Back in Montana

The reverse culture shock has worn off for the most part. Although I am desperately trying to keep my grip on some of the lessons learned overseas- as they begin to resemble dreams upon waking. I have been trying to get to know the mountains and rivers around Missoula a little more personally. Having covered most of the required and basic hikes now, I hope to get in some more in-depth exploration before winter comes. St Mary Peak is definitely the mandatory starting point in the Bitterroot Mountains.

--Fire lookout

--latrine w great view
--From peak looking out at Heavenly Twins and Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.
--Ridge that takes you to Heavenly Twins.

New Picasa Slideshows up!

I have finished what I have of my slideshow.  You can check it out here.   I have more pics coming soon and will update it when I get them.  Enjoy!!

India- Part One - A teaser

India is quite different from the USA.  That is my favorite part about it.  I have never even left the country save for Vancouver and Tijuana.  So to end up on the other side of the world in Asia was a little shocking, and a lot exhilirating.  Pictures will, of course, not be sufficient in describing the bombardment of the senses that occurs when a westerner enters the east.  The colors, smells, and sounds will be missing from these photographs.  The mountains of the Himalaya are not provided any justice in a pixilated 3X5 photo on a laptop screen.  

I think over the next few weeks I will post a few pictures from different locations in India.  We'll start with some mountains.  But I took exactly 666 pictures on my memory cards and I have one more memory card coming back with a friend very soon.  I will give links to view all the pics in the near future.  In the meantime, enjoy the periodic updates...

--Looks like Nanda Devi but it's not.  Just a random gigantic peak.

--A fine place to sit down and read.  Looking into the Rishi Gorge.

--Village Lata at the beginning of the serious trekking

--One of many beautiful "classrooms".  This one at the bungalow in Auli.  Our home away from home as we stayed there four nights (on two seperate occasions.)

India Update

Hello from Delhi. We just returned from a four day stay in Darjeeling. It was perhaps one of the most beautiful and serene places I have ever been. A quiet mix of Tibetans, Nepalis, and Bhutanese made a nice escape from the noisy and insane Indian cities. There are spectacular views of Kanchenjunga (India's highest peak). Unfortunately, we were not lucky enough to partake in these views, as it was cloudy everyday. But, the 75 degree weather was a welcome relief from the 125 degree weather in the plains none-the-less. Time in Darjeeling was spent walking through the jungle and vast foggy forests of Japanese cedar; shopping around at Tibetan antique merchants; sipping the world famous Darjeeling tea; and exploring the peaceful Tibetan monasteries. The heat and chaos of Delhi will again be interrupted by a trip north back into the mountains and a stay at Dharamsala, where the Tibetan government in exile currently operates.
Until the next time, everyone, keep it extra real...

Greetings from India!!

Hello all! Just wanted to drop a line and let everyone know I'm alive. I am currently in Agra. I just wrapped up a visit to the Taj Mahal. The last three weeks have been spent travelling and trekking in the Indian Himalaya. it has been an incredible journy so far. I can't do justice in describing it, but when I return to the states I will set up a huge slideshow page for your veiwing enjoyment. Tomorrow I'm off to the holy city of Varanasi (google it) and four days later to Darjeeling (google it too) for a week.

More to come
I miss you all...

David

India bound

Tomorrow I will begin making my way to India. The first three weeks I will be spending with a group of 10 students and a few faculty in the Garhwal Himalayas. We will be trekking and visiting remote villages of the Bhotiya people (Indo-Tibetans) and learning about their lives and the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve where they live. The classes are on mountain development, resource issues, and eco-tourism. After three weeks I will part with the group at the Taj Mahal and they will return home. I will spend the next three weeks exploring India with a friend from school. We are going to float around and see where the winds blow us. I will try to update from India if possible.

More info at:
http://nandadevi.prayaga.org/




This is obviosly not my picture, but it gives you an idea of the trekking scenery. Hopefully in a month or so some of my pics will be up.
ALright, wish me luck everyone! I'll see you on the other side...

Spring Break

Spring break was a while ago but now i am done with the semester so i have some time.  Updates include: Just moved into a new apartment.  It is pretty nice; downtown, it's a house, has a yard, 50 yards from the river.  Also I am leaving to India in a few days.  More to come on that subject...

Many of my very favorite things are contained in this photograph

We went backpacking on the way back at Yakima Canyon.  Made it to camp late
This flower likes this lichen

Some of the scenery we enjoyed

The oasis camp spot

Woke up to this view in the morning

More vistas on the return hike

Magsters covering some pretty trail