Year End

This year has been a whirlwind of adventure, challenges, and learning. As my buddy Ethan would say "Every day is better than the last."

Looking back on the year it is hard to believe all that has happened, from cycling through Cambodia to a month of sandstone crack climbing in China. Not to mention launching my career in the Pacific NW.

Sitting here in Chiang Mai again I am gripped with an inconsolable nostalgia that this chapter of life is coming to a close. My intent was never to stay in Asia so long, but life being as it is led me down a path that was never apparent.

March signifies our departure from Thailand, bringing an emotional surge of joy and loss. In a way the education I have gained, both conscious and unconscious, has defined who I am and what I believe in. The tools and insight gained will no doubt shape my future in a dramatic way.

There are still over a thousand clients to instruct this high season, and I am getting a bit ahead of myself with the farewell. The remaining time spent with the family cultivated here will be well received and cherished. Taking time to make people aware of how much they mean to me, and how fortunate I have been for eating, working, learning, laughing, and sharing in each others company.

Next year presents a whole new range of possibilities and discovery with our transition back to the U.S. I welcome it with open arms and an open heart.

Liming - 2015

Once again our crew from Chiang Mai ventured north into Yunnan province of China in search of giant sandstone walls. This time round Mario, Ooan, Ethan, and myself set off, and with some larger cams than last year to boot. 

We cut it a bit close catching the train from Kunming to Lijiang, with only 3 seats and standing ticket available we boarded with 5 minutes to spare, long enough in fact to buy two six-packs of Chinas finest weak beer. After sitting down, Ethan was promptly projectile vomitted on in close quarters. Mario also made friends with a Chinese guy in probably the swankiest jacket I had ever seen, who kept pointing to a picture of Fred Becky saying that he knew him and was good friends with old Fred. Other than the train ride the trip to Liming went smooth. The ladies at the park entrance even waived the 100 RMB park fee because we were “professional climbers,” their words not ours ha!

Prior to the trip Ethan had only a handful of trad climbing experiences, primarily in Yosemite, however I could sense his unbridled energy and enthusiasm for the experience to come. The first day out we walked up to a 5.9, and said “ok man, your lead.” After a few jitters he was cruising and never looked back the whole trip. In fact every day kept getting better and better.

We visited all the area classics the first week, and capped it off with climbing Souls Awakening, 5.10c/d, 5 pitches. The low point for me was scrapping and scumming my way up a bird shit filled off-width, not sure if the shit made the shoes stick better or worse….Though the route tops out on Dinner Wall, the last pitch looked like 5.5 choss / veg scrambling, so we decided stay safe and head down. This was an amazing climb, definitely a must do if your in Liming. 

departure from CNX

Ethans' first lead in China, Screaming at the Moon 5.9

down on red stone street with Dinner wall in the background

group selfie with Mei and Ethan

The Faraway Hostel ended up being a prime spot to meet all the old friends from last year and further afield. It was good to connect with Mike Dobie again and still see the passion he has for development in the valley and the rest of China. During our stay Logan Barber also sent The Honeycomb Dome, 5.14? Watching the video of the FA was amazing, and inspiring. Even our good friend Mei stopped in for a few days.

Though we climbed a ton of pitches and routes, the main highlight for me was climbing Back to the Primitive, 5.11, Grade III. Every pitch had its own unique character that made the climb 5 stars. Ethan even had time to take a piss on lead before on-sighting pitch 4! For me the 6th traverse pitch was the money. After a 10m unprotected chimney climb, where you are literally inside the mountain, it changed to good hands, then to some sort of strange technical horizontal climbing to a good ledge. We topped out around 4 pm and took in the views before taking a mosquito infested gully down to town. 

pitch 3 of Souls Awakening

rappelling Souls Awakening

Ethan crushing Wind of the Valley 5.10+

topping out on Back to the Primitive 5.11+

afternoon up at the Guardian Wall

Faraway Hostels resident canine 

catching a glimpse of Mario up on Back to the Primitive

the crew below Akum-Ra, one of the best climbs in Liming

Haba Shan

Ethan and I had been scheming to head north to Shangri-la for a few days at the end of the trip to just check out a different part of Yunnan. Our dreams were a bit crushed when all reports indicated that Shangri-La is kind of blah and lame. We reset our sights on Tiger Leaping Gorge and then finally set our gaze on Haba Shan Snow Mountain (5390m). By all accounts this peak was totally doable in our time frame and there were rental places in Haba Village for axes, crampons, etc. Stoke was high! The next day we caught the bus to Lijiang and then to Tiger Leaping Gorge. We luckily were able to catch a ride with “Z” and his girlfriend through the gorge, and ended up in Haba the following day. 

