Major LAM
Activities and
Positions Held:
-
Equipment Manager, 2009, 2010
-
Vice President
and
Climbing School Director, 2008
-
Membership Chairman, 2007,
2008
-
LAM climbing school
graduate 2006
Memorable climbs:
As an undergraduate at NMSU,
climbed several peaks in the Organ mountains, some several
times. This was from just hiking (the highest one) to
5.4-ish stuff (according to the guide published on the Web since
then), didn't know about ropes or pro or climbing shoes back
then. Managed to scare self several times--to keep going
up, or try to downclimb? Good workout, and learned to
always take more water in preference to food, and to be prepared
for unexpected weather.
Later in southern NM was
introduced to trad climbing by friends and friends of friends.
I had no background to judge whether the more experienced
(friends) *really* knew what they were doing; the less
experienced (friends of friends) were obviously dangerous to
themselves and others. This put me off this activity,
almost forever.
Climbed a few of Colorado's
14ers, easier ones, before leaving southern NM. These were
really summertime hikes, not climbs.
Bagged any number of
Scottish Highlands Munroes (not hard, there are ~300 of them),
including the tallest, Ben Nevis. Tame stuff, only hazard
is white-out when clouds come in, stumbling into snow way over
one's head, or walking over the edge of a precipice in either of
those conditions.
Hiked many a long multi-day
point A to point B route through the Highlands. Good clean
fun that: have a topo map and you can go anywhere.
Took ice climbing school,
somewhere in the Scottish Highlands, some time in the '90s.
Not that much climbing, after a day of climbing it became
blizzard survival school. Snow caves are great!
LAM climbing school graduate
2006. Didn't do it for the climbing, just wanted to learn
how to use the gear correctly to protect self in tall trees and
multi-storey construction projects. Rock climbing turned
out to be an ongoing and endless challenge, great fun, and great
exercise. Thanks to LAM's climbing school and LAM's many
instructors and mentors for providing a solid foundation for
doing this safely!
A few other details about
Kei:
Accused of safety
fanaticism: is unapologetic about this.
Has been known to toprope
5.10 and lead 5.8 on undoubtedly overrated routes.
Falls frequently
cross-country skiing, prefers scuba diving (can't fall).
Has prior experience in
instruction and instructional organization in (a different)
extremely mistake-intolerant skills area.
