Moonfly Kids

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to join an all female expedition up The West Buttress of Denali. After five years of rock climbing, alpine climbing and other addictive mountain sports, this was to be my most ambitious climb yet. Rather than write an entire, lengthy monologue-type trip report, I thought it more fun to reveal my climb as I remember it in my head: as crazy little snippets of conversation, random thoughts and breathtaking snapshots from above the clouds. You will laugh, you will cry, you will shake your head in amazement at both the unbelievably stupid and the unbelievably awesome. Stay tuned for random posts from my Denali Diary.

Twelve women and three guides, all crammed into a van. We had all just met a few hours ago. It was quiet as we sized each other up, save for one woman whose mouth never stopped moving the entire time she was on the trip.

“So, do you climb a lot?” she asks me.

“I guess so.”

“Where do you climb? Where are you from? How long have you been climbing?” 

“I’m from Vegas.”

“Where do you climb in Vegas?”

(Sigh) Pause. “Red Rock has killer rock climbing, and I like Mt. Charleston for a little altitude training. It’s sorta high and it’s only an hour outside of Vegas.” 

“Oh, wow, really, I didn’t know that. I just know the casinos and all.” She grins and continues. “I’m from California.”

I look out the window for a distraction but I don’t find one. “Cool. Where do you like to climb in Cali?”

“I climb at this rock gym by my work. It’s super fun. And I like to backpack whenever I can. Do you like to backpack?”

“I do some backpacking in the Sierras. And climbing too, I love it there.” I finally smile. “I did most of my training for this trip in the Sierras since it’s only 5 hours from Vegas. I’ve managed to tick off eleven fourteeners. If I’m lucky, I’ll finish them by next season, well, hopefully, if all goes well.”

“What’s a fourteener?”

I feel my smile fade. Pause. The others around us have tuned into the conversation and are looking at us curiously.

“It’s, um, a peak over 14,000 feet.” 

Silence.

Another girl pipes up. “Wow, sounds like you’re really into this stuff.”

“I guess so.  I was sorta hoping all of you would be too.”

I scrunch down in my seat and press my knees against the back of the seat in front of me and try to ignore the feeling of dread rising up in my stomach.