After some searching we came upon a younger guy in Haba that runs cycling trips and guides Haba. Promptly we packed up all our gear and hired him to take us to the basecamp at 4100m. It had been awhile since I was at altitude, and was huffing a bit until around 3500m. The basecamp was super legit, with a number of stone buildings, bunk rooms, and even a few staff. There was one other group up there from Beijing, they wished us luck before we went to bed. 

Our alpine start went well and we gained elevation steadily. There are a series of granite slabs and moraines before hitting the snow proper. The weather was definitely a concern, as it was constantly foggy and the summit was always out of view. After 4 hours we got to 5100m, where after judging the conditions we decided to turn back….but it was still the highest either of us had ever climbed, and we felt great.

The hike down was a poignant indicator that we had been pushing our bodies non-stop for 3 weeks. Drunk with fatigue we made it back to town in good style. Unfortunately we had little money left, and had to barter for room, board, and even transport the next day……true dirtbag style. Arriving in Lijiang the next day we had exactly 0 RMB haha.

basecamp at 4100m

frost covered slap scrambles

Ethan loving life

descending into the mid morning

selfie at 5100m where we turned back

met this random guy from Beijing who was headed up the next day

We reconnected with Mario and Ooan at the Lijiang train station (they had stayed in Liming), and caught our train back to Kunming. Many brews and food helped reminisce the experience before we made our way back to the warmth of Thailand.

Wrapping Up

Well, it has come time yet again to keep moving....

The season in Seattle went swimmingly well, better in fact than I could have imagined. It is safe to say that the PNW is indeed the land of milk and honey.

Prior to packing up the apartment and getting a few last trips in, my main goal was to finish the season off doing a personal trip.....the Torment - Forbidden Traverse (TFT). Oh, funny side note here, my last trip up Rainier we were tasked with taking the Major League Soccer Supporters Shield up to the top. 26lbs. of sterling silver and chrome later we got there sans a few clients.

My accomplice on the TFT was a good friend from Chiang Mai, Jonathan. Funny enough, the last time I climbed in Chiang Mai was with Jonathan, and it was the same in Washington.....perhaps this will be a reoccurring theme?

The climb itself went very well, with about 3 minutes of walking on snow and the majority done via skirting the rock ridge. All said and done it took about 16.5 hours (mind you we spent a good 2-3 just messing up the route finding).

Sore but psyched I made my way back to ND. This drive was a test in patience and psychological determination. Now back to Asia, manana!

one of the few selfies ever taken, with Mt. Baker in the background

summit with the shield and Mt. Adams peaking out

guide team photo, Stuart with Coke 148 on the summit

TFT camp

looking good and taking names

breaking out of the fog

can you see the fist pump?

descending from Forbidden 

Pacific North West

The Pacific NW has proven to be the new promised land (at least for me). All the amenities you could ask for in Seattle and easy access to some of the most diverse climbing terrain on the planet have really hit home for me.

Most of my work this summer has been on Mount Rainier, via the Emmons and Disappointment Cleaver routes, however I have also been able to get up to Mount Baker for a few courses. Beyond the glaciated terrain the rock climbing is phenomenal and geologically diverse (in fact mind boggling)

The only caveat of the summer has been the extremely low snow pack and increased objective risk of climbing. We are seeing late August conditions already, which has increased the use of ladders, the size of crevasses, and rock fall. It is definitely an interesting year to be guiding in the Cascades!

Perhaps the best part of the job is working with clients. They come from all over the world and bring tons of different experiences to the mountain. Often it is the conversations that make the trips so memorable. Pushing clients further than they thought they could go and getting them to their personal high point, be it the summit or otherwise has proven rewarding.

I recently also completed the new Alpine Skills Course through the AMGA. We spent a few days at Mount Erie and then on Baker honing some old skills and learning some new. The course left me feeling like I am on the right path and keeping up with the industry.

It feels like I have just started fitting in and yet the season is already half way done. Looking forward to a few more months here and then returning to Chiang Mai for some relaxed sport climbing!

early season trip up the DC

Ingraham Flats camp 11,200'

Salz looking epic on the approach to Mount Baker

clients after a 6 day trip on Baker

Baker from the Squak glacier side

descending with a client in amazing weather on Rainier

Emmons glacier from camp

crossing the crater at sunrise

sunrise summit with clients

Manifest Destiny

The last few months have been a whirl wind of activity and change.

March consisted of guiding another cycling trip across Cambodia. The trip was great and reaffirmed my love and connection with the people there. Many laughs and cultural lessons later I saw off my group in Phnom Penh. 

