The Approach
“The highest reward for a persons toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it.” J. Ruskin
In the alpine climbing world the approach is a path you take to where the real climbing begins. Some mountains have long easy and beautiful approaches. You can experience the culture and the people, reset your clock, acclimatize. Other times the approach is short and difficult, and as dangerous as the climb to the summit. The approach takes planning, and different skills and sometimes a change of focus. Whether the approach is easy or difficult long or short you will always learn something about yourself and the world, this is why I climb.
Eventually your approach comes in full sight of the mountain you’re planning to climb. The first feeling is a mixture of fear, excitement, and how small you are, and how big the task before you is. To remain focus on the next step instead of being in awe of the mountain becomes difficult. Overcoming these feelings, remaining focused on the next step, this is why I climb.
I have been on the approach for my last big mountain, Denali, for the last 3 years and have yet to make it to Alaska for three reasons. Near death, aneurism/HAPE/cold injury’s and three rescues from high altitude showed me fragile I am. Illness, hip replacement/h-plyvori/old age/ have been beating me back and the ability to block and push forward showed me how strong I am. Real death, I have seen people die on the mountain and had to learn to live with it, they chose to be there. My grandson Blaise, is the biggest hurdle that I have ever crossed and will never get over it. He lived 34 days and fought for day 35. He didn’t chose that outcome and as much as I tried and prayed I couldn’t change it. I have climbed for my grandkids for the last 4 years. Leaving lessons to my grandkids, this is why I climb.
This is an approach that has forced me to retreat and rethink how I move forward or even do I move forward. Tonight I finally make it to Alaska for an attempt at summit #7 and will carry the lessons from this approach and why I climb with me. I leave with the same guilt and excitement as always. I do not love mountains more than people they are different and I am different every time I climb one. This is why I climb.
Lessons to grandkids:
The summit of Everest was 20 minutes the approach took me months. The 20 minutes on the summit were amazing but the approach was what changed me. Your work to accomplish a goal is more important than the goal itself live for the approach. This is why I climb.
