I'm an avid hiker, backpacker, and novice to intermediate mountaineer. I've climbed 10 of 15 of California's peaks that are over 14,000 feet in elevation including Mt Whitney (5 times including the mountaineers route) and Mt Shasta (2 times). Outside of California I've climbed Mt Rainier in Washington, and Pico de Orizaba in Mexico at 18,491 feet elevation.