A Twenty-Seven Year Journey

to
Longs Peak Summit

My Ability

I feel compelled to lay a proper and truthful foundation to this little trip down memory lane. There would
be nothing further from the truth than if I were to claim to have the slightest intellectual or physical ability
regarding mountain climbing. The longest hikes I had endured were several to what is considered a
moderate 4 mile hike to the alpine lake called Chasm Lake, located at the base of the east-facing wall of
Longs Peak, known as the Diamond. From the lake, the Diamond rises more than 2,400 to the summit.

Having no understanding or experience in mountain climbing (not even comparable with hiking), how
does one reach the summit of a 14er (mountains in excess of 14,000 elevation)? Those that know me know
where this is leadingGod. From the moment my mind first entertained the thought of this climb
(discussed later), I was in prayer. I, truly, do not believe a day went by leading up to the climb that I was not
talking to God about it. That is exactly what it was, a dialogue. I was not praying for anything, at this time.
I would just comment about things I had researched that day, and then I would listen to what He conveyed
in my thoughts. At the point of wanting to commit to the climb, my first asking prayer was, Not my will,
but Thy will.
Once I believed that the climb was not out of His will and that He would be by my side whatever the
outcome may be, I began praying multiple times each day for safety. Though I am ready at any moment for
His return, I have no desire to foolishly hasten my Heavenly arrival. Hi! Im here. I fell off a mountain!
Those just dont seem to be the fitting first words upon ones arrival to Heaven.

Though there have been many, many answered prayers with regards to this climb, I believe possibly the
most important answer came when I decided to acquire a professional mountain climbing partner (guide).
I expressed to God that I completely trusted in whomever He chose to be my partner. From my research, I
knew that there was a possibility, thought quite small (1-2%), that I might get a female partner. This is my
perspective of having a female partner. From the beginning of my professional career and for 30 years to
follow, I have hired in excess of 50 women to work directly with me or in various other departments.
During that same period, I hired a handful of men. It was my experience that women were less prideful,
paid closer attention to details and had a greater desire to perform as instructed. Sorry guysjust saying.
As Debbie will testify, I had actually told her that I would prefer a female partner, and that is just what God
gave me. With total sincerely, I know of two specific instances where she saved my life. I have no doubt
that there were other instances where God used her and, possibly, both of us were totally unaware. I am
convinced and to use an apropos phrase, our knowledge and what we actually see of Gods blessings of
protection in our lives is only the tip of the mountain. I have much more to say about my climbing partner,
Ms. Amanda Harper, later on.

So, let me leave you with no doubt about why this climb was successful. God and God, alone, is the reason
and cause for everything good, everything lovely and everything worthwhile in our lives. Can I say,
unequivocally, that it was Gods will for me to make this climb? My answer to that question is that I, truly,
believe it was. If my belief is errant, the outcome was still the same. Often times God extends His mercy in
spite of us, even though we might think that we somehow deserve it. Gods hand of protection was with
me and Ms. Amanda on Monday, September 18, 2017, for fifteen hours as we ascended and descended the
summit of Longs Peak.

Psalm 22:22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
I cannot praise my Lord and Savior enough for all the blessings that He bestows upon my family and
myself, and most importantly, His victory over sin by His death, burial and resurrectionthe way of my
eternal salvation.

Excerpts from three of the many research articles that I came across during my research:

At 2 a.m. June 9, 2014, Matthew Burklow hopped in his Honda Fit and drove an hour to the Longs Peak
trailhead. The 25-year-old hiker planned on summiting the Front Range's most prominent 14,000-foot
mountain and returning to Fort Collins in time for his afternoon shift at a King Soopers pharmacy. He
made the summit, but he did not make it off the mountain alive.

Burklow's body was recovered by helicopter three days later, 600 feet below the Ledges section of the
Keyhole Route. Burklow became the 59th fatality on Longs Peak one of, if not the most, deadly peak in
Colorado.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

"There are years where we have had no fatalities on Longs Peak," said park spokesperson Kyle
Patterson. "We did not have any fatalities on Longs Peak in 2005 through 2008. In 2006, we had a man
who fell and died near the Loft (between Meeker and Longs.) Last year we had three fatalities in the
Longs Peak area -- cardiac snowshoeing near treeline, cardiac near the summit and a fall near the false
Keyhole."

