Spring Nordic Skiing

Just back from a short 5-6K ski on the Porter Mountain Loop, and as you can see conditions are scratchy. Still, its a lot more fun than running! In 25+ years at NCS I have never stopped nordic skiing before April 1st, and it just looks like I will keep that streak alive ... but just barely.

Tuckerman's Ravine Documentary

Click on this text to access a link and watch a 90 second trailer for the video documentary on the history of skiing in Tuckerman's Ravine. An Eastern ski mountaineering classic ... Clear your calendar for May 2-3 and come and join us.

First Tracks!

Last weekend when I was skiing at Killington, the first tracks were being put down on the Tuckerman's Ravine Headwall. Click on this link to get to the comprehensive website about skiing and alpine climbing in Tuckerman's or Huntington Ravine.(This link is also a good resource for ski mountaineering in general.)

Schussing the Headwall

Click on the text to access the enclosed link and read the written transcript of Toni Matt's talk in 1983 where he described the experience of his famous run from the summit of Mount Washington. It is estimated that he hit a top speed of 85 mph on his way down the 50 degree slope. This link comes from the New England Ski Museum in New Hampshire.

An Eastern Ski Mountaineering Classic

The weekend of May 2-3 Hockmeister will be heading to ski the Tuckerman's Ravine headwall. One of the most famous ski stories in American history was Toni Matt's schuss of the headwall, skiing from the summit of Mount Washington to the road 6:29 ... a record never equalled to this day! Come and join me. (Click on the image to enlarge this famous photograph.)

Maybe I am in the wrong place

Late in the day, with my quads screaming from too many telemark turns, my buddies start dragging me down these kind of runs! After a couple of these runs I was thoroughly shot. I guess I can chalk it up as good ski mountaineering training.

College Reunion

What an amazing day ... Fabulous Spring conditions.

Biking in Florida

Lucy, Selden, and friends Alex and Joanne continue to enjoy a warm weather vacation. (As usual Hock is searching for the last bits of winter, heading off to Killington with college buddies tomorrow.) However, I did take advantage of some close-out sales to buy Lucy some new racing poles, and I believe she still has a couple of days left of skiing on the Porter Mountain Loop when she gets back from Florida!

Out of Africa

Four hours from Maputo, this crag in South Africa (waterval boven) sports over 600 routes. Greg and Tory report a great weekend of cragging. "Nothing as easy as Clip Jr at Owen's River Gorge," was the quote of the day ... however those bolts are looking pretty closely spaced for an alpinisit. Needless to say, here in the Adirondacks I am hoping to skip out of the office early and go ice climbing.

Wow!

I am heading over to the office, and I just did 45 minutes on the rowing machine watching the end of the video “Steep.” I highly recommend it! If you have access to netflix order it now, if you are on campus and want to watch it before I send it back let me know. This subjective history of extreme ski mountaineering moves from Bill Briggs skiing the Grand, to Baud-Boivin-Vallencant in Chamonix, to big lines in the Chugach, to the more recent ski movie stars (Coombs, Plake, Stump, McConkey, Backstrom), and it comes full circle with traditionalist, Andrew McLean skinning up remote big mountains to ski down 50+ degree couloirs ... one seamless blend of alpine and ski mountaineering.

Haute Route: planning for next year?

So, Brian was invited on a trip for this coming April but can not make it, should the fossils (and friends) start planning for next March? We could go a little early and avoid all the crowds and trade slightly shorter days for more powder. Watch the enclosed five minute video of the classic traverse from Chamonix to Zermatt. Many believe this to be the best ski mountaineering traverse on the planet, and oh yes, there are multiple opportunities for alpine climbing along the 70 mile route.

Fossil Friend

The enclosed picture is of Frank helping the western PA conservancy, and the State Game Commission, tagging bear cubs, and radio collaring, and tattooing the sows. He also spent a part of the day taking blood and DNA samples. In April he is heading over to the Alps to do another haute route.

Still Ice to be Climbed!

