Marvelous Trips
My vacation time has, for the past several years, been intimately tied with my passion for mountain climbing. Generally each calendar year I enjoy one long summer vacation supplemented by several smaller vacations somewhat evenly spaced, with winter being another local maximum in the frequency distribution.
This schedule is motivated by the fact that most mountains in the Northern Hemisphere are most accessible in the warm months, the exceptions being
Over the past few years I have enjoyed several exciting trips of this sort. Included are:
I have visited Alaska twice, both with my brother on my thirtieth birthday, and, in June 1995, as a member of an expedition to the Saint Elias range bordering on the Yukon Territory. We climbed four new peaks (I succeeded on three) in a vast glaciated wilderness previously unvisited by modern man.
My friend and climbing companion Edward Earl toured Alaska in summer 1997, seeing as he had never been there. As a private pilot, noting the essentiality of that transportation modality in the Alaska bush, he flew himself around for a major portion of the trip (after flying in to Anchorage by airliner). Indeed, it would have been a shame if he were to have visited Alaska and not use his piloting background in some way or other.
My goal of Denali in Alaska (20,320 feet) is imminent. As seen on my home page this is my "ultimate" climbing goal, as it is more challenging than anything I have previously attempted.
I am serious about climbing Denali, and there is no question in my mind that someday I will stand on its summit - and hopefully around mid-June next month.
I have a strong wish to visit Europe and the Far East to sample the finest cuisine this side of the sun. My eyes are particularly set on France, Italy, Hong Kong and Taiwan. My plan is to accomplish these goals when, as an older man, I am too feeble to climb mountains. Now that's something to look forward too!!
