"Bone Games & The Journey Of Rob Schultheis..."

I have often mused over if you can have a mentor whom you have never met...

"Bone Games", by Rob Schultheis, is an amazing book that I found in the mid 1980's...

Since then, I have enjoyed pondering through it over twenty years of study and experiences and the intentions of 'Bone Games', meanings within it, and how it relates to our adventures in our own wild places... Here are a few choice quotes from the journey of R. Schultheis which began on Mt. Neva as pictured above:

"I hung there for I don't know how long: thirty seconds, two minutes, half an hour. I couldn't climb back up the overhanging rock, and I could not descend...". Yet he did find 'a way', and:

"Something happened on that descent, something I have tried to figure out ever since, so inexplicable and powerful it was. I found myself very simply doing impossible things...".

"I know my limitations, and I was climbing way, way beyond them. One small part of me trembled with fear and fatigue, cried out to be rescued, to be whisked away to any place other then this bleak precipice. The rest, confident, full of an unsane joy, revelled in the animal dance of survival, admired the brilliant crystals in the granite, the drunken calligraphy of ice crystals... was totally possessed by the act of mountaineering, rejoiced in the immense vertigo of the place. It was like certain dreams I have had...". "The person I became on Neva was the best possible version of myself, the person I should have been throughout my life...".

Powerful words reflecting potent experiences...

I have also included selected quotes by Schultheis in 'The Adventure Muse' respecting his depth of motivation and the life search for replicating these adventure experiences that he set out upon... He was passing forward valuable lessons through these writings in this most intriguing tome... I have found many of my own adventure elements mirrored within these pages as they mentored my own search...

The journeys written about reflect participation in many adventure sports, endurance experiences, metaphysical & spiritual wanderings, vision quests, intense solo's, among high mountains, deserts & valleys, through physical and emotional trials, with deep meditations throughout...

Read and muse over this inspirational journal and discover for yourself why Rob called this "Bone Games", and maybe even ponder how to invite such memorable experiences into your own adventures... You will not regret it... I never have, as an ordinady adventurer, and as Rob wrote of this: "Magic becomes a kind of habit after we do the difficult, the near impossible, over and over and over again; a habit that operates down in those oldest and deepest levels of the brain and the mind. Where pain and fear can be alchemized into blissful, sublime confidence, and stumblebums wake up to find themselves dancing on the business end of pins".... He writes further of such searching that, "What made it incredibly tantalizing was that It, the magic, was somewhere inside me; It had always been there, I felt, and It always would be... dormant, waiting to be awakened...".

And yes... I believe you can have such a mentor, a guide, who passes such experience, strength, and hope forward to you... even if you've never met them...

DSD

"There Is A Place We Go In The Mountains....."

There is a place we go in the mountains...
It is a place of resounding quietness, of gentle winds, talking breezes... a place of rock and trees, of stone so stark, yet inviting...
There is a place we go in the mountains of such cold moving waters... a place barren yet nourishing... a place of seasons both of life and in death...
It is mostly a place of memories... this place we go in the mountains...
I am looking at pictures of this place right at this moment... and in my minds eye I can recall the seasons passing, while my senses still feel the warmth, the cold, the sun, the night...
I have hiked and climbed in this place with my partner and close friends, sharing so much... I have been out there in solitude as well... Yet never really alone...
This place we go in the mountains is most especially somewhere we have privately named for someone who is no longer with us... A quiet person of great strength who does not share these particular elements with those of us still wandering...
We visit there each adventure season to be with him again... to join in remembering the way he lived his life and the amazing spirit he was... is...
When out solo, I talk with him still... I tell him of my year, the trials, successes, all the moments... This year in particular when by myself, I found unexpected tears welling up of joy and sadness when approaching this place we go in the mountains...
This terrain and his spirit provides much comfort and solice to me, yet a challenge too... He was more of an adventurer than I will ever be... He was able to see and understand things from a height I've only dreamed of attaining...
We all need such places to journey to...
This is a place where I learned about true gratitude, and where I feel humbled... Where I reflect upon how he was so grateful even when he was given so little...
It reminds me not to take for granted what he was never gifted with - physical health...
He never had the chance to trek to this place in the mountains we have quietly named for him...
He couldn't... He was too ill all of his short life... His legs would never carry him as far as his mind had already wandered... His existence was one of pain and suffering, yet his endurance was endless... The adventure life race he ran was more grueling than any we could invent to challenge ourselves with...
There is a place we go amongst the summits to remember a soul who never climbed a mountain, never set foot upon a trail, never paddled the ocean or any northern lake, never once rappelled into a deep canyon... yet he was more in touch with the spirit of adventure than many...
There is a place we go... He went there too... in his minds eye, when the pain became too much... He said it gifted him with a sense of comfort...
There is a place we go in the mountains to wonder how someone so weak could be so strong... How someone who never attained any summit, could inspire so many... How someone so pressed could laugh and smile so much...
There is a place we go in the mountains... to acknowledge that this wild area is only there because of the many who have passed it forward for each of us to adventure within... He was never able to go himself, but he knew this and would still say that such a wild place is a 'gift twice given'... Given to us to find ourselves in, and for us to learn about then giving to others...
I have such good memories of this place we go in the mountains... And he beckons to us all dear Finder... to see through his eyes what many may never perceive... to believe in what most never experience... to savour each precious moment out in the wild places... to enjoy the energy and strength within this physical shape we have been gifted with...
He is one of my most potent inspirations...
There is a place we go in the mountains to remember that while his form has returned to the elements we will all share too soon... his spirit wanders freely still...
In that place we go in the mountains.....
DSD

