I feel most at home in the mountains, sleeping in the dirt and exploring all day. I used to pride myself by sleeping in a sleeping bag more days of the year than in a bed or a house. There is something to be said for the simplicity of carrying everything you need in a single pack on your back, distilling the needs and wants of life into what really matters; great experiences with your closest friends and family.

Although I make a living as a professional climber and could easily name accomplishments as some of my most memorable outdoor experiences, hiking in Patagonia with my dad for ten days really left an indelible impression with me. For just over a week we camped, hiked, explored, and enjoyed the Argentinean mountains. Usually goal oriented, I enjoyed this time with the man who first opened my eyes to the mountains twenty years earlier. We stopped and smelled the flowers, watched the colorful birds, and sat in the sun by crystal clear mountain lakes.

Being able to share what I do on a day to day basis with someone is the biggest treat of all for me. I feel truly blessed to be able to live, work and play in the outdoors and when I get to do that with the people that I love, I am the happiest.