Musings | The Blog on alanarnette.com

Thank You & Welcome to 2020!

Dec 312019

Happy New Decade to all. Thank you so much for your loyalty and support not only in 2019, but since I started my website back in 1999. I also want to sincerely thank everyone who has supported my Alzheimer’s Advocacy in any way over the last decade. My heartfelt gratitude. We have shared a lot over the years, from my climbs on Everest, and K2 to Ecuador and Bolivia this year. Also during my annual reporting on the Everest climbing season, and now most of the other 8000ers year-round. I appreciate your ongoing thoughtful comments and questions, as well as continue reading

10 Years after Ida’s Death

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Aug 162019

Ten years ago on August 16, 2009, Ida Arnette died from Alzheimer’s disease. Hard to believe it was a decade ago. As I try to do each year on this anniversary, I climb Mt. Ida at 12889′ in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park, a perfect peak to honor Ida. The Long Goodbye With an average life expectancy after diagnosis of eight to 10 years, Alzheimer’s disease has been called “the long goodbye.” Unlike other terminal diseases, when a person with Alzheimer’s dies all of their personalities traits, tendencies and abilities have disappeared. It was in 2003 when Ida began to show the earliest signs that continue reading

Gifts for the 2018 Climber in your Life

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Nov 202018

Looking for that perfect gift for your climber (or yourself) ? Hopefully this update for Holiday 2018 season’s annual post will give you some ideas based on my own personal experience. You don’t have to spend a lot to make your climber happy! I always try to buy local to keep the sales tax in my city and support my local retails but there are good deals online at: Sierra Trading Post – lowest prices on first, seconds and closeouts Steep and Cheap – Incredible deals that last only a few minutes REI Outlet – deals on already great prices Backcountry continue reading

Back to Nepal for Alzheimer’s

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Sep 182018

My passion is climbing and my life’s purpose is as an Alzheimer’s Advocate. In that spirit, I’m excited to share this announcement with my friends, supporters, and followers that I’m returning to Nepal in October 2018 for the 12th time. I will be climbing again and raising money for the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, a non-profit organization dedicated to funding research with the highest probability of preventing, slowing or reversing Alzheimer’s disease through venture-based philanthropy. I’ve worked with them since 2008. This will be a personal milestone for me as well. On February 10, 2017, while training for the 8000-meter peak Dhaulagiri, continue reading

Broken Leg Update: Ready to Jump (again)

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Mar 032018

Nina Patterson my physical therapist, has been a crucial part of my “progress” plan for many months. Usually, I limped into her office with a short list of areas with too much “feedback.” Sometimes, she simply said “Alan, your injury is severe and you need to be patient.” And others “You need to push to make progress.” But she always worked on realigning muscles, ligaments and other adjustments that solved the issue, proof being the areas became silent and remain that way today. This week, I walked in and said “Nina, I got nothing.” She smiled knowing that in the continue reading

Broken Leg Update: A Year Later and Future Climbing Plans

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Feb 092018

Broken Leg Update: A Year Later and Future Climbing Plans

It’s hard to believe that one year ago today on February 10, 2017, that a rogue wind gust blew me into a field of rocks breaking my leg in three places and crushing my nasal cavity. Thanks to Jim Davidson, Rocky Mountain National Park Rangers, Boulder Mountain Rescue and Larimer County Search and Rescue, I survived – full stop. Now, after three surgeries, I continue to be filled with gratitude and determined to learn and grow from the experience. And it has not been easy. For several months after the initial event, my life shifted from regular climbs in Colorado continue reading

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

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Dec 252017

The Gall of it All!

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Nov 262017

My eyes popped open with an urgency I rarely felt while sleeping. The pain in my upper abdomen was strong this Friday night after Thanksgiving. Nine hours later I was being rolled into the operating room gleefully singing: “So long, farewell Auf wiedersehen, goodnight” The pre-anesthesia was kicking in but more so was my own belief in trying to find the positive in a bad situation. From 1 until 5 am, I tried to clear whatever was causing my pain but to no avail. The pain was constant and increasing. Finally around sunrise, I told Diane “Its not getting any continue reading

Broken Leg Update: A Setback and a Plan

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Nov 162017

I’m not where I want to be in my progress for my broken leg. Full stop. So I have two options: A) accept it or B) do something about it. I choose B. After my Bierstadt hike a few weeks ago, my ankle and leg began to sing a coordinated chorus. At times, they kept me up with all their singing. Captain Rod had lost all control so I had to do an intervention and escalate to a higher power … my Doc! I saw Dr. Hale today and explained the situation. He had mentioned months ago, and encouraged, that continue reading

Broken Leg Update: Eight Months Out

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Oct 262017

Part of my “progress” plan from breaking my leg in February is to set measurable, meaningful goals that cause me to push myself to my limits. Well this week was a complete victory that both built me up and tore me down. I thrive on goals. Without them I feel lost, drifting with no purpose. Thus the last several months have been critical to my continued progress and perhaps one day back to where I was on February 9, 2017 – the day before. In late July I had set these goals: Walk a mile three times a week then continue reading

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Dreaming of climbing mountains but not sure how to start or reach your next level from a Colorado 14er to Rainier, Everest or even K2? Summit Coach is a consulting service that helps aspiring climbers throughout the world achieve their goals through a personalized set of consulting services based on Alan Arnette’s 23 years of high altitude mountain experience and 30 years as a business executive. Please click for more information on signing up, services, pricing and why select Alan as your coach.

Alan Arnette is the oldest American to summit K2 in 2014 and has 6 expeditions on Everest or Lhotse with a summit of Everest in 2011. He climbs to raise money and awareness of Alzheimer's disease. His Project 8000 is to climb the 8000 meter mountains he has not summited over the next 5 years.