Mountaineering - Captain Bill Schweizer and Wolfy

Wolfy and I successfully climbed Chinaman's Hat in eastern Washington.
Chinaman's hat is a volcanic cindercone rising 3,880 feet from the desert floor near the Puget Sound Energy Wild Horses wind farm - the windiest area of the state.
We were encountering gale force winds and near the base of the mountain, near a gap in the terrain, where wind speeds can double, I was hit by a gust of wind at hurricane speed - 80 miles per hour or more. I was distracted by the close up sight of the mountain and my enthusiasm to start the summit push that I wasn't watching where I stepped and tripped and went sailing with the wind pushing me. I hit my head on the ground and heard my neck crack. I got up and kept feeling for blood or any other injury. I was ok. My new thick wool lined North Face beanie kept my forehead from being gouged by the sharp basalt rocks I hit. Also because of my Tai Chi training I know how to fall without being hurt.
We successfully climbed to the summit and what we found was an inspiration and a tribute to the best in human nature which is a characteristic of mountaineers.
There was a u-shaped six foot wide semi-circle constructed of large pieces of volcanic basalt rock with three feet high walls to protect you from the wind. On the floor of the semi-circle was a metal tin box with a notebook inside on which you could write how you felt being on the summit. The box also contained dollar bills and little plastic animals and trinkets. The summit floor of the semi-circle was strewn with small coins for climbers wishes.
I was also inspired by Wolfy. This is the first mountain I have ever climbed with her that she hasn't been the first one to the summit looking down on me. She stayed right by my side or slightly ahead of me safely guiding me to the summit.
This climb was the end of four days of climbing in gale force winds with gusts to hurricane strength.
I believe I have learned how to safely climb in these conditions and I have written up a detailed report on how to do this which I will be submitting to the Seattle Mountaineers for hopefully inclusion in Freedom of the Hills - the world's authoritative text on mountaineering.
After the climb I thought of Jim Whittaker, the first American to climb Mount Everest.
He started his successful climb of Mount Everest in a blizzard with gale force winds and he said to his partner words to the effect: "We've seen worse than this," meaning hurricane force.

Note: The words I wrote in the summit notebook were: " All mountains are the temple of God whose purpose is to remove sin.". Tibetan proverb.
Captain Bill Schweizer  and Wolfy
Mountaintop Sea Ministries International