A Halloween ghosting: A haunting tale of depression

Trigger warning: Despite the spooky, festive title, this post is actually a recap of the darkest, longest bout of depression in my entire life (so far). There is plenty of thankfulness and hope in my heart as I look back at this experience. But if you're looking for some light, fun reading, skip to one of my other posts. There is a silver lining in every situation. Cheers!


Ghosting (goh-sting): the practice of suddenly ending all contact with a person without explanation

Inspired by today's Halloween Dictionary.com word of the day, ghosting (certainly not in the romantic sense, as it's defined there), I'm recalling one of the times I was ghosted by one of my random adventure buddies.  Though not her fault in any way, it sent sent me into a spiral of depression that, quite literally, nearly cost me my life.

I'm simplifying this story for brevity, but it more or less started with a Mount St. Helens climb. A few years ago, a buddy from Roseburg had been asking for months to replace our climb plans that fell through when she got injured. She sounded so enthusiastic about climbing a mountain with me... Or even just hiking something. And incidentally, I was getting more interested in technical mountain climbs myself. She suggested all these cool routes we could try. As a people pleaser (yes, to a fault), I couldn't bear to let her down.

Some time later, she abruptly stopped returning my messages. No reason was given, and no "Nah, I changed my mind" or "Oops, we missed our weather window" was hinted at.  Just silence. No responses.

A person without depression would've shrugged this off (as I would now as well, had it happened more recently). But tragically, at the time I didn't have the basic coping skills yet to be that person. I spent the next 18 months (lowball estimate) crying, staying awake nearly all night for days/weeks/MONTHS on end, scrutinizing every hike we had taken for a navigational blunder, replaying every conversation for something I may have said wrong, rereading/wincing over every Facebook message I had ever sent to this person, and drafting even more awkward messages to send. I beat myself up day and night.

It became a self-defeating cycle. The worse the pain of depression from the ghosting grew, the more desperate and emotional my messages became.  And the more messages I sent, the more I hated myself for sending overly emotional messages that I wished I could unsend. Why, oh why, can't Facebook have an unsend button?, I agonized. I was crippled by depression, and, even more sleep-robbing, super embarrassed that it took me so long to curb my efforts to reach out.

Had I done something wrong to deserve a ghosting, I wondered? Possibly. When I had met her for a day trip in Verona, Italy (Yep, I still hook up with buddies overseas often), I was living off extreme sleep deprivation like no man has ever encountered. I must have been an incoherent zombie.  I slept for a record 13+ hours (!) when I left Verona that night to hook up with my next round of buddies in Venice.

Had I said something wrong to deserve a ghosting, I wondered? Probably. Again, as the pain of depression stabbed me in the chest every night until 3:30 a.m., I definitely began to type some sappy, regrettable stuff that I didn't even mean.  But the pain was so crushing. Every month that passed, I plotted to end my life. I never even thought about that friend, or the ghosting, anymore...

It became completely about me, and what I might have done wrong. I was no longer myself.

Would I ever get closure as to why I got ghosted, I wondered? A quick, "Oops, I never got back to you" or standard-issue "Hope you're doing well" message? No. And again, a non-depressed person would never have been so devastated by a casual friend doing that, anyway. It shouldn't have been a big deal. She probably just forgot. But due to my depression working overtime, I couldn't live without hearing a "everything is cool" reassurance from an otherwise casual, only occasionally thought of adventure buddy.


Thankfully, at what would have been the final hours of my life, God sent me a dear friend who would help me put all of this in perspective: How depression distorts reality, how I am worth being friends with (and being alive), etc... But that's a story for another day, with a happier outcome.

Am I upset at the bummer friend who did the ghosting? Of course not. Social media connects us with more friends than we could ever keep track of. Too many amazing friends, too little time. And it's impossible to know who may be struggling with occasional mental health issues.

I'm thankful for every person I've ever known. No exceptions. Every friend I've ever had is amazing, just the way they are. There are no former friends.

My prayer is that I will be the best friend I can be, to everyone who needs one. Everyone is special. And everyone needs to know that they are loved, cared for, and appreciated.

Happy Halloween, friends!

That's me in the red shirt, paying tribute to the late Burt Reynolds with my '80s mustache and "Smokey and the Bandit" costume.

