I started climbing mountains at 16. Our art teacher Ed Cipriano decided to take out a bunch of boys who knew little of the world other than homework, exams and science projects. It was Mount Makiling in Los Banos where I got to appreciate the beauty of the outdoors. I had been hiking up to hills and caves, though, growing up in Mindanao . Makiling’s lush forest though was different. After that experience, as I entered college, I signed up for a camping class hoping to further my exposure to the outdoors, and in 1988 I got inducted into my mountaineering club, the UP Mountaineers.

Climbing mountains is rejuvenating at the top. The triumph at the peak after 8 hours of walking through log fallen trails, shallow streams and steep terrain is exhilarating! The feeling of accomplishment, reward and awareness of God’s creation all comes together at the top, and it’s all so great!

One can question though the sanity of the climber, looking at the amount of time spent at the top. A trek up Mount Halcon in Mindoro will be 2 days to the peak, hoping to arrive before 4 pm on your second day to reach the sunset. Just after sunset, you get back to work, preparing dinner then hitting the sack not too late in preparation for your 2 day trek down. The next day starts at 6am preparing breakfast, to then break camp at 8. So out of a 96 hour journey, 16 hours are spent on the peak, 80 hours on everywhere else… humorous. But mountaineers exist and continue to increase in number, so there must something valid in it all…

As I continued my quest for peaks in the outdoors, my climbing went into the steeper sides of the mountain, the cliffs and gorges. My exposure to rock climbing took my passion for the mountains into the love for movement in the vertical. Cliffs and river gorges present to the climber paths that you would never be able to see on a map. Flakes of rock, fist wide cracks and the mammoth body jams are all the hidden beauties of rock climbing. My favorites are the tree roots that dig deep into the rock that act as the perfect hand hold, smooth and round, an oasis from the sharp and jagged limestone that that we have in the Philippines.

Montalban, the nearest climbing crag to Metro Manila, presents to the climber these intricate details of rock climbing, from the roots of El Kanto to the exposed overhangs of Veranda.

Like in my trekking days, stories at the end of the day, when the team has all gotten together again, tell of the experiences that happened while on the way to the top. In trekking, its the lematic that got into his underpants... and in climbing, the lizard that nibbled on her finger as she went for that crucial finger pocket on the final moves to the top :) and the stories go on and on into the night ...

In Mount Makiling , just before the peak is a 10 foot steep climb, to enter into a clearing. It’s dense forest all the way up, then the mountain finally exposes itself at the top.

All mountains have the same thing. Trees refrain from growing where the strongest of winds hit the mountain. The tops of the crag are the sharpest of bare rock, shaped by passing rains and winds. It is evident that life on a mountain; the trees and the wildlife, is actually sustained on its slopes... not at the top.

The mountain answers many questions and shows itself in the mountaineer, his life and I guess all of ours, as we all have our own mountains to climb. The mountain, the mountaineer, and life in general, are not about the peak…

More meaning comes from the experiences in getting there.

Happy climbing!

Joey C.

The closest climbing gym and a very convenient jump off to climbing in Montalban is Power Up in QC. To inquire about outdoor climbing, ask your instructors at both Power Up branches for details on the next scheduled trips. Or ask to schedule one specific for your group!

Power Up QC 9327273

Power Up Pasig 4747535

Here are some photos from earlier in the summer, when Annika and I climbed Reggae to Calypso on Wind Tower. I miss Eldo (and Annika, who is on the road) big time. Although, I've had some damn good climbing so far here.

If you don't think Suhr's a shoo-in for Dillweed of the Week, you're just not paying attention.

**I loved reading that Hideki Irabu was arrested after he beat up a bartender in Japan after knocking back 20 mugs of beer. Apparently he pushed the barkeep, grabbed him by the hair, and smashed nine bottles of liquor. From the Information We Could Have Used 11 Years Ago Dept.: Looks like beer actually improves his accuracy.

