STAFF NEWS

Dammer Brothers are on their way to Mount Fitzroy

Michael, Thomas and Mathias are on their way to Mount Fitzroy in Patagonia, Argentina. This mountain is known as one of the hardest mountaineering expeditions. The Brothers have spent their fall in training and are now making their way by bicycle, donkey cart, bus and boat to the base of the mountain. They will be back in Vermont by mid-April. In a recent postcard they wrote, “As in the Alchemist, here we are following our personal legend, this time down south in Argentina, land of beautiful people and landscape. Little by little we start feeling the energy of the Patagonian mountains and Fitzroy, and we try to understand what is Pachmama (Mother Earth) trying to say with such beautiful magic that lies in front of us. Meanwhile, in our hearts a soft glow of friendship and love reminds us constantly of our Vermontian family.”

We are down in Bariloche, in the Argentinian patagonia, been travelling-climbing for three months, since we left Ecuador, we thought some of you guys may be wondering where we are, so here is the story. . . Two years ago the dream to climb in Patagonia filled our minds and hearts. On Quito’s bus terminal with almost 250 kilos of gear and with our hearts and arms wide open to 5 months of pilgrimage we started our journey.

From Ecuador’s green and tropical forest to the Peruvian arid coast, we climbed up to the Andes and hiked to the magic empire of the Incas, Machu Pichu!!. Following the mountains to the south, got into the Bolivian “Altiplano” and then with the melody of the “sambas” travelled trough the Argentinian “pampas” to get to the tail of South America, Patagonia!

Getting into the third month of adventure now, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and half of Argentina stayed behind. »Travelling by foot, train, small buses, huge buses, mules and hitchhiking, we are living South America closely. The reality of third world countries in which people is on its majority humble and devoted to their land.

Today, under the shade of a boulder I enjoy one of the few rest days.We are not far from “Chalten” (Fitzroy’s native and real name!) anymore. Surrounded by the huge granite spires from Frey, our tent lies in the green valley close to a turquoise lake fed by the melting snow . . . images of the last three months float in my mind . . . we’ve been on several summits, climbed big walls, opened new routes . . . the more I climb the more I realize the real summit lies far beyond the highest point.

The value of climbing is learning on every step we take towards that summit, the people you meet on the way, the animals and plants you see, your climbing partners, the mountains . . . climbing is a way of meditation, it’s a bridge to your inner self and nature. You suddenly find yourself up in the wall with a Condor flying by and miles of majestic nature around, it seems like a moment of silence and harmony, there is not thinking, just being . . . being the energy of the world!

Quiz: Can you find Mount Fitzroy on the map? First person to call (802-387-5397) or email (kroka@sover.net) us with Fitzroy’s elevation and longitude and latitude coordinates will receive a $25 gift certificate to the Kroka camp store!

REBECCA SAILS TO HAWAI
Rebecca Shwerin-Whyte has moved to Hawaii to attend a University of Hawaii program in Ethno-Botany. The other day during one of those delightful freezing rains here in Vermont, she called from the beach to say that she is getting tired of monotonous beautiful weather and is thinking of moving back home next year to continue her studies in the freezing rain.

YAY! CONGRATULATIONS JAMIE AND TONYA!
Welcome to your newborn baby boy Cyrus Lucien, born on November 19, 2004!

LOG CABIN
Chris and Ashirah completed a beautiful little log cabin on their land in Temple, Maine. They spent time after Christmas building furniture and organizing a more sedentary life after a year and a half of living in various wall tents with “caches” of personal belongings stashed in the woods from Jackman, Maine to Newfane, Vermont.