Logging some vertical ... The Great Wall

OMG ... truly one of the seven wonders of the world! It is hard to believe anyone building a 3000 mile long wall, let alone doing it hundreds of years ago with rudimentary tools.

Sightseeing in Beijing - The Forbidden City and the Capital Museum

Lucy trying out the heart rate monitor

Lucy's 17th Birthday

Her actual birthday is not for a couple of days, however she was home for 36 hours and so we celebrated it yesterday.

It was great to see our daughter home from St. Paul's, although because I had a board meeting I could not attend the festivities at her school or see her cross country meet. St. Paul's won the race, beating Groton, St. George, and BB&N. Next week is the ISL championship, St. Paul's is hoping to win it for the second year in a row.

As you can see in the picture she is starting to open her birthday gifts. Her presents included: several books, workout gear, stuff for her ski wax kit, and a heart rate monitor. Today I drive her back to St. Paul's, and then head on down to Logan airport, to fly to Beijing and Kunming to see NCS parents.

Some more running in the Alps

Opening The Route from Schlarb-Wolf Productions on Vimeo.

Two weeks in the Alps next summer?

Spend the first four days, getting acclimated, getting over jet-lag,
blowing off some carbon dioxide, and running/hiking a circumnavigation of Monte Rosa. Then a route on Lyskamm, Castor and Pollux, the Breithorn, and the Matterhorn.

Hard bouldering in the Adirondacks

While there may still be a few "Indian Summer" days this Fall in watch to scratch some anorthosite, I have mentally switched season's. However, a recent second ascent of this hard problem in the southern Adirondacks could get you fired up. 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE SHORT VIDEO.

Feeling Fit?

What have you been up to? I'm still logging a fair amount of vertical
each week, and I did a recent interval workout on the track which was a
first time in who knows how many years!  The graph shows the weekly total of minutes logged on the Strava app, so Ergometer, yoga, and bouldering workouts are not included.

Fascinating website!

Not really connected with mountains, or Alpinism, or trail running, or
randonee skiing ... But as I was a math and science teacher once upon
a time ... fascinating nevertheless.

CLICK HERE FOR THE EXPLANATION TO THIS BRAIN TEASER.

What happened to the Franklin a Expedition ... one of the great historical mysteries

The Canadian government has confirmed that it has found the remains of the HMS Erebus. In 1845 Sir John Franklin in his two ships – the Erebus and Terror – left to find the Northwest passage, and were never seen again.

 CLICK HERE TO READ A SHORT AND INFORMATIVE ARTICLE.

Great run but Winter is on its way!

I had rock skis in the car, but as I drove by the ski area the snow level looked to high. Now that the toll road is closed for the season it is a good run ... oh, and the last 2k were skiable.

The First Dusting Of Snow

QUOTE OF THE WEEK ... from Once A Runner: a novel

The main character Quenton Cassidy, talking about his time holing up in a little mountain cabin.

"He quickly settled into a mesmerizing pattern of hard training, reading, eating his simple fare, sleeping like a wintering bear, and talking to the pots and pains."

So, at 62 years old, is it still alright that I would love to do just that? Anyway, great book if you have not read it!

A great fall run

About 6K – out and back – to the Rock And River bed-and-breakfast. Followed by a quick sprint up Owls Head where I got caught in a rainstorm.

NOAA winter predictions

Unfortunately, their climate models suggest that the northeast and the
Rockies are not likely to have the same cold and snowy winter as last
year. Of course, the southeast part of America may get more snow than
usual.

Fitness Age v. Chronological Age

CLICK TO READ THE NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE.

Running in the Alps

CLICK HERE FOR GREAT VIEWS SET TO HENRY DAVID THOREAU TEXT

American Death Triangle

CLICK HERE TO READ WHY.

Trail running in Norway

en Morgen på Stranda from Ryan Harris on Vimeo.

Fantastic scenery, however if I get back to visit Norway it will probably be on skis.

The trend toward wide-waisted skis is not that new!

Check out these 145 mm boards!  These skis are 1300 years old and were found at the snout of a glacier in Norway.

Almost mid-October ... when will we get our first turns?

Hopefully soon ... but until then, get excited for winter with a
little Chamonix off piste.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A SHORT VIDEO

BLAST FROM THE PAST ... Valley Uprising ... A must see!

