When Laura and I taught school in rural Alaska, we were each allowed to take one caribou. The problem (from Laura's perspective) is that she was not a hunter. In fact, she would not even cut up a whole chicken that you bought at the grocery store. I, however, had no intention of shooting HER caribou. We needed the meat- she needed to hunt. It was that simple. But I had an even stronger motive for ...  Read More

I talked about the importance of having a partner when you get stuck. What about those times when you are utterly alone? I was on a narrow trail in a spot that looked like you sliced the 3' tall sides of a trail with a knife. I was high centered and could not stand on either side of the machine to lift, and I did not have a winch or a rope. In my frustration and impatience I expended a tremendous ...  Read More

A person who is afraid of 'getting stuck' simply can't hunt on Alaska's trail systems. Countless times I have driven into a bad place that I KNEW I couldn't get through. Why? Because there was NO OTHER PATH. So- how DID I get through? With the right tools and partners. I have a heavy duty winch, a strong rope, hip boots, and at least one other person. We help each other get through. There are so m...  Read More

Your name is important to God, but only because it is attached to you. YOU are important to God- important enough to die for. 1 John 4:10 "This is love- not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." In the same way that a young man works overtime for months so that he can buy his future bride an engagement ring, love ALWAYS sacrifices. But imag...  Read More

Our common travel today was unimaginable even 150 years ago. I am reading the life story of a missionary to the polynesian islands around 1810. It took him a full year to sail there from England because of continuous storms and difficult weather. Today we would get on and off the plane the same day and complain about a 'long' flight. From the standpoint of sharing Christ, our ability to travel gre...  Read More

Experienced riders on mountain sleds (snowmachines) are able to go amazing places. What my 'non-motor' outdoorsy friends don't realize is that riding into high country is a tremendously athletic workout. Skill, strength and agility are baseline requirements. I have personally never been interested in 'motorized adrenaline rushes' on my snowmachine, but I respect the strength and skill of those who...  Read More

We woke up to bitter cold. I estimated the temperature at −15°. Shoving my feet into frozen boots was not only unpleasant, but soon painful. I tried to move my toes as much as I could to try to get some blood flowing, but I knew that they wouldn't warm up until I started to climb. We put on our crampons, stepped into our harnesses, grabbed our ice axes and roped together. We were most probably the...  Read More

I discovered early on that having climbing 'partners' made all the difference. Over the years about half dozen different men have stepped into that role. When Jon Boone invited me to climb Mount Rainier with he and his daughter, we began intensive training. This culminated with an overnight in very cold temperatures where we dragged sleds full of gear 7 miles in to the base of a coastal mountain. ...  Read More

I learned early on that hunting sheep on foot involves a lot more 'going home empty' than success. My most common experience is to find nothing to hunt. I can go for several years at a time without even seeing a legal ram. So why go? It's hard to explain. Of course, I would love to fly into sheep country to hunt, but that's never been in my budget. I go because there is something viscerally appeal...  Read More

I've always loved winter, but staying active during 6-7 months of dark and cold is a challenge. When I lived in Alaska's interior I could be hunting, trapping or snowmachining in the wilderness in minutes. That's no longer an easy option. This is why I started climbing mountains. It isn't easy, and it's not what you would describe as 'fun,' but it's good. It's good FOR me. Right now I'm in terribl...  Read More

When I started teaching in the Copper River School District, the hunting season for Dall sheep and caribou was August 10th to September 20th. The hunting season for moose was September 1-20. With school starting the middle of August, this meant I had 5 or 6 days to hunt sheep and then 5 more weekends to hunt caribou and moose.The year before, Laura had reserved the church for August 15th for our w...  Read More

When I finally climbed out of the tundra and into the gray rock, the mountain became steeper. The climb, still grueling, was less difficult. As I continued to gain elevation, my heart began to soar. This, battling through brush and tundra and vertical climbs to the very top of my small part of the world, is an experience that very few ever earn. The most surprising lesson that I learned is how muc...  Read More