Chief Anne Kirkpatrick, mountain climber…
Good evening, Netizens...
[Portions from KXLY-TV and their respective web site]
I am certain there are some who will
shake their sage heads at me and complain I must have gone “over to
the other side” or some other claptrap, but such is not the case. Police Chief Anne
Kirkpatrick celebrated her 50th birthday by climbing Mount
Rainier, which I know from years spent hiking around Mount Hood, is
no simple feat at all.Yet hardly anyone noticed her achievement, something I found lacking.
Climbers, even experienced climbers, have encountered technical challenges climbing Ranier in the past, and have been forced by foul weather and climbing conditions to return to base camp, but in Chief Kirkpatrick's favor is her will to achieve her goals.
According to KXLY-TV Chief Kirkpatrick
hiked the nine and one-half miles from the Paradise Visitor's Center
to the Ranier crater over two days, she reached the peak at
approximately 12,500 feet just shortly after sunrise.That is some serious climbing.
Before anyone mutters some deprecations about who paid for her climb, Chief Kirkpatrick paid for it all herself; after all, it was her birthday present to herself.
Only half of the 9,000 people who set out to climb Mt. Rainier last year actually reached the summit, because it is treacherous and not an easy climb. This year Anne Kirkpatrick added her name to those that had made it to the top.
Happy Birthday, Chief Kirkpatrick and congratulations on a successful and safe climb.
Dave