One of the weird things about climbing a mountain in the northern hemisphere, is trying to train in the middle of the summer - since that's when you climb - and then actually climbing in temperatures that typically range from -10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The last 3 outdoor training climbs have been around 5:30pm in the afternoon when the temperature in Atlanta was between 95-98 degrees. Complicating matters, is the stadium I use to train is made of all concrete, so my guess is with the heat radiating off the bleachers the temperature is probably closer to 105, maybe more.
Forcing your body to adapt to those temperatures is very difficult, and then you have to turn around and throw a down jacket on to go climb. For instance, I climbed for an hour today with about 40+ pounds of weight in my pack and in that small amount of time, I drank over 2 liters of water and never got a water cramp. You get very dehydrated in the mountains, but you lose the water in a different way (You arent actually sweating it out).
So, I guess it could be worse (Training in the cold and then climbing in the heat), but hopefully this ridiculous heat will make climbing in freezing temperatures feel comfortable!
Ill be out of town until July 5th (Wedding & Honeymoon), but when I get back Ill be posting the official itinerary and other important tidbits about the climb. Hopefully, I will know who my guide is at that point as well (I still haven't been told).
SZ
ROCKY!! FIND A MEAT LOCKER!!!!
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