I almost wanted to call this essay something stupid, like "Zen and the Art of the Sufferfest," but that's the thing-- I'm not really qualified to write that essay. I don't really like suffering. Sure, there are some little parts of trips I enjoy less than others, but I don't like being hungry, cold, or... Continue Reading →
TEST I hadn't felt passionate about much for months. It makes sense-- I'm a grad student who is used to climbing mountains every weekend, two months into Stay at Home orders with unsatisfying remote learning and half-hearted new hobbies. I wanted an "adventure" of some kind. I know I talk too much, so I decided... Continue Reading →
Sleepy road We tried to blink away our sleepy eyelids and wondered if we should venture out at all today, or go back to sleep in the car in the chilly, first-light forest. Sun came through the fuzzy spaces between trees-- no sharp angles or shadows, all moss. But not the deep green moss of... Continue Reading →
“Why do they have an M too? What is this, Mozeman?” we joked, looking at the giant M on the side of Mt. Baldy outside of Bozeman. I had just driven there with Toni from Missoula, Montana. In that town was also an M in the hillside, a big white serifed capital letter in honor... Continue Reading →
Ever realize you've bought into a belief without intending to, maybe even one you actually thought you disagreed with? This happened to me in a surprising way when it comes to the notion of "doing more." What I always assumed was that when it came to mountains, I just did whatever I wanted, and sometimes... Continue Reading →
It wasn't muggy anymore like it had been in the forest. It smelled like water, like the grey glacier that was just far enough away from me that I couldn't feel the cold. It smelled like the several dispersed streams flowing over the sand and rocks around us, never a big flow but branching out... Continue Reading →
I'm writing about 100 mountains I love. The full list so far is here. When I'm feeling like taking it easy, walking in no particular hurry and seeing beautiful things, a hike through subalpine meadows is the perfect option. Cashmere Mountain had been on my list for a long time, and a 20-ish mile hike... Continue Reading →
When I first visited Seattle, I hiked up to Panorama Point, just a couple miles up a paved trail, in jean shorts and a hoodie, marveling at the snow on the ground and struggling to walk across it in sandals. I saw some people come down the hill, heavy boots making tons of noise, stuff... Continue Reading →
I'm writing about 100 mountains I find interesting. The list is here. I should have known not to climb Prusik on a weekend. The iconic peak in the Enchantments, probably the most photographed thing in the most photographed place in Washington, is as popular of a destination as you might expect. In fact, it was... Continue Reading →
I'm writing about 100 peaks I find interesting. The full list is here. "What terrified me was the Thing of nightmares... The Thing now symbolized in broad daylight by that horrid thrust of lava." That's Harvey Manning describing Cruiser, the high point of the Sawtooth Range in the Olympic Peninsula. When we set out to... Continue Reading →