A sincere appreciation to Surreal McCoy at Flickr for his special pictures:
http://flickr.com/photos/44462122@N00/

"Adventure Traditions..."

Scrambler27 of Flickr, or Rich Sobel... sparked some memories and musings this last while of our friends and my own adventure 'traditions'... Rich says of his tradition in how he has: "Used this hat for more years than I care to remember and locals recognize me from a distance... I got into the habit of taking a picture of my hat at the summit... It's become sorta like the gnome that travels in the movie Amelie...".

For years I took pictures of the views from all four points of the compass while on a summit and for decades now have gathered small cobbles from waterfalls, coastal beaches, and stones too from trails and summits themselves... The rituals climbers have when contributing to those cherished summit registers includes many creative and thoughtful gestures placed up at altitude. I have read so many priceless comments in these tiny journals...

For many, old favored adventure traditions reflect very meaningful memories of life shaping experiences out there...With special people, in wild places difficult to reach, or of gear used time and again... I always take extra time at the summit of my last climb of the year to visualize the routes, altitude, and musings gained that season...

This process of creating traditions is all about meaning; enthusiasm; humour and fun; both very personal and shared...

I remember... old prayer flags, gently waving among the incense of pine trees and the shared tradition behind placing them...

I remember... a certain Guide's tradition, who would chant quietly, to the mountain spirits in gratitude for sharing their stone secrets with her...

I remember... an Outward Bound Instructors tradition, of lifting each member of our group, high into the air... supported on our hands as a bird would fly over our summit that day...

I remember... a close climbing partner, who would always turn, and face our chosen mountain when we were descending, from alpine to treeline, as a gesture of respect and gratitude...

I remember... the tradition of telling stories... time and again, of elusive adventures, high lands, and wild places...

I remember... a fellow kayaker, who would make such beautiful prints in the sand of our island beaches, in an Eastern tradition of creating symbols of balance & power... only which then would be slowly brushed away by the rising tide...

And of course... there is my own tradition these many years, of gathering, painting, and anonymously placing these small Summit Stones, in a tradition of giving back and passing forward...

I will be watching for that hat Rich... and thank you for re-minding me of the lasting importance of our adventure traditions...

DSD

http://flickr.com/photos/scrambler27/1178121547/in/set-72157601538370059/

"The Quiet Man......."

He was written about in his homeland as the 'Quiet Man'.....

I have been remembering, and musing, over his life this last week... An adventurer needing little description who passed from these elements on January 10th.....

He is a member of that very small group of those who have reached the highest point on our mother earth... With the special symbolism that this meant on the 29th of May, 1953...

He was also known with reverence as the 'Tall Man', and 'Burra Sahib'...

There are many cultures in our world that give such persons names other than their own out of distinct respect... There are some cultures too who do not name such a person when talking to, or about them, as these individuals have become more than their 'name'... What they have accomplished and how they choose to lead their lives is beyond the name now... Now their way is more of a guiding image, a symbol, of what things could be like, of what we each could become... It is said that by doing this, the person is then remembered even more clearly and their life takes on new depths of meaning...

Such would seem the case for this Quiet Man... A person, who did not believe he was much different than you or I... Only that he had been at the right place, at the right time, and with a strong friend and brother of the rope...

Over twenty years ago I found the Tall Man's book entitled: "From The Ocean To The Sky", and discovered his musings on the nature of love for adventure... Adventures of climbing, of exploration, of rivers, of cold, and especially of living among different peoples...

I would follow his story closely after that and was truly inspired...

I was so intrigued by what he meant when the Quiet Man said; "The heroes I admired in my youth seemed to possess abilities and virtues beyond the grasp of ordinary men...", and yet years later he reflected upon how, "I discovered that even the mediocre can have adventures, and even the fearful can achieve...".

Here was a restless, ordinary adventurer, who was speaking of coming to terms with himself... In doing this and through his actions, this Quiet Man would strike a bell within each of us, that we not so much hear, but rather feel, deep inside ourselves...

The Tall Man's actions would resonate around the world and for decades after as symbolism immeasurable...

The Tall Man has been saying to us: 'If I can, then you can... and if you can... look what we all may do...'. His adventure achievements made history... yet his Giving Back efforts are legion... and his Passing Forward messages so potent...

A man himself very fond of quiet times for musing he wrote: "It is not the mountain we climbed I want to be remembered by, it is if I helped out, and what did I share".

