Last week, after six months of fundraising and training, the moment I’d been preparing for finally arrived. As I drove north on I-5, Mount Shasta emerged from the horizon, a snowcapped giant towering 14,179 feet into the California sky. My stomach flipped with nervous energy.
The irony wasn’t lost on me—I had already conquered what felt like the real summit by raising $26,000 as part of a Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (BCPP) team that raised a total of $180,000. Part of me questioned if I even needed to climb this “ginormous volcano,” as my 5-year-old so eloquently put it. But sometimes the journey teaches us lessons we never expected to learn.
Trust at the base
Upon arrival, I settled by the beautiful Lake Siskiyou, its waters inviting and its view of Shasta breathtaking. I met my guides—three burly mountain men from Mount Shasta Guides. Their professional demeanor, akin to seasoned medical staff, immediately put me at ease. I couldn’t help but “interview” them. “How many times have you summited?” I asked. One had scaled it 14 times, another for eight years, and one had just returned from the top the day before. I felt a surge of relief and confidence, knowing I was truly in expert hands (and that if needed, I could be carried down).
The power of love and community
The night before our ascent, my daughter Brielle’s video message echoed in my mind. “Mama, you are going to get braver and braver as you start climbing up the volcano!”
Brooke, my other daughter, was less enthusiastic, more annoyed. “I’m going up that volcano with you, Mama!”…