Mile...Mile & A Half was a HIT!

The Mile...Mile & A Half screening was incredible! The theatre was packed and the film was fabulous! The venue manager Amy was so hospitable and flexible. It was all just great! The only hitch was that I didn't receive the "promoter package" in time. The package included posters, postcards with discounts for #MMAAH merchandise, and stickers. So the signage wasn't great at the theatre. For me, that made it less attractive. I don't think anyone else cared one way or the other. They were just there to see the movie. But you probably know how it is. When it's your event you want it to be perfect!

I was very nervous, as expected, talking in front of everyone. It's such a strange phenomenon since it's what I do on a regular basis for work. But that's a particular area of expertise. But I got the information about Big City Mountaineers, Summit for Someone, Forty Below, and Outdoor Davis out there. One women even went out to donate after I spoke. So that means something. Guess this means I need to call up Toastmasters and get involved!

The film? You MUST see it! You can rent or buy it directly from The Muir Project. Amazon and iTunes also have it to rent or to buy. I really can't wait to watch it again!

As you know, part of my motivation for organizing this screening was my own desire to see the film on the big screen. What I hadn't anticipated was the impact of watching it on the big screen in a theatre full of people who "get it." There were quite a few times where one of the artist's work was on screen and we were all just stunned. Together. And there would be this communal whisper of awe. The feeling of sharing that with others was beyond what I had hoped! It makes me realize that I've missed seeing impactful movies in theaters with large groups of people. It's just more convenient to stay at home and stream the film or use the movie vending machines.

I thought the fundraising was a great success too! I don't know if this is something people usually share from events when they're fundraising unless it's in the millions of dollars range (it wasn't!) but I'm going to perpetrate a possible faux pas and tell you that donations and raffle ticket purchases gave us $165 for Big City Mountaineers. Five percent of ticket sales should add another $50.05. A HUGE thank you to everyone who bought tickets and who donated!!

One last note... 1 month from today I will be starting my bid for the summit of Mt. Shasta!!

For those of you interested in the discount from the postcard, you can go to The Muir Project and use the code: TUGG. Here's the postcard, front then back. If you'd like one, just let me know and I'll get it to you.

If you'd like to add a donation to help youth get the opportunity to do things like backpacking the John Muir Trail, you can do that here - Summit for Someone

It's ON!

Mile...Mile & A Half met the threshold for ticket sales approximately 5 hours before the deadline. We were so far from reaching the threshold just 2 days ago. I don't know what happened and I don't care. I'm just so happy that the film is going to be screened in Woodland on May 7, 2014. I am thrilled to see this film on the big screen and even more thrilled to see it with a theatre packed full of people who love the outdoors. There are still about 23 tickets left now before the event is sold out. It's amazing to be in that position of planning for a sell out. Whoa! What a community!

We've already got some pretty great raffle prizes and now that the film has been confirmed, we are on the hunt for some more. So if you know anyone in the Sacramento/Davis/Woodland area that would like to donate goods or services, just let me know! There will be about 80 outdoor and art lovin' people at the screening that any business would be lucky to have as customers! And I know there are many businesses in the area that would serve the community well!

I think I might be on a high from this film being confirmed. lol

But here's the (sort of) downside. I like coming up with the ideas and I like the planning. Sending a million messages to various individuals and groups was a little difficult because I'm not a pushy person. But even that was okay because I was focusing on people that I knew would love this film... or I guess I'm assuming since I haven't actually seen the film yet. And I love that all the promoting was so successful that we met our threshold and got the event confirmed. And then. It hits. I am in charge. What?? I will have to stand up in front of said 80 people and introduce myself and some others. I'll talk about Big City Mountaineers (BCM) and Summit for Someone. The information is easy. The standing in front is not. I'll talk about my "Made in USA" sponsors. Of course I'll mention all the incredible businesses who provide raffle prizes. Easy breezy! No. But I will do it because I believe in the cause of BCM and I really think people need to know about it. Besides... I am a psychologist and I can handle my anxiety! Just don't look at my shaking legs up there!

