Mt Borah

This is a picture of me, Shawn, Jeremy, Rich, Steve, and Jen on top of Mt Borah. We climbed this yesterday. The day was perfect for a hike, cool with a breeze. The mountain had snow at several spots, with one substantial snow bridge at the end of "Chicken out ridge." This mountain is very brutal and unforgiving. However, as isolated as one is on top of Idaho, I witnessed true compassion from several individuals. As we were pressing up the summit the more experienced mountaineers in the group were passing their knowledge of the mountain on to the rest of us, telling us where to place each foot and where to get a firm hand hold on the "rotten" rock. As we reached the last 800 vertical feet of the climb each person found their own motivation for reaching the top. One of us was climbing the mountain for the first time and to bag this peak is phenomenal. Some were climbing to test their body. Rich in particular set an example of courage second to none this day. He informed us at the summit that no less than two weeks ago he had been diagnosed with stage four cancer. He was here because this is what he loves, to be outdoors. With this determination and fight he will certainly give cancer hell. It is a summit I will always remember.