<div>Hello, my name is White Wolf von Atzingen.
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<div>I’m setting a two-year goal to summit all six peaks over 4,000 feet along the Long Trail in Vermont, solo and legally blind. I am dictating this post.
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<div>Mt. Mansfield, 4,393′; Camel's Hump, 4,081′; Mount Ellen, 4,081′; Cutts Peak, 4,022′; Mount Abraham, 4,016′; and Killington Peak, 4,236′. For my first trek this year, I would like to raise money to donate to the <strong>Vermont Adaptive Ski &amp; Sports non-profit organization</strong>.
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<div>The Reason:
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<div><strong>After being poisoned in 2005, I was diagnosed with the first chronic “uncurable” disease in 2018, and was told I needed to revamp my entire life, lay back, never exert myself, expose myself to zero stress, and basically do very little.</strong> I was told it was the only way for my body and brain to have a chance of healing as much as possible and regain maybe 30% of my energy. I didn’t like it, but I took the doctor’s advice. Since that time, I have been diagnosed with multiple other chronic and “uncurable” diseases and conditions. Since 2018, I just got worse and worse, and more and more health conditions were discovered.
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<div>Prior to the original diagnosis, my whole life was active. I was an adventurer, explorer, martial artist, fighter, teacher, and overall, a highly active individual. I’ve canoed and kayaked hundreds of miles across the country, hiked thousands of miles in the western hemisphere; from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from Alaska to South America, climbed over twenty 14,000-foot peaks in the Rocky Mountains, summited Mt. Katahdin and others in the east, and could comfortably swim a couple of miles in the open ocean. Then my health changed, and my entire life changed.
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<div>I went from top physical shape and a highly active lifestyle to being mostly housebound and, some of the time, couch- or bed-bound. At times, I would struggle with around 50 symptoms as my body crumbled under chronic illness. On top of all the physical symptoms and diagnosed chronic health conditions, I started losing my vision and hearing.
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<div>Last year I said enough is enough. I realized I was waiting around for nothing. My health conditions are here, they are what they are, and realistically they may never be cured. But I was no longer going to let them dictate my life. At the same time, I had to be realistic and honor my many limitations or suffer extreme consequences, one of which could be falling into being bedbound long-term.
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<div>So, last year I started focusing on what I could do while being fully aware of my limitations, and I slowly began rebuilding my body through walking, breathing exercises, chi kung, stretching, isometric activity, among other slow build activities.
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<div>This year my healthcare team has me on a new and very aggressive health protocol that includes a new medication. I’ve seen small but solid improvements on this protocol, which gives me hope of more stability down the line.
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<div>All this got me to thinking. I cannot lie, my <strong>hearing loss is now at 89.69%</strong> (calculated by my audiologist), and <strong>my vision has also plummeted to being legally blind</strong>.
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<div>I asked myself what can I do that turns my disabilities into something beneficial? It needs to be something I enjoy or it won’t work. It also needs to fully honor my severe limitations. I cannot pretend they are not there.
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<div>How can I turn vision and hearing loss into something positive? My first answer was to navigate hiking while being legally blind. No service dog, though it would be nice having one, but who can afford that! No help from other people beyond transportation.
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<div>I decided to try hiking all 6 peaks over 4,000 feet in Vermont. With my health, I need to do this smartly. I plan to hike each entire section that contains those peaks. Since there are six peaks above 4,000 feet, that would mean six sections, equaling six hikes of multiple days. But three of those peaks are in the same section, which drops the number to four section hikes of multiple days.
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<div>• Mt. Mansfield – I-89 to Smugglers Notch = 22.9 miles
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<div>• Camel’s Hump – App Gap to I-89 = 18.7 miles
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<div>• Mt. Ellen, Cutts Peak, and Mt. Abe – Lincoln Gap to App Gap = 11.6 miles
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<div>• Killington Peak – Upper Cold River Rd to Rt. 4 = 12 miles
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<div>This September I am going to hike from the Appalachian Gap south to Lincoln Gap. That stretch is 11.6 miles and contains 3 mountains above 4,000 feet: Mount Ellen, Cutts Peak, and Mount Abe. I plan to complete the hike in 3 days, spending two nights on the trail.
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<div>I chose this as the first trek because it is the shortest, each day would be less than 5 miles. Also, I've hiked up Mt. Abe 6 times in the past with eyesight, and I've hiked 3 miles in from App Gap a few times, so I'm familiar with parts of the trail.
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<div>I will be hiking the trail and mountains legally blind, along with my other disabilities, in an attempt to gain sponsorship to raise money for the <strong>Vermont Adaptive Ski &amp; Sports non-profit organization</strong>. I'm a firm believer in what they stand for, offer, and accomplish.
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<div>A talking pedometer and two rugged walking canes. My talking watch for keeping track of time. My Orcam (a visual aid device that reads pages, books, computer screens, signs, etc. to you) and detailed directions that I have already laid out using online maps. Most primitive regions of Vermont cell phone service aren’t available, so map apps would be useless. And transportation. That is what I will need and have. My skills, confidence, and determination would do the rest.
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<div>I’ve been a client of the Vermont Department for the Blind and Visually Impaired for a number of years. They have helped me with mobility and Independent Living Skills, as well as specialized tech for the visually handicapped. Some of those skills I’ve expanded on, and they will and have serve me well on hikes.
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<div>As a disabled individual, I want to help show others that even with disabilities, a person can accomplish great things, and in ways that help and support others.
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<div>My aim is to solo this trip in late September, meaning with no assistance from others, but I have no problem with others hiking with me if they choose, for fun and as witnesses. My aim is to start the trek on the Autumn Equinox of 2026.
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<div>Next year I would focus on completing the other 3 sections, but first things first, App Gap to Lincoln Gap, 11.6 miles.
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<div>I have been training my body and honing my navigation skills already. My practice ground so far is Lewis Creek Wildlife Management area where there is plenty of remote primitive, rock and root filled land filled with hills, wet ravines, and terrain similar to that of the Long Trail. And I'm doing great!
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<div>My aim is to document my trek with photos and dictation. Yes, I am legally blind but I've learned how to take photos without being able to see the subject matter. Learn the camera and let it do all the work.
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<div>I plan to contact local news outlets in hopes they will run a story in order to gain more awareness of my goal. If they do, I'll be sure to add links to the article(s) here.
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<div>Will you help me raise money for what I believe to be a fantastic Vermont-based non-profit organization?
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<div>That is me training in the cover photo. Some of my essential navigation tools are shown in the one photo. And the third photo is my eyesight acuity as close as a visual program can replicate it.
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<div>A great many thanks to all who read this and for those who help my cause with a donation!
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<div>If you wish to follow along with my journey; preparations, planning, training, gear choices, the trek itself, post trip details, experiences, photos and more, perhaps sign up for <a href="https://www.elementmountainphotography.com/news" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">my newsletter</a>. 
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<div>Best Regards,
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<div>White Wolf
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Anonymous

Blind Hiker Solos Vermont Peaks for Non-Profit Cause

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Blind Hiker Solos Vermont Peaks for Non-Profit Cause

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