Adventure Spirit Blog

Look at pictures of trad climbers getting after it in any climbing magazine and you'll see an array of approaches when it comes to clipping your gear: a woman crushing her hands into some Indian Creek crack clipping directly into her cams, a fellow…

I first checked out the Nordwands while passing by the Mammut store on a rainy day while climbing in Chamonix. I wasn't necessarily looking to leave my old boots behind. They'd been good to me. We did some cool things together. Things were OK. …

The AMGA is the premier training path for America's professional climbing guides and the 10-day AGE is the culminating exam that guides take in order to become Certified Alpine Guides. Along the way toward that test, hopefuls must first take a…

Coming in from Chamonix the drizzling day before my wife Alysse and I were bombarded by images of “it” everywhere. But for the whole of that damp day we had to be contented with six dollar cups of Zermatt coffee and seeing “it” only on kitchen…

Graced with bluebird skies and strong climbing comrades, managed to put a satisfying amount of climbing into the last nine days: Black Peak (North Ridge-South Ridge Traverse), Sahale Peak-Sharkfin Tower (Link-up), Forbidden Peak (East Ridge-West…

Under bluebird skies, I went with a team of climbers over to Rainier's "Wilder Side"--the Emmons Route--during the June 30-July 3rd period. Here are some notes regarding the current climbing conditions.

An early-July Emmons trip an excellent place to test out Mammuts Sleep Systems. With freezing temps predicted in the 14K range, I opted to go light and bring the Sphere UL Spring bag and the Light Pump Mat UL. Together, these two pieces weigh in at…

After a springtime of climbing and guiding in Alaska/Denali and an enjoyable stint back in Mammut & my home-base state of Vermont, I arrived back in the Pacific Northwest this past week for a series of Rainier climbs with Rainier Mountaineering…

I had the opportunity to see Mount Rainier's summit on June 23rd with a team of intrepid climbers, despite damp and diminishing conditions. Here are some notes regarding the current climbing conditions.

I grew up in Washington State on the Puget Sound, so I had plenty of time to watch herons in action. They are large yet delicate creatures, able to plod along in the marsh for hours, always ready to act with precision when the moment called. With…

Years later, I'm back to the boards. I've been living in Vermont now for a decade, focused mainly on rock, ice, and alpine, but the siren song of snow began calling again this year as the shriveled autumn leaves rustled in the wind. I ordered up a…

From the Moose's Tooth on the Ruth Glacier to The Throne in “Little Switzerland,” the Central Alaskan Range is peppered with prime alpine objectives, making it an excellent location for Rainier Mountaineering's first-ever Alaskan Alpine Seminar, and…

Got out my Heron Pro and put together my pack for Denali today: 3 ropes, 2 full racks, 8 liters of water, and ankle weights. Sound to you like a savvy packing list for heading out onto the Kahiltna Glacier for a month?

Stoked to report that Kel is now a Mammut Athlete/Guide Ambassador!

So I know I've posted enough times this season about Martin & Brett's journey into lead climbing that you might begin to feel like this is a reality TV show, but I can't help it--it's been very exciting to watch and to be a part of...

Adventure Spirit climbers Bobby & John got a little bit of all three of these things this past week (plus Bobby almost got an "almost-fall from a tree into a river experience"--but that's another story—ask him about it!).

Two guide groups from Adventure Spirit Rock+Ice+Alpine were up in the Notch today. With temps hardly freezing overnight, it made for some exciting shows to watch today.

With warm temps around the last little bit, headed up to Avalanche Lake today to see how things have fared higher up. Climbed Avalanche Gully and got eyes on Adirondike and Trap Dike. Avalanche Gully was in decent shape.

We're offering a vertical self-rescue skills clinic that is a must for any lead or multi-pitch rock climber.

Went to the Adirondacks today to climb Trap Dike and took some pictures along the way of the ice climbing in the Avalanche Lake area as well as Cascade Pass area. Trap Dike is in good shape, with a couple of ice dams in the lower section and thin ice…

Check out these photos and captions for some great pointers/refreshers on crevasse rescue.

