Karangarua, New Zealand

That's what the plaque reads in Mt. Cook National Park, New Zealand. Aoraki/ Mt.Cook, the cloud-piercer, as it is being called by the local Maori, has claimed more than 200 lives since it was first conquered back in 1894. Numerous alpinist names were permanently fixed on the cold stone; the alpi...

I could have done some preparation for this trip. I should have. But, all the same I didn’t. For reasons of being pulled in other directions, for having a little too much on my plate and honoring my tendency to say yes to everything I found myself short on time and mental energy to devote toward ...