Poem for Michael and Lewie

I am not dead, I have only become inhuman:
That is to say,
Undressed myself of laughable prides and infirmities,
But not as a man
Undresses to creep into bed, but like an athlete
Stripping for the race.
The delicate ravel of nerves that made me a measurer
Of certain fictions
Called good and evil; that made me contract with pain
And expand with pleasure;
Fussily adjusted like a little electroscope:
That's gone it is true;
(I never miss it; if the universe does,
How easily replaced!)
But all the rest is heightened, widened, set free.
I admired the beauty
While I was human, now I am part of the beauty.
I wander in the air,
Being mostly gas and water, and flow in the ocean;
Touch you and Asia
At the same moment; have a hand in the sunrises
And the glow of this grass.
I left the light precipitate of ashes to earth
For a love-token.

Robinson Jeffers

ICE IS IN!

Fossils sharpen those tools and give Danny one more call.

Planning a Wall

This a picture of the Kor roof on the South Face of Washington Column. It was the scene of Franklin's freakout in the 1970s, as well as the venue to decide on logistics for the second trip to the Cassin Ridge in the early 1980s. Rumor has it, that the approach to the West Face of Leaning Tower was scouted over Thanksgiving, and that some of the "boys" are in training for a Spring ascent. Hock may even plan a mid-winter trip up the LeConte Memorial Boulder, to work on his aid technique!

Bear Creek Spire

This past summer Ewing bagged the Northeast Ridge of Bear Creek Spire again. In the 1990s this was the scene of a fossil outing starring Danny, Mark, and Hock on the 5.5 route and Michael and Brian on the stout 5.8 North ridge. This summer Mark was joined on the route by Greg De Pascale, a youthful climber, and the proud member of the Order of the Friends of Fossils.

Hosting the Fossil Icefest in the 1990s

Brian - Doctor D - hosted us at his house in Provo, and among other things we did The Great White Icicle

Climbing Competition

Hock clipping bolts in the Gorge, on the way to his first place finish in the Spring Fossil competition.  Who will score the most points in December?  Will Ewing rig the scoring yet again?

Previous Fossil Icefest

Get permission from your family, lock in the dates, and book those tickets!

Clubhouse at Dawn

Selden is painting the door as I write this posting!

What route are you proudest of?

This is my proudest moment, the Sentinelle Rouge on the Brenva face of Mount Blanc. I did this route in 1977, over 5,000' vertical (right up the middle), unroped and side-by-side with Richard Wilmott from South Africa.

Franklin and the first Icefest

The first Fossil Icefest was held back in our youth. In 1979 Mike Brochu, Michael Franklin, and Hock climbed this classic New England test piece, the Black Dike on Cannon. At the top - shortly before dark - Franklin was so hungry he chomped into my fruitcake and ate it wrapper and all. On the descent by headlamp he decided to bypass the trip to the bottom of the route for his pack, assuming we could come back on our rest day ... of course the pack held the car keys!

Speaking of Michael Franklin

An unknown and unpublished fact ... Michael and I did a new route on the face just above the "W" in west buttress! (To make the picture larger, just click on it.)

The Fossil Tick List

What have I left off? Remember, two or more fossils must have been involved.(When prompted sign in as a guest.)

Siding for Clubhouse

Motivational Video

Get Psyched for Ice Climbing

December 14-17 in Lake Placid

Check Climbing Conditions