Hiking up Stratton Mountain, attempting the 29029 Everesting challenge, I experienced the profound value of volunteering firsthand. In this grueling event, where participants climb the equivalent of Mount Everest within 36 hours—a staggering 17 climbs, each nearly 2,000 feet in elevation gain over 1.3 miles—the going gets tough for everyone at some point. It gets especially challenging when it’s dark and cold, like it was for me on Friday near midnight. What kept me going? The volunteers.