**Interesting story from the City/Region section of the Buffalo News notes that thousands - as many as 15,000 - of tickets for the Bills-Steelers preseason game in Toronto were given away to increase attendance. I'm not ready to put too much stock into that report just yet. It was just a preseason game. You can bet there will be thousands of empty seats in the Ralph on Aug. 28 when the Bills host the Lions.

**Speaking of the Bills, J.P. Losman faced the media for the first time this year, saying all the right things and rocking a sweet Grizzly Adams.

**More links:

In league with today's story about the Wing Fest at Dunn Tire Park on Labor Day weekend, here's another event for fans of competitive eating.

Brutal offseason for the Penguins? You bet. Now, let's see...how can it get worse?

Great story about an Anaheim Ducks employee with Cerebral Palsy heading off to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. An interesting sidebar: Zdeno Chara already attempted it this summer and failed.

This just in: Usain Bolt is crazy-fast.

I picked up this little tidbit at The Willful Caboose: Max Afinogenov is dating tennis star and Olympic gold-medal winner Elena Dementieva? I had no idea. I agree, however, that it was hard to watch Lolo Jones stumble on the penultimate hurdle and finish out of the medals. Luckily it was not shown live, cause I think she dropped a huge F-bomb after crossing the finish line.

Finally, if you were creeped out by the relationship between Nastia Liukin and her dad, this story (written before the Olympics) about the marketing of the "Nastia brand" will likely sicken you as well. Prepare to see a WHOLE lot more of Miss Liukin in the coming weeks.

To make up for it, I'm going to suggest that you read the excellent summary provided by John over at Homo economicus’ Weblog. You could do a lot worse than add this blog to your feedreader. John has excellent credentials and his blog is always a good, well-informed read.

One thing I would like to talk about regarding this particular episode, however, is the attitude of teachers in British schools to the teaching of Darwin/evolutionary theory. In the course of this episode, we are introduced to a gentleman called Nick Cowan, who is a science teacher at Liverpool's Blue Coat School (the school isn't named in the documentary, but this gentleman didn't take much finding!)

Mr Cowan can be seen in this segment, about seven and a half minutes in, and in the following segment -- and if you haven't already seen the documentary, or if you haven't guessed, he is a creationist.

Watching, I was utterly dumbfounded. At one point, Dawkins asks the viewer if he/she would want someone like Mr Cowan teaching their children, and it was like being five and at a pantomime all over again! I actually shouted "no!" at the screen, that's how strongly I felt about this issue.

Choosing my words carefully, I have to say that from where I'm sitting Mr Cowan's credentials as a science teacher of any kind are completely undermined by the nonsense he spouts during this segment. If I had kids and this man was teaching them I would have been waiting at the school gates on Tuesday morning suggesting very strongly that he should be dismissed.

Now some might argue that because he isn't teaching creationism as part of the science curriculum (he teaches it in a general studies class), I shouldn't have an issue with this. But the man is a scientist, for God's sake! (Yes, that was deliberate.) A scientist believing in God is bad enough, but I can just about accept that. But a scientist (okay, a science teacher -- not always the same thing!) believing in creationism?... no, it's too much of a dichotomy, and whilst he might be able to live with that and rationalise it using the unscientific intelligent design copout, I certainly can't.

It is extremely depressing. People like Nick Cowan are potentially damaging our future understanding of science and quite possibly contributing to shortages of properly qualified scientists in science-related industries. Evolutionary theory is a fundamental part of biology. It's vital that these kids have an accurate and truthful understanding of it, that they know just like I know, just like Dawkins knows, just like many, many of my regular readers know that it is a fact. The evidence is so overwhelming that it is now, in spite of what creationists and intelligent design proponents might claim, simply absurd to "believe" otherwise. It is a fact, as Dawkins points out, in the same way that gravity is a fact.

As my former headmaster, Phil Willis MP, says concerning the creationist packs that were sent to five thousand secondary schools in the UK back in 2006,

"There's little enough time with the school curriculum to deal with real science like climate change, energy and the weather.

"This is quite frankly a distraction that science teachers can well do without."

In April of 2006, the Royal Society summed it up quite perfectly, however. I leave you with their comment and the first segment of Episode Three of "The Genius of Charles Darwin".

