Fossil Alpinism

As a collector of mountain fiction - my library has over 55 titles - I found this cartoon in the current issue hysterical. (Click on the i...

This short video shows Hock third-classing an easy slab climb. The climb involves a ten minute bushwhack from the road, and for those with ...

This morning - hearing thundershowers were imminent this afternoon - I cruised over to do some bouldering near Whiteface. The crag is calle...

I logged 7 laps of a few moderate climbs, however the big news was that Egg Foo - and then Lindsay and Joan - nailed the overhanging 5.7 cla...

Despite dodging rain showers and pushing papers in my office I managed quite a bit of climbing with my alpine guests! I logged about 25+ sh...

After watching that video of climbing up the West Face of Tocllaraju, I am definitely thinking about a return to the Cordillera Blanca. I w...

These works of art date back to the mid-1800s. (Please be sure to click on these images to enlarge the pictures and more fully enjoy these ...

Yesterday was the gala fundraiser at the Blue Mountain Lake Adirondack Museum. (With another college tuition check looming I kept my biddin...

With all this wet weather it was easy to get a burn permit, and Selden finally had time to light a bonfire and get rid of all the building s...

Here are three of the best outdoor trip leaders you have ever seen, swapping tales and answering Hock's survey about the climbs the wish...

Gary, a noted fossil alpinist put away his rope, rack, and rock shoes to climb up on the scaffold and work on the apartment/garage. Last ev...

This short video is of Joan at the crux - quite awkward - of "One Taste." This 5.5 - 5.6 climb is one of the most aesthetic route...

We spent all morning at the crag doing laps on "Unexpected," "Hock's Blessing," "One Taste," and "Tw...

Here is a video snippet of Egg Foo back at her old stomping ground ... Owl's Head 25 years later! The woman, the myth, the legend, a sc...

In the 1980s we had a dynamic group of young women working at NCS - artists, athletes, hippies, and mountaineers - Fran, Betsy, Egg Foo, Wen...

A classic test piece at Owl's Head is this thin finger 5.10a. Usually top-roped, it is a reasonably good lead as well. The tradition a...

Egg Foo and Joan worked at NCS during the mid-1980s. This week, with Egg Foo (Phil, David, Ben, and Jessica) over from Norway, there is a r...

Click on this text to see a superb seven minute video about two Americans climbing the ice route on the West Face of Tocllarju, a 6000 meter...

After a couple of hours of steady climbing I filmed this very short video snippet of Gary, plopping off the overhanging route "Unexpect...

Gary did 10 laps (four different routes) at the NCS crag. The routes were all modest, in the 5.5 - 5.7 range. It was his first outing on r...

The enclosed picture was taken more than 30 years ago on the South Face of Denali. Brochu is setting up a rock belay after the initial colo...

Here is Lucy riding a Haflinger named Red. She misses her horse Birch though. (As always click on the image to enlarge the photograph.)

Today was Visiting Day at Camp Treetops. This is Lucy's home for seven weeks. Her forte this summer seems to be kayaking, working in the...

Click on this text to read an interesting article - from the New York Times - about how this recession is positively affecting work/study pr...

The next several days will be super busy with board meetings, camp visiting days, and a guest from the Chez Panisse Foundation. So at the e...

The newest fossil poll question - results will be listed on the sidebar to the right - What were the handful of routes you wished you had do...

Circa: the late 1970s, on Washington's Column in Yosemite. A view vintage things to notice ... EBs on our feet, fashionable white paint...

My old service contract ran out, and so it was time to update the hardware with a 3GS. It is pretty cool ... voice activated dialing, email...

At an elevation of 4340' Allen is not the highest of the Adirondack 46ers, nor is it the prettiest, however it is one of the longest day...

As I got in too late to celebrate yesterday, tonight we had steak, wine, and a small birthday cake. It turned out to be the perfect event fo...

Click on this text to access The New York Times article about how different states are setting out to license and certify the yoga instructi...

My gracious hosts - David NCS '52 and Linda - sent me a photograph taken from their deck. They have one of the most amazing mountain vi...

The first three pictured here - Irene's in theTetons, Rochefort in Chamonix, and Carn mor Dearg in Scotland - I have climbed with fossil...

I am stuck on the O'hare runway - my 57th birthday - as we are delayed up to an hour to change a tire. The enclosed montage gives a hin...

This morning, before I cracked the books for my Plato seminar, and before I outlined my talk to alumni, I did a 90 minute hike behind campus...

My three main study areas are the library (quiet and nice art), the cafe (comfy chairs and you never can tell what will be on the blackboa...

For a small city - 70,000 people - this place has an amazing number of museums, concert halls, and galleries. St. John's has arranged a...

Crossing the pass with another give hours of driving to St. John's College, I have an art gallery reception to attend tonight, as well ...

I had a short but productive visit with an NCS alum. Heading out for the long drive to Santa Fe I used the Independence Path shortcut to...

I hope all the fossils had a wonderful holiday long weekend. I am especially looking forward to hearing from Brian and maybe even getting s...

I was poking around in Selden's office looking for an envelope when I came across this handy little device. It is called an emasculator...

As you can see - despite the poor weather - the garage/apartment is coming along well. For more information tune into her blog. This text ...

A week after our last long day in the Sierras, I found myself thirsting for a short hike and so went up Owl's Head after dinner. It was...