The unDefined Blog

Inspiration and stories from the mountains, cultures, peoples, and perspectives of our world.

Morromico Bay, Chocó, Colombia | July, 2018

Featured Posts & Collections

Earning Respect

“Don’t get happy!” came the thundering voice from the sidelines. It was a classic saying of the late Norm Walker, my football coach, English teacher, poet, wisdom-giver, and wonderful man in high school at Holderness School. It sounded strange at first blush, but made sense the longer one played for Coach Walker: he hated cockiness, […]

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Dreaming of Wind

Take meTo the magic of the moment on a glory night I wasn’t expecting to hear the Scorpions in the rural outskirts of Danilovgrad. And especially not belted out by a group of passionate, wine-buzzed, new Montenegrin friends roughly in tune with an accordion player. But, strange things happen when you open up on the […]

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A Moment in the Snow

The flakes stung my cheeks, wind whipped, swirling through pines swaying in the gale. It was only 25 degrees or so, not cold for this valley this time of year, but cold enough to feel icy tendrils snaking up my extremities. I wanted to go, to move, to get warm. But not yet. I came […]

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More articles and essays…

Real - Not AI: To the North Col

To say that Everest has changed in a century is to grossly understate the matter. Physically, of course, the mountain has changed little. It’s a bit warmer perhaps, and bit less snowy. The monsoons are a bit more erratic. But it still rises high, steeply, to dizzying altitude and, as yet, there is no escalator […]

ESSAYS & INSPIRATION MOUNTAINS & ADVENTURE

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Aiming Forgiveness

I’m tormented by the news these days. War in Ukraine. Horror in Israel and Gaza. Increasing tension and bluster across the globe. Political vitriol and animus domestically. It’s hard, sometimes impossible, to see a bright side, an outlet. So, I turned back to a post I wrote six months ago but never published, one about […]

ESSAYS & INSPIRATION

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The Passing of a Hero and Mentor: Lou Whittaker

Lou Whittaker (February 10, 1929 – March 24, 2024) was a hero, boss, friend, and legend. It's hard to believe he's passed, a man larger than life who had an outsized impact on American mountaineering.

ESSAYS & INSPIRATION NEWS

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100 Years of Everest, 25 for Me

100 Years of Everest, 25 Years of Everest, a slideshow for dZi in Chamonix, and another Mallory hopes to get to Everest!

MOUNTAINS & ADVENTURE NEWS

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