Despite having declared that he would never ice climb due to its inherent danger, Terry returned to the Adirondacks to take a vertical ice-climbing lesson. Caryn Panini, Terry's first climbing partner laughs when she recalls that he said he would never ice climb. Terry never commits to anything until he studies it thoroughly and becomes comfortable with the risks involved. That's why he's a good partner. That's why I'm not too nervous about him going to Everest.
Terry knows all too well that there are inherent dangers in climbing.
In 1995, on a guided trip to Americas' tallest mountain, Mount McKinley in Alaska, he was caught in an avalanche. Though no one was seriously injured, he is still haunted by the episode. It had snowed heavily for 2 days before and they were moving down a slope that was beneath higher terrain with ideal avalanche conditions. I relied on the expertise of the guides rather than my own gut feeling. Terry returned to Mt. McKinley in 1999.