Friday, May 30, 2008

Get to Know Your Guide: An interview with Viren Perumal

Every week, we take the reader into the interesting and ever-changing life of an American Alpine Institute guide. Every AAI guide is very experienced in alpine and rock climbing, and all have received professional training in advanced guiding techniques and rescue. Collectively they have one of the highest levels of wilderness first aid, avalanche, and Leave No Trace training among the world's international guide services.

This week, we interview Viren Perumal.

Age: 26
Hometown: Collegedale, TN (at least that's where my truck is registered but haven't actually lived there in almost 5 years)
Recent trips and expeditions with AAI: I just got off a 12 day Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership Part 1 course, and I am leaving for Denali in a few days. I have been basking in the desert sun all winter, guiding long multi-pitch sandstone routes outside of Las Vegas and splitter granite cracks in Joshua tree. I also did some ice climb guiding in Lee Vining (California) this past winter.
Upcoming courses with AAI: I'll be on the West Buttress of Denali for June. For the rest of the summer, it looks like my trips will include the North Ridge of Mt. Baker, the White Salmon glacier on Mt. Shuksan, a Mt. Rainier trip, and I am also possibly looking at a Bugaboos trip in August.

A Guide’s Life
How old were you when you first started climbing?
I actually grew up in Thailand, India, Malaysia, eastern Canada, and finally moved to Tennessee when I was 12. I had gone camping a few times with my parents – car camping style, but it wasn't until 8th grade in the Appalachian foothills that I went on my first overnight backpacking trip. I was a junkshow and my pack almost outweighed me. That 2-night, 6-mile trip seemed like the longest trip of my life. I ended up trying to get out and camp as much as possible the
following years in high school and also began rock climbing. That soon took over most of my free time, and I finally had something healthy to put all my energy into.

I think the thing that really locked it in for me was that early in high school I was starting to get into trouble, and actually got expelled from a school I was going to – it was that following summer that my friend Rocky took me out rock climbing for my first time and I realized this was something I could be really into and would keep me from hanging out with my friends at home who just wanted to party. Rock climbing soon consumed me and all the money I made that summer at a landscaping job went to shoes a harness and other types of climbing gear. After high school in the southeast, I wanted to climb big mountains. I moved up to go to college in western Canada, which is where I had my first exposure to real mountaineering and ice climbing.


How do you stay in shape, and what are your favorite training activities?
Uhhhh who said I was in shape??? Well I guess I just climb – always wish I co
uld climb more. And training??? Wow that sounds like a lot of work – I just go play – pull ups are fun for me I suppose.

Who is the most inspiring person in your climbing life?
Maybe Yvonne Chouinard or people like Peter Croft who are full on energizer bunnies. They still keep on climbing because they just love it. In general, the people who climb more than they talk about climbing are pretty inspiring to me. I saw Fred Becky climbing ice in Hyalite (Montana) almost two winters ago when I was out there – that guy is pretty amazing - I think he is almost 90 years old, but he loves it so much
.

What are your other interests besides climbing?
I love rivers and whitewater kayaking. I have also tried surfing a bit, and love that, but I get trashed pretty good when I go. I have been trying to learn to play the mandolin as well, but it is hard with the number of days I spend in the backcountry.

I also teach wilderness medicine for Wilderness Medicine Institute and will also be teaching at a University in Tennessee this fall. I guess being a more intentional and organized teacher is a current interest of mine – I can already see it helping the flow of my guide days and courses.


Where is your favorite place to travel?
I have mostly only been able to travel places where my truck can drive. But East Creek Basin in the Bugaboos is one of my favorite places in the world. I have spent some time rock climbing on the beaches of Thailand and don't have to much to complain about that, but anytime I can get my hands into a splitter crack in some remote alpine granite I am usually pretty happy.

Where do you hope to travel in the near future?
My wife Julie and I have thrown around going to Arapalies (Australia) to climb for a while next winter.

On the Technical Side
Describe your climbing style
.
I could say something predictable like "I like to climb fast and light" or "clean climbing is my style" but growing up in Tennessee I would have to describe my climbing style as "Git 'er Done." I like big rock routes in the mountains and sometimes you end up pulling through and moving fast – my wide crack climbing can sometimes feel like a grovel but I love every second of it.
What has been your most technically difficult climb?
5.fun – I don't know. I have climbed 5.12 before but hanging on sport routes is less appealing to me than long traditional routes where numbers are not as important as the aesthetics of the line. Some of my favorites are routes like the Becky-Chouinard on S.Howser.

What is your biggest strength as a climber? Biggest weakness?
Strength to weight ratio – (you don't have to be strong if you don't weigh anything). Also, probably being super motivated to get out and explore new routes and areas. My weakness is my lack of interest in training and things like bouldering or hard sport routes – when I start falling off a few times, I am ready to go find some beautiful crack J. I suppose that my weakness is that I love crack climbing and alpine climbing so much that it makes me less of a well-rounded climber.


A Guide on Guiding

When you guide, what piece of advice do you find you give most often to climbers?
I wish I had the ability to take a climbing course when I was younger – they are super spendy, but I always tell my students that in a 12-day course most students come out knowing more than I learned by trial and error and reading books in probably five years of climbing (granted I was a high school kid in Tennessee learning to climb).

What qualities do you think are most important in a guide?
Humor
Patience
Effective teacher
Energy
Passion for what they are doing!


Name a few guide “turn-ons” (for example, what makes a good climber on one of your courses, ascents, or expeditions?).
Sometimes I teach people who are just curious about the sport, and then often I teach others who are going to take what I teach them and start leading/climbing on their own. I love to teach people like that, because they are soaking up anything I can share with them and it makes me more motivated to overload them with information.

Any memorable events while guiding for AAI?
Any trip is great when I get to teach a longer course or have somebody multiple times. I get super psyched to see the amount of change and growth in their comfort levels and skills. This is always super rewarding for any guide.

What are your must-haves? Favorite foods or gear?
Uhh . . . anything that Deals Only has on sale in Bellingham (Washington) I guess. Also, cheese is always a good thing and I have been taking these sun dried tomato tofurkey sausages up on mountaineering trips. They've got loads of calories and, well, meat out in the sun for a few days scares me. I really like to cook and eat well because I need to keep the calories up. I usually bring whatever has the most bang for buck.
Describe your achievement of which you are the most proud.
I think getting married to Julie was to me kind of like a big alpine route: really beautiful, but kind of intimidating because there were a bunch of unknowns. We were on the "10 year dating plan" when we finally decided to get married, and all the unknowns kind of scared the crap out of me, but it has been the greatest thing in the world. For my simple life, that is a pretty enormous achievement.

Any closing comments?
Life is short – many climbers have dreams that they put on the shelf until they find out that it is a little late to do all the things they used to want to do. Dream big and live those dreams – If you want something bad enough you will make it happen.

I'm looking forward to a big chunk of time off to road trip/travel/climb with Julie.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

May and June Climbing Events

NORTHWEST:

--June 15-16 -- Leavenworth -- Feathered Friends Rockfest 2008

RED ROCK CANYON:

--May 28 -- Las Vegas -- Las Vegas Climber's Liason Council Meeting -- Enterprise Library, 7 PM

--June 18 -- Las Vegas/Henderson -- Las Vegas Climber's Liasion Council Meeting -- Henderson REI, 7:00 PM

NOTES FROM ALL OVER:

--Former AAI Guide and writer Majka Burhardt will be presenting a slide show on her new book, Vertical Ethiopia in Boulder, Greenwich, Boston, New Paltz, San Francisco, and Telluride. for more info, click here.