If you believe in the cause of BCM and want to help get youth out into the wilderness so they can learn that nature is an option they have in their lives, please go to my Summit for Someone page and donate. To help youth have these great experiences outdoors with beautiful views and awesome people, please go to my Summit for Someone page and make a donation: http://support.bigcitymountaineers.org/goto/summitjourney

Palisade Trail - 12 miles of rocky technical challenge

I've never hiked with more than 5 or so people. So I took a huge leap for today and signed up for a Meetup in which 41 people had RSVPd. That's a crazy number! But even I knew that so many people would not actually show up and that the large number would also lead some to drop out. How could I be so right?? We ended up with 26 people. Still large! But about 8-10 of them were McSpeedies so they basically took off after the first mile and said goodbye to the organizer. The rest of us were left in their dust to hike at a comfortable pace while scrambling over rocks and roots, walking along tiny ledges with incredible death drops to one side, and stopping to enjoy the incredible vistas. We were on the Palisade Trail in the Calistoga, CA area. We started at the top trailhead and worked out way down to the end at Silverado Trail and Hwy 29.

It was a little stressful for me as an introvert with little experience in hiking 12 miles to join a group of people that I don't know and had never met with an event description that included, "12 mean, rocky, technical, challenging, narrow, eroded, rugged miles. Not for beginners." But I could not have asked for a better outing to join! The 16-18 of us that ended up hiking together naturally rotated so that each of us hiked with everyone. I brought up the rear for awhile. Then I led. Then I was middle of the pack. So I got to spend time with a variety of people and even hiked one section for about 30-45 minutes on my own. I admit that was a little disconcerting since I was used to seeing others to that point so I did wonder periodically if I was lost. But with the aforementioned death drops, there hadn't really been any opportunity for me to get lost.

I had decided, because the distance was a little longer and the ruggedness a little more than I had experienced, to wear my Ahnu Montara Boots rather than my heavier Asolo Power Matic Boots, which was a very good decision. I needed to be light on my feet with all the scrambling. By the end of the hike, we were mainly going downhill. Sounds easy enough. But it was downhill on these small rolling stones that would roll under our feet so we would slide and walk... slalk? I suppose we could have tried glissading but I don't think that would have been very comfortable. And not to complain, but my big toes were not happy and actually look like they are bruised. Darn! Just glad I didn't have the heavy-duty boots on!

An interesting part of hiking to me lately has been when we get close to the trailhead and run into fresh smelling people! Actually, I don't think "fresh" is the right word. "Perfumed" would be more accurate. They've taken a shower, used hair product, lotioned up, and maybe even actually used perfume before heading up the trailhead. This is not a criticism or judgment in any way. The people I'm talking about are generally going out for a social stroll rather than a hike so it makes more sense to prettify. I only mention it because of how often I experience it... being out in the woods, getting smelly and sweaty and then coming closer to civilization and meeting up with them. On this particular hike, we met up with a large group of teenagers who seemed to be exploring the area just a mile or so from the trailhead. They turned around about the time we met up. So there was this motley crue of hikers who have been "out there" for about 6-1/2 hours along with a bunch of perfumed teenagers making our way down the trail together. It made me wonder if they got as much a whiff of us as we got of them! lol Eau de Trail.. or Eww de Trail!

One of the guys on the hike who I think should be trail named "Pizza" kept talking about how many calories we were burning so that we could have pizza at the end. Six and a half hours! Pizza! lol When we got to the end, we did go into the pizza place that had been mentioned in the description. And "Pizza" went ahead and ordered pizza for everyone. He was super excited! lol Unfortunately he got the supreme and I don't eat beef or ham so I couldn't share in that excitement. But I enjoyed some chicken wings while another guy who is vegetarian enjoyed his salad. Funny thing about the vegetarian is that I had no idea who he was and didn't recognize him. Turned out he was one of the 8-10 who had gone ahead at the very beginning so I'd never really seen him. lol

One thing I learned from this experience is to be wary of parking at the trailhead for a one-way hike. I took 4 of us up to the trailhead and left my car there with the plan that I would get a ride back up at the end. Well at the end, everyone left.  ha! So the 4 of us who drove were left waiting for the organizer who has been doing this for years and probably knew to make sure her car stayed at the end of the trail for just that reason. Definitely not a big deal though I was a little nervous because I wasn't sure if the organizer had actually left her car at the bottom. That would not have been a fun walk up the road!

