Review of Return to Mount Kennedy

Return to Mount Kennedy is not about Mountaineering. Yes, there are stills and video from the historic 1965 First Ascent by Bobby Kennedy and Jim Whitaker as well as the 50^th Anniversary attempt by Whitaker’s two sons Leif and Bobby and Kennedy’s son Christopher. There are snow fields, crevasses, snowshoes, crampons, ice axes and various shots of Mount Kennedy, but this film is not a mountaineering film. Rather, it is about how a mountain in the Canadian St. Elias Range served to introduce and eventually bond two generations of families, the families of Bobby Kennedy and Jim Whitaker.

I remember reading about the first ascent of Mount Kennedy in my Dad’s old July, 1965 National Geographic when I was still a teenager. I read Jim Whitaker’s memoir A Life on the Edge when it was first published. I recently reread those three National Geographic articles as well as an article in the April 9, 1965 issue Life as I awaited the delivery of Return to Mount Kennedy.

Watching Return to Mount Kennedy  rekindled memories and feelings associated with the assassination of JFK in 1963 and RFK in 1968. It reminded me of some of what I had read in Whitaker’s memoir but had forgotten about. It served as a testament to how mountains and mountaineering can forge lifelong friendships that transcend generations. It served to reignite my own desire to venture forth into the mountains. It made me proud to be a member of REI since 1974.

I loaned an old copy of National Geographic and my Return to Mount Kennedy DVD to a co-worker with some Mountaineering experience. After watching the video, she agreed that this was not the film she was expecting to see, but she still liked it. A little younger than I, she was also glad she read the three articles in National Geographic before watching the film as it gave her some historical background to the film.

Summit to Shore Turns Four

There seems to be some debate about the average lifespan of a blog.  I have seen numbers as low as a few weeks and as high as two to three years.  Summit to Shore has apparently beaten the odds.  It turns four years old today! I started Summit to Shore, and blogging, on January 5, 2009. With a post entitled Ex-Nihlio, I entered the blogosphere.

Looking back  over the past four years, I think I started blogging for several reasons.  First and foremost, I wanted to learn about blogs and how to blog, as well as to learn more about social media.  In other words, I wanted to keep up with the times and I believe that the best way to learn is to do. 

Yes, I read a couple of books and on line articles about blogging but I more or less just jumped into the blogosphere without much preparation. I have learned a lot along the way.  In good Socratic fashion, however, I have also learned that when it comes to blogging and social media there is a lot I do not know.  It sometimes seems that social media is changing so fast one must be working in it full time to keep up with it. I use social media in my profession, but social media is not my profession, just part of it, one tool in my professional toolbox.  I therefore sometimes find it difficult to keep up with all the trends and changes.  Nevertheless, I try.

I also entered the blogosphere because I felt like I had something to say – not that anyone would want read what I wrote.  I may not be the world’s best writer, but I like to write.  I sometimes feel like there are words and ideas within me that I have to write down, or else I will burst.  Blogging offers me an outlet for some of my creative energies.  It also provides me a forum for some of my ideas and opinions.

I have sailed against the wind by not blogging about one particular topic.  Summit to Shore is certainly an eclectic blog, covering everything between, well, summit to shore.  In the beginning I had intended to be eclectic, but to write more about mountains and summits than I have.

When I lived in West Virginia, I spent a lot of my free time hiking and backpacking.  I often hiked two to four days a month, covering 8-16 miles a day hiking in some rough mountainous terrain at high altitude, at least by eastern standards.  After moving to New York City five and a half years ago, I thought I would spentd a lot more time climbing and hiking in the Gunks, Catskill’s and Adirondacks, but the reality of traffic and tolls soon altered my ideas.  It takes me at least an hour and a half and over $10 in tolls just to drive up to the Gunks for a day of hiking or climbing, and finding climbing partners whose skills and experience were compatible with mine was not always easy.