An Instagram pic from my annual Halloween costume hike I led last Saturday)

From tonight's Instagram Story: A mostly Star Wars-themed night of trick-or-treating

Mount Kilimanjaro: On Our Way to Climb to the Roof of Africa

Photo (and photos below) from my Instagram Story

My heart is pounding as I fly across the Atlantic Ocean, knowing that in two days I will start climbing the highest mountain in the Africa. Mount Kilimanjaro towers above the plains of Tanzania at 19,340 feet (5,895 meters). Previously, the highest mountain I've ever climbed was a relatively modest 14,164' (4317 m) tall.

The cushy Delta One cabin crew has treated me well on this flight from Portland to Amsterdam. I've mostly slept and read books on my Kindle Paperwhite.

An appetizer before the crab cakes

Breakfast, and second breakfast

As soon as I land in Holland, I'll upload this blog and be on the lookout for my two Delta coworkers, Chris and Rod. I proposed this Mount Kilimanjaro climb to Chris a year ago, and Rod took the idea and ran with it.

Assuming we all make it to Tanzania, we're about to have the adventure of a lifetime!

Bonus pic:  It was snowing at the house before I left for PDX Airport. Look at these two little treasures who rushed out to play in it!

Off the grid

No April Fools.  Life is getting busy.... Family, ministry, travel, and all those wilderness/mountain outings I lead.  I'm gonna take a break from Garth's Blog (but not from my other blogs, nor Twitter) so I can focus on writing the remaining credentialing reports for my ministerial licensing process.

Garth's Blog will return.

Here is a re-post from one of my other blogs about my anxiety of being phoneless, originally posted last month:

March 4, 2017

Day 3 of no cell phone.  Cancelling my Mount Hood climb up/ ski down event that I was leading for NW Wilderness yesterday was a bit of a relief.  It's a challenge to coordinate these outings without a phone.  Though I was bummed that the mountain weather was too extreme for my friends and I to play on the slopes... What could beat sitting inside a Sprint repair store for 3+ hours on a sunny Saturday instead?  Blah.

Grumbling aside, being phone-free has ultimately been a calming experience for me.  But first, I had to overcome the expected anxieties:

• My friends are gonna think I'm either a flake or a jerk for not texting them back (some of them apparently followed up on Facebook, which I also can't check when I'm away from WiFi).
• How will my loved ones get ahold of me in an emergency, or if they need me for something?
• I have plans with my surfing buddy and also hiking/climbing friends this upcoming week... How will any of them let me know if something comes up?
• I already miss my Twitter friends.
• How many Instagram friends will I lose from not posting my daily Instagram Story pics?
• When I'm away from WiFi, how will I even message my overseas friends to plan our international trip for next weekend?

Looking back at this list, it's embarassing to see how overly social I am.  It's silly.  And it's sobering to realize how much I kill myself to stay in touch with the people I love.

Everything will be alright.  I'll see my friends when I see them.  In the meantime, I'm gonna enjoy being offline.

From my Instagram Story:  The latest winter adventure I led for NW Wilderness was, ahem, eventful.

Go, tell it on the mountain (summits)

Taking another group into the mountains last weekend, climbing above 10,000 feet on Mount Hood. So proud of everyone who signed up! Photo of me by Jason Lenhart.

A photo posted by Garth Hamilton (@garth_hamilton) on Oct 2, 2016 at 5:52pm PDT

Instagram photo from a climb I led in August

I’ve led more than a dozen scrambles, climbs, and hikes (and no more for 2016)...

...Though I’ve already 

posted a New Year’s coastal hike for next week (RSVP for free HERE!).

Leading a fun Munra Point hike/scramble last month... With a 300+ foot drop-off below our feet. Photo by @cavergene

A photo posted by Garth Hamilton (@garth_hamilton) on Sep 2, 2016 at 7:01pm PDT

Climbing Mount Hood again, last week
(uncropped Instagram Story pic)

I’ve traveled to my final overseas country of the year…

...Though another international friends-visiting trip is in the works for January.

Switzerland, Italy, France, Iceland (pictured), and Mexico were among the list
(Previously unseen pic from my Instagram Story)

I’ve concluded my teaching series for youth group…

...Though I’ll be speaking at the Portland area all-night youth party this week.