Jim Detterline, who worked as a ranger on Longs Peak for 20 years and has summitted the mountain 359
times, said there`s no one reason why there have been so many deaths this year.

But in general, he said, accidents can result from underestimating the difficulty of the climb, wearing the
wrong footwear or simply having bad luck.

"Longs Peak is a very serious mountain," said Detterline, 54, of Estes Park. "It does have some inherent
hazards. People have died on Longs Peak who were at the top of their game in mountaineering. They
were in the wrong place at the wrong time."
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Ten military Special Forces troops were airlifted from a Mountain Friday after some had trouble
finishing a training exercise on the peak in Rocky Mountain National Park, according to officials.

A group of 11 soldiers from Fort Carson planned to climb Kiener's Route on Colorado's 14,259-foot
Longs Peak Thursday, but three suffered from altitude sickness while climbing the peak, according to a
statement from the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Carson.

Facts: There have been over 60 recorded fatalities on Longs Peak, to date.

On October 1, 2016 a 61 year old from Greely, Colorado fell to his death. I heard about it the very
next day from fellow hikers, as I was on my own hike to Chasm Lake on October 2nd.

The most recent fatality was in March of 2017.

Of the 53 official 14er summits in Colorado, Longs Peak is considered to be in the top 10 of most
difficult 14ers to climb.

Only around 47% of those attempting to reach the summit are successful.
One Month Prior To Climb

I really do not recall the exact moment that the thought of going to the summit occurred, or what served as
the motivating factor causing me to entertain that thought. What I do know is that my mind was pretty
much consumed with reaching the summit of Longs Peak. I found myself surfing the web for anything and
everything that referenced Longs Peak. Surprisingly, I found more warnings and concerning information,
rather than information that provided positive nurturing and encouragement for this overwhelming desire
that had come to occupy so much of my thoughts. Nevertheless, all my findings only served as a catalyst to
enlarge my desire to make the climb. I remember being asked by a fellow church member, Do you have a
death wish? Of course, I did not. However, I had read in multiple articles where Longs Peak averages
about 1 death per year.

Two Weeks Prior To Climb

After two weeks of research and contemplation, I made the transition from considering the climb to fully
committing to the climb. It was at this time that I would make the most critical and invaluable decision of
the entire climbacquiring the expertise of a professional climbing partner.

My research, along with God making it very clear to me, led me to understand the necessity of having
experience on this climb. As always, I am amazed at how God works things out in my life. After closely
watching the weather forecast for Longs Peak via NOAA (pronounced Noah: National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration) on a daily basis, I called an outfit in Estes Park that provided experienced
climbing partners. The reservation was made for Tuesday, September 19, with a 2:00am departure time
from the trailhead (Ranger Station). Tuesday had the best weather forecast for the entire week; however,
this was a 14 day advance forecast. Forecasts are considered near 100% reliable within a 24 to 48
windowobviously, the closer the better.

Now, I had to begin researching gear. This would be a good time to refer you back to the My Ability
section. I had no idea what was needed. After much research, I learned that I needed to cloth in layers. I
needed a medium weight wicking synthetic base layer, an insulated heavier weight synthetic mid layer, a
synthetic down layer to maintain core temperature and a waterproof/breathable shell or outer layer. A
good backpack, mountain climbing boots, trekking poles, headlamp, wool socks, hat, sunscreen, high
protein bars/etc., water and a first aid kit were also required. The boots and trekking poles I purchased
over the internet. On Saturday, the day after we arrived at the friends cabin where we have been
vacationing since 1991, I purchased the remaining gear from the outfit that I had reserved the climbing
partner.
One Week Prior To Climb

A week prior to the climb and during my daily NOAA check-in, I discovered that Monday was now being
forecast as a good day to climb, as well. I decided to change the climb date to Monday; thus, giving me
Tuesday through Thursday as backup climb dates. I called the outfit that had my reservation and they had
no climbers available that day. However, they were most kind and recommended KMAC (Kent Mountain
Adventure Center) out of Estes Park. I called and they were able to make a summit climb reservation for
the following Monday, but could not say which climber would be assigned to my climb. They have around
14 certified mountain climbers.