So it was a full day of hiking with some awesome people who I hope to meet up with again soon and some incredible views. An easy drive home (new tires on D'Azul!) with little traffic topped it off. What a great day! I might be getting into this longer distance hiking thing.

To help youth have these great experiences outdoors with beautiful views and awesome people, please go to my Summit for Someone page and make a donation: http://support.bigcitymountaineers.org/goto/summitjourney

"Made in USA" Sponsorship #1

Awesome news! My first "Made in the USA" sponsor is 40 Below!

From their website:

Forty Below Ltd was founded in the 1970's, based on the serious need to have effective foot protection in extreme cold environments. The company founder, Bill Lokey of Tacoma, WA, built his first insulated boot covers, called overboots in 1973. After his experience of several years in Antarctica and numerous expeditions around the world, he developed the original Forty Below® Mt. Everest™ model overboot, which became known and trusted in the worldwide mountaineering community. 

Today, with over 30 years of experience, the Forty Below® line of products continue to be trusted and used on the most challenging of cold weather expeditions. Our goal is to provide functional insulating products for extreme environments. 

We also make Forty Below® Brand insulated covers for bottles, specialized clothing, and a line of Forty Below® insulated covers for brewing products,as we are also active home brewers since the 1980's. All of our products are carefully designed, and proudly crafted in the U.S.A. 

We take pride in helping you achieve your goals, and look forward to helping you match up our products with your activities! You can call, write, or email us for information. 

Our mission is to help you have warm feet and cold beer! 

Happy Adventures!
Joel Attaway
President, Forty Below

Owner Joel Attaway responded to my request saying that they believe in the Big City Mountaineers program and they want to help. I appreciate and respect a company that supports youth! Especially in getting youth into the great outdoors!

I could not be more excited about being supported by a company that has made all their products in the USA for the past 30 years! They create many different products for your outdoor needs from Camp Booties, Bottle Covers to keep water from freezing, Overboots, and so much more. Check them out here: 40 Below!

I still need about $2000 to reach my $4000 fundraising requirement! Please consider donating to help under-resourced, usually urban, youth have the opportunity to enjoy being outdoors and spending time in nature!

To donate, go to my Summit for Summit page.

Davis Enterprise

http://www.davisenterprise.com/arts/davis-natives-feature-documentary-to-screen-in-woodland/


Davis Native's Feature Documentary to Screen in Woodland
by Special to the Enterprise

April 16, 2014

Davis native Jason Fitzpatrick brings his award-winning feature documentary, “Mile … Mile and a Half,” to Woodland for a screening at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 7. Fitzpatrick c0-produced and co-directed the film with Ric Serena.

The movie is hosted by UC Davis sports psychologist Jennifer Gildner, a climber with Summit for Someone. The showing is part of a fundraiser for Big City Mountaineers and will take place only if at least 80 people reserve tickets by April 30 at  www.tugg.com/go/80r5b9.

The documentary follows the epic journey of five friends who leave behind their daily lives to hike California’s historic John Muir Trail, a 211-mile stretch from Yosemite to Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States. Their goal — complete the journey in 25 days while capturing the sights and sounds they encounter along the way.

Inspired by their bond, humor, artistry and dedication, the group continues to grow to include other artists, musicians and adventure-seekers.

Before they reach the summit, hikers and viewers alike affirm the old adage: It’s about the journey, not the destination. “Mile … Mile and a Half” is the feature-length documentary of that journey.

Fitzpatrick — who combined his passion for nature with his love of filmmaking — has nearly 20 years of film and television industry experience, working on everything from network sitcoms to studio features.

In its 13th year, Summit for Someone — a fundraising program owned by and to benefit Big City Mountaineers — is the No. 1 mountaineering fundraiser in the country. Big City Mountaineers, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, instills critical life skills in under-served urban youths through transformative wilderness expeditions. BCM has a hub in the Bay Area that will benefit directly. Five percent of ticket sales and all proceeds from raffles and donations go to BCM.

