We hiked in under perfect blue skies. South Six Shooter stands like a pillar atop a shrouded altarpiece, rising up from the desert to the heavens, towering above the surrounding landscape. We’re to climb the tower as a party of four–an ungainly number to for a climbing party–but the climbing is anticipated to be easy. […]
Day Seven: Phantom Ranch, Arizona. I wake to rain. It’s January 29th, cold, and wet. Phantom is deserted save for a few staff and adventuresome hikers from the Grand Canyon’s snowy southern rim. Me, I didn’t come from the canyon’s rim. I came by way of the river. The Colorado River. In six days I’ve […]
Climbed Lover’s Leap this morning with Chad and Sagar–a classic 5.7 multipitch trad climb near Red Rocks. Led the second pitch (180′, 5.7), and found I rather enjoyed it–even almost wished it was a touch more challenging. I’m finally to a point where I trust the systems and trust the gear, and increasingly do not […]
If there’s a dog on my mind, it would have to be Izzy. She’s a six-year-old, blind Weimaraner, who is currently (and constantly) trying to climb into my lap. Kendra and I (okay, mostly Kendra) are providing a foster home for the local Weimaraner rescue. We’ve had Izzy for five or six weeks, now. There’s […]
A insolent disregard for mountains is one thing the Four Peaks will cure you of. Me of, anyway. Showed up at the Lone Pine trailhead around 9:00 am on Sunday, feeling rather hung over. Didn’t know much about the Four Peaks, save that there were four of them, with only a trail to the first. […]