We love uppies! These are the days we live for. All time perfect conditions to ice climb the devils kitchen headwall and ride off 100ft below the summit of Mt.Hood all the way back to tree line. Beautiful day and excellent company, La-de-friggin-da!
Layin down brush strokes in the wilds. Felt connected to this line, this place more than any other I have this winter. Further wilder deeper more at peace every year.
🎥🚁 @cascadeconnections
Brother. Still, the adequate words can’t find me to convey how special, how unique he was & much I loved my friendship with this person.
Stratton and I were going to be lifers. Who’s going to call me for the wild ones? For Mt.Jefferson? Who’s going to answer the phone with HEY BEAUTIFUL? I don’t know. No one can replace him. I do know his name is in my blood and I feel a little piece of his soul everywhere, especially the signs of life he had such reverence for. What I loved the most about him is how he held the quiet moments. Every little new growth, new flower appreciated. We would identify all of the animals, trees and geological features around us to give our surroundings greater depth. We would stop often to appreciate something. No interaction, no human overlooked or brushed off. He listened.
Stratto brought me into a more grounded loving version of myself while simultaneously pushing me to new heights into some of the richest rarest experiences of my life.
I say the words “Stratton died in an avalanche” daily to hear it outside my body but I still can’t believe it. Maybe because he truly won’t ever leave? Hope so. We’ve got some things to do still.
🎴Grief in a foreign land 🎴
Out on the path
Our words stolen from us
On wind and pallid silence
An aching space within our arms
And for today
Even the mountains bow their heads
Please let me tell you friends
That no one, listen; NO ONE
Perishes alone
Each beloved
has been gently held by us
As they breath their last
Each gathering, each friendly wave in passing
These are wrapped around them as they go
A shroud, a coverlet
For we are knit together
raise your gaze and see us all
Do not look away my friends
For we all ride toward the dark together
For now, the fleeting now
We have the chance to hold each other tight
The art of making big things smaller. A handful of years ago I couldn’t have imagined making a day like this feel so casual, and now it feels just so lovely. Though I was tired at the top, I know it raises my ceiling a few more inches. Each time increasing the range of my endurance and strength and shrinking my perspective of what is difficult. Exertion creates deeper rest and more meaningful interactions with every other aspect of my life- It’s what makes that lil cup of tea by the fire rip friggin extra hard.
Incredible day with my bud.
