Upper Valley Pilates and Physical Therapy: 3 Days on Mt. Shasta!

Tuesday morning started with a 1 hour climb to Horse Camp, a quick lunch, then off to another 3 hour hike in to Hidden Valley (9400') where 34 climbers, 15 guides and several Breast Cancer Fund staffers set up base camp for the Wednesday morning climb.

We awoke at 1:30am and headed up the mountain at 2:45 am. Our group included guides Dane and Polly, climbers Kathy Mow, Carly Chomers, Geoffrey Grey-Cornelius, Juliet Moran and me. By the time the sun rose on the West Face of Mt. Shasta, we were at 11,000'. Carly and Kathy made early summits and headed down. I was slowed by a bad case of stomach bug that had hit at base camp the night before. I hoped to reach 13,000 before re-evaluating the situation and deciding on a possible early summit. But the law of the guides rule, and at 12,500 my guide decided to send me down when we crossed paths with a small group heading back to base camp. I was sorely disappointed and still am. Can't help but feel like a failure when surrounded by 22 others who made it to the summit. I know in my heart that I was prepared, but factors beyond my control played in.

So here's the good news! I did more than I ever knew I could - 12,500' is pretty damn high! I raised nearly $12000 for the Breast Cancer Fund and I actually had a blast. Who wouldn't love glissading -the act of sitting on your 'arse' and sliding down the mountain- which is exactly what we did, thereby saving 4 hours of down climbing! And I feel great now-the old body held up very well.

On the way down, we all stopped at Horse Camp for an amazing pancake breakfast (me, still on the bland food diet unfortunately) and the traditional prayer flag ceremony. I carried 28 prayer flags on the mountain, and the other climbers carried their own, as well. At the ceremony we joined everyone's flags, in a VERY, VERY large circle and shared a very moving celebration and remembrance of all those touched by breast cancer.