Hey guys!

With the devastation in Nepal with the recent earthquake, I wanted to share an organization that I am working to support. A friend of mine is working with the Cloudbase Foundation and the donation page is here - http://thecloudbasefoundation.org/site/donate/

They are a group of paragliders that also work to help the people of Nepal in many other ways. This group was one of - if not THE - first group to get to the remote area just north of Gorkha, which is close to the epicenter of the quake. Watch the video below to understand the level of devastation they are facing.

Situation this morning. Since this time helicopter has landed at Saurapani to bring the severely injured to hospital. Our team has distributed all our supplies to the small villages above. Some people will eat and sleep dry tonight due to your generosity. Thank you donors. Many people are streaming past on foot heading to Barpak, which we know was totally destroyed. They are going there to search for their families members. They are asking us for the most basic of supplies for their dangerous trek to this totally cut off region: plastic tarps to stay dry and some food. We are waiting for our resupply vehicles to arrive from Pokhara as we have fully exhausted our resources. In addition it's now again raining heavily.

Posted by Isabella Messenger on Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Please give what you can! Again, to donate - http://thecloudbasefoundation.org/site/donate/

Patagonia Video

So while on my trip I took some timelapse as well as some video via a chest harness with my GoPro. I wanted to share the compilation of all of this with you. Feel free to share it!

And please give if you can! Even a five dollar donation would mean the world!

Snow Leopard news

First of all, thanks for taking the time to view this. So far no donations - outside of one generous 40$ donation from a guest at my bar - but it's all good!

Read this story about how the Stone Zoo up here in Stoneham, MA is trying to help the cause!

New pics are up! Site updated!

Hey guys! I have added a tab above with pictures from the latest trip. Also, there is no longer a tab for donations to the World Wildlife Fund. You will notice that there is a tab that shows how you can donate to the Snow Leopard Trust.



The above button will now be added to all future posts and will link directly to the Snow Leopard Trust's donation webpage. Thanks for your patience and I hope to help raise a good amount of money for these awesome big cats!

Raising money for Snow Leopards? Yep! And Patagonia pics soon!

Soon I will be switching who I help to fundraise for. For about two years I've worked to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund. To coincide with my trip next fall to trek in the Everest region in Nepal I will be working to help raise money for the Snow Leopard Trust. Hopefully within two to three weeks I will have this switch made completely. Not just on here but on our Facebook page.

As of now the Snow Leopard Trust doesn't have individual fundraising pages like the World Wildlife Fund so it may be a bit harder to update how much any of you would donate as a whole but perhaps we will figure out a way. Perhaps a referral note? I will look into this. In any case I want to thank everyone that has been supportive of what I've tried to do. It's only a small thing but if everyone did just a couple of small, helpful things? The world would be so much better off. Don't get discouraged or overwhelmed - just act!

Also! I will soon be adding a tab where pictures from my recent trip to Patagonia will be located. Perhaps I will try to use the sale of prints of some of these pictures as a way to help garner donations. Again, the idea stage is a work in progress. Keep checking back!

Off to Patagonia!

Off to Patagonia!!!

At the time of this post being published, I will be on a plane heading out of New York City on my way to Punta Arenas, Chile. A long layover in Lima, Peru will be included. The destination for trekking will be Patagonia to trek the Torres Del Paine Circuit, around Mount Fitzroy and other short treks. Lucky doesn't even begin to describe how I feel. I will be taking notes of my daily hikes and give detailed posts when I return in early March.

Again, please help me with my fundraising effort for the World Wildlife Fund if you can!!!

Annapurna Circuit Trek: Day 16 - Final Day!

DAY 16: Ghorepani to Naya Pul
Bittersweet ending to the trek. I awoke at about 4:30am and since I had put together the things I needed the night before I was set and ready to go. Following a trail of people up to the viewpoint at Poon Hill was done in complete darkness. Most everyone had headlamps on so following the trail was as simple as following the lights.

The sunrise view can be hit or miss. It's also quite cold so bring layers! Initially the clouds were obscuring the view but with a little patience we ended up with a great view of the sunrise over the Annapurna Himal and Dhaulagiri. A once in a lifetime event that I'm so beyond lucky to have experienced! The picture below doesn't do justice to what I bore witness to. Awe inspiring and humbling. One that I hope to see again in the future.

My view from the viewpoint above Ghorepani. Astounding!


After breakfast I hunkered down and after checking in at the police checkpost, continued on. Whereas the previous day was the single largest ascent, this day was the largest descent at about 1800 meters. Midway through the day I reached Ulleri and the dreaded "Great Stone Staircase". This stairway takes just shy of an hour to go down and at best guess has approximately 3300 steps. I timed it this time around and made it down in approximately 53 minutes.

Crossing the suspension bridge after resting some weary knees, I walked through the pleasant village of Tikhedhunga and enjoyed the fact that finally it wasn't a very chilly afternoon! Another two hours were ahead of me and by this point I was quite ready to rest my feet and ankles and just get a hot shower in. Initially I was debating simply staying the night in Birethanti. After initially refusing a cab ride to Pokhara I ran into the same driver ten minutes on and he lowered the price. It's hard to resist an approximately 20 dollar cab ride to go 45 miles! By just before 3pm I was in the Lakeside area of Pokhara and checking around for a room. The next four days were for relaxing and reveling in the accomplishment of having done the Annapurna Circuit Trek a second time.

Next for my series of hikes I will be down in Patagonia. I hope that this blog up to this point has helped give you the push to find your own adventure - big or small - and just jump right on in! Thank you and I hope to keep your readership!