Lana Lee LeSoleau
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Bio: I have two adult daughters, one lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and the other is talking about moving to Las Vegas, from St. Louis, with her guy really soon. I visited Las Vegas in 2002 and stayed for a short time, but got a job offer clear out in Boca Raton, Florida that sounded much better than it turned out to be, so I only stayed there for about a year before I ditched it, and I moved to Las Vegas, NV in 2004. I spent about 3 years from 2007 to 2010, living in both the Seattle, WA area and Las Vegas while I worked on the faculty of a Massage School in Tacoma, teaching CranioSacral Therapy, AromaTherapy and Pranic Healing. I retired from the US Air Force as a Lt. Colonel, in 1994 after having spent the majority of my career as a psychologist/counselor/psychotherapist. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Geology too, so I always have had the added interest of looking at the rock formations & structures, minerals, fossils and crystals. I grew up with a curious mind and a voracious need to read everything I could get my hands on.
I discovered the fun of hiking and exploring while I was still a kid and I hiked / camped / backpacked at every opportunity I could manage. I spent 14 years of my life living in Alaska, most of that in Anchorage. I was fortunate to travel all over that huge and beautiful state, and to indulge in the cultures, environments, lifestyles and travel adventures there. I was an expedition member on the Juneau Icefield Research Program with a grant from the National Science Foundation, for 2 years, then returned 15 years later to spend another summer there on the faculty, teaching Glacier Safety & Travel, technical climbing techniques and crevasse rescue as part of my job.
While I was living up in Alaska, I spent 3 summer seasons doing placer gold dredging with 2 partners. I've had a Private Pilot's License since I was 15, I scuba dive, ride ATVs/Quads, hike, camp, backpack, cross country ski, downhill ski, skydive, and then read a lot of books for my entertainment. My current career, now that I am retired from the USAF, is as an Advanced CranioSacral Therapist, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Advanced Pranic Healer & Aromatherapist.
I started doing some solo hikes here in the Vegas region when I first moved here, but quickly progressed to wanting to do some more difficult and challenging hikes that weren't just tourist routes. I recall thinking after I climbed up Angel's Landing in Zion National Park back in 2002, that it was a really challenging hike and I felt like I had a great adventure doing that. I have been up Angel's Landing several times in the years that have passed, and now it seems like such an easy one, after doing the kinds of mountaineering climbs and scrambles we do in the 52 Peak Club! I am a member of several Meetup Hiking groups, but I am very fond of this one, and do most of my hiking adventures with them. Red Rock Canyon NCA, is one of my very favorite playgrounds, and these hikes and the close friendships I have developed, have become one of the most significant parts of my life here in Las Vegas! Joining 52 Peak Club has been one of the best choices I have ever made!
Age: 63 (going on 21!)
Why did you join the 52 Peak Club?: I was attracted to the challenge of getting to the top of what appeared to be some pretty serious peaks, while at the same time getting to do that with great people. I quickly discovered that 52 Peak Club is unlike every other organization I have been associated with and it is truly a very elite group. That was attractive to me because I expected that it would force me to become better in ways I wouldn't necessarily be able to predict.
Date Completed all 52 Peaks: March 27th, 2016 (117th person to become a 53er)
Toughest Peak: It would be a toss-up between Mt. Wilson & Rainbow Pk. I enjoyed both of them. The views and scenery are incredible, and the exposed portions are kind of breath taking, but overall they were tough,..... For Me. I won't avoid taking the opportunity to go back and do them again in the future, but I also won't forget how much effort they both took to complete!
Favorite Hike(s): White Pinnacle, Ice Box, Holiday, Eva's Tower, Mummy's Chin, & Lost Creek Peak. I remember having a Birthday Party on the summit of Mescalito to celebrate Dinorah Del Rocio's birthday. Dinorah is one of our many wonderful and giving leaders, & that day was not only memorable, it was just so much fun! We had birthday cake, candles, party hats and even a piñata! How does it get any better than that? There are so many peaks that I think are super fun, but these peaks are my favorites.
*I can't really tell you how much fun can be had on special themed hikes that occasionally come up on our hiking calendar, but don't miss an opportunity to jump onto some of those events! Sometimes our 53er events are themed parties on the summits and they can be simply the very best times you will ever participate in.
How did you feel once you became a 53er?: Euphoric, Successful, Excited, Happy, Amazed that I managed to do it!! I can honestly say that doing these peaks has (For Me) one of the toughest things I have ever chosen to do, and I am convinced that the Only way I finished a few of them was through my own single-minded determination to do it even when there were times that I wasn't sure I could keep climbing/scrambling or hiking because I was so fatigued. I'm stubborn and I am not one to give up easily!
