Leaving in a few weeks, will be gone for a month.

Believe it or not, one of the things I'll miss most is my now-daily TER fix.  Several of you are very interesting.

I'm thinking that a few of the ladies could become climbers.  Gotta think about that one for a while.

protect the body parts and fluids, they freeze very fast at 100 degrees below.  By the way, you can take one of the new wireless mobile computers with you, maybe you can use it before you make your trek to your summit of choice.

100 degrees below zero is pretty darned cool at any altitude. I've been at 95 below (chill factor) twice, assuming we're talking Fahrenheit, and I'm really glad I had my gloves!

I'll just stay here in balmy SoCal with no extreme temperatures, zillions of hot ladies and no lack of elevators.

  Good luck and enjoy your climb.

  FR.

I'll be thinking of you while I snorkel in Key West. I'd go with you sometime in the future but my nipple rings would freeze my tits like popsicles. (Giggle) Naw, I'd take them out But would you lick them anyway? Please? Have fun! Enjoy the clean fresh air and fall in love with the best woman on this planet: Mother Nature. I fall for her every time.

Eleven people were clinging precariously to a wildly swinging rope, suspended from a crumbling outcropping on Mount Everest. Ten were blonde, one was a brunette.

As a group they decided that one of the party should let go. If that didn't happen the rope, would break and everyone would perish. For an agonizing few moments, no one volunteered.

Finally the brunette gave a truly touching speech, saying she would sacrifice herself to save the lives of the others.

The blondes applauded.

Cheers!

On a summit I feel joy and satisfaction and relief, but mostly I am thinking about getting the group I am leading down safely.
The climb is only half over, and the part that is potentially most dangerous is still ahead.  As another climber said well, "Getting up the mountain is optional, but getting down is mandatory".  I have lost several climbing friends, two to avalanches, one to the effects of high altitude, one was just overwhelmed by the mountain and died of exposure - but none of them would have died if I had been leading the climbs they died on.  I have been told many times that what makes me an outstanding climbing leader is that I am a person who men and women feel they can trust. I have a perfect safety record, and have never lost a climber, but I never "rest on my laurels" in this regard, and take nothing for granted.  I don't ever want to have to do the "face to face" with the family of the climber I lost.  I have friends who are also climbing leaders who have had to do this "face to face" meeting.

The greatest reward of climbing is gaining true self-knowledge, of the type that is difficult to gain if you do not push yourself outside your comfort zone.  I like Jung's ideas about what he calls "Individuation", and I actually think that this is nothing less than the goal of life - to become the person who you  were truly meant to be.  I am sure that mountain climbing isn't the only path to true self-knowledge, but I know with certainty that it is a path that works, because it has worked for me, and I have seen it work for those I have led.

I get the impression that you may be physically strong enough.  If you truly love nature, than you will see a side of nature that you've never seen before.

PM me if you are really interested in this.

Climber's tongue frozen to Michele's nipple ring.

not only could your lips explode but . . .

Be careful and have a great time. Sounds like something I would have done about 10 years ago. Go for it!

Hugs,
Ciara

The worst I faced was Fairbanks and the winter or 89.  It hit -88, and that was before you tried to factor in the 30 mph wind.

Folks wondered why I absolutely hated Alaska.

People of all ages can do amazing things.  I take first-time climbers to Mt Shasta, in Northern California  - recently I led a 62 year old to the summit.

Thanks for the good wishes.

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Godspeed JV...  Love climbing (including light technical) but 20k is out of my league!  Have spent a lot of time around 14k, both in the military and for recreation, but a run-in with altitude sickness at 15k that I had to suffer through for 8 days has tought me a total respect for a climb like Denali...  How much acclimation delay goes into a climb like that?

I'm planning for us to have six camps: Camp One at 7200, where the bush pilot drops us off on the glacier, Camp 2 at 7800, Camp 3 at 9000, Camp 4 at 11,000, Camp 5 at 14,000, and Camp 6 at 17,200.  The summit is at 20,320.

But 23 days on the mountain, so we should have adequate time for acclimatization.  

The best way to avoid altitude sickness, other than acclimatization, is to stay hydrated.  It's not how much you drink, it's how much you pee - clear and copious is what you want.



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I cannot take extreme cold because of past frostbite injuries from the military, not to mention all the parts that were injured. However, that doesn't stop me from riding the waves. Wink!

Hugs,
Ciara

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