January 1st, 2010
When I started this 
website almost a decade ago, my vision was to simply share my experiences through introspective and candid reporting. That has not changed however the site has evolved over the years so let’s take a brief look back before we look forward.
All of my 16+ big climbs including Denali, Aconcagua and the 3 to Everest had extensive coverage that included live dispatches, gear lists, an FAQ page plus an extensive collection of pictures presented in a gallery format with a sideshow presentation. Every Colorado 14er summit has it’s own page – 52 at this point. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Blog, General | 3 Comments »
March 4th, 2010
Johanna Ernst
After watching all the spills in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, many climbers wondered about IOC’s 2007 decision to monitor climbing as the first step to full inclusion in the Olympics.
In Vancouver, during a plenary session, it was announced that after provisional IOC recognition in 2007, the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) has passed the two-year “observation period”. This according to the Italian website Planet Mountain and The Adventure Blog.
The IOC had already announced at their final meeting before the Vancouver Olympics they had granted “full recognition” to the IFSC as the governing body for sport climbing and the primary sponsor for the consideration process.
So what kind of climbing might we see? The IFSC recognizes International competition climbing and includes three disciplines, all indoor to eliminate variations in climbing surfaces due to natural terrain: Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Adam Ondra, Johanna Ernst, Olympics, Sport Climbing, Teva Mountain Games
Posted in Climbing News | No Comments »
February 26th, 2010
One of the great things about climbing after Christmas is chance to try out all those new toys you got over the holidays as gifts or on sale. And I am guilty as charged!
I recently went ice climbing in Ouray and then made the summit of Colorado 14er, Quandary Peak in temps well below zero and winds gusting over 30 mph. Perfect time to try out new gear.
In Ouray, I used my new Black Diamond Cobra ice tools for the first time. I had bought them on sale at the BD site and was anxious to see if they lived up to their well-earned reputation – I was not disappointed.
Over on Quandary, the harsh conditions were perfect to try out some new products from First Ascent, their merino wool base layers plus my new Hestra leather gloves. Let me say, my body never got cold.
To read all the details, check out the reviews on each piece at Gear Review.
Climb On!
Alan
Posted in Blog | 1 Comment »
February 16th, 2010
Ouray Loves Ice Climbers!
Over President’s day weekend in mid February 2010, I joined some friends for some ice climbing in world famous Ouray Ice Park. It was a great time with perfect weather and nice ice.
Ouray is famous for man-made ice and the annual Ice Festival held every January. Ouray is a small mountain town in Southwest Colorado. A longtime favorite summer destination, it is nestled in the high Rocky Mountains. Ouray, once a mining town, might have disappeared or slowly dwindled away if an accident had not occurred. A leak in the fresh water pipe running along the top of a river gorge created a long ice fall one year … and the rest was history!
From the Park’s website: Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Ice Climbing, Ouray, Quandry Peak
Posted in Blog, Colorado 14ers | 1 Comment »
February 9th, 2010
Pine Beetle Destruction
If you have ever driven along Colorado’s Interstate 70 from Denver to Vail, you might have noticed all the dead pine trees along the highway. Some think it is due to pollution spewed by cars but is actually nature at work.
Mountain pine beetles have killed an estimated 3.6 million acres of trees in Colorado alone. Their favorite food is the lodgepole pine tree but they also enjoy the ponderosa, Scotch and limber pine. The beetles kill the trees by creating fungus under the bark, which slows growth and eventually kills it.
The root issue is that the beetles are enjoying run-away growth. Each winter, the beetle lays eggs under the bark and the larva have a natural antifreeze which protects them during the cold winter. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: pine beetles
Posted in Blog, Colorado 14ers, Mountaineering Moments | 2 Comments »
January 31st, 2010
Aerogel
Manufacturers of all types are always looking for that next great breakthrough. Think: Gortex, Teflon and that famous exchange from The Graduate:
Mr. McGuire: I want to say one word to you. Just one word.
Benjamin: Yes, sir.
Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?
Benjamin: Yes, I am.
Mr. McGuire: Plastics.
Now another breakthrough is hitting the consumer outdoor products market based on a man-made material called aerogel. It is lighter than air in its pure form, warmer than down, can be compressed, is breathable and is virtually unbreakable. It keeps hots things hot and cold things cold – How does it do it?
There seems to be no simple or short answer to what is an aerogel. Most text describe a manufacturing process where liquids are replaced with air involving a polymerization process. Being simple, I like to think of aerogel as a tiny, as in microscopic, layer of bubble wrap; which I am sure makes scientists and engineers cringe.
First mentioned in a paper published in the journal, Nature, in 1931, scientist recognized an opportunity to improve insulation material. Monsanto initially used it in napalm and cigarettes in the 1940’s but it was primarily used as a flattening agent in paint and varnishes.
Monsanto abandoned its use in the 1970’s. It was expensive and difficult to manufacture according to the website areogel.org . One challenge was that exposure to a significant amount of aerogel dust created serious respiratory issues. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: aerogel
Posted in General | No Comments »
January 23rd, 2010
Ptarmigans in the Summer
I love to climb or more specifically to be out in nature. This past week, I took a long climb to almost 13,000′ on Longs Peak in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. It was a rare winter day with mild temps in the high teens and virtually no wind – unheard of for Longs in January.
The scenery of the snow covered Continental Divide was stunning as was the lightly peppered Diamond on Longs’ East Face. I was completely alone for the majority of the day. I had started just before sunrise and enjoyed watching the sun light up the Colorado eastern plains.
But it was a few minutes of a six hour day that sticks in my memory. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Longs Peak, Ptarmigan, Rocky Mountain National Park
Posted in Colorado 14ers, Mountaineering Moments | 1 Comment »
January 20th, 2010
You can now support Alzheimer’s research through purchasing products you might already buy. I am so pleased to announce that Body Results and Action Wipes will now donate a percentage of each noted sale to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund.
I have has teamed up with outdoor conditioning coaches Courtenay and Doug Schurman at Body Results, a Seattle-based company that focuses on wilderness sports conditioning. Also with Martha Van Inwegen of Life Elements with the Action Wipes product line for athletes.
Cure Alzheimer’s Fund
The Cure Alzheimer’s Fund use 100% of all donations to fund breakthrough research. None of your donation goes to overheard since the Fund is totally supported by three families who have first hand experience with Alzheimer’s. Please read more on their website and please make a donation today. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Action Wipes, Body Results
Posted in Alzheimer's | No Comments »
