My Old Flame (by Lawrence)

It's been a long time since I have had to pack for a climbing trip. Since making up my mind to join my old friend Eli on a couple of peak ascents in the Cordillera Blanca, I find myself in that "climber's" state of mind.The life of a climber is so much simpler than the life of a husband, father, teacher, homeowner. On an expedition there is a set list of gear to bring, there are specific protocols to follow, there are maps, there are time limits, there are plans. I find comfort in the simple structure of it all; you bring your sleeping bag and your harness, you assess the conditions, and starting in the middle of the night you make a dash for the summit if the weather looks good. It's a meditation, and when everything works out, you are flooded with euphoria at the accomplishment of reaching a place that is so rare, so beautiful, that it feels like it could be on another planet.

I came to Peru with the faint intention of "marching up something tall" at some point during our stay here. In my mind one of my friends from the states would come down with a rope and we would walk up something "easy." By "easy" I mean a glacier without any parts so steep or broken up that they would require a belay. Well this is a nice fantasy but the reality of the situation is that I have not set foot on a glacier in ten years and I probably could have gotten myself into a heap of trouble had I gone off on my own. So it was a cosmic gift that my long lost friend and Outward Bound colleague, Eli Helmuth, was guiding a trip up two "training peaks" this coming week. Eli is now a professional guide and a guide trainer in the disciplines of mountaineering, rock climbing, and ski-mountaineering. His excellent website, climbinglife.com, is a great resource for the latest practices in safe climbing and I found it last year while preparing to attempt my first multi-pitch alpine climb in 10 years. I was back on the site again this fall just to see what was new, and there was an expedition to Peru listed for early October. Krista, in her eternal wisdom, recognized that me going with Eli was a much safer proposition than me going by myself or with some unknown guide. Having all worked together, Krista and I know Eli as a kind, calm, calculating, confident and cautious presence in the mountains. True to form he described himself in a recent email to me as "one of the most safety conscious (and scared) guides out there." This is the guide for me!

In addition to Eli's excellent services, we will have mules to carry gear, porters to set up camp, and cooks to feed us. This is a far cry from my last Andean adventures when I would hump a 90 pound pack up to high camp at 17,000 feet with a single partner, set up camp, cook , and on some occasions build a snow-block wall to deflect the wind. This time I just have to put one foot in front of the other and not have the psychological stress of the whole show resting on my shoulders. I have gotten a bit soft over the years and I am happy to hand over some of the responsibilities to able bodied professionals. Better yet when one of them happens to be an old friend.

I am really excited about this adventure and I can't wait to write about it. Whoa, look at that! I am already writing about it and it hasn't even happened yet. I hope to give a detailed account of my time in one of the worlds most spectacular mountain ranges, but it will have to wait until I am back around the 14th of October. Until then, maybe Isabel will write another post? See you all in a week.