Gildner has been working at UCD for the past three years. Gildner’s next summit goal is Mount Shasta, her first trek above 14,000 feet.

Please donate to give urban youth the option of the outdoors:
http://support.bigcitymountaineers.org/goto/summitjourney

The Balance

The balance between making sure to train and enjoying life is sometimes difficult! Especially when this type of training is new to me and not a core routine just yet. It's becoming that way! And the reason I know that is when I don't train to the level I need to, I feel antsy about it. Could be a good thing. Could be a bad thing. I'm going with… good!

This weekend involved supporting artists and "arteries" around town. Our good friend performed with the Free Range Singers at the Pence Gallery, which was awesome. I also found is incredibly entertaining that there was a young (high school age?) rock band playing just outside the building. They didn't compete at all, the soundproofing was great. But I loved going back and forth between the positive encouraging music of the Free Range out to the loud hard rhythms of the "youngens." Friday is my day off from training so no worries about doing little more than standing, swaying, a little air guitar, maybe some lip syncing (maybe not!), and walking around.

Saturday was a little more difficult. Picnic Day in Davis is either something you jump into or something you run from. The past two years we have spent most of Picnic Day at Good Humus enjoying our own kind of picnic with friends. They have "make your own" wood oven pizzas that are to die for! How can they not be great if you make it yourself?? We walked around a little admiring the flower garden and the plants they have on sale. But I certainly wouldn't call it "exercise." When we got back, I felt a little at a loss about what to do. My calf is not cooperating with my running. Our gym was already closed (lame!). And the population of Davis has quadrupled for Picnic Day. So I just walked with about 30 lbs on my back for a couple hours. Funny how doing that is actually exercise! I have never been much of a walker. Maybe because I'm one of those "5 minutes late" kind of people so I usually have to fly on my bike. So it's been interesting to feel a different kind of soreness… and a different kind of relief from stretching. I feel my hips more. Not pain at all… just an awareness that seems to have come with walking more. I like it!

Then Sunday we were up so so early. SO early! I'm a night person so when I was younger, if I had to get up when the first number is 4 or lower, I would just stay awake. That doesn't work anymore so I actually did sleep. We jumped on Amtrak to visit our friends in Santa Cruz. Let's be honest. We jumped on Amtrak to go visit our friends' baby in Santa Cruz! (= We walked all along the ocean. SO peaceful and such a great recovery. But in the back of my mind I was thinking that I needed to hike 3 hours with weight to stay on top of my schedule. Where is the balance?? I wanted to spend time with our friends the baby. And how is that NOT a good thing?? So I let it go. Not the baby. The need to train. It only came back briefly as we were lounging on the beach and I thought, "Hey! I could sprint up and down this beach 10 times and that would be a good workout!" But I let that go too… and took a little nap. Maybe that was the wrong choice because I was punished with very sunburned feet! lol

I'm happy for the busy social weekend with which we were blessed! I can feel a pang of regret for not working out more. My mental exercise today will be to move forward toward what I can do now as well as cherishing the overall feeling of relaxation that I am experiencing from such a great weekend!

Maybe that is my balance.

Please donate to give urban youth the option of the outdoors:
http://support.bigcitymountaineers.org/goto/summitjourney

The Sounds of Hiking

Two hours. Thirty-five pounds.

Those were my instructions for today. What does a nerd carry when instructed to add weight?

We hiked up to the confluence of trails at Stebbins Cold Creek Canyon. It's a step-heavy route and with all the recent rain, it seems some of the dirt had eroded making many of the steps even higher. So it was a pretty darn good workout with beautiful scenery. We usually would keep going up over the ridge but this time decided to hike back down the stairs. Ahh the relief at first of descending after you've been climbing for awhile. But then it becomes just as difficult in a different way.

