I've been making stickers with self-deprecating awards for climbers, especially new trad leaders, such as "didn't freak the heck out on a 5.7," "only got a little off route," and "made it home." This reflects the nature of the learning process. For most people, starting to lead (especially trad, especially in a remote, "alpine" setting)... Continue Reading →
100 Peaks #19: Stegosaurus Butte and Christmas Gifts
I'm writing about 100 mountains I think are neat. The full list is here. Westy and I go on a lot of weeknight hikes, as we have both more evening free time and more restlessness than most people. Sometimes, we get ambitious, and climb the Tooth or get lost on a longer trail until 2... Continue Reading →
100 Peaks #18: Dome Peak and Perceived Risk
Before I'd ever thought about climbing Dome Peak, the only time I'd ever heard it mentioned was in the stories my friend Chelise told me about this rescue on a Mountaineers trip that took place there. I knew it was pretty far from any road, which is why the incident, in which an ice climber... Continue Reading →
100 Peaks #16: Mailbox Peak, Community and the Hardest Earned Pineapples
If you're not from Seattle, the familiarity of the mailbox is probably lost on you. But when I first hiked it on a visit to Seattle, before the new, less steep trail even existed, it was so steep my sedentary college body felt overheated, and I laid on the floor for a few hours. The... Continue Reading →
100 Peaks #2: Lassen Peak, Dehydration, and Gold Rush Optimism
I'm writing about 100 somewhat arbitrary mountains in the northwest, as I climb them and decide they are interesting. Here's the list. Lassen Peak in the summer is another seemingly underappreciated National Park (that I had never heard of). It's got a short hike to the summit and a visitor center with the video about... Continue Reading →