2015

Two Thousand Fifteen.

Mount Rainier National Park

In the blink of an eye, 2015 will be done and over with. This was truly an incredible year, and I cannot think of any words to express what an amazing year it has been. It has been by far the best year of my life. I have been trying to think about what my favorite moments of 2015 and it has been tough. Certain moments have stuck out more than others, but I have lived quite the life this year.

I could lie, and say everything has been perfect this year, but it has not.  My dad spent the summer battling cancer and beat it. I had to cut ties with someone who was not good for me and their was plenty of disappointment. At the end of the  day what it really boils down to is the fact, that no matter how bad things got, I really cannot complain.

The Top of Humpback Mountain

If I had to do it over again, there would not be one thing that I would change. Reflecting, there are some adventures that stand out more than others.

10. Mount St. Helens. How could anyone ever forget their first volcano? It was disgustingly hot for April and I had done everything I thought I needed to do in order to be prepared for the climb. Now, I laugh at that day. We all ran out of water, I shamelessly ate snow about 1000ft from the summit, but damn, that Rainier tasted so good at the top.

9. Mount Adams. Key things to remember: do not make the trek up to Lunch Counter your first backpacking trip, do not get drunk the night before, and if you want to have the most epic middle of the night pee in your life do it here during a full moon.  It was heartbreaking not to get the summit, but I know that I will be back in a few short months to see what the world looks like from the top of Mount Adams.

8.  Marmot Pass/Buckhorn Mountain.  Girls Memorial Day Trip. We killed it with our full packs and only took a few hours to get to the top of the pass. We were feeling pretty confident, and decided to unpack and head up to Buckhorn. Little did we know that Gary the Goat had other plans. As we started to get to the top of the ridge, we noticed a very angry goat was coming after another hiker. Katherine and I thought we would be able to wait it out, but unfortunately, Gary the Goat had other plans. Let's just say the goats were not having us this trip. The epic views were not available because of cloud coverage, but I do not think I ever laughed harder at someone purifying water. I think it may have to be a Memorial Day tradition.

7. Vantage, Washington Climbing.  Luckily, I got the bug for climbing and have had some really generous people take me out. My first trip, was pretty memorable. My friend Jason and I stayed the night and were able to save the tent from a fun windstorm. Reid trying to lead a climb and realizing he didn't have enough gear. We froze our butts off the next day, but there was lots of laughing. Second time, was with people I had never met before. But it was also a hilarious time, with Ilia giving a really strong belay.

6. Humpback Mountain.  Katherine decided we were going to go for a "baby" hike since her super awesome boyfriend, Kyle, would be joining us for the adventure. It was probably one of my favorites from the summer. We woke up early, got a sweat in, and Kyle was nice enough to carry up some Rainiers for us:) Not to mention, Katherine and I made a pretty rad rap video.

5. Leavenworth, Washington Climbing. The West Ridge of Mount Stuart ended up being a bust, because I was not ready for a Sufferfest. It was the right call to head to Leavenworth and get some Cragging and Raspberry Wheat Beer time. I love Leavenworth and the fact that I was able to get in a multi-pitch climb in. There were some tears at Castle Rock when getting up the Jello Tower. Such as life, you got to cry sometime, and it will make you want the top more when you go back.

4. South Sister.  It was the first time I met my friends Lindsay and Tim. I picked Lindsay up bright and early to drive to Bend, Oregon. We started our summit bid a bit late, but I tell you the top looked fabulous when we got there and the sunset coming down was breathtaking. I was very happy to be a part of Lindsay's first major summit, and look forward to our future adventures.

3.  Gothic Basin/Del Campo Peak Attempt.  At some point, I forgot that it was not summer anymore when planning this trip. It was the last two days of September, and I was in need of an adventure in a bad way after suffering a little bit of heartbreak.  We hit the trailhead late, and had to end up setting up camp on the side of a trail. Such as life right? The next morning we woke up  bright and early and found ourselves at Foggy Lake. I think someone forgot to tell Mother Nature that is was no longer summer. It had to have been in the 70s and we hiked all day in our sport bras. As we made our attempt at Del Campo Peak, we were stopped by a couple who told us we were headed the wrong way.... This was a huge mistake, always trust yourself. Not the couple hiking in sandals, we ended up not making it to the top and had to turn around. The day was truly splitter. It was the perfect way to celebrate the ending of September.

