Every mountaineer has been asked at least once "Why do you climb?" or "Why would you want to go up there?"

In my mind the answer seems so simple...yet so few words are available for me to describe why.

When George Mallory was asked why he wanted to climb Everest, his answer was "because it's there". 

For me, no single experience or sight draws me. The summit it's self is not my goal. The challenge it's self is not my aim.

There are however, moments that will last with me forever. When I step out of my car into the cold mountain air and look up at that beautiful mountain. As I reach tree line and the awesome vista begins to open up behind us as we climb. As my clients and friends begin to really understand for the first time what they're doing and begin to feel that joy that just comes upon you in that magnificent place. Sitting back in camp, relaxing as the sun begins to set; laying out it's alpine-glow...the sound of the stove melting snow and quiet conversation in the tents. 

Of all the moments that I've been blessed to have in the mountains, several stand out.

After climbing for five hours, my partner and I began to near the top of Short Hill above Red Banks on Mt. Shasta. This was my first climb of Shasta and we had decided on a goal of making it to the top of Short Hill by sunrise. As the sky started to become light with the promise of day, I quickened my pace and began to put some distance between me and my partner. Soon I topped out above Red Banks. We'd climbed left of the Heart. The snow was so steep that the only acceptable technique was front pointing. We moved quickly. I climbed over the crest, out of breath, just in time to see the beginnings of the most glorious sunrise I had ever seen. I slowly walked across the plateau below Misery Hill and set myself down to wait patiently for my partner. I gazed out on the glorious sight and felt as calm and content as I had ever felt before.

One morning in the Caribou Wilderness of Northern California, the ground still covered in several feet of snow, sitting by a high alpine lake, I sipped coffee and enjoyed the quiet solitude as my friends continued to sleep away the morning. The lake was mostly thawed out, but still had a few drifting remnants of the ice and snow that had covered it all winter long. I had over an hour to myself in that beautiful place, beside the most beautiful alpine lake I have ever seen, sipping the most delicious coffee I have ever had.

A friend of mine and I had climbed up the Hotlum Bolum Ridge Route on the North Side of Shasta and were camping at about 10,000 feet. We made camp and were getting settled in when we noticed Thunderstorms beginning to brew to the North West. Soon they were dropping snow on us, so we climbed into our bivy sacks for shelter. It was still early in the afternoon. We sat in our bivy sacks until we grew tired of the boredom and drifted off to sleep. All through the night (due to only having bivy sacks) we fought to keep out the snow, yet still allow fresh air to come in. My friend got very little sleep. When 2:00 AM came around and I called over to him, (knowing full well he was awake) "Hey, Bud, how you feeling, want to head out for the summit?" He ignored me and didn't even answer. I smiled and went back to sleep. During this trip, we had great fun, saw some awesome weather patterns and clouds, and just hung out as friends for two days. One of my most favorite trips.

So why do I climb? I don't know...I just love climbing. It's my lifestyle really.