Most of my outings and expeditions have been wrapped up for 2016...

...But the dearest adventure to my heart will never end:

Family time with those adorable Ls!

Merry Christmas, from our family to yours!!

Flying home from hiking in Switzerland

Written last weekend, from Switzerland’s Zurich airport:

Ice climbing in Iceland (to prep for my Mont Blanc climb in France this June with Aaron, Fleur, and Manu and my Mount Hood climbs in March) got pushed back a bit.

The reason:  It turns out Delta’s inaugural New York-Reykjavik flight wasn’t scheduled to launch until last Thursday… Not enough time to make it home for my work shift tomorrow.  Another family visit to South Africa was ruled out, as well.

Zurich:  Me and Bo, after climbing the stairs up to the south steeple of Grossmunster cathedral

Rather than hang around the house for 6 ½ days, my dad and I flew to Switzerland for a few days.  Apologies to my buddies in Italy and Switzerland who have been asking about getting together while I’m in the region.  Next time!

Bo and I flew standby and got Delta's Business Elite cabin seats on the overseas flight from New York to Switzerland, hiked and toured the snowy Zurich area, and are now about to fly back home to the U.S. in Business Elite seats again!

My dad and I take a train from Zurich up to the Swiss hiking trails last weekend.

A photo posted by Garth Hamilton (@garth_hamilton) on Mar 13, 2016 at 6:11pm PDT

I’ll Instagram some Switzerland photos and share some stories on Garth’s Blog when we get back to the States.  I also penned a few upcoming adventure blog posts while we‘ve been overseas, with pics to be added.

Next time we’re in the region, little Lena and Levi are gonna love feasting on the Alps!

Up next…

“Just Read” book reviews of:

“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” “Star Wars: Aftermath,” and other new canon Star Wars novels!

From Dubai-- Just Read: "Aloof" by Tony Kriz, and Ntl. Outdoor Leadership School's Wilderness Guide

Posted from the Dubai airport in the United Arab Emirates, these two book reviews will also be posted on my Goodreads page when I fly home to the States.

And of course, my current Dubai travelogue (as well as other recent travelogues and mountain climbs) are coming soon!

First up...  Aloof: Figuring Out Life With a God Who Hides, by Tony Kriz

Warner Pacific College’s author-in-residence Tony Kriz is such a cool and fascinating guy in real life, I was eager to read his latest book when I spotted it in the Kindle store last year.  “Aloof: Figuring Out Life With a God Who Hides” did not disappoint, even as it deals with spiritual disappointment as one of its themes.  Kriz wrestles with the notion of a God who does not always reveal Himself to us in tangible ways.

Doubt, skepticism, and a genuine yearning to know God permeate Kriz’s personal reflections on his life, part of the process which he refers to as “narrative spiritual formation.”  The purpose of sharing this discipline is to invite the reader to consider their own story and answer these questions:

What do I believe about God’s presence… and God’s absence?

Why does God hide from us?

Why do I hide from God?

Shallow, formulaic beliefs about prayer and how God works in this world are challenged by stories from Kriz’s own faith journey, often running counter to what he was dutifully taught about how God ought to behave and reveal Himself to seekers.  The disappointment of not feeling God tangibly enough, or at all, is a common theme of many of these stories.

Without giving away too much of the book, “Aloof” is, in a narrative sense, examining scenarios in which God may purposely be hiding Himself from us according to our seasons of life and stages of faith.  The stories range from painfully candid (It’s heartbreaking to read about the reactions of well-meaning adults in response to his perceived childhood encounter with God, and especially later, when a teenage Kriz tragically feels compelled to publically lie and share what he THINKS his church wants to hear about God’s indisputable presence after a mission trip to Ecuador)…

…To heart racingly inspirational (His harrowing incidents in the Philippines and also at the Albanian Greek embassy both left me thinking, ‘Wow, Tony… next time, lead with THAT!’).  It’s refreshing that none of his anecdotes neither assume nor dispute God’s participation in the events of his life.  There’s no magic “if this, then that” assertion of how God reveals Himself.  The tension between doubt and faith is highlighted and engaged, rather than dismissed and explained away with pat answers.

