Monthly Archives: December 2011

St. Bernard of Montjoux, Patron Saint of Mountaineers and Skiers

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Desert Tortoise

I’m not catholic, what do I need a patron saint for? For not falling off a mountain or into a crevasse? A good climbing partner and solid technical skills should take care of that! Neither do I believe that a prayer … Continue reading →

Posted in Climbing, Generosity, Hike, peak climbing | Tagged | 3 Comments

Castle Peak (NorCal) and Tenaya Lake skating

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Desert Tortoise

“This is too easy. We are looking for Sierra 3rd Class, not Aconcagua 3rd Class” (Louise looking for the approach to Castle Peak) Well, Tamarack was cancelled, but Louise and I decided we still wanted to have fun in the … Continue reading →

Posted in peak climbing, Sierra Nevada | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Ski Touring Ascent of Tamarack Peak (not)

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Desert Tortoise

You’ll get Entwives, Golden Eagles, President Hoover and plenty of mistletoe instead. My intent today was to write about my first backcountry ski touring peak climb of Tamarack Peak near Tahoe. Crappy to nonexistent snow, at this time 1-2 inches … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

My year of climbing volcanoes: Grand Finale in Ecuador

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Desert Tortoise

Lassen, Shasta, Mt Rainier, and finally, Mexican Volcanoes in October. Until I noticed Rick kept mentioning how the safety of traveling in Mexico did cause him some concerns, especially considering he has family responsibilities. So, after a few phone calls … Continue reading →

Posted in peak climbing | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Kaizen: Becoming a Stronger Mountaineer

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Desert Tortoise

Today, I was attending a Webinar on “Keeping the Continuous in Continuous Improvement”, which focused on how to sustain Kaizen in the Healthcare setting through constant small improvements. Work is defined as equally doing work and improving the work. Suddenly, it … Continue reading →

Posted in Climbing, Life, peak climbing | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Did Mountaineering Change Me?

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Desert Tortoise

During my recent climbing trip to Ecuador, a fellow climber and I had a discussion on the question “Do people change?”. I did answer the question in a very contradictory manner. Thanks to being stuck at home with vertigo, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Climbing, Generosity | 1 Comment