Active R&R

Even mountain people need a break sometimes. The active and outdoor individuals of this world you always see galavanting around the Earth’s highest peaks, skiing down it’s steepest slopes, and climbing it’s vertical walls... aren’t doing that 24/7. Granted you’ll always find us ripping up a season somewhere given we have two opposed hemispheres to play with, but that kind of activity takes a toll on the body and the mind. For myself, I have been sneaking in these mountain missions in between guiding jobs in both Alaska and New Zealand. Although a wonderful dream world of constant climbing conditions I found myself in, I slowly realized I had been burning the candle at both ends, only to find more candle. Stoked to burn more of course, I had put myself in a position working back to back peak seasons in each area, dissimilar from the usual season-on/season-off routine for most in the same field. But how does one take a break from such a busy schedule when the mountains are always calling? 

Many of my climbing partners obsess over the sport. Not to say I do not have my fair share of preoccupations with the world of the vertical, but some tend to live and breathe it in order to achieve perfection. My attention span tends to be more akin to that of a young dog. Picture tossing a tennis ball towards a golden retriever, now picture throwing a tennis ball, a stick, and a steak all at once. It’s how I experience the world, both in the land of the outdoors as well as culturally. I want to spear fish in the crystal clear waters of Palawan, paraglide through the Alps, ride motorbikes from Europe to China, snowboard in the backcountry of Greenland, kayak around the Arctic Ocean, mountain bike through the Rockies, ice climb in the Himalaya, the list is never ending, and I’m never perfecting any of them. I am, however, becoming well adapted at finding good ways to take a much needed break from a certain activity, while also allowing myself to learn a new one. Always learning, always adventuring, always active.

After my good friend and climbing bud Benny Lieber and I spent a total of two months climbing in the French Alps and the Himalaya, he began his journey back to the states to work and replenish the funds depleted by the adventure. Because I had been melting wax like a madman doing laps around poor Icarus, the back to back seasonal work left me with a smidget of extra cash to take a hiatus from the ice and altitude. A friend of mine proposed I meet him in Sri Lanka. Although he would only be able to join for about two weeks, I had planned to continue for about two months. So the idea was formulated. Finally, I can rest. No more loud helicopters, no more super human focus while guiding clients through big terrain, and no more butt-puckering exposed corniced ridges and crevasses that could swallow a small factory. A week goes by and I spend my time drinking coconuts, eating rice and curries, and learning local languages (another favorite past time). A week goes by, and I find myself pacing the floors of the guest house I reside in. “I NEED TO GO BACK TO THE MOUNTAINS”. Well, unfortunately for me, there aren’t many mountains in the island nation of Sri Lanka, but they do however have world-class surfing. “There we go, let’s get really good at surfing.” Well, turns out it takes a bit more than two months to get really good at surfing, but during that time I had some of the most memorable experiences of my life. In between riding waves, I spent my time riding scooters. Buzzing around the island dodging monkeys and wild elephants; I ate fresh exotic fruits I’ve never even heard of; watched the sunset from some of the most incredible of secret beaches; helped local families build their homes; and celebrated the winter holidays with new friends, new memories, and a smile that would make Stephen Tyler consider revisiting his orthodontist. All of this, and now I have returned to the states refreshed and refocused. Many plans for future climbing expeditions are in the working, and much deliberation, gear, and logistics need to be sorted. A feat that would bring even the most eager climber to their knees, I now find myself ready to hit the ground running. Always active, yet rested and relaxed, adventure can feed adventure. I contemplate how it’s even possible to have a month long all-inclusive resort vacation in Aruba and not go insane...but I suppose that’s what makes us mountain people after all.