For What It’s Worth: It’s Never Too Late

It's the same old story all over again and again. People complain about all those things that they can't do because of this and that. One thing I love about my job is that I don't get to meet those people at all. People I meet are full of energy, enthusiastic and sometimes crazy. Why? Because they do what they love and it shows. The best part? Showing the rest of the world it's worth. And people like Sarah Hart exactly do that. While she didn't have any climbing background as she discovered climbing later in life, she always followed her desires. And she had desire to climb. And from that moment on, like in cases of all of us, she got hooked; her desire became her passion.

8. 11. 2015 Photos: 28

Words by Saraha Hart: "For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again."

My first real ice climb!

I've been a lot of things in my 35 years; a morning person, a night owl, a dirtbag, a professional, a friend, a foe, a horse rider, a rock climber, a coffee slinger, a project manager, a traveler, an alpinist, a family member, an individual, a girlfriend, a wife.

While in Patagonia this last season, I knew that I'd be reinventing myself yet again when I returned home. As much as I desperately wished I could just be a rock climber, I needed to be a money maker too. Knowing that I'd be soon going back to full-time work, it was time for me to squeeze out every last opportunity to climb in cool places, and with cool people.

Well, if this was my last opportunity I needed to learn how to be an ice climber. What better way to reinvent myself as an ice climber than to commit to a mountain climbing trip to the Central Alaska Range, where ice replaces rock 99-1. Never in my wildest dreams...or nightmares, would I have envisioned myself climbing big snowy mountains in Alaska. It is about as far from my skill set as a climber that one can get. But, when else in my life am I going to find the time to learn how to be an Alaskan alpinist.

This would be my first WI4 lead. Was I ready?!

And there you have it. Apparently it was in really easy condition. I mean, there were giant holes all over the thing!

Naturally, I wasn't just going to go to Alaska with anyone. I was going to go with a real Alaskan, my shit-talking old friend, Seth. Seth was born in Fairbanks, and lives there today, in a cabin without plumbing he built with his own hands. He likes to go on 100 miles Nordic ski tours, and hang out in saunas. I mean, he's a real Alaskan.

Then we headed to the Stanley Headwall, where the big kids play. And where we intended to climb the easiest, measliest route on the wall, Sinus Gully.

I don't care if all we managed to do was climb the route with a snot reference. It was an amazing place to be, and I felt honoured to be climbing beside all these famous ice and mixed lines I'd only ever read about.

For a route named after snot, it's really beautiful. And was super fun! Seth on the first ice pitch.

Me climbing the second mixed pitch.

The culmination of Fat Camp was to be Murchison Falls. Here's Seth approaching the route.

Me leading off on the third pitch.

Motivation was high during our "Fat Camp 2015" and we climbed as many days as we were able to lift our hands above our heads in the morning. I learned how to place ice screws and lead ice in a variety of conditions. Seth took some really pretty pictures that you can find in below gallery.