Earlier this year, I planned a trip to Alaska to climb a bucket list peak but had to cancel when my teammate injured his knee. Besides this, Alaska was in the midst of a huge heatwave, and the ice-face collapsed; that made the decision easier. Perfect Positive Pessimism: “My partner busted his knee but at […]
No matter where you are, what you’re doing, or who you’re with — have a Happy Fourth of July, folks!
Adventurer and third-generation Colorado native George Smith was full-on #NoBarriers well before the phrase existed. Born in Denver in 1928, George experienced a traumatic childhood injury that left his right arm and right hand severely injured. Rather than let himself be sidelined, George worked to overcome his challenges. A profound character, “Not if, but how” […]
It has been a flash! I can hardly believe that 20 years ago (May 25th, 2001), we stood on top of Mt. Everest, an event that would change all of our lives forever. And, of course, you have to do something to celebrate. So, last month a couple dozen friends and I, including two other […]
In 1903 Helen Keller wrote “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” This could not have been more true for me and my team on our climb to the top of Mt. Everest 20 years ago today (May 25, 2001). No one gave up on our […]
Springtime is couloir season in the Rockies. Snowpacks are settling and climbers and skiers are tackling steep ribbons of snow too dangerous to attempt mid-winter. So, I joined up with my buddies Skyler Williams and Mike Schneiter to climb “Martha,” a prominent couloir on Mt. Lady Washington in Rocky Mountain National Park. It is a […]
I often joke you know how old you are as a blind person by how many guide dogs you’ve had. Well, I’m at number 5, and to celebrate International Guide Dog Day I want to share some memories of each of them. All 5 dogs of my guide dogs have been German Shepherds from the […]
My friend Bob Kauffman and I drove to Utah to hammer some seriously steep sandstone, dust, and dirt for a few days. We got a bit of wind and rain out on the usual desert trails, then lucked out with a dry, sunny afternoon at Slickrock. This was my first time riding the course and […]
Yikes! That hard snow and whipping wind are a little rough on the ears, but the sound is far worse than the actual conditions! This is a quick vid taken on my GoPro. I’m out with my teammate Skyler and we’re skinning several thousand feet up Eldora ski resort and skiing down. Believe it or […]
How do you like your coffee? Gerry Leary, my latest guest, is the owner of The Unseen Bean in Boulder, CO… and he takes “dark” roast to a whole new level. Gerry was born blind and worked as a car mechanic for 40 years before opening his gourmet roastery in 2003. We chat about his […]