--May 31-June 1 -- New York, NY -- (Rubin Museum, New York City)Peak Experience III, the ultimate sleepover, 40 kids, aged 10-12 and roped together alpine-style, confront the challenges of climbing Everest. Along the way they learn the scientific and medical aspects of mountaineering from experienced guides and Sherpas. Parents of potential registrants as well as AAC volunteer guides should contact Phil Earad.

ACCESS FUND ADOPT-A-CRAG EVENTS:

June 17 -- Sandstone, MN -- Robinson Park Clean-Up, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by Minnesota Climbers Association and the city of Sandstone. Glenn Burns, glenn.burns@gmail.com

June 18 -- Taylor Falls, MN -- The Taylors Falls Clean-Up an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by the Minnesota Climbers Association, Mid-West Mountaineering, and Minnesota DNR. Glenn Burns, glenn.burns@gmail.com

June 23 -- Franklin Gorge, WV -- The 2nd Annual Franklin Traildaze & Crankfest, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by Punishers, Inc. Starts at 3pm May 23rd ending through Midnight May 26th. Camping and Cabins available, more information available at: www.rockclimbing.com. Michael Gray, roninorne@rockclimbing.com

June 31 -- Colorado Springs, CO -- The Ute Valley Climbing Comp & Clean-Up, a TeamWorks Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by the ROCK Climbing Center Junior Team, Front Range Climbing Company, the Mountain Chalet, and REI Colorado Springs. Lara Groshong, info@climbingtherock.com

June 7 -- Lewis and Clark State Park, OR -- The 5th Annual Broughton's Bush Whack & BBQ, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by Access Fund Regional Coordinator Tony Holmes, Climb Max Mountaineering, Next Adventure and the Stoneworks Climbing Gym Youth Team. Tony Holmes, nwwilderness@aol.com

June 7 -- Atlanta, GA -- Boat Rock Trail Day, a Teamworks Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by Atlanta Rocks, the Southeast Climbers Coalition and REI Buford. Website: www.seclimbers.org, Brad McLeod, mbmcleod@mindspring.com

June 8 -- Blue Mounds State Park, MN -- The Blue Mounds Clean-Up, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by the Minnesota Climbers Association and Minnesota DNR, Glenn Burns, glenn.burns@gmail.com

June 8 -- The Monastery, CO -- The Monastery Clean-Up, an event hosted by the Kent Mountain Adventure Center, CAnyon Lakes National Forest Ranger District, and the New Belgium Brewery. Reed Woodford, kmac@frill.com

Monday, May 26, 2008

Popular Anchor Acronyms

Over the last decade, the use of anchor acronyms has become quite popular. For awhile, it seemed like everybody had a different acronym for the "ideal" anchor. Following are a few examples of anchor acronyms:

RENE

Rumor has it that this term was initially coined by an east coast guide. As I am unable to independently verify the truth of this, I'm going to keep his name out of this blog. In any case, the preceding acronym stands for:

R - Redundant
E - Equalized
N - No
E - Extention

"Redundant" simply means that there is more than one element involved in every aspect of the system. "Equalized" means that the all the weight is evenly distributed. "No Extention" means that if one piece fails, the anchor will not shockload other parts of the system.

John Long's How to Rock Climb series added an element to the acronym. In his books he began to use SRENE. The RENE part remained the same, but he added the "S". This stood for "secure" or "strong." In other words, are all the pieces strong and secure?

The 2008 AMGA Single Pitch Instructor manual added another letter to the acronym. In this recent publication they made the acronym, SERENE. The new "E" stood for "effective;" as in, was the construction of this anchor quick? Was it well-placed? Does it do the job without too much equipment or fuss?

Popular books like Freedom of the Hills, Rock Climbing: Mastering the Basic Skills, and Alpine Climbing: Techniques to Take You Higher have gone a completely different route. Instead of SERENE, they use ERNEST.

E - Equalized
R - Redundant
N - No
E - Extention
S - Secure/Solid
T - Timely

The only real addition to this particular acronym is the "T" for "timely" which could well equate to the "E" for "effective."

When all is said and done, it doesn't really matter which acronym you prefer. It doesn't matter as long as your anchors are RENE, SRENE, SERENE and ERNEST...

--Jason D. Martin

Sunday, May 25, 2008

AAI/AC Everest Team Summit on May 24th

The main AAI/AC Everest Team summited at 6:53am on Saturday, May 24th! Within this group, Cheryl and Niki Barton from Australia were the first mother and daughter team to ever summit Everest - congratulations! Check out their photo on the right.

The descent is going smoothly so far, and everyone seems to be happy to be in thicker air. To check out our most recent dispatches, click here.

Congratulations to:
Robyn Faike
Ang Dorjee Sherpa
Cheryl Bart
Nikki Bart
Victor Saunders
Philip Drowley
Steven Novick
Hedd-wynn Williams
Carol Masheter
Michael Roberts
Lydia Bradey
Lhakpa Dorjee Sherpa
Phu Tashi Sherpa
Dawa Zangbu Sherpa
Sangay Dorjee Sherpa
Ang Sona Sherpa
Pemba Choti Sherpa
Tendi Sherpa
Namgyal Sherpa
Passang Bhote #1
Passang Bhote #2
Nima Tenzing Sherpa

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Weekend Warrior -- Videos to Get You Stoked!

This week we're bringing you on a journey of discovery.

First, discover Sender Films. This is the production company that brought you Scary Faces and Return to Sender. They have a preview of their new film out. BareFOOT in BOHEMIA is currently being shot throughout Europe.

Second, discover world class alpine climbing and world class alpine climbing philosophies with world class alpine climber, Kelly Cordes. To see his video, click here.

And third, discover some sick moves on a totally sick mixed rock and ice climb. To see some sickness, click here.

Friday, May 23, 2008

Get to Know Your Guide: An interview with Angela Seidling

Every week, we take the reader into the interesting and ever-changing life of an American Alpine Institute guide. Every AAI guide is very experienced in alpine and rock climbing, and all have received professional training in advanced guiding techniques and rescue. Collectively they have one of the highest levels of wilderness first aid, avalanche, and Leave No Trace training among the world's international guide services.

This week, we interview Angela Seidling.

Age: 29
Hometown: Everett, Washington
Recent trips and expeditions with AAI: Alpinism 1 on Mt. Baker and Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership
Upcoming courses with AAI: Denali, then back to the Cascades

A Guide’s Life
How old were you when you first started climbing?
The first time I climbed was at an indoor wall on an 8th grade field trip in Wiscon
sin. Apparently, it didn't leave much of an impression because I didn't try climbing again until college. I moved to Missoula (Montana) in 1997 and it was there that I really started climbing. After realizing how much I enjoyed just climbing at the local crags, my climbs naturally progressed to become longer and harder. I soon found myself completely enamored by alpine climbing.

How do you stay in shape, and what are your favorite training activities?
I stay in shape by doing the things that I love to do, and lucky for me, those hobb
ies involve being active.

Who is the most inspiring person in your climbing life?
I'm definitely a fan of burly women who climb. How can you
not be inspired by women like Lynn Hill and Steph Davis?

What are your other interests besides climbing?
Running, skiing, kayaking, sailing, spending time with my husband and our dogs.

Where is your favorite place to travel? Where do you hope to travel in the near future?
We went to Peru recently a
nd it was amazing - the purpose of the trip was to climb; needless to say, the mountains were magnificent. The people we encountered were just as incredible; they were consistently kind and helpful and the children were always so curious - they had as many questions for me as I had for them. As far as future travels, the list is endless. One place that does stand out is ski mountaineering in India.

