, determined and adventurous. He rode without a windshield, visor or gloves, earning him the reputation of “Canada’s Toughest Biker”. The coolest part of this story is that the was riding across the World’s second largest country for others, and not for himself. The Ride For Dad is a fundraiser, aiming to raise donations for Prostate Cancer.

This past Summer, Canada’s Toughest Biker again committed to another adventure: climbing the World’s Tallest Mountain, base to summit, which just happens to be Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro.

Kilimanjaro stands at just under 6,000 Meters, or just under 20,000 Feet. It is so massive that, despite being situated at the equator, ancient glaciers persist at the summit. Generally, ropes, crampons and ice axes are not needed to climb Kilimanjaro, but strength in legs, lungs and mind are considered to be prerequisites to climb. Of course, a good Guide and lots of Tanzanian Porters help as well.

“Kili”, as it is called by the local Maasi and Chagga Tribes, requires a week or more to ascend, and one passes through several distinct climatic zones, including Tropical Rain Forest, Heath, Moorland, Alpine Desert and Arctic Glacier Zones. Weather ranges from +35C at the base to -15C on the summit, covered over one week of climbing. The available Oxygen on top is less than half of what you and I enjoy in most cities, making climbers feel like they are trying to breathe through a mask.

Oxygen deprivation is the single most dangerous part of a Kili Climb, causing lethargy, insomnia, exhaustion and dehydration. In extreme cases it can lead to High Altitude Cerebral Edeoma (HACE) or High Altitude Pulmonary Edeoma (HAPE). These are lethal conditions where ineffectively acclimatized climbers can suffer fluid build-up in the brain or lungs. Together, HACE and HAPE are known as Acute Mountain Sickness, or AMS. Science has tried to develop medication for AMS but the side effects of these drugs is not much better than the symptoms of the AMS itself. The only sure-fire way to combat AMS is to descent to lower elevations.

And so Canada’s Toughest Biker will be put to the test as “Canada’s Toughest Climber”. Camping out in sub 0C weather, carrying loads, and walking through oppressive heat and blinding blizzards in equatorial Africa. He will fight fatigue and screaming muscles, draining sweat, thirst and hunger for several consecutive days, half way around the globe, and for what? Fame? Fortune? On this adventure, Scott Day will be challenging himself and working toward a personal dream, however, part of his goal will be to climb to raise money for Cancer Research.

What makes Scott’s efforts even more amazing, is the realization that he suffered through compression fractures in his spine just over two months ago. While training for Paragliding, Scott was being pulled by a vehicle to gain enough speed for the wind to catch his Paraglider Chute to keep him aloft. As the vehicle accelerated, the cable that connected them broke before the vital wind speed was achieved. As a result, Scott and his paraglider sank immediately, causing Scott to land on his back. With only four months left until the trip to Africa, and only one day after booking his non-refundable plane ticket, Scott’s X-Rays confirmed the diagnosis of fractured vertebrae.

At first, Scott’s friends were discouraged. He was making great strides in training and conditioning, and this freak accident was sure to cause him to cancel. But Scott didn’t see it that way. Only days after his fall, while he was still unable to move from a chair, Scott announced that he still intended to climb Kilimanjaro. Nothing was going to slow him down. Indeed, over the past two months, Scott has slowly but steadily increased this training regime from simply standing up, to walking around his house, then the block, then several blocks, some easy trails, longer trails, some 5,000 Ft. peaks in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York, and then some long, 20+ KM hikes with backpacks in the Gatineau Park area of greater Ottawa. Not once has Scott complained. He has continued to be a source of inspiration as the departure date draws closer.

Some people are naturally strong and some people are naturally determined. A few people are all of the above, and they are naturally helpful and giving as well. For those rare, selfless people, a difficult road like Mount Kilimanjaro is worth the effort to achieve such a worthwhile goal.

The recent snowfall here in Canmore is great for skiing but a bummer for scrambling mountains! This is a picture of Ha Ling Peak, which is 20 km return and 3600' vertical from my front door. The story goes that Ha Ling was a Chinese cook for the railway in 1896 and was bet $50 he couldn't climb the peak and be back in Canmore in 10 hours. He took 5 hours, and then had to climb it again the next day with witnesses as proof! I took longer than Ha Ling yesterday but I still would have won $50. Our route on Kilimanjaro has almost 5 times the vertical of Ha Ling Peak and is 67 kms long. Jamie