OMG. This is a fantastic documentary, and when REEL ROCK comes your way, you have to make time for it. This feature length film spends most of its time focusing on the 1960s and 1970s, however it brings you right to the present day with Alex Honnold's solo climbs, high lining, and BASE jumping.

There are so many humorous moments, including the coverage of the Dawn Wall climb, when the Park Service mobilizes a rescue because of the bad weather, prompting Warren Harding to toss off a note from high up on El Cap saying, "a rescue is unwanted, unwarranted, and will not be accepted."

It brought back so many memories, including my few moments with Bridwell, Kauk, Bacher, and Chouinard.

THE CALLING ... Check it out ... A Life Rocked By Mountains

If you are a fossil alpinist you will be no stranger to the name of
Barry Blanchard the Canadian hardman. He originally route an article
for the ALPINIST magazine in 2006, and then he took the concept and
expanded it to a 20 chapter book. FYI ... the less expensive e-book
($14.99) is available from Patagonia.

READ AN EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 13, THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, AT THE ALPINIST.

Inspired by Dante's DIVINE COMEDY

In the poem Dante is guided by the Roman poet Virgil, I guess in our
tour through the nine circles of campground hell we would be guided by our host - El Presidente.
(Thanks to the Adventure Journal website.)

The NCS flat 2k trail

This is a lovely place to ski and run laps, with great views.

Get ready for backcountry skiing

95 To Infinity - The Traslins' Never Ending Shred from G3 Genuine Guide Gear on Vimeo.

Potato Harvest At NCS

Avalanche and winter travel basics

CLICK HERE TO REAT THE OUTSIDE ARTICLE.

NCS 3k Loop

One of our great trails. Perfect for a quick hike before it gets dark;
run a couple of laps and log 260' on each lap; stop and third class
some stuff at the crag; or in the winter take some runs on the ski
hill when the tow is running.

Three great places to run!

In my recent business trip to California, I was able to work some
running into all three of these wonderful places.

Dakota Jones Video

Is this really a new wave? Or is what Kilian, Dakota, and Krupicka are
doing essentially what alpinists have always done? Certainly alpinists
have always done three things to push limits in the mountains: climb
faster, climb harder stuff, climb more out of the way stuff. Haven't
climbers always engaged in the fastest ascent of Mont Blanc,
Matterhorn, all the gullies in Huntington Ravine on Mount a
Washington, or fastest ascent of the Grand Teton. Isn't this a game we
have always played?

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE SHORT VIDEO.

Thoughts on honoring the dead, and living

Skiing big mountains and extreme lines is a very dangerous game. Three of the best were killed in two separate avalanches last week.

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS THOUGHTFUL ESSAY IN THE ADVENTURE JOURNAL.

Dreaming Of Chamonix

The word is, that the ice routes are in good "nick" and that with
summer crowds gone, you do not even have to wait in line for the Chere
Couloir.

CLICK HERE FOR A QUICK READ.

Mountains and Mountain Trails

CLICK HERE TO SEE THIS GREAT WEBSITE.

Hock sets STRAVA record on the Lake Lundy Road Climb!

Of course this is not as famous as the Tour du Ski hill climb up the
Alpe de Cermis, nor Heartbreak Hill in Boston, nor the Climb to the
Castle on the Whiteface Toll Road ... but it's something ... Come on I
beat 11 people. (I can hear El Presidente now, "yes I do remember
that group of octogenarians from a Marin County old folks home that
stayed in my campground, they talked about taking their canes and
walkers out beyond Saddlebag Lake.") Anyway, it was a good 2.5 hour run.

Lucy's cross country race

St. Paul's narrowly lost to Tabor, but beat the three other schools.
(They should do better in a re- match at the Championships as they had
2-3 fast runners injured, and unable to compete.) Lucy's friend
Samantha broke the course record, and Lucy was 58 seconds faster than
last year on this course (fourth SPS girl and 11th overall). It was a
tough 5k with some steep hills ... just what you want to get ready for
the nordic season.

The Valley Trail Loop

A run doesn't get more picturesque and fun than this! I had a great 36 hours with El Presidente.

2+ hour run in the Sierras

This run around Saddlebag Lake, underneath North Peak, and out past
Lake Helen was awesome. The three visible couloirs on the north side
of North Peak have great ice climbs ... all of which I have soloed.