We were definitely reinforced for getting there early today! By the time we started down, everyone and their mother had decided to spend some time there. Our favorites were the two groups with loud music playing as they walked up past us. This was the first time water was really running in the river, again because of the rain, so it was a really beautiful sound to accompany our walk. Then the guys with their techno music came along and made it so much more festive! lol

What I learned today is that my fitness definitely still needs some work! What I've done so far has paid off for sure. As of tomorrow, I have 9 weeks before my Summit for Someone Climb on Mt. Shasta. That seems so long and so short all at the same time. My mindset is very good right now. I am really focused on doing my best and not invested in summiting. I know I'll be happy with whatever happens if I just "leave it on the mountain." I realize as I'm writing it that it sounds totally cliche. But that's okay with me.

As hard as today was, I can't help but think about some kid out there who would love to work hard and sweat like that while getting an opportunity to smell the spring flowers, hear the creek water, climb over rocks, and sit in the dirt but who can't because maybe they don't even know it's an option or even if they do know it's an option, they have no resources to get out there.

Please donate to give urban youth the option of the outdoors:
http://support.bigcitymountaineers.org/goto/summitjourney

Mile… Mile & A Half - Tickets now AVAILABLE

Tickets are on sale for the fundraiser I've been waiting a long time for! I've wanted to see Mile… Mile & A Half for many months but missed out on a showing nearby and then never really had a reason to host it myself. Until now!

With help from Tugg, Mile… Mile & A Half will be screened on May 7th at 6:30pm at Cinemark Movies 5 in Woodland, CA. Here's a bit more information:

To see the entire event page and to reserve tickets, please go to http://www.tugg.com/events/8701.

The way the Tugg system works is that I need to sell 79 tickets in order for the event to happen at all. Of course there are a limited number of tickets based on the size of the theatre but I'm not too worried about that at this point.

Also, the producers of Mile… Mile & A Half are donating DVDs and posters of the film for us to raffle. So if you like the movie, perhaps you'll win a copy. We will also be giving out postcards with discounts to the Muir Project store so you can buy your own discounted copy of the movie if you don't win.

Cinemark Movies 5 is located at 1579 A East Street, Woodland, CA. Yolobuses 42A and 42B drop off  right there in the parking lot of the theatre, which is part of the County Fair Mall. Riding the bus is $2 and the times work out well.

Those of you who live in Davis and are thinking, "But we have 3 perfectly good theaters here! Why didn't you use one of those?" The answer to that is that the Cinemark in Woodland has chosen to be part of the Tugg network. I haven't a clue what goes into being part of the network so I can't make any judgments on the situation. Suffice to say that I did list Davis theaters first in my request but they just can't be considered at this time.

If you are reading this and you're thinking, "Hey! I don't even live in California, why the heck am I reading this far into this blog?" Well, it's probably because you would like to buy a few tickets and gift them to people who otherwise would not be able to see the movie. Once the 79 tickets are reserved, you will receive your tickets and you can just send them to me to distribute.

If you are reading this and you would like to see the movie but can't afford the $11, please send me a message and I'll will put you on the list to receive the tickets generously donated by others. I would love to have you attend!

Finally, a little more about the ticket prices. They are $11 each. Five percent of that $11 (55¢) will be donated to Big City Mountaineering as part of my Summit for Someone fundraising. When I sell 100 tickets, that will be $55. As I've always said in my physical fundraising, ANY amount helps! Seriously, $55 goes a long way in getting a youth out into the wilderness!

If you are someone who likes detail or you are thinking about using Tugg and have some questions, please know that you are welcome to contact me! I'm having a blast with this project and enjoy any opportunity to talk with others about it!

Please donate to give urban youth the option of the outdoors:
http://support.bigcitymountaineers.org/goto/summitjourney

Mt. Shasta Recon

My first reaction upon seeing the mountain once the clouds cleared: "Um" was all I could say. All I could think was, "I'm seriously going to walk up that thing?" That's still the plan!

"When I first caught sight of it [Mt. Shasta] over the braided folds of the Sacramento Valley, I was fifty miles away and afoot, alone and weary. Yet all my blood turned to wine, and I have not been weary since."

~John Muir

We traveled up to Mt. Shasta, CA for the long weekend (Cesar Chavez Day) so that I could take a look at the mountain. It's not been a great snow year for the area so the ski hill wasn't open. But it rained all of the first day we were there, which apparently translated into a dreamy snow day on Mt. Shasta.

