This article may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!After almost two full months of living, climbing, and playing in Ouray, I’ve realized you can’t sustain climbing day after day after day indefinitely. You’ll need to incorporate periodic rest days (at least I do!). …
Backcountry Ice – Climbing Dexter Creek Slabs in Ouray
After Sameer’s departure, I continued climbing with Justin and Jason–the early arrivals from the DC group. Tuesday morning we just happened to connect with John and Jim from Salt Lake City when we were all climbing around one another in the School Room in the Ice Park. They let us in on their plan to get on some backcountry, multipitch …
Second Week of Ice Climbing in Ouray, Colorado
Following the Ouray Ice Festival the crowds disappeared, though the bitter cold remained. This weather was beginning to feel more reminiscent of the screaming barfies inducing New Hampshire ice climbing scene. This 30+ degree F climbing and easy accessibility of the Ice Park had been making me soft! Well, at least I could finally use some more of my toe …
Backpacking Across New Jersey: Delaware Water Gap to High Point (45 miles)
Ah, Jersey… The butt of oh so many jokes, and the land of Tony Soprano, Snooki, Bruce Springsteen, and Jon Bon Jovi. But backpacking New Jersey, is there such a thing? Do they even have woods or anything resembling wilderness in the most densely populated state in the country? Turns out they do, as I learned when backpacking Delaware Water …
Litter Rescue Class and the Potomac Mountain Club’s 75th Anniversary
I joined a crew of a couple dozen or so members of the Potomac Mountain Club (PATC-MS) for their 75th anniversary celebrations at Seneca Rocks. I unfortunately missed out on their DC area celebrations in the days leading up to this event, which also included an alumni and history night with Jan Conn at Hearst Hall and climbing at Carderock, …
Backpacking the Allegheny Front Trail in Pennsylvania (42 miles)
A group of us from DC UL Backpacking decided we needed a change of pace from Virginia backpacking, so we headed north to Pennsylvania so we could hike the Allegheny Front Trail up near State College, Pennsylvania over the recent three-day weekend. The Allegheny Front Trail (AFT) is a relatively recently completed trail (1998) and which forms a nearly 42-mile loop …
Backpacking North Fork Mountain (24 miles) and Climbing at Seneca
I finally got out to North Fork Mountain with a small crew from DC UL Backpacking… This one has been on my to-do list for awhile now, since I have seen some cool photos from friends that have done it in the past and just because I always notice it while climbing at Seneca (it is the long ridgeline to …
Seven Days in the North Cascades: Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership 2
I recently met up with Chad Cochran with the American Alpine Institute (AAI) for a shortened, 1:1 version of AAI’s Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership 2 (AMTL2) course. The AMTL course is a 4-part series, with the primary goal of Part 2 to make you a qualified rope team leader on rock and glacier routes. My seven days in the …