People have many reasons for climbing mountains, for endeavoring and struggling to reach the high places of this planet.  Don Wheeler shares his story, from 1977. Continue reading “Mountain Songs” »

Blake and Flora are a couple of rock star KAF students. They have worked with us through several of our classes this summer and brought it all together in the intermediate climbing course on Mount Shuksan. Take a look at this montage of the trip from Flora! So cool!

Despite getting more than our fair share of cloud and rain this past June, we had some successful trips in the mountains where teams were greeted with beautiful bluebird skies. Check out this short glimpse from Mount Baker captured by Steffan!

by Steffan

This past Friday I had the pleasure of joining Mr. Jason Wheeler on a one-day course that climbed Mt Hood via hogs back.

The course goal was to give route information and a feel for the current conditions on the mountain for a friend that would be climbing later in the week. The adventure began as most good adventures do, with a tow truck.

Continue reading “Trip Report: Mount Hood via Hogsback” »

Oh MAN!!! There are not many things that get inside your head like a strong wind. Standing on a ledge, belaying, climbing, camping… When you feel the wind pick up and start blowing harder and harder… You know, that today just got a little longer, and nothing is going to be easy from now on…

Mountain weather is its own beast, has subtleties that even the best weather forecast is not going to predict. So then, what can we do to better understand mountain weather, and wind? There are thousands of articles and books describing weather patterns, read as much as you can, study and get an understanding; but nothing will substitute time and diligent observation.

Continue reading “Why Does the Wind Blow?” »

KAF Adventures’ head guru, Mick Pearson, ponders “To Gaiter or Not To Gaiter” in a recent Seattle Backpacker’s article.

Continue reading “To Gaiter, Or Not To Gaiter” »

Please join KAF Adventures and the Mazamas Expedition Committee on April 26th to hear Jason Wheeler share his climb of Denali via the Cassin Ridge, the fast-and-light technqiues he used, and how you can apply it to the Northwest Mountains.

Continue reading “Fast & Light on Denali’s Cassin Ridge” »

It is taken for granted so often, breath.  Natural and easy, each breath comes and goes, you rarely even notice it happening.  When it stops, how dramatic is the realization?

Mountains have always stopped me in my tracks, taken my breath away by their mere presence.  What an incredible sculpture of rock, ice, and snow.  It has always been that way, ever since I was a young child looking at my father’s photos of his Alaskan expeditions.  Nothing has held my attention, and consumed my life like the alpine.

Continue reading “Learning to Breathe” »