Mountain Stories
Solitude and Stars
The dance of light, from sunrise to sunset, continually paints the rock canvas of the high mountains with the skill of a master painter, yet it is ever changing. Minute…
Temporary Landlords
Rising abruptly from the Glacier du Tour, Aiguille du Chardonnet's spiny backbone delineates the border between France and Switzerland. In 2009 my friend Yves and I set our sites on…
A Deadly Season in the Alps
Orage – French for thunderstorm. Just one of the new words I've learned as the summer monsoon season in the Alps continues to drop new layers of snow with each…
Difficult Conditions: The Matterhorn
We had traveled thousands of miles to be at this very spot. Atop the Riffelhorn, high above the Gorner Glacier, our gazes fixed upon the peaks and snowy ridges of…
Gearing Up: The Matterhorn
4,000 feet of sustained, exposed climbing on unstable rock at high altitudes, leads to the summit of one of the most iconic peaks on the planet; a goal that barely…
Route Shopping: The Matterhorn
Iconic peaks seem to stir something within our souls. They stand in resolute isolation, their towering heights and sheer faces impervious from the valley floor. They exude power, majesty and…