What are you doing again?

Hey Guys, For those of you just finding this blog, here is who I am and what I'm doing:

My name is Jake Lange. I’m a 27 year old outdoor lover. I was very fortunate to be introduced to the outdoors at a young age through the Boy Scouts of America where I earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Since then I have been very active in the outdoors most recently completing a 2,650 mile hike of the Pacific Crest Trail in 2015. I have now decided to push myself father mentally and physically by learning the sport of mountaineering. For one of my first climbs I have planned a June 2016 summit attempt of Mt. Shasta, a 14,179 foot peak in northern California.  Along with going for the summit I plan to raise money for an organization called Big City Mountaineers. Big City Mountaineers is an amazing group that takes inner city children who wouldn’t otherwise have the chance into the outdoors. I feel that raising money through this climb is a great way to give back for all the great opportunities I have had in the outdoors.

The climb will take place over three days from June 23^rd to the 25^th of 2016.  I plan to go up the West Face route of Shasta with Shasta Mountain Guides. The West Face route of Mt. Shasta is less traveled and more remote than some of the other routes to the summit. The climb will start at 6,800 feet from the trail head parking lot and take about three days. We will make base camp in Hidden Valley after traversing a few snowfields and talus. Base camp will be at 9,200 feet. From Base camp we will head straight up the west face chute which is covered in snowfields and has a 40-45 degree slope for about 300 feet. We will follow the gully to the right and continue up to Fang Rock at about 12,500 feet. We will then climb to the saddle at 13,300 feet. From there we will follow a ridge and cross Whitney Glacier. This will take us to the top of Misery Hill where we will head for the summit via the summit plateau. We will hopefully reach the summit at 14,179 feet and then begin the descent. 

If you feel the same as I do about this cause or if you just want to see me try to climb a mountain, then I would like to ask you to consider making a donation towards my goal of $3,600 to go to Big City Mountaineers. I am paying my own guide fee up the mountain as well as acquiring my own gear. This means that all the money raised goes directly to the Summit for Someone event and Big City Mountaineers. I currently am accepting donations online through a Crowdrise account under the name of Jake’s Shasta Climb. You can also click on the Donate Now widget on the right side of this blog. In addition to the blog I am documenting the climb through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Feel free to check it out:

Facebook: Jake's Summit for Someone

Instagram: Jake_lange (check it out on the right side of the blog)

Twitter: @jakelange1

Also check out Big City Mountaineers to see what an awesome organization they are.

Thanks and stayed tuned for more,
Jake

"The Wonderful things in life are the things you do, not the things you have."
-Reinhold Messner