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Professional photos by Danny Kern

Recent updates

Thursday, June 05

Tonight, we will gather climbers, BCPP friends, family, supporters, staff, and the Mt. Shasta community to celebrate and host a reception sponsored by our fantastic partners in prevention, Innersense Organic Beauty!

12:20: All climbers have made it back safely to Bunny Flats and are off the mountain! They are in such great spirits and we are so proud of them. Congrats, Climb Against the Odds Team 2025!

10:15 AM The groups have departed high camp to hike down to the trailhead at Bunny Flat. Some are even glissading.

Supporters will gather at the Bunny Flat Trailhead to welcome the climbers home with cow bells, cheers, posters, and big hugs. 

Summit day updates

Wednesday, June 04

4 PM: ALL climbers have made it back safe and sound to basecamp. The climbers and guides will have a good hot meal, camp overnight on the snow at base camp, and head out tomorrow am. 

3:45 PM: The remaining climbers are now below Thumb Rock and are glissading!

2:30 PM: Climbers are now below Misery Hill. Many will start glissading in the next 20-30 minutes.

1:30 PM: The climbers are descending back to basecamp. 

1 PM: Heather Shirey reached her personal summit at high point 13,235′. Rachel Berke and Erica King reached their personal summit at 12,500′. Katharine Huffman reached her personal summit at 11,300′. They are all back safely at basecamp.

12 PM: Katie Luke and Jo Oseman have reached the summit at 14,179′! 

11:55 AM: Andy LaVelle, Bryan Churchill, Megan Krieg, and Nick Vernon have reached the summit at 14,179′!

11:45 AM: Shayna Cassidy and Rose Spagnolo have reached the summit at 14,179′! 

11:40: BCPP staff climber, Laura Gillan, has reached the summit at 14,179′!

11:10 AM: Erin and Jonathan Steen have reached the summit at 14,179′!

11:00 AM: Next? The climbers will cross the summit plateau then another couple hundred feet to the final summit.

10:40 AM: All teams start their ascent to the top of Misery Hill. Conditions: still windy.

10:25 AM: The first climbers, wife and husband duo Erin and Jonathan Steen, reach the top of Misery Hill.

10:05 AM: Climbers are now ascending Misery Hill, bottom elevation of 13,100′.

9:55 AM: Climbers have reached the top of short hill, will have a short rest, then tackle Misery Hill next!

8:45 AM: Winds have increased at the Red Banks, 12,800′. The climb from Lake Helen to the top of Red Banks is a key part of the Avalanche Gulch Route, gaining around 2,400 feet of elevation.

See the climb teams staggered? It’s good to not be right on top of each other in case of a fall or rock fall. If someone directly above you slips they could take you out on their way down. Same for kicking up a chunk of ice. 

8 AM: Conditions: winds 28-33 with possible gusts of 50.

7:30 AM: Teams are approaching the Thumb, 12,900′.

7:15 AM: All crews are crushing the Heart pitch!

5:35 AM: The sunrise offers more light for the climbers as they ascend.

4:55 AM: The climbers are moving up from Helen Lake on their way to the Red Banks.

4:45 AM: Rob Abramowitz climbed with the crew to 10,435′ at Helen Lake and will be there to assist with anyone who needs to return.

4:45 AM: We received word from the guides that the teams are moving up from Helen Lake at 10,435′.

4 AM: Claudia Mudgett reached her personal summit at 9,500′.

3:30 AM: All rope teams (1-3) have left base camp and are on the move up.

2 AM: Hikers wake, get dressed in their summit gear, and have an early pre-dawn breakfast.

Prep and hike to basecamp

Tuesday, June 03

6:00 PM: Climb group 1 and 2 have made it to base camp! All climbers have completed snow school and will eat dinner to refuel before heading to bed early (or at least try to). They have a 2 am wake-up call to begin their summit attempt to 14,179′.

3:00 PM: The first group of climbers have made it to high camp. Weather is sunny, warm, with a light breeze.

2:00 PM: Alex Nguyen and Carly Bressler-Archambeau reach their personal summit at 7,500′.

11 AM: The climbers were divided into three rope teams and are currently en route to base camp at 9,500′.

10 AM: After they geared up, all climbers carpooled to the Bunny Flat trailhead. From there, we took some photos and sent them on their way with cheers, love, and support!

8 AM: After getting their food and hydration, the climbers headed to our long-time friends and incredible guides at Shasta Mountain Guides. There, they could get their rope team assignments, rent any last-minute gear, and unpack and repack their Osprey backpacks to ensure they only brought what they needed for their climb. The packs end up weighing about 45 lbs, so being mindful of what goes in is very important. Every ounce counts!

6 AM: Today, the climbers woke up bright and early to have breakfast and prep their lunches for their day hike to base camp.

The journey to Mount Shasta begins

Monday, June 02, 2025

For our 26th Anniversary of Climb Against the Odds, we are honored to welcome 18 volunteer climbers from across the country who will attempt Mount Shasta’s icy 14,179 ft peak to challenge the 1 in 8 odds of a woman’s breast cancer diagnosis.

Many climb in honor of their own breast cancer diagnosis, for a loved one, or for future generations, carrying prayer flags inscribed with names up the mountain. We all climb for prevention so that no one should have to hear the words “You have breast cancer.”

So far, the team has raised a total of $176,395 of their $200K goal to prevent breast cancer.

Help them reach their goal!

All of the funds raised by our inspiring climbers goes to support BCPP’s work to translate science into education, press businesses to make safer products, protects consumers from toxic chemicals, and passes health-protective laws.

Our climbers are packing up and preparing for their travels from across the U.S. to Northern California’s Mt. Shasta.

Upon arrival, climbers will check in at the Mt. Shasta Resort, and  will meet their event leader/mama bear, Marie DeJournette, to pick up goody bag and their climb sponsor t-shirt.

Next, they will head to pick up climb rental gear at Fifth Season. They also have the chance to complete any remaining last minute shopping for food and gear in town.

Their official all-hands on deck Welcome Dinner kicks off at 5:00 pm where all of the climbers will get to meet each other in person for the first time!

We are happy to reunite with our dear friends from the Mt. Shasta community, who generously host us every year. One community member joins us each year as a climber, with their  fundraising proceeds going to the local Mercy General Hospital to support breast cancer treatment for those who need it.

And last but not least, we are so thrilled to reconnect with Shasta Mountain Guides, our expert mountaineering guides who support us up and back home safely down the mountain on this journey to Climb Against the Odds for breast cancer prevention.