3 days till take off!

Reach out and open the door that no one thought could be opened. Life is behind it. -Kelly Ann Rothaus

Ok so the last 60 days came and went and now I fly on Thursday night...crazy!! Am I ready...umm...I have A LOT to get done and still waiting on gear :) The ‘To Do’ List is growing exponentially!! I DO know when I get on that plane...it will be ALL GOOD! Prepping to leave for two whole months is no joke!

How do I feel you may ask? Well, I am still in denial mode, as that is my coping method...lol. I am excited, nervous, hopeful, grateful, CAN’T WAIT!! I always look forward to just spend time focusing on surviving and that is it. Some crazy things have happened in the past 60 days, like travelling to over 7 different states, doing a 180 hydroplane across the I-5 fwy in Oregon, having my car reverse down a San Francisco hill while I was in it and crashing slightly into a wall (long story but I ran out of gas going up a big hill on my way to give a talk and that was the outcome...luckily the car and I were ok and I still made it on-time to speak!)

Yet, I have also been able to focus on quality not quantity these last 60 days and really enjoying my time with loved ones, beautiful parts of the city, and doing things I enjoy-Living! I am now a little stressed though with trying to wrap up details at work, keeping the training up, fundraising, raising awareness, ordering last minute gear, trying to sublet my place, setting up bill payments, scrambling on funds to finalize payments for things, oh ya still need to do my taxes, umm shall I go on? Getting my down suit was an exciting moment...and even better yet... IT FIT!! :) Sleep...what sleep? Actually I have been craving more sleep lately cuz I am TIRED...but 5 hours is about the average per night. Once I am up, I am up, because my mind starts racing as to all the things I have to get done. I have made it a point to spend time with my friends and made a visit to say family farewells, as I will miss everyone for 2 months and I wanted to make sure I saw all of my loved ones before I headed out!!

It seems a bit unbelievable that the endless days of doing the Lyon steps with my backpack are coming to an end :)I will no longer be the freak on the stairs...lol....well, at least until the next climb. My body is doing funny things, like developing muscles I never knew I could have, my left eye seems to twitch to its own drum, I want to eat everything, and if my calves get any bigger...well that would just be weird...lol. Training the last few months has consisted of doing the Lyon Stairs with my pack anywhere from 40-55lbs for 1.5 hrs or so a few times a week, running 5-6 miles a few times a week, yoga at least once a week, hiking in between when possible, or gym time on the stair mill or elliptical. I am feeling strong physically and am ready to acclimate and get some time to get ready for the big push on the mountain. Mentally, I have gone in denial mode and down played this monster climb in my head. It will be about one step at a time and one day at a time...plain and simple. I have always said climbing is 80% mental and 20% physical....which was confirmed by this quote on Peak Freaks’ website, “On Everest, when your body is no longer working for you like it used to, it is your mind that will get you there and back down again safely.” Sooo true and I couldn’t agree more.

Other physical prep has included many doctor visits! The dentist visit was a fun 3 hr visit to make sure there were no possible issues before I leave. Luckily it was pretty painless, just replaced a couple cracked fillings. Oral care is extremely important on the mountain and an oral infection could be your ticket home on a climb, so this was a must do in every way! Next, there are times I wish I were a guy...well as a woman climber there are other health issues you have to consider. Mainly for me I suffer from endometriosis, so I have to make sure I do not get a menstrual cycle for the entire time I am on the mountain, otherwise this could be my ticket home as severe cramping and bleeding are key symptoms of endometriosis and at that altitude and with the physical requirements involved, it could just be too much to bear up there. Thus, I have become my doctor’s guinea pig in terms of finding the right combo of hormones to stop my cycle for two months. We finally found a solution and if that fails, she has given me these awesome new trial pills that stop bleeding of any kind. I just have to be careful as hormones in birth control pills-which are part of the medication prescribed, can lead to blood clots, which would be very bad at high altitude, especially since good circulation is key in order to prevent frostbite. So needless to say I love my doctor and she has been awesome the last 6 months in helping my body get ready for this endeavour. Sorry boys if this is TMI...but it’s true and been a big challenge and concern the last 6 months. Next, was getting all the meds I would need up there like diamox, antibiotics, digestive meds, pain relievers, etc. You don’t want to get sick up there or catch a stomach bug and have zero meds...again that could be your ticket home, so you have to be prepared for the worst.

Fundraising and awareness have been full on! I have had two speaking engagements with a third on t he way! I was fortunate enough to speak to a group of young women at my Alma Mater, Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles. What a rewarding experience!! My friend then hosted an intimate awareness event at her home. We had a little LA Reunion/Fundraiser on March 11th, followed by an awesome Fundraiser in San Francisco on March 18th at the Ambassador. We had a great turnout in San Francisco and collected over $700 at the door and still waiting for our bar tab donation totals :) I look forward to hosting more fundraisers upon my return! Tomorrow night Margaret Aguirre from International Medical Corps and I will be speaking after the showing of Ruined at Berkeley. As for awareness, be on the lookout for us on Women’s Health’s Website, on Ning,on the radio show Project Empowerment and more to come! Also, our website will have a new look by the end of the week, so stay tuned!! We are still looking for more corporate partners to join us on this cause and major donors. All donations are tax deductible and benefit International Medical Corps and VDAY’s programs in DRC. None of the proceeds go to my climbing costs.

Well, I need to go to bed, so more to come by the end of the week. I will be posting web and contact info later this week. We will have weekly eBlasts from the mountain, so if you would like to be on the distribution list, please email me!
Can’t wait to share this incredible journey with you all as much as possible each step of the way!

