I was put into a position of humbleness and reliance from the start when my luggage did not arrive to California when I did. The kindness and concern of the other climbers and Breast Cancer Fund staff were imminent from the very first day, and continued to amaze me all week.
Here is the mountain and our East Coast team, ready to start on this journey together. Our team of 6 consisted on 3 breast cancer survivors - Jennifer (FL), Amy (VT), and Deb (RI). The other three of us - Jess (VA), Victoria (VA), and Meg (VT) were not survivors ourselves, but all had too many people and stories close to us that involved battles lost and won against breast cancer. Our fearless leaders, Mount Shasta Guides, were Ben and Dane.
Base camp at Hidden Valley (9,500 ft) was AMAZING - the pictures don't give it justice, but here they are....
We awoke dark and early at 2 am and had our crampons on and we climbing at 3 am.
This was a super cool site and the sunlight started to lighten the sky and cast Shasta's shadow on the land below.
Jess and Deb roped together and going UP!
After almost 10 hours of this (above) the summit was in sight!
Getting closer....
CLOSER...............................
One last push to the top -----
MADE IT!!
WHOOHOOO!!!!!
The view from the top was amazing of course, but like they say - the summit is just the place you turn around! Now time to go back down, but my strength - and the strength of those who helped me get here - will not be left behind or forgotten.
WHOOHOOO!!!!!
The view from the top was amazing of course, but like they say - the summit is just the place you turn around! Now time to go back down, but my strength - and the strength of those who helped me get here - will not be left behind or forgotten.
"So, how was it you ask?"
It was awesome. Having trained and prepared and fundraised for 8 months I was ready for this; I was ready to climb this mountain.
The climb itself started around 3 in the morning, which after no sleep was pretty darn early and I was a bit sleepy, but my team needed to me climb, just as I needed my team to climb. Together we set our rhythm of one step at a time up the mountain.
The energy of the team was inspiring and the focus and rhythm of each step, each breathe, was meditative. I knew I could make it to the top, but it was a harder climb and journey than I had imagined when in town looking up at the slopes and peak of this mountain. Now, on the hearty, steep slopes with my crampons digging into the snow and my ice axe steadying me the climb was real and it was strenuous.
On the mountain I learned that you not only have to dig deep within yourself to find strength in hard, trying, and tiring times, but you have to absorb the energy, love, joy, and strength of those on the journey with you as well. For this climb it was the energy and determination and strength of my climb team, the guides, and other BCF climbers on the mountain that flowed into me and helped me do more than I could do alone - reach the summit.
My take away lesson is that we all have love, energy, skills, and smiles to offer each other along the way - through all the hills, peaks, and valleys of this life. Sometimes we need them from others and must accept this. Other times, we simply need to offer them to others. Together we can get higher, and accomplish more, than we ever could alone.
Thank you all.
Climb On,
Jess
It was awesome. Having trained and prepared and fundraised for 8 months I was ready for this; I was ready to climb this mountain.
The climb itself started around 3 in the morning, which after no sleep was pretty darn early and I was a bit sleepy, but my team needed to me climb, just as I needed my team to climb. Together we set our rhythm of one step at a time up the mountain.
The energy of the team was inspiring and the focus and rhythm of each step, each breathe, was meditative. I knew I could make it to the top, but it was a harder climb and journey than I had imagined when in town looking up at the slopes and peak of this mountain. Now, on the hearty, steep slopes with my crampons digging into the snow and my ice axe steadying me the climb was real and it was strenuous.
On the mountain I learned that you not only have to dig deep within yourself to find strength in hard, trying, and tiring times, but you have to absorb the energy, love, joy, and strength of those on the journey with you as well. For this climb it was the energy and determination and strength of my climb team, the guides, and other BCF climbers on the mountain that flowed into me and helped me do more than I could do alone - reach the summit.
My take away lesson is that we all have love, energy, skills, and smiles to offer each other along the way - through all the hills, peaks, and valleys of this life. Sometimes we need them from others and must accept this. Other times, we simply need to offer them to others. Together we can get higher, and accomplish more, than we ever could alone.
Thank you all.
Climb On,
Jess
www.breastcancerfund.org/climb09/Jbarton
The trails were in Three Ridges Wilderness area. I started at Reedy Gap off the Blue Ridge Parkway and hiked the AT/Mua-Har loop that included Bee Mountain and Three Ridges Mountain. The AT started up from Reedy Gap as a cleared path over a meadow, but soon turned into woods and ran uphill along the spine of Bee Mountain.
Looking out from the second rock outcrop just at the saddle of Three Ridge Mountain, you get a great view of The Priest just across the Valley.
Me pointing to the summit of Three Ridges Mountian where I'm heading....
After passing up and over Three Ridges it was down, down, down many switchbacks to Harpers Creek. There is an AT shelter here along the cascading creek, a very nice place to spend the night I'm sure!
After crossing Harpers Creek it was back up, up, up all the elevation I'd just lost. After a mile or so the AT brought me to the Mau-Har trail, which I took back to Reedy Gap. The Mau-Har followed the cascades of Campbell's Creek for about 4 more miles.
Hiking up along all the waterfalls and cascads was gorgeous, but it was very very hot and humid and I was getting a bit dehydrated and tired by this point!
Finally, after 13 miles and 8 hours of strenuous hiking, I made it back to the meadow and the car, where a bottle of hot, but delicious water awaited me!
We started our 2 day backpacking excursion at Grindstone Camp ground and hiked in on the Mount Rogers Trail. Although the trail bears the summit's name it is the least traveled route to the top, probably since it's the longest ... but that how I roll -- the longer less traveled path!
The path was beautifully vibrant green and we didn't see many people until we got up to the campgrounds near the summit. After maybe 4 miles or so we got on the AT to take us the rest of the up. You can see the first white blaze of the AT in the background behind Mike --
This is also where the wild ponies roam and live!
The tallest peak in Virginia turns is a humble one, not boastful of its towering heights. In fact its gentle slopes make the summit not stand out from the rest of the mountains around and you would never know by the eye that it was in fact taller that all the other peaks around. We walked up the short summit from camp after filling out bellys with dinner and dessert. It was quite on the top as the sunlight of the day was growing dim. We enjoyed our solitude and then hiked back down before dark.
After clearing stuff out of mom's garage, the next step was to set it all up in Grandmother's driveway and garage next door (my parents live beside my Grandmother). Here is Grandmother's garage 
- Dad poses by my signs -