Kriz scores bonus Garth points for using the archetypal superhero’s journey as a parallel to suggest how we may benefit and grow from God’s “suspicious presence,” even when God seems to deny us any awareness of it.  On a personal note, however, one specific facet of Kriz’ superhero analogy offended me on two different levels.  But I couldn’t reasonably expect everyone’s Christology to line up neatly behind my own admittedly subjective and ever-evolving theological understandings.

Verdict:  Highly recommended for all open-minded readers.  This is a compelling, authentic read about the complexities of experience, doubt, and faith which refuses to reduce a relationship with God to simplistic formulas or comforting human relationship analogies.

One of the other books I read in January was The National Outdoor Leadership School's Wilderness Guide, by Mark Harvey.

As a hiking/expedition leader for local Pacific NW organizations myself, I was curious as to what wisdom Mark Harvey would impart to aspiring outdoor leaders.  Turns out that the advice here is very basic, but the (occasionally dated) information is presented with a good sense of humor and some amusing stories.

Outdoor skills covered in this volume include how to:  Plan expeditions (goals, routes), select equipment and clothing, set up camp, get along with others on trips, use maps and compasses (I’m still an old-school map guy, so I would’ve appreciated an updated edition covering GPS units), deal with emergencies, anticipate and prepare for weather, cook food in the backcountry, and preserve the land.

Though the majority of Harvey’s advice would be common sense for outdoor junkies like myself, I read this book from cover to cover and even jotted down a few notes into Evernote.  For a more detailed how-to guide pertaining to my more specific passion for mountaineering, check out The Mountaineer's Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills.  I’m currently rereading "Freedom of the Hills" on Kindle for the second time within the past 10 months… It’s THAT helpful.

Verdict:  Recommended for outdoor newbies and relatively inexperienced outdoor enthusiasts who’d like to brush up on their backcountry skills, as well as learn the basics of leading groups into the wilderness.

Belgium, Pt. 1- Australian surfboard upset

Levi took his first international flight to Europe last week, and @delta gave him a front row seat!

A photo posted by Garth Hamilton (@garth_hamilton) on Oct 12, 2015 at 5:59pm PDT

A second round of Australian surfing just wasn't meant to be.  And to make it worse, Australian Surfboard Upset sounds more like a crowdbreaker game I'd devise for my church youth group than a respectable blog post title.  It can be hard for a youth pastor's brain to switch modes.  


Just prior to this month's Hamilton family European vacation, I had sent my parents to Australia for a few weeks.  My plan was to meet them in Sydney for a couple days, fly home to the U.S., and then bring Kathy and the kids to Europe the very next day.

In Sydney, I would do the tourist thing with my folks, visit some Aussie friends while I'm in town, and finally hit Bondi Beach for some surfing.  Australia boasts the BEST surfing I've had in my life, hands down.


Long story short, I screwed up my visa.  Everything got fixed... But after all that hassle, the flight from L.A. to Sydney was oversold anyway.  Ironically, a solid year of scoring a ton of Business Elite seats for my Delta buddy pass riders had lead to me getting stuck in L.A.

Thankfully, one of my favorite buddies Joseph saved me from an overnight stay in LAX airport by letting me crash in one of his rental houses in Hollywood. After a post-midnight nosh at In-N-Out Burger, Joseph set me up in a room so I could write my most recent blog post (see link to that previous "Salt Lake City- Delta Velvet 360" post) and get some sleep.

I'd make one last attempt to fly out to Australia the next evening.

Open air breakfast of paleo coconut pancakes and coffee in Hollywood, courtesy of Candace

None of my photos with Joseph are really worth sharing here, but my Instagram followers may remember this photo collage of my most recent Hollywood visit:

Sunset Blvd, Hollywood last weekend, with my good buddy @joeshoots3d

A photo posted by Garth Hamilton (@garth_hamilton) on Jun 14, 2015 at 3:25pm PDT

The next evening's L.A. flight to Sydney was also oversold, so I flew home to start our family European vacation a few days early.  Sadly, little Lena was ill when I got back.

Rather than flying to Europe early, we spent those extra few days waiting for Lena to get better.  I even stayed home on Sunday to take care of Lena, so Mommy could watch Levi in the church nursery.

