Welcome to my climbing page. I started climbing in my late 30's which is a good thing because I have avoided chronic orthopedic injuries. My first trip was to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I took an entry level rock climbing course and was hooked immediately. I signed up for an advanced course and multi-pitch climb the next day. I was guided up Guide's Route in Paintbrush Canyon in August of 1994. I returned to South Florida and gathered information on the South East U.S. climbing scene which obviously excluded Florida, which is a very bad place to live if you like to climb. Taking various climbing trips to Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama, with my wife Rachel, further fueled my passion for climbing. In August of 1996 we took a two week vacation to Colorado Springs, Colorado climbing the easier climbs in The Garden of The Gods state park. I hired three different climbing guides to show me the south platte and the front range climbing areas. Once again I was hooked. Once we returned to Florida we packed our bags and moved to Colorado Springs in June of 1997. Listed are my past & present attempts, summits and climbs.
Colorado Fourteener Summits And Attempts
| Date | Peak | Elevation | High Point / Route / Mileage / Persons / Camp | Pictures (click to enlarge) |
| 7/96 | Pikes Peak | 14,110' | 12,500' • Barr Trail • 21 Miles • Solo | |
| 5/98 | Mount Elbert | 14,433' | 13,340' • Southwest Ridge • Solo | |
| 7/98 | Pikes Peak | 14,110' | 14,110' • Barr Trail • 23 Miles • Solo • Overnighter |
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| 7/98 | Mount Yale | 14,197' | 14,196' • East Ridge • 10.4 Miles • Solo |
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| 8/98 | Little Bear Peak | 14,037' | 14,037' • West Ridge • 12.8 Miles • w/Bobbi Bonowski • Overnighter |
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| 7/99 | Torreys Peak | 14,267' Double Bagger | 14,267' • Kelso Ridge • 8.2 Miles • w/Dave Altieri • Overnighter |
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| 7/99 | Grays Peak | 14,270' | 14,270' • Connecting Saddle with Torreys • w/Dave Altieri | |
| 1/99 | Missouri Mountain | 14,067' | 12,800' • Northwest Ridge • w/Dave Altieri • Overnighter |
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| 7/00 | Missouri Mountain | 14,067' | 14,067' • Northwest Ridge • 10 Miles • w/Kurt Kirchhoff |
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| 7/00 | Mount Harvard | 14,420' | 14,420' • South Slopes • 12.6 Miles • Solo • Overnighter | |
| 7/00 | Huron | 14,003' | 14,003' • East Slopes • 4.6 Miles • Solo • Overnighter |
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| 7/01 | Challenger Point | 14,081' | 14,081' • North Slopes • 9.2 Miles • Solo |
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| 7/01 | Mount Belford | 14,197' Double Bagger | 14,197' • West Slopes • 11 Miles • Solo |
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| 7/01 | Mount Oxford | 14,153' | 14,153' • Connecting West Ridge With Belford • Solo |
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| 7/01 | La Plata Peak | 14,336' | 14,336' • Northwest Ridge • 9 Miles • w/Dave Altieri |
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| 7/01 | Mount Shavano | 14,229' | 14,229' • East Slopes • 9.7 Miles • w/Matthew Paige • Overnighter | |
| 6/02 | Mount Massive North | 14,340' | 14,340' • West Slopes • 8.7 Miles • w/Rex Mammel | |
| 6/02 | Mount Massive | 14,421' |
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| Quandry Peak | 14,265' | 13,800' • Cristo Couloir • w/Dave Altieri |
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| 7/02 | Mt. Elbert | 14,433' | 14,433' • Northeast Ridge • 8.5 miles • Solo |
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| 7/02 | Long's Peak | 14,255' | 14,255' • Keiner's Route • 12.5 miles • w/Dave Altieri & Bobbi Bonowski • Overnighter |
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Other Ascents
| 3/94 | Bavaria | 1834 Meters • Kramer Spitze • Solo |
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Rock Climbs
| Date/ first visit | State | Area | Hardest Flash1 | Hardest Redpoint2 | Hardest Lead3 | Type Of Climb | On-Sight4 | Comments | Pictures (click to enlarge) |
| 8/94 | Wyoming | Teton National Park | Traditional | First taste of climbing. Wow!! |
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| 8/94 | Wyoming | Hoback Shield | Sport | Short roadside granite climbs. | |||||
| 11/94 | Georgia | Mt. Yonah | 5.7 | Sport | Good granite. Road now closed.