"Young people are poorly served by deliberate attempts to withhold, distort or misrepresent scientific knowledge and understanding in order to promote particular religious beliefs."

© 2008 Gary William Murning

As the fruits of the forest fall to ground,

As the Season runs to the sea,

And thistles cast off for distant shores,

The Sun rolls away over the rim of the world,

and I dream

of you.

My eleven-year-old son Chapin, my wife Kir and I summitted the Grand Teton on Sunday in perfect weather via the Upper Exum Route.

How would I describe it? Awesome, scary, humbling, burly, proud, beautiful, stunning, funny and a bit stressful.

Chape would describe it as WICKED cool!

We camped two perfect nights at the lower saddle, saw a bunch of friends and made some new ones.

It doesn't get much better.

]]> http://anotherworldradio.wordpress.com/?p=547 Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:02:31 +0000 Another World http://anotherworldradio.wordpress.com/?p=547 [wpvideo NrPUnzDt]

a film by Sam Ruscica

He communicates very effectively through action.  If Binh wants a drink he goes and jerks on the refridgerator door, if he wants a snack he stands and yells at the top of his lungs directly at the pantry door (like it will just give way at some point). 

Another thing to notice is the fact Ava is placing "mommy bear"  in Char's actual seat.  She has four bears that each represent a member of the family.  She brings me two or more bears and says, "Daddy bear and Ava bear talking." Another more daddy distrubing comment she says is "Ava bear has earrings?"  Where in the world did she get that?  Perhaps mommy bear or Tutu bear?  We have started to use her bears as a way of re-enforcing things like sleeping in the big girl bed and learning to potty.

Bo at the Holzen parking lot

The climbing is WORLD CLASS and overhanging (slightly) the whole way. 5.12b, 5.13b, 5.13a, 5.12b. So far we have dubbed it the Mistress, but maybe there should be a refrence to the golden nature of the line. Tangerine? Climbing such high quality sport routes, this high off the ground is like nothing else I've done in North America, maybe Mexico. But topping out on a mountain is more than this soul could ask for.

After a lot of talk about making a photo collaboration, Sonnie's schedule and mine finally aligned and I accompanied him and Derek Galloway to Mt. Yamnuska the day after I returned from the Bugs (my toothpick legs still haven't recovered).

Derek (L) and Sonnie (R), Mt. Yamnuska, Alberta ©AQ

I have to admit that I have not been as ambitious as in past years when it comes to elaborate, top down climbing photo shoots. But it felt really good to be up there in what I can now comfortably say, is "my element". The line of ascent is striking; basically, an orange streak on a constantly overhanging wall of atypically good Yamnuska stone. Over the years I have photographed several routes on Yam; none of them looked this fine.

Firing the crux. ©AQ

Sonnie quickly dispatched with the crux .13b pitch. Fluid, deliberate, controlled: that's how I would describe his climbing style.

Second crux.

If I've noticed one thing in my latest flurry of entries, it's that they've been heavily climbing-centric. In my effort to diversify and distance myself from the adventure photography I've come to realize that heck, I really enjoy shooting climbing. In the world of sports it's unique. Unlike organized sport, climbing has no sidelines and the photographer is actively engaged with the subject(s). In the alpine that level of connection goes even one step further as I'm making pictures of my partner whom I've usually known for years. Open up todays sports section and I bet you'll be challenged to find a photo of the Olympics not taken with a huge lens. I love that my telephoto lenses do not even make it to the base of the cliff; all those pictures are made with nothing longer than 35 mm (I'm talking about the alpine, not what you see above). There is an intimateness inherent in climbing photography. In what other sport is the photographer actually physically connected (via rope) to his subject? In what other sport is the photographer so mentally reliant upon his subject and vice versa? My climbing photographs are much like self-portraits for these reasons, even if I'm not actually in the pictures.

