Wilson Peak: Photo credit Whit Richardson, The Trust for Public Land Author’s Note: Fred Beckey, a fabled mountaineer and author, made as many as a thousand first ascents of North American summits and routes, considered at the time, too difficult to climb. Fred passed away at age 94 in October of 2017. There are two […]
Photo: Bob Goforth, 18,000 feet on the Harper Glacier, Denali AK, 1976 Remembering Robert Goforth 1953-2016 Bob and I were the first to descend to the West Buttress high camp at 17,200 feet. Two days earlier we had stood on the highest point in North America, the summit of Denali 20,310. The 17,200 camp was […]
Photo: Powder goatee, Vail Pass backcountry, 1984. Photo by David Bispham Deliberate Training Week Five: Strength Part Two I am glad Week Five is over. Last Friday at the climbing gym I was dead. Two hard weeks of building strength and now it is time to back off. After a week of recovery, we will […]
Photo: Rigid Designator, Vail, CO. My first big ice lead in 1991. This is Week Four: Strength Building phase of my Nine Week Periodization program. When creating a workout program for myself or my clients, I always keep in mind my goals. With my current program, I have four specific goals. I want to climb […]
Photo: An uncomfortable belay stance at the top of the first pitch, Ames Ice Hose, Telluride, CO Deliberate Training: Building a Base, Week Two There is nothing comfortable about ice climbing. To climb the Ames Ice hose, we left our warm beds at four in the morning, hiked the snow packed approach in the dark, […]
Photo: Laura Bergman image of the author ice climbing out of retirement, Cascade Falls, Minnesota, Feb 2018 “Success has to do with deliberate practice. Practice must be focused, determined, and in an environment where there is feedback.” – Malcolm Gladwell The air is Minnesota cold as Hunter Farrell and I make our way down the […]
Photo: Charlie Markusen leading “The Window Pitch” Grand Teton, WY My 21 year old son Charlie looked at the rock face above him and turned to me saying, “I can do this.” It was 3 pm and we were alone at the base of the Friction Pitch, the crux section of the upper Exum Ridge. […]
An insistent voice brought me out of the void and darkness. “What is your name? Where are you?” My eyes opened to see a chiseled face with furrowed brow. Pain stabbed my side, and my head, arms and legs were covered in blood. I spoke softly, giving my name and our location as the Grand. […]