Category: Cultural critique
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The Six Seasons of Desert Solitaire
After reading all his major works, I concluded about a decade ago that Desert Solitaire was Edward Abbey’s best, most interesting book. I’ve had my copy since high school, and carried it back to our cabin last week and read it cover to cover once again, in only three or four sittings. Less than 24…
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The Smaller Things
M skiing into the Wapiti Cabin, Gallatin National Forest. When discussing outdoor adventure, I do not think I am the only person who is quite likely to irritate, condescend to, and erratically yet predictably annoy my significant other. There is an archetype, advanced by powerful forces, that the ideal romantic partnership involves and perhaps revolves…
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Best of 2011, part 3
It belongs to the imperfection of everything human that man can only attain his desire by passing through its opposite. -Soren Kierkegaard, Journals (1841) When I think back, about the “best” trip of 2011, two stand out among the many candidates. And when I think back to the times in the past 12 months when…
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Best of 2011, part 2
2011 has been an extraordinary year. If the mission of this blog is to explore the cultural consequences of personal development as driven by outdoor adventure, this should have been a good year for blogging, which it was. This time last year I wrote that day trips were bullshit, and that the packraft made further…
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The next five years
Avalanche Lake, this evening. Five years ago today I clicked a few buttons, typed a few words, and this blog came into existence. Riding the wave of the endurance mountain biking e-revolution, it took me quite a few years until I figured out what I wanted to do with it. Until last year, in fact,…
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Best of 2011, part 1
If I was like that I’d make a logo and shit, but I’m not. Part 1 is a review of our corner of the internet, part 2 will be gear, part 3 my year in review. Operating standards are mine: originality and integrity of purpose garner high marks. As this is the public domain of…
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More Problems of Authenticity
I have a problem with the way outdoor photography is used to sell stuff. It is an inevitably aspirational medium, and insofar as this is the case all too often falls short. I’ll use a few photos from the latest Patagonia catalogue to illustrate this, both because Patagonia has consistently had the most actively artistic…
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Thus do I refute Keith Hammer
We in America have a problem. Idiosyncracies of our wilderness preservation laws and their implementation and advocacy have (largely) bifurcated those dedicated to the outdoors as a worthy part of American culture. I’ve yet to find a more stark articulation of this than the Swan View Coalition’s Code of Responsible Recreation (link withheld to protect…
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The holiday season
On most workdays I indulge prodigiously in caffeine enhancement, but try to avoid (for financial reasons) the extra psychological lift/indulgence which comes from an espresso beverage. Both today and yesterday I found that particular performance enabler necessary, and noticed when buying an Americano from Tymber (seriously) that City Brew opens at 3am on Friday. For shopping. Just one…
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Not winter, yet
When does winter begin? With the first significant snowfall down here in the valley? Perhaps the first night below zero (F)? The first time you have to put on snowshoes right from the car? Some folks, ill acquainted with the lands beyond conventional human habitation (mid-latitude and low elevation) and hewing to a strictly temperature-based…
Bedrock & Paradox 
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