On the Technical Side
Describe your climbing style
.
I'm not really sure that I have a specific "style." I'd love to be able to say graceful, but that would be stretching it, especially after such a long and fantastic ski season with climbing gear neglected in the storage unit. The style of climbing that I prefer is alpine climbing. Maybe it's because most of my climbing so far has been in Montana, but my favorite climbs are the ones that involve a lot of rock with a lot of open space and not many other people around.

What is your biggest strength as a climber? Biggest weakness?
My biggest strength is that I'm stubborn and when I have a goal, I see to it that it gets accomplished. My biggest weakness is that climbing only gets a fraction of my time because there are so many other things I like to do.


A Guide on Guiding

When you guide, what piece of advice do you find you give most often to climbers?
Take good care of yourself! Eat, drink, wear sunscreen.

What qualities do you think are most important in a guide?
I think a guide should be p
ositive and patient, they need to be able to make good decisions, and they absolutely need to love their job!

Name a few guide “turn-ons” (for example, what makes a good climber on one of your courses, ascents, or expeditions?).
Someone who has a good attitude and is genuinely interested in learning and participating in the course.


Any memorable events while guiding for AAI?
Being the guide for a group
of friends that had been planning their climb for months as the "Man Trip." I'm pretty certain that having a female guide for the "Man Trip" wasn't in the original plans, but it's safe to say that everyone found the humor in it and a good time was had by all!

What are your must-haves? Favorite foods or gear?
Coffee and chocolate.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Memorial Day Weekend Campground Closures

The following email came into the AAI office this morning:
  • This Memorial Day weekend hikers and campers may discover their favorite trails and campgrounds under several feet of snow in the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, in spite of warm spring weather. A long and late winter with record snowpack at low elevations is to blame.

  • Of the 34 campgrounds normally open for Memorial Day, 24 are open, snow has postponed opening 10 and closed most of the trails. “I haven’t seen conditions like this in the 15 years I have been on the forest, with the snow so low and so late in the spring,” said Rodney Mace, forest recreation staff officer. He said more than a foot of snow blocks the road on the Mountain Loop Highway Deer Creek gate, which at only 1,200 feet elevation is usually open this time of year, and the snow depth tops six feet at Barlow Pass. “We had unprecedented snowpack this year and above 2,000 feet elevation you will encounter continuous snowfields, or lower, if the area is shaded,” he said.

  • Campground openings that have been postponed include Silver Springs until May 30, and the following until June 13: Denny Creek, Miller River Group, Beaver Creek Group, Coal Creek Group, Wiley Creek Group, North and South Bayview, Mineral Park, and Silver Fir. Visitors can check campground opening dates by calling 541-338-7869, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; and 541-822-3799, Saturday and Sunday, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; or, by going to www.hoodoo.com.

  • People who have reserved campgrounds that have been closed due to snow can negotiate a new date or get their money back by contacting the National Recreation Reservation System at www.recreation.gov or calling HooDoo at the above numbers. For updated information about road and trail conditions go to the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest site at: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/.

  • “Even if the roads were ploughed, there would be no place to go, nowhere to park and avalanche hazard,” Mace added. Warm and wet weather raises avalanche danger, according to the Northwest Avalanche Center, which advises the public to check its website at http://www.nwac.us/ before visiting the forest.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Denali Ice Agers on the Move

The Ice Agers (an older group of Denali Expedition climbers) have arrived in Alaska!


Alaska Program Coordinator Coley Gentzel has also just arrived in Alaska, and has sent us a quick update to let everyone know that "the Ice Ager's Expedition is off to a grand start here in Anchorage. The orientation and gear check went smooth like butter, and we have just returned from a lovely dinner (see photo below) courtesy of the Snow Goose restaurant here in Anchorage. As we have known for some time know, the group is well prepared and outside of a few odds and ends, the gang is ready for the transition to Talkeetna. Weather permitting, we will also head for the glacier tomorrow."



The team enjoys their dinner at the Snow Goose restaurant in Anchorage


"I think most folks will wander down to Peggy's restaurant for a 6:00am breakfast before catching the shuttle to Talkeetna at 7:00am tomorrow. The "continental" breakfast here at the hotel is well, more proof that the term "continental" must be french for less than exciting!"


"We are still awaiting the arrival of Jack Strickland, the final arrival on the expedition. He is to arrive in another hour or two, fresh from his daughter's graduation in Texas. As long as he gets in as scheduled, we will be on the road as of 7:00am tomorrow. We will make a brief pit stop in Wasilla enroute to Talkeetna. I don't know about the rest of the gang, but I will be looking forward to a cup of Alaska best coffee there, roasted locally by the Kaladi Brothers here in Anchorage."


The team walks around Anchorage and prepares for their departure to Talkeetna Monday morning


"At this point, you must be wondering why you are getting the dispatch from me. I am, for the day, an honorary Ice Ager's team member. I was able to meet up with the group for some socializing and dinner and will be hitching a ride to Talkeetna in the morning. It was great for me personally to finally meet and connect with folks that I have, in some cases, been working with for years. Ron Goodman, Art Huseonica, and Bob Baker have not been far from my daily work for quite a few years now. Seeing this team come together and start to coalesce and make progress is a fantastic reminder of the meaning behind what we as a company do. This is a great group of men and they are all here for the "right" reasons - to have a good time, further friendships, and to work together to try to accomplish this enormous task."


Team member Art Huseonica trains for Denali by pulling heavy loads on the beach


"The Alaska sun is still shining brightly despite the late hour, and we have an early morning tomorrow - goodbye for now." - Coley Gentzel


Please see the AAI Dispatches page for recent dispatches from all our teams on Denali!

Breaking News -- Highway 20 is Open

The American Alpine Institute just received the following email from the Washington State Department of Transportation:

  • The gates near Diablo and Mazama swung open at 3 p.m. this afternoon allowing you to travel between the Skagit and Methow Valleys for the first time in 5 days. Yesterday, our avalanche crew found a large slide, blockingthe highway below Liberty #3. Heavy, wet snow, large rocks and tree debriscovered 200-feet of the highway to a depth of 25 to 35 feet. Our crews cleared the slides, repaired a sinkhole and cleared about a half dozen clogged culverts where avalanche chutes released and dumped snow and rocks on the shoulders. Photos of the slide and sinkhole can be viewed on the WSDOT flickr web site: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157605163524499/
  • The snow has stabilized and weather forecasts don’t suggest any conditions that would close the highway for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. It just might actually get to be spring!

Travel Safety in a Developing Country

Many of our guides spend a great deal of time traveling in developing nations. As tourists with expensive climbing and photography equipment, we are definitely seen as targets. Most of us who have spent significant amounts of time in South America or Asia have encountered some petty crime.

We spend time in cities as well as in open camps near the mountains. Each of the two environments have their own circumstances. In order to be safe and avoid theft, one must "follow the rules" in each of these environments. Following is a list of precautions that should be undertaken in any foreign environment:
  1. Many guides make a photocopy of their passports and carry it around the city. They put the passport itself in a hotel safe that they feel comfortable with.

  2. Use a money belt or money necklace. If you don't feel comfortable with the hotel safe, carry your passport in the money belt/necklace.

  3. When you first arrive in a country, be sure that you know what the currency looks like. One of our guides was once given change in play money shortly after he got off the plane in Bolivia.

