Chris and Nelson

This “Why I Climb” goes out to our fearless expedition leaders for our Kilimanjaro climb, Earth Treks’ Chris Warner and Nelson Laur.

Leading up to our climb, the Survivor Summit team would convene over conference calls to discuss logistics and equipment with Chris. He took the time to answer all our questions with as much detail as possible. He would always note that his job was to make sure we were safe, which would put my mind at ease. When we arrived in Tanzania, I expected to meet someone who was serious, detailed, regimented, and straight-laced.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

So Chris met us at the airport, and he was ready to joke with us immediately, even when we made our way up the mountain. Yes, he made sure to take care of the important issues that needed to be addressed, but he also wanted to ask us what our favorite road trip movies were or who we thought the worst actress of all time was. Additionally, he wanted to make fun of me for being from New Jersey (takes one to know one, Chris!). His counterpart, Nelson, was no different. He, too, instantly let his awesome personality shine while he led us across the trails of the mountain.

Both of these amazing guys would tell us ridiculous mountaineering tales over breakfast and dinner, then switch into serious discussion about our plans for climbing the following day, and then start joking again without missing a beat. All in all, their demeanor kept us focused and positive, as well as constantly amused.

The hours of hiking would fly by whenever Chris or Nelson were near me. I loved listening to both of them tell us stories, and I also appreciated that I always learned something new from them, whether it was about life, Kilimanjaro, climbing and hiking in general, or movie trivia. These guys had plenty of knowledge and experience to share, and I was always happy to hear about it.

Another great thing about our Earth Treks guides is that they were incredibly smart, quick-thinkers who could pretty much MacGyver their way around any situation. There was always a Plan B, C, or D. I was seriously impressed, for example, when Nelson led Mindy up the Barranco Wall with a rope in case she needed it, and designed a fool-proof, well-executed plan to help her (and the rest of us!) summit.

Chris and Nelson are incredibly well-traveled guys who have pretty much been through it all. And while climbing might be their job, tackling the next mountain or setting a new record isn’t the most important thing to them. Instead, they are very kind men with genuine adoration for their families. When I asked Nelson about the first meal he planned to eat when he got back to the United States, he smiled and replied, “a home-cooked meal. My wife is the best cook.” Same with Chris, whose smile beamed with pride whenever he would talk about how intelligent his young daughter is.

I think that the most valuable lesson I learned from both of them wasn’t: “how to summit a mountain.” It was: “how to live your life with plenty of heart.” Even when the climb was done, Chris and Nelson made sure we didn’t miss the point of it all. They had us sit in a circle and remark on the lessons we learned from/what we admired most about each other. And Chris’ blog post reiterated that our climb was made with great purpose and a lot of love. He wrote, “it is amazing how climbing for others brings out the very best in people.”

It was Chris and Nelson who truly helped bring out the best in all of us, and I will always consider them to be members of our Survivor Summit team. Thanks for everything, guys—I couldn’t have made it without both of you. Today, I climb for you.

Mike

This “Why I Climb” is dedicated to Mike King.

Mike is one of the founders of Survivor Summit, an organization which aims to lead cancer survivors and their supporters on life-altering journeys. The mission of this great organization is to inspire survivors, fighters, and communities to challenge the mental and physical boundaries associated with cancer.

Our climb of Kilimanjaro was the inaugural event for Survivor Summit, and the funds we raised benefited LIVESTRONG’s cancer programs and services. Mike and his brothers formulated the idea for the climb after Mike had summitted Kilimanjaro through a leadership program available at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.

So, a funny story about Mike is that he was wholly unprepared for his first trip to Africa’s highest peak because he didn’t bring the right gear at all. His sleeping bag was soaked at one point, and as a result, he had a few uncomfortably cold nights on the way to summit. But he still made it to the 19,341 foot peak, which speaks to the strength of his character and his determination.

This time around, Mike was so prepared; he had all the correct equipment and was able to lead the rest of us during conference calls when we were unsure about what to expect. If we needed to call him to ask him a question, he’d get back to us immediately. Additionally, he helped prepare all of our logistics and rescue insurance, and made sure that everything was attended to before we landed in Tanzania.

But I think being a leader is more than making sure that the odds-and-ends are all secured. Instead, I believe that a good leader is someone who shows genuine care and concern for others, and wants to see everyone succeed, even if it means taking a little longer than expected. Mike was an exceptional leader in this respect, as he often checked in on everyone during the climb, and would slow his pace down to reflect that of his teammates.

One of the things I will always fondly remember about Mike happened on Summit Day. Our plan was to break up into three groups, with:

Team Mindy (Mindy, Lachlan, Daniel, and Chad, with Earth Treks’ Nelson Laur leading), leaving first for Uhuru peak at 10:30 p.m.

Team K2 (Kim, Katie, Scott S., Scott A., Brian, Amy, and Danny, with Earth Treks’ Chris Warner leading) departing for summit at 11:30 p.m.

And Team Simba (Mike, Mona, Caroline, Missy, Chasse, and I) taking off after midnight.

The group I was with ended up passing the other groups within the first three hours or so of the climb (probably because we were motivated to climb quickly since it was so cold!). We made it to Stella Point by 6:30 a.m., and walked to the summit by 7:00 a.m. to watch the sun rise. Temperatures were -35 degree Fahrenheit. We took photos and held our honor flag high. We were instructed to make it down to Barafu camp after about 30 minutes. Missy and Caroline were beginning to develop headaches, so they took off quickly for the camp below. It looked like the rest of us would follow suit.

As I got ready to head for Barafu with Mona and Chasse, I planted my heels into the scree to ski down with my trekking poles. I then turned to see Mike looking elated to see the other group at Stella Point. He said that he was physically fine and that he wanted to hand off our honor flag to Team K2 and see how they were doing. Basically, he was going to stick around on the top of the mountain and summit twice that morning.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget that moment. I descended 4,000 feet to Barafu, all the while remembering the incredible leadership Mike had just displayed. I think he would have stayed for the rest of the day to see Team Mindy summit, too, if it had been physically possible. Mike was amazing that morning, as he made sure that our honor flag and our team all made it intact. Our entire team made it to 19,341 feet. The very first Survivor Summit event went off perfectly thanks to Mike.

“Leader.” That word describes Mike King perfectly, and it’s why I climb for him today, tomorrow, and always.