The Day That Changed My Life

Me (center with glasses) with my family at the Paradise Ice Caves on Mount Rainier in the summer of 1967. From that day onward, I was completely and hopelessly addicted to mountains and mountain climbing. I proceeded to read every expedition book, climbing book, guide book, etc I could get my hands on from school and city libraries. My younger brother (far left) and I even used to go to the local bluffs overlooking Puget Sound near our house in Des Moines, Washington to practice climbing 'techniques'. (BTW, he is the brother that accompanied me to the top of Mount Umunhum in 1970)