What a 3rd Grader wants to know.

Dear Blog Readers -
I recently knew the pleasure of speaking before the gathered kiddom of a local elementary school. I showed select photos from my various climbs while clad in full climbing battle gear; down suit, boots, lobster gloves, goggles, respirator, harness and ice axe.  It was fun. Afterward I received a list of questions from one third grade class at the school. I thought it might be fun to share those questions and my responses with you. 

• What does it feel like on top of the mountain, and what do the other mountains look like? (Matt)
• It feels very special. You know you are having a moment that will always be with you, always stand out for the rest of your life. But you also feel very very tired. That makes it hard to feel excited. I usually get that feeling the next day after I have rested, and it stays with me for weeks!
• Each mountain looks different. Some are snowy. Some are rocky. But when you stand on top it isn't so much the mountain you look at as it is everything below it, far and away. 
• When did you climb your first mountain, and which one was it? Temperature? How do you take rests? (Gary)
• I climbed my first mountain in 1992. It was Mt Baker. I was 29 years old. The temperature was about 28 degrees when we started climbing at night, but it warmed up to 68 degrees in the afternoon. The reflection of the sun on the snow can make it pretty hot at times. 
• I take rests by sitting down in a safe place and removing my pack. I sit on my pack so I don't lose body heat by sitting on the snow. I try to drink as much liquid as I can and eat something that will provide my body with energy. My favorite things to eat on climbing rests are Trail Mix, and Baker's Breakfast Cookies. 
• Is it scary when you are on top in the air? Can you breath when you are that high? Have you ever fallen or failed? (Julien)
• Yes, sometimes it is scary on top. The tops of some mountains are so small there is barely enough room for one person. If the wind is blowing hard I usually sit instead of standing. It's much safer. 
• I can breathe when I am up high, but it is a lot of work. If I bend over to tie my boot lace I will have to breathe hard five or six times to recover afterward. I have spent a lot of time developing the ability to function on very little oxygen.  Most of the mountains I have climbed have half the oxygen at their peaks as we breathe here at sea level. Try breathing through a straw with you nose pinched shut and you will have an idea how that feels. 
• Yes, I have fallen. In Alaska I fell into a crevasse (that's a big open crack in the glacier) while coming down Mt McKinley. I was connected to my Team Members by a safety rope that caught me, so was not hurt. But I was pretty scared. 
• Yes, I have failed. Twice I have tried to climb Mt Rainier and had to turn back because of bad weather. I'll keep trying and one day I will stand on top. 
• How does it feel when you’re up the mountain, and back down? Smell and see? Do you use courage? (Jalyssa)
• These are great questions, Jalyssa! The funny thing about high altitude mountain climbing is that your senses shut down as you climb higher. Climbers lose their sense of taste. The cold frozen air has no smell.  Except for the wind, there is no sound. Except for the sky, there is no color. And cold hands have almost no sense of touch. So you can imagine how fantastic it feels when all of these things come rushing back when I am down!
• Courage? Nelson Mandela once said “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” 
• Do you feel light or weightless when you are top of the mountain? Which mountain was the most special? Is it windy or sever sunny? Have you climbed in the night or at sunset? (Alyssa)
• Actually it is the opposite. I feel very heavy. My legs are tired and I wish I had quit eating ice cream before going on the climb ; )
• The most special mountain for me was Vinson Massif, in Antarctica. Only about 300 people have ever stood on top of it. We trekked through areas where no man has probably ever been. It felt like we were exploring the moon. 
• Quite often it is windy. That can be a problem, so we usually stay put inside our tents on those days. It is also often sunny. We like those days best, but the sun can be quite strong up high on the mountain so we have to be very careful to protect our skin.. 
• Four of my six summits were climbed at night. This is because the colder temperatures at night freeze everything solid and make a more stabile, reliable surface for climbing on.  I have not climbed at sunset, but on Everest I will do so. We will leave high camp for the summit at 9pm and climb all through the night. 
• How long would it take you to climb Mt. Rushmore? (Jacob)
• I don't know. I've never looked into it. But I would guess about 1 day.. 
• What other mountains have you climbed and how many more would you like to do? What made you want to start climbing mountains? What do you do when you get to the top? (Lilly)
• The only mountains I have climbed aside from the ones I showed in my presentation are Mt Baker and Mt Rainier. I don't know how many more I will climb. I do want to climb some of the European peaks like the Matterhorn and Monte Blanc. 