Special Thanks to:

McKinney Rogers (http://www.mckinneyrogers.com/)- Global Business Consultancy where I work for their endless support and half sponsorship of the climb and paid leave of absence! I could not be more grateful and blessed to work for such an amazing and extraordinary organization.

Our donors and supporters- you are all amazing and thank you for helping us make a difference for women and children of Democratic Republic of Congo.

International Medical Corps and VDAY- thank you for your amazing work and all of your support with my endeavour.

Trisha Haakonstad- you are my bff and you stepped in to help me when I needed it most. Love you and I am so grateful and proud to call you my friend. Thank you!

Chris Donohue- You to are my forever friend regardless of many situations and stepped in to help me when I needed it most. Thank you!

Pam Pappas- my friend and tent mate. Thank you for your friendship and support these last few years and I look forward to sharing this adventure of a lifetime with you.

To all of my friends and family- for your loving support and encouragement!

To the women of DRC- you are all an inspiration with your stories of survival and strength and this climb is for you!! My life would not be the same without you.

If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to the cause and support International Medical Corps and VDAY, visit: http://www.climbtakeaction.com/

Good night and more to come very soon!!

G

Snap shot of what's to be expected on Everest!

Peak Freaks Expeditions will be my guide for this trip. Here is a look at their 2008 expedition!

Peak Freaks Everest Expedition from M. Scott Mortensen on Vimeo.

Upcoming Fundraising Events in San Francisco!

Please Join us for some of our upcoming events in San Francisco!

If you are interested in hosting a fundraiser or awareness event, please contact me at: gmiranda@climbtakeaction.com


Friday, March 18th @ The Ambassador 673 Geary, San Francisco from 7-10 PM.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=684243599#!/event.php?eid=181745921870248

Tuesday, March 22nd @ The Berkeley Repertory Theatre from 8-11 PM

Watch a compelling running a production of the play Ruined which is a story about conflict and rape in DRC.

Order tickets for March 22: http://tickets.berkeleyrep.org/ Enter PROMO CODE: IMC to get 20% off tickets !!

Hugs,

Georgina

Life Comes Full Circle~ Everest 60 Days Away!

Have faith: Trust that circumstances in your life will align to support you on your path. When you make a commitment, life will make a commitment back. -From Yoga Journal

Happy New Year everyone! Come on 2011, let’s see what you are made of :)This year is full of hope, faith, dreams, and adventure! Everest is now only 60 days away!!

I normally use this blog to talk solely about the climbs and our efforts to raise funds and awareness for women in Congo, but I thought it was important to add a bit of a personal touch this time, as Everest is very close and preparing for it has opened up a whole new world of feelings and emotions. Training for this bad boy is not only about the physical prep, but also the mental prep and the emotional prep. I have always said climbing is 80% mental and 20% physical.

I recently came across this quote the other day in Yoga Journal, it said: Have faith: Trust that circumstances in your life will align to support you on your path. When you make a commitment, life will make a commitment back. -From Yoga Journal

The quest for the Seven Summits originated from a couple of places, but one was that ever since I was a little girl, I always dreamed of visiting the 7 continents. I used to play for hours with my godmother’s globe, plotting new adventures to embark on. Later on in life while in grad school and working full time, I discovered my love for hiking and climbing as an outlet from the textbooks and corporate life!! There was then a Eureka moment of, that’s it, I will train and climb the 7 summits and both realize my dream I had as a little girl, while also enjoying the climbing challenge. It was then just a few months later, while searching for a new hair cut in Glamour Magazine that I read Eve Ensler’s article about her visit to the Congo that educated me on the horrific situation (massive and violent rapes) women in the Congo were facing and I thought- I should climb for them and raise funds and awareness! It all sounds crazy I know, especially that at the time I set the challenge I could barely run a mile, but here we are and I have climbed 5 of the 7, run a marathon and a couple of half marathons, and there is nowhere but up to go! Mind over matter folks :)

Over Christmas this whole theme of ‘Life Coming full circle’ kept popping up in my head. A lot of it had to do with my Grandmother, and watching her battle with dementia. As I visited with her over Christmas, I thought of the strong, feisty, resilient woman that helped raised me, that taught me to be tough, stand up for myself, never take no for an answer, and always showed me unconditional love. She was always a symbol of strength for me in the sense that she was a widow at 28 with 4 girls and well figured it out; not to mention she also lost a son at a young age. She was the eldest of 4 and only got to go to school till the 8th grade when she then had to take care of her siblings back in Nicaragua. Now at Christmas, she was completely dependent on others and unable to care for herself. She had reverted back to like we were as children, needing help to eat, bath, walk around, and all I could think about was how life eventually comes full circle. She was happy to be with us-her family though and it was great to see her try to show me how she could now walk with her walker and move around on her own a bit, because at the end of the day, she wanted to show me she still ‘had it in her’ and that she wasn’t giving up. I’ll be honest it’s been tough to watch her transition, but I am so grateful for her life and her love and her endless lessons and wisdom- and well she is still tough! :)

One is never certain how life comes full circle though and you never know how what you may wish for may materialize. For me now, as I look back to my childhood and my dreams, I think of how amazingly life has come full circle for me and how this dream of visiting the 7 continents has materialized into a unexpected challenge I could have never dreamed of back then! It also ties in perfectly with the quote I found above and how when you make a commitment, then life makes a commitment back. I can honestly say when I committed to this campaign, life definitely made a commitment back. As I have said before, I had a timeline in my head to get this done in 4 years, but was not sure about many things, mainly: how I would be able to finance it all, not sure I could actually physically complete the challenge, then just after my 1st of the 7 summits I got a divorce and was then challenged to figure my ‘new life’ out, and just shortly after that I started a new job that would keep me on the road as a consultant and provide endless support for my mission of completing this campaign. Now McKinney Rogers, my employer, is generously sponsoring 50% of my climb! It all has just fallen into to place, but not without much sacrifice, dedication, and the ability to overcome some of my own personal ‘mountains’ and heartaches and losses in between. This campaign and mission has kept me strong throughout and resilient and for that too I am eternally grateful-giving up has not been an option; it has been all about ‘figure it out G’!

