First and foremost, I would like to wish a belated happy birthday to the United States and to all of my American friends. The United States is the leader of the free world, and it has proudly stood for good everywhere, with its values of human rights, freedom, and more always at the forefront. With its economic and military superiority, Americans can be counted on to take the lead in virtually every major global crisis, from...

I am writing this week's newsletter from Ecuador. I found I needed to get out and do some climbing, and except for Nepal and Ecuador, the majority of international climbing destinations in the world are still closed to foreign climbers. These include places such as Chamonix (France), Peru, and Chile. Therefore, here I am, back in beautiful Ecuador. Although I did climb here in December of last year, there is still much to explore. This week we...