Climbing doesn't really fall into the realm of 'sports' photography in the traditional photojournalistic sense. I'm not quite sure what you'd call it when the photographer has such a personal relationship with the subjects in his pictures. And of course, by having this personal relationship, the nature of the photographs is influenced to a great degree, blurring the lines between photojournalism and 'art' photography. Climbing is one of those subjects that would be actually impossible to photograph if the photographer did not have some kind of relationship with his subjects. So yes, there would seem to be a certain lack of objectivity in my Climbers series but in the end this is also what drives it.

Hiking, Climbing, Camping and Trekking Rinjani with Bohari Adventure, originally uploaded by trekkingrinjani.

Mr TONNY with Bohari Adventures trekking package mount Rinjani 4 day 3 night direct to go unspoiled isle snorkeling swimming beautiful white sandy beach, Thanks Bohari, I really satisfaction and rest my trip hiking and trekking adventures of mount Rinjani Lombok Indonesia offering specializes personal guide all activities involving sport and adventures volcanoes information package hiking, trekking, climbing, camping and cooking mountain Rinjani Lombok Indonesia and also we are a specializes and personal guide trekker adventure volcanoes around Mount Rinjani Lombok Indonesia visit more detail at www.trekkingrinjani.com

Avenue Magazine used a couple of my pictures to illustrate a piece written by Geoff Powter.

Mr Happy Adventure Team with Bohari Adventures trekking package mount Rinjani 4 day 3 night, originally uploaded by trekkingrinjani.

Mr Happy Adventure Team with Bohari Adventures trekking package mount Rinjani 4 day 3 night, Hiking and Trekking Adventures of mount Rinjani Lombok Indonesia offering specializes personal guide all activities involving sport and adventures volcanoes information package hiking, trekking, climbing, camping and cooking mountain Rinjani Lombok Indonesia and also we are a specializes and personal guide trekker adventure volcanoes around Mount Rinjani Lombok Indonesia visit more detail at www.trekkingrinjani.com

Location (Elevation): Time Elapsed / Split / Real Time
Cascade Pass TH (3,600 ft) : 0 / 0 / 02:05
Cascade Pass (5,392 ft) : 55:03 / 55:03 / 03:00
Cache Col (6,920 ft) : 2:13:13 / 1:18:09 / 04:18
Spider-Formidable Col (7,320 ft+) : 4:59:33 / 2:46:19 / 07:05
Yang Yang Lakes (5,830 ft) : 6:20:09 / 1:20:36 / 08:25
White Rock Lakes (6,194 ft) : 9:50:45 / 3:30:35 / 11:56
Spire Col (7,760 ft+) : 11:54:44 / 2:03:59 / 14:00
Cub Pass (6,000 ft+) : 13:41:32 / 1:46:48 / 15:47
Bottom of Bachelor Creek (2,440 ft) : 16:29:45 / 2:48:12 / 18:35
Downey Creek TH (1,415 ft) : 18:09:36 / 1:39:50 / 20:15

[Car at Milepost 12.5: 20:48:24 / 2:38:48 / 22:54]

The Ptarmigan Traverse is a high alpine route along the spine of the North Cascades crest traveling through some of the most remote and wild terrain in the contiguous United States. The route was first pioneered by the Ptarmigan Climbing Club over 13 days in July 1938. The second traverse was in September 1953 from the traditional direction. The Ptarmigan has since become world famous for its breathtaking scenery, but it remains remote and challenging and most parties take between 4-7 days to complete the traverse. The fastest known time on the Ptarmigan is held by Joe Stock and Andrew Wexler in 15:40.

The traverse begins in North Cascades National Park at Cascade Pass, but the majority of the route is located within Glacier Peak Wilderness. Numerous glaciers are crossed en route and routefinding skills are required. After miles of snow, ice, crags, and rock, the Ptarmigan concludes with a classic Cascades bushwhack in Bachelor Creek followed by the old growth forests of Downey Creek.

Colin and I did the Ptarmigan Traverse in 2004 over 5 days, which helped immensely with routefinding. Four years ago, we would have never thought to do it in a single push, let alone 18 hours. In discussing this trip, we had hoped to go under 20 hours, but knew it could run longer a la Mount Fury last week. We were able to exceed expectations on the traverse portion, and despite brush-choked Bachelor Creek taking longer than expected, a consistent and focused effort throughout the traverse allowed us to make great time.

