Page 12 - Jan_14

Same Mountain,

Different Day

Franconia Man Climbs

Cannon to Raise Money

for Adaptive Sports

By Evan Johnson

Franconia, NH—While most people would be content day for a year and I’m going to start today, I don’t
to climb a mountain once and then check it off their think people would believe me,” he says.

list, Ian Dowling's motivations are far different. Ian He’s faithfully held himself to that commitment
Dowling, 48, has committed himself to climbing the and has raised more than $400 so far. But as the con-
same mountain every day for a year to raise funds for ditions have become more rugged and the ascent takes
Adaptive Sports Partners of the North Country.
more time, juggling the daily hike with the respon-
Dowling's decision to begin this daily ritual was sibilities of a full-time job has proven more difficult.

the result of a number of factors; this fall, both of his Dowling works as a nuclear medicine technologist and
kids left for college, and being single, he found him- drives a mobile nuclear medicine unit between five dif-
self with more time on his hands. Dowling says he was ferent hospitals in northern New Hampshire, leaving
looking for a challenge.
him enough time to complete the hike either before or
“I figured, ‘What the heck?’” he says. “Why not after work, in the dark.

try and achieve something more substantial?”
On top of that, he's raising a puppy at home.
Cannon Mountain is a convenient 15 minutes He says he’s finally realized what he’s gotten him-
from his house, and his season pass to the ski area self into.
would allow him to make his descent on skis in the “It’s proving to be a lot harder than I thought,”
winter. When he started in September, and the fall air equipment for their programming. he says.
“I figured if I’m doing something like this, then
made for an enjoyable trail run, he was in trail running I might as well raise money for them so they can get But like all tough ascents, Dowling says the de-
shoes, making it to the 2,200-foot summit in about some better equipment,” he says.
scents have been rewarding, whether it is on mountain
half an hour. He also made the hike carrying a down- bike, skis, or his latest method, a shovel
hill mountain bike to ride back down the trail.
Dowling's goal is to raise $10,000 that he has converted into a sled. While
Since September, temperatures have plummeted for the ASPNC, but he waited until he the hike up takes about an hour in the
had logged more than 100 ascents be- to donate, visit
to well below freezing, and the mountain has accumu- fore he went public with his plans.
winter, he can ride down on his shovel
lated 73 inches of snow to date. Lately, Dowling skins “I waited so people would think in a record time of eight minutes. crowdrise.com/
to the top or relies on snowshoes.
“It’s adventurous,” he says. “I’ve
touchthetower/
He also decided to use this hobby as a means for I was legitimate,” he says. “I think if I had to start wearing a helmet.”
came out and told people that I’m go- fundraiser/iandowling
fundraising. While working as a volunteer with the ing to climb Cannon Mountain every
Adaptive Sports organization, he observed a need for

12 VtsPorts.coM
FEbruary/March 2014