Advice for new hikers: Enjoy these mountaineering hikes and climbs up those peaks! Have fun, make friends, diversify your interests and don't make it only be about just the peaks. Embrace the social events, the activities, the trips and expand your horizons. I somehow managed to complete every single peak the first time I did it, and that is because we have some beyond amazing hiking leaders (Assistant Organizers), as well as experienced 53ers joining most of the hikes who will also lend a hand and advice where needed.
Get MORE Fit, & don't slack on your fitness activities. You will never regret improving your cardio fitness and core strength. When you are considering signing up for a hike that you think sounds interesting, with a leader you feel good about, be SURE to read the Entire description, what the ratings of difficulty for that hike are, what the pace will be and what you need to bring. If it suggests 3+ liters of water, don't make the mistake of thinking that is way more than you will possibly need. Trust me on this one. You won't regret carrying the extra weight when you have been hiking for literally hours, gone up a few thousands of feet of elevation gain, had the temperatures rise precipitously and you feel over-heated and parched. It happens, and it usually happens to beginners at these types of hikes. They are Not like the hikes that most people have become accustomed to!
Branch Whitney has written several great Hiking Guides with advice and routing directions that are a valuable resource. He also has many videos available online that will teach you a large variety of things including what to carry and how to clean your water bladder or repair your shoes or hydration pack / backpack when it is getting worn thin or holes from extreme use. Get yourself some sturdy hiking shoes that have stealth rubber soles. You NEED to be able to trust your shoes when you are on steep rock slabs! A shoe brand called "FiveTens" are what I use, but the FiveTen company has been bought out by Adidas, so the types of shoes they will be offering is changing. Sportiva is another good brand that has some models that have stealth rubber soles. In Red Rock Canyon NCA, these "sticky soles" make a world of difference on the sandstone out there. In the Charleston area, the peaks are not sandstone and since many of them are very sharp and abrasive, that is where you might consider having a different variety of hiking boot/shoe that has different lug soles with harder rubber that lasts longer. The hikes at Charleston can ruin a pair of stealth rubber soled hiking shoes/boots in as little as a single hike!
If you are new to hiking in the desert, just know that nearly everything growing here is sticky, pokey, or has some kind of thorns! We universally hate the Buck Oak shrubs and trees that seem to grow all over this region, especially in the Red Rock and Calico Basin area hikes. It has little leaves that are similar to holly, and the leaves scratch your arms, legs and other exposed parts, or get down your neckline or into your pants, with the result of miserably poking you until you can get that dang thing removed. There is a leafy plant that grows in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and points east and south, called Velcro Plant. Don't even brush up against it with your clothing or skin! Nasty stuff!
Wildlife encounters are usually just interesting, and there isn't too great of a risk of a negative wildlife encounter. Remember though, they are still dangerous wild animals and you need to keep a safe and respectful distance from them. Branch has some blogs and video discussions about venomous snakes that can be encountered here. Most will never see one in years of hiking, while others of us may see many over the course of a few months.
If you carpool with someone to the trailheads, please offer to pay a fair amount to offset the gasoline and other costs to carry you there. Sometimes a couple of dollars is good, but most times be a little less conservative and give the driver a decent share value.
I have had more than my share of challenges and injuries since I started hiking with 52 Peak Club. *My experience is NOT typical of what all the members have or will experience! Virtually all of the incidents were my own fault, but because of that, I was out of hiking for almost 16 months, which of course delayed my completing them for much much longer than I originally predicted.
I experienced many emotional highs and lows from the experience, and it has been a committed goal that for me personally, has been harder than any other goal I have ever set out to achieve for myself. I have heard some of the 53ers who have gone before me say that they thought that getting to 53er was easy. Clearly, I am Not one of those, but it has been super fun and I can't begin to explain how completely life changing doing this has been!
Thank you to Branch Whitney for creating the 52 Peak Club, and allowing me to be a member! Thank you also to Kathy Kelbel, Dinorah Del Rocio, Ted Williams, David Shirley, Carl "Oz" Ramsay, Rob Shaw, Sin Khan, Brent Sapowith, Martin Leghart, Linda Blainey, Jack Dempsey, Sean Randles, Kyle Donovan, Anneliese Hall, Frank Salcido, Sara Miriam-Romero, Michael Loughman, John Gonsalves, Karen Basilotta, Bill Inglehart, Frank Ornelas, Bill Suiter, Kelly Ashe, Chris Southworth and all the other 53ers and Assistant Organizers who have helped me make it to my own 53er status!