Day Prior To and Day Of Climb

I had tried since arriving Friday to get hold of the climber that was assigned to me. The office had told me
that a female named Harper would be my guide. I looked her up on KMACs website and her bio was
quite impressive. Finally, on Sunday we made phone contact. Ms. Amanda decided that since the 24 hour
forecast was for 0% rain with a 22-25 degree wind chill, we would start out from the trailhead at 3:30am,
rather than 2:00am. It was no longer critical to be off the summit by noon, since there was zero threat of
afternoon thundershowers and lightening. She advised some specific energy boost foods and the final
pieces of the puzzle were now in place.

We always keep on Oklahoma time when we are in Colorado, so I went to bed at 10:00pm (CDT), arose at
3:30am (CDT) and met Ms. Amanda Harper for the first time at the trailhead. She had me sign the
expected release of liability paperwork, strapped a helmet and harness to my backpack and we were off.

With our headlamps on high beam and in the pitch black of night, we started from an elevation of 9,400
leaving the trailhead at 3:45am. The first 5.9 miles is a moderate hike to the Boulder Field campsite.
Many going to the summit will start later in the day and camp overnight at this campsite. The following day
they will make the climb to the summit and return to the trailhead. This helps to ensure that they will
make the summit early in the morning and avoid any possible thunderstorms and lightening that so often
form in the early afternoon. They are, also, refreshed for the more intense climb ahead. It took us about 4
hours to reach this point in the dark.

I found hiking in the dark by headlamp to be most enjoyable. Not seeing any sizeable distance in front of
me, just a few yards, made this first four hours of the hike go much faster than when I had hiked similar
distances previously. Amanda and I took this time to learn a little bit about each other. However, I think
my anxiety for the climb resulted in my doing most of the talking. Much of this first four hour hike is on
the same trail taken to get to Chasm Lake, so physically I was familiar with it. I found that I was definitely
in better shape than in past years, which was reassuring knowing how much longer this hike would be, and
that it would have climbing involved. We took or first video of the lights of Longmont, Colorado, some 35
miles to the East and a long, long ways down. The city lights lit up the dark of night along that part of the
front range, and the moon was a beautiful sliver of a crescent. We witnessed and videoed a beautiful
sunrise. Being task oriented and focused on the climb, I have no doubt that I would have missed these
wonderful moments were it not for my partner. While taking a little shelter behind boulders from the wind
that usually whips across the Boulder Field, Amanda shared a cup of her coffee with me and we ate a little
protein snack. Rested and ready to go and with the temps warming into the low 40s, we removed our outer
shells, organized our backpacks and headed for the Keyhole.

The Keyhole

Now this is where the hike becomes a climb. From the Boulder Field to the Keyhole is about 0.4 miles with
a roughly 500 foot elevation gain. This is a rugged section of trail requiring scrambling, use of hand-holds
and rock hopping over boulders. There is no real danger of falling in distance, but it would be easy to
break a bone or twist an ankle.

I am not positive, but I believe it took us about an hour to traverse the Boulder Field and make that final
steep climb up to the Keyhole. Let me clarify, that when I say it took us, that means it took me with
Amanda going at my pace. I am most confident that her time would have been considerably faster.
Through this entire climb, Amanda constantly encouraged me with positive comments about my pace, etc.
that I am pretty sure I did not really deserve. Once we crossed through the Keyhole, it was as if the whole
world opened up. We were now on the northwest side of the mountain. Amanda and I could see a whole
new piece of Gods creation that was impossible to see from the east side of the Keyhole. It was
magnificent! There were many other mountains (smaller compared to Longs Peak, but still quite large). I
remember the moment we crossed through the Keyhole that the wind was quite extreme. It was nothing
compared to what we had experienced on the east side. Amanda told me that we were overlooking Glacier
Gorge, a beautiful valley surrounded by seven mountain peaks. There is no visitor road access, only miles
of trails. A part of creation that looks untouched by man. Truly beautiful. The following picture shows
Glacier Gorge from the viewpoint of The Trough.
View of Glacier Gorge from The Trough