I am eternally grateful for coming across Eve’s article, which I say helped transform my life and set me on a mission. This mission I hope will have a positive impact on others’ lives ultimately, but it has had a tremendous positive impact on mine and helped me overcome huge personal hurdles and kept me motivated to look to the future and focus on making an impact versus focusing on the past or difficult circumstances.

With Everest so close, it has also made me think about ‘what really matters’? I do not ever want to be a pessimist, but I am a realist. The reality is that Everest does not come without risk and so mentally one needs to be prepared to not come back in one piece....meaning you could lose a part of your body due to frostbite/injury, you could lose friends up there, you yourself could not come back, etc. There are many variables out of your control up there after all. I firmly believe one needs to be ok and mentally prepared with the possibly of not coming back. Why such a sick thought you may ask? Well, it makes you firmly and 100% committed to the risk you are about to take; basically you are acknowledging that despite the potential risk, the challenge itself is worth it to you- You are committed. Also, it leaves room for zero regrets. If things were to go south up there, at no point do I want to think to myself, I should not have done this! I fully embrace the challenge and the risk and feel blessed with the opportunity to go after it regardless of the outcome. Let’s be honest, I may not summit, but in my mind as long as I gave it my best shot and prepared the best I could, and gave it my all, then that is ok and I can try again someday. Yet this thought of ‘what really matters’ has put life in further perspective, as to what matters most in my life, what brings me joy, what and who do I want to spend my time with before I go? These next 60 days are about SUBSTANCE and QUALITY, about fulfilling experiences, about spending time with loved ones and those I care about most, about doing things that make a difference, about being true to myself, about final preparations, and about enjoying my life to the fullest before I go. I am celebrating my 30th too in just a few weeks!!! I will go to Everest a happy woman willing to accept whatever Everest delivers to her in the end.

I like to use the term ‘pinch me moments’, and I have had these a lot in the mountains when I am surrounded by pristine beauty or when I have been successful on a summit. But life right now feels like a ‘pinch me moment’ at times. Over the last 3 years I have lived in 3 different cities, travelled all over the world for work, reached 5 of the 7 summits, met some of the most influential and special people who I am blessed to know, overcome some unexpected personal hurdles, been inspired to launch this campaign for women in Congo, and now about to embark on what I would like to think is going to be a journey of a life time. Who would have thought this is what 30 would be like?-someone pinch me! I am truly blessed. I look at the photo which I posted with this entry; it is me in Yosemite at about 1.5 or 2 years old, all I am missing are the hiking boots :)who would have thought...

I do feel like Life is Coming Full Circle, like I am that little girl again, playing with the globe at her godmother’s, dreaming of all of the potential adventures ahead and gitty with excitement and anticipation!!

I close with a couple of my own quotes: “Dream Big, Dream Often, and Go for It!!” and “The Extraordinary is always possible, never limit life or your potential”.

Big Hugs and I hope you will support our efforts for VDAY and International Medical Corps in the Congo!!

More to come on our efforts, the training, the climb, etc.

You can make a 100% taxable donation at https://secure3.convio.net/vday/site/Donation2?df_id=1520&1520.donation=form1

Thank you and Ciao for now!
G

Everest on the Horizon and Endless Gratitude!

Keep your heart open to dreams. For as long as there is a dream, there is hope, and as long as there is hope, there is joy in living. Anonymous

In just about 3 months time I will set off for Nepal and attempt my 6th of the 7 Summits, Mt. Everest, for women in the Congo. It feels a bit like yesterday that I started the campaign and set off on this incredible journey, not truly knowing how it would all go or whether I would be successful. Today I write with a heart full of gratitude for being able to set off on this journey at all. My first summit was back in July 2008, Mt. Elbrus in Russia. At the root core, I was inspired to set off on this mission in order to raise funds and awareness for a group of women and children in a far off land that had undergone some of the most tragic experiences I had ever heard of. My hope was to bring change through awareness and relief through financial support to organizations working diligently in these areas to make sustainable health and livelihood improvements for these women. I wish I could say that magnitude of sexual gender based violence in the Congo has decreased, but it has not, as you can see from my last post. I recently read that approximately 15,000 women have been raped in Eastern Congo alone this year, and this is completely unacceptable.

On March 30 through June 5th I will attempt to climb Everest for these women and two amazing charities doing remarkable work in the Congo, International Medical Corps and VDAY. Others will also be trekking to base camp to raise funds and awareness as well, which I am so grateful for! (My Dad and Melanie included!)

