The Spectrum

For life to be truly rich and rewarding, we have to run the full gamut of possibilities. We have to take chances. Our thoughts and feelings, our experiences, and the people we encounter will always present us with the opportunities and obstacles to learn and grow. Sometimes the lessons are immediately salient and those are always welcome. I wish that would happen more often. At other times, the lessons are hard to come by, only revealing themselves at a much, much later time. It's the hard-earned lessons that really test us and therefore have the potential to be more enriching. On a personal note, it may take me several tries to improve on my thoughts, feelings, and actions but I can assure you I will make mistakes along the way. To be honest, if I knew what to do in all situations, I wouldn't be risking anything and I wouldn't be growing. Be patient with me though. I am not lazy in my approach. I will do my best with the tools that I have at that moment in time and then I will reflect and learn and hopefully earn my rewards.

Pictures Speak Louder than Words

My pictures will never do justice to the places I go. My only real goal is to convey enough of my fascination to inspire the same.

Finding Beauty

Beautiful places exist. Sometimes you have to go find them though. Sometimes you have to let go of the things that you thought mattered to make room for the things that really do. If there is anything I have learned recently, it is to always ask yourself, "What really matters?"

The Mountains Simply Exist

"The secret of the mountains is that the mountains simply exist, as I do myself: the mountains exist simply, which I do not. The mountains have no "meaning," they are meaning; the mountains are. The sun is round. I ring with life, and the mountains ring, and when I can hear it, there is a ringing that we share. I understand all of this, not in my mind but in my heart, knowing how meaningless it is to try to capture what cannot be expressed, knowing that mere words will remain when I read it all again, another day."

- Peter Mattiessen, The Snow Leopard

I read this book several years ago but I just stumbled across this quote again. I enjoyed The Snow Leopard when I read it but this quote seems more poignant today. I will re-read books at times when I find that the meaning has become more relevant. This may be just such a case.

I am about done with writing this blog. It reminds me of the meaning I once found in the mountains when the mountains just existed and I did too, ringing together. The words are just words now. I am no longer able to venture off and create the meaning I once had and yet I look up to the mountains hoping that it will come down to me. I know better. The mountains are amazing and I must exist.

Goodreads Review 

Mileage

"It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage."

This is a classic line from one of the greatest movies ever made - Raiders of the Lost Ark.  Indiana Jones was a bit of a hero of mine growing up.  As a kid, phrases like this made a person sound tough and Indiana Jones epitomized tough.  

We all have fictional heroes such as this which is understandable given how easy it is to create the ideal person through fiction. For me, a hero is the kind of man who can always get up after one of those bone-crushing punches which, by the way, are probably the best audio clips ever put to film.  PUNCH

Heroes like Indiana Jones are fun to have, especially as a kid, but as we grow we need to have more real life heroes; people with flaws who experience consequences, people who know pain and the value of perseverance, and people who have risked more than a movie character racing into the next unimaginable cliffhanger situation without a second thought.

So where do we find these heroes? Family and friends maybe. A teacher or mentor perhaps. I wonder why is it so hard to hold up our own deeds as an example? Is it because it compromises our humility which is a trait we value in those we admire? No one wants to seem arrogant after all. But then in contrast, is it heroic to learn to accept our limitations? I was always taught to reach for my limits and surpass them if possible. 

Failure is a lot of hard work and it seems to contradict the image of the hero and thus complicate matters when celebrating real people. Real people fail. I suppose that is why we seek out heroes in fictional characters like Indiana Jones. We can dream about being that person yet we can also momentarily lose ourselves in a story as we try to escape the trials of our own endeavor. Family and friends and teachers are obviously great people to turn to but their experiences and examples are limited by the confines of their own path.

The bottom line is that there will come a time when fiction is just a distraction and family and friends don't relate. There comes a time when we have to be our own example, like it or not.

Going It Alone (Revisionist Thinking)

Sublime

There is a special excitement that comes from solo adventure; something that I have trouble explaining unless you already know what I mean. Don't get me wrong though, I do love sharing in the fun with my friends equally as much but for different reasons yet some of my most cherished moments have come when I had the courage to set out on my own. Most of my big, solo endeavors happened simply because no one could muster the time or money to join me and I figured that if I waited for the perfect circumstance, it just might never happen. So that's why I go . . . and I believe I am a better person for having trusted in myself. 