I can drive from my home to Jamaica Bay in half an hour and pay no tolls.  With a sit-on-top kayak kept on Jamaica Bay at the Sebago Canoe Club, where I can almost always find someone to paddle with,  I quickly found myself drawn more to the shore than the summit.  Two and a half years ago my wife and I took sailing lessons and  I bought a used C&C 24 sailboat, which I also keep on Jamaica Bay. This past summer we sailed on average probably one day a week.  A year ago I acquired a Necky Chatham 17 traditional kayak which I also keep on Jamaica Bay at the Sebago Canoe Club.  Is there any wonder, then, why I have ended up posting more about sailing and kayaking than hiking and climbing?  I also often cross post many of my kayaking related posts to the Sebago Canoe Club Blog,

Almost three years ago I took on the “Lectionary Ruminations” Column on Presbyterian Bloggers and soon started cross posting “Lectionary Ruminations” to my blog as well.  While between 25-45 people read my “Lectionary Ruminations” post every weak on Presbyterian Bloggers,  I will soon complete the three year lectionary cycle and will no longer post on Presbyterian Bloggers, which seems to have outlived its lifespan.  It has been six months since anyone else has posted to Presbyterian Bloggers, so I plan to update, expand, and edit my previous “Lectionary Ruminations” postings and continue posting them exclusively on Summit to Shore.

For the first two and three quarter years of Summit to Shore, I was working less than full time and had free time to write.  For the past sixteen months I have been working two half-time jobs, or the equivalent of a full time job, and have not had as much free time.  Therefore I post less than I used to, devoting most of my creative energies to “Lectionary Ruminations” with an occasional post about sailing, kayaking, politics, culture, or anything else between summit to shore..

Glancing at my BLOG ARCHIVE suggests that I started blogging like a sprinter and over the past four years have slowed down to a reduced but more manageable pace.  Here are the numbers.

2009    213 posts
2010    161 posts
2011    90 posts
2012    70 posts

According to All Time Stats, as of 10:40 AM this morning, there have been 53,598 pageviews and I have made 535 posts, with eighteen followers (THANKS ONE AND ALL). These have been the most popular posts.

We Sailed, posted August 27, 2012, has received 659 pageviews, nearly twice as many as the next most viewed post.

PC(USA) GA Vice Mod Visits NYC Presbytery at the God Box, posted October 8, 2009 , has received 346 pageviews.

Lectionary Ruminations for Sunday, December 4, 2011, the SecondSunday of Advent (Year B), posted December 1, 2011, has received 339 pageviews.

A Prayer for Newtown, posted December 17, 2012, has received 339 pageviews.

Lectionary Ruminations for Sunday, February 26, 2012, the FirstSunday in Lent (Year B), posted February 23, 2012, has received 319 pageviews.

Stuck, posted June 15, 2010, has received 317 pageviews.

At least one post from each year made it into the top six.  Three of the top six posts, however, are from the most recent year.  I suspect "We Sailed," "A Prayer for Newtown," and "Stuck" will continue receiving additional pageviews and that "A Prayer for Newtown" will eventually rise to second place while "Stuck" will eventually rise to third.

Happy Birthday, Summit to Shore, and may your best years be ahead of you.

Mountain Anamnesis

I am still meandering through John Muir’s The Mountain’s of California. His description of the forests of the Sierra has been a little slow going, but out of the blue, in the midst of his description of the “Magnificent Silver Fir, or Red Fir,” I stumbled upon the following description of a campsite upon his waking in the morning. Muir’s prose transported me in my mind’s eye to a mountain environment, from which I have been away far too long, and served as one more reminder of Muir’s awareness of and ability to communicate the sublime. Muir writes:

In the morning everything is joyous and bright, the delicious purple of the dawn changes softly to daffodil yellow and white; while the sunbeams pouring through the passes between the peaks give a margin of gold to each of them. Then the spires of the firs in the hollows of the middle region catch the glow, and your camp grove is filled with light. The birds begin to stir, seeking sunny branches on the edge of the meadow for sun-baths after the cold night, and looking for their breakfasts, every one of them as fresh as a lily and as charmingly arrayed. Innumerable insects begin to dance, the deer withdraw from the open glades and ridge tops to their leafy hiding-places in the chaparral, the flowers open and straighten their petals as he dew vanishes, every pulse beats high, every life-cell rejoices, the very rocks seem to tingle with life, and God is felt brooding over everything great and small.

My heart began to race and my breath quickened as I read the above passage. By the time I finished I was nearly in awe. After several pages of documenting careful scientific observation which left me a little cold, Muir served up a description of a campsite in the morning that stirred my soul.

It has been a long time since I have been in the mountains and even longer since I have had the opportunity to spend a night in a tent, rising in the morning to experience sun, warmth, and signs of life returning. Reading Muir has reminded me of the Mountains’ beauty and ability to reawaken my spiritual sensibilities. It is time for anamnesis.

Sublime Nature

For the past several months I have wanted to write about sublime nature. The desire grew in part from a comment my fellow kayaker and water blogger Bonnie wrote in response to my post about Searching for a Retreat Center. She wrote “Kayaking sort of IS my retreat. I don't think I ever feel as peaceful & right with myself & the world as I do when I'm out on the water.”