*I am sure I am not recalling the names of all the great people that have helped me, and I ask you to forgive me if I have inadvertently missed writing down your name here.
My Deepest and most Sincere Thanks to all of the people who encouraged me, supported me and who have been cheerleaders for my journey! What Else Is Possible??
I discovered the fun of hiking and exploring while I was still a kid and I hiked / camped / backpacked at every opportunity I could manage. I spent 14 years of my life living in Alaska, most of that in Anchorage. I was fortunate to travel all over that huge and beautiful state, and to indulge in the cultures, environments, lifestyles and travel adventures there. I was an expedition member on the Juneau Icefield Research Program with a grant from the National Science Foundation, for 2 years, then returned 15 years later to spend another summer there on the faculty, teaching Glacier Safety & Travel, technical climbing techniques and crevasse rescue as part of my job.
While I was living up in Alaska, I spent 3 summer seasons doing placer gold dredging with 2 partners. I've had a Private Pilot's License since I was 15, I scuba dive, ride ATVs/Quads, hike, camp, backpack, cross country ski, downhill ski, skydive, and then read a lot of books for my entertainment. My current career, now that I am retired from the USAF, is as an Advanced CranioSacral Therapist, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Advanced Pranic Healer & Aromatherapist.
I started doing some solo hikes here in the Vegas region when I first moved here, but quickly progressed to wanting to do some more difficult and challenging hikes that weren't just tourist routes. I recall thinking after I climbed up Angel's Landing in Zion National Park back in 2002, that it was a really challenging hike and I felt like I had a great adventure doing that. I have been up Angel's Landing several times in the years that have passed, and now it seems like such an easy one, after doing the kinds of mountaineering climbs and scrambles we do in the 52 Peak Club! I am a member of several Meetup Hiking groups, but I am very fond of this one, and do most of my hiking adventures with them. Red Rock Canyon NCA, is one of my very favorite playgrounds, and these hikes and the close friendships I have developed, have become one of the most significant parts of my life here in Las Vegas! Joining 52 Peak Club has been one of the best choices I have ever made!
Age: 63 (going on 21!)
Why did you join the 52 Peak Club?: I was attracted to the challenge of getting to the top of what appeared to be some pretty serious peaks, while at the same time getting to do that with great people. I quickly discovered that 52 Peak Club is unlike every other organization I have been associated with and it is truly a very elite group. That was attractive to me because I expected that it would force me to become better in ways I wouldn't necessarily be able to predict.
Date Completed all 52 Peaks: March 27th, 2016 (117th person to become a 53er)
Toughest Peak: It would be a toss-up between Mt. Wilson & Rainbow Pk. I enjoyed both of them. The views and scenery are incredible, and the exposed portions are kind of breath taking, but overall they were tough,..... For Me. I won't avoid taking the opportunity to go back and do them again in the future, but I also won't forget how much effort they both took to complete!
Favorite Hike(s): White Pinnacle, Ice Box, Holiday, Eva's Tower, Mummy's Chin, & Lost Creek Peak. I remember having a Birthday Party on the summit of Mescalito to celebrate Dinorah Del Rocio's birthday. Dinorah is one of our many wonderful and giving leaders, & that day was not only memorable, it was just so much fun! We had birthday cake, candles, party hats and even a piñata! How does it get any better than that? There are so many peaks that I think are super fun, but these peaks are my favorites.
*I can't really tell you how much fun can be had on special themed hikes that occasionally come up on our hiking calendar, but don't miss an opportunity to jump onto some of those events! Sometimes our 53er events are themed parties on the summits and they can be simply the very best times you will ever participate in.
How did you feel once you became a 53er?: Euphoric, Successful, Excited, Happy, Amazed that I managed to do it!! I can honestly say that doing these peaks has (For Me) one of the toughest things I have ever chosen to do, and I am convinced that the Only way I finished a few of them was through my own single-minded determination to do it even when there were times that I wasn't sure I could keep climbing/scrambling or hiking because I was so fatigued. I'm stubborn and I am not one to give up easily!
Advice for new hikers: Enjoy these mountaineering hikes and climbs up those peaks! Have fun, make friends, diversify your interests and don't make it only be about just the peaks. Embrace the social events, the activities, the trips and expand your horizons. I somehow managed to complete every single peak the first time I did it, and that is because we have some beyond amazing hiking leaders (Assistant Organizers), as well as experienced 53ers joining most of the hikes who will also lend a hand and advice where needed.
