The last, and only other time I tried to climb Mt Baker, my friend Gary Lawton and I looked up at the gathering clouds licking the 10,781 ft summit from about 9,000 feet and decided we'd lose that fight with Mother Nature. We were then literally chased down the mountain by the descending clouds of an incoming storm. Luckily we were on skis and made fast tracks back to the tent, where we were socked in with pea-soup thick clouds about 5 minutes after we got there. Close call, kind of scary.

But not nearly as scary as the prospect of facing cancer. Which brings me back to Mt Baker August 8-10 as part of the Climb to Fight Breast Cancer. My Mom battled breast cancer and lost in 1999. I do this in part for her, but maybe more for those who are still with us. Who will have to fight that dreadful, scary fight. And hopefully the funds raised through my efforts and your generosity will help make that battle a little shorter, a little less painful and a little less scary. Click here to go to my Climbing Page through the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's Climb To Fight Breast Cancer. Below are some pics from a ski climb I did last weekend from White Pass, WA. My first training climb for Mt Baker. I like to think it would make Mom happy and proud.

Thanks for reading and for any contribution you can make to help fight breast cancer.
Happy Trails,

Matt Zaffino
KGW Chief Meteorologist

Snow camping at 6500 ft in the Goat Rocks Wilderness

Squinting in the strong spring sun

Our cozy little camp

View of Mt Rainier

1 Comments

Charles Pergiel said:

Nice story, nice pics. Thanks.

May 25, 2008 5:14 PM

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