Wizardry in the Enchanted Valley

The Wizard & AM embark today on their El Capitan odyssey.  The line they are taking is called Lurking Fear, and it ascends the far left of the wall (in this photo, just left of the shaded area near the middle of El Cap).  Today is just hauling and fixing the first three pitches- the fun starts tomorrow.  It's the easiest aid climb on the rock, but it remains far from easy.  They expect it to take three days.

Illin' & Crimpin'

MN puts on the try-hard face as she fights the notorious crimps of Smith Rock.

Hobbit Hole

An idyllic(ly dilapidated) Sherpa farmer's hut just inside the gates of Sagarmatha National Park, on the road to Namche & Everest.  Right out of the Shire.

Monolith

Cue the monkeys.

Through the Keyhole

The leading edge of a storm rolls in over the flanks of Mt. Evans, one of the Colorado 14ers.  We failed in our attempt to race it back to the car, but at least we were off the ridge by the time it broke in earnest.

...and sometimes the gnar shreds you.

Mt. Adams, again.  A person who is definitely not my brother catching an edge at the perfect moment as he flies past my lens (this person who is definitely not my brother fortunately kept it together and ski-side down for a nice recovery).

Sometimes you shred the gnar...

HazMatt on the rip after skinning up Mt. Adams.

Sweet, Sweet Humble Pie

Spent labor day weekend down in the New River Gorge.  Had been sitting on my bum for three weeks or so recovering from an injury, so I expected it to be kinda rough- the NRG is humbling at the best of times, and this was not the best of times.  Lo and behold, I was right!  Could barely pull the moves on routes I had been projecting.  Ah, well.  Climbing is fun even when you're a wuss, and you can't see the takes or the flailing in a still photo.

Merci beaucoup to the Wizard, who absconded with my camera to the anchors, but delivered mighty fine results.

It Tolls for Thee

And now a switch to western funeral traditions- this melancholy, beckoning angel tops a grave in the Woodland Cemetery near my house.  Its quite old, full of stately family plots, beautifully landscaped and my favorite place in the neighborhood to run.  This was taken at dusk a few days after an early-winter snow.