Get MORE Fit, & don't slack on your fitness activities. You will never regret improving your cardio fitness and core strength. When you are considering signing up for a hike that you think sounds interesting, with a leader you feel good about, be SURE to read the Entire description, what the ratings of difficulty for that hike are, what the pace will be and what you need to bring. If it suggests 3+ liters of water, don't make the mistake of thinking that is way more than you will possibly need. Trust me on this one. You won't regret carrying the extra weight when you have been hiking for literally hours, gone up a few thousands of feet of elevation gain, had the temperatures rise precipitously and you feel over-heated and parched. It happens, and it usually happens to beginners at these types of hikes. They are Not like the hikes that most people have become accustomed to!
Branch Whitney has written several great Hiking Guides with advice and routing directions that are a valuable resource. He also has many videos available online that will teach you a large variety of things including what to carry and how to clean your water bladder or repair your shoes or hydration pack / backpack when it is getting worn thin or holes from extreme use. Get yourself some sturdy hiking shoes that have stealth rubber soles. You NEED to be able to trust your shoes when you are on steep rock slabs! A shoe brand called "FiveTens" are what I use, but the FiveTen company has been bought out by Adidas, so the types of shoes they will be offering is changing. Sportiva is another good brand that has some models that have stealth rubber soles. In Red Rock Canyon NCA, these "sticky soles" make a world of difference on the sandstone out there. In the Charleston area, the peaks are not sandstone and since many of them are very sharp and abrasive, that is where you might consider having a different variety of hiking boot/shoe that has different lug soles with harder rubber that lasts longer. The hikes at Charleston can ruin a pair of stealth rubber soled hiking shoes/boots in as little as a single hike!
If you are new to hiking in the desert, just know that nearly everything growing here is sticky, pokey, or has some kind of thorns! We universally hate the Buck Oak shrubs and trees that seem to grow all over this region, especially in the Red Rock and Calico Basin area hikes. It has little leaves that are similar to holly, and the leaves scratch your arms, legs and other exposed parts, or get down your neckline or into your pants, with the result of miserably poking you until you can get that dang thing removed. There is a leafy plant that grows in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and points east and south, called Velcro Plant. Don't even brush up against it with your clothing or skin! Nasty stuff!
Wildlife encounters are usually just interesting, and there isn't too great of a risk of a negative wildlife encounter. Remember though, they are still dangerous wild animals and you need to keep a safe and respectful distance from them. Branch has some blogs and video discussions about venomous snakes that can be encountered here. Most will never see one in years of hiking, while others of us may see many over the course of a few months.
If you carpool with someone to the trailheads, please offer to pay a fair amount to offset the gasoline and other costs to carry you there. Sometimes a couple of dollars is good, but most times be a little less conservative and give the driver a decent share value.
I have had more than my share of challenges and injuries since I started hiking with 52 Peak Club. *My experience is NOT typical of what all the members have or will experience! Virtually all of the incidents were my own fault, but because of that, I was out of hiking for almost 16 months, which of course delayed my completing them for much much longer than I originally predicted.
I experienced many emotional highs and lows from the experience, and it has been a committed goal that for me personally, has been harder than any other goal I have ever set out to achieve for myself. I have heard some of the 53ers who have gone before me say that they thought that getting to 53er was easy. Clearly, I am Not one of those, but it has been super fun and I can't begin to explain how completely life changing doing this has been!
Thank you to Branch Whitney for creating the 52 Peak Club, and allowing me to be a member! Thank you also to Kathy Kelbel, Dinorah Del Rocio, Ted Williams, David Shirley, Carl "Oz" Ramsay, Rob Shaw, Sin Khan, Brent Sapowith, Martin Leghart, Linda Blainey, Jack Dempsey, Sean Randles, Kyle Donovan, Anneliese Hall, Frank Salcido, Sara Miriam-Romero, Michael Loughman, John Gonsalves, Karen Basilotta, Bill Inglehart, Frank Ornelas, Bill Suiter, Kelly Ashe, Chris Southworth and all the other 53ers and Assistant Organizers who have helped me make it to my own 53er status!
*I am sure I am not recalling the names of all the great people that have helped me, and I ask you to forgive me if I have inadvertently missed writing down your name here.
My Deepest and most Sincere Thanks to all of the people who encouraged me, supported me and who have been cheerleaders for my journey! What Else Is Possible??