Fear and Courage

Before I left for three-hours the other day, I told my three-year-old son that his favorite babysitter was going to come hang out with him. Because he adores her, I was surprised at his answer and the vehemence with which it was said, “This is dumb. I don’t like her. No, you can’t go.” It … More Fear and Courage

Life: Risky Business

One of the guides that I climbed mountains with, Phil, taught the skill of weighing objective risks versus subjective risks. Objective risks in the mountains include avalanche danger, weather forecast, rock fall areas, and navigating around crevasses. It is because of objective risk that we’d often leave for the summit in the middle of the … More Life: Risky Business

The Power of Stories

Shortly after I returned from Everest Base Camp in 2001, I went with my dad to hear Beck Weathers speak. Anyone that has read Jon Krakauer’s book Into Thin Air or any of the other books about the 1996 disaster on Everest, is probably familiar with his story. Here’s my abridged version: Beck was a … More The Power of Stories

The Rest Step

Recently I found myself in the position of carrying my 2-year-old on my shoulders while I dragged my 6-year-old along in a sled. We were hurrying back through the falling snow and the howling wind to the car after our foray into the first snow of the season turned the corner into too cold. My … More The Rest Step