I used to be a perfectly normal person.

Then in 1999, after reading Into Thin Air and being extremely burnt out from my high stress job at Yahoo, I decided to take a month off and go to Nepal and trek out to Everest base camp.

That trip changed my life. Once I returned from Everest, I re-prioritized my life. Besides spending more time with my family, I vowed to hit the mountains from then on whenever possible. So in the spring, of 2000, I took a 6-day mountaineering course up in Alaska with my sister Jamie.

Over the last six years, I have traveled to all 7 continents pursuing my adventures.

Click here to see more detail of my past trips.

Me with Mt Everest in the background

What's Next?

I've pretty much climbed most of the mountains in the far away places I was excited about. Now I am more interested on focusing more on climbs closer to home in the Sierra Nevada and Cascades.

I've had a goal to climb the major volcanoes of the Cascade chain. So far I have climbed Mt Shasta (Casaval Ridge), Mt Hood (Sunshine Route) and Mt Rainier (Emmons Glacier Route). It still have the The Three Sisters and Mt Jefferson in Oregon, plus Mt Adams and Mt Baker in Washington to go. I'm hoping that when I go to climb Baker, I can also squeeze in a climb of Mt Shuksan as well.

On the summit of Matterhorn Peak

My plans for 2008 are pretty modest compared to the past few years. This summer I plan to go with Jamie and climb the Three Sisters and Mt Jefferson. After acclimatizing on those peaks, we are going to try a one day ascent up the South Spur of Mt Adams.

Later this summer, in mid-September we are planning another trip to the Sierra's. I'm going to take Jamie up Mt Dana, then she'll return the favor and take me up Mt Agassiz, then we'll scramble up Mt Conness and Mt Morrison and finish things off with a climb of Cathedral Peak.

If the stars align, maybe we'll finally get to sneak out in October to Ireland and climb McGillicuddy's Reeks.

Click here to see my upcoming trips.