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29029 Whistler Recap

Forest Floor to Alpine Air

By 29029 Everesting

September 27^th, 2023

In the heart of Whistler, a unique dance of nature and endurance prepares to unfold.

The towering mountain stands as a compelling metaphor for the epic adventure that brims on the horizon.

A community of 333 participants stands poised - anticipation, nerves and excitement hanging in the cool morning air.

This was the beginning of 29029 Whistler, where each step would whisper a story of growth and transformation while unveiling vistas of self-discovery.

The Emergent Ascent

At the base of Blackcomb Mountain, towering Douglas Firs and Cedars underscore the tale of resilient growth participants have begun.

Below the canopy, a vibrant green carpet of lush moss stretched forth, basking in the sunlight that filtered through the towering trees above. The endless cycle of natural growth was front and center as climbers ascended through these woods.

Mirroring that growth of the forest, you were also embarking on a personal odyssey of expansion.

The mountain beckoned you to evolve - to ascend towards self-improvement - and echo the steadfast growth of the ancient cedars.

With every upward step through the forest, you blossomed into a newer, stronger version of yourself.

Each footstep urged you to embrace the mountain - and 29029’s - lesson of persistent growth.

A Transformative Trail

As you ascended, the ancient woods eventually began to thin, signaling a transformation. The increasing altitude - now over 4,000 feet - revealing a more demanding landscape.

Old growth trees begin to yield to a mosaic of ferns and autumn-tinted shrubbery, painting a vibrant testament to change: changing of the forest, changing of the seasons, and changing of you, as you continue to ascend towards a new version of yourself.

In this realm of shifting landscapes, you caught your first glimpse of the journey’s progress. Surrounded by the towering peaks of the surrounding mountain ranges, you started to gain a fresh perspective on the monumental challenge of 29029.

Amidst those hues of autumn, you began to witness the emerging outlines of your transformed self, slowly but surely being reshaped by the demands of the mountain.

Each foot forward - each step upward - served to show you the burgeoning resilience and capabilities you had hidden deep down.

The Full View

Climbing, yet higher still, the trail's incline sharpened further. Each step, requiring more effort than the last, brought you through the sub-alpine until, eventually, you broke free.

You had made it.

Above the trees.

Up in the clouds.

Firmly in the alpine.

Sweeping views unfurled below - unobstructed beauty of towering peaks and boundless vistas.

But, more crucial was the unobscured view of the internal transformation that was taking place.

From the summit, it started to become clear.

A single ascent was a monumental achievement - a bold statement of courage and tenacity - but it was also just the beginning.

There was more left to conquer.

Resilient Rhythms

Within the terrain of Blackcomb, the ascent trail unfurls its formidable test of strength and spirit.

What may have seemed easy on the first ascent becomes challenging as fatigue set in. Each step up steep staircases, each root-entwined path, and each rocky ascent whispered a challenge, daring your resolve to waver.

Yet, in every challenge thrown at you, you persevered - the beacon of 29029 shining brightly, willing you towards the summit again.

And again.

You kept climbing, knowing the summit’s allure lay not in its height, but in the journey that paves the way.

Dusk's Blaze

As the curtain of night began to descend, the horizon erupted into vibrant hues - a timeless masterpiece painted by the setting sun's brush strokes.

Amidst this celestial dance, you may have paused, albeit briefly, to bask in the glow of the setting sun.

Yet, as the colors faded into night, the mountain still whispered of your unfinished odyssey.

The climb, like the endless canvas of the skies above, continued its call - beckoning you to continue ascending toward your goal.

In The Clouds

The dawn of day 2 wrapped Blackcomb in a shroud of moody mountain weather. Echoes of rain, sleet and snow reverberated down the slopes.

What was once epic mountain views was now a wall of thick fog.

Each step upwards literally brought you further up into the clouds.

The weather, unyielding in tenacity was only one-upped by your resolve to keep climbing. Despite obscured peaks and lashing elements, you pushed on.

Each step acted as a resounding affirmation of who you were becoming.

You don’t quit. You don’t stop when things get hard. You keep climbing, even when the summit is out of view.

The White Carpet

Usually, triumph at 29029 is capped off in the traditional hue of red: a walk down the Red Carpet and pulling on a Red Hat.

In Whistler, it became speckled with white as the clouds unleashed a blizzard of snow.

Yet, even amidst the blizzard’s assault, the flames of celebration burned bright.

Your journey, a monumental saga of endurance, improvement, and achievement, resonated far beyond the mountain peaks.

Stepping up to the summit was a story of tenacity, community, and evolving limits.

Here are just a few of those stories:

Broken Bones, Not Broken Promises

Just 8 days before the startline of 29029 Whistler, Jordan underwent surgery for a shattered clavicle. A cycling mishap had plunged him into a complex healing journey that would involve cadaver bones, metal plates, and an invasive surgery.

Despite his fragile state, Jordan clung to a vow he had made when he registered. He would scale the slopes of Whistler, no matter what.

With his doctor’s reluctant nod and his arm confined to a sling, Jordan trudged through the agony and unease, truly earning each step through sheer tenacity.

8 ascents later, his triumph echoed as he walked the Red Carpet, gripping his earned Red Hat with a single, steady hand.

47

Zebley, a long-standing 29029 legend, has a tradition: every year for his birthday, he runs his age in miles. Two weeks before his 47 birthday, he injured his knee, rendering any long-distance running impossible.

Zebley knew the transformative power of a 29029 mountain (this was his tenth, after all), and he also knew that Whistler was the longest distance over the course of any of the 29029 slopes. He did the math, and realized 12 ascents - 1.5 times what it takes to reach Everest - was not only 47 miles, but also 47,000 feet of vertical ascent.

In a true test of endurance, Zebley crested the mountain twelve times to ring in his birthday. Amidst exhaustion, legs trembling, he lingered at the peak, basking in the camaraderie and uplifting the rest of the 29029 family in their shared pursuit of their summits.

Nana

It only took 3 ascents for Nana to become a 29029 legend. At the vibrant age of 80, she acted as the seasoned guardian of the slopes, embracing each climber with warmth and encouragement.

Despite the flat terrains of Florida that she called home, her preparation mirrored the mountain’s grandeur, spending endless hours on an incline treadmill at her local gym.

Yet it was her luminous spirit that would define her journey at Whistler. Her 3 ascents, marked by unwavering smiles, echoed through the trails as a beacon of joy and resilience in the face of the mountain’s capricious moods.

Navigating sun, steeps, rain, sleet, and snow, Nana’s triumphant trio of ascents etched her name into 29029 lore.

Beyond the Summit

As the echoes of 333 stories from Blackcomb's slopes linger, the real journey begins. Jordan’s tenacity, Zebley’s epic birthday, and Nana’s warmth and encouragement all paint a mosaic of resilience and growth that is only built further by every other tale from the mountain.

Amid the alpine echoes, the transformative experience of 29029 Whistler transcends the mountain, extending into everyday life, sowing seeds for the climbs yet to come.