  4. If you elect to wear a small backpack around the city, place luggage locks on the zippers. In crowds, wear the backpack on the front of your body so that you can see it. People will often try to open zippers when you are still. In extreme cases they may even attempt to cut open the bottom of the pack with a knife.

  5. As ATMs become more popular throughout the world, it has become easier to obtain money in developing countries with a debit card. This keeps one from carrying massive amounts of cash or hard-to-convert travelers checks. If you do choose to go this route, talk to your bank first. They may give you a list of "safe" ATMs in a city. If you don't have such a list, make sure that you use an ATM attached to a bank and be sure that you are aware of your surroundings before putting your card into the machine. Do not use a machine if there are any suspicious characters around.

  6. Beware of fake police and fake taxis. If someone flashes you a badge and then wants to see your money, be suspicious. If a taxi doesn't have appropriate documentation in the window, be suspicious.

  7. No matter how much you trust it, do not leave expensive items out in your hotel room.

  8. Do not wear expensive looking jewelry in public.

  9. You may choose to wear a "decoy wallet." In other words, you have a wallet that distracts a potential thief from going for the real thing. Never put your wallet in your back pocket. Even zippered pockets can be opened or cut by experienced thieves.

  10. Women should try not to respond to local men that approach them for no apparent reason in foreign countries, especially in patriarchal cultures. Even a curt "no" may be construed as the start of a conversation.

  11. Be wary of new romantic relationships with people in developing countries.

  12. If you pay for your hotel room in advance, be sure to obtain receipts.

  13. Beware of circumstances where people need help or are trying to help you. In other words, if somebody is trying to hand you a baby for some reason or is trying to help remove bird dung from your shoulder, be suspicious and watch your bags closely.

  14. Do not wander around a city in a developing country at the middle of the night while intoxicated.

  15. When camping underneath the mountains in a developing country, hire a cook. If you can, try to get one from a local outfitter. The cook will double as a camp guard while you are in the mountains.

  16. Be sure to bring all of you gear inside the vestibule of your tent at night. Do not leave anything of value outside.

  17. If you use animals to carry gear on your expedition, be sure that they are loaded appropriately. Don't let them put a sleeping bag on one animal and a tent on another so that they can charge you for more animals. In addition to this, make sure you know how many animals you hired. Sometimes locals don't keep track and round up in their estimations.
On AAI trips, the guides will always orient you to the particular dangers of a given city or camp. If you elect to climb in foriegn countries without a guide who is "in-the-know," then be sure to research the tourist oriented scams of your destination before you leave.

Traveling and climbing in developing countries can be incredibly exciting. But the excitement dissipates when something is stolen. Always keep your eyes open and be smart. This is the best way to keep your vacation on the right track.


--Jason D. Martin



May and June Climbing Events

NORTHWEST:

--May 23-26 -- Washington Pass -- Cascadeclimbers.com Ski-In

--May 25 -- Bellingham -- Ski to Sea relay multi-sport relay race.--For more outdoor and adventure author events in the Pacific Northwest, click here.

--June 15-16 -- Leavenworth -- Feathered Friends Rockfest 2008


RED ROCK CANYON:

--May 28 -- Las Vegas -- Las Vegas Climber's Liason Council Meeting -- Enterprise Library, 7 PM

--June 18 -- Las Vegas/Henderson -- Las Vegas Climber's Liasion Council Meeting -- Henderson REI, 7:00 PM


NOTES FROM ALL OVER:

--Former AAI Guide and writer Majka Burhardt will be presenting a slide show on her new book, Vertical Ethiopia in Boulder, Greenwich, Boston, New Paltz, San Francisco, and Telluride. for more info, click here.

--May 17 -- North Conway, NH -- Kismet Jubilee -- The annual meeting of a foundation which brings climbing to economically disadvantaged children.

--May 23-26 -- Telluride, CO -- Telluride Mountain Film Festival

--May 31-June 1 -- New York, NY -- (Rubin Museum, New York City)Peak Experience III, the ultimate sleepover, 40 kids, aged 10-12 and roped together alpine-style, confront the challenges of climbing Everest. Along the way they learn the scientific and medical aspects of mountaineering from experienced guides and Sherpas. Parents of potential registrants as well as AAC volunteer guides should contact Phil Earad.

ACCESS FUND ADOPT-A-CRAG EVENTS:

June 17 -- Sandstone, MN -- Robinson Park Clean-Up, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by Minnesota Climbers Association and the city of Sandstone. Glenn Burns, glenn.burns@gmail.com

June 18 -- Taylor Falls, MN -- The Taylors Falls Clean-Up an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by the Minnesota Climbers Association, Mid-West Mountaineering, and Minnesota DNR. Glenn Burns, glenn.burns@gmail.com

June 23 -- Franklin Gorge, WV -- The 2nd Annual Franklin Traildaze & Crankfest, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by Punishers, Inc. Starts at 3pm May 23rd ending through Midnight May 26th. Camping and Cabins available, more information available at: www.rockclimbing.com. Michael Gray, roninorne@rockclimbing.com

June 31 -- Colorado Springs, CO -- The Ute Valley Climbing Comp & Clean-Up, a TeamWorks Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by the ROCK Climbing Center Junior Team, Front Range Climbing Company, the Mountain Chalet, and REI Colorado Springs. Lara Groshong, info@climbingtherock.com

June 7 -- Lewis and Clark State Park, OR -- The 5th Annual Broughton's Bush Whack & BBQ, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by Access Fund Regional Coordinator Tony Holmes, Climb Max Mountaineering, Next Adventure and the Stoneworks Climbing Gym Youth Team. Tony Holmes, nwwilderness@aol.com

June 7 -- Atlanta, GA -- Boat Rock Trail Day, a Teamworks Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by Atlanta Rocks, the Southeast Climbers Coalition and REI Buford. Website: www.seclimbers.org, Brad McLeod, mbmcleod@mindspring.com

June 8 -- Blue Mounds State Park, MN -- The Blue Mounds Clean-Up, an Adopt-a-Crag event hosted by the Minnesota Climbers Association and Minnesota DNR, Glenn Burns, glenn.burns@gmail.com

June 8 -- The Monastery, CO -- The Monastery Clean-Up, an event hosted by the Kent Mountain Adventure Center, CAnyon Lakes National Forest Ranger District, and the New Belgium Brewery. Reed Woodford, kmac@frill.com

Monday, May 19, 2008

Breaking News -- Highway 20 to Re-Open!

The American Alpine Institute office just received the following email from the WDOT:
  • While the avalanche chutes are stable now, snow slide clean up on the North Cascades Highway will delay reopening the road until 3 p.m. tomorrow. Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Okanogan Maintenance Superintendent Dean Hills says avalanche crews found one large slide below Liberty Bell Mountain, just east of Washington Pass (LB#3). Heavy, wet snow containing large rocks and tree debris is covering 200-feet of the highway to a depth of 25 to 35 feet. “Crews are working there now, but it’s going to take until tomorrow to clear it,” said Hills, “with the rocks and debris, we can’t use the snow blowers.” Hills said they also need to repair a sinkhole and clear about a half dozen clogged culverts, “Several avalanche chutes released and dumped snow and rocks on the shoulders and other chutes melted,” he said, “ It’s pretty stable now. The avalanche crew put up 18 charges this morning, using a portable howitzer, and nothing significant came down.”

  • At 2 p.m., it was sunny and 79 degrees on the east side at Mazama and overcast and 76 degrees on the west side in Newhalem. There are still 5-and-a-half feet of snow on the shoulders of the highway at Washington Pass. This afternoon’s 54 degrees is well below Saturday’s 68 degree high temperature at 5,500 feet. “The forecast is for the temperatures to continue to cool which will keep any snow still up there, stable,” said Hills. The freezing level is expected to drop to 9,000 feet tonight and down to 3,500 feet Tuesday night.