I want to give special thanks and recognition to my firm, McKinney Rogers, who will be sponsoring 50% of the climb and allowing me to take 2 months off from work to set off on this journey. I am eternally grateful for their endless support to keep going and reach my goal. McKinney Rogers’ purpose is to ‘Inspire people to achieve the extraordinary,’ and we definitely do this with not only our clients, but with our own people and I am so grateful to be a part of such a remarkable organization. To learn more about McKinney Rogers visit: http://www.mckinneyrogers.com


As I think more about the climb and the women I am trying to support, I am thankful for so much more though:

• Thankful to be an independent woman that is free to make her own choices and help others along the way.
• Thankful for living in a safe place and having the freedom to live my life without fear. I cannot take this for granted after knowing how many women and girls live their life in fear not only in Congo, but around the world.
• Thankful for being respected as a woman, which sadly many women around the globe are disrespected based on the sole fact that they are a woman.
• Thankful for the moral support of my family, friends, and employer on this journey.
• Thankful for my amazing friends that have helped me through some of my most difficult life challenges over the last few years and without them, well I don’t want to think about what life without them would be like 
• Thankful for my family who raised me to go after my dreams and never give up and have always tried to be there for me.
• Thankful for being able to live a life with purpose.
• Thankful for my adventurous spirit and desire to live life to the fullest, not limiting any possibilities or experiences.
• Thankful for all of the amazing people I have met as a result of the campaign and friendships created.
• Thankful for all the amazing life experiences I have had so far and hopeful that there will be plenty more to come.
• Thankful for my health and being able to take on such endeavours as a result.
• Thankful for everyone that has supported the campaign in any way, shape, or form because every little bit makes a difference!
• Thankful for my determination and stubbornness to some degree...lol...as otherwise I might not have made it up some of these mountains.
• Thankful for my amazing climbing partner and friend Pam, who will be joining me on this climb.
• Thankful for women like Eve Ensler, who inspire me to be a better person and help fellow women ....her article set me off on this incredible journey.
• Thankful for the women I am trying to support in Congo whose drive to not only survive, but re-establish their lives is an endless source of inspiration to overcome any challenge I may face.



As I prepare for this next climb, it is important for me to keep these things I am grateful for in top of mind at all times. I cannot tell you how excited I am to head to Everest, but there is a lot of work ahead! There are many fundraisers to plan, many more letters and emails and calls to make to potential donors and company sponsors, much more training to do, and final logistical details to work out (including final gear prep).


I am doing everything I can to prepare myself to go, but I am also respectful of Mother Nature and recognize that my success up that mountain is not solely dependent on me...there will be factors out of my control. At this stage, I am willing to give it the absolute best I have got, and prepared to accept whatever the outcome may be, as long as I know I gave it my all in safe boundaries.



Here are some links to recent news about the Congo, any help you can give in raising awareness is greatly appreciated!



Huffington Post: No More Rape
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eve-ensler/no-more-rape_b_787806.html



International Medical Corps
http://www.internationalmedicalcorps.org/Page.aspx?pid=1851



I leave you with an endearing Hawaiian Parable:



A man goes out on the beach and sees that it is covered with starfish that have washed up in the tide. A little boy is walking along, picking them up and throwing them back into the water.
"What are you doing, son?" the man asks. "You see how many starfish there are? You'll never make a difference."



The boy paused thoughtfully, and picked up another starfish and threw it into the ocean.
"It sure made a difference to that one," he said.



An excerpt from the book: Half the Sky-Nicholas D. Kristof



We all have the power to make a difference no matter how big or small . . . go out there and do something :)



We would love it if you would join us in our efforts for Congo...change can come with awareness and every little bit counts.



If you would like to make a donation, please visit: www.climbtakeaction.com



Hugs,
G

Recent Attacks on Women in the Congo...Aid is Needed

Dear Friends,

I write to you today with heavy heart thinking about the recent tragedy that has occurred in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. In case you are unaware, reports show that rebels in eastern Congo gang-raped nearly 200 women and some young boys during a four-day period between July 30 and August 3 (young boys are said to be babies aged one month, six months, a year and 18 months). International Medical Corps responded as soon as they could...please see articles below. Details of this massive attack are unimaginable and heartbreaking. Who would think that in 2010 women and children would be victimized in such a horrific manner. It is unacceptable and awareness must be raised!

Relief and aid in the Congo is needed more than ever. As I mentioned in my previous post since I started this campaign over 2 years ago, the level of need and aid has not decreased...these brutal attacks against women continue and medical and psycho-social support is still needed. Rape is still being used as a weapon of war and less expensive than a bullet, but more devastating to any society.

I am a westerner, privileged to live in a place where I can be an independent and empowered woman, self sufficient, educated, surrounded by people that I care for and care for me, with the freedom to pursue my dreams and passions. I am so blessed... as so many reading this blog are!! We have so much to be grateful for and we are also in a position to GIVE BACK! As I read more and more about these victims, I try to put myself in their shoes and when I do, all I can think about is the utter despair I would feel if any such occurrence ever happened to me. I think about how would I recover? What resources would I need? What emotional support would help me? Would I need financial assistance? Could I realistically ever recover from such a horrific experience? Most of these women have no one to turn to but non-profit organizations working diligently in the area to provide the best response support available, but they need resources. These attacks have not only terrorized the victims themselves, but also their families and communities. Many of the rapes were actually conducted in front of their children and husbands. Will they be accepted back in the community is also a concern....how do they recover from being humiliated in front of those they love most?