I remember one specific occasion, sitting in a dirt ditch, absorbing the sun and waiting for a bus to pick me up when one of those moments of pure self-satisfaction set in. The previous couple of days had embodied my ideal of solo travel, having not seen anyone for at least that long and subjecting myself to the tumultuous on-again, off-again Patagonian weather. I had just wrapped up backpacking the seldom travelled Mirador Zapata trail in the Torres Del Paine when a red fox decided to investigate my situation. He was wisely cautious but not very shy as is often the case with wildlife in the parks. I'm sure he expected me to throw him a morsel of food since that is the evolution of the national park sycophant (both parties being one, of course). For my part, I desired a stolen moment with nature and for the fox, he craved something sweet and so we both acquiesced. With Los Cuernos on the distant horizon and just me and the fox sitting there, I became ever more present in the salience of being alone.

Setting off on one's own excursion certainly has its rewards but likewise it has its pitfalls. Recently I realized that one of the unintended consequences is that people assume you always want to do things on your own which simply isn't true. It just works out that way. Another big drawback of "going solo" is that you sacrifice building some of those meaningful connections in life that are so necessary in finding happiness. Unfortunately, this lesson only becomes obvious when you are in need of help. When things are going well on your own it is all too easy to revel in your ability but when things aren't going so great, well, frankly the weight of the situation can be unbearable.

Does it build character to go it alone when things get rough? Who knows. I'll tell you if I figure it out.

Old post on the same topic. Going Solo

Good Riddance 2014!

What can I say? At the risk of wearing too much emotion on my sleeve, this year fucking sucked (and the next one doesn't look too promising either). Oh well, I tried hard.  I got up and dusted myself off after numerous and on-going setbacks. I am not generally one to believe in superstitious bullshit or esoteric hocus pocus, but I do believe in all kinds of luck in the universe - good luck, bad luck, and dumb luck being the most common forms. Generally in life we try to position ourselves for good luck while consciously avoiding the bad. I accept that we exert some control over our world but there are many and unpredictable variables to consider as well. Hopefully I have run the well dry of bad luck for a while. Hell, I would be pleased as punch if a little dumb luck blew my way too.  

That being said, the prayer flags didn't blow off my porch today. I suppose that, in and of itself, is good tidings. You see the idea behind prayer flags is that the wind carries blessings and good will to benefit everyone around and it was one crazy, blustery day outside. The air must be lousy with prayers and/or good luck (or whatever other nomenclature you prefer). I guess we can only strive and hope that they find us all soon in 2015.

************

Good Riddance  - A throwback to better times.  I had to post something if I was using the title.

Rounding the Corner?

Whenever you are out hiking in a new place, do you find that you have the urge to always push a little further to see what's around the next corner?  Sure, you might have a schedule to keep and maybe you only allotted yourself enough time to get back for dinner, but you just can't resist finding out what else is out there.  As someone who prides himself in being early for just about everything, I also take great pride in choosing to be late because I hiked too long and went too far.

Lately I find myself in a unique situation in terms of rounding a corner of a different sort.  In just the last two weeks I have been able to engage in more sustained activity following a five week setback in my surgery recovery which has been fraught with complications and a slower than usual healing process.  For a while I didn't really care what was around the next corner due to frustration.  It was as if I was one of those people who went hiking for all the wrong reasons.  You know the people who are all too willing to turn around practically before they start; people who don't have the passion for what they are doing; people that are never compelled to see what's next.

Wayne

Obviously there is a half-assed metaphor in there but for me it is also meant to be taken literally.  For weeks now, months even, I have been plodding along just forcing myself to get up and go.  Along the way though I learned something.  I learned the value of perseverance in the face of zero motivation.  On many occasions leading up to last weekend I didn't exactly want to get out. Nevertheless I kept going and I finally rediscovered my curiosity for what's around the corner again.  It has been a long, long time since I enjoyed a bike and climb weekend but it happened and it was fun.  It was nothing hardcore.  No gnar was shredded.  It was just good fun and all I wanted was to keep on going.

Clever urban single track

Unattended Piles of Junk

I sit in my tiny, new apartment experiencing a flood of confusing emotions.  Hanging on my walls are the disjointed decorations that I have carried with me year after year, from place to place.  All of the pictures are snapshots that I personally took while visiting exotic locations and doing amazing things, all of which are accompanied by all those silly, little knick-knacks, infused with memories, and together they tell a rich story.  When viewed as a collection they stand as an homage to my past; a past full of promise, full of adventure, and rife with accomplishment.  I sort of fucking hate it all.