  • WSDOT closed the highway from Diablo (MP 134) to Silver Star Creek (MP 171) at noon last Thursday when a snow slide covered the highway below Liberty Bell Mountain (LB#2).

Breaking News -- Denali Team One Summits!

Congratulations to AAI Denali Team One!

The team summitted yesterday in excellent weather. To read their full dispatch from high camp at 17,000 feet, click here.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Mount Saint Helens -- May 18, 1980

People often talk about major news events and where they were when something important took place. Most Boomers know exactly where they were when they found out the JFK was shot. Most Gen Xers remember exactly where they were when the Challenger blew up. And everybody remembers where they were when they found out about the World Trade Center on September 11th.

Local events often have the same type of impact. People who lived in Western Washington on May 18th, 1980 remember the day well. That was the day that Mount Saint Helens exploded. That was the day when the skyline of the Pacific Northwest changed forever.

I was only eight years old, but I lived in Seattle. Seattle is too far from the mountain to actually see it, but on clear days prior to the main event, we could often see ash rising high into the sky on the horizon.

At 8:32 in the morning on May 18th, a small earthquake woke many residents of Western Washington. In Seattle it was just a little tremor. But at the mountain proper, the earthquake measured 5.1. It was a perfectly clear day. Everybody, everywhere could see the massive mushroom cloud of ash and dust rising thousands upon thousands of feet into the sky.

The Mount Saint Helens National Mounument website eloquently reports what happened at the mountain:

  • The north face of this tall symmetrical mountain collapsed in a massive rock debris avalanche. In a few moments this slab of rock and ice slammed into Spirit Lake, crossed a ridge 1,300 feet high, and roared 14 miles down the Toutle River.

  • The avalanche rapidly released pressurized gases within the volcano. A tremendous lateral explosion ripped through the avalanche and developed into a turbulent, stone-filled wind that swept over ridges and toppled trees. Nearly 150 square miles of forest was blown over or left dead and standing.

Today is the 28th anniversary of the event. It was 28 years ago today that 47 bridges were destroyed, 15 miles of railway was obliterated, 185 miles of road was erased, 250 homes were crushed and most tragically, 57 people lost their lives. Twenty-eight years later Mount Saint Helens still reminds us of the massive forces of nature. And it still reminds us how small we are in comparison to them.


To see the mountain crumble, check out an excellent stop motion video here. To learn more about the mountain and the eruption there are some more educational videos here and here.

--Jason D. Martin



________________



Photo Credit: USGS Photo by Austin Post

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Weekend Warrior -- Videos to Get You Stoked!

On the menu this week, we have three delectable films. The first is warm and spicy served on a steep limestone crag. Then we have a cool side dish covered in ice, sprinkled with pick scarred rock. And lastly, for dessert we have a heafty helping of big mountains with a tasty coating of sugar snow and blended ice. We hope you enjoy your meal and that leave here today with a stomach full of psych!

--Watch world class climber Chris Sharma climb a world class climb, here. This professional looking video shows a master of the sport working hard to get up a very hard route. It is a treat to see someone at the top of their game!

--Here's a video recap of this year's Ouray Ice Festival. Most of the clips are from the wildly overhung mixed ice climbing competition.

--You've heard of people who climb the Seven Summits...but how about a guy who skied them all? This is the trailer for a documentary film about the first person to do so. And this guy is nuts. Many of the shots are of him on 50-60 degree terrain!

Friday, May 16, 2008

Get to Know Your Guide: An interview with Andy Bourne

Every week, we take the reader into the interesting and ever-changing life of an American Alpine Institute guide. Every AAI guide is very experienced in alpine and rock climbing, and all have received professional training in advanced guiding techniques and rescue. Collectively they have one of the highest levels of wilderness first aid, avalanche, and Leave No Trace training among the world's international guide services.

This week, we interview
Andy Bourne.

Age: 34
Hometown: Bellingham, Washington
Recent trips and expeditions with AAI: Red Rock climbing trips
Upcoming trips and expeditions with AAI: Part 2 Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership, and an expedition to China this fall

A Guide’s Life
How old were you when you first started climbing?
I was introduced to climbing when I was 14 living in Tennessee. A friend bought a rope and a figure 8 descending device and we went to Backbone rock in Damascus, VA to rappel from the top. We had n
o idea what we were doing and I’m surprised we survived. My first actual climbing experience was on a highway roadcut with the same rope and equipment, not exactly the most inspiring location.

My first experience with mountaineering was actually on Aconcagua in 1997. While living in Minnesota and working at a climbing store, a guy came in looking for partners for an Aconcagua expedition and I took him up on it. It was a very eye-opening experience as I was not prepared for that type of environment and it was my first time at altitude above about 6000 feet! We did not summit needless to say. Soon after that, I moved to Washington where I started alpine climbing in the Cascades with Coley Gentzel. We both worked at REI while throwing ourselves at peaks and learning things the hard way.


How do you stay in shape, and what are your favorite training activities?
Well, I don’t really stay in shape, but I try to do so by backcountry skiing and rock climbing/bouldering. During the winter in the Northwest, I ski and I have a gym membership and try to workout regularly. But when spring rolls around, I only like to workout ou
tside. I will occasionally do an uphill trail run and I ride my bike instead of driving as often as I can. My main focus is to try to stay in good hiking and rock climbing shape - which can both serve well on alpine climbs.

Who is the most inspiring person in your climbing life?
There’s several people I am inspired by. One is Fred Becky, his mountain explorations are unmatched by almost any other person in history, and he’s still going after it at
80+ years old. Peter Croft is also someone who is very inspirational for his solos throughout the Sierra and the world. Lastly, the late Charlie Fowler was one of the few true global explorers who didn’t try to make a name for himself, but managed to experience some of the most far flung places on earth, often by himself.

What are your other interests besides climbing?
Travel in the third world, Asia especially. Anthropology, culture and language, playing guitar, and working on my house.

Where is your favorite place to travel? Where do you hope to travel in the near future?
I already gave it away, my favorite place to travel is Asia. It is the most “foreign” culture compared to our Western way of life a
nd the people are welcoming, cheerful, and polite. The culture has so much history, the landscape is diverse and amazing and the traveling is generally quite cheap. It is the complete package in my opinion.

In the near future, I would like to see more of South and Central America. Specifically, I want to see Cuba, Nicaragua, and Peru.


On the Technical Side
Describe your climbing style
.
I don’t really have a style. I just try to find aesthetic climbs without major objective hazards (like cornices and serac fall). High quality alpine rock climbing is by far my favorite type of climbing.

What has been your most technically difficult climb?
The Grand Wall on the Squamish Chief probably.


What is your biggest strength as a climber? Biggest weakness?
My biggest strength is that I’m so buff. I mean I can really crank when I want to, but that brings us to my biggest weakness, I’m too lazy to want to crank really hard so I just end up climbing easy
stuff.

A Guide on Guiding
Is there anyth
ing you know now that you’d wish you’d known when you were just beginning to climb?
Yes, to always wear a helmet.

When you guide, what piece of advice do you find you give most often to climbers?
Tie knots in the end of your ropes when rappelling, double check everything when rappelling, always use clear commands on pitched out terrain, keep eating and drinking, keep a nice steady pace that you can maintain.

What qualities do you
think are most important in a guide?
Being articulate and decisive, while multi-tasking and being positive.