I wanted to include a link to the article that got me launched on this entire journey written by Eve Ensler http://www.glamour.com/magazine/2007/08/rape-in-the-congo . One day while trying to find ideas for a stylish new hair cut, I came across this article instead, and it honestly changed my life. For whatever reason I felt an instant bond to these women I had never met, merely by the fact that as a woman myself, the attacks described were my worst unimaginable nightmare. How could I, a woman, sit back and let other women be victimized in this manner without doing anything at all... I couldn’t. I have set a lofty goal of trying to raise a little over $2 Million for this cause, and I am a long ways from this target and I know I cannot do it alone, but need others to get involved and fortunately others have. We have held successful fundraising hiking events, a group Kilimanjaro climb, and others have independently volunteered to dedicate their next challenge to the campaign and help these fellow women. It has been very rewarding to help encourage and inspire others to pursue their challenges for this amazing cause....I hope more of you are inspired to join us in our efforts!! I am in the process of organizing a Stair Climb event in a high skyscraper both in San Francisco or Los Angeles and New York. My aim is to get these launched no later than February 2011. In addition, I am hoping to present fundraising slideshows on my latest climbs, most notably the Denali climb that took place this May. Lastly, I am headed to Everest in the Spring and others on the team will also dedicate their climb to the summit or trek to base camp to the campaign. The Everest Climb will have two beneficiary charities working diligently in the Congo: International Medical Corps and V-Day. Both of these organizations have made tremendous impact in the lives of women in the Congo and they need our support.

If what you read in the articles below touches your heart in some way and you would like to get involved in making a difference....PLEASE contact me! You do not need to climb any mountains to do so...unless you want to of course :) Together we can make a difference and raise awareness. If people lack the general knowledge of the crisis in the Congo, together we can educate them.

I know my journey to help these women will not end once I reach the 7 summits, as I cannot forget them after these climbs are done. I met many rape survivors in my visit to Uganda last year to a refugee settlement supported by International Medical Corps, where much of the population were Congolese refugees that had fled and been able to find refuge and support in this settlement. Their stories, their pain, their struggle to survive, and most importantly their strength and perseverance will stay with me always. They are an inspiration I feel for anyone (especially other women) to be strong and keep fighting the fight regardless of how ugly the past may be.

So in closing, please read some of these links and share this information. I hope that anyone reading this will join me in trying to raise support and awareness for these women and amazing organizations that are working hard to make their lives a little better. You can make a donation by visiting: http://climbtakeaction.com/DonateNow.html All donations are tax deductible and go 100% directly to International Medical Corps.


Latest from the Congo:



http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100823/ap_on_re_af/af_congo_rapes

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/world/africa/23congo.html

http://newsone.com/world/associatedpress4/rebels-commit-200-rapes-in-congo-despite-un-troop-presence/

http://www.peacewomen.org/news_article.php?id=1571&type=news



Thank you for reading,


Georgina

Denali Recap- Summit 5 of 7 for Women in the Congo

Denali....aka 'Degnarly'... :) May 19-June 5 2010

It seems amazing that almost two months ago I stood a top North America (Denali)! Yes, on June 1, 2010 I completed my fifth of the Seven Summits for women in the Congo, benefiting International Medical Corps. Like all of my climbs thus far, it was an incredible adventure and one I will never forget, but different in the sense that this one was a true test of will every day. This journey officially began July 2008 when I completed my first summit, Mt. Elbrus in Russia, and looking back now....these last two years have flown by. I have experienced so many personal changes as well from starting a new career in management consulting, to moving to two new cities, amongst other things. Sadly, the crisis in the Congo continues and so my effort to raise funds and awareness for these women continues as well. Years after the official end of the decades-long civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), violence remains pervasive throughout eastern DRC, acts of rape against women and children continue to escalate, and over a third of the population lacks access to even the most basic health care. From the height of the conflict until today, International Medical Corps has remained in this volatile area, working with local partners to build sustainable capacity by repairing health facilities and improving the skills of medical professionals, village health workers, and community members. I hope anyone reading this will join in our efforts to help improve the lives of these women and children, as any little bit goes a long way! In case you are unaware, the sexual violence in the Congo, an area plagued by civil conflict for over a decade, has been deemed the worst in the world by John Holmes, UN Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs. We are also still a long way from reaching our $2M goal...so your support is greatly appreciated. To date, I have personally financed all the climbs and all funds raised goes to the charity. These climbs are for them in hopes of having a positive impact in their lives, as no woman or child should have to undergo such atrocities. We really need your support and hope you will visit us at: http://www.climbtakeaction.com/DonateNow.html

A little about Denali:

Mount McKinley (20,320 feet) has a larger bulk and rise than Mount Everest, although the summit of Everest is higher at 29,029 feet (8,848 m). Everest's base sits on the Tibetan Plateau at about 17,000 feet (5,200 m), giving it a real vertical rise of a little more than 12,000 feet (3,700 m). The base of Mount McKinley is roughly at 2,000-foot (610 m) elevation, giving it an actual rise of 18,000 feet (5,500 m). Many climbers call the mountain by its original Native American name, Denali, meaning "great one".

McKinley is also perhaps the coldest mountain in the world outside of Antarctica. Temperatures as low as −75.5 °F (−60 °C) and wind chills as low as −118.1 °F (−83 °C) have been recorded by an automated weather station located at 18,700 feet (5,700 m).

Because of its weather and ease of access, some climbers use McKinley as a training ground for climbing the 8,000 meter peaks of the Himalaya, including Everest. I had told myself going in, “if I make McKinley, I will go for Everest in the spring.”

There is also a higher risk of altitude illness for climbers than its altitude would otherwise suggest, due to its high latitude. This is because barometric pressure decreases with increases in latitude. That is, at the equator, a mountain as high as Mount McKinley would have 47% as much oxygen available on its summit as compared to sea level, but because of McKinley's latitude, the pressure on its summit is even lower at 42%, and believe me you are sucking air hard on the last final pushes to the summit.

