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Pequeno Alpamayo, Bolivia |
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Pequeno Alpamayo: A trip into the Bolivian Andes
by Jennifer Penoso
Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men, for the most part, experience it.
Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.
--- Helen Keller
 Early June 2008
The air is very thin and dry in the arid early winter in La Paz, Bolivia (elevation at the airport is 13,313 feet.) I had a head cold and sleep wouldn't come as my sinuses would fill up when I laid down and breathing through my mouth made it drier and drier, no matter how much water I drank. I had a dry hacking cough and my voice was unrecognizable. I could hear my heart beating faster and louder as my body tried to acclimatize to the rarified air.
After my overnight flight - some 9 hours due south of Washington, DC but in the same time zone, I rested in my hotel and then rallied for a city tour on a double decker bus - sitting in the top, with power lines only inches above my head. The streets are bumpy and narrow and the driving is a free-for-all at best. Rarely does a driver stop for red light or yield to pedestrians. Old-style Japanese-made mini vans rush by packed with Bolivians. The tiny streets are lined with vendors - women in traditional Aymada clothing selling food or wares with a baby on their back wrapped up in a colorful shawl. Unfortunately, sewage has poisoned the river running through La Paz and it has been encased in cement to keep the smell at bay. It apparently runs in front of the San Franciscan church in central La Paz, which we passed on our bus.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 03 August 2008 )
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| Terror Basin - North Cascades National Park - July 16-19, 2008 |
Submitted by Wanye. |
2008 July 16 - Day 1 - Hiked in from Gooddell Group Campsite on climber's
trail. Overall the trail was good. First 4.5 miles - 500 ft of
elevation gain; Next 2 miles 4200 ft of gain; and last 2 miles - 1000
ft of gain. Was glad to get into camp. 2 other parties were there.
One group had completed the East Face of Inspiration (5.9) - said rock
was ok but loose. Other party of 4 had been out exploring the Barrier.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 27 July 2008 )
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July 4th 2008 : A Report from Seneca Shadows, Campsite ‘D'og |
This year was as much about socializing as climbing due to the weather. A
few very dedicated teams braved wildly variable weather to put in multiple long days of climbing while others simply enjoyed the companionship of fellow climbers and friends around camp.
I arrived with family Thursday evening to find Bob G. and
Dave R. already onsite with the circus tent fully deployed along with two big
rain tarps that Bob and Greg C. had brought. We'd need them more than
once before the festivities were over!
Bob and Jim got an evening climb in on Simple J to get the
weekend underway. It was to prove a popular route. Several more teams were to
climb Simple J because of reports that it remained relatively dry due to it
being overhanging a bit.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 08 July 2008 )
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80 years for Kirby Lithographic and the PATC by Vincent Penoso
The long awaited revision to the popular climbing area went to print shortly after the Memorial Day weekend and is now complete. Work for the 2nd edition of Carderock: Past and Present, began nearly 3 years ago, when supplies dried up and were no where to be found. Kirby Lithographic has served the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club for nearly 90 years, producing the bulk of all their publications. A quickie reprint was considered, but it was decided to replace the wonderfully drawn images by John Christian and others, with full photographs and route lines.
The Kirby Lithographic story began in 1927, just prior to the Great Depression, when three friends joined resources and efforts to launch a printing firm in downtown Washington, DC. Kirby, at the time a Major, was 2nd in command of the Base Printing Plant in Langres, France. The role of the 29th Engineers was topography. They supplied all the maps for the French, British, and American allies during the 1st world war. They printed upwards of 100 million maps in one years time. Major Kirby served under Gen. 'Black Jack' Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces in France. Major Kirby was the head of Department of Printing and Engraving for a period of time.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 24 June 2008 )
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Yet another Linville Gorge May 23-26, 2008 TR |
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The 3 person rope team of Ana Gelabert, John Oster and Reed Bumgarner started from West Falls Church Metro a little after 6 a.m. Friday. Reaching the Linville Falls campground around 2:00, we laid claim to 2 campsites and quickly headed for Shiprock, about 14 miles away on the BRP. We started out on Borrowed Time, which John ably led, and later found out was his first 5.9 lead. The bouldery start required some fancy feet and hands as Ana and Reed can attest. Once up on the ledge above Borrowed Time, we walked about 20 yds. right to the start of Edge of a Dream (5.7) which Reed led. We then rapped to the ledge and walked off to climber’s right. That was it for that short climbing day, and back to the campground for an early night.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 09 June 2008 )
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North Carolina Trip Report: Linville Gorge, 2008 |
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We had a great time climbing in the Linville Gorge of North Carolina this past Memorial Day weekend. Participants, by car, included (1) Reed, Ana, and John, (2) Rose and Mike, (3) Scott and Lora, and (4) Jason and myself. I'll offer a report from my perspective, and by all means, other participants should add theirs as well. Since we worked through some logistical concerns during the trip, I’ll address them in separate sections.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 05 June 2008 )
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