Name a few guide “turn-ons” (for example, what makes a good climber on one of your courses, ascents, or expeditions?).
Someone who is generous and considerate, otherwise just plain ol’ good physical condition.


Any memorable events while guiding for AAI?
Summiting Whitney with Bruce Worley, John Church and Ellen from Louisia
na, they were just a really cool bunch of people to hang out with, even for being such old farts! Another was climbing in the Daxue Shan Range in China with Dominic Hodson, Bob Krueger, Guy Sgan, Gustavo Fiero, and BJ Whalen in 2005.

What are your must-haves? Favorite foods or gear?
Coffee.


Any closing comments? I look forward to trying to balance a more sustainable lifestyle while still managing to climb and ski.


Thursday, May 15, 2008

Breaking News -- Highway 20 Closed!!!

The American Alpine Institute office just received the following email from the Washington State Department of Transportation:

"State Route 20 (North Cascades Highway) is temporarily closed due to avalanche danger. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) reports that they have had one slide today. SR 20 will be closed through the weekend. WSDOT will reassess the situation on Monday.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/northcascades

Note: The Highway crews will make sure everyone is out along SR20 and then they will close their gates at M.P. 134 (Ross Dam Trailhead) and at M.P. 171"

Update (2:00 p.m.)

Our director just got off the phone with an individual at the WDOT who stated that there are active slides right now. At least one slide came down Liberty Bell 2 at the hairpin and covered at least part of the road. They are currently trying to get all climbers and skiers out so that they can close the road for the weekend.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

AAI May Photo Contest

Be sure to check out AAI's May Photo Contest - vote for your favorite, then enter your own photo to win some cash for gear or courses. First place gets $100 for trips or gear, second place gets $75, and the third place winner walks away with $50.

Here are some examples of previous winning photos:


Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Blister Prevention

No backcountry wound is more common than a blister and unfortunately, these wounds put a serious damper on comfort in the backcountry. And there is nothing worse for a guide than to find out that one of his climbers has been dealing with hotspots or blisters for days but decided not to bring it up. There are times when such a decision may cost an individual a summit or may even change the entire itinerary of the trip...

Rule number one: If you're having a boot problem, stop and deal with it immediately. If you're on a guided trip, let the guide know. The guide will help you with it. If you're with friends, don't feel bad about making them stop. If you don't deal with it right away the consequences of that will slow them down a lot more later in the trip.

Heavy Leather Mountaineering Boots

These tend to be the biggest perpetrator of blisters in the backcountry. Make sure that your boots fit before you buy them. If they are too small or too large, it is likely that you will encounter problems.

There are a few "rules of thumb" that most people abide to in order to keep their feet comfortable.

  1. Know your boot. Before going into the backcountry for an extended period, try to break your boots in. During this process you should find out your feet are prone to blisters in a given model of footwear. Such a discovery will help you strategize the rest of your blister prevention.

  2. Layer your socks. The bottom layer should be a lightweight liner. Liner socks absorb friction while your hiking.

  3. Prep known blister sites. After the break-in period, you should be well acquainted with your boots. You should know where blisters are likely to form. It is possible to prep such areas with tape. Many guides actually put a piece of duct tape over their heels before they even leave the parking lot.
Plastic Boots:

Blisters are not as common in plastics because of the double boot design. The inner boot tends to fit the foot snugly. If there is movement, the inner boot moves with the foot. As a result any friction inside the boot tends to be between the inner boot and the shell. The foot is protected from the type of movement which causes hot spots.

A common problem that people encounter in plastics is "boot-bang" or "shin-bang." In other words, the shin hits the boot's tongue repeatedly throughout the day and a bruise develops. If this is not taken care of, the bruise evolves into something much worse. It can even develop into an open wound.

Like hot spots, boot-bang develops from mild contact. The problem is that the contact takes place over a number of hours and starts as mild discomfort. Like a blister, it is important to stop and deal with this problem immediately.

The easiest way to fix the problem is to loosen the boots. Tie them tightly up to the ankle and then leave the shin area loose. If you need to keep the upper boot completely untied, wear a gator over the boot so that nothing is flopping around loosely to trip over.

Blister Care:

I'm not going to go into a heavy lecture on blister care here, but I do have a few links that could be useful. Each one of the following has a bit of unique information; as such they are all worth a little bit of time.

--Random thoughts on Blisters
--How to Use Moleskin
--Ultra-Racer Article on Blisters
--More Fun Facts on Backcountry Blisters

--Jason D. Martin

May and June Climbing Events

NORTHWEST:

--May 18 -- Mount Saint Helens -- 28th Anniversary of the Eruption.

--May 23-26 -- Washington Pass -- Cascadeclimbers.com Ski-In

--May 25 -- Bellingham -- Ski to Sea relay multi-sport relay race.--For more outdoor and adventure author events in the Pacific Northwest, click here.

--June 15-16 -- Leavenworth -- Feathered Friends Rockfest 2008


RED ROCK CANYON:

--May 21 -- Las Vegas -- Las Vegas Climber's Liason Council Meeting -- Red Rock Climbing Center, 7 PM

--June 18 -- Las Vegas/Henderson -- Las Vegas Climber's Liasion Council Meeting -- Henderson REI, 7:00 PM


NOTES FROM ALL OVER:

--Former AAI Guide and writer Majka Burhardt will be presenting a slide show on her new book, Vertical Ethiopia in Boulder, Greenwich, Boston, New Paltz, San Francisco, and Telluride. for more info, click here.

--May 13 -- Television -- David Breashears film, Storm over Everest, will air on the PBS show Frontline. Check your local listings.

--May 16-18 -- Fayetteville, WV -- New River Rendezvous

--May 17 -- North Conway, NH -- Kismet Jubilee

-- The annual meeting of a foundation which brings climbing to economically disadvantaged children.

--May 23-26 -- Telluride, CO -- Telluride Mountain Film Festival

--May 31-June 1 -- New York, NY -- (Rubin Museum, New York City)Peak Experience III, the ultimate sleepover, 40 kids, aged 10-12 and roped together alpine-style, confront the challenges of climbing Everest. Along the way they learn the scientific and medical aspects of mountaineering from experienced guides and Sherpas. Parents of potential registrants as well as AAC volunteer guides should contact Phil Earad.

--June 2 --Moose, WY -- American Alpine Club Grand Teton Climber's Ranch opens.

Monday, May 12, 2008

AAI Staff Participate in National Bike to Work Month


May is National Bike to Work and School Month, and AAI staff are participating in Bellingham, Washington by creating their own competitive bike teams. The administrative office team is Rock n Pedal, and the equipment shop calls themselves Alpinauts.

This Friday, May 16, is Bike to Work and School Day - an amazing event that takes place in most major cities. To check out what is going on in your state, check out the American Bicyclists' League. There are free giveaways, snacks, and raffle prizes for everyone.

Stay tuned for updates on the Bike to Work competition between Rock n Pedal and the Alpinauts!


Book Review -- Last Child in the Woods

Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder
By Richard Louv
Algonquin Books, 336 Pages
Hardcover $24.95

Everybody has a theory about what’s wrong with the kids these days. Some scream that they play too many video games. Others say that they eat too much fast food. Some say it’s the teachers, whereas others say it’s the parents. Some argue it’s cell phones and others argue it’s street gangs. But if all of these people have one thing in common, it’s that they believe there is something wrong with this generation of children.