Here are the final statistics for the climbing season in 2010; our team was one of the lucky ones to summit. I believe there were four deaths on the mountain this year as well.

Final Statistics for the 2010 Climbing Season	Mt. McKinley
Number of Registered Climbers	1,222
Climbers Currently On Mountain	0
Completed Climbs	1,222
Number of Summits	661
Summit Percentage	54%

Some interesting facts can be found at: http://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/upload/2009%20Summary%20Again.pdf

Prepping for Denali:

I trained for Denali just after I got back from Aconcagua from February to May. It was a bit hectic, as I was trying to relocate to San Francisco from Portland, and had a pretty intensive travel schedule for work, as we were amidst of a major rollout with one of our clients and so I was on the road pretty much every week, scouting for hotel gyms or running paths to train in. I did indeed move to an amazing city with loads of stairs, hills, and trails! Thus, my trips to the Lyon Steps, runs up to Baker Beach from the city, and hikes up Mt. Diablo became far more frequent on the weekends when I was actually home. I also got a new backpack from Gregory, as they were kind enough to exchange my two year old backpack (Denali Pro) that obviously was too big for me and had made the last couple of summits pretty miserable (frame was too big for me). So training with my Gregory Diva 85 pack was indeed a lot better! The key in my training plan for this trip was to be able to train with weight and replicate as best I could the movements my body would make on the mountain with that weight. I got to celebrate with friends in San Francisco the day before I left for Anchorage, as it was the Bay to Breakers run in San Francisco where everyone dresses up in costume...needless to say it was a lot of fun and great send off for the weeks that lie ahead!!

Going into the Climb:

Denali was the first mountain, I can honestly say I was afraid going in. For starters I had heard stories of people getting blown off the summit ridge, temps dropping to -40 F +, endless crevasses, etc. In addition, I knew for the majority of the trip I would be carrying 100lbs between my sled and my backpack. Considering weight had been one of my greatest challenges on Aconcagua, when I was only carrying 50-60 lbs at a time, I was worried how I would perform with this additional weight over a 3 week period. This was not a mountain to underestimate under no circumstance. All I could do at the end of the day was train to the best of my ability, pray for good weather, and have the confidence that I would try my best to get up there.

I chose to climb with Alpine Ascents once again, as they had some of the best summit success rates on the mountain. I also had been really impressed with their guides on my previous two climbs with them to Mt. Elbrus and Mt. Aconcagua.....Vern, Seth, JP, you guys rock! This trip would be no different as I was blessed with some pretty amazing guides once again! Paul and Phil...Amazing!! Also, my two very good friends were on this trip, Pam and Jason....thus I had some comfort knowing that at the end of the day...I would be in good company no matter what. I also knew I was lucky to have an awesome tent mate, Pam....we definitely can have fun!! She is also a very strong climber and that alone pushes me to go harder :)

I had a tremendous amount of respect for the mountain going in and kept saying to friends pray for warm weather and I think my last FB post said something like “Denali, please be kind”....and kind she was indeed, as we had a successful trip.

17th nights on the mountain....The Climb...The Journey...A lesson about Humility and Test of Will

Pam, Jason, and I met in Anchorage and headed on our two hour journey to Talkeetna. The ride over was an interesting one with our shuttle driver...god love him...was eager to share every fact about Alaska he knew! For example Alaska has more than 1 million lakes over an acre! Wow didn’t know that, but also the three of us were eager to catch up...so it was a funny balance.

We finally made it to Talkeetna and met up with the rest of the team and our trusty guides....so here’s where we met Paul, Phil, Chris, Rob, and Brett. Tom and Hobs at Fireside B&B made us one last yummy dinner and we all got to ask some looming questions and then hit the hay, cuz it would be an early start the next day. I can honestly say it all still hadn’t hit me yet.

The next day, we got up, had another delicious meal ala Tom and Hobs and then headed to the Alpine Ascents hanger to sort out our gear and do some final crevasse rescue practice. Here I must admit I snuck in a few more items that were not on the gear list that made for some funny conversations later on the trip....hmmm what were those??... well here you go and if you are a purist, don’t hate me  I did sneak in and carry: 1 pink razor, 1 full deodorant, 16 pairs of underwear (although I did have 3 pair of ones you can supposedly wear for 16 days straight--I ended up cashing most at 11,000 feet...was silly to bring so many), a compact, lip-gloss, mascara, and 2 eye shadows.....you hear often on Denali... “Ounces make pounds, pounds make pain”, but I felt these ounces would be worth it and make me feel like me on the hill. I wasn’t trying to impress anyone, just knowing I feel better when I feel I look good and not like a train wreck :)
So final order of business before flying to the glacier was to get some yummy pizza at Mountain High Pizza Pie in town and then head over to the National Park Service to get our permits and listen to a presentation about safety and proper waste management on the mountain.

From there it was to Talkeetna Air Strip, for our flight to base camp, set right smack in the glacier. We took some final photos with all of our 800 lbs of gear for the team, I got to meet my friend Norma Bastidas in person :), and filled up our Nalgenes with water to reduce our efforts once we landed. We boarded our 7 passenger planes and were off! Within 20 minutes or so, all sight of green was gone and we entered a world of white and some glacial blues.....so okay here it was starting to hit me. We landed in the middle of some impressive peaks all around (Hunter, Foraker, and Denali). We quickly unloaded our gear and got if off the snow covered runway and made our way to set up our first camp. Now was the pinch me moment....the oh Sh^& I am about to climb Denali...no going back now ....wooohooo! Excitement, nervousness, inflow of energy all in one! It was also evident that on a beautiful sunny day on the glacier, it was gonna get HOT!

