Posts Tagged ‘Mountaineering’
06/04/2012
Mountaineer and Filmmaker Dave Breashers presents Rivers of Ice, Vanishing Glaciers of the Greater Himalaya
Before and After Shots..Not Good.
The Greater Himalaya has the largest concentration of glaciers outside the polar ice sheets, providing vital fresh water for almost every major system of Asia. Over the past five years, Breashears and the team of his nonprofit organization, GlacierWorks, has conducted ten photographic expeditions to the region, to study and document the effects of climate change on this delicate landscape.
Dave Breashears
Breashears presents at the Boston Museum of Science on April 12, but alas, tickets are sold out. Nevertheless we thought it was worth the post here. You might try to try the climber’s move and squeeze in somewhere.
Retracing the steps of pioneering alpine photographers and explorers George Mallory, Vittorio Sella and others, Breashears and the team have captured high-definition photographs that match those of the earliest expeditions. By comparing this contemporary imagery with the historic photographs, Breashears and his team are discovering staggering changes to the region—changes with potentially devastating consequences.
There is debate in the scientific community about the rate and extent to which Himalayan glaciers are shrinking. Nevertheless, scientists agree that there is a trend of melting beyond what is expected to occur naturally. Although future impacts of glacial melt cannot be known, any disruption to the water supply will inevitably present challenges to the millions of people living downstream.
Breashears plans on sharing his work in a blend of first-person story telling and imagery.
More info: Mount Washington Observatory
Thursday, April 12, from 6:30 to 9:30 pm
Museum of Science, Boston
Tags:Asia, before & after, before and after, Climate Change, Dave Breashears, expedition, Glaciaology, Greater Himalaya, melting glaciers, Mount Washington Observatory, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, photographs, Rivers of Ice
Posted in Asia/Himalaya, Climate Change, Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Environment, Glaciology, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
03/04/2012
A walk in the woods at Wonderwell Refuge
By R. Richards,
Lama* Willa Miller, head of a Tibetan sect of Buddhism, based in Cambridge Mass, continues the interview on the new Wonderwell Refuge, the importance of being in nature, as well as her own early influences and experiences being in the wilderness with her father in Idaho. We also talked about Richard Louv’s concept of Nature Deficit Disorder, a term the author coined in his book, The Last Child in the Woods.
The early teachings of Buddhism emphasized the refuge of wilderness, the mountain top, the cave. Lama Miller sees this as a return to the traditional ways of Buddhism by encouraging her visitors to the refuge, to get out on mindfulness walks in nature. See Part I here.
*(Lama: A title given in Tibetan Buddhism to a venerated spiritual master, a monk/priest of high rank)
Mountain Spirit Institute is planning a collaborative effort with The Wonderwell Refuge to offer a Mindfulness in the Mountains retreat in the fall of 2012.