Newspaper columnist and child advocate, Richard Louv, threw his hat into this never-ending argument with his new book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. And ironically, Louv agrees with pretty much every theory postulated above. Indeed, he links the vast majority of the problems with youth in America today to living inside with a focus on technology in conjunction with a systemic lack of outdoor and nature related experiences. He calls the result of this modern lifestyle, “nature deficit disorder.”

Louv takes a close look at many of the chronic problems that children have today and relates them directly back to wilderness and nature oriented experiences. On the one hand there are the creative elements that evolve in children who spend time outdoors. They create games and fantasies, build forts and take on characters. On the other hand they develop a number of higher function cognitive and psychological skills by spending time in such an environment. They do this through self-imposed rules that evolve out of unstructured play.

Louv provides an apt example with a discussion about a tree fort. Children learn a great deal from both the building of the fort, as well as the subsequent play in the fort. First, there’s the construction. That’s where they learn about architecture, mathematics and geometry. Then there’s the use of the finished product. Suddenly, it’s no longer a bunch of wood haphazardly nailed to a tree, but a spaceship or a castle. This unstructured play allows children to stretch their imaginations. Their fantasy worlds have rules (i.e. the tree is a monster and if you touch a certain branch it will eat you). The playacting that takes place in a tree fort allows children to work on their executive function. This cognitive skill is incredibly important to a child throughout his or her entire life. Strong executive function helps students concentrate in school; it helps them control themselves and it helps them understand abstract concepts.

Louv offers a number of dire warnings in his book. Children who don’t spend time outdoors will not value green space or fight for the environment in the future. Children who don’t go camping or spend time in national parks will not become stewards of parks and wilderness areas. Children who don’t spend time outside are far more likely to develop childhood obesity, ADD or ADHD among a number of other ailments.

Ultimately, Last Child in the Woods is not all gloom and doom. Louv passionately argues that a return to the “way it was when we were kids” when parents just let their kids run around the neighborhood to climb trees and dig holes and ride bikes and play will at least partially heal a number of these social ills. He argues that it’s time for our culture to reacquaint our children with the outdoors. There is no doubt that those who read this book will be convinced. The only problem with his argument is that he is likely to be making it to the very people who already encourage their children to spend time outside.

--Jason D. Martin

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Weekend Warrior -- Videos to Get You Stoked!

If you're at home on a weekend, you're probably bored and want to be out climbing or skiing. Same with us. But if the weather's bad, if there are family or work obligations and you can't make it out, then what's better than dreaming about it? So we've decided to create a new weekly post for all of us stuck at home.  Every Saturday we're going to link at least three climbing, skiing or mountaineering videos to this blog... Enjoy!

--A few years ago Dan Osman soloed the 3 pitch 5.7, Bear's Reach, in just over four minutes. Watch it here.

--A group of boulderers shot this video entitled Thru the Looking Glass. This three and a half minute film nails the essence of climbing in a way few writers and filmmakers have.

--This one will make your hands sweat. Will Gadd climbs an iceberg. The video is especially sketchy because it seems like the thing is going roll over and drown him at any second. Watch it here.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Get to Know Your Guide: An Interview with Coley Gentzel

Every week, we take the reader into the interesting and ever-changing life of an American Alpine Institute guide. Every AAI guide is very experienced in alpine and rock climbing, and all have received professional training in advanced guiding techniques and rescue. Collectively they have one of the highest levels of wilderness first aid, avalanche, and Leave No Trace training among the world's international guide services.

This week, we interview
Coley Gentzel.

Age: 29
Hometown: Bellingham, Washington
Recent trips and expeditions with AAI: Denali, Mount Baker, Avalanche Level 2
Upcoming trips and expeditions with AAI: Denali and other Alaska Range Mountaineering courses

A Guide’s Life
How were you introduced to mountaineering?
I was introduc
ed to rock climbing as a high school student in Wisconsin. A family friend and youth group counselor, Joel Sandager, took a gang of us rock climbing at a place called Devil’s Lake and I was hooked instantly. As a child, my parents were always dragging us along for camping trips and adventures in the outdoors. I have always had a love for woods, rivers, and hills. Rock climbing seemed like the perfect outlet for my energy and passion in the outdoors. At that age, I could not have dreamed the places that climbing would take me, and the life changing experiences that the pursuit would make possible.

I went on a few more rock outings, including a youth group trip to the Tetons, and became increasingly interested in the activity. As a 17 year old with no car and a 5 hour drive to the nearest rock of any sort, the learning curve was pretty slow at first.

When I graduated from high school, I took an internship at a real estate comp
any in Seattle. While in the area I did a ton of research on climbing and mountaineering and I knew that I had to come back for good and start learning how to climb. Instead of returning to Wisconsin to the school that I had enrolled in ( I had already signed letters of intent to play collegiate sports), I got home, packed my bags, and loaded up my recently purchased Plymouth Sundance for the drive to Seattle. The rest, as they say, is history.

My first real mountaineering experience was on the Mazama Glacier, I think, on Mount Adams here in the Cascades. I say “I think” because to be honest, I had no idea where I was going or where I was at. I wandered around for a while, found my way through some funkyness on a glacier, and eventually found the summit. I somehow survived a few more of these types of experiences before connecting with some skilled and knowledgeable folks who were able to channel my youthful enthusiasm into constructive channels.

How do you stay in shape, and what are your favorite training activities?
To me, 'training' is a 4-letter word. I hate it. I hate hiking as well, which may seem strange because in the average year I log hundreds of miles on trails. I have to train through doing an
d I need to have fun in the process. I got into mountain biking a few years back and have really developed a passion for that sport. My original idea was that I could use it to stay in shape for climbing. Somehow that turned into racing at a semi-professional level and yet another multi-thousand dollar hobby. I really enjoy ski touring and try to get out quite a bit in the winter for ski mountaineering trips. I also volunteer at the local YMCA which has a rockwall, and so that helps me maintain a very low base for rock fitness.

For my personal climbing trips, I usually wrap my mind around an objective well in advance and train accordingly in the months leading up to the trip. This often involves time at the gym, which I really don’t enjoy. If it wasn’t for episodes of the Daily Show on my Ipod, I would probably go bonkers in there.

Who is the most inspiring person in your climbing life?
To be honest,
it is really hard to think of one person that has had a profound effect on my climbing career. When I first got into some serious alpine climbing, I read and re-read Mark Twight’s Extreme Alpinism book and completely devoured the concepts, energies, and ideas in the book. I really used those thoughts to shape my personal alpine career in the first few years.

One of the best an
d most meaningful aspects of climbing, for me, has been the camaraderie and relationships that come from testing mental and physical limits in the mountains. I am very selective with whom I choose to get on big routes with, and the folks that I have shared these experiences with will always be near and dear to me. I have probably shared the majority of my mountain experiences with Seth Hobby, Erik Johnson, and Andy Niskanen. I try to learn something and glean knowledge and skills from every person that I share the rope with, whether they be a peer, a less experienced climber, or a superior. I think that climbing, like life, should be a constantly evolving process where we learn from the past and equip ourselves for the future. Mike Powers has helped shape my thinking and technical skills and I really appreciate his open minded and easygoing approach to guiding and climbing.

What are your other interests besides climbing?
One of the things that has kept me from achieving a high level of accomplishment in any one area has always been a love for too many things, or so I like to tell myself. I have always prided myself on not having too many nicknack sort of things in my life, but on my most recent move, I couldn’t believe how much gear I had collected over the years. I am an avid mountain biker, fisherman, rock climber, mountaineer, ice climber, skier, and boater. I am a sucker for a few hours of downtime after a good butt kicking, and can usually be found searching for the perfect bottle of beer, wine, and a good movie on those days.