The short time spent back in Chiang Mai was delightful. Hanging out with good friends and feeling sad to be leaving in such a short time.

After a short time in ND to see the family and collect my gear I made a b-line for Washington for a guides try out with Alpine Ascents International. Prior to the tryout I was given the grand tour of rock climbing in Index and Leavenworth, both of which are outstanding granite climbing destinations. 

Arrival in Ashford, our staging ground for the tryouts on Mount Rainier, came quickly and led to some great conversations with other aspiring guides. There was a lot of self imposed weight on my shoulders, having moved back with the intention of getting a job and already securing a place to live for the summer in Seattle. Our three day tryout turned into a 7 day practical assessment on the mountain. 

Having never been to the Cascades or moved on snow in 3 years I was sweating icicles. The whole process itself went very smoothly and even got to summit on a clear day. The ten of us aspiring guides felt in good spirits. When we arrived back in Ashford only 5 of us were offered jobs. It was a bit of shock to us all. Having cultivated relationships that we thought would continue into the guiding season. In some ways it was a great growth experience for those who did not make it, putting ego and desires into the forefront, and having to adapt to unforeseen things.

In the mist of all of this there was a terrible earthquake that shocked Nepal. Everyone at the company has deep ties not only to the clients, but also all the local friends and communities. Much of the try out was overshadowed by this, however everyone gave support and solace where needed. 

Having weathered the storm the weight now is off. Tomorrow marks my first 3 day climb of Mount Rainier with clients. Nerves, excitement, fear, and pure joy are coursing through my emotional state. For once in a long while I feel at peace with myself and the world around me.

the crew of cyclists at Angkor Wat

where's waldo?

he bought this bike brand new 64 years ago

last sunset in Chiang Mai

arrival

Mount Rainier

awkward yoga

Camp Muir

ascending the Ingraham glacier

remote spire near Leavenworth

Years End

Life has a tendency to speed up around the holidays. The past few months have been full of activity, illnesses, laughter, sun burns, joyrides, and countless other pieces and parts. In the mayhem I was able to send out some job applications for the coming season, and it looks like we are Seattle bound! Funny how when you are about to leave a place everything becomes that much sweeter. The fact that I may not be back to Thailand for a while hasn't really sunk in, haha there's no time for it. Though it has given me pause to think about all the wonderful friendships and experiences have come from this place, and how fortunate I have been to spend my life here. But it ain't over yet, still have a few more months of good time to be had.


November was a bit hectic for us with both our company retreat and a good friends wedding all in the same week. All of which was based near Chiang Dao, a few hours to the north. We managed to get damn near everyone out for a few day hike up Doi Luang Chiang Dao, which also doubled as a photo shoot , haha. We got back cleaned up and headed over to our friends Jens and Pim's wedding. They opted for both a traditional Thai and western ceremony. It was a blast, and probably the first time in a long while I was able to pound gin and tonics at 9 am and still have it be socially acceptable. Even got a few climbs in the morning after , though I was moving sloooow.

western wedding styles

traditional wedding styles

looking classy

our old friend Pui was back from the states

Our staff were also all part of the annual Chiang Mai Marathon. Some people did the 10k, 21k, and a few brave souls started at 4 am for the full marathon. Post run included a great pig roast and craft brews, not too shabby.

the whole CMRCA family

Katie's friend Sam came over to visit us , so we promptly headed south to the islands. Our first stop was Koh Yao Noi. The island was exactly what was needed, not too overdeveloped and tons of great food. It also still felt like Thailand, which often is lost on the bigger islands that cater to increasing numbers of tourists. After a few nights we popped over to Koh Lanta until just after new years eve. Drastic difference in the number of tourists and atmosphere, but the beaches were perfect. We even did a day trip out to a small set of islands to do some kayakings, swimming, and probably the best snorkeling I have done in Thailand. All the reefs were well preserved and tons of fish and soft coral.

Koh Lanta

always travel via your stomach

pimpin' helmets for the sick whip

paradise?

not posed

long tail

Had to do a pitstop in Kuala Lumpur at some point to sort out some visa stuff, as well as working a program with the Jump! Foundation. Free time involved tons of delicious Indian food and a trip to Batu Caves. The program went swimmingly and before I could blink I was back in Chiang Mai.

Batu Caves

so wanted to buy one.....

The development at Crazy Horse has been slow and steady over the years, and it is evident in the quality of the climbing. New routes are being put up at Heart Wall, the premier climbing area at Crazy Horse, but it ain't cheap. If you would like to donate to the Bolt Heart Wall fund I would highly encourage it. Check out the video below for inspiration.

Bolt Heart Wall 2015 from Thailand Climbing on Vimeo.