– Soloing the Bighorn Crags in October – The trailhead into the Bighorn Crags was three hours from Salmon, and that little town in Idaho was almost three hours from the nearest large airport… which meant anyone visiting the Crags from outside the state would have to travel six hours once their plane landed just to arrive at the trailhead. That was too remote for … Continue reading Dangerous Playground
– Part III: Sometimes Willpower Isn’t Enough – The three truths of mountaineering are absolute. “..even on your way down.” I shook my head half-laughing. It’s always higher than it looks, further than it looks, and harder than it looks; those are the three truths. Jumping off the ridge into the snow bowl wasn’t as high or dramatic as it seemed, but I was glad … Continue reading Harder Than It Looks
– Part II: The Only Way Home is Down – The last few hundred yards was like walking through a storm in the desert, snow moving like sand beneath my feet. Coming off the steep sidehill and into the throat of the drainage, the wind picked up speed as it forced its way through the pass. It scrubbed snow into frozen talcum powder which obscured … Continue reading Necessarily Brave
– Part I: Adventure is Just Bad Planning – It’s a great season to sit by the fire drinking hot chocolate and Bailey’s and listening to adventure stories. As a gift to you, I’ll open up my archive of winter adventures to share this Christmas week. We’ll start with one of my favorites… “Alone on Purpose” is a journal kept during a winter secluded in … Continue reading Small Mistakes Become Big Problems
– Solitude is the Greatest Freedom – The hike into Simplot was relatively short, a slow-moving stroll… just me and my best friend God. Planned to last four days, the distance could be travelled in half that time. However, it seemed more appropriate to begin my sabbatical by sauntering along the trail. I was accustomed to long distance treks but few led to such isolation. … Continue reading Just Me and My Friend God
