Mt Baker - The next challenge.

The climb was exhilarating. I can say that now because it has been more than eight days since I have returned from the summit. Not too long ago, I would not have been so sure. We made it to the summit just as the sun was setting - a magnificent sight. The air was thin but tolerable. My breath was sure and I was not really fatigued-thanks to our trusty lead guide, Seth Timpano. He made the difference as the lead climber. I had the luxury of following in his footsteps- literally. The ascent took about 8 hours from base camp. When I look back on it, I really have to think as to where those hours went. I have no sense of the length of time that had transpired. You take an eight hour plane flight and you know it. You sit in an airport for eight hours and you know it. You climb a mountain in eight hours and it seems like only a brief interlude. Only really scary moment on the way up was a small avalanche that caused a few screams. It was headed directly towards us from about 200 yards up the mountain side. In the end, however, as all but me scrambled to safety, it turned out to be more of a loose snowfall than a significant avalanche. I do remember them screaming at me to move. I turned only to see that all four others on my rope team had made it further from the oncoming runaway snow mass than me. I just had a harder time moving in the deep wet snow as the others. My body had sunk to my knees and further movement would have been almost futile. The fall moved about three feet to my left.

The descent was probably the most difficult part of the expedition. We descended from the summit after dark with head lamps to guide the way. Made it to base camp after midnight. I learned my biggest weakness and one that concerns me the most - balance. The snow on the highest part of the glacier was soft, uneven, and deep at that time of night. It had become wet following exposure to the day's sun and cloudless blue skies.The slope at that initial high point of the descent was the steepest part of the journey. I was constantly falling and scrambling and falling. To descend at a steady pace in the thin air does require energy expenditure. To descend, tumble with a 35 pound pack on your back, scramble frantically to your feet, free yourself from tangled ropes, and then repeat the same nearly futile process every three minutes requires tenfold increase in energy expenditures. The others with steady feet never experienced the same exertion. At one point, my leg sank so deep in the snow, I almost pulled my foot out of my boot in an attempt to free myself from its vice like grip. Remind you, I was the oldest in the group by several decades. Most were in there 20s and 30s. We were all on ropes and I had a hard time keeping up with the rest of my more experienced climbing partners. I was ready to beg them to leave me behind. I knew, however, that was not really an option given the plummeting high mountain temperatures.

I think you get the picture. I was asked by a colleague here at the hospital what personal insight I had gained from the experience. An interesting question? Was I a different person? Did I know myself better? I thought for a moment and responded with the first words that came to my mind- " I am older than I thought."

C'est la vie. There is much more to be said but that will require more time. It is also time to end this chapter of my blogging. The hospital fund raiser has met its goal and our plans are to continue and involve my friends here at the Infirmary. I am grateful to all. It has hopefully for us been a unifying experience. This particular blog will open again in the future as new plans are established. As for me, I am planning a new adventure this winter. Will, likely, head to Chile and the southern Patagonia ranges to practice mixed climbing techniques and summiting one of the 13,000 foot peaks found in the region. In the meantime, training in rock climbing and ice climbing will occur in Westchester County and the Catskills. Will likely do Algonquin in the Adirondacks this fall. Need to work on more leg and core strenthening as well as balance and endurance.

As for my blogging, I have enjoyed the experience of writing. If nothing else, the process has awakened in me the joys of literature - the process of conveying thoughts with words; the pleasure of seeing how creative those many minds out there can really be. I now read more than at any time in my life. All this indeed may be a life changing event. On the other hand, I may just end up in my usual state of affairs, some place on a beach sipping pina coladas. I will be opening a new blog wouldbemountaineer.blogspot.com ( an opportunity for full blown irreverence)- practicing my writing skills in addition to mountaineering. Have no idea where this is going but enjoying the trip -climbing the summit of my sunset years