Very long approach! |
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| 5/95 | Georgia | Curahee Mountain | Top Rope | Fair Remote Area. | |||||
| 10/95 | Tennessee | Buzzard Point | 5.8 | Sport | Good southern Sandstone. |
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| 10/95 | Tennessee | Foster Falls | 5.10b | 5.10b | Sport | 5.8+ | Pretty good area with a nice approach and decent climbs. |
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| 5/96 | Alabama | Sand Rock | Top Rope | Good sport and traditional routes. | |||||
| 7/97 | Colorado | Eldorado Canyon | 5.9 | 5.9 | Traditional | Traditional climbs don't get better than this. Premier area. |
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| 6/97 | Colorado | Garden of the Gods | 5.10a/b
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5.11a
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5.11a 5.8+ |
Sport Traditional |
Soft and can be crumbly sandstone but has several great climbs. |
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| 6/97 | Colorado | Cheyenne Canyon | 5.11a | 5.11a | 5.11a | Sport | Fair Granite | ||
| 8/97 | Colorado | South Table Mountain | 5.10b | 5.10c | 5.10c | Sport | This area is closed to climbing. | ||
| 8/97 | Colorado | Turkey Rock | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.9- | Traditional | Solid south platte granite. |
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| 9/97 | Colorado | Shelf Road | 5.11c | 5.11c | 5.12a | Sport | 5.10d | Good Limestone sport area. |
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| 9/97 | Colorado | 11 Mile Canyon | 5.9 5.8 |
5.10d
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Sport Traditional |
Good granite but can be dirty in spots. |
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| 5/99
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Utah | Maple Canyon | 5.11b | 5.12a | Sport | Unique cobblestone climbing. Cool area! |
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| 5/99 | Colorado | North Table Mountain | 5.11a | 5.11a | Sport | Good but crowded. | |||
| 5/99 | Colorado | Clear Creek Canyon | 5.10d | 5.11b/c | Sport | Very good and spread out. |
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| 9/99 | Colorado | Devil's Head | 5.8 | 5.10a | Sport | Good rock. | |||
| 9/99 | Minnesota | Taylor's Falls | 5.8 | 5.8 | Traditional | Small area with mostly short routes, but pretty good. |
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| 9/99 | Minnesota | Barn Bluff | 5.10c | 5.10a | 5.11a | Sport | Pretty good climbing at this old quarry site. Can be a bit chossy. |
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| 7/99 | Colorado | The Monastery | 5.10a | 5.11a | Sport | Very good climbing at 10,000' elevation. |
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| 6/98 | Colorado | Rifle | 5.11c | 5.12- | 5.12- | Sport | GREAT AREA! |
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| 10/00 | Nevada | Red Rocks | 5.10b 5.9+ |
5.11a | Sport Traditional |
Huge sandstone area. | |||
| 10/00 | Nevada | Mt. Charleston | 5.10b | 5.10b | Sport | Very few easy here. Good limestone. |
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| 3/00 | Colorado | San Luis Valley/Penitente Canyon | 5.10c | 5.10d | Sport | Short but sweet sport climbing on very good rock |
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| 3/00 | Utah | Potash Road | 5.8 5.10a |
5.8 5.10a |
Traditional Sport |
Great sandstone climbing with no approach. |
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| 3/00 | Utah | River Road | 5.9+ | 5.9+ | Traditional | Short approaches with good rock. | |||
| 3/00 | Utah | Castle Valley | Traditional | Castleton Tower / North Chimney 5.9, 4 pitches. Followed and cleaned this climb. One bad ass route. | |||||
| 3/00 | Utah | Indian Creek | 5.10 | 5.10+ | Traditional | 5.9 | If you like crack climbing. This is it! |
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| 5/00 | California | Owens River Gorge | 5.10a | 5.10a | Sport | Great rock in a cool setting. |
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| 7/00 | Colorado | Castlewood Canyon | 5.9+ | Sport | Pretty good area with Short climbs. | ||||