You have to be a bit more selective, however as you can see from the close-up (roadside view), Chouinard's Gully is in great shape, and the view from near Giant's Washbowl shows plenty of other ice in the Chapel Pond area. (Click on the photographs to enlarge the images.)

Winter Ascent of Giant

On the last day of winter, Reggie and I climbed Giant, one of my
favorite 46ers. We did six miles, 3000', on a spectacular sunny day.
About 2/3 of the trip was done in crampons.

70th Day on Snow

Another warm and sunny day in the mid-40s. Conditions were superb ...
I wish I was on skating gear instead of waxless.

Meanwhile ...

Down in Florida, my family and friends are doing quite well in Daytona! Enclosed picture is Jon and Lucy, and best buddy Alex.

Next Trip

This gully is the site of an ice climb called, "Adirondike", a classic route that is in great conditions (NEI 3+). Larry and Dave do you want to do it? Really now, isn't it a little too early to put away your ice tools to start thinking about rock climbing? (Click on the photograph to enlarge the image.)

Checking Out the Route

3:00 PM and we are looking at the Route. The Trap Dike on Colden is one of the classic winter mountaineering routes in the East, however ... Maybe it is a little a late in the day !

Avalanche Lake

A small alpine lake bounded on both sides by 500' cliffs on both
sides. There are several modest routes but most are NEI V or some
heinous M- whatever. If you are not put off by the approach this is a perfect place for alpinists, from tykes to tigers!

Winter Mountaineering

Brian gets a great deal from Cascade Ski Touring Center ... New boots,
new skis, a free pair of socks, and several free beers! Here he is
taping up a "hot
spot" ... 20K, 1600', and two pitches.

Fun Factor Increasing

Mark finally has his skis on and is enjoying the tour to Marcy Dam.
The packs are pretty heavy!

Daunted by Eastern Powder

The boys were a bit out of sorts with the hard pack conditions.
Despite my constant cajoling they walked the first 3 kilometers.
Spirits soared as the temperature climbed and the skiing improved.
Avalanche Lake is one of the most spectacular places in the East.

Pictures from the second pitch

A great second pitch, made more exciting by the large number of dinner plates we dropped on Mark and Brian. Our rappel was a little comical as we debated whether to rap on the fat rope and pull on the thin rope (safer) or rap on the thin rope and pull on the fat rope (easier). Mark and Brian - way under dressed - froze their buns off! (Click on the photographs to enlarge them.)

Multiplication Gully

Another bluebird day! Although since the gully is always in deep shade, the ice was boilerplate hard. The approach was desperate, verglased rock and frozen mud! Gary did a fine job leading. (Click on the photographs to enlarge them.)

Cascade Lakes (Spring) Ice Climbing

The fossils had a great day, and they are still awesome studs! The evidence, quite simple look at Mark just dancing up this ice pillar. The modest route we did multiple laps on was called Roadside Gullies (NEI 3-). Notice the keen-eyed alert look of Gary the belayer, or the exhuberance of Brian celebrating the warm weather and removal of his balaclava. The words of wisdom are, "Any day you go out is a victory."

Single Digits

It was cold this morning despite the lack of snow in the pasture due to the recent thaw. The fossils are coming and so I came over this morning before work to split some wood for the cabin. Cold nights and relatively warm days are predicted for the fossil end-of-season ice bash. (The rest of the family left at 3:45 AM for the Spring break drive to Florida.)

