As the year comes to a close, I suspect we all find ourselves pausing to reflect on what 2025 has meant for the avalanche, climbing, and broader mountain community. Not to neatly summarize it though. Years like this don’t fit cleanly into highlights and low points,...
How It All Begins - The Storm Is Coming Many are feeling a mix of relief, excitement, and anticipation about this week’s snowstorm finally moving in along the West Coast. After a slow and inconsistent start to winter, fresh snow in the forecast (and an abundance of...
Finding Purpose Outside the Typical Path For a long time, I followed the path that felt expected. I finished school, stepped into a corporate job, bought a nice car, and started climbing the ladder. From the outside, everything looked good. On paper, it made sense....
Winter is finally starting to creep back into the mountains, so now is the perfect time to give your backcountry setup a little pre-season TLC. I thought it might be useful for me to go through my pre-season ski maintenance routine with everyone who is willing to...
Picture this: I’m sitting in the garage, door cracked open just enough for the cold air to sneak in, staring at skis that have been waxed so many times I’m pretty sure they’re shinier than my wife’s car. The bench is covered with the usual chaos: a half-gone bar of...
Have we lost something? After almost 50 years in professional guiding, I find myself pausing to ask this question more and more. When I look around today, everything seems so structured. The profession and mountaineering objectives are dominated by paperwork, risk...
As we get closer to winter, I often end up sorting through different weather sites and apps, trying to see what’s new, improved, and narrow down what’s most useful. There are many weather forecasting tools out there, and each one has its strengths and weaknesses. I...
A few years ago, a family member introduced me to someone who wanted to climb Denali. My family member knew I’ve intended to climb it for a long time, but the timing has never worked out. When I first met this person, they immediately started talking about Denali...
It’s only been a couple of weeks since I wrote about the recent fatalities on the Clear Creek Route of Mount Shasta. Those events are always a reminder of how quickly conditions in the mountains can change, and that even experienced hikers or climbers can find...
Our last summer climbs have just wrapped up, and the Sierra has seen the first real snowfall of the season. It’s mother nature giving notice that it’s time to shift our mindset. Late October and early November mark a turning point in the mountains. The trails we’ve...