The Ledges

From the Keyhole (6.2 miles with a 3,800 foot elevation gain from the trailhead), which sits at an elevation
of 13,200 feet, the trail becomes more technical. The 1.3 mile Keyhole route is a classic mountaineering
crossing vertical rock faces, narrow ledges, exposed to falling rock and requires Class-3 scrambling
(sometimes on all fours) in some places. From this point on along this route, a slip, trip or fall is most likely
fatal. Once you pass through the Keyhole to the northwestern side of Longs Peak, you arrive at the Ledges
that overlook a deep glacier-excavated valley to the west. From here there are ledges and slabs that we
traversed across the face and 0.4 miles from the Keyhole to the Trough, a steep wide gully that angles up
right for 550 feet from 13,300 feet.
If you look closely at the above picture you can see a steel spike that is just behind the climbers foot. There
is one more steel spike that the climber has grasped in his right hand. This appeared to be about an 800
foot drop. For me to grasp the upper post to pull myself up on the slab of granite that is cutting off the
ledge path, I needed to step off the ledge onto the lower post, being fully exposed to the 800 foot drop.
This entire area seem to be pushing me towards the fall, rather than giving me any way to lean back towards
the mountain. This is where I almost quit. This is where my climbing partner, Amanda, saved my
lifegoing and coming. I am convinced of that. Amanda had already climbed over the slab and was
waiting for me to cross over. Once she realized that was never ever, ever, ever, ever going to happen, she
crossed back over to get to me. I simply told her that this just did not seem right. I was not sure if I should
go any further. I remember asking her, even though I knew the answer, If I fall here, I die? She didnt
even answer. She just nodded her head. It was at this point that I fully realized and completely believed
that God had specifically sent her to climb with me. I made a decision at that point to put my complete
faith in her; thus, putting complete faith in my belief that God was answering my many prayers for this
climb. It was, also, at this point that a lifelong bond was formed with Amanda. Now, that might only be
from my perspective, as Amanda does this all the time. However, for me there became a bond of sincere
love for a person that you trust so much that you are willing to put your life in their hands. So, at above
13,000 feet, Amanda begins strapping me into a harness. After she gets her harness on and the rope tied to
her, she securely ties the other end to my harness. From here, to the summit and until we descended to the
Boulder Field, we were one. I never fully appreciated how much trust Amanda was putting in me to not
slip at points where she did not have me secured at some point. Only at critical points in the climb did she
use the mountain as leverage to secure me. Ninety-nine percent of the time Amanda trusted me to find
secure hand and foot positions. At any time should I have fallen, Amanda would have followed. I will visit
this concern in more detail, later.
I found the Ledges to be the most concerning part of the climb. I think that is mostly due to the fact that it
was the first part of the climb that made a death fall very real to me. Other than that, it was great! It really
was a beautiful place, mostly because you cannot get that kind of view from any other area except there.
Only a few of mankind have had such a blessing to see Gods creation from that perspective.

The Trough

The Trough has both solid rock sections as well as rubble. A helmet should be worn to protect from falling
rock caused from climbers above. After the 550 foot climb, we finished with a 30 foot scramble up a rock
wall and past a chock stone (one of the hardest parts of the route), to a wide open view of Wild Basin to the
south. After climbing 0.3 miles, The Narrows begin.

