Best of 2012
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Below are my favorite photos from 2012, with a short blurb explaining why I picked them. Sometimes it's not the photographic quality of the picture, but rather the memories and emotions that it brings!

  Sea otters are awesome. There are way better photos of otters on the internet but on a climbing + sea kayaking weekend down the California coast in mid winter, we managed to get really close to these guys - memorable! A winter day on El Cap - climbing Freeblast. It was overcast and a high of 38 degrees F... it felt like we were ice climbing - but we were the only ones on El Cap, a rare moment! Starting up Malignant Mushroom in the South Ghost, Alberta, Canada. I've done this route too many times to count now - the southern exposure and short approach make it a classic!  
  Sea otters are awesome. There are way better photos of otters on the internet but on a climbing + sea kayaking weekend down the California coast in mid winter, we managed to get really close to these guys - memorable! A winter day on El Cap - climbing Freeblast. It was overcast and a high of 38 degrees F... it felt like we were ice climbing - but we were the only ones on El Cap, a rare moment! Starting up Malignant Mushroom in the South Ghost, Alberta, Canada. I've done this route too many times to count now - the southern exposure and short approach make it a classic!

  Upper Weeping Wall in the Canadian Rockies, with the magnificent Icefields Parkway highway below us Starting the first pitch of the Replicant on the Trophy Wall. I had never been there before and due to high winds and other factors it was a wild day! Skiing at Heavenly overlooking Lake Tahoe  
  Upper Weeping Wall in the Canadian Rockies, with the magnificent Icefields Parkway highway below us Starting the first pitch of the Replicant on the Trophy Wall. I had never been there before and due to high winds and other factors it was a wild day! Skiing at Heavenly overlooking Lake Tahoe

  Skiing near Kirkwood, also near Lake Tahoe Early season in Yosemite, on top of Higher Cathedral Spire. The valley is gorgeous! Memorial Day - we took a friend that has never climbed before in her life on Snake Dike - any day on Half Dome is awesome!  
  Skiing near Kirkwood, also near Lake Tahoe Early season in Yosemite, on top of Higher Cathedral Spire. The valley is gorgeous! Memorial Day - we took a friend that has never climbed before in her life on Snake Dike - any day on Half Dome is awesome!

  Third Pillar of Dana, one of the best rock climbs in the Sierra - with Mono Lake in the background. After getting dropped off by plane in the Ruth Gorge in Alaska, we had to ski 5 miles to where we camped and climbed. The size of the crevasses on an Alaskan glacier is impressive! In the background is Denali, at over 20,000'! A few pitches up the spectacular corner on a route called Goldfinger, Ruth Gorge  
  Third Pillar of Dana, one of the best rock climbs in the Sierra - with Mono Lake in the background. After getting dropped off by plane in the Ruth Gorge in Alaska, we had to ski 5 miles to where we camped and climbed. The size of the crevasses on an Alaskan glacier is impressive! In the background is Denali, at over 20,000'! A few pitches up the spectacular corner on a route called Goldfinger, Ruth Gorge

  Another amazing splitter hand crack in the Ruth Gorge that evokes fantastic memories After 2 days of being tent bound in a snow storm, the 3rd day was brutally cold but beautifully clear. We had to chop the tent out of the ice and dig it out of the snow and proceed to ski up to our pick-up point. Skiing back up to the Mountain House in the Ruth Gorge where we were to be picked up. The fresh snow hid the small crevasses quite well and I had one interesting encounter.  
  Another amazing splitter hand crack in the Ruth Gorge that evokes fantastic memories After 2 days of being tent bound in a snow storm, the 3rd day was brutally cold but beautifully clear. We had to chop the tent out of the ice and dig it out of the snow and proceed to ski up to our pick-up point. Skiing back up to the Mountain House in the Ruth Gorge where we were to be picked up. The fresh snow hid the small crevasses quite well and I had one interesting encounter.

  The Incredible Hulk - my favorite peak in the Sierra. Did a couple of trips there in the late summer/fall and climbed two different routes on it. What a location! One of the upper pitches of Positive Vibrations on the Hulk Liebacking on Wheat Thin, a super fun climb on the Cookie Cliff in Yosemite.  
  The Incredible Hulk - my favorite peak in the Sierra. Did a couple of trips there in the late summer/fall and climbed two different routes on it. What a location! One of the upper pitches of Positive Vibrations on the Hulk Liebacking on Wheat Thin, a super fun climb on the Cookie Cliff in Yosemite.

  End of October in Tuolumne - we took advantage of the lack of snow and enjoyed several late season gigs there! Thanksgiving in Indian Creek, Moab Christmas break in Vietnam. We did a climb in the middle of the orange face - very fun!  
  End of October in Tuolumne - we took advantage of the lack of snow and enjoyed several late season gigs there! Thanksgiving in Indian Creek, Moab Christmas break in Vietnam. We did a climb in the middle of the orange face - very fun!

  Deep water soloing in Vietnam - the scariest thing I have done in my life to date, I believe.  
  Deep water soloing in Vietnam - the scariest thing I have done in my life to date, I believe.

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