Season of the Climber

Climbers in the Salt Lake area of Utah have a good 6 months when it is dry enough to climb outdoors.  The rest of the year of course one can go south, but places like The Front, Rockcreation, and even Momentum climbing gyms stay pretty busy with those of us jonesing to put a chalk covered hand on the wall.

Mother Nature has teased us lately with a few warm, sunny days.  I was hoping the rock would dry out when boom! another snow storm.  So until the dryness comes, we enjoy climbing gyms and videos.  I came across the one below a few days ago.  It's a fun one.  Enjoy.

Passions in Life

Eight days ago good friends witnessed their close friend taken by Mother Nature: an avalanche.  They had been skiing in Utah's backcountry.  Over the past week, I have talked with my friends numerous times to see how they're doing.  Each of them, in one way or another, have expressed their gratitude to be alive and with their families.  I cannot even try to imagine how hard this has been for them and their families and my heart continues to go out to them.

Two weeks prior to this I had gone with these friends for the first time.  Not just my first time with them, but my first time backcountry skiing (actually, I snowboard).  I spend a lot of time outdoors during the summer, but had only been skiing on a resort until that weekend.  Backcountry skiing was very difficult and I felt like I wasn't going to be able to keep up with my friends that find much passion in the activity and get out once a week.  Nevertheless, I enjoyed it and after a long weekend and some thought, I was leaning toward purchasing all of the necessary equipment to start going winter 2012.

Since the accident, my friends and family have asked me if my friends that went through this heart-wrenching experience would continue to backcountry ski. Those that know that I went and was thinking about pursuing it, asked me if I would still do so.  I was unsure of the answer to these questions.  Then on Friday, the father of the man that passed mentioned in the funeral service how important it was to find a passion in life and go after it.  I personally have several passions in life and feel that I would not miss out if I didn't pick up backcountry skiing.  However, I know that my friends are more passionate about it than any other activity.  I'm not sure what thoughts will cross their minds next winter as they pick up their skis to head out to the backcountry of Utah.

It could be argued that every time we get in our car and drive down the interstate, we are putting out life in harm's way;  each time we get on a roller coaster there is always that possibility that our car comes off the track.  We all do something that could ultimately end in a bad way.  Is that any reason to not do it?