Preparing for Next Year in Nepal

As preparation for my Cho Oyu climb in Nepal next year, I spent 3 weeks in the Cordillera Real mountain range in Bolivia during May.  Cordillera Real is part of the Andes chain of mountains and contains beautiful 5,000-6,000 meter (18,000 to 21,000 feet) peaks. The main objective of this trip was to climb Illiampu, a 21,000-foot peak, which is the most difficult mountain to climb in Bolivia.

I began the trip by acclimatizing with a small 17,500 feet peak that was then followed by Condoriri at 18,500 feet.  Condoriri is one of the most beautiful peaks in the world.  After a rest day in La Paz, my guide and I set off on a 5-day expedition to summit Illiampu. Although the weather was not typical for that time of the year, we were still able to successfully summit Illiampu.  As a bonus, I had time to attempt the west face to Potosi; at 20,000 feet, it is the largest ice face in Bolivia.  Unfortunately, due to poor unconsolidated snow conditions, we had to retreat to base camp. 

Presently, I am continuing my training and preparation for Cho Oyu.  This October I will participate in the Seal Fit Kokoro Challenge in North County. It’s the civilian version of the Navy Seal’s Hell Week! 

My son, Matthew, was diagnosed with ASD at the age of 2. From that point on his life was a major struggle to “catch up” and learn what is basically instinctual for neuro-typical kids. He struggled to learn how to speak in sentences, keep his balance, walk on grass, eat foods of different textures, and a myriad of other activities that require no thought for a typical child. The struggles continued as he grew, and the complexity of human interactions became one of the biggest challenges in his life. He began the process of learning the nuances of human relationships that we take for granted: keeping a proper distance when speaking with someone, looking them in the eye, listening without interrupting, etc. He has even had to learn about a sense of humor. His struggle continues and will continue. 

Matthew has been an extremely hardworking individual and has faced his challenges head on. It has been an inspiration to see him overcome so many of these challenges and grow. However, he has not done this alone. Asides from his mom’s sacrifices and dedication, there has been a community of people helping him. Without their significant support, Matthew would not be making such great strides.

I have been a climber and mountaineer for over 28 years. Although it is a challenging endeavor, I love climbing because it provides me with a path towards personal growth. However, compared to Matthew’s, and other people on the spectrum’s struggles, climbing is more like a walk in the park. This is why I have decided to use mountaineering as platform to raise funds and awareness of autism.

I will attempt to climb Cho Oyu, the sixth highest mountain in the world, in the Fall of 2016. Cho Oyu stands at an elevation of 8,201 m (26,906 ft.) on the border of Nepal and Tibet, a short distance from Mt. Everest. I will pay for all expedition costs. All funds raised will be donated to a small number of advocacy and support organizations such as PACT. 

We are pleased to announce that San Dieguito Academy in Encinitas will be presenting the theatre classic “Of Mice & Men” this coming weekend. We are honored and grateful that the academy has named PACT  its “Theatre for a Cause” recipient and will be donating the proceeds from this production to us. There will be a PACT speaker at the end of each performance, and the audience may make a donation to PACT on their way out as well. 

If you’re looking to see an outstanding play at a reasonable cost while donating to a great cause, come join us for one of the performances!