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Since ancient times peoples living in the highest lands used to leave a mark of their presence on the summits they had climbed, out of curiosity, for hunting, or burying their things; the history says to us that we can’t consider those ascents like an expression of a primeval exploring spirit, rather we should see them as a kind of mystical “ante-litteram” mountaineering, the Pre-Incas “Sun’s Cult” being an example about it. The numberless ancient articles discovered over different summits in Africa – like in the “Main de Fatma” Group in Mali – and mostly over some Andean peaks, like the very high Llullaillaco (m. 6723) in the Chilean Andes, by the well known scientific expeditions led by the Austrian alpinist Mathias Rebitsch in 1961, are the evidence of those ancient activities.

The first time I saw the Kulshan Cabin was in 1968, I think. I was part of a Seattle Mountaineers trip climbing my first Volcano via the Coleman/Demming Galciers. I was finishing my "Basic Climbing Course" at 15 years old with my brother and sister who were also on this climb. This is the only picture I have passing the Cabin that day. You were more selective of the pictures you took with a 35mm camera then and lived with what you got. Any way, I have the one picture and glad to have it. The Cabin was full of climbers and every space nearby was taken by tents and tarps. So we hoofed it past some distance and set up our green "tube tents" in the trees. We didn't know any thing about the current camps on Hog's Back or higher near the Black Buttes. I think the entire group of Mountaineers summited the next day with ideal weather. Quite a thrill for me that I never forgot.

Let us start with the basic question: What is a good anchor?

A good anchor in any setting, be it snow, ice or rock, should have a set of properties to maximize the security of the anchor in question.

I know that most of you will never choose to day hike with a guided group, at least in your home country or current situation so I thought I would write about how I ended up doing this last summer and my evaluation of the overall experience. Some of you may recall my fall on the Skyline Trail, Mt. Rainier in 2009, which although the hiking was definitely the highlight of my Washington state experience; broken ankle and all, it scared the dickens out of my husband. So, not wanting me to hike alone on unfamiliar turf at higher altitude he insisted that I look into hiking with a guide when we ventured to Banff and Lake Louise.

Gino Soldà was born on March 8th 1907 in Valdagno (Vicenza, Italy), a small town situated close to the group of Little Dolomites, and this is an important detail because all his life was always in full accord with this mountain origin, notwithstanding in the golden years his passion for climbing and exploring kept him often far from his loved valley. Gino started to climb in 1923 and he is considered one of the best protagonists of the historic “Sixth Grade’s Golden Age”.

Armando da Roit was the guardian of the Vazzoler refuge (Civetta) and when his friend Bruno Detassis was the soul of Brenta, he was the soul of Civetta, a friend for all climbers coming to his refuge.

Georges Livanos Alias Le Grec, King of the Calanques, Emperor in the Dolomites, 500 first ascents beyond Verticality.

Contrary to « professionals » and today’s young climbers, he only climbed during week-ends which during his years started only the Saturday afternoons and during his summer holidays which were a maximum of 4 weeks – in his time no 35 hours week and no RTT - le Grec used public transport: so to go and climb on the Bertagne peak, with Sonia and his friends, they were taking the tramway to Aubagne, then the bus to Gémenos and then walking to the foot of the wall. To go to Chamonix, he took the railways and was driving a Vespa to go to the Vercors, it was the vehicle he used for his work as a sales rep for printing material, with which he travelled up and down the Bouches du Rhône, the Var and Vaucluse during 10 years. He waited until his pal Robert Gabriel stopped climbing in 1956 (for wedding reasons) to find a new rope mate, Marc Vaucher who had a Citroen DS and at last enjoyed the comfort and saving time that a car is giving you. Le Grec never learned how to drive as also he never learned how to swim. For a Marseille man that is really taking the cake! Himself stated that he was « a Sunday climber » and not a true « sportsman » as the young stars of today navigating in the 8th grade! Despite this, his list of ascents is still today amazing and above all of high quality: Oh the Livanos routes! Repeating them sufficed to convince oneself that you were part of the better ones! They were a must : "The one who did without bivouaquing the Livanos pillar at Archiane could consider the big North walls…" …Bruno Fara, Climbing years 1970), that is in the Vercors as in Dolomites, then in the 1950s and 1960s, there were much less French climbers there.

This article is the second part of the latest events that took place in Brazilian mountaineering from jan 2011 up to date.

Sitting in the dark at 3:30am in the snow, wind and cold trying to cram a few more dry mini wheats down I can't help thinking it would be easier if I didn't have diabetes. Well no helping that now it's time to get that dry cereal into you and grab the ice ax because you have a snow chute to climb. Sheer stubbornness got that crappy cereal down thankfully. No offense to mini wheats, I like them well enough below 12000 feet. But up there, well at least they did the trick. According to the stats almost 300 million people have it right now with more every day. It seems like everyone either has it or knows someone who does. To many this may seem like sentence of doom. So I thought I would write a little something about how it's not. I have had type 1 (that's where you are diagnosed young and are insulin dependent) for 25 years or so now. Guess what, I do fun stuff all the time. Most people have a basic idea what diabetes is. For ease I'll sum it up as the bodies inability to make insulin or enough insulin to make use of the food you eat. So as far as outdoor activity goes there are some things you really should follow. But honestly they're not that different then what you should all ready be doing anyway

Standing on top of a summit, after congratulatory hugs and handshakes, I make it a point to say out loud, ‘We’re half way there.’ I say this not necessarily for my partner’s benefit, but for my own. Statistically, more accidents occur while descending mountains than climbing up them. Fatigue, falling darkness, carelessness, and the inherently dangerous nature of rappelling all stack the deck against the climber.