Marilyn Hanley

Bio: Born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, became a US Citizen in November of 2010. My husband's work brought us to the United States.  

Age: 59

Why did you join the 52 Peak Club: I found the 52 Peak Club by chance. I was looking for a new physical challenge and decided that climbing all 52 peaks before my 60th birthday would be an attainable goal that would introduce me to new experiences and a greater appreciation for the unique desert beauty that we live in. I am happy to say the many hikes posted on Meetup each week eased me into the Las Vegas area hiking community and took me a long way to meeting my goal. The helpful and enthusiastic assistant organizers helped me complete my final four peaks. There were a few scrapes and bruises along the way, but the great memories more than made up for them. I completed my deck in ten months. Yeah!

 
I value and appreciate my good health. It allows me to hike for hours at a time, scramble over rocks, sneak through rabbit holes and even rappel through waterfalls. While struggling to reach the various peaks I would often reflect on how different my life is as I age in comparison to both my grandmother and my mother. Both women had the misfortune of living with Multiple Sclerosis. My Mom, who was a very social and active woman, was enjoying a return to her nursing career after raising five kids. Just before a scheduled nursing conference to Hong Kong she was diagnosed, at age fifty, with MS. The disease presents differently for almost everyone, some patients are lucky and go into remission for great stretches of time. Not my Mom. She went from weakness on her right side to numbness in her legs within a matter of months. I was a teenager and witnessed her frustration with her loss of balance requiring her first to use a cane, then a walker and finally a wheelchair. For many years she was able to stay in our home, but as the MS progressed she needed to move to a nursing home. Because of this, I believe that good health is a gift and staying active is important. I have completed triathlons, ran a marathon in 2011, and enjoy long-distance cycling, but nothing has brought me as much joy and physical validation as the 52 Peak Club.

Why is that? First of all, I feel safe when I’m hiking with any of the assistant organizers. They all have the knowledge to safely lead the many different personalities and hiking abilities who come together to hike toward the peak box of that day’s hike. I made a decision when I joined the group that I would learn how to safely meet the challenges of each hike, that I would listen to the advice and suggestions of the people that I was hiking with so as not to endanger myself or others, and that I would believe in myself. The last point is important. I am not a graceful hiker, nor a fast hiker, and when I got discouraged or tired I would become "the little engine that could" from a children's book that teaches with determination and positive thinking. "I think I can, I think I can,” putting one foot in front of the other, ensuring I had a safe three-contact hold, and asking for help when needed (the last point is also very important, never be afraid to ask for help). I couldn't have done it alone nor would I have wanted to. You get back more when you challenge yourself to be as prepared as possible both physically and mentally so that each hike can be enjoyable, but in the end, it’s the people who make the club a success.


Date Completed all 52 Peaks: Nov 16, 2012 (20th person to become a 53er)

Toughest Peak: Mt. Charleston, we started at 5 a.m. and took the south loop for a route of just over 17 miles. Everything hurt by the time we made it back to the cars.

Favorite Hike: Top three: White Pinnacle because I felt like I had it all together that day, IceBox because the group I was with made the impossible possible – my rappelling skills came in handy, and Lost Creek because of the unexpected snow.

How did you feel once you became a 53er: I finished my 52nd hike, Windy Peak on November 16th, 2012. It was a moonlight hike. I wouldn’t have had the magical experience without the support of the hiking group. Heck, I wouldn’t have even dreamed of a moonlight hike in my pre-52 Peak Club days. When we all arrived at the peak box I shared that becoming a member of the 52 Peak Club and receiving my first card, on January 20th (the three of spades, Frenchman's Mountain) was life changing for me.


Advice for new hikers: I am a slow poke success story.  Consider yourself a guest on each hike and be respectful of the organizer's description of the hike they post. Note the distance, elevation gain, difficulty, pace (I like moderate) and danger level. Don't get discouraged if you are told to wait for the hike to be posted again at a slower pace or that you need a few more conditioning hikes. The assistant organizers are volunteering their time and don't need attitude, remember to thank them. When I left Canada I was given two cards with quotes that relate directly to my love of the 52 Peak Club:

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined.(Thoreau)

Wherever you are, it is your friends who make your world. (William James)