Living On The Edge
My passions define my life
I have spent my life in the pursuit of my passions. I have been blessed with an amazing wife and children and
throughout my life I have challenged myself to be the best husband and father I can be while participating in academic pursuits, my work life, volunteering, endless hours of training, and mountaineering.
These are my stories
This site is dedicated to all the expedition companies, guides, porters and sherpa that made my climbs a success.
THANK YOU!
Just Another Day In The Office
No, this is not what I do during my lunch hour. I was approached in 2012 to profile the hobbies of local dentists.
About Bruce
I'm just a dentist from the Philadelphia Suburbs
(This is my tag line)
I was born and raised in Los Angeles in the 1960's and '70s. My parents were into the RV revolution of that era. My father dreamed of an Airstream trailer and would drool when he spoke of them, but he had the budget for a ten foot camper on a haalf- ton Chevy truck. We criss-crossed the country twice, in 1969 and again in 1971. We passed through the lower 48 and the provinces of Canada during those two trips.
Other times we would go to the Sierra Nevadas, Death Valley and spent other long weekends around Southern California.
I enjoyed cooking outdoors and having campfires. I would spend hours fishing and hanging around with my parents and sisters.
My younger sister was so small that she would sleep over the sink.
Scouting and Backpacking came next
A big part of my life involved Scouting, from the early Cub Scout days to Eagle Scout in 1978.
As a Scout in Troop 69 in Pacific Palisades, CA, I would spend one weekend per month camping outside the city. I was a late bloomer for sure and I was not into sports. Scouting gave me the foundations for backcountry survival. Hiking in the desert and managing my water and food taught me that you can survive without the comforts ofhome.
Summers were spent at Emerald Bay Boy Scout Camp on Catalina Island. Let's just imagine two weeks of "Lord Of The Flies."
We moved to New Jersey in 1976. I completed my Eagle requirements in Troop 64, Short Hils N.J. I still had camping experiences, but they were not the same. Boy Scouts would remain a big part of my life when I would repeat the experience again with my son, Henry.
My love of climbing was increasing. I was able to get my wife, daughter and son involved at different times. They were all better rock climbers than me!
We enjoyed several rock climbing trips to the Grand Tetons.
A chance to enjoy what I love with my children
Scouting 2.0
Time with my son
Henry and I got involved in the Cub Scouts with Gladwyne Pack 110.
We moved to Gladwyne Boy Scout Troop 181 where Henry completed his Eagle Scout requirements. Along the way we made it to Philmont, High Knoll and other great adventures. I served as Assistant Scoutmaster and eventually Scout Master for several years.
I was so proud to see my son learn to love the outdoors and become so comfortable, strong and able.
We continue to camp together when our schedules allow.
In 2003, my wife read an article in Outside Magazine about a freelance writer who had climbed Mt. Rainier in Washington State.
He had little to no climbing experience and went on a six day training and climbing expedition. He did not have a good time.
My wife showed me the article and said "Happy Birthday - you love to suffer!"
She knew I was up for the trip. I was nervous because I had lots of backpacking under my belt, but no glacier experience with ropes, ice axe and crampons.
The climb was wonderful and I wanted more. It was on this trip that I learned about the Seven Summits. - the highest peaks on each continent. My family put the breaks on that idea quickly. They were happy for me but reminded me that at the time I was a 40-something dentist with no real climbing skills. The people that you read and hear about climbing
the world's highest peaks are highly skilled and extremely
athletic. Basically, not me. They said that I could climb
Kilimanjaro, but never Everest.