We headed up to the trailhead, Bunny Flats, first thing Saturday morning. It was a little rainy going up and toward the top a little slushy. I definitely did not have an accurate concept of what we were heading toward as I thought we might be able to hike a short distance. Uh. No. There was at least 5 feet of snow with a couple feet having been dumped in the past 24 hours. The shelter was being shoveled out and there were quite a few cars that were pretty well snowed in. So after I stood in shock for a few minutes, I started walking around taking a look at the area. One side was snowmobilers…. going down. The other side was backcountry skiers beginning their hike up so they could ski down. If only we'd brought our snowshoes! We both kept saying that… over and over. Ah well, it was still fun to hang out in the snow. And Jambo definitely enjoyed running around in it!

Mt. Shasta from a nameless road off Everitt Memorial Hwy

We also spent a little time at The Fifth Season shop in Mt. Shasta checking out gear and getting some suggestions for hikes. We ended up hiking around Lake Siskiyou, which was pretty easy terrain and definitely beautiful. We also hiked up some random road that kept Mt. Shasta in view through the trees most of the way up. Seeing it like that, looming over me, was very intimidating. And it's not like I've never seen mountains before. I spent many years playing in the mountains of Colorado. But I've never climbed a 14er and I'm slightly older so it's different. Most of what we did was with caution as the weather forecast called for major thunderstorms mixed with snow at times. But 2 of the 3 days were actually quite beautiful. I'm sure that's not a good thing in a place where snow is the basis for most of their revenue. But it made life easier for us those few days!

Bench view of Lake Siskiyou

One thing of note is how confusing all the "Shastas" are! There's Mt. Shasta the mountain, Mt. Shasta the city, and we saw signs for Shasta Dam, Shasta City, and Shasta Lake (a city… and maybe a lake). I'm sure there were others but we had to focus on Mt. Shasta the city so that we wouldn't get lost! lol

I like having a little more knowledge about the area and what to expect. I know I can't predict nor can I control everything. I wouldn't want to. But I do feel a little less anxious about logistics so I can focus more on training and fundraising.

Please donate to give urban youth the option of the outdoors:
http://support.bigcitymountaineers.org/goto/summitjourney

Mile…Mile & A Half Screening Plans

I am SO excited!

I just got news that my showing of Mile…Mile & A Half is tentatively going to happen! Tickets will become available April 3rd and I have to sell 79 of them for $11 each in order for the event to be confirmed. Save the date and plan to buy a few tickets for your friends or to donate for me to give to those who would not otherwise be able to attend.

The Basic Details

Date:  Wednesday, May 7

Time:  6:30-8:28pm (yes, they are *that* accurate! lol)

Location: Cinemark Movies 5 in Woodland

There will also be a raffle and possibly a silent auction to benefit Summit for Someone. So if you or anyone you know wants to donate an item, please let me know using the contact form in the right margin of the blog. Physical items, gift certificates, and services, are all welcome!


Please donate to give urban youth the option of the outdoors:
http://support.bigcitymountaineers.org/goto/summitjourney

Wine Hors, D'Oerves, & Silent Auction Fundraiser - Thank you!

We had about 12 people show up for the Summit for Someone Fundraiser earlier today and raised over $200 from donations and the silent auction. Add to that what people who weren't able to be there donated and I've made it over the $1000 hump! Just $3000 more to go!

Jillian and Jill were awesome hosts! Nothing like Sangria, white wine, cucumber water and a fruit drink served with a variety of dips, cheeses, crackers, breads, and vegetables with new and old friends in the middle of a Saturday afternoon.

Please donate to give urban youth the option of the outdoors:
http://support.bigcitymountaineers.org/goto/summitjourney

Wine and Hors D'Oerves Silent Auction Fundraiser

My first fundraising event is tomorrow. Friends Jillian and Jill are hosting a Wine and Hors D'Oerves event at their home with a silent auction and a suggested donation of $10. I'm really looking forward to meeting some new people and talking about the youth that are being supported through my Big City Mountaineering (BCM) Summit for Someone Climb as well as the Mount Shasta climb itself. Some people are more interested in who benefits and others are wondering how the heck I am going to make my way up that mountain. I'm happy to talk about both!