I while away the time in my new home trying to figure out the right place to stash all of my stuff.  I have never been a decorator of any worth.  I have never been a nester.  This fact is obvious as I create random piles of junk which are then supplanted by different random piles of junk.  There is a pile of important papers and a pile of miscellaneous papers.  There is a pile of clothes that I wear and a pile or clothes that are just there.  There is also a huge pile of toys from various hobbies which look woefully neglected.  When I create these piles I have a vague idea of what I should do with them but I never get around to doing it. It becomes obvious that I don't believe there is a perfect place for any of this stuff and, in fact, I don't care where this shit goes.  The pictures on my walls are a testament to a life lived outside.  They stare down at me like the eyes of Dr. T. J. Eckleburg, critical of what I'm doing.  I cower below their glare, feeling trapped.  If I could crawl under my piles of junk and hide right now I would.

Deep inside I sort of feel like all of that unattended garbage.  It's all crap from the past that has little relevance or bearing on my present.  It's stuff I don't want to be bothered with.  As much as I want to embrace the meaning it all once had, I simply can't.  Recently I had surgery to fix a problem that was supposed to improve my "quality of life."  The doctor was very convincing when telling me it would benefit me and, even though the wait leading up to it had been rough, I still believed in a promising future following the procedure, one full of adventure and success as was my past experience.  Unfortunately, the attempt failed.  As I sit here under the close examination of my own personal Dr Eckleberg, sitting in my junk, I don't believe in those promises any more.  Now looming over me is the question of how I will rectify who I once was and who I thought I could still be with who I am now.  This junk needs to find a place.

Serendipity

While sitting in the mountains of Southern Idaho this weekend I read "The Kilimangaro Device" by Ray Bradbury and, even if I wasn't in Hemingway's beloved Sawtooth Mountains, it was hard to believe that Papa had not taken in this same vista nearby.  

I wonder if when he sat here, did he see what I saw.  I also wonder why he didn't see what Bradbury saw.  This was a good moment of reflection for me.  It was one of those stolen moments when you feel lucky for being in the right place at the right time.

Our perspective can play a big role in the way we actually experience things.  Within the span of a minute or two I probably took 6 pictures of the same view as above.  They all essentially shared similar elements but this one was the best.  Why?  It's hard to say exactly but I think that is what is called serendipity.

The photo to the left is another example of a perspective shift and just as serendipitous.  I think I prefer the normal orientation to this one but it becomes a whole new creation with a whole new meaning when turned on its head.  Maybe my preference for the natural view aligns me more closely with Hemingway but the Bradbury in me insisted on trying something else.

Hernia

So I considered sharing an update from my own personal experience but then I stumbled across this guys explanation which is pretty spot on.  You can imagine me saying this exact thing minus the part about having a two year old.  I am about at the same stage right now.  He has other updates later down the road which I intend to watch but he makes me laugh and that is too painful so I will wait.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vkUqxxDGjg

What Next?

What next?  I used to be pretty successful at answering that question.  I used to be equally as good at putting that answer into action.  It is actually quite easy when, if in every other aspect, things are normal.  I can attest to that from experience which makes this sound like a resounding endorsement for those pick-yourself-up-by-the-bootstrap types.  Ironically, it's the exact opposite.  People need support.  Compassion is a virtue.

It has been a pretty rough and tumble recent past for me although I keep on getting back up.  I would regret it though if I didn't acknowledge a few people like my mom and some good friends like Wayne.  If not for them, I wouldn't have the chance to get back up quite so easily.  Thank yous are in order for sure.

Several months ago it became very apparent that I needed a hernia repaired.  Simple enough since, even though it is major surgery, it is probably the most commonly performed surgery out there.  1 in 4 men will get a hernia.  Most of them at some time will require an operation.  Some don't.  Unfortunately for me, I did and mine came at a time when I was transitioning between jobs.  I also had no insurance so it had to wait.  And I waited, painful as it often was.  Waited through one job rejection after another which in turn meant one insurance rejection after another since the two were inextricably combined.  Yeah I know, I can hear those that don't agree with my leftist leanings telling me that I am a lazy freeloader.  The problem is, I worked during that time.  I mostly worked full-time even; sometimes two jobs.  What it also meant for me was that those jobs didn't offer insurance being with small companies or in a temporary position.  But the ironies don't end there.  I ended up getting a good job with insurance but it was caught in a holding pattern while I waited to qualify.  Unfortunately, the hernia did not recognize the wait.  It kept worsening.  So then what?