Complete trip report and many more photos HERE.

Una Breve Apparizione Terrena

Originally uploaded by American Jon ]]> http://apecxz.wordpress.com/?p=88 Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:49:00 +0000 apecxz http://apecxz.wordpress.com/?p=88 It was three years ago when a friend of mine told a valuable experience of him. Went up to the highest peak of Southeast Asia, Mt. Kinabalu, not with friends, and family neither. Going alone, taking step by step to climb up the mountain. As he reached the peak, he felt like owning the whole world. Feeling happy, and excited, because at last, he managed to bring himself at the top of the mountain. Yet, there was something missing for him. And it was the most important thing for him, and for anybody if he/she was in his shoes. Friends. Friends to share the cherish, the unforgettable moment. He did feel excited and happy, but there was no one around him that he could share the happiness with. The excitement was kept deep inside his heart, couldn't be shouted out because he was alone. When he was making his first step to climb the mountain, he was expecting a superb excitement if he could reach the top. But after all, he realized, that it's not a pure happiness if someone succeed alone. It means nothing if you achieve the triumph but your colleagues didn't. It would be a perfect victory if a war was won together with everyone around.

Am stopping here.

Climbing volcano Rinjani summit 3726 meter Lombok island Indonesia, originally uploaded by trekkingrinjani. ]]> http://trekkingrinjani.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/vico-team-adventures-summit-mount-rinjani-3726-meters-with-bohari-adventures-lombok-island-indonesia/ Sat, 16 Aug 2008 07:49:16 +0000 trekkingrinjani http://trekkingrinjani.wordpress.com/2008/08/16/vico-team-adventures-summit-mount-rinjani-3726-meters-with-bohari-adventures-lombok-island-indonesia/

Vico team adventures summit mount Rinjani 3726 meters with Bohari Adventures Lombok island Indonesia, originally uploaded by trekkingrinjani. ]]> http://christianranter.wordpress.com/?p=140 Sat, 16 Aug 2008 04:43:11 +0000 christianranter http://christianranter.wordpress.com/?p=140 When I lived in California a few years ago, I had the privilege of climbing Mt. Whitney four times.  The peak is just under 15000 ft. and it is the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states.  Round trip is about 22 miles and it feels like you are running a marathon.  The best part is you don't have to worry about stuff like crevasses or snow because it resides in the high desert.  If you can imagine climbing up stair steps that are two feet tall for 11 miles and then doing the bone jarring climb down, you'll get how fun it can be.

Three of the climbs were done with my wife or friends, but there was one time that I thought I should go it alone.  My goal was to be light and unencumbered so that I could shave a couple of hours off of my best time.

I arrived before sun up, grabbed my two quarts of water and headed up.  The water ran out when I reached the top, but no problem I thought, it would have only slowed me down as I headed back.  After climbing down for a couple of miles, the thirst set in.  The fatigue started to get me at the half way point so that I had to rest quite often; so much for the record time.  I still remember people walking past me and asking if I was ok.  I told them that I was just taking a break and was fine.  Some even offered water which I turned down.

After what seemed an eternity, I made it to the bottom just as the sun was going down and drove to the nearest gas station to be revived.  As a side note, if you are dehydrated, please don't down a soda as it will feel as if you just drank a glass of acid.

I guess the point of this story is that even just a hint of pride can bring you down.  When you decide to do anything of importance alone for the sake of doing it alone, you are heading for trouble.  Think of when Peter was walking on the water with his friend Jesus.  Just as soon as he turned his head, gravity took over.

Proverbs 16:18 says;

First pride, then the crash—
the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.

I can't count how many times I've tried to go it alone because I didn't want to humble myself to ask for help; only to end up crashing in a way that was more humiliating than if I had.  Marriage is especially difficult.  When people ask how things are going in that area, it is so easy to say that everything is fine instead of asking for help or prayer.

We were made for connection;  Matt. 18:20 says;

When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there.

Covering each others backs not only makes us safe, but it's more fun too.