• As you move through life, Lilly, you will discover you have been given many gifts. You might find you are a fast runner, or you have a wonderful singing voice, or you are really good at math. As I discovered my gifts I realized that many of them are on the list of traits that make a good Altitude Mountain Climber.  I tried it and had some success. We all like to do those things we are good at, so I just kept climbing. 
• When I get to the top I usually cry. I know that sounds strange, but it is a very emotional experience. I think about the people I love and how much they have supported and encouraged me. I think about how hard I have worked and all the times I have dreamed of that moment. I am very happy. 
• What’s the biggest mountain you have left to climb? Which one was the hardest? Do you leave your own mark on the top of the mountain? What is our goal? Do you ever climb by yourself? (Korin)
• The biggest mountain I have left to climb is Mt Everest. I leave March 29^th of this year to attempt this mountain. 
• The hardest mountain was Mt McKinley in Alaska. Whewwwww!
• I do not leave any mark on the mountain. In fact I try really hard to leave the mountain looking like I was never there. Mountains are beautiful in their natural state and I want the next person who comes along to be able to enjoy that beauty as much as I did. 
• My goal is always to come home safe and sound. That's the most important part. After that it is my goal to make it to the summit of the mountain. Sometimes I don't make it to the top. I still come away with a terrific experience, and I can always try again. 
• I do not climb by myself. Mountain climbing is always much safer when there is at least one other person climbing with you. Safety is very important. 
• Are there any animals when you climb up? Most warm or tropical? How do you climb up from the edge?  Do you ever feel like giving up, what do you do? (Kate)
• Sometimes there are animals down low on the mountain. It's always fun to see them! But very few creatures live way up high where we climb to. Ravens hang around our camps, but that is about it. 
• I have climbed mountains in a few warm/tropical places like Africa and New Guinea. But even there it is very cold when I get high up on the mountain. 
• I climb up from the edge by using the long spikes strapped to the bottom of my feet and by digging in my ice axe. 
• I do feel like giving up sometimes. We don't talk about it much, but EVERYONE feels like giving up at times when they try to do something really hard. That's natural. I take a rest when I feel this way and first ask myself if there are any safety reasons for quitting. If not, then I ask myself "Is this it? Is this the day you give up the dream?" Then I listen for the answer. 
• Do animals live at the top of these mountains? (Alena)
• No. Animals are too smart to try living on top of these mountains. It is a very harsh place. 
• What’s the weather like when you are at the top of the mountain? DO you get tired on tall mountains? (Keily)
• The weather varies. I've had it be very windy, or snowing. I've had the weather become very foggy as the clouds moved in around us. 
• I do get tired. Climbing mountains is hard. 
• How far can you see when you are on top of the mountain? Do you ever get scared? (Noah)
• Good question! We know the human eye can see a long long ways. Just think about the moon. But the earth is curved and because of that the surface drops out of sight after a certain amount of distance. If the weather is clear I can usually see about 200 miles from the peak of the mountain. 
• What’s your favorite mountain that you have climbed? (Kalla)
• Vinson Massif in Antarctica. See my answer about this to Alyssa. 
• Have you ever climbed Mt. Baker? (Tyler)
• Yes. My two sons and I climbed it on Father's Day four years ago. It was fun!
• How many mountains have you climbed? (Kamryn)
• All together, I have climbed eight mountains  …which isn't a lot, but they were all really big!
• How long did it take to climb each mountain? Have you ever gone sky-diving? Do you have enough courage to climb a volcano? (Jaden)
• Mt McKinley took 3 weeks to climb. Kilimanjaro in Africa took 8 days. Elbrus in Russia took 5 days. Aconcagua in Argentina took 2 weeks. Vinson Massif in Antarctica took 2 weeks. Carstensz Pyramid in New Guinea took 11 days.  Everest will take 2 months. 
• Yes, I have gone sky-diving. It was pretty exciting but I don't want to do it again ; )
• Actually, Mt Baker, Rainier, and Kilimanjaro are all volcanoes and I have climbed them.  
• How often do you climb? (Jorge)
• I climb small mountains and hills every weekend as part of my training. But I only climb one major mountain a year. 
• What do you do when you get hungry? (Moses)
• I eat whatever I have handy. Climbers bring a lot of healthy energy foods with them to the mountains. I always have some trail mix or dehydrated fruit in my pockets. My favorite is dried coconut chips!
• Our meals are usually freeze-dried food like mashed potatoes or pasta. We boil water and add it to make the meal. I usually bring along little packets of cheddar cheese to add into this, but they freeze so I have to hold them under my arms first to thaw them out. It feels pretty silly.