Climbing Highlights (in no particular order):

• Visiting one of the most beautiful places in the world! Denali is a magical... a little slice of heaven :) One of the most remote places in the US...such a treat to be able to see it and call it home for 17 nights.

• Seeing the top of North America!!!! WOW what an amazing sight and feeling to get up there...yes I did get a little teary eyed...really wasn’t sure if it was going to make it, but so happy I did.

• Pushing my body, mind, and spirit to its max....more to come in a bit, but I almost quit on summit day.

• Denali was a test of will each and every day...proof you can do anything you set your mind to.

• Nailing down summit number 5 of 7...one step closer to the goal!

• Summit Day- a day with endless personal key learnings, putting full trust in others, a day that others helped me regain my will to press on; a day I will never forget.

• Meeting world class adventurers and making new friendships-one of the best things about mountaineering is the amazing people you meet.

• Being humbled by nature and these world class adventurers....I still say to this day, I am a person that enjoys climbing, I do not consider myself a “climber”....some of the folks I met attempting to go up the Cassin or other crazy routes are the hard corps true adventures in my book....or our amazing guides that without them, there may not have been summit success.

• Experiencing endless light for the entire trip....no night time in Alaska during the summer. Also, experiencing constant white....living on a glacier for 17 days is all white...snow and ice!!

• Being able to celebrate success as a team at the Fairview in Talkeetna,...we shut it down at 4 AM I think??

• Getting to explore beautiful Alaska post the climb...an amazing place and I will have to go back so I can see the Kodiak Bears!!! No time or money for that on this trip.

• Getting to experience an overall extraordinary lifelong memorable adventure!!! Amazing and yes I would do this one again :)

• Realizing how quickly your body forgets pain....although I was some extreme pain day on day...my body would do a mental wipe each night and allow me to do it all over again the next day. ..pretty cool I think. I also wish I could have had a mental tape recorder to capture all the funny thoughts going through my mind each day and also the endless cursing in my head that every now and then did get vocalized and heard by the rest of the team...ooops :)

• My ‘Scorpion’ fall coming down from a cash from 16,200...we were almost back to 14,200...oh ya....I tripped on my crampons and caught air and even tumbled a little bit to land face first in the snow....a few people even took pictures...luckily it was in a flat spot, so I rolled over and just laughed laying there for a while...it was pretty funny and I have no problem making fun of myself when its due :)

• The weather forecast is not always accurate...had we listened to the forecast we would have missed the weather window and our summit bid...we had to listen to the ‘nowcast’, as Paul would call it....which was telling us to at least try to get to 17,200 camp and hope the weather would hold for a couple of days. (I was initially hesitant since if the weather predicted did hit, we would have to head all the way down to 14,200 and then go up again to 17,200 for a third time!-luckily this did not happen)

• A huge special thanks to Paul Koubek and Phil Marino...without them there would be no summit. They gave me the mental will on summit day to keep on going when I had lost the will to go on. I thank them forever because they saw my ability to continue when I doubted it in myself. (I thought I was moving too slow for the team due to my cold hands and effects of altitude and didn’t want to jeopardize anyone’s summit bid).

• A huge special thanks to Pam Pappas...my amazing tent mate, friend...and partner in crime ;) There was never a dull moment and endless entertainment. I know she loved it when I tried to cuddle with her in the tent...actually not and she nicknamed me Captain Crunch :) She rocked it on the mountain by the way!! Can’t wait to rock it again on EVEREST this spring with her!!

The Challenges:

• BLISTERS...oh ya...formed on the back of each heel 4 hours into the trip and grew and bled and caused endless amount of pain. My days started with a 1 hour gauze, medical tape, and duck tape process, followed by 2-3 extra strength Excedrin just so I could get my boots on! The day ended with cleaning the blisters out so they would not get infected with either Neosporin spray, hydrogen peroxide, antiseptic wipes, or alcohol....basically whatever I could get my hands on, as I had limited supply in my first aid kit and so had to borrow from others. Oh Ya let me tell you alcohol and hydrogen peroxide hurt like HELL...poor Pam got to see these gnarly things everyday and witnesses my endless cursing in the cleaning process. On certain moves these darn blisters were the cause of silent tears as every step became excruciating....most notably our move from 11,000 ft to 14,000ft (had run out of tape and didn’t put enough layers), and our move from 14,000 to 17,000 ft up the almost vertical 1000 foot fixed line (I wasn’t able to modify my stepping techniques to relieve pressure of the heels).

• Our Sleds that seem to have a mind of their own and also caused some tension on the rope teams....especially going around windy corner and up motorcycle and squirrel hill!! Imagine dragging a weighted sled uphill for 3,000 feet that is roped to you and you are also roped to two other people with their own sleds and all trying to walk at the same pace....crazy and easy to create some aggravation!

• Your hot then your freezing...it was like there was no in between somedays. On the lower glacier when the sun was out, we were cookin!!! Then when wind kicked up and sun was less prevalent...bring out the Parka! I must say we were extremely lucky with the weather overall! I would say including summit day, it never got below -15 F, which is amazing for Denali.

• Being roped up in general and having to move at the same pace as a team (4 on each team)

• Clipping into pickets with your puffy down mitts and cold hands efficiently...I really struggled with this on Summit Day and will have to practice a lot for Everest.