He said also so unassumingly that; "I have had the world lie beneath my clumsy boots and seen the red sun slip over the horizon... I have had more than my share of excitement, beauty, laughter and friendship...".

Sometimes it is the quiet ones who teach us the most about real accomplishment, sustained meaning, humility, and gratitude...

The Tall Man and his partner The Tiger Of The Snows, broke trail for us... They set upon a course that may in hindsight be easy to see... but it is a path so challenging to follow...

I believe the Quiet Man would enjoy knowing of the legacy of this challenge he still invites us with in the spirit of adventure.....

DSD

"BestHike....!"

Rick McCharles, AKA 'HikerRick', is the creator and editor of "BestHike"...

Back when I first learned of this site, I was immediately intrigued by a site entitled BestHike. What adventurer wouldn't be!

At this dawning of a new year, when considering what direction and adventure paths to head out upon, Rick's BestHike is one of the places I chose to visit first...

His mission within BestHike: "Is simply to list the best, most memorable hikes, long and short, in the world." "Hikes that can change your life."

Rick's efforts have achieved both "Top Hiking Blog" recognition and Outdoorzy's "Top 10 Outdoor Blog" award. Included on BestHike are challenging, multi day adventures, as well as the very best one day wanderings...

I especially appreciate BestHike's objectives in that it; "Helps you get started organizing the trek of a lifetime". The focus on 'memorable' adventure experiences resonates greatly with me too...

Included here are excellent references, information, and many details about the most useful guidebooks. The site is very receptive to all suggestions for BestHikes and feedback about them; continually adding new options to the growing list. There is a useful search engine on site, updates by email, and even Rick's own major hikes and treks like the Annapurna Circuit, Dahab Desert adventure, Jasper's Skyline trail, the John Muir trail, Tombstone in the Yukon, White Mountain with 4Wheel Bob, and the West Coast Trail. Rick is also adventure planning to paddle and hike to Della Falls, trek in South Africa, descend into Copper Canyon, and he has got an Adventure Race in mind too!

I certainly share his particular appreciation for Lake O'Hara... the larches and scrambling there...

Rick keen sense of adventure, and great sense of humour, are characteristics we all aspire to for more enjoyment within the wild places... Upon recently turning 50 he wrote: "Happily, hiking is one of life's joys you can do your entire life, body willing." "My life-to-trek list is still very long."

HikerRick & BestHike embody all of what we seek when wanting to connect with others who also wander the trails out there...

Visit Rick for great inspiration, planning ideas, for what could turn out to be your 'besthike' this year...

DSD

BestHike Link: http://www.besthike.com/

Rick's Flickr Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rickmccharles/

(Thanks very much Rick for use of these images; and also sincerely for your supportive comments on my 'SummitStone Controversy.....')

"Where Are You On Your Path....."

It seems a natural time to ponder where we each are upon our own path... of life... of adventure, within the wild places... along this amazing journey...

On Page 1 of the 'Adventure Muse', I wrote: "There are many kinds of 'summits' and many 'adventure ways'. When we push our own limits at a level, and in an activity, that is right for each of us, with a focus on safety and especially fun; we journey along paths of freedom, happiness, beauty, and truth. The 'path' could be up a mountain, along a coastline, down a river or canyon, along a trail or ridgeline, under the earth, across a lake or ocean, through any wilderness...".

So, where are you at this moment on this journey in creating you own path...

Is such a statement rhetorical.. or is it more asked at this waypoint to produce an effect of considering where we have come... and where we may want to go...

It seems that musing over the question is the important thing; not just any answer...

All paths have a very relative nature about them... relative to you, to the adventure activity, to where in the wild places, to time, to skill, to awareness, to.....

Even with such relativity, all paths have inherent value and meaning; as they are chosen by each of us; for our own reasons... So there is a real personal importance to looking back and gazing forward upon our chosen trail...

We are then more able to ponder how far and how much terrain we each have covered; to recall the exceptional experiences and memories gathered out there; and this becomes the beginnings of gratitude...

We can also then more clearly see the horizon out before each of us... and experience the hopefulness and excitement such dreaming creates within us..

We may not be sure how far we want to go, but we don't need to be as there are many, many paths leading in countless directions..

These never ending questions, asked at the genesis of a new year as on Page 1 of the 'Muse' inquire: "How will you arrange the elements in your life? What will your next 'adventure summit' be?"...

As this year dawns and the alpenglow begins to seem as fire...

"May the spirit and meaning you create for yourself on your adventures be forever present..."

DSD

http://summitstonesadventuremusings.blogspot.com/2007/01/adventure-inspirations.html

"A Gift Of Adversity....."

My own recent experience this early winter both at home and out in the wild places have been all about change, challenge, the unknown, and what I have perceived to very much be adversity...

