Alpine Athena

In ancient mythology the Gods and Goddesses lived atop the highest mountains, thus imbuing these places with supernatural qualities that humans dreamed of possessing. It was thought that those who scaled the heights were as close as they could possibly be to the heavens, and they were looked upon as heroes. Thousands of years later…

Psychic Wilderness

I believe that we are destroying the wilderness of the planet at the exact rate, and to the same extent, that we are destroying the wilderness inside our own psyches. The human being and the natural environment are inseparable: what we do to one we also do to the other. There are many things that…

Curly Abroad

Last month marked the fifth anniversary of Karen McNeill’s disappearance on the upper reaches of Mount Foraker, where she and partner Sue Nott were attempting the Infinite Spur. In my latest article for Alpine Athena I pay tribute to the woman who inspired me to become a better person: I can still remember the first…

Black Swan

One of my most vivid recollections from childhood is going through the grocery checkout counters and seeing all of those magazines for women. I would read their headlines as my mother checked her groceries through: how to flatten your stomach, how to be more beautiful, and how to be the perfect mate. It is now…