Trek for a Cure: Home again, home again!

I am back at sea level (or about 10 feet) as of this weekend! Marc picked me, Bruce and Jim up from Lone Pine on Saturday afternoon. We summited Mt Whitney a day early on Friday the 13th and what an amazing morning of climbing and then 5,000 feet down to Whitney Portal! As I was working my way down the mountain, now officially off of the John Muir Trail, I could not help but reflect about what an amazing trek I had over the last month. Each week was new adventure with a excited, strong and supportive team- we set off into the wilderness ready for what was coming our way! It is fun to read the stories of our adventures on the trail and narrow it down to just a couple of highlights for the sake of going on and on (but I guess that is the whole point of a blog, right?).

I really had no idea how exhilarating is was going to be hiking up all those passes- there were six passes over 11,000 feet. And that is not counting the point at which I set my pack down at 13,500 to finish the last 1.9 miles to the summit of Whitney without my ouzo green companion. I did enjoy a little game at the beginning of many of those high passes, which I liked to call "Did I really need to bring that?" This was a game which took place about 15-20 minutes into the climb when my backpack felt as if one of my backpacking buddies might have slipped 30 lbs of granite into my bag. As I got closer to apex of those passes many of those mind games fall away and the most important thing becomes getting to the top where the vista are blindingly beautiful. There is a definite feeling of accomplishment which is indescribable.

While deciding which photos to share on the post I am struck by the beauty of the Sierras again and again. How fortunate I am to have had the privilege of spending a month in the company of such wonderful folks -and not to mention-supreme hikers (if you weren't sure if you were a backpacker when you started... you are now!) in a more dramatic and intense setting. There is one thing that I can safely say is that we all experienced- in the words of a hiker passing me on the trail near Donahue pass, is that "These mountains will make you work."

I can't forget to mention all of the other folks who were there in different ways to make the Trek a seamless adventure for people coming off and on the trail!!! The large camping contingency at Devils Postpile was a welcome and fun party- I think we need to make that an annual event! PICTURES??? What a great way to head off on segment 4 (from Devils Postpile to Vermilion Vlly Resort with Kara and Audrey), with full belly and a ton of support.

Another fun adventure was watching all those women head down the trail from Bishop Pass for the transition to segment six with Ginger and a surprise birthday party, it was so great to have yet another party in the wilds of the Sierras.

I cannot thank everyone enough for making this the most incredible and wonderful experience- I most certainly could not have done this without the support I had from the Trek team! I can't wait to hear more stories and see more pictures and see everyone on the 19th of September (???) for a Trail Mixer- the reunion.