Weather looks good in Cordillera

See you in 10 days!

Final Packing

Getting down to the nitty-griity: how many slings, pins, how many gas
canisters, and as always, making sure to pack as much fruitcake as
possible!

Another View

Vallunaraju, Ocshapalca, Ranrapalca, and Rimarima off in the distance.
Churup is patially visible off on the right-hand corner.

Sunrise

We are heading off to Yungay and then to camp at the trailhead at
13,000'. Tomorrow we'll hike to basecamp at 15,700'.

A Reading Rest Day

Spending the afternoon at the California Cafe, then a nap, followed by
dinner at Cafe Andino, and dessert and a movie at Huaraz Satyricon.

La Plaza de Armas

Edward out for a mid-day stretching of legs and some chai at the Cafe
California.

Yoga and Huascaran

Matt strutting his stuff on Zarela's roof.

Morning sun on Huascaran

Edward enjoying the views from Zarela's roof top garden.

Desayuno

The guys having a first breakfast at La Casa de Zarela.

Boarding the Bus

Matt and Edward posing with the mountaineer's statue in the Movril bus
station for good luck.

Most of the gear is Matt's

We are heading over to the bus station for the 8 hour trip to Huaraz.
I got in at 4 AM, and by the time I get to the mountains, I will have
been traveling for 36 hours. (As usual Matt brought everything but the
kitchen sink.)

One more tune-up

I took Lucy and my neice Lizzy up Owl's Head. The boots, while not
fully broken in, do feel good. I am psyched!

Summit Day

Certainly all my fossil friends, and even some of the younger generation know of my penchant for fruitcake. On every serious trip or route it is a staple of Hock's diet, and a sure bet to come along on the summit attempt. Indeed at 3,000 calories per pound, it packs a wallop. The stories of gas laden fruitcake on the West Rib of Denali in the 1970s, or Michael Franklin biting off the top of an "Old Fashioned Claxton Fruit Cake" at the top of the Black Dike on Cannon, swallowing it in one gulp, plastic wrapping and all. Most of you also know that on Christmas Day there is always at least one package underneath the tree. So, even though I'll be toting GU along, you know what I'll be munching on the summit of Huandoy.

Almost Packed

I put it all out last night. The rope stays behind in favor of two 8.5 X 60 meter ropes that Matt has. I will also trim a water bottle, two books, a bit of the rock gear, and possibly the skis and helmet may be left behind. I have a great deal to get done in the office today, and I need to see my dad tomorrow morning who has not been well, and then I fly out of Logan in the late afternoon. I will probably leave here at 4:00 am ... manana.

Our evolving Cordillera Blanca agenda

Final Preparations

I head out in another 36 hours. Yesterday I wore the new mountaineering boots all day, including two short hikes on the NCS super loop and Owl's Head (pictured), and I went over to the can in at sunset to pick up my sleeping bag and some fruitcake for Peru (pictured below).

Must See Movie

The Devil's Miner, is a documentary set in Bolivia although it is equally true of Peru, where in fact, mining is an even bigger industry. The human toll of extractive industries is mind boggling. This is a highly disturbing video, and it makes me feel guilty as hell that I will be climbing in the Cordillera Blanca, while across the valley in the Cordillera Negra these abuses will be going on. You can order this from Netflix or watch it instantly on you computer from Netflix.


CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE TRAILER.

Will our boys suffer in the Cordillera?

With production down, Matt, Hock, and Edward are wondering if there will be a shortage of Pisco sours this trip to the Cafe Andino. As always you can enlarge the photograph by clicking on the image.

Best Hollywood Climbing Films Ever?

What do, Take it to the Limit, Vertical Limit, Cliffhanger, K2, and The Eiger Sanction all have in common? According to the blog Splitter Choss they are the best climbing films every made in Hollywood.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE ARTICLE.

New Book about 2008 K2 tragedy

CLICK HERE TO READ A REVIEW.

Cordillera Blanca

This is another view of the hut, and the glacial cirque behind it which is ringed by Pisco (just out of view on the right), the Huandoy massive, and Chacraraju, which is possibly the hardest 6,000 meter peak in Peru.

Refugio Peru

This is the hut we intend to stay at in the Cordillera Blanca, it sits on a moraine at 15,663'. Nevado Pisco (18,700') in the background will be our warm up peak.

Breashears: Rivers of Ice Exhibit

While the Asia Society is hosting an art exhibit right this moment in Manhattan, watch this short video that lets you tour, the smaller exhibit that was recently housed in a tent at the Mount Everest basecamp.

