Climbing Columbia Point with NASA

[robnissen]

Last week I was honored to hike to the top of Columbia Point with a group from NASA. Columbia Point is a 13,980 foot mountain in Colorado that was renamed last year in honor of the Columbia astronauts. A friend of mine (Steve Hunter), who is a very experienced mountain climber, helped install the plaque honoring Columbia last year. Unfortunately, someone had slightly vandalized the plaque, so NASA astronaut Scott Parazynski (STS 66, 86, 95, 100) organized a climb to 1) repair the plaque and 2) allow more people from NASA to visit the mountain. Scott invited my friend Steve, and because I was going to be in Colorado at the time anyway, I decided to tag along. It was EXTREMELY difficult to climb (you will note from the two pictures attached that I was definitely dragging a lot of extra poundage up the mountain). But it was very satisfying to reach the top. Our climbing group included four people who were part of the "dog" Columbia reconstruction team. The plaque on top of the mountain is very moving, and there are notebooks stored in weather-proof containers where you could write down any thoughts you have about Columbia. Some of the NASA people said a few words on top and it was both somber and uplifting. Although I was an outsider, the people from NASA treated me extremely well. In fact, because I ran out of water on the hike down, Scott and three others hiked part of the way up the mountain (they had climbed the previous day) to meet me on the way down so they that could get me some water. All in all, it was truly an amazing experience, and I would not have missed it for anything.<br /><br />The first picture is me on top of the mountain next to the Columbia plaque.

 

[robnissen]

This is a picture of part of our climbing group along with the group who climbed up to meet us. Scott Parazynski is to my immediate right

 

[arobie]

Very cool. I was just up in the mountains in Colorado a few weeks ago. I love it up there. I would have loved to been able to climb em though. I'm from 0 elevation right outside of New Orleans, so I had trouble breathing up there. I eventually got used to it, but I doubt I could climb 13,980 feet. Can't wait to see your pictures!!

 

[robnissen]

I posted this three years ago after climbing Columbia Point with a group from NASA. Yesterday I was watching Scott Parazynski (who is to my immediate right in the photograph above) during his space walk. It was so cool watching and hearing someone I know working on the ISS.

 

[MeteorWayne]

sigh....sure is nice to see pictures in SDC, too.<br /><br />Must have been a thrill for you RobNissen <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[robnissen]

At this very moment, my old climbing partner Scott Parazynski is standing on the top of Mt. Everest. He summited about 1 hour ago. Ever the Scientist, as this SDC article explains, he will be looking for life on the top of Everest:

"So, former astronaut Scott Parazynski will set up instruments to hunt down elusive evidence of life at the top of the world when he attempts to summit Everest Wednesday."

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/0 ... ology.html

BTW, I taught Scott everything he knows about climbing. Well, uh actually, I didn't teach him anything, but never let the facts get in the way of a good story.