20 Questions
Describe your climbing background:
Started ice climbing in Vermont in 1979, climbed peaks in the Rockies in the winter for three years, then started guiding for American Alpine Institute and climbing in Alaska, Peru, Nepal, India, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan.

Why climb ice?
It is a different medium, but with a lot of similarities to rock climbing.

Describe a climbing experience when things got out of hand:
In 1986, Andy Selters and I tried a new route on the North Face of Thelay Sagar (23,000' in India). We were climbing alpine-style and were at about 21,900' when a major storm hit. We had to wait out the storm in our portaledge and we started rationing our food. We thought the storm would be over soon, but after four days the storm got stronger and we could not move. Avalanches started pouring down from the summit pyramid and we were getting hit about every half hour. The storm continued relentlessly for a total of eight days.

What has ice/alpine climbing taught you?
To be patient.

What are you up to when you’re not climbing?
Playing football with my son, Grady.

Any training advice or suggestions?
I am way into core strength training. The best book I have read on strength training is Michael Colgan's book, The Power Program.

Who or what inspires you?
Pretty lines inspire me.

How do you see climbing evolving in the next five years?
I definitely see more women taking up ice and mixed climbing.

What do you think about the M13+ or WI8 grade?
I don't think about it much.

How does fear affect your climbing?
I like doing climbs where I have to face my fears and am still working on how to deal with unrealistic fears effectively.

Care to comment on: heel spurs, leashes vs. leashless, falling on ice, impact of drytooling?
Not now...

Any near death experiences?
I have been in several avalanches.

Are you a fan of climbing history? Explain?
I don't really like to read about climbing because it makes me too anxious to go out and be doing it myself.

What are your future plans or goals in climbing?
I enjoy learning and improving.