Not long ago, I was backpacking and climbing in the Adirondacks, Whites, Greens, Smokies, Chugach and a small portion of the Coast Range.  After I moved to our nation’s capital area for work things changed.  My time in the alpine zone dwindled from epic adventures to ecotourism.  While I genuinely find my professional life rewarding, the truth is I am a repressed mountaineer.  I miss the simple pleasures of bald summits, snow resting on pine branches, lonely trails, and the warmth of my sleeping bag on a cold morning.  So here I share my knowledge and vent.