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September 11, 2003 Memorial Expeditions
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Teams from around
the country will be climbing high-points in several states on
September 11th 2003
Check here for updates on their
progress
New York
Mount Marcy
Team Lead: Ken Hubert
NYPD
UPDATE: 9/11/03 -- NYPD's Ken Hubert
has written in to let us know he made it to Mount Marcy, despite a
run-in with a bear the night before, and he sent along the picture
above. Says Ken: "Mount Marcy is 5344 feet high - the shortest route
is 15 miles round trip - I started at 8am from the south meadow
parking area north of Mount Marcy - I summated at 11:45am - stayed
at summit until 1:45pm - got back to the car at 5:00pm - the weather
was 75 degrees and the base, 58 degrees at the summit, and slightly hazy - the air was still except above
tree line (as you can see by the flag almost straight out)." Thanks Ken!
Washington
Mount Rainier
14,411 Feet
Team Lead: Officer Spencer Berntsen
Bremerton Washington Police Department
UPDATE: 9/10/03 -- Trever Kissel of the
Mercer Island Fire Department wrote in to let us know about the
Rainier team's summit attempt: "The three of us started at 12:15 and
turned around at 4:30. We made it to 9,880ft but the rain and wind
were getting both Justin and Matt to wet to consider going for a
summit attempt. Summit winds were at 50 mph. We decided to go home
and look forward to an attempt next year. My brother and I were on
KOMO news 4 on 9/11 and they did a story about how we were climbing
for Cops on Top and Fire on the Mt."
Montana - Climbed to 12,200 ft
Granite Peak
12,799 Feet
Team Lead: Sergeant Keith McPheeters
Farmington New Mexico Police Department
UPDATE: 9/11/03 -- the Granite team
contacted us with this information: "We, (Keith, Rocky and Stu) made
it to 12,200 feet. With continued snow fall it was unsafe to
continue. Everyone is healthy and they are turning back."
Nevada - Summit Reached!!!
Boundary Peak
13,143 Feet
Team Lead: Deputy Erik Wallitner
Washoe County Nevada Sheriff Department
UPDATE: 9/11/03 -- the Nevada team
summated Boundary Peak today at 1:00 p.m. local time and are on
their way back down - Congratulations!
Oregon - Climbers have returned
Mount Hood
11,239 Feet
Team Lead: Dennis Butler
Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue
UPDATE: 9/11/03 -- Dennis Butler, Tony
Billette and Ryan Dunham made an attempt to summit Mt. Hood early
this morning, but they were turned back by unsafe conditions:
Zero-visibility in 60 MPH winds and heavy rain. All climbers made it
off the mountain safely, and gave it a shot!
California
Mount Whitney
14,494 Feet
Team Lead: Officer Chris Singleton
San Jose Police Department
UPDATE: 9/15/03 -- Chris Singleton,
team leader of the California Mt. Whitney Cops on Top team, wrote
in: "Just wanted to let you know that on 9-11-03 eight of us
summated Mt. Whitney and flew Old Glory across this great land!"
Here is a list of the team members:
Ofc. Chris Singleton
Jim Leninger
Sgt. John Vanek
Lt. Stan Faulwetter
Ofc. Chris Sciba
Ofc. Jason Bollendorf
Ofc. John Tompkins
Ofc. Shane Lueddeke
Three climbed the East Buttress, and the rest ascended via the
Mountaineers route. Above is a team summit photo. "Jim
Leininger and John Vanek are not photographed. Jim is taking the
picture, and John Vanek did a remarkable one day ascent and decent
of the peak from the parking lot!" Chris Singleton
says he had a retired LAPD officer come up to him at Iceberg Lake
thanking him for what we are doing!
Colorado
Mount Elbert
14,433 Feet
Team Lead: Fireman Robert Lang
Farmington New Mexico Fire Department
UPDATE: 9/10/03 -- Team lead Robert
Lang wrote into let us know that the members of his team include
himself and: Terry Page – Farmington Fire Department; Tom Anderson –
Farmington Fire Department; Brett Butterstein – Farmington Daily
Times; Angie Rochner
Utah
Kings Peak
13,528 Feet
Team Lead: Captain Carroll Mays
Salt Lake City Police Department
UPDATE: 9/10/03 -- Team lead Carroll
Mays and team had to make a safety decision regarding their climb
the day before they were scheduled to go: "Due to the unseasonal
snow and cold we won't be doing Kings Peak this year."
