Not My Breasts

The Climb Against the Odds Journey

On behalf of the 2008 Climb Against the Odds team, Connie Bates of San Jose, Calif., has been blogging for the past several weeks about the experience of training and preparing for the 14,000-ft. climb of Mt. Shasta.  Finally, Connie is able to share the experience of being on the mountain and making the summit attempt with her 32 teammates.  Thank you to Connie for being willing to share her experiences!  The final blog post on Climb Against the Odds from climber and breast cancer survivor Connie Bates:

A week ago today, I climbed Mt. Shasta and made it to the summit. Wow!! Even a week later, thinking about it still puts a grin on my face.  We woke up about 12:30 AM for our summit attempt. The full moon reflected off the snow and filled the air with a soft, kind of mystical glow. The air fairly vibrated with excitement and energy.  I said to my tent mate, Mia, “This is the coolest thing I’ve ever done.” And so we began our journey in the darkness toward the waiting mountain.

After about an hour of climbing, we roped up into teams. Each team climbed as one, traversing together across the steep West face.  Every hour or so, our guide Kajsa would stop us for a “maintenance” break.  I began to feel nauseous each time we took a break. I didn’t want Kajsa to think I couldn’t go on, so I choked down my snacks and ignored the nausea.

Step by step, we worked our way up Mt. Shasta. It seemed like the “step” became our new unit of measure. How many steps it took to work your way across a steep slope, how many steps it took to recover when your footing was shaky and you slipped. And it wasn’t easy. My concentration began to slip and my feet grew less cooperative.  At one point, Kajsa told me she was concerned that I seemed too tired and was going to need to evaluate my readiness. Crap! That definitely was not what I wanted to hear! But I wasn’t ready to give up the climb. I tucked my head down and resolved to keep going until I couldn’t go any further.

After almost eleven hours, our rope team reached the summit of Mt. Shasta at 14,162 ft. You could sense the reverence and respect amongst the climbers for the beautiful and difficult mountain we had climbed. They say Mt. Shasta is where heaven meets the earth. Sitting up there with my fellow climbers, it sure seemed that way to me. 

Climbing Mt. Shasta forced me to reach deep down inside myself and allowed me to reclaim that which I lost through breast cancer.  Almost as if the missing pieces were finally back together. The part of me that was too stubborn to give up, the part of me that cried on the summit when one of my fellow climbers told me she was proud of me. For each of the BCF climbers, the journey up Mt. Shasta was immensely personal and tremendously rewarding and I am proud and blessed to have been a part of the 2008 Climb Against the Odds climbing team.

Visit the Breast Cancer Fund's Flickr site to view photos from Climb Against the Odds. 

On Top of the World!

The ENTIRE REST OF THE TEAM MADE IT TO THE SUMMIT..  Details to follow .

Celebrating the Journey

Safe and Sound at base camp  welcoming their fellow climbers as they return :   Margaret Burks, a 2005 survivor of invasive breast cancer who is dedicated to and climbed for breast cancer prevention and Hillie Crowfoot, breast cancer survivor and from Montague CA , climbed for the Mt Shasta community who reached the 11, 500 point on the mountain. 

Pushing Past the Summit Plateau

11:30 AM and Connie can barely contain herself – Four more climbers have reached the Summit and the entire rest of the team are on the Summit Plateau at 14,000 feet !!  Rosanne Iverson from Steamboat Springs CO spent 2007 in treatment for breast cancer and 2008 training for Shasta; Jacque Jensen from Reno NV dedicated her climb to her dad and her friend Sherry Miller; Becky Fisch also from Reno NV climbed last year and is climbing in memory of Sherry; Linda Morton from Seattle Washington a veteran of CAO Rainier and this is her third Shasta Climb climbing in memory of many friends. 

Family and friends are gathering in the hospitality suite we set up and there is joy abounding.   Jeanne

FIVE ON THE SUMMIT!!!!!

10:15 AM Two rope teams standing on the Summit of Mt Shasta with Prayer Flags flying and I’m sure hearts singing and tears flowing.   Mark, Nancy and their son Brandon Wilhelm from Evergreen Colorado climbing in honor and memory of Mark’s mom; Brenda Darden from Carson City, NV in memory of Sherry Miller (CAO Mt Rainier and CAO Mt Shasta 2007) and Shanhong Lu born in Beijing, living in Mt Shasta who climbed for breast cancer prevention.    Post a comment and read the wonderful messages we are getting.   Jeanne

Taking on Misery

10 AM report from windy base camp.  The one climber who came down from 11, 500 ft reports a willful, strong team on the mountain.  The windy conditions are limited to the Hidden Valley area.   ALL rope teams have made it at least the top of the crest of the West Face ( 13,334) and one team has crossed the Saddle and is taking on Misery Hill.  We are so thrilled! This is exceptional. For those of you who have climbed and followed our climbs, to have 31 of 33 climbers reaching this high on the mountain is quite amazing.  Please keep them all in your thoughts and prayers and surround them with love. 

Jeanne

Climbers Kicking Ice

8 A.M. Good morning and good news. Report just in from Marisa, Connie, Jenn and Doc Susan, who spent a very cold night at base camp, huddled and cuddled in their tents.  The rope teams started out at 30 minute intervals starting at 1:30 AM with the last team departing base camp at 3 AM.  One climber remained at Hidden Valley nursing the affects of altitude and doing just fine.  All others lightened their packs, strapped on their ice axes and crampons,   put on their headlamps and headed up the West Face of the mountain.  Everyone made it to at least 11,500 feet with one climber starting her descent as I write. Conditions are good – cold enough to give them a good kick in the ice and to motivate a strong, steady pace. The base camp gals can watch them with binoculars and can see one rope team at the crest of West Face - called the Saddle - about to make the turn toward Misery Hill.  Dave Marchi, the guide of that team of 5 says they “are about to trade down parkas for sun screen” as they leave the shadows.  The ‘dots’ of their sky blue Isis down parkas over their brick red shells are a reassuring sight to the crew following their ascent. 

