Mt Whitney - The Journey

Applying to Join Backpacker Magazine

It's hard to believe it's been just over 9 months already since I applied to join Backpacker Magazine and their editor Jonathan Dorn to climb Mt Whitney, the highest point in the "lower" 48 states.  Knowing it would be an incredible journey if I was picked not only because would it provide me a chance to combine skills I've gained from various other climbing and hiking I've done into an actual mountaineering experience, but also because it was in conjunction with Summit For Someone (SFS).  I've seen the ads in Backpacker Magazine for years, checked out their website for climbs and have contemplated going on a journey with them because of what SFS stands for and how it supports and benefits Big City Mountaineers.

And with the help of a lot of friends who showed their support by posting comments on my "I Want to Climb Mt Whitney" blog post about why I should be selected, I found out in October 2012 I was selected.

Getting Selected to Climb Mt Whitney

I think the day I found out I was selected to go along on this journey I went through a lot of emotions.

• Excitement - wow, I was going to get to do this.
• Worry - do I have a pet sitter?  My parents will be in Hawaii in April.
• Distress - What did I get myself into?  
• I now have to raise $4,000 
• I have to train for another climb (having just done Mt Kilimanjaro earlier in 2012)

But again - all of the things I was worried about fell in place.  My parents arrive back the day before I leave - pets will be taken care of.  Training started immediately in October and I'm feeling pretty good and strong. And again, incredible friends reached out to me when I put out the call that I was going to climb Mt Whitney and helped me to raise the money for this great cause.

And Now It's Time to Climb Mt Whitney

• The training is done.  
• The gear not already owned is purchased.  
• Test packing all this gear in the pack is done.
• Travel from Las Vegas to Lone Pine is coordinated.
• Mentally, I am prepared!

And most importantly - team Whitney Four-Teeners is psyched about what we're doing, the reason we're doing it and having the opportunity to meet and make some new lifelong friends.

And as John Muir said  -  "The Mountains are Calling and I Must Go."  

The time has come, the journey begins and a summit is within our near future.  Mt Whitney - here I come!

Put Your Boots On - Go For a Hike

Over the years I've found that my closet has become crowded with multiple pairs of hiking boots.  Unlike most females I know who have a closet full of nice, fancy shoes, I have a closet full of hiking boots, trail runners and other outdoor related footwear.

What does this say about me?  To me it says I'm a person who likes to be outdoors.  And I'm glad to be that person.

Enjoying Nature while backpacking in the Bridger Teton National Forest

Every time I look in my closet I see potential.  Wearing hiking boots means I'm going to be outside, taking a hike, spending time with my dogs, family and/or friends.  It means seeing nature, watching the changing seasons, listening to the birds and just breathing in the deep smells of mother earth.  It means I'm relaxing and letting nature heal my soul.  

So go put your boots on and go for a hike.  And enjoy the Healing Powers of Nature.

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks"  John Muir

Canyons and Waterfalls in Illinois

Living in the Midwest, sometimes it's hard to believe that the terrain isn't really as flat as one would think when thinking of the Midwest.

This weekend I was reminded again of the beauty left behind by the glaciers that came through centuries ago.  I've visited Starved Rock State Park in Utica, IL a couple of times before, but always in the fall for the fall colors.  As you drive up toward the park entrance, you don't think anything of it.  The land is flat all around you with a few hills, but nothing that would make you think you were driving into something amazing.  You drive over the Illinois River and you start to get a glimpse, but really, still no visual clues of what you're going to be experiencing once you enter the park.

Illinois River from Starved Rock State Park

Once you turn off and enter the park, you start to get an idea though.  You drive down a road that is bordered by large rock bluffs overlooking you.  You start to get an idea of what was to come.  But even driving into the main parking lot - still not much of a giveaway to what you just parked your car in the middle of.

Once you get out of the car and hit the first trail that takes you on along the river, you'll start to see the magic of what the glaciers and the Illinois River did to this area.  The glaciers and river carved out some incredible canyons along the river, leaving behind beauty one could never have imagined when driving toward the park.

Being the beginning of spring, this weekend provided even more amazing sights to be seen while hiking through the park to view all the canyons.  The spring melt off of what winter threw at the park left myself and other visitors great views of the waterfalls and remaining ice falls that come to life in the spring.

Ice Fall and Waterfall in French Canyon - Starved Rock State Park

When watching these waterfalls, you get the idea this landscape is still changing and will continue to change with each passing year.  As the ice and snow melt and create these wonderful waterfalls, the rock continues to be carved out and the land below changes with the sediment from the waterfalls and the washout to the Illinois River.

Illinois Canyon at Starved Rock State Park

This is an amazing place to visit in central Illinois.  And if you like waterfalls - don't stop here.  Make sure you check out some other of the amazing places the Midwest has to offer that the glaciers have provided us.  No, the Midwest is not flat.  Here's some great ideas to visit:

• Minnesota's Superior Coast
• Wisconsin's Driftless Area
• Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois

Get out and enjoy what nature has provided you.
"Keep close to Nature's heart, yourself; and break clear away once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods.  Wash your spirit clean."  John Muir.