As I've trained and worked on fundraising, I've thought more and more about the youth who will benefit from the money that you donate. Sometimes I get ahead of myself about next steps but with a BCM Hub so close to me, it seems like a realistic proposition that I might get involved as a mentor in the future. Of course I'm not a professional mountaineer and I have limited vacation time from work. But I do think I could be a good role model for a kid and maybe someone they could talk to even away from the outdoor experiences. I also believe that I could benefit immensely from hanging out in the outdoors with a bunch of kids. Who wouldn't?? So with such a win/win possibility and with so few barriers, why not jump in?

Okay, let's put the cart back behind the horse. Fundraising. Training. Fundraising. Training. I have $4000 to raise and a mountain to climb.

Please donate to give urban youth the option of the outdoors:
http://support.bigcitymountaineers.org/goto/summitjourney

BCM Benefits Youth

I've been thinking about the mission of Big City Mountaineers a lot recently. At the surface it seems like all fun and games. Hey! Let's go outside and play in the woods or in the mountains! That may be accurate for the privileged, right? But for kids who not only don't get outside regularly but who don't even realize it's an option, it's not just about getting outside for fun. There are so many life lessons they can learn from their time outdoors and from the mentors who are their role models during that time and beyond. And though I do believe "where there's a will there's a way" one must be aware of what their options are in order to have "the will." Even coming from a privileged background and being raised about five hours from the Boundary Waters, I was not aware of its existence because no one around me was interested in the outdoors. So, though I may have been able to pursue experiences in the Boundary Waters or elsewhere when I was young, I just didn't know. For the youth participating in Big City Mountaineers, they often have neither the awareness nor the means to pursue such experiences.

Percentage of youth served by Big City Mountaineers
who come from families that live below the poverty line.

So aside from the physical benefits of spending time outdoors, which I'll discuss another time, here are the objectives of Big City Mountaineering programs:

• Build character and citizenship
• Improve individual self-esteem and self-efficacy
• Increase sense of responsibility
• Develop resiliency
• Foster a care for others
• Encourage group and individual goal setting

Working together with peers toward survival in wilderness settings is a prime environment for focusing on others, developing healthy relationships, and strengthening their own character.

When you sponsor my Summit for Someone Mount Shasta climb, you are helping give more youth around the nation this incredible opportunity to create a new path in their lives!

Please donate to give urban youth the option of the outdoors:
http://support.bigcitymountaineers.org/goto/summitjourney

Hiking for Body, Mind, and Spirit

Did some hiking at Stebbins Canyon this afternoon. It was very very crowded by the time we got there. Usually we go early in the morning to miss the crowd but we decided it wouldn't be so busy on a Monday holiday since not everyone gets it off. Uhh schools are closed! So there were lots of people. Lorrie and Jambo took their time and went a little faster so that it could be a training hike rather than just a leisurely hike. It feels strange to rush up a hike without stopping much to look around. But that's
what I need to be doing right now.

Some fact from the National Wildlife Federation

http://www.nwf.org/be-out-there/why-be-out-there/health-benefits.aspx:

Body

• Outdoor play increases fitness levels and builds active, healthy bodies, an important strategy in helping the one in three American kids who are obese⁷ get fit.
• Spending time outside raises levels of Vitamin D, helping protect children from future bone problems, heart disease, diabetes and other health issues.⁸
• Being out there improves distance vision and lowers the chance of nearsightedness.⁹

Mind

• Exposure to natural settings may be widely effective in reducing ADHD symptoms.¹⁰
• Schools with environmental education programs score higher on standardized tests in math, reading, writing and listening.¹¹
• Exposure to environment-based education significantly increases student performance on tests of their critical thinking skills.¹²

Spirit

• Children’s stress levels fall within minutes of seeing green spaces.¹³
• Play protects children’s emotional development whereas loss of free time and a hurried lifestyle can contribute to anxiety and depression.¹⁴
• Nature makes you nicer, enhancing social interactions, value for community and close relationships.¹⁵


Please donate to give urban youth the option of the outdoors: http://support.bigcitymountaineers.org/goto/summitjourney