|
|
 |
Testimonials
| “ |
Wilderness will change the lives of young people. Share it with thousands of youth, while experiencing some of the greatest alpine climbs
on the continent. |
” |
| |
- Conrad Anker
Climber, Activist, Humanitarian |
|
Mt. Shasta
| “ |
What an amazing experience. I don’t quite know how to describe it, except that I am hooked. I love the feeling of looking up at a
mountain as massive as Mt. Shasta and knowing that I somehow reached the top. Perhaps the most distinct recollection I have is the view from
the peak - a perfectly clear, unobstructed view as far as the eye can see. It is as though you are higher than you've ever been before.
Everything is there for you to see, nothing stands in your way. But the most spectacular part isn’t the summit itself. It’s every single
footstep along the way, every smile that spreads across your face as you greet other climbers. It’s an unspoken understanding that you are doing
something incredibly hard, but incredibly rewarding. |
” |
| |
- Kate, Mt. Shasta |
|
| “ |
With a final push we crested the summit of Mt. Shasta and stood on what felt like the roof of California. We were exhausted but exhilarated.
There is no greater feeling than knowing that you safely accomplished your objective, no matter how tired you are. |
” |
| |
- Jed, Mt. Shasta |
|
| “ |
Raising money for Bay area youth really added depth and meaning to my Shasta climb last
summer. BAWT did a great job making the trip and the fundraising easy. If you are thinking of
climbing one of the great west coast peaks, a BAWT climb is a great way to go. |
” |
| |
- Ernest, Mt. Shasta |
|
| “ |
The beauty of the peak and the importance of BAWT’s mission made this the most important climb of my life. |
” |
| |
- Shane, Mt. Shasta |
|
| “ |
The climb was one of the most challenging things I've ever done, but also one of my most
rewarding accomplishments. It was both a physical challenge and a test of mental toughness.
The fact that it provided me with the opportunity to help underprivileged kids added to my
overall satisfaction from this climb. All in all, it was a fantastic experience, something I would
highly recommend to anyone who is passionate about the mountains. |
” |
| |
- Alex, Mt. Shasta |
|
| “ |
Two of my favorite things brought together. Bringing smiles to kids faces, and physically
challenging myself. One of the most rewarding experiences of my life! |
” |
| |
- Jason, Mt. Shasta |
|
Mt. Whitney
| “ |
I found the entire experience to be one of a lifetime. I’ve never raised so much money and put forth so much effort. Standing on the summit
of Mt. Whitney really made me understand how fortunate we all are to share the wilderness. |
” |
| |
- Matt, Mt. Whitney |
|
| “ |
The Whitney climb was the most intense experience of my life. Waking up to a howling wind at 3 AM
and walking onto the snow in the coming dawn was the perfect send off to a full day. My favorite
moment was getting to the top of "the Notch" at about 14,000 feet; at that time I knew I was gonna
make it to the top! Of course being on the summit with practically no one else up there was amazing,
too. The picture of the snow covered Sierra under a bright blue sky is still etched in my mind and
serves to inspire me to push hard in whatever challenges me. I'd recommend Climbing for Kids to
anyone who wants to push themselves to new heights in the service of others. |
” |
| |
- Eric, Mt. Whitney |
|
| “ |
It was the encouragement of my teammates the helped me keep climbing. The friendships that developed on the mountain and during the
training hikes will last a lifetime. |
” |
| |
- April, Mt. Whitney |
|
| “ |
I had a great time on the beautiful Mount Whitney hike. Climbing for Kids did a great job in getting us
the material for raising the donation funds and also the overall organization was above my
expectations. The people were a lot of fun and interesting. Be sure to work out sufficiently to make
the hike more enjoyable. Thank You! |
” |
| |
- Tom, Mt. Whitney |
|
| “ |
My experience climbing Mt. Whitney with BAWT was one of the best of my life. Not only did I
summit the tallest mountain in the lower 48, but I did it while raising money for a wonderful
organization that helps to give kids their own amazing outdoor adventures. I was a little
apprehensive about the whole thing as I had zero mountaineering experience. The Climbing For
Kids organizer helped me prepare both physically and mentally with regularly scheduled training
hikes, lots of encouragement, details about the trip and tons of high-fives! BAWT's corporate
donors made the experience even better by providing top notch quality gear that was extremely
useful on the mountain. The people I met on the training hikes, at fund raising events, and
climbing the mountain were all fantastic, from varied back grounds, and fun. Our Mountain
Guides were incredibly experienced, easy to be around, and very encouraging. Everyone on our
group made it to the summit! I would recommend it to anyone with a heart who loves the
outdoors. |
” |
| |
- Shannon, Mt. Whitney |
|
| “ |
I was handed a Climbing for Kids brochure at the Green Festival in November 2006. I didn’t yet know it, but that piece of paper would change
my life. I had always wanted to take on a challenge for a cause, making a positive and constructive difference in the lives of others. What I didn’t
predict were the friendships that developed on training hikes and on the mountain. I know now that they’ll last a lifetime.
This was to be my first ever backpacking trip - never mind mountaineering - and I chose Mt. Whitney because I had never camped in the snow. The trip
started on my birthday and I couldn’t think of a better present to myself. Even though I thought I was mentally and physically prepared for this trip,
it turned out to be more challenging than I could have imagined. I was fortunate to be in the company of very capable guides. It was my confidence in
them and the care and consistent encouragement of my teammates and the BAWT staff on the mountain that enabled me to continue on even when the climbing
was hardest.
