Category: Adventures

  • Why do we Climb Mountains? Part 2

    Why do we Climb Mountains? Part 2

    This is my attempt to articulate my personal reasons that answer the question: “Why do we climb mountains?” I forewarn you: I am a total master of rationalization — finding possibly logical (and sometimes magical) reasons to develop passionate motivation to do the things that I really want to do, but that might be seen…

  • The Myth of Gear: Its not the Weapon, its the Warrior

    a meditation on the Myth of Gear in modern climbing culture: over-reliance on equipment (especially by novice climbers) in the twin worlds of mountaineering & rock-climbing. You might have heard of the debate on big mountains about “expedition-style” vs. “alpine-style” ascents. In short, the first is how they did it in the olden days —…

  • Why do We Risk Our Lives to Climb Mountains?

    My recent adventures on the slopes of Mount Whitney (see 1 the initial summit & 2 the redemption mission), and the dancing with death that were a result of both, has me deeply thinking about the why of mountaineering. And not just for me — for Alex Honnold, for Scott Fischer — for anyone who chooses…

  • Redemption: Whitney Gear Retrieval Mission : Doing it Right

    I returned home from my Whitney Adventure in a state of almost total and complete shock. I had lost five pounds in 48 hours; I’d also lost my phone, and abandoned all my gear — my entire base camp setup — at 11,000 feet. I knew I had to get back — and soon —…

  • Mount Whitney Mountaineers Route is Very Real. Adventure. (Winter 2024)

    “There’s a razors edge  . . . . between genius and madness. That’s a sharp,  . . . . hard edge to ride.” — Barry Blanchard — top high-risk Alpinist This is a story about one human summiting and descending one mountain. In this case, the human is me. I am an acrobat, athlete, amateur…

Exit mobile version