So; I've decided to accept the Pikes Peak Challenge. On Saturday, September 12 th, I'll be hiking Pikes Peak via the Barr Trail in an effort to raise money to support the Brain Injury Association of Colorado. When I've finished, I will have hiked 13 miles and gained over 7500 feet in elevation. To get ready for this hike, I've been increasing the length of my weekly hikes at my favorite trailhead at the Chautauqua Historic District in Boulder. My current training hike is the Green and Bear It loop which hits both the summit of Bear Peak and of Green Mountain.
During my most recent hike, I hiked it clockwise from the Mesa Trail instead of my usual counterclockwise loop. I did this to challenge myself as my route up Bear Peak was via the Fern Canyon Trail. To say this trail is kind of steep is like saying people from France find Jerry Lewis moderately amusing. To really get the flavor, please enjoy the following offering:
Top Ten Signs You are Hiking Up the Fern Canyon Trail
10) You start up the trail and witness Boulderites actually walking it instead of running it.
9) The dogs on the trail are so dehydrated, they lift their legs and powder comes out.
8) A quarter of the way up, your legs declare that your parents were never actually married.
7) Your lungs attempt to secede from your body.
6) About halfway up, you witness squirrels taking hits from purloined oxygen bottles.
5) The mountain has hiker-shaped notches carved into its tree line.
4) Three quarters of the way up, you see a long horn sheep to the side of the trail holding a mountain goat's hair out of its face while it pukes.
3) A black bear sees you headed towards the boulder field and scree, notices you are going up, and plays dead.
2) Nearing the summit, your legs burn so badly, you could fry eggs on them.
1) You ask Saint Peter to move to the left a little at the summit so you can see Long's Peak.
After summiting Bear, I followed the Bear Peak West Ridge Trail to the Green Bear Trail. From there, it was up the Green Mountain West Ridge Trail to the summit. Here I left the following message on the summit registry:
"Second summit today. Doing Green and Bear It. By the way, if anyone spots my testicles on the Fern Canyon Trail, please mail them back to me."
Following that I enjoyed a steep decent down the E.M. Greenman, Saddle Rock, and Ampitheater Trails. When I say "enjoyed" I mean "careened wildly down rock and root strewn paths". Finishing my hike shortly thereafter, I had completed twelve miles with 2600 feet in net elevation gain, 4400 feet in total elevation gain, and a maximum elevation of 8461 feet in five hours and ten minutes. I was sweaty, dirty, smelly, tired, and extremely happy. I felt strong. I feel ready for Pikes Peak.
Although this is quite an undertaking considering the altitude and possible weather conditions I might encounter, it pales in comparison to what survivors of Traumatic Brain Injury face everyday. In the United States a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) occurs every 23 seconds. Based on national estimates, there are more annual incidences of Traumatic Brain Injuries than Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord Injuries, HIV/AIDS and Breast Cancer put together. It is estimated that over 20% of our American Soldiers are returning home with a TBI.
In this country there are 3 million persons living with breast cancer and public spending is $295 per person, 900,000 persons living with HIV/AIDS and public spending is $18,111 per person but there are 5.3 million persons living with disability from TBI and public spending is $2.55 per person! Research into treatment of TBI receives less than one penny of every Federal dollar spent on medical research. This is why I am involved!
If you would like to support my endeavors to make a difference, there are two ways to donate. You can donate directly to me or online at https://www.pikespeakchallenge.com/includes/donation_search.php?hiker=William %20Boucher. This is a special event of the Brain Injury Association of Colorado and you will be able to print a tax-deductible receipt for your donation. If you would like to hike it as well, you can also register at the website. It requires a registration fee of $40 and minimum donations gathered of $150. You would be required to list a team name if you decide to hike. My team name is "Positive Altitude". Feel free to join the team!