Ben Lomond

The Future...

On Saturday, April 7, 2012, I climbed Ben Lomond in northern Utah. On the descent, I talked briefly to two women who were also intending to summit. I wonder if they realize how unique they are, as they were ski mountaineers, not just back-country skiers.

Since then, I have been wracked with regret for not having made an attempt to get their contact information. For as I have gotten wiser, I have come to realize it's not about the height of the peaks we climb, or about the difficulty of the route, or about the brand of boots we wear, or who we blog about, but simply about developing the next generation of climbers.

I've been encouraging and educating several young people, but combined, I don't believe they have anywhere near the potential those two have.

Oh, and I apologize for not mentioning the rubbery rattlesnake some joker left in the summit register box!