Where is your favorite place to travel? Where do you hope to travel in the near future?
On of my biggest regrets so far is not having traveled abroad
very much. However, this will be my sixth year climbing and guiding in Alaska and my adventures there are all among the most memorable and meaningful of my life. The mountains are truly inspirational and combine all of my favorite things in alpine climbing. I have climbed in pretty much all of the alpine venues in the US and southern Canada and I really love the remote corners of the Sierra, Coast Range in BC, Wind Rivers, and of course, my backyard, the North Cascades.

On the Technical Side
Describe your climbing style
.
I have always considered myself a master of mediocrity. I can usually lead 5.10 on gear off the couch, but have only lead a handful of pitches of 5.11 in my life. Same with water ice; WI4 usually feels good at the outset of the season, but I haven’t pushed it past safe WI5 and don’t feel the drive to do so. I really love climbing all day routes with a ton of moderate terrain. Long alpine rock and alpine ice routes are without a doubt my favorite. I like to feel like I am climbing, but not be at my technical limit for pitch after pitch. I love covering a lot of ground and working towards improving efficiency and speed on moderately technical terrain. For me this is usually WI/AI3 and 5.7 to 5.8 in the mountains.

For a while, I was really into long solo adventures that pushed my endurance limit, but that didn't necessarily toe the line of falling in the mountains. Some of my proudest outings in that category include the Frostbite Ridge on Glacier Peak (14 hours), West McMillan Spire (12 hours), the Ice Cliff Glacier on Stuart (12 hours, 23+ miles), the North Face of Shuksan in winter (11 hours), and the NE Buttress on Colchuck in winter (8 hours). It has been a while since I have given myself one of those spankings. I might be getting tool old for that stuff!

What has been your most technically difficult climb?
The Harvard R
oute on Mount Huntington in the Alaska Range. This route called upon all of my past climbing experiences. It involves steep snow, ice, pure rock, aid climbing, and true mixed climbing - all on what many call one of the most beautiful peaks in the world.

I have had many defining moments and climbs in the mountains. The earliest of those was probably the Backbone Ridge on Dragontail Peak. I had been enjoying a summer of alpine climbing and knew just enough to get in over my head. Another AAI guide and I set off to do the 3000 foot route in a day in October. The route, an alpine rock climb rated Grade 4, 5.9, was covered in a dusting of snow from a recent storm. We made the call to start up it and see how things went. By the time we figured out we shouldn’t be climbing the route, we were too far up to go down. This was my introduction to the concept of failing upwards. We finished the route by rappelling into a couloir and climbing 65 degree ice with crampons strapped onto tennis shoes and one mini-axe a piece, reaching the top at 10:00pm in a storm and stumbling back to the car at 8:00am the next morning, 30 hours after having originally left. I have recently written a detailed account of that experience and all of the lessons contained therein.

What is your biggest strength as a climber? Biggest weakness?
My two biggest strengths have always been a bulldog-like tenacity and a drive to finish the objective. I have always had the mindset that you should keep going until you find a real reason to turn around. This has gotten me up many, many routes in the face of seemingly adverse conditions. I see so many climbers throw in the towel based on speculation or reasoning that is based on unknowns. I don’t mean to say you should push the safety limit, bu
t poke your nose into the situation to see what is going on, and when (and if) you find a good reason to turn around, make the decision then and there.

My biggest weakness would be my unwillingness, perhaps inability to dedicate the time and effort it would take to be a really good climber.


A Guide on Guiding
Is there anything you know now that you’d wish you’d known when you
were just beginning to climb?
To be honest, not really. Exploring, learning, and developing in climbing and mountaineering has been a fantastic process. Initially, I wish I would have known more about the
dangers involved and how to mitigate them. I feel like I got pretty lucky wandering into the mountains armed with very little knowledge and skill. At the time, I felt like I made good decisions, but looking back, I was one unforeseen circumstance away from a bad situation. I wish I would have known how to navigate in the mountains, and perform rock and crevasse rescues long before I actually learned them. Many, many climbers continue to put themselves into increasingly committing situations without ever having gone through some very basic hazard mitigation and rescue training. It is just a matter of time before this catches up to you.

When you guide, what piece of advice do you find you give most often to climbers?
Take everything with a grain of salt, and think for yourself. There is an infinite amount of subjectivity in these pursuits. A quick read through any accident report or thread about a mishap on an internet chat board will quickly and easily provide a clear picture of this. So many things in climbing are open to interpretation and there is often no one “right” answer. One person’s sketchy is another person’s casual, one person’s “in” is another person’s “out” and so on. I try to seek out objective information from trusted sources and then make my own decisions accordingly. I never rely on one person’s advice for feedback solely or as my sole decision making factor. Outside of some concepts and basic rules, making decisions in the mountains is a skill that can't be taught, it has to be learned and developed based on personal factors, observations, and opinions.

What qualities do you
think are most important in a guide?
The ability to relate to and cater to specific styles and methods for diverse populations, an absolute love for what you do and the natural environment, and a passion for both teaching and learning - this includes the desire to help others better themselves and the desire to develop and grow personally.

Also, a short memory span and high tolerance for, even enjoyment of suffering is required for alpine climbing.

Name a few guide “turn-ons” (for example, what makes a good climber on one of your courses, ascents, or expeditions?).
I really enjoy answering questions. It seems like a lot of folks are scared to ask or “pester” a guide on various things, but I see questions as a sign that I am getting through to you and the climber is trying to understand, digest, and process the information or situation. Of course there is some concern for the appropriateness in timing for these questions! Running through the slide path of an active serac isn’t the best time to ask about makes and models of boots.

I like to keep thi
ngs fairly light and entertaining and appreciate a good sense of humor. I tend to take things pretty seriously in the heat of the moment, and have a hard time relaxing until we are out of the business. Around camp and in the downtime I need to laugh a bit and have a good time, and so a good sense of humor and willingness to employ it is always a big benefit to me personally.

Describe a memorable event that has occurred while guiding for AAI.
Every time I go out there is a new and equally spectacular event or set of circumstances. I think that is why I keep coming back to the mountains and living this style of life. A more recent memory was made on our descent from
the summit of Denali last year. Our team was welcomed back to high camp, after a long hard day, by an incredible sunset. We all walked along in virtual silence in total awe of the view from the top of the continent. It was a magical moment for me and it came at the end of an amazing day with a truly remarkable group of people.

What are your mus
t-haves? Favorite foods or gear?
Hmm. Favorite food? That is a tough one honestly. Eating is a giant pain
in the butt that I would prefer to not deal with. If I had to pick one thing to eat, it would be a big greasy pan of hash browns and bacon covered in cheese with cheese on top and a side of cheese. I call this one the Denali scramble, and I save it for a few select mornings on the trip when everyone needs a physical and mental boost.

Describe an achievement of which you are proud.
I have never broken a bone. This is pretty amazing to me, seeing as how I have been falling off of, down, and bouncing off things at high speeds my whole life. Oh wait, that probably isn’t the best thing to inspire confidence in my guiding and climbing abilities! I have never fallen or had a close call climbing, only in my hobbies outside of that pursuit.


I have never had the chicken pox either.

Any closing comments?
When I was young, my Dad told me that you can pick your friends and you can pick your nose, but you shouldn’t pick your friend's nose. That has always stuck with me.

Also, don’t poop where you eat. That applies on many levels, as it seems like more and more people are looking for places to eat these days, and poop seems pretty abundant. As a society, I think we need to start paying a lot more attention to sustainability and leaving less of a mark on the planet and it’s inhabitants.