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A War Within (1/6/2022) - Battling the Asshole in my Head The first thing I became aware of was a bead of sweat trickling down my back. Then the world slowly began to appear around me, like in a movie when the picture gradually comes into focus and the volume is turned up. I was behind the wheel of my Toyota Sienna, engine still running. A young bearded man was banging on the passenger door window. "Hey, are you OK?… … Continue reading "A War Within"
The Great Range Part I – Game Changer (1/9/2018) - I suspect most hikers have one pivotal hike that changed everything, that opened their eyes to what is possible, to a deeper sense of what the mountains have to offer, to what the human body is truly designed for and capable of. This is the story of mine, when I learned to flow with the current of the mountains, and the struggle of the hike turned to weightless joy. Hike: Lower Great Range Distance: 17… … Continue reading "The Great Range Part I – Game Changer"
Father’s Day 2015 (12/28/2016) - Hike: Cascade and Porter Mountains Distance: ~6.5 miles Elevation: 4098 ft (Cascade) 4059 ft (Porter) Total Ascent: ~2300 ft Date: June 20, 2015 Discussions of a return trip to Cascade and Porter had been ongoing for some time between my brother Brian and I. He had been up Cascade a decade earlier, but had not caught Porter at the time. I had been up both 8 months prior, but the weather had prevented seeing any… … Continue reading "Father’s Day 2015"
Return to Marcy (12/27/2016) - Hike: Mount Marcy Distance: 15 miles Elevation: 5344 ft Total Ascent: ~3800 ft Date: May 9, 2015 To say I had become a little obsessed with standing on top of Mount Marcy after our epic failure (er, solid attempt! ... learning experience?) back in January would be the understatement of the year. Unfortunately life and poor Spring hiking conditions disrupted the flow, and the next opportunity wouldn't come for several months. I was itching to… … Continue reading "Return to Marcy"
Night Walking (10/5/2016) - "I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day." - Vincent Van Gogh A rustling came from the bushes, 15 feet away. The beam of our flashlight revealed a pair of glowing eyes, peering out at us. We were just a couple of kids, down by the lake at my parents' house. Two teenagers looking for some alone time, sitting on an old wooden picnic table in the… … Continue reading "Night Walking"
Mount Marcy, -15F (10/1/2016) - Hike: Mount Marcy Distance: ~13 miles Elevation: ~4300 ft Total Ascent: ~2800 ft Date: January 31, 2015 It was 2am and I still couldn't sleep. I hadn't gone to bed until midnight, like an idiot. And now I was lying there, tossing and turning, unable to sleep, thinking about tomorrow. What the hell was I thinking? A little adventure is one thing. But in the still of the night, attempting to summit Mount Marcy on… … Continue reading "Mount Marcy, -15F"
Ringing in the New Year (9/25/2016) - Hike: Phelps Mountain Distance: ~8.5 miles Elevation: 4160 ft Total Ascent: ~2200 ft Date: January 3, 2015 Santa was ever so kind this year, apparently as excited by our hiking pursuits as we were (imagine that!). Plenty of new gear was found under the tree, including a set of microspikes. Newly equipped and prepared for a little winter trekking, Brian, Dad, and I decided to ring in the new year with another hike into Marcy… … Continue reading "Ringing in the New Year"
My Brother Catches the Bug (9/19/2016) - Hike: Marcy Dam (and a bit beyond) Distance: ~7 miles Date: November 28, 2014 Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year to visit my parents. Winter has yet to become tiresome. The air is filled with the smell of woodsmoke as the cold air nips at my cheeks. I step inside, greeted by the dry warmth from the woodstove, fragrances wafting from the kitchen as my mother toils away, and some underhanded… … Continue reading "My Brother Catches the Bug"
Novice Meets a High Peak (9/18/2016) - Hike: Cascade and Porter Mountains Distance: ~6.5 miles Elevation: 4098 ft (Cascade) 4059 ft (Porter) Total Ascent: ~2300 ft Date: October 18, 2014 Has a place ever seemed more mythical than real in your mind? That was the High Peaks to me, as I didn't have enough to fill in the blanks, having only visited superficially a few times as a kid. I had been obsessing about the area, what it looks like, what it… … Continue reading "Novice Meets a High Peak"
In the beginning … (9/14/2016) - Hike: Chimney Mountain Distance: ~2 miles Elevation: 2708 ft Ascent: 760 ft Date: September 26, 2014 I grew up in a tiny town in the southern Adirondacks of upstate New York, called Northville. Why yes, it is pretty! My parents' house is right about ... there. I spent much of my childhood exploring and playing in the woods, but did little serious hiking. After my life underwent reconstructive surgery by chainsaw in 2014, I was… … Continue reading "In the beginning …"