Thankfully for me there emerged another option.  Some of you deride it as Obamacare but I welcome it by that name.  I followed the process and I got insured.  It was, in fact, as easy as sitting through one of those job sponsored open enrollment classes.  It was boring as shit, sometimes confusing (although really no worse than the usual insurance crap), but doable and now I am scheduled to get the help I need in a very short time.  

So does the system work flawlessly?  I can comfortably say hell no.  I am sure when all the stupid, post-treatment, this-is-not-a-bill paperwork starts rolling in and the clerical errors send me to collections (which happened before Obamacare) I will be just as furious as I was five or ten years ago.  But that only attests to the fact that we need to work even harder to simplify the process even further and make the coverage still more ubiquitous.  It attests to the need for a single payer system.  But there is also something new.   It now keeps a person who is capable and educated and willing to work from being needlessly marginalized because they can't get necessary medical help when changes in life happen.

I really hope my hernia surgery goes well - I mean really.  I want to be working again with the same vigor and confidence that I had before.  More so, I want to resume doing all the things I have come to identify so passionately with like biking and climbing.  But I also want people to know that I have gone through the process and that it has worked up to this point.  If you want to argue with me about the pros and cons of health care please do.  I think open dialogue is necessary to fix the problems, both old and new.  But if you really enter the conversation, please do so with solid facts, not rhetoric, because I am bringing hard-earned, first person experience to my defense, not a bunch of blowhard talk show bullshit, big on ideology and short on reality.



    

In Awe of Fitzroy

From my visit in 2004

Fitzroy Traverse

Rock and Ice Magazine story 

For days I observed the Fitzroy skyline with complete reverence.  It is perhaps the most magnificent setting I have witnessed.  As a mediocre climber and as someone who has followed the history of the region, I am in total awe of the latest climb by Caldwell and Honnold.

Tick Lists

The Uintas, Sunrise

Another year has slipped into the night and the future is all horizon.  Of course I have big expectations for the things to come, but my tick list has grown inconceivably long.  It is now an unwieldy beast that will likely lead to disappointment due to the sheer magnitude of it, and it continues to grow.  As a point of interest, I use the phrase "tick list" from  my climbing days instead of "bucket list" because it connotes something completely different.  A bucket list sounds desperate to me, like I let life pass me by.  At first I thought it was merely a semantic distinction but, upon closer look, I realize there is a significant difference.  A "tick list" originates from the imagination and a world of possibilities.  It grows with you and is very forward looking.  In contrast, a "bucket list" is full of  should've-dones and the envy of others.  Mark Twain got it right when he said, "you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the things you did."  Sure you can start at the end and work backwards...but why?  Why chisel away at a looming list of regrets when you can continually add to a growing one of proud pursuits?

So here I am, literally in the middle of it.  There is as much life behind me as there is in front of me.  I believe that I have made good on Mr. Twain's words, at least with the first half of my life. It explains why the list continues to grow - after all adventure begets more adventure.  The problem for me now is: how do I continue to meet the mounting expectations of the future?  The past was reckless to put it nicely.  Now new problems emerge.  My body doesn't work quite like it used to.  Time and money and a host of other trifling annoyances are more present than ever.  Do I need a better perspective?  Preparation perhaps?  Luck?  Who knows.  

Hopefully the new year bodes well for everyone with whatever it is you choose to do.  

Where To Be

If I could transport myself anywhere right now, this is where I would be.

El Living - Puerto Natales, Chile

Between backpack trips I would sink deep, deep, deeply into a chair with a good book.  The coffee in the morning was invigorating and the wine and beer flowed well into the night with company from all corners of the world.

I became addicted to this album here.

Morcheeba, Big Calm

Let Them Eat Rat.