Other than getting out to climb or seeing the occasional friend, most of my remaining week of Delta vacation was spent at home.

Climbing intro lesson for my friend Gwen, just to get her belay certified at Stoneworks Climbing Gym

A few days later, Mommy finally gave Lena a clean bill of health.  We scooped up Lena and Levi, hurried to PDX Airport, and loaded those little Ls on the very next departing plane.

Economy Comfort seats for all of us: That's airlinese for Fancy Coach

Coming next, after leading a NW Wilderness climb to the summit of the South Sister volcano and our thrilling scramble/ rappel down the Mystery Trail...

Belgium, Pt. 2- The story finally begins!

Upcoming overseas travels.. And more!

Photo: Goofing around on my birthday Mount Shasta climb last month-- Story and photos from our climb, and other recent outdoor expeditions, are coming soon!

Mushroom Rock, 12,800 feet

A photo posted by Garth Hamilton (@garth_hamilton) on Aug 31, 2015 at 12:31pm PDT

Baby Levi's U.S. passport should arrive any week now.  Now that the spring/summer hiking and climbing season is slowing down, it's time once again to get the Hamiltons out and about.  And of course, that includes our occasional quick trips overseas!

Studying for my "Big Church" sermons has kept me too occupied to update this blog recently (or participate in the annual Triple D hiking event with NW Wilderness last weekend!).  I'll be back after my preaching to blog about some about some of the recent outdoor events that I've lead.


But for now... not in any chronological order, here are just a few upcoming trips on the horizon for us in early fall:

1. Destination unknown: Europe, South America, or Asia

Lena's very first overseas trip, to Spain

Whenever Levi's passport gets here, his first international journey will be ready for him.  And lil' Lena is way past due for her next overseas jaunt.  Her 4th birthday is next week!

2.  Waterfall rappelling, Take 2  (Undisclosed location)

In search of waterfalls to #rappel down off of, with the Mountain Hamster for my birthday yesterday... Mount Shasta climb is tomorrow!

A photo posted by Garth Hamilton (@garth_hamilton) on Aug 13, 2015 at 8:35pm PDT

Both caution and a tight timeline got the best of Katya and me when we trekked out and geared up for this last month.  Once again, we'll need to commit to the entire canyoneering route after rappelling the first of the waterfalls... With no escape options until we complete the circuit, the first rappel will mark a point of no return.

If I can finish enough of my sermon prep this week, we may head out into the wilderness again on Friday for a second shot at this canyoneering thrill ride.  Rope and harnesses ready!

3.  Australia

Several years have passed since we last went Down Under for hiking, caving, and surfing.  And it just so happens that my parents will soon be exploring Australia for a few weeks.  Hmm, I wonder if I'll run into them?

4.  Banks Lake, WA- camping/boating

Was there any doubt we'd be making an appearance at our family's annual Banks Lake camping trip this month?  Wakeboarding, waterskiing, and tubing are much more enjoyable in those warmer waters.

5.  Salt Lake City- Delta Airline's Velvet 360 event

It was an honor to be asked to represent PDX at Delta's upcoming two-day event in Utah.  According to previous Velvet 360 guests, it looks to be quite a unique opportunity.

6.  Italy-France-- Mont Blanc climb

My recent daytrip to Italy was only long enough to visit a couple of friends.  I'm hoping to string together a few days soon for another, more extended weekend.  But like fall, Mont Blanc's weather conditions are a wild card so late in the climbing season.

If not a climb, then we'll just throw one of our usual Italian get-togethers.  This overseas trip will be another quickie, but those are always worth it!

7.  Middle Sister climb [New! Added 9-15]

Some of our mountaineering crew from last month's Mount Shasta climb are headed south again, this time to the relatively local Central Oregon.  The date is set.  We're still working out the details, but it's looking like a drive-camp-climb-summit-descent... all squeezed into two days.  Only Sam.

Mexico mission, Day 7 (previously unpublished)

My birthday Mount Shasta climb over the weekend was a great way to cap off an exciting week of birthday adventures with family and friends!  As usual, I'll try to blog photos and stories from a few of those recent hiking and climbing outings when I get a chance.  There have been so many recent outdoor adventures! 