This was without a doubt the most physically strenuous part of the entire climb, mostly due to the fact that
in a short third of a mile we had to climb 550 feet, followed by a 30 foot scramble up a rock wall. The
physical exhaustion coupled with the decrease oxygen at an altitude of 13,850 forced me to stop what
seemed to be every 50 feet of incline. Ive been swimming 8 miles a week for months, so I dont know what
can prepare you for this other than putting a Wal-Mart plastic bag over your face until you pass out, over
and over. Then, maybe you can get by with less oxygen. It was tough. It seemed as if I was never going to
reach the top. I, finally, just stopped looking up and just kept moving in my 50 foot intervals. By the time
I reached the top, I truly did not think I could go any further. After about a 5 minute break, we headed on.
 The Narrows

From the top of the Trough (13,850 feet), the route traverses the south face on an exposed ledge system
called The Narrows. Parts of this 300 foot section are as narrow as four feet. Falls from the The Narrows
could be anywhere from 150 feet to several hundred feet. Another 400 feet of scrambling up right on
broken ledges and around a rib leads to the final section, The Homestretch, a distance of 0.2 miles.

The Narrows appeared to me to have some of the most drastic vertical drop-offs. Strangely, it was not as
concerning to me as The Ledges. Either I was now operating in a state of shock, or I had simply come to
grips with the fact that any fall at any point was most likely fatal, so I just kept moving onward and upward.

There were a couple of places here where Amanda utilized the rope to ensure my safety. I have absolutely
no problem stating that I was more than happy to wear what I had come to call the diaper. Amanda was
a little offended, as she stated it was an important part of the climbing process. However, none of the 15 or
so climbers we encountered were using ropes and harnesses. Thus, the diaper.
 The Homestretch
The Homestretch (13,950) is a steep rock groove requiring Class 3 scrambling up diagonal cracks on steep
granite slabs for 300 feet using handholds and footholds. Above the Homestretch lies the Summit, a
distance of 0.2 miles.

Lets talk about this picture. I have read some comments that said, The Homestretch is not as bad as it
looks. I guess I must have been looking at it all wrong. It obviously is not a straight vertical climb.
However, it is an uphill Class 3 scramble at 14,000 feet that a fall would equate to what looked like a 1,000
foot drop to me, that is after you enjoyed your 300 foot slide down the granite slabs. Now for Amanda, this
was nothing, as her expertise is vertical climbing, such as the Diamond in the very first picture on page one.
However, for this 61 year old that has never even been on a rock wall, it WAS the Diamond.

I must admit, though, this was probably the most enjoyable section of the climb. I think because I knew
what was waiting for me at the top, along with the fact that I just enjoyed that type of climbing, as
compared to just following mostly horizontal narrow paths along the walls of the mountain.

Again, there were several areas of this section that Amanda used the ropes to secure my position while I
found good handholds and footholds.
Longs Peak Summit (14,259) is a large, basically flat (with large rocks and mid-size boulders) area about the
size of a football field. This is the 15th highest summit in Colorado and the highest point in the Northern
Rockies of Colorado. Views can be seen for over 100 miles. Longs Peak can be seen as far away as
Laramie, Wyoming.

The Descent is where most falls occur. Over confidence and fatigue can lead to carelessness and a lack of
attention. It will usually take about half to three quarters of the time to descend back to the trailhead as it
took to ascend the summit.

The climb is 1,500 in elevation for the final 1.5 miles. Best way I can explain is to simply go down a
country road and stand at one intersection and have someone drive 1.5 miles down the road. Then,
imagine that person being 1,500 feet in the air. Then, imagine climbing up to that point. Now, cut that
distance in half and imagine that person being 1,000 feet in the air. That is the climbing incline the final 7
tenths of a mile. Of course, you have to do it all starting at 13,000 feet while on the side of a mountain.

What happens on the summit, stays on the summit. Well, Amanda knows the truth and I am sure she
expects to read it here. Upon climbing over that final few feet at the top of the Homestretch and crawling a
safe distance from the edge of the summit, I stood up and was overcome with emotion. It was
instantaneous. I never saw it coming. Totally unexpected. I just started crying. It was several minutes
before I could even talk in a normal voice. I had thought of what I would do when I reached the summit,
what my actions would beenthusiastic celebrationyelling. Nope. None of that. I just sat down with
tears in my eyes, wearing the diaper. Once I reached some degree of normalcy, I stood up. But I really
dont remember what I did at that moment. I do remember Amanda saying we should go over behind a
couple of boulders out of the wind and get some food in us. I ate the equivalent of a third of a sandwich
and it did not agree with me at all. I wasnt really hungry in the first place. Amanda told me that the
altitude affects some people that way, they just dont have an appetite. I ate mostly a Cliff product that were
squares with the consistency of a gummy bear product. They were high in sugar and provided whatever
energy I needed. After returning to the cabin, I noticed that I had only drunk about .5 liters of the 2.5
liters of water that was in my backpack bladder. Nevertheless, I was not dehydrated or hungry. I,
apparently, ate and drank what I needed. But, I was very hungry the following day.