What Happened On Easter Island - A New (Even Scarier) Scenario

With winter now here, this article got me thinking.  In the past 5 or so years I have made a conscious effort to bike commute more but, with a solid effort last winter, I ended up with some funky sinus issues.  Although I have no scientific evidence to back up my theory, I strongly believe that poor air quality factored in heavily to the problems I had.  Therefore, in response this year, I have decided to back off the winter bike commuting a little during the bad air months.  It makes me wonder though if I am just eating my rat now without considering the consequences.  Have I accepted that crappy air is the new norm?

Public Land

"America's best idea" is the phrase used by Ken Burns to describe our national parks in his amazing 2009 documentary series and I happen to agree with his choice of words.  Whenever I approach the gates of one of these national treasures, I am filled with anticipation, like a child on Christmas morning.  Even when enduring some of the less than pleasant aspects, like waiting in line, the experiences are often brimming with monumental potential.  In the dozens and dozens and dozens of visits I have made to various parks, I can't recall an occasion when they failed to deliver on my expectations, granted I have embraced them with open arms and I have been fortunate to take advantage of the full spectrum of opportunities within.

The controversy over how the parks came to be (as well as how they persist through time) has been a hard fought part of history, as Mr. Burns carefully points out in the series.  Without much surprise, when it comes to property ownership, there is an intense and ever-present debate about the value and subsequent use of the areas in question, even when considering such obvious examples as the Tetons or the Grand Canyon.  To me, the national parks are a no-brainer - do what is necessary to keep them open to everyone and make every attempt to err on the side of preservation.  As a side note, I also fully understand that the national parks aren't the epitome of pristine places for that is the designation of wilderness and yet another discussion.

This then brings me to a recent local story where there has been a controversy of a different sort brewing. It involves a place where the public has access to some private land which is heavily used for recreation.  I have lived in this area for the greater part of my life and, although the property in question is private, access has been unimpeded, even welcome, for the 30+ years that I have enjoyed it.  The hike to Malan's Waterfall has been a long-standing tradition in the area and I believe it serves as a rite of passage for residents and visitors alike.  And for me personally, the experience retains the same anticipation and sense of awe that I get when visiting the national parks, therefore I have done my best to honor the property owners wishes in an effort to maintain access to his land (even if I don't agree with him in principle).  But public discourse on this matter has been very divided recently (for reasons I won't delve into here) and one side is promoting a carte blanche style of private property ownership that essentially states that the land is his and he can do whatever he wants with it, including shutting everyone out.   That is all well and good since it is his.  I don't pretend to think I have much of a right to say anything in matters of his private business, but this situation does beg another question as it pertains to the original conversation at hand.

Where is it then that these two stories cross paths?  As the debate over the local private property unfolds, opinions are expressed, emotions often flare, and I can't help but see similarities with the arguments presented by Ken Burns from when our national parks formed.  Sure, on the surface it is an apples to oranges comparison, private vs public, but if you watch the series closely, that is exactly where many of our parks started.  Also, the logic used to inform the various positions is mostly the same.  And then currently there is a big push, especially in Utah, to turn federal public property over to the state which unapologetically favors private development.  Ironically, many Utahns see little value in federally held land until it is shut down (largely by one of their own) and then the full scope of the revenue stream is realized, or better said . . . lost.  In the end, I can't support turning over such areas to private entities or to a state that favors private interests for one major reason: places like the national parks are of paramount importance to the national psyche and simply put, I don't want to lose access to them as well as losing my say, however big or small, in the administration of these places that I hold most dear.   As I sit back and watch Ogden's "Community Park" turn into something not exactly welcome to the public, I struggle to bite my tongue but know that I don't have much recourse.

When property becomes private it is fundamentally changed.  The pressure to capitalize on land or alter previous conditions to suit a very select group of people or investors is all too powerful and maybe even inevitable.  In a perfect world I would like to believe that private interests often mirror that of the public but that is simply not true, especially when the bottom line really is always the bottom line.  Some ideas run deeper than the pocket book and deserve better consideration.  I will accept, at least temporarily, some of the inadequacies of an agency like the National Park Service, such as their budget shortcomings or overcrowding, as long as there is a commitment to ensure that average people like me maintain access (and a voice) to these amazing natural wonders.  I would also hope that with continued diligence efforts can be made to minimize some of the problems mentioned above to further improve on the vision set forth by the architects of "The National Parks: America's Best Idea."  