This previously unpublished post from Mexico was a snapshot of our mission trip earlier this month, from the morning of Day 7.  WiFi was down on the Thursday morning when I originally attempted to upload this post from Vicente Guerrero for our home Churches of God in the U.S.  Since this post has been stuck on my PC until now, I've also added some more recent Mexico photos for this release.

For a throwback, last year's blog update from Mexico is here.  Check back here later for an upcoming look at this month's entire Mexico trip, from guest blogger Kathy!

Garth, Kathy, Tim, Patricia, Vi, and Harry outside Welcome Home Outreach Ministries headquarters in Vicente Guerrero, Mexico 

Hello, loving church families and supporters in the U.S.!   It's Day 7 of our mission trip here in Vicente Guerrero, Mexico. Working with Welcome Home Outreach Ministries, God has allowed our combined group from Aloha, Fresno, and Tigard Churches of God to accomplish much so far.



At the beginning of this week, we completed rebuilding a roof for our new friend Victor and his family.

Worshiping en español at the local Calvary Chapel church on Sunday, before beginning the week's projects

Rebuilding a roof for a family in need, in Mexico last week

A photo posted by Garth Hamilton (@garth_hamilton) on Aug 14, 2015 at 7:12pm PDT

Victor and the boys standing on the finished roof

The second roof we had hoped to rebuild was far too deteriorated for us to work on.  Rather than miss an opportunity to help that family, we decided to finance the materials for an upcoming group to build with.

Project 2: Neri points out the structural damage and unsafe deterioration of the second roof.

Our third and current project, pictured below, was brought to our attention completely unexpectedly. Eternal Anchor, an orphanage organization for disabled/special needs children, has been in need of a temporary structure to store some medical equipment for the upcoming school year. Thanks to some previously donated building materials, the only things missing were some willing and available laborers!

Since we were looking for a replacement followup project anyway, we started building a shed for Eternal Anchor on Wednesday.

Project 2, Day 1: Mixing mortar and cement, and laying the foundation

Our final Mexico project- Building a storage facility for Eternal Anchor, an orphanage/ therapy center for disabled children

A photo posted by Garth Hamilton (@garth_hamilton) on Aug 20, 2015 at 12:12pm PDT

Project 3, Day 3 (Day 7 in Mexico)

Almost done!  Breaking for lunch on Day 7, with only some final roofing and a coat of paint remaining

Finally, here are some shots of the children served by the ministries we support here in Mexico:

Mexico: Train of local kids being served by Welcome Home Outreach Ministries at our home base

A photo posted by Garth Hamilton (@garth_hamilton) on Aug 17, 2015 at 3:08pm PDT

Austin introduces a few of the special needs children that he, Deborah, and others care for at the Eternal Anchor orphanage

We expect to finish construction of the shed for Eternal Anchor by this afternoon, allowing us to drive back up to the U.S. border tomorrow morning. Thank you for your support and continued prayers!

Upcoming climbs!

2015 has been a great year for mountain lovers.  Despite the low snow levels, I and a record number of my good friends have been following our dreams to climb to the peaks that we've always longed to reach.

Within the past year, I've been blessed with opportunities to summit Mount Hood, Mount Adams, multiple times up Mount St. Helens, and other less famous peaks.  Some are outings that I've lead for NW Wilderness or other local groups.  Family schedule permitting, I'm hoping to squeeze a few more in.

Never before seen photo of Katya and I on the summit of Mount Hood!

Our final Mount Hood climb of the year has been bumped up considerably to chase after the official end of the "safe" climbing season last week.  Time slipped away from us this year.  Don't judge-- I was asked to climb, I didn't volunteer.  But how could I say no?  We promise we'll turn around and descend if we observe that the post-season rockfall or crevasses are too dangerous.


It's up to another, more experienced climbing buddy whether or not we will again pursue my ever-elusive hopes of climbing Mount Rainier (links are in blue) this summer.


But there will certainly be another Mount Adams climb or two in the mix.  If I lead a two-day climb, we would be climbing to camp at altitude before summitting the next day.  The other climb I'd like to participate in, organized by another leader, would be a single day ascent.


