Ragnivenas Attempt

Papa Noel brought a few days of calm but humid weather to the Chalten massif over Christmas, with poor conditions for rock climbing, but good conditions for crampon climbing. Jon and I hiked into the Torre Valley on the 23rd, and on the 24th we passed through the Standhardt Col into the Circo de las … Continue reading Ragnivenas Attempt

Tobogan

Last week some calm weather blew into the Chalten massif, but with cold and snowy conditions. Jon and I hiked into Niponino with some loose plans to scratch around on something while wearing crampons. After hemming and hawing for a while on the Torre Glacier at first light on the 16th, we finally decided to … Continue reading Tobogan

Guillaumet Laps

For the past couple weeks in El Chalten my climbing has been mostly limited to sport climbing at El Calamar, Chalten's best crag. However, I have gotten a couple day-trips in to climb Aguja Guillaumet. When the weather forecast is marginal, and a day of approaching and camping in storm isn't appealing, a long day … Continue reading Guillaumet Laps

Cerro Solo and Cerro Torre

I have once again escaped to the Austral summer in Argentine Patagonia, returning as usual to the town of El Chalten. The nature of Patagonian alpinism continues to evolve at a rapid pace. The availability of reliable weather forecasts and route information (in particular, the publication of the massif's first guidebook, by Rolando Garibotti), combined … Continue reading Cerro Solo and Cerro Torre

A Week in the Rockies

My girlfriend, Sarah Hart, and I just spent a week climbing out in the Rockies, enjoying perfect late-summer weather. Mostly we climbed at the Back of the Lake, which is I think one of the highest-quality crags I've ever climbed at (right up there with the Lower Town Wall at Index, and the Motherlode at … Continue reading A Week in the Rockies

Forbidden Peak and Mt. Dione

In the past couple weeks I've been mostly just rock climbing, but made a couple quick trips into local mountains. First, my dad, brother and I made a reunion climb of the West Ridge of Forbidden Peak - a climb that we did all together fifteen years ago, and was an experience that really sparked … Continue reading Forbidden Peak and Mt. Dione

How I Blew My Wadd – Trying to Imitate Frank Jourdan

I had planned to spend most of this summer rockclimbing in Squamish, and little of it in the mountains. However, I was back in Squamish for only a few days after my road trip with Dylan before taking off to the mountains again. This past winter at the Vancouver International Film Festival I met Scott … Continue reading How I Blew My Wadd – Trying to Imitate Frank Jourdan

West Coast Mountains Mini-Road-Trip

My friend and climbing partner, Dylan Johnson, recently became a father, and thus has been very busy at home. Nonetheless, on July 26 he made the epic drive from his new home in Ventura, CA, back up to Seattle, and the next day we took off on an 11-day mini road-trip - the longest climbing … Continue reading West Coast Mountains Mini-Road-Trip

Solo Attempt on North Buttress of Begguya

I have just recently returned to Seattle/Squamish from a long trip in the Central Alaska Range. This year I ended up spending 55 days living on the Kahiltna glacier system. Although a lot of time generally makes your odds of success better, it is obviously no guarantee, as this year the only climbs I was … Continue reading Solo Attempt on North Buttress of Begguya

Farewell Bjørn-Eivind

A week and a half ago I woke up to see a missed call from a Norwegian telephone number that I didn't recognize. Somehow I felt that there had been an accident. I went to my computer, and sure enough, my friend Nils Nielsen had sent me an e-mail when I hadn't answered my phone: … Continue reading Farewell Bjørn-Eivind