On September 24th Michael Biggs broke a local record. Not only did he climb Mount McLoughlin four times in a 24 hour period, he did it to raise more than $1,200 for the Friends.
Summiting a 9,495 foot peak is a robust adventure. The trail to the summit of Mt. McLoughlin climbs 4,000 ft of vertical elevation over the course of 5.5 miles. Michael has previously accomplished summiting the mountain three times in one day, and his idea to do a quad was the result of frustrations with the current monument review.
“I don't know how to stop President Trump from shrinking the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, but I know how to climb Mt. McLoughlin.” An experienced mountaineer, Michael hit the trail at 2:30 AM knowing well that he might not be done with this crazy adventure of his till 24 hour later.
He set up a Facebook fundraiser, all proceeds benefiting the Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. “I had no idea if anyone would donate to my stunt, so I picked a random goal of $999, and I’m happy to say I raised over $1,200!” Says Michael, “I know Mt. McLoughlin is outside the monument, but I feel it is our regions Sentinel and it watches over the monument and our amazing region as a whole.”
When asked if his sense of purpose is fulfilled, he says “Absolutely, 100%. Not only did my wife, Dawn, and climbing buddy, Chuck, ensure that I lived through the day, I was surprised the amount of support I was able to get. I want to empower others to raise money for organizations they care about. I love our land and I’m honored to have found a way to raise money for a cause that’s important to me.”
Needless to say, the Friends are grateful to Michael and all those who donated. Support such as this ensures that the Friends continue to advocate on behalf of the monument during these uncertain times.
Feeling inspired by Michael's journey? You can create your own fundraiser on Facebook at www.facebook.com/fundraisers. Of course, you can always donate directly to the Friends at www.cascadesiskiyou.org/donate.