Winter Snow Cover

This interesting graph from the Rutgers Climate Lab, shows that 2010 had the smallest snow cover since this lab started measuring data (using satellites) in 1967. It is also clear that this decade in general, has been one of little winter snow cover.

Southern Alps

Greg and Tori continue to have a great time, down under in New Zealand. That's Tori off in the distance on a day in the mountains.

Climate Change and Glacial Retreat

Nick Kristof wrote an op-ed article in the New York Times about this important exhibit by Dave Breashears in the Asia Society. As always please click on the photograph to enlarge the image.

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO ACCESS THIS IMPORTANT ARTICLE.

Quote of the Week

"LAST TIME I WENT BOULDERING IN MY HOBNAILS, I FELL OFF." This is the first line of the novel "paths of Glory," and it was really spoken by Conrad Anker, it was the code expression when he found George Mallory's body on Everest in 1999. This is an excellent piece of historical fiction about Mallory and his two great loves- Everest and his wife Ruth.

Himalayan Historians

If you love data, graphs and charts,and you are interested in the history and trends in Himalayan climbing then this is the book for you. Available on-line as a PDF file, it contains pages and pages of information to be assimilated on a cold winter's evening while you are sipping some single malt.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE BOOK

Waddington Range

One of my former students, a geo-dude, is doing a NOLS course in British Columbia. They have had an unusual run of spectacular weather. Their helicopter resupply was on the Homathko Glacier, and their next objective is Mount Grenville. Yahho Noah!

Background News From Peru

A change of pace, an article that is not about climbing, or training for the Cordillera Blanca, or even a how to do on navigating Andean glaciers ... Just as Clinton said in 1992 ... It's about the economy. (AS ALWAYS CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE THE TEXT.)

Video ... Chavin

This short video from the Global Heritage Fund puts this unique site into historical context. As always, you may click on the image to enlarge it and watch it on its original YouTube site.

CHAVIN

Chavin is a pre-inca archaeological site about a four hour bus ride from Huaraz. It was built about 900 BC, and is amazing, given that the stones they moved would challenge even the largest contractors today with their big construction rigs. Edward and Matt ought to have this on their acclimatization schedule.

Hock Turns 58

Here I am having just blown out the candles on the cheesecake Lucy made for my birthday. (You'll notice there are only two candles to accommodate my diminished max VO2!) Most of the presents from family or friends were either climbing gear our pata-gucci items for work. Of course, there is always at least one book, and this year it was John Biggar's, "The Andes: a guide for climbers."

Glacier Travel

Sorting gear, finding my Spanish phrase book, and reading the guidebook are the most common pre-trip activities. How about reviewing your glacier travel, and crevasse rescue systems?

CLICK HERE to access an informative article by Dave Nettle.

Bouldering on the Climbing Wall

Yesterday started out gloomy, drizzly, and grey, and so I did a 40 minute yoga and bouldering session on the climbing wall in our main building. The aim is to stay on the wall for as long as possible and so you climb up, down, and side-ways until your arms are "too pumped" to do anymore. The skies cleared, and by late afternoon we had spectacular weather ... crisp and cool ... which has continued on into Sunday. (This very short video is set to some big band era jazz, as always you may click on the image to enlarge it.)

Cordillera Blanca

This is a view from Yanapaccha of the Huascaran-Huandoy group. I leave for Peru in just under two weeks ... Yahoo.

Ice Axes for the Haute Route

One of the essential items of gear needed next March will be your ice axe. The trip from Chamonix to Zermatt will not demand high angle ice climbing, but it will involve glacier travel and booting up some steep snow slopes. The axe you choose need not have the radical droop to climb vertical ice, nor does it need to be too beefy. These days almost every major company - Black Diamond, Grivel, Petzl - all make lightweight ski mountaineering axes. The one pictured here is what I use and it weighs only 14 ounces. (As a related aside, for those on a budget NCS has ice climbing axes for loan, while a bit heavier will do the trick.)

CLICK HERE to access a list of makes and models.

2008 in the Alps

This short video - set to Mozart - is a slideshow of the trip Larry and Hock took to Chamonix. It was a fantastic 14 days, with sun every day, and 11 routes ascended! (AS ALWAYS CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT AND WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.)

