I recently had the pleasure to network with like-minded UK mountaineer Sven Hassall, and he agreed to share his riveting experience assaulting one of Steve Roper’s and Alan Steck’s Fifty Classic Climbs of North America.
Be sure to look up Sven’s outfit– Summit Mountaineering. Especially if you are in the UK and looking for adventure!
-TO
“Irene! Yeah man, Irene!” The enthusiasm behind the voice and the significance of the Black Hawk Down movie quote (the code word that initiated their long awaited operation) were not lost on me; I had just escaped a meeting at Whitehall and finally, after a lengthy period of planning, training and fund raising was on route to meet the rest of the team and begin our journey to Canada.
24 hours later and crammed into a bean tin of a different flavour I recalled the people around me on the Underground as I took that call; rushing around lost in their own worlds of SMS, time pressures and iPods. I pitied them a little knowing that I was heading for a better place and a more satisfactory way of living. I envied them too though; knowing that they would be at home that night, cocooned in the warm security of the concrete world they have created, no hanging belays, sickening exposure or fear. Yes I envied them, but not too much. Continue reading Cirque of the Unclimbables→
In 2011 I had the opportunity to spend a few weeks in Nepal. I traveled with a Canon Powershot G10 which is an amazing little monster, and great for travelers. There were times, however, when I just didn’t have the focal range that I craved. Some shots were burned only to my mind because of the inherent limitations of a point-and-shoot camera. (Check out the gallery at Rogue Images.)
This year, when I learned that I would make the journey one more time, I immediately began searching for a new toy. Mirrorless system cameras like the Sony NEX or Olympus Pen lines really caught my eye due to their large, high quality sensors and compact body size. For my money though, the technology is not quite there. I wanted interchangeable lenses, great video capability, and most importantly, the ability to perform anywhere I perform. Continue reading 10 Tips to Help Your Camera Kit Thrive Where You Do→
There are a select few. You know who you are. The core that never has to “catch up” not matter how long it has been since they were in the same hemisphere. Small talk is shelved. True progress is achieved. It’s not that we don’t care what the others have been doing. It’s that we seem to be more interested in what we are doing.
Such was the case recently as Lady Luck dropped Chuck Wagon and I on the same geo-coords for one hot minute in Wyoming. Grandiose plans of a multi-day adventure in the Wind River Range dwindled to a single morning hike by the time everything shook out. Still, even the simplest idea can surprise you in the end. Continue reading The core: They never miss a beat…→
Thrive Outdoors Culture Journal 