DENVER, CO - TAKING MILITARY VETERANS TO NEW HEIGHTS

Force Factor and Veterans Green Jobs are excited to announce the formation of the Force Factor Veterans Expedition Team-Shasta (VET-S) Mount Shasta is located in Siskiyou County, California. At 14,179 feet, it is the second highest peak in the Cascades. Theodore Roosevelt said: "I consider the evening twilight on Mt. Shasta one of the grandest sights I have ever witnessed."

We are recruiting for 12 veterans to participate in a sponsored Colorado climbing clinic June 25 to 27, 2010, with plans for a smaller team to make a summit attempt of Mount Shasta on 9/11. VET-S is designed to primarily engage physically and mentally disabled veterans from recent actions in OIF / OEF. However, we are encouraging all veterans, from any time of service, to apply.

Organized by Veterans Green Jobs and Boston-based Force Factor, this expedition will be professionally coordinated and guided by Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides of Boulder, Colorado.

Jordan Latva, a Marine Corps veteran who was wounded in Fallujah, Iraq in 2004, is participating in the climb. Impacted by shrapnel that was embedded from his feet to his armpit due to an RPG explosion, Latva says the Mount Shasta expedition is just the experience he's been looking for. “When the explosion happened, I thought I was going to lose my leg. Luckily that didn't happen. That's when I made a goal of climbing every fourteener in Colorado. I'm really excited to climb Mount Shasta!” We hope you'll join us!

Criteria for climbers include the ability to:
- Walk with crampons and on uneven terrain
- Carry a 40-pound backpack
- Hold an ice axe and self-arrest
- Acclimate to an altitude of more than 10,000 feet for sleeping
- Hike to a 14,000-foot summit
- Walk for up to 12 hours

Participants selected for the climbing clinic will receive one day of professional instruction and guiding from Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides before spending two days exploring and camping in the Rocky Mountains. All climbers will also be enrolled in a web-based training program created by Sterling Sports Group of Sunnyvale California. This comprehensive program includes daily workouts and a training log to CWRAGhelp prepare the vets for the high-altitude fitness challenges.

Veterans Green Jobs and Force Factor are offering sponsorship opportunities to recreational and outdoor supply companies. The expedition team is seeking donations of climbing gear, camping gear and clothing. Let us know if you can help!

Interested? Contact Stacy Bare at stacy (at) veteransgreenjobs.org or Nick Watson at nick (at) cwrag.com. Phone calls may also be received at 720-519-5837. Also see Veterans Green Jobs.