Tag Archives: mountaineering

Mountains and Milestones

Nigel at Mt. Lassen summitAn adventurous spirit runs through Nigel’s blood from both sides of the family. In spite of his fear of bees and other flying insects, he tackled Mt. Lassen with a fervor usually reserved for Lego-building. I, having climbed Mt. Shasta earlier this summer, was impressed and proud.

He was often ahead of me on the 5-mile round-trip trail, which isn’t long compared to the 14 miles for Mt. Shasta, but for a 13-year-old climbing his first mountain, it was quite an accomplishment. He noted with excitement that this, at 10,457 feet, was the highest he’d ever been on land.

Meanwhile, Aidan had a fun time kayaking with Grandma around the lake. She said that he followed her instructions and they made a great team.

Day 2:

Nigel, sore from yesterday’s climb, has a bee-induced meltdown while on an interpretive trail in a section of the park called the Devastated Area. I’m not joking; it’s really called that. I can laugh about it now. On the way back to camp, I realize that I deserve the Slacker Mom of the Year Award for not reminding Nigel to take his medication. We had packed it, but he had forgotten to take it. I note once more, after the meltdown, that the medication really does help, because of how his behavior is affected when he doesn’t take it.

Meanwhile, Aidan stayed in the car.

Ranger MadelineDay 3:

We got to see my mom in action doing one of her Ranger programs! Here she is holding a bobcat skull. It has been her dream since childhood to be a Ranger at Lassen National Park, and this summer she achieved it! Way to go, Mom! 

After the program, we started on our drive home, stopping at Burney Falls State Park in northern California. I had been here over twenty years ago, and the falls are just as beautiful as I remembered them. I was happy to be able to share the experience with my sons.

Meanwhile, Aidan refused to be in the photo. But he agreed that the falls were pretty!Nigel at Burney Falls

 

Reflections at a Higher Elevation

Here’s a riddle:

What’s both beautiful and exhausting at the same time?

Answer: autism and climbing mountains

I suppose that giving birth could also be a fitting answer to the riddle, running a marathon and stuff like that. But autism is a part of my daily life, and I just climbed a mountain yesterday, so that is what I’m going to write about.

Early Saturday morning, my sister Macrina and I met up with my friend and excellent guide, Tom Prescott (a big shout-out to Tom, without whom we couldn’t have done this), and drove an hour and a half to the trailhead for Mt. Shasta in northern California. We then strapped on our 50-pound frame packs and proceeded to hike five miles to base camp at 10,400 feet. It was brutal! I can hike forever, but I hadn’t thought to train with a heavy pack on, and I wish I had! We got up at 3 AM on Sunday and put on lots of warm layers, crampons, helmets, and smaller day packs with water, our camera, and Power Bars. Then we started up the remaining two miles to the summit. Parts were very scary, like when we were climbing up a crazy-steep (about 60-degree) slope of snow and ice, literally clinging to the mountain with crampons and ice axes. For someone with a fear of falling (me), it required an intense amount of focus and trust. In what do you trust? Your equipment, your technique (I did some mountaineering research last week, but it was my first time trying it out!), and whatever higher power works for you.

At 11:11 AM we reached the summit! Most sources list the elevation as 14,162 feet, but according to Wikipedia, the most current and accurate height per the National Geodetic Survey is 14,179. Here I am with my slightly shorter (but hardier) sister:

Mt. Shasta Summit

As I marveled at our accomplishment, I thought about how often the difficulties we face in life are likened to climbing a mountain (“Climb every mountain . . .” from the Sound of Music, “I have climbed highest mountains . . .” from “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2). Raising an autistic child has often been like climbing a mountain for me. I don’t know if a summit even exists, but I will keep climbing, I will focus, and I will trust. Life with autism, though sometimes daunting, is not insurmountable.

Upon returning home, I went to Climbingmtshasta.org to read the Summit Log (unfortunately it had to be disabled due to spam, so I was not able to contribute). I was moved by the number of entries from people who said that climbing it changed their lives, and that the spirit of Mt. Shasta will always be with them. I find myself in that category as well. It is a mystical mountain, majestically standing alone, one that I have loved since first seeing it at age seven. Now, exactly thirty years later, I faced my fear and made it to the top.