It may seem very unusual to wish the same as a gift for another this sharing season but therein is the power of natural paradox... Typically in my own struggles, I stubbornly resist such uphill trials and have difficulty in reframing them as growth through challenge... Yet the natural world is truly a wild place of such challenges, of constant order yet chaos, of heightened perception about the clear unknown, of desires and elements that push and test an adventurer to and past preconceived limits...

We may not always think about it in these ways but what draws us, what we often seek out there for adventure and fun, is in many ways synonymous with that which adversity itself offers us in return...

When I recall the adversity gifts bestowed upon me for example, I remember... Fears of open ocean, wind and waves... Multi day distant treks and getting very lost... Continuously elusive mountain summits... Unexpected impacts of terrain and altitude... Fitness challenges of injury and age... 5.9 routes that always seemed just beyond my grasp... Caving and my surprising reactions within enclosed spaces... among so many others...

Yet as Goddard & Neumann write about the adventure of climbing: "Realize why you climb. Climbing is not rewarding in spite of its frustrations. It is rewarding because of the very factors that can make it frustrating." Such enduring words as this are gifts of wisdom and insight too...

A. Hobson also said: "Adventure by its very nature, involves overcoming uncertainty, fear, obstacles, adversity and the unknown." F. Youngblood mused too how, "To those who have struggled with them, the mountains reveal beauties they will not disclose to those who make no effort." While Grandfather, a Mountain Elder, said... "Yes it can be a trial. Fear, doubt, pain, discomfort - these can be part of the price to be paid. Yet the gifts you have bartered for with your blood and your breath - what wealth! They will resonate with your very soul."

Such an amazing gift is the adversity within adventure.....

The present is often in the unexpected, the surprising things we discover... most often about ourselves... The reward is in the act itself of being out there in the midst of both the sunsets and the storms... And then we know too with such real certainty of the unopened presents to bestow upon ourselves of other future possibilities still waiting to be found within our wild places...

P. Stoltz & E. Weihenmayer said of this gift: "May adversity become the pathway through which you flourish." S. Covey wrote also; "One key lesson is this: no challenge and adversity, no deeper sense of meaning and purpose."

Is this not a fundamental motive for why we cherish and wish to protect those wild places where we have devoted our precious energy, time, sweat, tears, hopes, and fears...

S. Covey himself acknowledges: "Adversity has inspired me to be an alchemist, to turn lead into gold." And that pot of gold waits for you out there at the end of a wonderful trail of tribulations...

Those who find themselves through adventure adversity are indeed gifted... with awareness and abilities and memories so vivid and valuable... The tears we may experience of frustration can be alchemized into the tears we know within joy... Because as E. Weihenmayer mused further; "Isn't there something incredibly riveting about the human struggle with adversity? Maybe it's because within the struggle lies the essential wisdom we all need to become the kind of person we hope to be".

So, wish upon those stars we may see within another sleepless night in the midst of trial by rock, water, wind and waves... And trek towards a hard to reach horizon of your dreams... Continue to seek out the possibility hidden in that alpenglow just before you begin your most difficult climb... Keep looking for that rainbow wrapped summit that you have trained yourself for over so many years... For within this season, all these things, and adversity too, do I hope and wish for you.....

DSD

"Spirit Stone....."

"Stones... chart the mysterious topography of the human spirit"... N. O'Connell

I simply love all things stone... Even a small rock, found by a stream, waterfall, ocean beach, or upon a mountain summit, can hold my attention for what seems moments of eternity... A rocky cliff... forever...

Depending on who is asked... 'Stone', may be referred to as one of the earth elements...

In the substance of stone can often be found characteristics we ourselves would aspire to... It is what it is, and does not try to be anything else... Stone is always centered, grounded if you will... Stone weathers the other elements and adversity so well...

The endless variety of rocks and cobbles reflect the countless personalities of the wild places they are found in... Their enduring nature is one of quiet strength...

How amazing are the forces that carve rock and shape stone in our natural world...

How wonderful it is that no two stones on a rocky beach of millions are ever exactly alike...

The above photographs were taken by 'Ataradrac' and posted upon Flickr. Ataradrac was so gracious to allow them to be placed along with this post...

Animated rock, spirit stone, like these have a unique history dating back to before known cultures... There are few of the worlds peoples who have not etched something of their history through stone as a medium...

Look deeply upon this spirit stone captured briefly in these photographs...

Gaze for a few moments on the beauty of the rock and the reflected spirits within...

Can you see what is also there... not apparent at first...

If you discovered these as Ataradrac did that day, might you too also muse over their charm and mystery...

DSD

Ataradrac's Flickr Link:

http://flickr.com/photos/ataradrac/5789112/

"When Our Paths Cross....."

There is one special trail in the Rockies where I wander upon about the same time each summer... There is a fellow hiker I have greeted out there at least a half dozen times... We call out as our paths cross, chat briefly, and smile as we part company with a 'see you next year'...

I find myself looking forward to that moment as I realize what day it is... A simple connectedness with shared meanings...

