“The mountains are calling and I must go” – John Muir
“Mountains are not stadiums where I satisfy my ambition to achieve… …They are the cathedrals where I practice my religion” – Anatoli
“TWENTY YEARS FROM NOW YOU WILL BE MORE DISAPPOINTED BY THE THINGS THAT YOU DIDN’T DO THAN BY THE ONES YOU DID DO. SO THROW OFF THE BOWLINES. SAIL AWAY FROM THE SAFE HARBOR. CATCH THE TRADE WINDS IN YOUR SAILS. EXPLORE. DREAM. DISCOVER.” -MARK TWAIN
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About Me Listed below are a handful of more notable accomplishments for me in the mountains. |
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Many people use the mountains as a means to drawing attention to themselves and try to be the fastest to climb a peak or group of peaks, or try to climb the hardest route possible etc. Others try to climb as many peaks on a list as they can as quick as possible. We call these people peak-baggers. I am guilty of all the above to some degree, but I do not make this attitude my primary focus when I am in the mountains. Sure there are times when I want to climb as fast as I can, or summit as many peaks as possible but the real reason why I climb is to experience the beauty of this Earth and enjoy places few people get the chance to see. I also love it and the crazy adventures it brings. It challenges me both mentally and physically and I love the feeling being high on a mountain surrounded by eternal beauty. Being a geologist I can really appreciate the mountains that surround us… As the Anatoli quote above states: “They are the cathedrals where I practice my religion”
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I’ll finish my introduction with my all time favorite quote I figuratively try and live by. A wonderful quote by Sterling Hayden:
To be truly challenging, a voyage, like life, must rest on a firm foundation of financial unrest. Otherwise you are doomed to a routine traverse, the kind known to yachtsmen who play with their boats at sea … cruising, it is called. Voyaging belongs to seamen, and to the wanderers of the world who cannot or will not fit in. If you are contemplating a voyage and you have the means, abandon the venture until your fortunes change. Only then will you know what the sea is all about. “I’ve always wanted to sail to the south seas but I can’t afford it.” What these men cannot afford is not to go. They are enmeshed in the cancerous discipline of security. And in the worship of security we fling our lives beneath the wheels of routine — and before we know it our lives are gone. What does a man need — really need? A few pounds of food each day, heat and shelter, six feet to lie down in — and some form of working activity that will yield a sense of accomplishment. That’s all — in the material sense, and we know it. But we are brainwashed by our economic system until we end up in a tomb beneath a pyramid of time payments, mortgages, preposterous gadgetry, playthings that divert our attention for the sheer idiocy of the charade. The years thunder by, the dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed. Where, then, lies the answer? In choice. Which shall it be: bankruptcy of pocket or bankruptcy of soul?
Check out the Vanlife page to keep up to date on my Ford Transit conversion!
2020 Update: I sold the van to one of my best friends!!
A Small Spattering of Goals I Have
This list is by no means complete
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Goode Mountain – 9,200 Feet – Washington Mount Goode is the highest peak in North Cascades National Park in Washington and reigns dominance on all of the North Cascades. It is a long approach from any trailhead to get to this peak but the adventure is sure to be fantastic. The NE buttress is one of the Cascade Classics! Completed August 2016 – Trip Report |
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Mount Waddington – 13,186 Feet – BC
South Face – Class 5.7 Multi-Pitch Climb Mount Waddington is one of North Americas most important mountains. As the only peak in the BC Coast Range over 13,000 feet it is the highest in the entire area and very prominent. This peak is about impossible to climb any time of year other than July or August. The weather in this part of the continent is very cold and wet and this mountain feels the brunt of it being the highest. The south face route is a high quality climb that has a mixed aspect with it. |
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Mount Robson – 12,972 Feet – Alberta Mount Robson, also nicknamed “The King” or “The Great White Fright” is the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies and located in Alberta. Many fantastic alpine routes are found on this peak and there are no scramble or walk-up routes. My route of choice is probably the Kain Face, but the Wishbone Arete, as masochistic and ridiculous as it sounds, is something I would probably enjoy. This mountain is rugged and wild located within the heart of the Mount Robson Provincial Park. |
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Denali – 20,320 Feet – Alaska Denali is North Americas highest located in the Alaska Range in the middle of the namesake park. I am choosing to do the standard route because this peak has less importance to me personally due to its media attention and fame. I mainly want to do this mountain for the Alaska experience and I would actually enjoy talking with others on this mountain. |