I hope to be climbing, rappelling, or doing whatever my favorite friend Katya is in the mood for this week... both today and on Friday.  But great friends are more important than the activities we choose.  And this weekend's insane 32-mile, 7500+ elevation gain circumnavigation of Mount St Helens will be a tough and painful but ridiculously fun scramble over some really rough terrain for us.  I've been looking forward to this one since hearing about last year's notorious expedition that ended on 2:17 a.m the next day.  I feel like I'm in great shape, although this trip will probably deal the final blow to my orthotic inserts before they need to be repaired.  Future Mount St Helens climbs are on hold until this fall season, but Garth's Blog readers can soon expect an upcoming blog post about the most recent climb I led up to the St. Helens rim.


Many more hikes and scrambles are in the works, but I only have time to lead one or two a month.  I'm also excited to lead upcoming hikes for a couple of local churches, as well as rallying some friends in Europe for a Mount Blanc summit bid.


All of these plans are subject to change.  I won't be updating this "Upcoming Climbs" post, as I often do.  Rather, I'll be sharing some of these adventures here on Garth's Blog and Twitter as they happen.  Someone like me doesn't deserve to have these opportunities, or to blessed with such amazing and supportive friends and family... but I thank God for all of this.

**********

Family always comes first.  And our student ministry at Aloha Church of God is also the highest priority, with a special emphasis on growing our ministry and fundraising for our upcoming Mexico mission trip with Welcome Home Outreach Ministries.  Gotta have priorities!

Coming next, after our Loowit 360 marathon scramble...

The crew and me on our #hike up to Nesmith Point a couple weeks ago; This weekend's hike is gonna be insane!

A photo posted by Garth Hamilton (@garth_hamilton) on Jun 11, 2015 at 1:03pm PDT

Taking a group on our most recent hike, to Nesmith Point!

Just read: Mount Hood- South Side Route

Since climbing Mount Hood myself a few days ago (photos and stories from recent hikes/climbs are coming soon), I decided to finally review "Mount Hood- South Side Route" on my flight home from the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon.

Katya and I on the summit of Mount Hood a few days ago, squinting into the sun.

This book review will also be posted on my Goodreads page.

This first entry in the “Cascade Climbs” series was written by Paul Wellner, a Northwest local who has climbed Hood several times.  Wellner shares his mountaineering preferences and experience based on his previous climbs.

A good portion of this book is dedicated to basic preparedness for climbing, information which most climbers would either already know from experience or from books which serve this purpose.  For example, “Mountaineering:  Freedom of the Hills” is an excellent resource that I’m reading right now for general instruction on preparation and climbing techniques.

Wellner’s advice runs the gamut from the helpful (“pay attention to the debris on the slopes which indicate that you are in the fall line of Crater Rock”) to the occasionally comical (his list of essential climbing items includes a candle... perhaps so we can gear up for the night cap/Charles Dickens summit approach?).

As much as I appreciated the detail and effort put into the first volume of this “Cascade Climbs” series, there was one concern as I read this Kindle edition:  Based on some of Wellner’s wording, it’s unclear whether he has personally climbed anywhere other than the Old Chute route.  For example, he recommends the Old Chute route instead of the Pearly Gates seemingly based on a single third-party trail report.  He also determines that the Pearly Gates route “doesn’t get much use these days,” although many of my friends prefer that route (and my good friend Katya and I rather enjoyed climbing through the Pearly Gates a few days ago).  His descriptions of the Pearly Gates passage are accurate, however, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he’s speaking firsthand.  Either way, he has vastly more mountaineering experience than I.

Helmets off to Wellner for providing this brief resource for those unfamiliar with the terrain of Mount Hood’s south climbing routes.  I read it twice.  It’s opinionated, and not all climbers will agree with his opinions.  Such is the nature of any sport instructional book.

Most peculiar (though entertaining) were Wellner’s repeated recommendations to shell out the cash to rent a snow cat and ride to the top of the Palmer snowfield.  Apparently, skipping this part of the hike “can make the difference between a successful climb versus an attempt” and “adds a bit more to the experience” of climbing Hood for him, personally.  To each his own.

But what if there is a catastrophic dome-light failure inside the snow cat?  You’ll be glad you packed that candle.