After the short meal, Amanda and I took a few pictures and videos and said goodbye to the summit. We
were only on the summit for 30 minutes; however, it was 12:30pm and if you have been keeping up, you
know that we are only halfway finished with the climb. Apparently, Amanda doesnt like helicopters. I did
mention that a hang glider would be nice right about now. I figured if Amanda could get me to the summit
with my having no climbing experience, she could certainly get me off the summit with no glider
experience. Didnt happen.

The Descent

Took forever. I dont know what Amandas problem was. Oh yeah. I remember, now. It was me.

I found that my physical conditioning that I had been performing for the past 18 months for the benefit of
simply being able to continue doing maintenance at the church, keeping up with the grandkids and
basically trying to stay healthy was perfect for this climb, that is, until I reached to Boulder Field on the
descent. It seemed at this point that God conveyed to me, Boy, I have carried you through all of the most
critical and dangerous parts of this climb. It is time for you to do a little of the work. I believe that to be
the case, because about 100 yards after He put me on my own two feet, every part of my body began to cry
out in agony. For the final four hours of the descent, every step was accompanied by the feeling of a knife
being plunged into both of my quadricepsmostly the rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus lateralis
and the vastus medialis. Yeah, I looked it up! When something hurts worse than anything in ones 61 year
life, they look it up.

When we reached the parking lot at the trailhead, I was not sure if my legs would allow me to drive back to
the cabin just 3 or 4 miles away. I had asked Amanda to come by the cabin to meet Debbie. Even though
Debbie will never, ever understand what happened on that mountain, I wanted Debbie to know and hug
the person that I believe was in Gods service to protect me.

After hugs and pictures, my climbing partner, my Amanda (Harper, as I believe she prefers to be called)
drove away.

I, immediately, submerged myself in the hottest water that I could endure.

Something Special

There we two items that I took to the summit. I took 10 gold $1 presidential coins so that I could give
family members a keepsake of my climb.

Three years ago, we went took a trip through Colorado, Wyoming and Montana, and we ended up right
back in the Rockies. Everywhere we went seemed less impressive and never felt close to home. One day
while shopping in Estes Park, Debbie was deep in shopping thought. So, I slipped into the local jewelry
store that has been there forever and found a beautiful little gold necklace with a snowflake pendant.
Debbie has always loved snow and I had never seen a snowflake pendant before. Plus, she would like that it
came from the Rockies. She loved it. So, whats the point? Well, she has never had it off her neck in three
years except for when she had to remove it for some tests in the hospital. I am sure you figured it out by
now. She had me wear it during the climb. I am so happy that I could return it to her, personally, rather
than the local coroner.

The Day After The Climb

Debbie had planned to stay at the cabin the entire day for me to rest. I knew she had stayed there all day,
Monday, and I felt fine to drive, although the knives were still plunging. So, we headed off to Loveland and
Longmont for a little antiquing. I did not know it at the time, but a tough night was ahead.

