The Whitney Classic is an endurance bicycling fundraiser for Summit Adventure and a tradition that has spanned decades. The funds raised in this annual event further the ministry of Summit Adventure. Over half of Summit Adventure’s annual budget is raised through donations.
Rising 14,409 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier towers so far above Seattle that a person can forecast the day’s weather by it. When the most glaciated peak in the entire continental U.S. is in clear view, the day holds pleasant temperatures and dry skies. If clouds obscure its lofty flanks, settle in for a typical Seattle day- drizzly and bone-chilling gray. In a similar way, Mt. Rainier offers those who would climb it unsurpassed opportunities to assess the human condition.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of a powerful lesson that hunger revealed about my sinful nature. I like food. A lot. Especially when I know I’ve earned it. For example, after a difficult workout or traveling in wilderness areas, I exhibit a strong desire to replenish the calories lost through exertion or exposure to the elements. Friends call it a compulsion. I call it a need.
From July 17th to the 26th, Summit Adventure instructors Daniel Hiebert and Kristen Narum took out five young adults backpacking on a 10-day adventure leadership course through the Sierra National Forest and Ansel Adams Wilderness. Upon their return to Summit’s Base at the end of their trip, I had the privilege to interview three of the participants–Jack, Alex, and Chloe–about the adventures and learning experiences of their longest bout in the backcountry.
What do 3000, 15, 9, and 18 have to do with Patagonia? This is not really a math question as much as it is a statement of performance. These four numbers highlight my son Brayden’s recent trip to the land of Patagonia in Argentina. They will always remind me of the amazing grit he showed throughout our time there. In this blog, I aim to remind others of the surprising strength and resilience that young people astonish us with.
Are you a “risk manager?” We don’t often hear that question bandied around at family reunions or pizza parties. But that doesn’t mean that we adults are not aware of the risks involved in our lives–in fact, risk is one of the driving concerns in our daily choices. We may not realize or acknowledge our attempts to manage risk, but we do it all the time. In this blog, I will examine how risk management can affect our choices and practices, especially in family vacations.
We started our trek crossing the most rickety, terrifying, worn-out wooden bridge you could imagine…And it was the only way to get to the other side. We had to go one at a time, the bridge swung so much. The planks of wood were broken off in places, rusty loose nails warning us to tread carefully. Before I could think to stop him, my son Brady–being nine years old and full of zeal–began crossing. Heart pounding, I watched him. He finally reached the end of the bridge–but because my beloved kid was now on other side, I had to cross to be with him. No turning back.
Words cannot begin to express the joy, gratitude, and refreshment experienced during this journey to Argentina. After 26 hours of travel we arrived to a generous welcome in San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina (“Bariloche” for short). A team of eleven students and staff from Biola University partnered with a group of seven from Summit Adventure to support the ministry of one of Summit’s former employees. Our first few days in Bariloche were packed with an orientation of the ministry, Argentinian culture, and spectacular scenery.