The meditation hall at Wonderwell Refuge, Springfield, New Hampshire
Tags:connection, Dartmouth Lake Sunapee region, Hiking, Ken Wylie, Lama Willa Miller, Meditation, Mindfulness, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, Natural Dharma Fellowship, New Hampsire, Rock Climbing, Springfield, Sunapee, Tibetan Buddhism, Walking, Wilderness, Wonderwell
Posted in 1- Video Posts, Asia/Himalaya, Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Experiential Education, Health, Holistic Living, Inner Work, MSI News, Power of Place, Spiritual | 2 Comments »
01/04/2012
Lama Willa Miller, the spiritual leader of a Natural Dharma Fellowship branch in Massachusetts, talks about a new refuge center, and the importance of mindfulness in the mountains. Part 1
Lama Willa Miller
By R. Richards
Mountain Spirit Institute
The Dartmouth Lake Sunapee region of New Hampshire, USA has the good fortune of seeing a new Tibetan Buddhist Refuge open in the tiny town of Springfield. After a recent open house, we learned about what Lama Willa Miller, the leader of the Cambridge Mass based branch of The Natural Dharma Fellowship, has in mind for the new retreat center called Wonderwell, as well as the link between Buddhism and the mountains. Learn more, check out this first in series of interviews we conducted on location. See Part II
Tags:connection, Dartmouth Lake Sunapee region, Hiking, Ken Wylie, Lama Willa Miller, Meditation, Mindfulness, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, Natural Dharma Fellowship, New Hampsire, Rock Climbing, Springfield, Sunapee, Tibetan Buddhism, Walking, Wilderness, Wonderwell
Posted in 1- Video Posts, Asia/Himalaya, Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Experiential Education, Health, Holistic Living, Inner Work, Inspirational People, Leadership, Power of Place, Spiritual | 4 Comments »
15/08/2011
By Kurt Hicks
A backcountry mountaineering pack
Backcountry mountaineering, you say? How is that different from traditional mountaineering? Well, it’s in the approach distance. Most mountaineering trips in the Cascades require a few hours of hiking to get from the car to a high camp, usually on well-maintained trails and easy sub-alpine terrain. This isn’t the case for my upcoming objective; I’m headed into the most remote volcano in the Cascades this week–Glacier Peak–and have a 20 mile one-way distance car-to-summit to contend with.
So how does my strategy change for backcountry mountaineering? Initially, I wasn’t thinking that there would be much of a difference, but there must be given the amount of time I’ve spent with my gear today. My main concern, as usual, is weight. Read the rest of Kurt’s post…
Editor’s Note: The American Mountain Guides Association recommended Kurt’s blog last month, and I’ve ended up subscribing to it for good reason- Tons of good info and perspective, and well written stuff by a nice guy. If you get a moment, check out his blog. You’ll see a few more lead-ins to his posts on our blog because we like what he’s up to!
Tags:backcountry, Climbing, How to pack, Kurt Hicks, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, packing, ultralight travel
Posted in Climb/Ski/Mntneering | Leave a Comment »
19/07/2010
Book Retroactively Inspires our Organization’s Name
Book inspires my mission
While house-sitting here in Durango, at fellow Mountain Spirit board member Bob Stremba’s house, I ran across a book on his shelf entitled “The Mountain Spirit”. Naturally I was intrigued. It looked like an old publication, and indeed, it was published by Overlook Press in 1979.
It’s an anthology with authors Georger Steiner, Galan Rowell, Dogen, David Roberts, Evelio Echevarria and Jeff Long and more. Some of the chapter titles are: A History of Imagination in Wilderness, The Isolated Mountain, Alaska and Personal Style, Cairns, Modesty and the Conquest of Mountains, Bouldering: A Mystical Art Form, and Mountains in Early Taoism.
From the book’s back cover:
” The past few years have seen an extraordinary growth of interest in mountaineering all over the world, especially in North America. Until now, there has been a marked tendency among writers to concentrate on only the sporting aspects of mountain climbing.
The Mountain Spirit is the first work to explore the spiritual realm of mountains and mountain climbing in a philosophical, poetic, and even religious context. Bringing to the reader the excitement of heights and distant perspectives i, this book presents original material from an eclectic writing community and a unique approach to the aesthetics of the mountain experience”.
Reading through the pages, I was to see the book giving more expression to what I already felt but up till now, hadn’t expressed in the mountaineering aspects of this book. I’ll be ordering my copy today, and will see what I can do to get extra copies to fellow board members.
Our organization was founded on the idea of helping people to connect to themselves, each other and the environment. Mountaineering, and being in the power of mountains, is a natural ingredient in spiritual growth. We hope you’ll check out this book, and come with us on an adventure of the spirit in the mountains.
D.R. Richards, Founder
Mountain Spirit Institute
Tags:Charles Tobias, Galen Rowell, Mountaineering, Overlook Press Harold Drasdo, Spirituality in the mountains, The Mountain Spirit
Posted in Books, Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Spiritual | Leave a Comment »
28/09/2009
Restaurant Salud y Vida Continues to Grow After Over 13 Years in Business – The Owner’s Dream of Cultural Food Institute Becomes a Reality.