| 7/01 | Wyoming | Wild Iris | 5.11b | 5.10d | 5.11d | Sport | Bullet proof limestone at 9,000' elevation. |
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| 7/01 | Wyoming | Sinks Canyon | 5.11b | 5.10c | 5.11b | Sport | I think a lot like Shelf Road, Colorado. | ||
| 8/01 | Wisconsin | Devil's Lake | 5.8 | 5.8 | Traditional | Tricky to lead and protect these climbs. | |||
| 7/02 | Wyoming | Ten Sleep | 5.11a | 5.11a | 5.12a | Sport | Good dolomite climbing in a beautiful setting. |
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| 6/02 | Colorado | Independence Pass | 5.10d | 5.11a | Sport | Very good granite at elevation. | |||
| 7/02 | Colorado | Tanner Dome | 5.11a | 5.11c | Sport | 5.10d | Granite area in the Wet Mountains. | ||
| 7/02 | Colorado | Hard Scrabble Pass | 5.10c | 5.11a | Sport | Fair granite. | |||
| 11/02 | Colorado | Phantom Canyon | 5.10c | 5.11a | Sport | 5.10c | Long roadside granite routes with solitude. | ||
| 1/03 | Arizona | Jacks Canyon | 5.11a | 5.11a | Sport | Mostly short but well bolted on good limestone at 6200'. |
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| 3/03 | Colorado | San Luis Valley/Rock Garden | 5.10c 5.10a |
5.11b 5.10a |
Sport Traditional |
Good rock |
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| 3/03 | Colorado | San Luis Valley/Witches Canyon | 5.10c | 5.10c | Sport | 5.10b mixed | Ditto |
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| 3/03 | Colorado | Cottonwood Rock | 5.10b/c | 5.11a | Sport | Granite Sport Climbing in the Arkansas River Valley. |
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| 3/03 | Colorado | Puoux | 5.10c | 5.10c | Sport | Roadside Crag with zero approach. Good Limestone. | |||
| 3/03 | Colorado | Unaweep | 5.9 | 5.10- | Traditional | Good granite trad area with no crowds. |
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| 4/03 | Colorado | Newlin Creek | 5.10c/d | 5.11+ | Sport | 5.10b/c | Wet Mountain Granite area. |
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| 9/03 | New Mexico | El Rito | 5.11a/b | 5.11c | Sport | Very good conglomerate climbing. |
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| 1/04 | Mexico | El Potrero Chico | 5.12a | 5.12a | Sport | Very good limestone climbing with a ton of potential for more routes. |
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| 7/04 | Utah | Rock Canyon | 5.10c/d | 5.10c/d | Sport | 5.9 | Nice compact limestone. | ||
| 7/04 | Utah | American Fork | 5.11b | 5.11c | Sport | Great limestone climbing with quite a bit of polish. |
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| 1/05 | Colorado | Red Rock Canyon Open Space | 5.10a | 5.10a | Sport | A bit like Garden of the Gods. | |||
| 4/06
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Illinois | Jackson Falls | 5.11c | 5.11a | 5.11c | Sport | Good Sandstone Climbing in southern Illinois. This area gets a lot of rain. |
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| 4/06 | Kentucky | Red River Gorge
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5.11b | 5.11d | Sport | One of the best climbing area's I've climbed at. Good rock and beautiful countryside. This area gets a lot of rain. |
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| 1/07 | California | Joshua Tree National Park | 5.9 5.10a |
5.9 5.10a |
Traditional Sport |
Great trad area in a spectacular dessert setting. |
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| 1/07 | California | New Jack City | 5.10d | Sport | 5.10d | Friable, hollow and loose... not good. |
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| 1/07 | California | Riverside Quarry | 5.11b | 5.11b | Sport | Really nice area with well bolted routes. |
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| 3/07 | New Hampshire | Rumney | 5.10d | Sport | 5.10c | Really cool rock in a great setting. |
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| 3/07 | West Virginia | Summersville Lake |
5.10a | 5.10c | Sport | Sweet area right on the lake. |
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1 - Flash - To climb a route on the first try without ever having touched the route using beta (knowledge) available to you.
