This past Saturday I had the privilege of taking the New Jersey based Schenck family out rock climbing at Whitehorse and Cathedral Ledge. Having spent the previous day kayaking the Saco River they were ready for some vertical fun. Super fun day with this outdoorsy family! I think a multi-pitch climbing day with Alexa & … Continue reading Family Rock Climbing (8/21/16)
EMS Schools
Wilderness Navigation Course (8/20/16)
This past Saturday I led an 8 hour Wilderness Navigation Course for EMS Schools North Conway. A few guides from a NYC outdoor adventure company and mountain enthusiasts from around New England met at 8:30am for some classroom discussion and exercises before we traveled to a field location to practice our newly acquired skills. This … Continue reading Wilderness Navigation Course (8/20/16)
Family Rock Climbing 8/7/16
Really fun day today climbing with this family from Austin, Texas! The Weaver's are adventurers extraordinaire and were wrapping up a 3 week trip in New England before heading back south. Fresh off some intense downhill mountain biking the day before they were ready to rock. We started out day over at Whitehorse Ledge under … Continue reading Family Rock Climbing 8/7/16
Rock Climbing Summer So Far…
It's been a great summer so far with lots of families & camp groups climbing with EMS Schools. I haven't done as many individual trip reports as most of my free computer time has been spent on reviewing some of the coolest new packs & gear on the market. Hope everyone has been enjoying the … Continue reading Rock Climbing Summer So Far…
Cathedral & Whitehorse, Rumney & Huntington Ravine
This past 3 day holiday weekend had me guiding Yu Chih Chieh from Taiwan as he finished up 8 days of climbing instruction. Yu Chih, who goes by Brendan in the US, is in doctorate level program at Brown University in Rhode Island and is a die-hard botanist (and motivated aspiring alpinist). We started the morning … Continue reading Cathedral & Whitehorse, Rumney & Huntington Ravine
Group Rock Climbing- Marianopolis
This is the 2nd year in a row I've gotten to work with the kids & faculty of the Connecticut based Marianopolis Preparatory School. These motivated teens loaded into a bus in the wee morning hours yesterday for a four hour ride up to Mount Washington Valley for their first taste of rock climbing. Keith … Continue reading Group Rock Climbing- Marianopolis
Washington From the West 3/26/15
Kevin, Rebecca, and Jennifer had attempted Mount Washington with us twice already this winter. I was with Kevin back in early January when we made it to Lion's Head in some of the worst conditions I've seen. The hike down the lower half of a washed out Tuckerman Ravine Trail in a torrential downpour was … Continue reading Washington From the West 3/26/15
Mount Washington Observatory Overnight
This past Friday I co-guided a group of 8 guests to the summit of "the rock-pile" to spend the night in the famous Mount Washington Observatory. This is really one of the most unique trips EMS Schools offers. It combines a typical Mount Washington Ascent with a very atypical evening in a weather station on the … Continue reading Mount Washington Observatory Overnight
AIARE 2 Avalanche Course
Yesterday concluded our first AIARE 2 Avalanche Course of the season. Despite less than optimal field conditions the course was super productive in large part to the considerable amount of experience brought to the classroom discussions by the varied participants. We were fortunate to have 8000m veteran expeditionary leader Phil Crampton, owner and operator of … Continue reading AIARE 2 Avalanche Course
Champney Fall Ice Climbing 2/9/16
Yesterday I had the opportunity to re-visit an area I haven't been to in quite a few years. Champney Falls, (Pg 138, An Ice Climber's Guide to Northern New England, 3rd Edition), a beautiful if not somewhat overly crowded top-rope area at times. On a Tuesday, after a busy IceFest weekend, we found some solitude … Continue reading Champney Fall Ice Climbing 2/9/16