• Realizing the power of a team and how important teamwork is on the mountain, not only within your own team, but with other teams. For example, sharing weather conditions, medical supplies, food, keeping the morale up, etc. I was so grateful to everyone that donated medical tape, duck tape, and antiseptic wipes to me for my blisters :)

• Weight and keeping up stamina and moral....just when you think you can go no more...well you have to...true test of will every day. My hardest days were moving from 11,000 to 14,000 feet (blister day mega pain), the move from 14,000 to 17,000 with a weighted pack about 50-60 lbs (fell 3 times this day...blow to the ego and made for a very nervous day). and first half of summit day (when I almost quit due to being cold and convinced I was going too slow).

• Balance with a weighted pack on narrow, mixed terrain...I fell 3 times (on the move to 17,000)...the mental and physical recovery is important and challenging all in one. Here is when you are super grateful for your rope team! There are some very exposed sections on the upper mountain above 16,200 that definitely made me nervous! When my Nalgene fell down several thousand feet, as I was walking down the summit ridge, it definitely gave me Goosebumps seeing how far of a fall it could be for any of us!

• I gave up several times on summit day and it was only due to the pep talk of my guides, Paul and Phil and my good friend Pam that I kept going. For the first time in my life, I lost my will, and it took others to get it back...a pretty powerful experience....and I will be eternally grateful for their support. By the time we got to Pig Hill on Summit Day, my will was back and as Paul said, “I was too close not to make it” :)

• Cold- I got some slight frostnip on my right thumb and index finger and why I almost quit. My hands were really cold and I could feel the cold metal of the ice ix, although wrapped in foam. Also, didn’t wear enough layers out of camp on our summit bid morning. A silly mistake that had some performance consequences later that day. It is so important to keep your core at the right temperature.

• Forget modesty....having to go to the bathroom in a shared waste bucket for the team in dug out snow holes...my favorite was a 14,000 camp when your only option was to use one of two public outhouses with no cover really except for snow blocks people had carved up to make for some privacy, but basically everyone could see your head when you sat there. It was embarrassing for me... but part of mountaineering

• Building snow walls after long days of climbing. I never realized how much work this entailed and it was so awesome to have a team to get it done right. Basically it could take a couple of hours of carving snow blocks to build walls tall enough to protect our tents

• At the end of the trip after making it up that final Heartbreak Hill, we found out we were weathered out and so would have to wait a day or two to be able to fly out....thus this added 2 more nights on the mountains as planes could not fly into the glacier to come get us. Not really a challenge, just another little road block to getting off the hill. We also had to stomp out our runway so that the plane could land. Basically everyone at the base camp got out of their tents and put on their snowshoes and stomped the runway for a couple of hours so that the planes could attempt a landing....it was pretty comical actually...Denali didn’t let us go easily.

• Losing all of our Summit Photos  My camera fell on the snow at the summit and so the battery froze. We then took all of our photos with Pam’s camera, but on our way down from 17,200 camp, the camera fell out of her hands as she snapped a photo on the ridgeline. I was just happy it was the camera that fell and not one of us!!! It’s the memory that counts  but still sad not to have it captured.

• Adjusting to everyday life after the trip. This one hit me hard this time, as you go from focusing on survival and accomplishing a goal you have been training for months for, to just going back to your normal routine. It is a difficult transition of going from the extraordinary to the ordinary...I challenge myself with trying to make everyday the extraordinary.

What Got Me up the Mountain:

• Denali was a test of will every day, I cannot say that enough...so I thank my mental will for getting me up the hill

• Having trained...this is not a mountain to not train for...so I felt physically strong for the most part

• Prayers...lots of them :)

• Paul Koubek and Phil Marino...our trusty guides and without them there would be no summit. Thank you forever!!

• Having a goal...this has been a long time journey and as always a lot was at stake...having a larger goal of reaching the 7 definitely kept me going.

• Getting enough sleep, water, and food....so important to keep up stamina for 17 days on the mountain.

• Blessed with good weather...that could have changed everything

Lessons Learned:

• Humility- so humbled by the magnificent beauty of Denali and so humbled by the world class adventurers Denali draws in. ...both inspire me to continue to pursue more adventures in my lifetime.

• Test of Will- every day my will was tested...it failed a bit on summit day, but thanks to the help of others I was able to regain it and press on. I am still a firm believer that climbing is 80% mental and 20% physical when it boils down to it.

• Climb more in your boots before going on a 3 week trip!! I was told you could not ‘break in’ Millet boots and that’s true for the most part, but it is important to test the friction you will feel on the hill beforehand. I found out that the hard way with my blisters.

• One step at a time gets you up the mountain...there were many days when I really tried avoiding looking up :) Was better just to put one foot in front of the other and know you would eventually get to the next camp




General Info on the Climb:
• We went up the West Buttress- Although there are no technically difficult sections on the route, many stretches of “The Butt” leave very little margin for error. Furthermore, the West Buttress is just as exposed as any other route to McKinley's legendary weather.

• We had 5 camps on the way up (7300, 7900, 11500, 14200, 17200) and 3 on the way down (17200, 11,500, and 7300).

• Spent 17 nights on the mountain in total (May 19-June 5 2010)

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Thank you so so much for all of your support and encouragement. So what is next for the campaign?? Everest April 1, 2011 is next! More to details to come soon of the next challenge in support of women in the Congo! I am very excited that others will be joining the climb in support of these women...We are going to the top of the world for them to raise awareness and support :)

Hugs,

Georgina