Texas
Guadalupe Peak
Team Lead: Officer Robert Kolar
University of Texas - San Antonio Police
UPDATE: 9/15/03 -- Robert Kolar sent
the above summit photo and writes: "I had the weather extremes for
my hike up Guadalupe Peak. The morning started beautifully with mild
temperatures and a few clouds. About a mile up the trail a storm
blew in and forced me to take some lightening precautions, but after
about 40 minutes of rain, thunder and lightening the weather cleared
up and my trip to Guadalupe Peak was a success. I was actually the
lucky one as another hiker was further up the mountain when the
clouds rolled in. I was also on the East side of the mountain when
the worst part of the storm was on the West side, so I only saw the
flashes in the sky rather than the actual lightening strikes. I
began at about 9:15 am (CST), sat out the storm, took my time to
take photos and finally reached the summit at 2:15 pm (CST). While
at the summit I took more pictures (despite the heavy clouds) and
finally made my way back to the bottom at about 5:15 pm (CST). I
figure eight hours wasn't too bad for my first highpoint. I've
attached a photo of my pack and the small flag I made for the
event."
New Mexico
Wheeler Peak
13,161 Feet
Team Lead: Sergeant Jerry Hogrefe
Red River Marshal's Office
Idaho
Borah Peak
12,662 Feet
Team Lead: Corporal Corey Foster
Rexburg Idaho Police Department
Arizona
Humphreys Peak
12,633 Feet
Team Lead: Officer Carl Johnson
Avondale Arizona Police Department
New Hampshire
Mount Washington
6,288 Feet
Team Lead: Russ Halpern-Reiss
South Carolina
Mt. Sassafras
3,560 Feet
Team Lead: Jim Burriss
Greenville Sheriff's Office
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Cops on Top and Fire on the Mountain expedition teams to climb
peaks in memory of Fire and Police personnel who gave their lives on
September 11, 2001
Information about the team's 2003
expedition plans can be found here. If you
are a law enforcement or fire official interested in joining our Memorial
Expeditions for 2003, or if you would like to help
arrange an expedition in your area, please check the 2002-2003
Expedition Information page.
On September 11, 2002, more than 60 Cops on Top and Fire on the
Mountain expedition team members
from around the world set out to summit the highest mountains in 12+ states
across the United States and other countries in remembrance of the public
safety personnel who died in the terrorist attacks that occurred in New
York and Washington DC on September 11, 2001. The teams successfully
completed their expeditions, reaching high points all over the country,
and remembering in their own ways those whose lives were taken.
In honor of the Police Officers and Firemen who sacrificed
their lives on September 11, 2001, Cops on Top has planned a
two-year
series of expeditions.
Recent News Coverage:
What Cops on Top is All About:
Cops on Top has a strong commitment to provide tangible
aid for the grieving and healing process of those who have lost a beloved
officer, to support organizations dedicated to this cause, and to project
a positive image of law enforcement officers. We honor, and raise
awareness, for police officers who have been killed while protecting
and serving their communities.
Cops on Top plans annual climbing expeditions to the
world's most respected mountains. The purpose is to bring to the
public's attention the dangers, stress and life-altering effects on the average police officer. A fallen officer's memory serves
as our banner and a memorial is placed on each summit attempted.
The Cops on Top team is comprised of volunteer climbers,
largely self-funded law enforcement officers. Volunteers are welcome to
contact Cops on Top. The fallen officers on whose behalf the climbs are
undertaken are nominated by family, friends, and law enforcement
organizations.
The Origin of Cops on Top:
| Cops on Top was founded by Sergeant Keith McPheeters
of the Farmington New Mexico Police Department. In 1998,
Sergeant McPheeters was a member of that agency's Special Response
Team searching for the killers of Cortez Colorado Police Officer
Dale Claxton. The manhunt was the largest of its kind in
American history and conducted in the remote Southwestern United
States Four-Corners region of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and
Arizona. During those months, McPheeters reflected on the
nature of his occupation, the public's perception of a police
officer's work, and the effect such a loss has on an officer's
survivors. From these thoughts, the concept of Cops on Top
took form. |
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The inaugural expedition in 1999 was in memory of Officer
Claxton, and McPheeters chose Denali (Mount McKinley), Alaska for the
team's first climb.
Cops
on Top returned to Denali in 2001 to successfully reach the summit in
memory of Washington State Trooper James Saunders.
About this Site:
This web site contains extensive information about each of
the expeditions; team members, climbing itineraries, equipment lists,
menus, and trip logs. Cops on Top is honored that much of the
information is used as a reference for other expedition teams, and that we
are listed as a link on some of the most respected mountaineering web
sites on the internet.
Our web site was first developed and maintained by Cops on
Top team member Steve Evans of Backcountry Experience. We want to publicly
thank him for all the hard work and dedicated time he spent making the
site a reality in it's original days.
Your Support is Appreciated:
Cops on Top maintains the highest integrity with respect
to all fiscal matters of the team. All sponsorships, donations,
receipts, and disbursements are recorded and reported.
| Cops on Top graciously accepts sponsorships and donations
for equipment and provisions for the climbing team, as well as for the aid
of officers fallen in the line of duty. If you'd like to
support this noble cause, contact the team
directly and indicate if you wish to aid the team or the team's
cause. Also, Cops on Top highly recommends supporting Concerns of
Police Survivors, Inc. (COPS). |
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