After we came home (only place away from Ponca City that we call home, and that has been since 1991), we
ate, watched a little TV and went to bed. Then it started. As I lay in bed, I could not stop playing the
climb in my mind. It was only the ascending and descending from The Keyhole to the Summit. All I seem
to be able to think about was each area where we could have easily fallen. Then it hit me like a ton of
bricks. That part I referred to earlier in this writing. The 99% of the time that Amanda was putting her
trust in me to not slip or make a bad call on a hand or foot hold. It hit me hard that I, a 61 year old man,
could have easily ended the life of a 27 year old beautiful woman. I had tears in my eyes as I lay there
thinking how selfish it was of me to place my wants and desires in a place of importance that is above the
life of another. Yes and at the point of writing this, I have spent hours and hours thinking through all the
angles. One, this was Amandas chosen job. She is professionally trained. This is what she is paid to do.
To me those are all just excuses to avoid accountability. I am accountable for ALL of my thoughts, words
and actions. It was my decision to employ a climbing partner. It was my decision to climb a 14er with no
previous climbing experience. I mean NONE! Not even a rock wall. It was my decision to allow Amanda
to risk her life by tying a rope between the two of us, having absolutely no appreciation or understanding of
the danger to which I was exposing her. They were all MY decisions. I began questioning if any of this was
really Gods will or my selfish desires. Again, at the point of this writing, I do not have the answer to that.
These are still the thoughts that flood my mind when I lay my head down at night. Even now, my eyes
water as I write this.
I am not sure why I chose to share these thoughts. Maybe they will encourage a reader to think deeply and
fully about engaging another person in words and/or actions that, though the words and actions may be
completely sincere, not of sin and expected to bring joy, they still might not be whats best for all
concerned.

So, you might ask, Are you sorry or regretful that you made the climb? If I am, truly, honest, NO. Thats
an easy answer, because God protected, both, Amanda and me. Everything worked out fine. I formed a
friend for life. Though it is a very real possibility that our paths may never cross, again, I have a bond with
someone that is deeper than anyone could ever imagine. I told Debbie later that evening after she met
Amanda, After Amanda put me in that harness and secured herself to me, I told her: I love my wife with
all my heart, so dont take this the wrong way, but I LOVE YOU! Amanda let out a big laugh, as did
Debbie when I told her. But it is true. I do have a special love for Amanda that is beyond my ability to
describe. This is why I want to share a little about Amanda.

Amanda is 27 years old. I find this interesting, because we have been coming to the mountains for exactly
27 years. 27 years ago, I made my first mountain hike to Chasm Lake. An alpine lake situated at the very
base of the Diamond leading to the very summit of Longs Peak (shown on first page). Does it not seem
odd that I have never had the least bit of interest, or even a passing thought of climbing to the summit for
the past 26 years? I think I know why. I believe that God closed my mind to that thought. Had He not
done so, I am convinced that in my youth I would have made the attempt on my own and would have died,
to put it bluntly. For 27 years, God has been preparing Amanda and me for this climb; thus, the title of
this writing A Twenty-Seven Year Journey to Longs Peak Summit. He knew it was going to happen, even
though I still question if it was what He wanted for me or just something that He protected me through. In
His perfect timing, I believe He will give me peace with this. He just might have more about this climb that
He wants me to contemplate. So, back to Amanda. The first time I saw her beautiful smile in the light of
my headlamp at the trailhead, I felt comfortable. Her presence made everything to this point about the
climb complete. I call her my climbing partner. Technically, she is referred to as a guide. So, I decided to
look up what is a guide. I found that Amanda is an exemplary model of a guide: to lead someone in the
right direction; to advise or counsel someone, or influence the way someone behaves or acts; to teach
someone, or oversee training; to lead and assist someone in a place or toward a destination.

Born and raised in Alabama, Amanda Harper learned to climb at sandstone crags across the southeast. She
spent her weekends throughout college leading outdoor adventure trips for the University of Alabama at
Birmingham and has had a passion for guiding ever since. She recently fell in love with the endless
opportunities for climbing in the west from the fat cracks of Vedauwoo to the desert towers of Utah. She
currently splits her time between Estes Park and Laramie, WY. On her off days, Harper can be found
touring the countrys gravel roads by bicycle or sipping a cup of coffee on her front porch. Harper is an
AMGA certified Single Pitch Instructor, a WMI Wilderness First Responder, and a Leave No Trace
Trainer. She also holds a M.A. in Sociology and Environment and Natural Resources from the University
of Wyoming and has worked as a crew leader with the Wyoming Conservation Corps.
My Climbing Partner Amanda and Me