I was also able to enjoy some time this fall with a mentor and guide whom has shared much with me over the years, even when our moments together have been limited... A comment of his resonates with me: "People often come in and out of our lives and we rarely thank them for the part they played in our lives and we often do not realize the importance until time passes...".

Two other comments of his that are very positive musings for me have been in reference to 'being the change we wish for in our lives' and 'giving back in its many forms'...

It is a wonder to me how we may influence and touch each other's lives, even briefly at times...

These concepts seem very applicable to adventure experiences as we most often journey together with others through the wild places... Whether upon a rocky mountain path, a trail through secluded forests, upon a trek to distant summits, or along meandering coastlines and through deserted islands... there is always a moment that touches us to be shared out there...

Wild lands and adventures can create beautiful opportunities for a nexus, a connection, even a bond to occur... often in unexpected ways... I muse for example too how this happens after placing a small stone atop a mountain summit, to then be found there on a distant day... The stories of 'Finders' linked here cast morning light upon this perspective...

Then too, when sea kayaking a special group of our western coastal islands, I have shared such moments with a fellow party of adventurers... They are always together, while on those trips I have been solo... They allow me to become part of their fun and spirit for a few hours of shared laughter and lunch... When we head out on different bearings it is with a wave and much smiling... More simple connectedness out there when paths cross...

What might seem a simple moment out in the wild places actually resonates with us for years after...

Till we meet again out on the path.....

DSD

"The Nature Of Naive Art..."

After gathering, preparing, and designing upon stony dimensions for so long... then painting, coating, and eventually anonymously placing the Summit Stones for many years now, I find myself pondering again about the innocent nature of naive art...

Not only do I see myself as an ordinary adventurer, I also perceive such artistic muses to be available to us all as many adventurers are artists and poets...

Naive artists are seen to be of simple origins... and that resonates well with me because as the National Museum of Naive Art presents: "The vast majority of so-called 'naive artists' are self-taught, and come from humble backgrounds. They often choose to remain anonymous... Their works are the products of instinct, spontaneity and experience, a reflection of very personal sensitivities... They claim no affiliation with any artistic theory or influence. Each one of these artists invents their own means of expression...". They say further: "Naive Art possesses a characteristic innocence and sincerity of vision. With its bright colors, flattened perspective and sometimes unskilled brushstrokes... but hidden behind this apparent candour lie elaborate technical and optical conventions, conscious stylisation and visual harmony... The simplification found in the genre.. is more often a means of pushing to the limits the boundaries of figuration and thus creating a more powerful, very direct visual and emotional impact...".

ArtHistoryGuide.Com describes Naive Art or 'Outsider Art' as: "Representing memories, dreams, fantasies and scenes from life with an emphasis on color and shapes. 'Naive' is often associated with Folk Art."

The Gallery of International Naive Art also shares some perspectives on these modest artistic efforts in seeing that: "Whatever our association with the term 'naive art', one is struck with the near universal appeal of this exhilarating art form. Perhaps the appeal stems from the celestial, joy-inspiring palette of colors chosen by naive artists to portray their subjects. Maybe it is the genre's simplicity... Or could it be the timeless nature of the subject matter, reminding us of opportunities missed, of wondrous roads less travelled... The naive artist - often self-taught - treats us to a uniquely literal, yet extremely personal and coherent vision of what the world was, is or should be...".

A well known Brazilian naive artist, J. Ardies, sees the naive artist themself as believing: "That the magic of Art may help man to turn to the simpler things of life...".

Painting upon these small rocks is only an attempt to express ideas about the elements of nature, of adventure, and of meaning, inspiration & motivation... This painted stone endeavor is only a simple effort too that hopefully may invite ripples of reflection on giving back within our adventures... and upon passing forward about wild places.....

DSD

"A Face In The Stone....."

R & C on my Profile wrote: "On my stone I think we have found something else. It looks where there might be a face in these snowy lines of the mountain. I'm sure of it. Is this supposed to be you DSD?"...

There have been past comments as well about things perceived to be hidden upon or secreted meanings within these painted metaphors of rock... In my study of this 'Naive' art style I recall reading too how the word 'art' itself, as in 'handicraft', also at one time meant 'mystery' in this elemental trade...

'Should I let it be a mystery', I mused again after R & C left their comment...

We marvel often at the remarkable things we find and do out in wild places... We may often ponder their meanings and origins... So yes, their are many faces... and other mysteries represented in these Summit Stones...

When crafting, I often think of 'Grandfather', a Mountain Elder, who wrote: "You will feel me beside you; see my face in the stone; hear me on the wind", as I paint lines over colors over palette and attempt to even get a smile at times within these images...

These faces most often are looking up with wonder upon a shining sun, countless stars, a clear full moon, the fire of sky within alpenglow, or the rainbows that always follow each of us around out in the wild places...

