Climb to the Light

Sam. Susan. Joe. Will. Bob. Tyler. These are just a few of the people I have known who have taken their lives. I would have done anything to helped them if I had known how much pain they were in, but I never got that chance. And they never saw that things could get better. I started feeling suicidal at nine years old. I was an isolated child who had been sexually abused on multiple occasions, and from an early age I realized I no longer wanted to remain in what seemed like a cruel world. Four years ago, in early December of 2014, I woke up to find my 13-year-old transgender son missing from his bed. When I went outside, screaming his name, I found him. He had hung himself. We were fortunate. He was still alive. But that moment changed all our lives. This year, after a difficult divorce and loss of my home, I once more found myself seriously viewing suicide as an alternative. Without the support of my close friends, I may not have remained in this world. Recently, I decided to take a year off from school, to work so I can afford therapy for PTSD, but also to focus on my main passion: climbing mountains.  Mountaineering has given me 20 years of purpose. I am rarely as happy as I am when I am climbing a peak. It occurred to me that I could also use my love of mountaineering to raise money for people who are suffering like my friends, my son and myself. This flash of inspiration gave rise to my campaign 'Climb to the Light.' So on November 8, 2018, I started this passion project.  52 mountains in 52 weeks. That is the goal. One peak per week. It's a huge objective, but one that with your support I can accomplish. I have climbed close to 40 mountains during my best year, so I know I can do it. But I really need your support. My objective is to begin this quest on January first in nearby Zion National Park on Angels Landing, widely regarded as one of the best hikes in the world. While this peak is tiny compared to the peaks I will climb later in the year, it holds a special place in my heart. I climbed this peak a few days after my son's suicide attempt, and then, a few months later, he and I climbed it together. The groups we are planning on donating to are To Write Love on Her Arms, Hope for the Day, the National Foundation for Suicide Prevention and our local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness - Southwest Affiliate. Hopefully with these groups we can do create some positive change in our world. The current list of mountains I intend to climb is this: Angels Landing Smithsonian Butte Lady Mountain N. Guardian Angel S. Guardian Angel Moapa Peak Mt. Bangs Red Butte Bridge Mountain (Zion) Destination & Gifford Peaks East Temple Watchman Mt. Kinesava West Temple Mt Spry Twin Brothers Mountain of the Sun Airies Butte (solo) The Beehive Canaan Mountain Zion Butte Signal & Burger Peaks Mt Wilson Bridge Mountain (Red Rocks National Recreation Area) Charleston Peak Wheeler Peak Ruby Dome - Ruby Pyramid Mt Ellen (Henry Mountains) Delano Peak Belknap & Baldy Peak (Tushar Mountains) Kings Peak Snow Canyon Traverse Lone Peak (Wasatch) Timpanogos Mt. Nebo Deseret Peak Ibapah Peak Notch Peak Granite Peak Muddy Peak Borah Peak San Rafael Knob Clements Mountain Reynolds Mountain Pollock-Piegan-Bishop's Cap Mt. Gould Going-to-the-Sun Mountain Mt Siyeh Mt. Whitney Mt. Elbert Humphrey's Peak Mt. Rainier