Stay tuned for posts as they come in.

Jeanne, Shannon and Jim drinking coffee in solidarity

3 PM at Hidden Valley Camp Site

Yahoo! 

Everyone made it safely to Hidden Valley and are setting up camps in various snow fields.  Connie reported that the trek up required stamina and navigating some rocky ridges along the side of the mountain but the guides guided, the climbers climbed and they all made it with a little help from each other.  It was tough carrying 30 lb packs that long and high but they did it!  Connie said the view is as if you are top of the moon ( not sure actually what that means…). From the campsite vantage point, she, Marisa and Doc Susan will be able to see the climbers path all the way up the West Face to the point where they cross over to Misery Hill. She is looks forward to keeping an eye on her climbers the whole way.  This is a most excellent start to the climb. They will set up camp, go thru snow school training, have a meal, conduct their prayer flag ceremony – fly the flags they are all carrying and call out each of the names.  Then they will pretend to sleep some in preparation for their midnight wake up call.  Connie will check back in at the end of the day but we don’t anticipate much more news until early morning.

Jeanne at CAO Central aka the Resort where staff, family and friends are hanging out

AND.. OFF THEY GO! CAO SHASTA '08

And .. off they go!

Last night, in small reverent groups, climbers gathered in Connie’s room to write names on the last of the prayer flags they will carry up the mountain. In the Tibetan tradition of carrying a prayer to the mountain, BCF’s flags read: “The Wind Carries Our Prayers of Love, Healing and Remembrance. May We All Be Well”. The flags are dedicated in the memory or honor of a loved one – most often having faced breast cancer but many holding the stories of women and men with other cancers and devastating diseases and injuries.  

At 7 a.m. this morning, the CAO Shasta 2008 team gathered for a hearty breakfast, shared their last minute jitters with each other. They tucked away  the special mementos they are carrying up the mountain – wedding rings, talismans, photos, crystals.  The caravan to Bunny Flat left the Mount Shasta Resort with great fan fare. Twenty volunteer local community members were on hand at Bunny Flats to carry tents, food and gear up the mountain in support of the team.

Our team medical team Doc Sean and Doc Susan along with the Shasta Mountain Guides took charge. They divided up in to the teams that  they will camp ,climb and rope team with on the mountain .   Family and staff gave last minute  hugs AND OFF THEY WENT ! 

Jeanne and the staff of BCF

Calling All Climbers! CAO Shasta '08

Calling All Climbers!

They arrived in Mt Shasta having travelled from Japan, Washington D.C., Nevada, Toronto, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Washington and New Hampshire and from every corner of California. They came carrying large back packs full of gear donated by our generous sponsors, high hopes that their training and preparation will serve them on the mountain and most importantly with the love and support of family, friends, colleagues and co workers – some here with them but most of you at home on the edge of your chairs waiting for news.

The mountain, in all her majesty stands right before us –  and as many climbers commented “ it’s really big!”  At 14, 162 feet she sure is.  Shasta is holding less snow this year on the route that we have climbed in the past so our expert guides Jenn and Chris Carr have mapped out an alternate route that you might want to check out.  They will hike in from Bunny Flats and make a stop at Horse Camp where they will fill up with spring water and take advantage of the last ‘ facilities’ they will see for two days.  They’ll continue on to Hidden Valley wilderness camp site where they will rest and prepare for a midnight wake up call to start their climb up the west face of the mountain and cross over to Misery Hill ( yup – named for good reason) and then on up to the Summit for those whose journey will take them there.

We gathered on Sunday evening to honor BCF’s tradition of climbing for breast cancer prevention and to come together as a family of climbers, loved ones and BCF staff, guides and supporters to make the space to remember why we are all here doing this together.  Our ceremony includes holding a circle together - in the center of which is pot of soil.  One by one we each walk up and plant one seed ( sweet pea) while sharing the reason we are here – the climbers tell us why they are climbing and for whom.   The stories are both heart-breaking and uplifting – inspiring beyond words.   Breast cancer survivors and their children seek hope for the future. Friends and family, mourning the loss of a someone close each stand in for them. As each name is called, the room fills with emotion. By evening’s end, we are a team in the spirit of Climb Against the Odds -  knowing that we can achieve breast cancer prevention if we are roped together, taking one step at a time, with all the support we need and understanding that the journey is as powerful as the summit.

Renamed “Climb Against the Tears” - we gathered this morning for the all important gear check, team assignments for the mountain and photos.   Building on the presentation last evening by our favorite   Park Service ranger, Shasta Mountain Guides led the climbers though the plans for the next two days and reported on good weather expected on the mountain and a cooling trend which is good for climbing.    Teams of 5 – 6 climbers  each went thru every item in their pack and wandering around, I could hear suggestions about what would not be needed on the mountain ( scrabble game) as well as demonstrations of the ‘ target’ for solid waste and yes, you need a spoon and you will wear a helmet.

Everyone is now at the 5^th Season – our fabulous , supportive gear shop picking up their ice axes, crampons, big ole boots and odds and ends . They will all obsess tonight about what food to bring tomorrow and will probably be over shopping right now. Connie George, our Climb Coordinator and super den mother will field all the questions, big and small and our staff are busy preparing for the Trailhead send off in the morning.

I’ll keep you posted on progress reported from the mountain.  You can still support your climber and or go read the climber bios on the BCF website.  They are an amazing group of women and men!

Jeanne