I have enjoyed M. Mardon so much when he too wrote about such hidden images by S. Lyman:

"Yet another burned area presents itself further along the trail with many a scorched tree still standing, very likely to live on through many more thunderstorms. But one dead tree... seems to have stood in the ground through many revolutions of the earth... its bark peeling away exposing its wood to the elements. While the sides of the dead fir are charred, its upper surface is smooth, bleached to a uniform grey, and as inviting to an artist as a chalkboard. He takes a piece of charcoal in hand and sketches a woman's face, not in bold outline but subtly, with shadings and blurred features so that an unsuspecting hiker coming upon it later might wonder if Mother Nature hadn't drawn the image herself"...

Because I believe what surprises us... often also inspires us... we often find our expectations have been exceeded... And this is what wild lands and adventures out in them inherently do for us...

And at those times...

In that moment...

With such a smile...

The 'face in the stone'... Is you 'Finder'.....

DSD

"Alpenglow Possibility..."

When I muse over images of alpenglow I think of Tolkien who wrote: "Eastward the dawn rose, ridge behind ridge into the morning, and vanished out of eyesight... It was no more than a glimmer blending with the hem of the sky, but it spoke to them, out of memory, and old tales, of the high and distant mountains...".

I also ponder Muir's perspective when he said: "Sunbeams pouring through the passes between peaks... making their edges burn...".

This photographer- Dru, who took these images, while enjoying an adventure out in the wild places, seems to know well the art of intuitively taking pictures... It is not the easiest thing to do out there... To make the time and expend the energy, in the midst of adventure activities, to take just the right shot which holds within it meanings not only for the photographer, but when shared... for all of us as well.

Dru is also one of the earliest Finders from the beginning years in the journey of these small stones... His many wild lands images on Flickr are amazing.

Alpenglow is about mystery... and magic... About moments to be cherished and remembered... About challenges, people, and times very special...

Alpenglow to me, is very much about contentment for what adventure day has just passed... and even more so about possibility for what adventures are just about to begin.....

DSD

Dru's Flickr Link: http://flickr.com/photos/druclimb/711999451/in/set-72157600073602468/

"What Are We Really Seeking Through The Adventure Of Climbing..."

Mountains and climbing may have been my first adventure passion... In a recent lively discussion with friends we asked each other the above question; all agreeing it is a fundamental reason for musing... Some friends viewed this question as rhetorical... possibly in the way that in the question itself we may see our answer... Or that the effect wanted comes just from asking...

Another companion seems to be fond of the 'Socratic' method for inquiry... as where this adventure question is responded to as if it already were an answer; then reframe the first question in a different way, possibly to get to a higher level of meaning...

All agreed that any such adventure musing is fun and of real value to understanding ourselves as climbers... This enlightens us... promotes awareness and inspiration... and these wonderments are especially worthwhile when the inevitable adversities, slumps, and setbacks occur in our chosen adventure activity like climbing...

When reading posts on 'The Adventurist', 'The Adventure Blog', 'The MountainWorld', and 'Best Hike', among others... I often find myself also pondering the unwritten musings between the lines; maybe even behind the stories of what, who, where, and when... I guess to try and better understand the 'why' of it all... The 'why we do what we do' out in the wild places... especially when hanging precariously upon a face of rock...

As for what we seek and why we climb as a particularly potent adventure, I have often deferred to a most favorite book by S. Gardiner entitled: "Why I Climb". I have read this through and marked the pages seven times over the years. Enclosed in this tome of insights & inspirations are varied climbing experiences, powerful metaphors of altitude and mountains, and meaningful quotes I have pondered time and again...

C. Houston, in his Foreword to Gardiner's book said: "In this confusing and frenetic world we need to pause now and then for a moment to ask why are we here, where are we going, and what are we achieving. Humans do the bravest, wisest, and most foolish things, often not knowing why". He says the intention of such writing and musing is to: "At least it may prompt some people to look again at what drives them, look beyond today and tomorrow, and perhaps find in mountains more than climbing".

Gardiner himself in the Introductory Chapter writes: "I tried to explain the emotions I had felt... I don't think I succeeded, but it did cause me to think more about what motivated me to climb." "Perhaps there isn't a good answer or perhaps there are many good answers".

Gardiner refers to the purpose for this amazing book in that: "To explore why people climb... both climber and non-climber, will expect to find an answer to this age-old question... the answer may be more of a puzzle... It is certain, however, that when man mixes with mountains interesting things happen and thoughts about nature, religion, and the human mind, body, and spirit abound".

Gardiners' writing strikes the muse for our 'why climb' discussions, for us ordinary adventurers, and through his book, and with our ponderings we discover motives behind the summits we have gained, and motivation, vision, and inspiration for climbs & adventures yet to come...

The longer we choose to adventure climb, the more significance this question seems to take on. It is not that a post such as this answers or even addresses such a question; maybe it is more that the question remains unanswerable... except by each of us, in our own way, developing our own meaning, over the years...

What do you seek out there in the high places.....

DSD

"Hubris... And Humility..."

"If hubris is the yin of climbing, humility is the yang..." J. Waterman

I mentioned hubris as an adventure concept in a recent post... I have also been musing over this quote since my last post on "Summit Stone Controversy"... as it raises my awareness about being prideful about my efforts... about respect for different viewpoints... and regarding humility reflecting the comments of 'Finders' and others made to that post...