By Randall Richards
Hauraz, Peru
D. & G. Sanchez, Restaurant Salud Y Vida
David and Gracelia Sanchez started with a small vegetarian restaurant and a dream in Hauraz, Peru. Hauraz is the climbing capital of Peru, and basecamp for climbers headed to Mt. Huascaran (the highest peak in Peru) or the Cordillera Huaywash (Scene of Joe Simpon’s Touching the Void). Head cook Gracelia, learned about vegetarian cooking while attending an institute in Lima, Peru, and graduated with a diploma in whole cooking arts from the school. Since then, she and her husband have never looked back. Salud y Vida means “Health and Life”. T
Their small restaurant, originally located on a side street in Hauraz, has been through a number of transformations and four or five location changes, only to come full circle back to its original location on Avenue Leonisa Lescano 632. Their new/old location is bigger than it was 12 years ago. They’ve added a second floor, a full professional kitchen and more seating. The second floor also doubles as a meeting and lecture space for David and Gracelia to deliver programs.
Their Cultural Food Institute is a lifelong dream which continues to morph. They cover topics from healthy eating and digestion to larger issues such as factory farming and its byproducts. They teach to the locals as well as visitors from Lima and other countries. David’s other job is a school teacher, and he loves to teach. His warm subtle teaching style is laced with subtle humor and a quick wit. MSI’s blog will go into more details on Sanchez’s Institute in another entry. Stay tuned.
Joseph, Lisbeth, Kennedy, Kiara & David Sanchez
I first met the two with their *small family of six, (including my future God child, Joseph who’s now 11 years old), when they nursed me back to health after a serious bout of traveler’s bug. I ended up spending almost a month at their restaurant. We became good friends. I and a traveling buddy were asked to be Godparents of their son, Joseph, which we gladly accepted. *The family now proudly numbers eight wonderful children, who all blend well together, the older girls helping with cooking and chores and some basic childcare.
Back then we talked about their opening an Institute to educate the public about good eating habits. Now it’s a reality. Besides getting an education at Salud y Vida, Gracelia’s vegetarian fare can’t be beat. Don’t be fooled by the humble decor when you visit their restaurant – Gracelia is a master cook. Her vegetarian tortilla de vedura (vegetable pancake) has been my favorite for over twelve years. Also try her homemade granola with yoghurt and fruit. I’m admittedly a little biased – they’re great friends, but if you’re headed to Huaraz, make sure you stop in and have some great food…..and say hi to my God child for me.
For more information on Restaurant Salud y Vida, or the Cultural Food Institute contact the author and the contact link at the right of this column.
Their address is: Jiron leonisa y lescano #632 just SE of “Plaza PIP”
In the aerial image below, their location is indicated by the circle. Note Plaza de Armas on the lower right, and the main street indicated by the yellow line running N/S
Tags:Cordillera Blanca, Cordillera Huaywash, David Sanchez, Dexter Randall Richards, Gracelia Sanchez, Highest Peak in Peru, Huaraz, Huascaran, Institute Cultura Alementaria, International Menus, Joe Simpson, Joseph Sanchez, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, Peru, Peruvian Food, Restaurant Salud y Vida, Touching the Void, Vegetarian Cooking, Vegetarian Restarants Peru
Posted in Experiential Education, Health, Holistic Living, Inspirational People, Peru, South America, Sustainable Living/Communities, Traveling | 2 Comments »
05/07/2009
Reconnecting with a Mentor
By R. Richards, MSI Founder
Screen Shot of "American Bedouin"
According to an excellent 2007 Aljazeera Feature video, Erga Rehns has been living the life of a Bedouin in the desert with the Bedouin tribes of Wadi Rum for seven years. I’m not sure if she still does though. I’ll have to do more research in order to contact her again. The last, (and first) time I saw her in person was in 1981, when we first met at her little art studio and home in Obidos, Portugal.