I reached my personal summit of 11,500 feet and came down from the mountain incredibly proud of what I had accomplished. Not only had I climbed higher
than ever before, but my fundraising efforts were already creating opportunities for at-risk kids to develop a love for the outdoors. My wish is that,
like me, they will pass this love on to others.
The climb was just the beginning. Since then, I’ve stayed involved with Bay Area Wilderness Training, volunteering in the gear library, gaining a WFR
certification, and making plans to work directly with kids in the outdoors. It’s been an unforgettable and life-altering experience, and I’m making plans
to return to Mt. Whitney next year on another Climbing for Kids trip. Hopefully, this time I’ll summit. Thanks BAWT. |
” |
| |
- April, Mt. Whitney |
|
Mt. Rainier
| “ |
I thoroughly enjoyed my experiance with BAWT and the guide service was exceptional. I came from sea level and made
it to the top so, anyone can do it with some training. |
” |
| |
- Allen, Mt. Rainier |
|
| “ |
At-risk kids will stare up at the Milky Way for the first time because of the money that we raised. It’s an incredible feeling. |
” |
| |
- Tony, Mt. Rainier |
|
| “ |
Working with Climbing for Kids has been richly rewarding on many fronts.
First, I overcame a significant mental block asking for money from people I
know. Second, I learned just how truly generous are my family, friends and
co-workers (and how stingy I am). Lastly, the climb couldn't have been any
better, thanks to the professional and fun nature of the BAWT leadership,
guides, and fellow fundraisers! |
” |
| |
- Ryan, Mt. Rainier |
|
| “ |
My experience with Climbing for Kids surpassed all of my expecations - what a
blast! I was amazed by the support and gererosity of my friends and family
during my fundraising, and the hike itself was one of the most memorable and
beautiful I've ever done. But best of all was the instant comraderie with the
other climbers - we were instantly connected even though we started the
weekend as strangers with many different levels of experience. I feel so
lucky that I got to raise money for a great cause, see the beauty of Rainier
National Park, and make some new friends. I'd recommend it to anyone! |
” |
| |
- Sarah, Mt. Rainier |
|
| “ |
During our last push to the top, it took everything inside of me just not to
collapse, but I had a blast! This was an experience I will nerve forget. I
was able to fulfill one my life’s goals all at the same time being able to
help get kids in to the wilderness – it was a win, win situation. BAWT is
doing something amazing. |
” |
| |
- Nick, Mt. Rainier |
|
| “ |
Just a caveat: I am not a doctor or personal trainer. I am an ordinary guy and this is just what worked for me. I also did a lot of
research on mountaineering training, as well as applied much of the advice provided by BAWT. Good luck!
Since it gets very cold in Chicago during the winter, my outdoor training was limited. My main focus during these months
was hitting the gym consistently. I would go to the gym before work 3 to 4 days a week and at least one day over the weekend. I really can’t
stand being indoors when it comes to training, so I’d keep my workouts quick and to the point, no more than 60 to 80 minutes.
I’d hit cardio and resistance exercises each day. I started with cardio, 30 – 40 mins, pushing myself to exhaustion at least once
each work out. This helped me prepare for the lack of oxygen on the mountain. I’d finish up with light resistance exercises, focusing on my
shoulders, back, and legs (muscles that are pushed to their limits during a climb). Oh, and lots of stretching – at least 15 minutes every
day, whether or not I was working out.
Weather permitting, I’d walk to the train instead of taking the bus on the way to work, about 3 miles a day. I started adding light
weight to my pack, using 5 – 10 lbs weights, in addition to my computer and other work paraphernalia. Hiking was in addition to my gym routine.
As soon as the weather let up in the spring, I tuned up my Mountain bike and hit the trails. I scaled back my gym routine and replaced
at least two gym days with riding 10 to 20 miles a day. After work during the week, I would tool around the city. On the weekends, I’d load up
my truck with bikes and my buddies and we’d travel out of the city. Biking is very effective training for mountaineering because it hits
similar main muscle groups and is great for cardio.
As spring rolled into summer, I’d go to the gym 1 -2 days max and the rest of the time I was on my bike as much as possible – if my
legs weren’t burning, I was not stopping.
Two months before my climb I started a routine that added some serious weight. Two days a week I switched my pack to a lager pack
and added more weight. I gradually increased the weight over the next few weeks from 20 lbs to 60 lbs (your pack should never be more than 1/3
your body weight).
Life usually always takes over and I had to constantly adjust how I was training. For example, I went on safari in South Africa for three
weeks. I took charge of carrying all the heavy luggage (family of five, so there was plenty) and during our excursions I always tried to carry
my pack and my wife’s. As I stated, variety is key, and if you are committed you can always find ways in your daily life to keep up with your training.
Finally, two weeks out from the climb I cut back on training. I did absolutely nothing but ate well, drank a ton of water to help with the
altitude adjustment, and let my body completely recover. When we started up the mountain, I felt in great shape and was ready to climb! To be
completely honest, the next two days of climbing were the most physical demanding days of my life, but I made it safely to the top and back down.
The view from the top and the sense of accomplishment that overwhelmed me was worth everything.
Just remember, outside your personal motivations to climb a 14,000 ft peak, what you are doing is truly all for the kids, this in itself
is powerful motivation. This is a cause that is near and dear to my heart for personal reasons and I will be joining my second BAWT Climb for Kids
on the Grand Teton in 2008. I hope to see you at the top with me – good luck! |
” |
| |
- Nicholas, Mt. Rainier |
|
|
|
