5th Annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Mt. Bonnell

Five years ago, the No Straight Path 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb started with four friends, a flag, and a simple goal: to remember.

This September, we returned to Mt. Bonnell in Austin, Texas, for our 5th annual climb. What started as a small group has continued to grow into something we're incredibly grateful to share with the Austin community.

22 Climbs. 2,200 Steps. 110 Stories.

We started at 8:00 AM, and Texas made sure we earned every step.

The morning was already warm and incredibly humid as everyone gathered at the bottom of the stairs. But despite the conditions—and the workout ahead—there were smiles all around.

The challenge was 22 climbs of the Mt. Bonnell staircase, with one trip up and down counting as a single climb. By the end, that adds up to roughly 2,200 steps and the equivalent of 110 stories, representing the height of the Twin Towers.

But from the beginning, we've always said the same thing: finishing all 22 climbs isn't what matters. Showing up does.

However, everyone completed the workout. No one complained. No one cared who was first. It was simply a group of people putting in the work and supporting one another.

A Community That Keeps Growing

This year, we were honored to have a large group of soldiers from the 980th Engineer Battalion join us, along with several soldiers from Fort Hood, other military members, first responders, and people from throughout the community who simply wanted to come out and show their support.

We also shared the stairs with the ASL RUN ATX community, which made an already special morning even better. Different groups, different backgrounds, and plenty of familiar and new faces - all climbing the same stairs for the same reason.

One of the best parts of the morning was seeing people return from previous years alongside so many people experiencing the climb for the first time. That's exactly what we hope this event continues to become: a tradition that grows through the people who choose to show up.

A special thank you also goes to Mom and Pops Popsicles, who generously donated an entire cooler of popsicles for everyone. After 2,200 steps in a warm, humid Texas morning, it's hard to imagine a better way to finish.

More Than a Workout

September 11 is a day that should never become just another date on the calendar.

This climb is our small way of taking time to remember the lives lost, honor the first responders and service members who answered the call, and bring people together through something difficult.

There is no entry fee. There is no race clock. You don't have to be military, a first responder, or an elite athlete. And you don't have to complete all 22 climbs.

You just have to show up.

To everyone who climbed with us, encouraged someone on the stairs, brought a friend, returned for another year, or joined us for the first time: thank you.

We'll be back at Mt. Bonnell next September, and we hope to see even more familiar—and new—faces on the stairs with us.

Until next year. Never forget.