What an ice season it has shaped up to be and the Adventure Spirit guide team has been making the most of it with their climbers. Just in the past week we've been ice climbing with Champlain College at Bolton Quarry, moving into steeper ice on Lake…

Met up with Rob on the blustery Sunday of the Adirondack Mountainfest's final day, our sights set on the classic ice climb, Multiplication Gully.

Back enjoying the climbing at Smugglers Notch on 1/16 and 1/17. Approached from the south Stowe side on 1/16 and went to Driving Force climbing area. Left area offered the usual options. Right area offered one line on the left and it looked like…

Returned to the Notch today, post Warm-apocalypse 2013. Overall, things seemed pretty good and building quickly. ENT went, though bring your full shell for the first part. Jefferson Slide had some dry and decent thickness climbing for P1. Would've…

Recently, Ryan Shauers, who I climbed a fair bit with this past year (NH Ice, Torment-Forbidden Traverse, etc) invited me to do an interview for his blog "Desk to Dirtbag." The link is below if you'd like to check it out.

The big news is that you can now SKI up to your climbing! The Notch Road now has enough snow for skis--though you might not want to bring out your best just yet. I took the tools out for a ski this morning. Visibility was limited by all the…

Met up with a unique crew this past weekend for alpine training at Pinkham Notch.  Seems the Central Maine Medical Center has a pretty solid idea of what constitutes health, because on a fairly regular basis a group of doctors, residents, interns,…

Lot’s of people do the Presidential Traverse as training for Denali, but I’ve always said that Denali might just be good training for the Presidential Traverse:  The Presidential Range can pack a whallop!  But if you can’t get to Denali to train for…

WHY IS THIS AVALANCHE RESCUER USING HIS BEACON LIKE A CELL PHONE?: You'll have to read the caption to find out, but the quick gist is that he is demonstrating one of the many useful new techniques that are a part of the AIARE Level 1 curriculum.…

SAFELY BACK DOWN FROM DENALI/MOUNT MCKINLEY WITH THE RAINIER MOUNTAINEERING TEAM:  It is futile to try to think of one adjective--or even a string of adjectives--to try to describe the Denali (Mount McKinley) experience.  Twenty some-odd days,…

This winter season, La Sportiva launched it’s newest Batura “platform”–the sleekly-sophisticated-or-software-sounding “2.0.” There are several new design modifications that have made these things hot tickets–they are currently back-ordered until…

As a guide, I’m out in the field so much that the accompanying “sport-outdoor” clothing can begin to feel like a uniform.  It’s a uniform I’m proud and thankful to wear, but I enjoy dressing down when I can.  So, when I heard about Thunderbolt…

As an avid climber and guide, inevitably people ask whether I'd like to climb Everest.  It's understandable--for those getting interested in climbing, Everest is the name everyone knows.  Like any area of interest, as you get more experience with it,…

Perfect timing--It's drizzling here in Vermont this afternoon and my new copy of Jerry Handren's recently-released "North Conway Rock Climbs" just arrived.  Folks familiar with Handren's Red Rocks Guide will feel quickly at home with this guide,…

Rainier Muir Route/Disappointment Cleaver Route Conditions-05-08-2012

After several days of high snow, winds, and dismal summit conditions, things opened up on May 27th.  A team of several guides opened up the DC Route, uncovering the fixed lines…

SUMMER IS HERE! (?) -- THE DC ROUTE IS FINALLY IN!!

Thanks to the hard work of several guides from the various companies operating on Rainier, as of 6/4/11 there is an excellent route going up Disappointment Cleaver and over onto the Emmons…

Mount Rainier saw the first summit in seven days (that I'm aware of) yesterday, by a NPS Climbing Ranger team and a former RMI employee apparently just back from Denali. Traveling in teams of two, they were able to travel fast and get higher than our…

Mount Rainier Muir Route / Disappointment Cleaver Climbing Conditions Route Report

MOUNT RAINIER CURRENT CLIMBING CONDITIONS–INGRAHAM DIRECT/MUIR ROUTE REPORT AS OF THURSDAY MAY 17TH. 

Down from the first summit of the RMI summit season on Rainier–and what a summit it was! Things began a bit rough and damp (as you’ll see if you…