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Placita Trailhead overnight
Dad and I, eager to start our backpack trip into the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, find ourselves driving along the Crystal River looking for a place to spend the night at dark. We find mostly signs that say, “No camping within 1/4-mile of the Crystal River.” One tiny, overgrown road flies by, and I turn around…
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Mount Richthofen
How shall we celebrate our Independence? We consider climbing, but decide at the last minute to attempt an ascent of Mount Richthofen. Thunderstorms are forecast, so we try to get out the door by 6:30am. The timing turns out to be perfect. Even with stops for gas and change, we reach the mosquito-plauged trailhead at…
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Camped at Ironsides
It’s threatening to break 100°F this weekend, yet I’m feeling more interested in sport climbing than high peaks. Doug and Liz want to test their backpacking gear, so I suggest we haul packs up to the Ironsides formation of the Ironclads. There we can camp and climb at a cool 8,800 feet of elevation in…
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Movie: Tsotsi (2005)
This is a pretty convincing portrayal of the contrast between the ghettos and upper class neighborhoods of Johannesburg. The story has plenty of setup for both comedy and melodrama, but wisely chooses to keep it subtle and believable on both fronts. The theme of personal growth threatening our learned methods of survival is one that…