Fossil Alpinism

A scene by a local artist (Orlyk), painting in the Hudson River School tradition. Snow on top of the peaks this weekend, and snow on the gr...

Fossil friend Matt is back from a hunting trip on the outskirts of the Cirque of the Unclimbables. He defends his thesis on October 15, and ...

A beautiful day, and this is a picture from the top of the crag after running three laps ... The height of fall foliage is just days away. ...

Charlie - age 3 - is the son of Guillaume, one of my former students ... working out the moves!

He was Charles Victor Tucker III, scourge of Yosemite National Park, fixture of the lodge cafeteria ... click here to read a New York Times ...

Click on this link to see specific details.

It was pretty wet, and my mountain boots were muddy, however I hauled out my 15 year old "soloist" and ran some laps on the 5.7 ...

This is a picture of Jon and Selden building the Fossil Clubhouse last year. These days Jon is more involved with his computer writing arti...

"I did five pitches on Saturday. 3 leads, two of which were new. On-sighted a new 5.7 which I felt shaky on for the first 20 feet a...

August in the Sierras, heading out to Fourth Lake. The mules are fully loaded with two weeks food, scientific gear, and climbing gear.

In honor of their advanced age this picture was shot with an old kodack "brownie" camera ... two very handsome and obviously very ...

Greg gathering data to see if clmate change (aka global warming) has effected the area of Palisade Glacier in the Sierras. (A possible objec...

The crag is being transformed by the energy of Dave, Katie, and the student crew.

I hope everyone is getting off the couch. Mark tells me he bought a gym membership, and I heard rumors that Danny was doing a metric centur...

Selden the farmer on top of her vintage tractor, spreading manure on the fields.

Dave leads a team of students in stump pulling and leveling the far edge of the crag.

Greg and Tori simul-climbed 14 pitches up the buttress. Danny and I did this route a decade ago ... fantastic!

Tori leaves the Sierras for a year-long service adventure in 2009 to Maputo Mozambique. Click here to watch a short video about her new ...

Yosemite = English = Alpine 5.1 = Diff. = III 5.4 = V. Diff = III+ 5.6 = Severe = IV 5.8 = VS = V+

Buried Treasure = "Monday Morning Slab" in Yosemite Perry's Corner = "Rusty Trifle" in the Gunks Hock's...

The view from the top of the NCS crag. We had 15+ students out cragging today, on a beautiful Fall day.

Two Friends of the Fossils (Greg and Terray) are going to attempt the Grade VI, mega-classic traverse of the Sawtooth Ridge in the Sierras. ...

A terrific place to stay, cheap travel, sunny weather, awesome routes, and amazing breakfast burritos.

Sipping a chai, reading a novel, and watching the Cordillera Blanca from the Cafe Andino.

Dave working it ... tentatively named "The Hammer," it looks like it will weigh in at 5.11+

Click here to watch a short video of Tori doing some capoeira with the big boys

That the good doctor - Brian - is a member of the American Alpine Club medical committee? And what does the committee do? Medical Committee...

A great issue in honor of the 50th anniversary of the first ascent of the Nose ... Some terrific stories from the Golden Age in the Valley....

Tori in the background getting ready to jump in and do some capoeira. Click here to read the article about Tahoe Capoeira

Click here to see the article.

Back in the days when we had a full head of hair, rain 3 hour marathons, and climbed 5.9 in tennis sneakers ... and could take the entire su...

The South Face of Washington Column in Yosemite. Hock and Mark are hoping to meet in the valley this November for a weekend of climbing. (C...

Brian stretching out - doing his yoga - is everyone getting fit for December? Clear the date on those calendars.

Climbed eleven short pitches (two on the sharp end), one bouldering session, five moderate aerobic outings, and one yoga session. (The pictu...

A long hike up Dial and Nippletop. This picture taken about halfway - near Elk Pass - Rebeeca, Liz, and Brian (taking the picture) were my ...

"Birch" stands just over 15 hands, and is quite gentle.

Dave Steckler, the discoverer and developer of the crag, pulling his bizillionth lap on "Unexpected" (5.7).

On his 18th birthday, my son Jon and I climbed the 18,500' Urus in the Cordillera Blanca. A few days later I climbed another 20,000'...

Andy Parkin has done some of the hardest Chamonix routes as well as finding time to make interesting art. Click here to see his website.

Buried Treasure (5.4) was led today by Laurie Steckler, belayed by Dave. It was Laurie's first lead EVER, and was done onsight. The ro...

Jiminy Cricket, handsome, healthy, affectionate, six-year-old 12.2hh standard donkey for sale. Up to date with all shots and worming. Leads ...

We continue to have spectacular weather, and I just finished some laps on the Trouble Slab. The picture is a view from the top, with the ca...

Seven short moderate pitches (two at the sharp end), two bouldering sessions, three moderate aerobic sessions, one long aerobic session, and...

Pictures and more details of the avalanche site on Mount Tacul from the Alpinist website. (Click on this link)

From the Hudson River School of painting but some of his best work was from his trips to the Andes. (Click here to find out more about him ...

Greg is in Huaraz - working - however he still manages to get out in the Cordillera Blanca.

The leaves are starting to change, and despite the glorious weather we are having, it was 33 degrees this morning.

Almost a century old, these stories are classic - edited by Arnold Lunn - this volume contains the famous piece "Roof Climbing in Oxfor...

Bernard Amy's short-story is one of my favorites ... I just re-read it last night in the anthology "Games Climber's Play."...

Day 1: fly and catch the last tram up Midi Day 2: Cosmique arete ... Alpine AD (snow climbing with bits of 5.4 rock in crampons, and two rap...