I have climbed mountains all over the world, including Mexico, Africa, Ecuador, Argentina, Alaska, Nepal, Russia, Australia, and Antarctica. I got started late in life at age 40 and it took me nine years to get to the top of my first big peak, Mt. Shasta. The next year, at age 50 in 1995, I got serious about mountaineering and trained relentlessly to improve my fitness so that I could pursue my dream of climbing the seven summits. Finally, in July 2019, I climbed my Seventh Summit, Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia. 

That meant that I had climbed the high point on every continent. I got to the top of six. Only the summit of Mt. Everest eluded me. On April 17, 2014 I climbed into the Ice Fall. But on April 18, an avalanche on Mt. Everest closed the mountain, ending my chance at the summit. I have kept climbing, because I enjoy it and it is my way of staying connected to family, friends and nature.

I especially like climbing with my daughters Shelly and Deanna. Like me they took up the sport late in life and in 2015 we all summited Mt Lassen in California. Then Shelly and I went on to climb Mauna Kea in 2018 and Mt Fuji in 2019, and Pikes Peak in 2022.  Climbing Mauna Kea capped off my quest to climb the 14 most difficult state high points, all over 7,300 feet. 

I still train in the Sierra and especially like to hike and snowshoe Pyramid Peak and Mt Ralston.

Select a location to view a slideshow of the climb.

Mt. Shasta, California, 14,179 ft. – 13 one day climbs, 1^st July 17, 1994

Mt. Rainier, Washington, 14,410 ft. – September 10, 1995

Mt. Whitney, California, 14,505 ft. – 13 one day climbs, 8 standard, 5 mountaineers, 1st Sep 21, 1996

Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa, 19,340 ft. – August 21, 1999

Kala Patthar, Nepal, 18,519 ft. – April 19, 2001

Everest Base Camp, Nepal, ~18,000 ft.– April 19, 2001

Elbrus, Russia, 18,510 ft. – August 3, 2003

Pico de Orizaba, Mexico, 18,697 ft.– June, 2003

Illiniza Norte, Ecuador, 16,785 ft. – January 1, 2004

Cotapaxi, Ecuador, 19,347 ft. – January 4, 2004

Guagua Pichincha, Ecuador, 15,696 ft. – January 4, 2007

Denali, (Mt McKinley), Alaska, North America, 20,320 ft. – July 7, 2008

Aconcagua, Argentina, South America, 22,841 ft. – February 14, 2010

Granite Peak, Montana, 12,799 ft. – August 10, 2011

Gannett Peak, Wyoming, 13,810 ft. – August 4, 2012

Borah Peak, Idaho, 12,662 ft. – August 10, 2012

Half Dome, California, 8,842 ft. – August 25, 2012

Mt. Hood, Oregon, 11,249 ft. – July 7, 2013

Boundary Peak, Nevada, 13,146 ft. – July 18, 2013

King’s Peak, Utah, 13,528 ft. – July 23, 2013

Mt. Elbert, Colorado, 14,433 ft. – September 22, 2013

Wheeler Peak, New Mexico, 13,167 ft. – September 24, 2013

Humphrey’s Peak, Arizona, 12,637 ft. – September 26, 2013

Vinson Massif, Antarctica, 16,067 ft. – January 5, 2014

Lobuche Peak East, Nepal, 20,075 ft. – April 12, 2014

Mt. Everest Icefall, Nepal, ~19,000 ft. – April 17, 2014

Guadalupe Peak, Texas, 8,751 ft. – May 21, 2017

Mauna Kea, Hawaii, 13,803 ft. – January 21, 2018

Mt. Kosciuszko, New South Wales, Australia, 7,310 ft. – July 29, 2019

Mt. Fuji, Japan, 12,388 ft. – August 9, 2019

Pikes Peaks, Colorado, 14,115 ft. – September 14, 2022

Numerous difficult training climbs in the Sierra 1985-present, both summer and winter (snowshoes) – including Pyramid Peak, 1st 1985 (9,983 ft. 125+ times) Ralston Peak, and Mt.Tallac.

Seven Summits – Kilimanjaro, Elbrus, Denali, Aconcagua, Vinson, Everest*, Kosciuszko

US High Points w/difficulty – Denali #1, Rainier #2, Gannett #3, Granite #4, Hood #5, Borah #6, Kings Peak, #7, Whitney #8, Elbert #9, Boundary #10, Wheeler #11, Humphrey’s #12, Guadalupe #13, Mauna Kea #14