At the summit of Mt. Elbrus lie mementos from climbers who have successfully scaled the 18,590 foor peak.You can't climb a mountain alongside someone you hate or distrust. That's the basic philosophy behind the Santa Rosa group, Climbers for Peace, which just completed their 7th expedition with an international group including members from Russia and Ukraine.

Fred_Ptucha_photo Fred PtuchaSince Fred Ptucha formed Climbers for Peace in 1997, the group has sponsored and led climbs in four contries on three continents. Here's a short history of their activities.

Canyon The most recent Climbers for Peace team paused for this group photo during their explorations of national parks in southern Utah and Northern Arizona.Why mountaineering as a pathway to peace? Ptucha insists it is an activith that is iherently condusive to fostering fellowship.