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Mount Baker – 10,778 Feet – Washington Mount Baker is the crown jewel of the North Cascades and the highest peak in northern Washington. The only mountains in WA that are higher are Rainier, Little Tahoma and Adams. Being a dormant volcano so close to the ocean, it receives a lot of snow and holds the world record for most snowfall in a season during the 98/99 winter. The north ridge is mostly a walk-up but contains one pitch of about 60 degree ice. Completed June 2017 – Trip Report |
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Mount Hood – 11,239 Feet – Oregon Mount Hood is the highest mountain in Oregon and offers many great routes. The north face is my route of choice and offers a few pitches of about 60 degree ice climbing and steep snow climbing. |
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Mox Spires – 8,504 Feet – Washington Mox Spires are the Washington secret peaks. They are the hardest peaks to climb on the Bulger List which means that Washington Top 100 climbers must be able to rock climb. Their route descriptions are kept secret although it won’t be long until detailed descriptions are found on the web. Located in the Chilliwacks near the Canadian border they are approached from Depot Creek starting in Canada. Hard Mox is a rated 5.7 and Easy Mox is rated at 5.5 Completed August 2015 – Trip Report |
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Huascaran Sur – 22,132 Feet – Peru Huascaran Sur is the highest mountain in Peru and the third highest in South America. A cllimb of Huascaran Sur is a great way to experience Peru. Also, Huascaran Norte, Peru’s second highest at 21,834 feet sits right next to its higher neighbor and they are most certainly to be climbed together. Their normal routes are big glacier walk-ups with some bergschrund difficulties. |
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The Eiger – 13,024 Feet – Switzerland The Eiger is probably one of the most famous mountains in the world. Its famous north face has drawn the attention of climbers worldwide. My route of choice is the west flank shown in the photo. It is an aesthetic line with a mixture of rock climbing, scrambling and snow climbing. Views across to the north face enroute are incredible. |
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The Matterhorn – 14,692 Feet – Italy The Matterhorn is the most famous mountain in Europe, just ahead of the Eiger but only slightly. This classic horn shaped mountain was scarred by glaciers on three sides and what remains after all the glaciers melted away is the Matterhorn we see today. The ridge between sun and shadow in the photo is the Hornligrat Ridge and rises over 3000 feet with sustained 4th and 5th class climbing. |
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Cerro San Lorenzo – 12,159 Feet – Argentina This tower on the Chile/Argentina border in Patagonia supports a great route that is rarely climbed. This is one of the better places to go if you are not able to climb the 5.10+ sustained big walls in the Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy region. A single pitch of ice climbing is required on this peak and is usually approached from the west in Chile. |
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Mount Blanc – 15,774 Feet – France Mount Blanc is arguably the highest mountain in Europe depending where you draw the Asia/Europe boundary. The Mount Blanc massif is a huge area above 15,000 feet and contains many summit area pinnacles and peaks. The highest 3 are sometimes done all together in one traverse which is dubbed the Three Mounts Traverse. Lots of glacier travel and some ice climbing is required. |
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Mount Whitney – 14,505 Feet – California Mount Whitney is the highest peak in the continuous US and offers many routes. I really still haven’t decided which route I want to do yet and I may actually climb this peak more than once. The Mountaineer’s Route is a classic snow climb but the east face or east buttress also interest me. |
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Slesse Mountain – 7,850 Feet – BC Slesse Mountain is a Cascade Classic and the NE buttress is one of the 50 North American Classics. This climb is sustained 5.9 climbing and I will have lots of work to do before I am ready to tackle this route. Located near the BC/Washington border it is close to the Seattle area. Completed August 2019 – Trip Report |
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Glacier Peak – 12,340 Feet – Montana Glacier Peak is one of the 12,000 foot peaks in Montana and is a very easy ascent from its south side via Aero Lakes. However the north face shown in the photo has the Beckey Couloir, a 55-60 degree snow climb finished with a few pitches of up to 5.7 rock. One fantastic route indeed. Completed August 2017 – Accidental First Ascent on route shown below |
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Mount Cook – 12,316 Feet – New Zealand Definitely one of those dream mountains. I made my first trip to New Zealand in January of 2017 but wasn’t able to climb it due to bad weather. Will return! Completed November 2019 via Zurbriggen Ridge Route – Trip Report |
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Mount Index – 5,979 Feet – Washington Partially completed March 2019 via Hourglass Gully – Trip Report |
