The Mountain Ear, February/March 2026
I sent a quick "I'm OK. Another fun day on the river." InReach message from deep within Batoka Gorge on the Zambezi River. And then I went quiet for nearly two days. I won't get into the delicate bits and will sum up that there was a 24-ish hour period that was more or less a blur of tremendous physical illness. Shortly after seeing a local fisherman who had collapsed in the heat carried out of the gorge on a makeshift litter, I found some shade and laid down to rest for a few minutes. As I lay there, I thought to myself "I should have updated my will before this trip."
We had two big portages that day. Which meant there was a lot of shore time and not a lot of boat time while our group wrangled a half dozen five meter rafts, rigged for an expedition, through a series of waterfalls. It also happened to be the hottest day of the trip. Batoka Gorge is all basalt, and by afternoon, the black canyon walls are radiating heat. The heat was oppressive on its own. Dealing with it while also feeling the worst I have felt in years made it that much worse.
Of the eleven other guests and seven guides I traveled with, I knew exactly one of them prior to the trip. Every one of these new friends, in one or many ways, showed me tremendous kindness, especially when I was sick. My motivation to go on this trip was the adventure, not the opportunity to make new friends. Yet as remarkable as the adventure was, it would not have been nearly so wonderful without the people I shared it with.
After the journey ended, the two Kiwis in our group and I were the last to fly home. The three of us had dinner together on our last night in Africa. Our conversation was mostly focused on the experiences we had just had, and we all agreed that we felt fortunate to have ended up with such a good group of people. The conversation then moved into a discussion of desirable attributes in a good travel companion. Robin suggested seeking out people who "suffer well." Yan and I agreed, but the comment prompted me to share a somewhat different take on suffering.
"I think the ideal may be someone who doesn't suffer at all."
"How do you mean?" Robin asked.
"Pain is unavoidable. Suffering is optional." This perspective on pain is something that I first learned from the author David Kessler. He asserts that we will all feel pain at various times throughout our lives. Whether that pain causes suffering is a function of our perspective on the situation. No feeling lasts forever. If we accept pain without resisting it and acknowledge that feeling pain is simply what is happening to us right now, then we can avoid suffering altogether.
Go outside and be kind.
-Mark
Our backcountry cabin got an upgrade in February with the installation of a solar panel, battery, and interior lights. There is also a USB charge port, in case a device needs to be topped up. Thank you to Tony LeBaron for designing and installing a system that can function throughout our cold mountain winters.
A Fortnight on the Zambezi
In November and December 2025, Mark Albrecht spent two weeks floating the Zambezi river from above Victoria Falls to Lake Kariba reservoir. Come hear about wildlife, whitewater, and a variety of other experiences that could only happen in Africa. The event will take place on Tuesday, 10 March at 7:00 p.m. As usual, we will meet at Freestone Climbing Center, 1200 Shakespeare St, in their upstairs meeting room. We hope to see you there!
Women's/Genderqueer Strength Building Workshop with Esther Smith, DPT
Friday, March 13, 6-8PM
Freestone Climbing Center - 1200 Shakespeare Street
Cost: $15 TRM Member / $25 NON Member
Learn to build power on and off the wall through fascial-based strength training.By harnessing our internal strength and proprioception for pull, push and core work off the wall we can translate that to better performance climbing steeper and more power demanding terrain. One goal of this workshop will be to help each participant improve their pull-up abilities. Here is a look at Esther's sequence for helping people progress their pull-ups regardless of their entry level.
As a licensed Physical Therapist in Wyoming, Utah, and Montana, Estherhas built an impressive career in physical therapy and athletic development. Studying at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Esthercompleted her Honors Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and subsequent Doctorate in Physical Therapy, before moving onto ventures specializing in injury recovery, and athletic coaching. Since 2015, Estherhas owned and led Grassroots Physical Therapy, where she practices her own style combining manual therapy, specific exercise, and strength and conditioning to help her clients return to high performance and resolve injuries. Additionally, while employed through Samsara Mountain Experience, Esther has used her background in PT to develop an impressive training methodology for full spectrum athletes, with templated and customized training plans, that all aim to transform athleticism and rehabilitate injuries. You can find her practicing physical therapy in Bozeman at Health In Motion PT + Wellness. Through partnering with Black Diamond, Outside Magazine, and Training Beta over the years, Esther has created an extensive library of self treatment education and climber injury rehab beta including videos, podcasts and articles. You can find these free resources compiled on her website.
TRM Gear Closet
Our exclusively for members Gear Closet continues to grow. We have some BCA 2-way radios to facilitate communications in the backcountry, as well as beacon, shovel, and probe. We also have ice tools and a four season tent. This gear is for you to use at no charge. If you’d like to check something out of the closet, send an email to Mark.
A complete listing of all the gear we currently have available can be found on our website.
Upcoming Trips and Activities
Monthly Presentation - Tuesday, 10 March - "A Fortnight on the Zambezi"
Monthly Presentations begin at 7:0o p.m., and will continue taking place every second Tuesday of the month until April at Freestone Climbing Center.
Women's/Genderqueer Strength Building Workshop with Esther Smith, DPT - Friday, 13 March - Freestone Climbing Center
Learn to build power on and off the wall through fascial-based strength training!
Backcountry Ski Outings - Alternating Saturdays - January through April
Every other Saturday, there will be a backcountry ski outing with either a beginner to intermediate focus or an intermediate to advanced focus. Locations will be determined the week of based on current conditions. Reach out to trip leaders for more information--contact details on the website.
Winter Rando Wednesdays - every Wednesday, conditions permitting - Meet: 5:45pm at overflow lot at Snowbowl. Be ready to start skiing at 6:00!
Monthly Presentation - Tuesday, 14 April - "Backcountry Trail Etiquette" Panel Discussion
Monthly Presentations begin at 7:0o p.m., and will continue taking place every second Tuesday of the month until April at Freestone Climbing Center.
Please visit our event calendar for details on these events!
TRM Merchandise
We have merchandise available for purchase at our presentations, quarterly business meetings, and special events. Please contact Elizabeth at heyartemisoutside@gmail.com if you’d like to purchase something for local pickup.
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| Beanie $25 | Pint Glass $10 | Keychain $5 |
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| T-Shirt $20 | Trucker Hat $20 | Buff $5 |
Ongoing Call for Photos, Videos, and Presenters
If you have some photos or videos you'd like to share that we can use for social media, event promotion, sponsor videos and our newsletter please email Elizabeth at heyartemisoutside@gmail.com or upload to this google photo/video link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/173AgLc4wrkYofvWA
If you are interested in presenting at a future Rocky Mountaineers monthly meeting or know of someone who would be, please contact Mark. We will begin filling our calendar for Fall 2026 soon.
Club Officers
President- Mark Albrecht
Vice President – Francis Horton
Secretary- Carson Ramsden
Treasurer- Tom Statz
Website- Kyle O'Connor
Archivist- Julie Kahl
Social Media and Video Production – Elizabeth Smith
Member discussion