Pride does have a certain power, but loses its potency when it becomes presumption, even arrogance... An adventurer full of hubris is less aware of the cliffs between us and the horizon...

and this can be a dangerous precipice to balance upon...

Many other ordinary adventurers I've met over the years have developed a kind of modest pride over their outdoor accomplishments, and then seem to carry themselves with a different quiet dignity... They not only are aware of the cliffs, but see way past them to the horizon... I admire that... Theirs is a heightened sense of self, but self in relation to a respect for the wild places, others they travel with, and especially the inherent risks out there...

As for my own experience with hubris... there have been those days out where part of me believed I have climbed, kayaked, or trekked in perfect style... Only to then realize that where ever I was, on whatever path, there was always someone ahead of me, and someone just behind... That perspective allowed me to touch humility...

I would ask though... Was it a vice to feel such confidence? Is there not an energy within such pride? Much here to muse over...

Over the years there have been many phases of each of these - hubris & humility... as goals were met, limits pushed, trials endured, and an awareness of the dual aspects these two states may have and how they impact our adventures and thus our lives...

What has also been surprisingly useful, is an awareness of caution, even of many fears and doubts that would balance out the giddy optimism and ego that adventures may give birth to...

I sense walking along this edge between optimism and reservedness keeps us safe while allowing for exceptional fun out in wild places...

I have also benefited from the sharing of adventure guides and mentors about these two perspectives... those who have themselves achieved that balance between real confidence in dangerous surroundings... who belay themselves across the high ridges, where we may surpass our limitations while still acknowledging our humanness in making mistakes and errors of judgement...

I recognize now too the importance of appreciation and gratitude in developing humility as the natural opposite of hubris... Especially in beginning again after severe adversity; then dreaming about all the further possibilities out there... in acknowledging those who have gone before in setting our routes; while acting upon the need to pass forward to those yet to follow...

B. Blanchard, a Canadian Mountaineer of exceptional talent, said himself: "Humility is the key to being a good alpinist...".

Even though adventures are all about pushing personal limits, where confidence plays a potent role, there also seems a place for another awareness...

I believe the crux between hubris & humility may be climbed past in developing an understanding that adventures in wild places are not just about 'me'... They are inherently about all of us... and the inevitable impacts we each may have in wild lands...

Yet again... it would seem that as in all things, especially adventures, and with these small stones... the real summit to be attained is a balance within the experiences, lessons, and memories gained... most significantly between hubris & humility.....

DSD

"Summit Stone Controversy......."

Adventurers... are most certainly individuals... Everything we do and think out there has a very relative nature to it... With this in mind, I have always been aware that each person will view the journey of these Summit Stones in their own way...

After a close friend pointed out discussions on the "West Coast Paddler" and the "Paddling.Net" forums, I wanted to acknowledge the controversial comments, the empassioned debate, and the insightful musings of their members...

If only one person has now said they would not appreciate finding something like a Summit Stone... then I am sure there are others who have also had the same thoughts. This is not something I would want to be disrespectful of.....

I was introduced, decades ago, to a 100 year old Mountaineer's tradition of Summit registers, where notes and mementos are left and taken away. Canadian Climbers also have a long history of giving others small tokens to remember their adventures in altitude by. Worldly hikers, have an even older history of building cairns, placing stone and wood guides, for others to find and enjoy. More recently, Geocaching, has become an internationally accepted outdoor sport that even Public Parks are allowing now. The Geocachers I know are some of the most environmentally aware people I've met. While the Summit Stones are not meant as geocaches in any way, these adventure sports give some context here for items respectfully placed and meant to be taken away...

Yet, even understanding such history and adventures in context... there may be some who view such activities as intrusive to their own wilderness travels... Summit Stones may be seen as an uninvited presence... And to these persons I do apologize.....

Yet I sincerely hope... that the medium or the method applied here... does not cloud the messages... Simple thoughts about... giving back in its many forms... passing forward in its endless possibilities... keeping on regardless of obstacles and adversities... about inspiration, mystery, motivation, and how these metaphors within our adventures make our daily lives more rich and vibrant...

This is also one of the reasons for placing a Summit Stone within an Adventure Muse... The Muse is about pondering our motivation for being out there... because in our motives we find meaning... and it is in our nature to protect what is meaningful to each of us...

I do believe though, there is a difference between the graffiti and garbage we have all seen out there that may permanently mar wild areas, and a small stone that is very thoughtfully placed, and meant to be carried away with the 'Finders' themselves... a simple re-minder of precious moments...

There are many who enjoy adventure activities who may be very aware of the vulnerability of our wild lands and seas... and just as many who may not be... The reality of it is that powerful forces exist which are real threats to the natural world... Sometimes, actions such as mine, or even efforts of whole nature based organizations, often do not seem to be enough.....

