NowClimbing

It’s been a busy last couple of months and I’m awfully late in getting this up, but it’s past time to say thanks to everybody who supported Michael Hutchins and me on our adventure to India this fall. As is often the case, things did not go entirely as planned and the North Face of Chiling II remains unclimbed.

As we always say though, the goal of any expedition is to come home, to come home friends, and to get to the top - in that order. We got the first two done, which are the really important ones, and even more so after all the loss in our community this year. The mountains have a way of reminding us that they can give and take in equal measure, but they’ve done an awful lot of taking lately.

Still, for going to the big mountains with someone you’ve never met before - and I mean that literally - I’m incredibly grateful for the time we got to spend out there, I’m grateful I found Hutch and got to go on this grand blind date at all, and I just know our second one is going to be even better.

Big thanks to the Cutting Edge Grant and to the Mount Everest Foundation for the support, to , , , , , and for all the kit, to and the for taking such good care of us, and to India and Ladakh for being the wonders that they are - we’ll be back!

Well this is weird, but at the risk of a muddled sports metaphor, here’s an alpine Hail Mary: Anybody want to go to India?

My partner for an expedition that was supposed to leave tomorrow just had to bail (for good reason), and I thought there was a chance maybe there was someone out there I hadn’t reached out to already with a high level of psych and fitness, the skills to climb a new route on an icy north wall at 6000m, $5k to cover their half of the trip, and the next six weeks free.

Probably not and it feels crazy to ask, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to try.

To quote Shackleton: “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success.”

Except there are no wages, I only need one person, there’s not that much darkness, and safe return is of the utmost importance. Also there’s limited honour or recognition possible, though some I suppose. No ships either.

As these sorts of ads are also maybe supposed to say, “serious inquiries only.” So uh, anybody?

(Also, to state the obvious, we would not have to leave tomorrow, just soon.)

[📸 from the last time I went to India a really long time ago.]

Partial Rest of the Summer Photo Dump - Chamonix Edition

(It’s good here.)

Wow. Lofoten.

That was totally worth getting four hours of sleep last night, all twenty hours, boat-to-boat. Tusen takk once again magic islands. Hats off to for the business he’s about to get into in this photo too, because hat s**t was impressive. I think I can be done with alpine climbing season now.

Time for my favorite time of year again - watch out fjords, I’m comin! 🇳🇴❄️🏔️🎿

Tufatown Times - Today Edition. The main headline: My arms are tired!

Not Maiza though, and not that kitty either. I’ve got a lot to learn, but at least I remembered the knee pads.

We came, we tufa’d, we passed out in the street with our tongues out, and it’s only Day 1. You’re alright Kalymnos - you’re alright. 🤜🇬🇷🤛

Hard at work with the best team ever - Kalymnos here we come!!! 🙋‍♀️🛳🇬🇷

Haven’t really gotten the camera out this time yet, so here are a few from past trips and man - it’s good to be back. Leonidio rules!!! 🇬🇷🇬🇷🇬🇷

Well, here we are again at the end of another amazing summer season in the Alps. This one sure had its ups and downs, but I still wouldn’t trade in any of it.* Big thanks as always to everyone who came to climb with me this year from the Med to the mountains, and of course to our incredible team of guides.

and you are the absolute fu***ng best and and are lucky to have you. You are the shiniest gems of humans and I’m going to keep you on my windowsill forever, or something like that but less weird maybe.

And of course I’m still feeling pretty lucky that I get to keep too. The Aiguille de l’M wasn’t my favorite climb we did this year (it was cold and licheny and I was nervous and hungover), but it sure is the most memorable summit.

It’s already time to move on the the next thing, but I sure feel grateful for this one.

[*That’s not entirely accurate. I’d trade out a few moments if I could, but as far as I know time and fate aren’t offering any do-overs at the moment so f**k it I guess!]