Conquering New Mountain Summits

The last time I climbed an active volcano was Acatanango in Guatemala. 13,041 ft above sea level and so active it’s neighbor, el fuego (which we also climbed that trip) erupted every 10 to 15 minutes for a full show better than any fireworks or manmade entertainment I’ve seen in my life. Tomorrow, @pastrypants and I are tackling Mt Baker locally. I’m pretty sure I had covid as I climbed the summit that year and struggled with a rough cough and ash in my lungs. This years challenge will be my 1 month old sprained ankle which caused me to now have 4 stitches on my forehead after backpacking 40+ miles on it. There will always be challenges, and being brave is not not having fear. It’s having the courage to rise to the occasion in spite of the fears and doubts and pushing past pain. Here’s to this weekend, conquering new limits (will be my highest snow ascent) and earning stripes one challenge at a time.