The Benefit Bit...

This climb is very special to us for many reasons, including the fact that these climbers are going to experience a very different West Buttress than 99% of the climbers who have ever attempted the route. In 17 Denali climbs, I've yet to walk into a camp that did not have many tents erected and have never walked for a day without seeing many many climbers heading up or down the mountain. I enjoy the social aspect of having other climbers around, but have always wondered what it would be like to climb it in a true wilderness setting. This team is experiencing that right now.

Another reason this climb is special to us is that we are donating all net proceeds to a very special program for special needs kids in southwest Colorado. Skills for Living and Learning is a non-profit program with a 15 year history, run by a very experienced Occupational Therapist in Bayfield, CO. Skills oversees the Piedra Learning Community, a clinic for evaluating children who may have sensory or developmental issues, an afterschool program for kids and a pre-school program.

Children who have difficulty in traditional, public schools can attend these programs or the Piedra Learning Community (PLC) for a very nominal tuition. Students with ADD, ADHD, on the Autism Spectrum and with Sensory Processing Disorder find a comfortable and safe feeling place to learn the skills they need to function in a more "typical" fashion. PLC serves kids aged 5-9, an age range when Occupational Therapy and accommodated instruction appear to be most beneficial in a child's life.

Mountain Trip co-owner, Todd Rutledge's son Logan attends PLC and has truly blossomed in their program. Logan has Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), also known as Sensory Integration Dysfunction, which is a neuro-developmental disorder that affects how he perceives certain sensory input and develops motor plans for a response to that input. It is often associated with the Autism Spectrum, but may get its own, separate, classification in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual that is to be revised for 2013.

The Sensory Processing Foundation estimates that 1 in 20 children in the US has some form of SPD. SPD kids often have low muscle tone, which makes sitting in a chair in class and writing (fine motor skills) very difficult. They sometimes seek out sensory input by running around, spinning, and walking while leaning or brushing their hand against a wall. Other SPD kids avoid sensory input and fight wearing clothing that actually feels painful at times to their heightened tactile sense or refuse to climb up on playground equipment because their vestibular sense is telling them that if their feet leave the ground they might just fly away...

It is a puzzling and frustrating disorder that has seen more and more research over the past 30 years. Skills for Living and Learning focuses on SPD to a large extent and children receive daily doses of visual, movement and listening therapy. It is a wonderful program serving children who would otherwise have a very hard time and we at Mountain Trip are committed to doing what we can to help the program succeed and thrive.

The program has been renting space in an old public school elementary building, which is in desperate need of repair. Our goal is to help them raise the funds to build a modest, yet functional building of their own design, and therefore enable to program to grow and serve more children. To that end, we are donating all net proceeds from this expedition to the school. We will offer an Kilimanjaro climb this summer and perhaps an Aconcagua climb this winter to help support the school as well. Please tell your friends who may be interested in having a great climb and do some good work at the same time.

Anyone interested in donating to the program should send donations to:

Skills for Living and Learning
PO Box 966
Bayfield, CO 81122

Thanks for your time in reading this and for any support in our cause.

Best regards,
Todd