2. Mount Shuksan/ SEWS.  I really thought this was going to be my top memory from 2015. This was the trip that changed me. Where I was lucky enough to go with someone who is a really great teacher and opened my eyes to the wonders of the alpine.  When I went on this trip for my birthday, I thought that I was trying to transition into a mountaineer. Something about a rope and rock got to me though.  I could go on forever about everything that was amazing about this trip, but I will spare you all of the details. This trip, really showed me that I could do anything I put my heart and mind too. It opened my eyes to the Alpine, and that life was not all about the Rainiers and Bakers, but more about the Forbiddens and Stuarts.

En Route to Mount Shuksan High Camp

1. Joshua Tree National Park Red Rock Canyon.  Yup, this is the one. The one that solidified, that I love climbing. Joshua Tree was brutal on my hands, my heart, and yeah, there were some tears.I loved  it, the landscape, and the challenge. Sure, I know I am sloppy, new climber right now, but it gave me something to aspire to. Joshua Tree opened my eyes to what I want to be and where I want to be. Red Rock was just the cherry on top.  I want to live and breath climbing. I may be starting a little late in the game, but hey, you got to start somewhere.

Notable mentions for the year would be my most recent trip to Aspen where I got to get on some ice, some time spent at Exit 38, and Snow Lake this summer with beers and floaties.

2016, will be an exciting one with a lot of hard work needing to be put in. My main focus will be climbing like a crazy woman, getting my Wilderness First Responder, hopefully taking a 12 day course on Alpine and Technical Leadership, and taking off the entire month of October (or ROCKTOBER) to travel to places like Yosemite, Zion, and Wyoming to live that dirtbag life.

Take care all. Until the Next Adventure.

COM·MU·NI·TY

COM·MU·NI·TY

She's my ride or die chick.  (Photo by Cliff Birdsall)

The year is coming to an end. It is kind of crazy, the first of January will mark a full year since I decided to take control of my life, and boy what a difference a year makes.The evolution of who I have become over the last year was quite the journey. It has been a year full of laughter, tears, pain, and finding new passions.  Along the way, I have had the pleasure of connecting and re-connecting with some pretty incredible people. Without these people in my life, I would be nothing. 

The support of my community (friends and family) has been pivotal. This year, I had to get over the heartbreak of losing something I thought I loved, my father's battle with cancer, losing a furry companion, and the journey of finding myself. I have been #blessed with how loving and excepting my community has been to me. The people that share the passion of the outdoors have been some of the most selfless people I have ever met. I heard once, that a mountain friend is a forever friend. As silly as it sounds, it is totally true. People for all walks of life can just be themselves in the mountains. It does not matter how much money you make, where you are from, because everyone just accepts you. There is a mutual respect for those who share the stoke.

High Fives All Around at Mount Baker Ski Area (Photo Credit: Mitch Pitman)

To some people, the mountains may just be an escape. But it is the very thing that gives us our life, fuels our fire. Sadly, as  the risk get higher, members of the community are lost. Perhaps, that is why we love each other so much, the thing that makes our bond so close. Life is too short, and we are all fully aware. Every moment spent with each other is something that should be savored. The memories that I have made this year could last a lifetime.

When I started hiking, I did not really think that I was capable of much else. Although, I had big mountain dreams. To be honest, without my community, I would have never pursued my dreams. Thanks especially to Katherine, for seeing my badassery even when I couldn't see it. I am not going to lie, you have to weed through the bullshit of the fake people in life. 

No one should ever let anyone dull their sparkle. Although, the process of finding out who is really a member of your community and who is not can be a painful one. You have to be selfish with who you surround your self with. I would do anything for my friends and people close to me.

I guess, the motto of 2015, that I want to continue through 2016 would be, surround yourself with those who love you and push you to be better. Life is meant to be lived and spent with those you love. Not everyone will like you, but oh well, there loss. But the people who really love you, will be there for you through your successes and your failures. Always remember your self worth. The journey is the best part of life, not the destination (cliche, but so true). 

Trust your gut, follow your heart, and all the rest will make sense.

Until the next adventure. 

Skyline Ridge with Erin Cunningham and Katherine Scheulen.