Mailbox is my usual training climb. I have not been up it in months, however, due to work. I was stunned to realize that a trough of high pressure air was likely to protect the mid-Cascade range from precipitation on Friday… when my son was on spring break. We had a chance to get up … Continue reading Mailbox with Matthew→
Finally, the alpine exposure we were looking for. Warm winds… rushing water… melting ice… dry tooling… the complete package. Until next year, Ouray. May your snowfall be deep, your ice be burly, your sheep be bighorned, and your hospitality be warm–as always. Thanks to our amazing guides!
Our plan: Modest alpine climbing outside the park, starting on the Bird Camp Mine Road. Our reality: Crowded routes, many of which were only marginally in condition. Our response: Climbing in the park!
So happy to be back in Ouray for three days of ice climbing with friends. This annual tradition is always a blast. Conditions were sub-ideal, with warm temps and low precip in the prior months. But still lots of fun. Expert guiding by IMG, naturally.
On December 19, 2017, the New York Times published an article called “Deliverance From 27,000 Feet” by John Branch. It is excellent. I am glad to have contributed information and images that I hope will provide some sense of clarity and closure for the families of the fallen. Comments on the story have fallen into … Continue reading Deliverance From 27,000 Feet: Clarifications→
posted: December 21, 2017
Paul Pottinger’s Adventures from the Top of the World