Himalaya Climbin' & Flyin'

Some people like to climb up mountains...others like to fly off...some like to do both :) Chris flying high after a successful summit of Loboche Peak in Nepal.

Places of Influence

When I was knee high to the bovine bumpkin's in the rambling Iowa farm fields of my youth, I used to make the mile trek out to our pasture and creek nearly every day...by a variety of methods of transportation. Feet, bicycle, 4-wheeler, tractor, combine, truck, Jeep, skid-loader, etc. Once I crested the hill and gazed into the sweeping ravine that emptied into a meandering creek awash with cattle prints in the black mud presided over by the old, broken windmill at the top of the hill, I knew I was home. On those blistering summer days in the midwest, those days that make your upper lip sweat, there was only one place that provided any respite for the sweltering. The tile. A large culvert that poured the creek water from the farm field and into the pasture was like a little slice of icy heaven in my pork enriched youth. I pondered many of my adolescent life's problems, joys, and frustrations while laying in the cement tile feeling the ripples of water wash over my scabby knees and perma-dirty feet. Here's a few more places that are bonded to my heart like a sticky mouse trap. Where's yours?

*Summit of the Grand Teton
*A park bench on Peete's Hill in Bozeman with a pocket full of kleenex and my best friend.
*My first ice climb, Mummy 1, and the cute boy who took me :)
*Na Pali coast trail, Kauai, Hawaii.
*Vacas Valley, Argentina.
*Matukituki Valley, South Island, New Zealand.
*Northern Lights Saloon, Polebridge, Montana.
*The best first date ever...Practice Rock, Hyalite Canyon.
*Sunset ramblings with Kristen on the ridge saddle between Sacajewea and Hardscrabble.
*Ski Wee building, Sundown Mountain, Dubuque, Iowa.
*Pearl Street in Boulder the day after Jerry Garcia died.
*Saturday markets on the dock in Bergen, Norway.
*Cozy nights at the cabin on the Big Sis, eating cheese curds, drinking Leinenkugle's, and snuggling with the pea pods.

North Fork of the Flathead River

After hosting a press trip on this section of the Flathead River I fell in love with it. We didn't see another boat or person for three days, and the views into Glacier National Park were amazing. However, a proposed mine on the Canadian side of the border may change the complexion of this wild and scenic river forever. Please visit www.gravel.org for more information. For guided trips and more information about the river itself, contact Glacier Raft Company @ www.glacierraftco.com.

North Cascades Fun

Big glaciers, big mountains, big valleys, big packs, big granite. North Cascades National Park

McKinley Meets A Porcupine

Even metrosexual puppies get a hankering every now and then to chase critters in the woods. The Beartooth plateau is home to more than just breathtaking vistas, clean granite cracks and some of the best spring skiing in the West. Porcupines also call this alpine-lake-spotted-tundra-paradise home, and my little Fancy Pants (aka McKinley) got a personal introduction. MK was certain to spruce up post-quill-extraction with a little sea kelp mint conditioner and pore exfoliater. It's hard being this fancy.

Oh Canada!

Three reasons to move to Canada:
1. No G Dub
2. Canadian Rockies
3. Sweatshop Union

New Zealand

Iowa farm girl meets 7 million sheep, glacier infested peaks, and chocolate pudding with scrummy choc chips. Love at first sight.

My very first blog entry!

It's August in Montana and you know what that means...time to start thinking about winter! And for those who love a good sufferfest as much as I do, here's a few links to get you sharpening your ice tools and dusting off your randonee boots.

www.montanaice.com
www.mtavalanche.com
www.bsfnordic.com
www.rendezvousskitrails.com