Are the systems in place perfect?  Hell no!  But don't throw the baby out with the bathwater because it is a difficult problem to solve.  You will be left with no baby at all, which is a big possibility as witnessed here, at home, where one of our greatest natural community resources rests in the hands and at the whims of a private individual.  I may not be able to do much about that particular situation, but I can surely take to heart the lessons learned and avoid making similar mistakes in the future.


Link to The National Parks: America's Best Idea

Links to the the Waterfall Canyon story

Rumor of sniper-fire training - Standard.net

OgdenFoothillPrivateLand FB page

Trail acces story - Standard.net

"Trail maintenance"

10 Places

I'm not sure how to go about compiling this list.  What is my criteria?  I don't know.  My methods for doing this are as haphazard as just about anything I do.  This list is by no means exhaustive nor rank ordered.  Tomorrow it could be a different list, although not entirely (some of these are just indisputable).  But as far as today is concerned, this is it.  This is a list of 10 places you must go...or maybe it's only a list of 10 places that I have been but are unforgettable.

Zion National Park

The first time I felt complete awe looking up - and all around as well

Grand Teton - the summit

The feeling of complete awe looking down

Bonneville Shoreline Trail with Malan's Peak

The daily - right out the back door.  Countless hikes, bikes, climbs, jogs and dog walks.

Brit is on the eternal dog walk up there.

The Entire Southwest Desert Landscape

I tried to pick one part but I couldn't.  All are unique brushstrokes to a more compelling painting 

Wheeler Creek to Snowbasin - biking

Way back when, this was my inspiration.  And then there's the moose and the autumn leaves too
The Cirque of the Towers

Probably heaven

Patagonia, Sudamerica

The epitome of everything

Tidal Pools - anywhere in the ocean

Felt like a kid again

The Redwoods

Mystified in the mist

Little Cottonwood Canyon - climbing

The full spectrum of emotions from total success to utter defeat and everything in between

BST

The Time in Between

I often lock myself out of my apartment.  It usually happens when things get too chaotic or when I am experiencing excessive stress.  I almost did that very thing the morning I took this photo.  Just before locking myself out I realized I didn't have my keys.  I ran back in and grabbed them and returned to look up the steps and see this.  

Home Court Advantage

Upper portion of Kamps ridge.

I never thought it would happen in my own backyard.  Everything just seems more casual in a familiar environment.  Perhaps that is why it happened.  Perhaps that is why I experienced my first ever unplanned bivy on, what should have been, a mellow, enjoyable day out climbing.

All things being considered it was a great day.  It was a beautiful setting with fun movement on clean rock, great weather, and a "casual" route.  There were hiccups, of course, but nothing too crazy.  We probably started later than we should have.  My partner and I had never climbed together before.  Route finding was tricky in a couple of sections.  We moved slower than I would have liked since I hadn't been climbing much and I was a bit rusty.  I also hadn't prepared for a late finish, i.e. I didn't bring my headlamp.  These and other factors contributed to our troubles.

If you do the math it all adds up.  We made the summit but there was only about 20 to 30 minutes of sunlight left.  A sense of haste took over as we scrambled to the rappels.  It was quite important to me that we find the anchors with some daylight left given the fact that I had no headlamp (although my partner wisely brought his).  But we didn't find the raps.  Cairns can be great navigating tools when they mark what it is you are looking for.  In the diminishing light we stumbled upon a pile of rocks that seemed right for our descent so it appeared like we would make it to the car after all.  I felt confident having been down those rappels a few times in the past.  Only after wasting a significant amount of time and all of our natural light did I discover that we had started down the wrong chute, one that would surely spit us out onto a steep-enough field of consolidated snow with no axes and crampons . . . in the dark.  We had to return to the ridge.

On the ridge again we continued our fruitless effort to find the rappels.  It became obvious that a decision was warranted which was hard to make, feeling more than defeated by the prospect of being benighted in such a familiar place.  I had been there before.   I had the home court advantage.  On that day I expected more for less for some silly reason.  Much to my chagrin I suggested to my partner that we sleep it off on the mountain.

The weather was good, I had an emergency blanket, and it wasn't a bad night even if it wasn't that restful.  In the morning it still took longer than expected to find the rappels, having more luck finding rattlesnakes.  To boot, below the rappels there was still a difficult field of snow to maneuver through that would have proven nasty in the dark of the previous night.  

I think we made the right decision to bivy.  We got home, thirsty and hungry, and I was late for work but I really can't wait to climb Kamps Ridge again, this time with far fewer complications.