As I wrote in my post of "Just One Thing", these small pebbles are really only symbolic of what we each could possibly do in giving back to our wild lands - be it maintenance of a trail, cleaning up a beach or campsite, supporting wilderness and animal rights groups, spending time educating youth about nature, even prompting debates and sharing of our own perspectives on conservation awareness... among so many other useful efforts...

I realize we all have a personal level of appreciating nature... and respect each of us may be passionate about conservation and 'leaving no trace'... I hope I understand the difference between true wild country... and a parking lot at a trail head; a summit register; or even an established camp on part of a trail where human trace has long been present...

I appreciate such musings on these forum venues, as that discussion itself, and the many who then read and consider their own position, all has very positive value...

The natural world needs no enhancement... but is it a negative thing to attempt to invite enhancement in human perspectives about nature.....

Nature's beauty has its own perfection... human perspectives can always be developed further.....

I believe... giving back and passing forward is about more than being neutral... Wild places will not remain that way unless we take some kind of steps... even small ones. We cannot simply stand and observe and hope the innocence of nature will be left alone... That is not how the real world works.....

While it is not my intention to be intrusive ( and it may be amusingly ironic, considering my interest in Geology, that an 'intrusion' is a body of rock forced between strata) sometimes we may have to commit to an act... then hope for understanding... let go of the outcome... and simply ask for forgiveness if others see things differently...

As for the actual placement of these small Summit Stones, over ninety-nine percent of them have only been placed with a summit register, at an established trail head or campsite, or at times upon the windshield of another adventurers vehicle... These are places where traces of our passing are already clearly there.....

Maybe we are all hopeful of reaching that same protected horizon... but are just on different paths on how to get there...

People will indeed make what they will of these small rocks; and more significantly, individuals will create their own meaning for the experience... That is the way... and the nature of things.....

DSD

Link: "Just One Thing"

http://summitstonesadventuremusings.blogspot.com/2006/12/just-one-thing.html

"Eco Blogging Awareness..."

The 15th of October has been pronounced as 'Blog Action Day'...

This gives all Bloggers a common forum for raising awareness through an Eco-Blogging post...

I strongly support this as the most important, key theme, of these small Summit Stones is about 'giving back' and 'passing forward' as this relates to our natural world and wild places...

Historically... 'Eco'... has meant 'household', 'oeco', in Latin... and 'house' or 'home', 'oikos', in Greek...

Currently... 'Eco'... is defined more about living things and their relationship to the environment... I particularly relate to the perspective of our environment as a home for us all and especially in believing that this is a 'relationship' between each of us and our natural world...

For my post, I am reflecting today on one of my favorite quotes, by Stephen Lyman, where he wrote:

"To the Four Legged Ones, who know wilderness as home and teach us how to live there; To the Winged Ones who see the larger picture from above... To the Plant People, who live the bloom of life constantly; to miraculous Water, who keeps life flowing... To the Stone People, who ground life with ancient wisdom and mountains of beauty; to the Earth, who holds and nurtures us all."

I wanted to also Link here to my past post of "Just One Thing" http://summitstonesadventuremusings.blogspot.com/2006/12/just-one-thing.html

which speaks to this day and for ongoing efforts to sustain our relationship to our wild lands...

DSD

"Hidden Northern Canyons..."

Here again... I find myself musing this season... about how you just never know what you might find out there... if you don't go.....

Our wild lands are very mush still full of hidden secrets and undiscovered places; simply waiting for us to undertake the adventure...

A recent hiking & climbing trip to our backyard of the Canadian Rocky Mountains, proved this, once more, to me...

Having visited there, over so many years, it is easy to drift into some familiarity about this terrain. It is just as easy to stand on Banff Avenue, or near Lake Louise, even in Canmore, and look out at every summit in view, with a memory of when they were last climbed, or last hiked around, and maybe even get a bit complacent about it all...

It is just as easy to assume... that few wonders are left, little remains to be discovered, especially after summitting or completing routes numerable times...

Such assumptions, or complacency's, maybe even a bit of 'hubris'....... wear away at the enthusiasm and motivation to explore just a bit further... to travel a few more unknown trails...

The prompting of a friend was the genesis for taking a step beyond what I thought I knew...

One of these little known secrets, is that even deep within our craggy, northern, Rocky Mountains... are hidden canyons that you might think belong in the southern deserts, with their narrow passageways, high cliff walls, even ancient pictographs...

I have come to love canyons as much as mountains... They often hold very unique plant and wildlife... And they have brilliant stones found deep within them, that have been polished for millenia by the water rushing through with every spring runoff...

We hiked deep into three canyons this visit; ones that cut well into the mountain ranges; with just enough climbing and creek crossings to make it feel like southern canyoneering...

I remember... endless beds of rocks; of all shapes and sizes... cliffs so high so the top could not be seen... lush green plant life fed by cold streams... water cascading from ledge to ledge... and the eyes of an animal in the late day darkness as we slowly made out way back...

Once again... we wouldn't have known... if we hadn't gone.....

DSD