Gear Review ... Ascenders

Whether for aid climbing, hauling, or rescue they need to be in your gear locker, pack, or in your harness. Gripped magazine does a quick job surveying the field. The tribloc pictured here is what I'll have on my harness while climbing in the Cordillera Blanca.

CLICK HERE to access the article.

Andean Climbing Video

Several years ago Larry and my son Jon went down to Peru. Larry was there for an entire month, although for the first 18 days he climbed with us. We stayed at La Casa de Zarela's in Huaraz, used Oscar as our cook, and climbed Urus Este and Tocllaraju. We also hiked into Lake Churup and visited the ruins at Chavin. As I get ready to revisit the Cordillera Blanca in 16 days, enjoy these happy memories with me. (Clicking on the video after it starts will bring you to the You Tube page where it is hosted, and it will enlarge the viewing screen.)

Alpine Training Log

Cascade Summit View

This short video set to a Mozart piano concerto was taken over the July 4th holiday - on a spectacular morning - which shows off the Adirondack peaks to best effect. In the background you can make out, roughly in order the following: Pitchoff, NCS and our Round Lake, Whiteface, Lake Placid, Algonguin, Wright, and Colden, next will be Mount Marcy and the Great range, followed by Giant, Hurricane, and Jay Peak. (Of course, Lucy's head peaks in there as well.)

Training for alpinism

It is not all that different than training for Nordic skiing. Swap
cragging for rollerskis and they look quite similar. The Adirondacks
will hit 90 degrees today - pretty unusual - so here I am speed hiking
on the Olympic trails with ski poles at 7:00 AM. I am psyched for the
Andes.

Culture of Youth and High Stakes Risk

The American Alpine Institute blog had an interesting article which asks the question of where do parents draw the line in permitting their children to do risky things? Where does the government draw the line in allowing parents to permit their kids to do risky things? Or, should their be no line? ( The picture shows8th grader, Jordon Romero on top of Mount Everest.)


CLICK HERE to access the article.

Quote of the Week

I found this quote in 'Born To Run.' Ultra-marathoner Scott Jurek quotes it often, and it was originally penned by the early 20th century philosopher William James ...

"Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own; sources of strength never taxed at all because we never pushed through the obstruction."

A Must Read ... five stars

If you have ever been a runner - back in the days before your fossil joints hurt too much - you just have to read this book. It is one part exercise physiology, one part new age Carlos Castenada, one part travelogue, one part cultural history of the Tarahumara, and one part hilarious fun. As someone who aspired to do the Leadville 100, the book held a special fascination.


CLICK HERE to read the book reviews

Fantastic Fireworks

Of course my dinky iPhone camera could not begin to do justice to last evening's celebration. However, you have to know that for a tiny town, Lake Placid - with fireworks over Mirror Lake and the mountains in the background - is an amazing place to celebrate the July 4th holiday. Enjoy the last of your long weekend.

Peruvian Objectives

In less than 20 days I fly to Lima, Peru. At the moment our main goal is to climb Chopicalqui, a peak which tops out at almost 21,000. Our warm up climb will be the18,500 Yanapaccha pictures below. If all goes well, and we have enough time we hope to add another 6,000 meter peak - Huandoy Oeste - to our menu.

Waiting for the Fireworks

Sitting on the Boathouse deck, sipping a drink, and waiting for the show to start.

July 4th Hike

It was a spectacular day so Lucy and I hiked up Cascade. This Adirondack 46er, is just across the street from school, and is indeed one of our graduation requirements. The hike is relatively easy, but it still involves 2.5 miles up, with a gain of 2,000'. She is a pretty speedy hiker, but we took a relaxed pace today, and got to the summit in 80 minutes.

Interview on the birthplace of skiing

Nils Larsen producer-director of the video "Skiing in the Shadow of Genghis Khan" is interviewed in the magazine Off Piste. Deep in the Altai Mountains of China there is a continuous history of ski construction, usage, and technique that dates back well over a thousand years. These Mongolian people ski as their ancient ancestors did. It's an interesting article, well worth the time as you get ready for skiing the Haute Route next year.

Click here to access the article

Camp Treetops

We have just finished our first week of summer camp, and already many of the campers are excited and delighted about the prospect of hiking up peaks, bouldering, and doing some top-roped climbing. No doubt future generations of fossil mountaineers are being developed out at the Yurt boulder. Yesterday, I got out of my office to do a few problems and some spotting; today I hope to head up to the crag for many laps before the campers arrive, and then take a few pictures of our campers doing their first outing at the crag.