At 72 years old, my mother went hiking with me near Hamburg, Pennsylvania, on our way toward the Pinnacle and Pulpit Rock.

She wanted to see the view.

I think about that now... the willingness to lace up her shoes, take on the climb, and discover what waited beyond the trees. That day became a memory I would one day give anything to step back into.

My mother, Ruth, passed away on May 17, 2026. I can’t take another walk beside her, but I can carry her love into the places I have yet to go.

In October 2027, I will be participating in 29029 at Stratton Mountain, Vermont, during its tenth-anniversary year. The challenge is to hike uphill repeatedly, taking the gondola down between ascents, with the goal of climbing the equivalent of Mount Everest’s 29,029 feet within 36 hours.

It is a mountain I have dreamed about for years. This time, I registered.

Then I took a breath. Possibly several.

I’m Martha Voorhees... an author, a farm girl, a dog lover, and someone who believes there is still plenty of life worth showing up for, even after loss changes the landscape.

In November 2025, an accidental collision with my two enthusiastic Labradors left me with a broken leg and in a wheelchair for 3 months and crutches for a month. Suddenly, the ordinary freedom of getting up and walking became something I had to work toward again.

One of the people who showed up for me was my dear friend Ann Trabachino, an ER nurse from Doylestown. Now, the friend who helped me when I couldn’t stand is joining me for this mountain adventure.

That means more to me than I can put into words.

WHY I’M ASKING FOR SUPPORT

I have committed to the event through a payment plan. The registration is a significant personal expense, and I’m working to meet that commitment through my writing and other work while preparing for the climb.

Funds raised here will help cover my 29029 registration balance and participation expenses, including travel and some essential hiking gear. Contributions will support my own journey; Ann is arranging her participation separately.

This is a personal fundraiser. I want to be open about what your generosity will make possible: the opportunity to undertake this challenge in my mother’s memory and share the road there with others who are finding their own way through grief, recovery, or a difficult new beginning.

ONE MOUNTAIN. MANY NAMES.

There is something I would be honored to do, whether or not you contribute.

If you have someone you love and miss, send me their name. I will carry their name with me on the mountain and pause for a prayer in their memory.

There is no charge. No donation is required.

You can email names to [email redacted]. They will remain private unless you give me permission to share them.

I know what it means to want the world to remember someone. To hear their name. To feel, for a moment, that another person understands the love you are still carrying.

There will be room for that love on this mountain.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

If you would like to contribute, any amount is deeply appreciated. Sharing this fundraiser or leaving a few words of encouragement will help, too.

Along the way, I’ll share training updates, progress, and the honest days... the ones when determination comes easily and the ones when putting on my shoes is the first victory.

I cannot promise what the mountain will give me. I can promise to prepare, put in the work, and approach this opportunity with gratitude.

My mother wanted to see the view.

Next October, I’ll take her memory toward another one, alongside my friend and carrying the names entrusted to me.

Thank you for helping me get to the starting line.

With love and gratitude,

Martha Voorhees