2 - Red point - Lead climbing a route you have previously lead bottom to top in one push, without relying on the rope.
3 - Lead - Climbing a route bottom to top clipping your protection as you go.
4 - On-Sight - Climbing a climb with no previous knowledge of it.
First Ascents (Sport Routes)
| 03/2002 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Gallery / Mural East, Stalking Fred 5.10c w/ R. Mammel |
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| 07/2005 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Gallery / Mural East, Anguish & Fear 5.10a w/ R. McGe | |
| 03/2006 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Gallery / Mural East, Mogwai 5.11b w/ J. Musso | |
| 06/2007 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Gallery / Mural East, Protect The King 5.9- w/ R. McGee | |
| 07/2007 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Gallery / Mural East, Los Pepes 5.10a w/ R. McGee | |
| 07/2007 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Gallery / Mural East, Marching Out 5.8 w/ R. McGee & A. Young | |
| 04/2002 - Shelf Road, Colorado: Menses Prow, Light Days 5.11a w/ R. Mammel | |
| 10/2007 - Shelf Road, Colorado: Menses Prow, The Baroque Period 5.8 Solo | |
| 05/2003 - Shelf Road, Colorado: Cactus Cliff, Early Bird 5.10b w/ B. Robertson | |
| 06/2005 - Shelf Road, Colorado: Cactus Cliff, The Reach Around 5.11+ w/ R. McGee | |
| 03/2008 - Shelf Road, Colorado: Cactus Cliff, Beach Ball 5.8 Solo | |
| 01/2003 - Shelf Road, Colorado: Gem Wall, Sunshine Arete 5.10c w/ B. Robertson | |
| 10/2003 - Shelf Road, Colorado: Gem Wall, Lucy in the Sky 5.10b w/ R. Mammel | |
| 07/2003 - Shelf Road, Colorado: Spiney Ridge, Fight Club 5.10d w/ R. Mammel | |
| 04/2005 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Bank, R.A.M.M 5.10+ w/ R. McGee | |
| 04/2005 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Bank, Crab Nation 5.10- w/ R. McGee | |
| 05/2005 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Bank, Dillinger 5.9 Solo | |
| 05/2005 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Bank, Shelfish 5.9 w/ R. McGee | |
| 10/2005 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Bank, Pretty Boy Floyd 5.7 w/ R. McGee | |
| 11/2005 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Bank, Baby Face Nelson 5.9+ w/ R. McGee | |
| 12/2005 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Bank, Lynch Mob 5.10d w/ R. McGee | |
| 12/2005 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Bank, Goodfellas 5.10- w/ R. McGee | |
| 01/2006 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Bank, Scarface 5.10c/d w/ R. McGee | |
| 01/2006 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Bank, Ma Barker 5.7 w/ R. McGee | |
| 03/2006 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Bank, Machine Gun Kelly 5.11c w/ R. McGee | |
| 11/2007 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Bank, Pig City Nights 5.8 w/ R. McGee | |
| 02/2008 - Shelf Road, Colorado: The Bank, jasonbecker.com 5.10- w/ R. McGee | |
| 06/2005 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: G3 Wall, Malmsteen 5.10c w/ R. McGee | |
| 08/2005 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: G3 Wall, Vai 5.11b w/ R. McGee | |
| 08/2005 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: G3 Wall, T-Mac 5.9+ w/ R. McGee | |
| 09/2005 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: G3 Wall, Sheehan 5.9+ w/ R. McGee | |