I could not agree more with my friend, but I would add hiking and climbing to kayaking and trails and mountain tops to water. Sometimes I wonder how much of my religious and spiritual sentiment is an outgrowth of my love of the outdoors and how much of my love for the outdoors is an outgrowth of my spiritual and religious sentiments. My ecological ethic has, after all, been as influenced by Thoreau, Muir and Abby as by the two creation accounts of Genesis and the Book of Psalms.

While recently serving jury duty I started reading John Muir’s The Mountains of California and was inspired by Muir’s following description of alpenglow. “To me [alpenglow is] one of the most impressive of all the terrestrial manifestations of God. At the touch of this divine light, the mountains seemed to kindle to a rapt, religious consciousness, and stood hushed and waiting like devout worshipers. Just before the alpenglow began to fade, two crimson clouds came streaming across the summit like wings of flame, rendering the sublime scene yet more impressive, then came the darkness and the stars.”

Whether it be evening alpenglow, early morning mist rising and burning off from calm water, or sunlight illuminating early morning fog in an Appalachian forest accompanied by the gurgling of a mountain stream (photo right), my spirit can be similarly lifted by the experience as if I were in a Gothic Cathedral illuminated by candlelight and the sun shining through stained glass windows, the sound of Gregorian Chant resonating off the stone walls.

Parallel Paths

I wonder how much of my theology and faith has been influenced by my environmental awareness and love of the natural world, and how much of my love for the natural world and commitment to the environment has been influenced by my Christian faith. My hunch is that they have both influenced each other and developed together in tandem, on parallel paths.

From a theologically informed intellectual viewpoint I must argue that Christianity is a communal faith. A Christian cannot live the Christian life nor worship God as an isolated individual. Christians, by definition, assemble for worship, share bread and cup, and participate in community. On the other hand, from a purely personal viewpoint, I can feel just as close to God, if not closer, on a mountain top, on a wilderness trail, on an exposed rock face, or on open water in a kayak.

Trails I Want to Hike and Summits I Want to Climb (Some Again)

It has been awhile since I have enjoyed a good hike and so I have been thinking about where my next hike ought to be. I think I will start small by driving up to the Gunks and hiking a couple short routes in Mohonk Preserve, a moderate 3 mile round trip up to rocky Bonticou Crag and its excellent views, and a moderate 7.5 mile round trip up to High Peters Kill .

For my next day hike I would like to take the train north of the City and hike Breakneck Ridge, another trip promising rocky outcrops and fantastic views.

For my third trip I am hoping to drive up to the Dacks (Adirondacks) for a two day round trip starting at Keene Valley that will take me up over Mt. Marcy (I first hiked up Mt. Marcy in 1978) the first day and return over Mts. Haystack, Basin, Saddleback, Gothics, Armstrong and Upper Wolf Jaw (also hiked up Upper Wolf Jaw in 1978). I estimate the total distance to be around twenty miles.

Eddie Bauer Summits Everest, Again!

Had I written this post a day ago I would have ended the title with a question mark rather than an exclamation point. I am not an Eddie Bauer outfitted kind of guy. When I think of Eddie Bauer I think of older gentleman walking through the Maine woods with shotguns and bird dogs, not world famous climbers and sons of famous climbers summiting Everest.

I can understand why Jim Whittaker, when he was the first American to climb Everest on May 1st, 1963, wore a goose-down parka and pants made by Eddie Bauer. There was very little else available. That is why Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI) soon followed. American Climbers, especially those in the Pacific Northwest like Jim and Lou Whittaker, couldn’t find the gear they wanted and needed to climb world Class Mountains, so they started manufacturing and distributing their own through a co-op.

When I think Mountaineering I think of manufacturers like North Face, Patagonia, Petzl, Black Diamond, and Mountain Hardwear, to name just a few. I certainly don’t think of Eddie Bauer. Maybe my thinking needs to change.

Brothers Jim and Lou Whittaker, Lou’s son Peter, Melissa Arnot, Ed Viesturs, Dave Hahn. And Seth Waterfall have teamed up to design and test a new Eddie Bauer product line called First Ascent. The ultimate test was Everest and on Thursday, May 21 (Yes, Ascension Day in the Christian tradition), Eddie passed the test. Ed Viesturs and Peter Whittaker reached the summit of Everest primarily outfitted by Eddie Bauer in an Eddie Bauer sponsored expedition.

The next test will be the Mountaineering marketplace.