Hock's Mountain Collection: skiing

The edge of never ... Two Planks and a Passion ... Pushing The Limits ... The Medal of Honor ... The Snow Gods ... The Mountains of Youth ... Cross Country Skiing Today ... Teach Yourself to Ski ... A Coach's Field Guide to Cross Country Skiing Technique ... Citizen Racing ... Training for Nordic Skiing ... The Simple Secrets of Skating ... Swix: Nordic ski preparation manual 2009 and 2007 and 2005 ... Good Glide ... Really Cool Telemark Tips ... Really Cool Backcountry Tips ... Uphill With The Ski Troops ... Surfing the Himalayas ... Free-Heel Skiing ... Ski Mountaineering ... Nansen ... Pioneers on Skis ... The Summits of Samivel ... Green Cognac ... Ski: 50 years In North America ... Ski Faster, Easier ... Come Winter ... Skiing in Utah ... Wild Snow ... Downhill Skiing ... The Race of the Birkeneiners ... The Art of Skiing ... Snowshoe Thompson ... Mount Tremblant ... Ski Games ... The Skiing Life ... Ski the World ... 25 Ski Tours in the White Mountains ... The Best Ski Touring in America ... Alpine Circus ... Frozen in Time ... Nothing Gold Can Stay ... The Snowy Torrents ... Avalanche Handbook ... Avalanche Safety for Skiers and Climbers ... Momentum ... Endless Winter ... Biathlon Handbook ... Cross Country Ski Conditioning ... Toko Wax Manual ... The White Death ... One Stride Ahead ... The Centered Skier ... Wilderness Skiing ... Pathfinder ... 1932 Winter Olympics ... Fundamentals of Cross Country Skiing Technique ... Haute Route ... Loppet 1990 ... Legends of American Skiing ... Fire on the Mountain ... Avalanche Awareness ... White Winter Heat ... The Simple Secrets of Skating ... World Cup 1988 ... The Great Race ... TV Coverage of 2006 Olympics ... Ski Tours of the Wasatch (volume II)

PENMAN again

PENMEN® was created by 12 year old artist Gary Blehm in 1977 in a one room school house near Aspen, Colorado. He offers a humorous look at all things related to climbing, mountaineering, and the alpine world.

Riveting Book

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO READ A CHAPTER FROM THE BOOK.


Three stories in one: the story of cutting edge ski mountaineering; the story of the movie that was never made about a 15-year old and his deceased dad; as well as the story of Chamonix and capital of world class alpinism and off-piste extreme skiing. A quick read.

(CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE SHORT VIDEO MADE FROM THE FOOTAGE LEFT ON THE EDITING ROOM FLOOR.)

We Still Have Great Ice

This short 70 second video, doing a short mixed climb in the Cascade Lakes section last week. Pitchoff Right is a ell known top-roping area, well here you see a few guys leading out the overhanging curtain ... no figure-fours though! (Click on this link to play the video.)

Backcountry Season Is Open!

NCS students heading into Avalanche Lake, one of the premier ski tours in the Adirondacks. Lots of trips do to this Spring: ski descents of Mount Marcy, ice climbs up the North Face of Gothics or the Trap Dike on Colden, maybe even a ski descent of the slides on Giant.

Porter Mountain Loop

Lucy's first tour of this most demanding 7.5 K section of the 1980 Olympic trails. She cruised it on a beautiful sunny day. Pitchoff is in the background, and if you want to enlarge the photo just click on it.

Thinking of Peru

Well these pictures of Jon from four years ago are getting me psyched. Jon however, needs to do another journalism internship for college credit this summer. Mark is out of work. Larry has a new addition to the family, Reggie has gained too much weight, and Brian worries about acclimatization ... Gary where are you? Is there anyone available for some Andean alpinism?(Click on the pictures to enlarge the photographs.)

Out for another ski

Of course, this time traditional skiing on the Porter Mountain Loop I got caught in the late afternoon rain storm ... Not as much fun as this morning's skating workout.

Tory and Greg in South Africa

Hola,

Just drinking a coffee here in old Lorenzo Marques and been going through the photos from our trip to South Africa.

The climbing was amazing and beautiful and we got like 25ish routes in over a bunch of days. Nice re-introduction to sandstone for us!!! They climbed at Table Mountain, Cederberg, and Montagu. All wonderous places but by far the Cederberg is king. Long routes in a beautiful wilderness setting. We only got a little spanked... mostly by weather...


Anyway... Mt Kenya this spring if anyone is interested. The normal route is like 25 pitches of cool climbing to the top of one of the best in Africa!

All the Best,

Greg