Climbing The Grand Teton

Three years ago I set out on an adventure.  I made a commitment to climb Mt. Rainier and raise $3000 for Bay Area Wilderness Training.  They, in return, gave me over a thousand dollars worth of gear that was donated by companies like Mountain Hardwear, Big Agnes, Leki, Osprey, and many others.  They also got me in shape with training hikes, rented the equipment I needed to climb the mountain, and hired some great REI guides to help us to the top.

It was not just a little adventure up a big mountain, it was a new beginning for me.  Always a lover of the outdoors, life had taken over and my outdoor life suffered along with my health.  I was 41 and doing nothing except work.

The training and the climb of Mount Rainier gave me confidence that, not only did I have a whole host of great friends and family that supported me, but I still had the mental and physical ability to do whatever I wanted to do.  Something that always went through my mind when someone doubted me or I doubted my self was “I climbed Mt. Rainier, dammit!”  I also got hooked on the outdoors again, which was something really missing in my life.

So now I’m doing it again!  This time it’s a different mountain, The Grand Teton!  This is an actual technical climb that requires hands on rock climbing.  I am getting ready, but am way behind on my training and my fundraising.  I have a month to get into climbing shape (I’m not so out of shape as I have been hiking and backpacking often enough, I’d just like to haul a few less pounds of blubber up the mountain).

I’m raising money for Bay Area Wilderness Training for this climb also.  BAWT trains teachers and youth workers so they can take kids outdoors.  They also provide gear and vans for trips.  They do an awesome thing for kids when so many kids have never seen the snow or never been out of their own city.

Please consider donating whatever you can, however little you can donate.  It all adds up and I am thankful for every dollar.

Here’s the link to my fundraising page and if you like Beautiful Places, wait till you see the Grand Teton Show!  And you can thank yourself for helping me to reach the top.

Tony