| 05/2006 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: G3 Wall, My Guitar Wants To Kill Your Momma' 5.9+ w/ R. McGee | |
| 05/2006 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: G3 Wall, Satch 5.12- w/ R. McGee | |
| 05/2006 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: Section M, Vikings 5.9+ w/ R. McGee | |
| 05/2007 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: Section M, Mr. Scary 5.10c w/ R. McGee | |
| 07/2007 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: Section M, Blackmore 5.10d w/ R. McGee | |
| 08/2007 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: Section M, Arioso 5.11a w/ R. McGee | |
| 00/0000 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: Section M, Hazed & Infused 5.10d w/ R. McGee | |
| 0000000 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: Section M, Space For The Papa Closed | |
| 0000000 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: Canine Wall, Mutt Lange 5.10d/.11a w/ R. McGee & A. Young | |
| 08/2007 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: Funny Face, Carlin 5.9 w/ R. McGee | |
| 09/2007 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: Funny Face, Sellers 5.8 w/ R. McGee | |
| 09/2007 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: Funny Face, Pryor 5.9 w/ R. McGee | |
| 06/2008 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: Funny Face, Rickles 5.7 w/ R. McGee | |
| 09/2008 - Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado: Funny Face, Costello 5.10d w/ R. McGee | |
| 03/2002 - Tanner Dome, Colorado: Mines DeLouses, 5.10d w/ B. Robertson | |
| 05/2003 - Newlin Creek, Colorado: Double Trouble, 5.10b w/ B. Robertson | |
| 04/2003 - Newlin Creek, Colorado: Welcome To Newlin 5.11b w/ B. Robertson | |
| 06/2003 - Newlin Creek, Colorado: Estoy Aqui Roberto 5.10c w/ B. Robertson | |
| 04/2005 - Phantom Canyon, Colorado: Unnamed, 5.9+ w/ B. Robertson |
Working
Shelf Rifle Rifle Shelf Rifle Rifle Rifle Rifle
Ice Climbs
| Date | State | Area | Rating | Comments | Pics |
| 11/98 | Colorado | Lock Vale (RMNP) | WI2 | Solo | |
| 98 | Colorado | Lincoln Falls | WI4 |
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| 98 | Colorado | Cheyenne Canyon | WI1 |
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| 1/00 | Colorado | Black Lake (RMNP) | WI2 | ||
| Colorado | Upper Boulder Falls | WI3 | |||
| 1/02 | Retired from ice | My Wife said....hmmm | Sharp tools and ropes. |
National Parks Visited
Everglades National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Arches National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Joshua Tree National Park
My take on The Great Outdoors:
* Assume nothing.
* Preparation, training, sound judgment, common sense, and a little luck, will get you home.
* Guide books mean nothing on the route.
* The finish line is at the bottom, not the top.
* Out there, you are responsible for you own safety.
* Double check everything!!
Climb Safe
Personal goals:
*Climb as hard as I can, as long as I can.
*Climb in all of the contiguous U.S. time zones in one year.
PST 1/07 Joshua Tree, California
CST 1/07 Jackson Falls, Illinois
EST 3/07 Rumney, New Hampshire
MST 5 /07 Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado
*Climb in 2 states in one day.
4/03 Indian Creek, Utah & Rifle, Colorado
7/04 Rifle, Colorado & Wild Iris, Wyoming
*Flash .12 sport
Potrero Chico, Mexico .12- Spies, Lies and Naked Thighs
*Flash .11 trad