Following is a list of pros and cons for tent camping with kids as opposed to selecting a hotel. Feel free to add your suggestions in the comments list below. 1. Hotel Cleanliness vs. Camping Cleanliness Hotel Pro: Three star and higher, the room is clean, the sheets are soft, and television is only a…
Tips for taking kids to the climbing gym. There are few things more troublesome than going to a new place and not knowing the spoken and unspoken rules. Add to the uncertainty the presence of children, and it can be quite intimidating to enter into unknown territory. For those new to indoor climbing and/or…
The best rock climbing areas tend to be located in or near wilderness, national parks, mountains, and forests. There are exceptions, of course! Still, when we took a family trip to the jersey shore this summer, there was no rock to be found. As usual, my husband and I sought out something both “active” and…
Being a success How do we measure success? Well first, “what role you are measuring?” Your role as a parent? As a climber? Success in career? Success in relationships? All of those should have different measurements for success, right? Standard measures of success Some would argue that as a climber, you measure success by how hard you…
This past weekend was a first for our family. So. . . we took a non climbing camping trip! It was a weekend camping trip only a few hours from home and I am happy to say that the trip was a huge success. Assateague Island State Park Camping We drove 4 hours to the…
As we talk about outdoor activities, kids, and safety, we often discuss the dangers of the outdoors, the wilderness, rockfall, and weather. While many of us are firm believers in preserving nature (and avoiding technology), I often note a significant overlap between the outdoor experience and such activities as snowmobiling, dirt biking, and four wheeling….
I recently was asked to speak about the Safe Harbor Climbing Area at multiple Mid Atlantic climbing related events including Hera Climb for Life and multiple REI stores across the region. The latest presentation was at the Plymouth Meeting REI (Pennsylvania). I thought I’d add the Prezi here, for everyone’s use. . . The…
2012 seems to mark the year of the pre-teen protégé. Cameron Horst, an 11 year old climber from PA has sent a number of 5.14a routes this year. His latest send was James Litz’s Private Halfenheimer (5.14a) at Ten Sleep in Wyoming. Brooke Raboutou, also age 11, has ticked off some pro level climbs this year…
Condolences to Boston First of all, let me convey my condolences to the victims of the Boston attacks and their families. Marathoners specifically, and runners in general, are a hardly lot – they are strong and will surely get through this. Similarly, Bostonians are a particularly rugged bunch. . . they too will recover with…
My recent climbing trip (and flight) across the country gave me ample time to read a book anxiously sitting at the top of my “to read” list, Up: A Mother and Daughter’s Peakbagging Adventure. As a mother to two young children and an avid hiker, climber, and camper, the story has a particular appeal. To start,…