Can we agree the year 2020 has been quite the curve ball?
Like everyone else, our initial plans had been abruptly halted by COVID19 and we were feeling lost as for what to do next.
During the lock down, Jess and I found ourselves sinking into a bad mental space where we were losing motivation to do much, filling boredom with food and booze, and wandering for hours on the internet.
We knew we had taken a back seat for the first few months of the year, but we were ready to steer again, once the calendar turned to April. We committed ourselves to a personal challenge that would be both mental and physical - and oh, so rewarding if we achieved it - climbing to the top of Mt. Shasta together.
For the next 45 days we made fitness and nutrition our first priorities to better prepare us for the grueling climb. Fortunately, we live at a higher elevation which helped our bodies get a head start on acclimating to the 14,000 ft. conditions.
As for our minds, this was a more personal challenge. Think about this, most skydivers jump out of planes at lower elevation than the height we were about to climb up.
Approximately 50% of people who attempt to summit, fail due to a variety of reasons… and we were once part of that less than desirable 50% club.
In 2017, Jess and I trained for several months in the gym and were confident we could get to the top. Unfortunately, we experienced dangerous weather conditions and a team member got altitude sickness. We were less than 200 vertical ft. away from the top and it was simply unsafe to continue. We made the tough, but proper decision and turned around to head back down the mountain with our egos bruised, to say the least. I’m sure you’ve heard this type of tale told before and have experienced something similar yourself? Therefore, you must also recognize that internal feeling similar to an electric charge that amplifies over time… that yearning desire to face your past challenges and overcome them.
However, returning to climb Mt. Shasta this time was more than just getting to the summit. By June 2020, the world seemed to have taken another dose of crazy pills and it felt as if chaos was recklessly ravaging everywhere. We knew that in order for us to show up as better humans in society and make a positive change, we had to do some internal work - and that’s why we returned to the mystical volcano - to gain clarity above the clouds.
While gearing up at Shastina park, our Mt. Shasta Guide, Jonathan, who also happens to be my brother, highly encouraged us to bring as little as possible. “Ounces lead to pounds, and pounds lead to pain…” rang loudly in our ears as we determined which items to carry on our backs.
These bags weren’t light, and the steepness of the slope was far from flat. Jessica and Savren each hiked with 40lbs on their backs. Meanwhile Jonathan, myself, and my dad, Curtis, opted to use our backcountry setups. The main excitement for me to get to the top of Shasta was to ski the Trinity Chutes and have my most epic run of 2020, especially since all the ski resorts closed early.
We started our summit day at 1:00 AM from “50/50 camp” and for the next 11 hours we climbed up. We witnessed the sky change from darkness and saw the shadow cast by Mt. Shasta disappear as the sun rose high above.
We soon switched gears to head up with our ice axe and crampons on this steep section next to “The Heart,” and that’s when my dad proudly dipped out to return to camp.
It wasn’t long before we hit that pivotal point on “Misery Hill” that we all recognized. It was the gloomy place where we had turned around years prior, and now here we were smiling in the sunshine as we approached the summit.
This had been a three year goal for us, and together we finally achieved it! I was extremely proud of Jessica and Savren because it takes a lot of dedication, accountability, and personal motivation to proceed with a goal that had already been crushed before. I personally was stoked because, I got to ski down the Chutes in June. However, making it to the top of Shasta is only the halfway point back to the parking lot, so we kept our celebrations short and sweet. We snapped a commemorative group photo and signed our names in the official log book.
We all returned home from Mt. Shasta with more than just the adventurous tale of our climb, but a deeper understanding of what’s important in life and what’s necessary to bring along the journey. Each problem weighs a pound, and pounds lead to pain. If we can recognize that we’re all on our own metaphorical mountain carrying pounds of pain with us, and if we can see a way to lighten the load of our neighbor’s, then we have the power to improve humanity together one step (or ounce) at a time.
Nick Cahill
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