Some people are lucky enough to be a primed for a turning point in their young lives, and come across just the right person at the right time that poses questions, and challenges one’s view of the world – who plants the seed for a paradigm shift. Most people aren’t’ aware they’re ready for that change, until years later, when they realize the shift was primed by those mentors. (more…)
Tags:Aljazeera, Alta Utah, American Bedouin, Chiusa Italy, Dexter Randall Richards, ecospiritual psychology, Erga Rehns, Ex Patriots, Experiential Education, Holistic Living, Jeanne Pickett, Klausen, Living abroad, Luciano Cappella, Martin Strolz, Materialism, Mentors, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, mtnspirit.org, New Hampshire, New Zealand, Obidos Portugal, Peru, Simplicity, Spiritual, Strolz GmBH, Strolz Ski Boots, Sud Tirol, Sunapee, Sustainability, Travel, Utah
Posted in Conservation, Environment, Film/DVD, Holistic Living, Inner Work, Inspirational People, Leadership, Power of Place, Spiritual, Sustainable Living/Communities, Traveling | 10 Comments »
27/06/2009
Decisions, Decisions – Motorhomes or Going Light
" Capt'n Fast und Light"
Huge motorhomes rumbling down the Motorways and Interstates are proof that humans have entirely too many non-renewable resources at their disposal. What it takes to move these beasts of burden one kilometer in energy could light the two lightbulbs in my yurt for a week. OK, I actually owned a motorhome when living in Sedona Arizona, as an alternative to apartment living. We’d drive out into the desert at night and base there, while I led trips for Sedona Adventures. And yes, we drove it to Washington state, fully loaded for the Outward Bound summer season. If a motorhome is one’s main residence, it may be “going lighter” on the planet, (I think) – Maybe lighter than owning a MacMansion. If, however, it’s one’s vacation mode of travel, please read on. (more…)
Tags:12 volt showers, Captain Vancouver, Conservation, desert living, Dexter Randall Richards, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, fuel ecomony, going light, Holistic Living, hot showers, Motorhomes, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, mtnspirit.org, Natural resources, New Hampshire, New Zealand, Outward Bound, Peru, pulling boats, Spiritual, Sunapee, Sustainability, Utah, vans
Posted in Conservation, Environment, Sustainable Living/Communities, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
16/06/2009
Bob Stremba
M.S.I. VP/Board member and fellow spirit adventurer Bob Stremba, EdD, is heading for Oregon and Washington State tomorrow to take a bit of time off between semesters running the Adventure Education Department at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. He’s also headed north to climb on Mt. Hood’s southern route again. He’ll be climbing the route with fellow board members of the Association of Experiential Education. Over the years, Bob has also summited Mt. Rainer twice, as well as Mt. Baker and Mt. Adams.
After his trip to the Northwest, Bob will be flying to Russia where he’ll be going into classrooms, facilitating group team building initiatives for Russian students. When I asked how his conversational Russian was coming along, he said he’ll have a translator. However he is working on the written language a bit, I assume so he can write a bit on blackboards and flip-charts. Stremba applied for, and was selected to be the lead (and solo) facilitator for this program. At program’s end, Bob will finish in western Russian – which is only a two hour train ride to Finland, so he figured he might as well leave Russia from the western border. If we’re lucky, we’ll get some updates on this blog during his travels. We wish him the best on his program and further travels to Finland after program’s end.
Tags:Association of Experiiential Education, Bob Stremba, Dexter Randall Richards, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, Finland, Holistic Living, Mountain Spirit, Mountaineering, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, Mt. Rainier, mtnspirit.org, New Hampshire, New Zealand, Peru, Russia, Spiritual, Sunapee, Sustainability, Utah
Posted in Experiential Education, Focus on MSI People, Leadership, Mountain People, MSI News, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
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