Fossil Alpinism: February 2015

Friday, February 27, 2015

Fossils in the news

I knew Hudon a little bit from the 70s climbing at Rock Rimmon in Manchester New Hampshire, and Ewing knew Max Jones a bit when he was a biathlete in the 80s.

http://www.climbing.com/news/el-cap-pioneers-hudon-jones-plan-fast-free-ascents/

Fruitcake ... they know me so well

On Wednesday I received an unexpected and belated Christmas present from Stegs one of my first climbing partners. Ever since I was a kid my mom used to buy me fruitcake for a stocking stuffer, and because of that I always ended up bringing it on climbing trips. And so over the years there has been a long litany of stories about climbing adventures and how the fruitcake played into them.

Stegs remembered a trip in the Adirondacks when the fruitcake was so frozen, it was like a brick, and so we had to put it down our shirts to warm it up next to our skin. Then of course there was the trip to Denali when the blazo white gas spilled on our fruitcake which was the only lunch food we had. The time that we topped out on the Black Dike in the dark, and Michael Franklin who had nothing to eat all day, just bit into the Claxtons fruitcake, wrapper and all. Of course, my sisters make sure that fruitcake is still a stocking stuff for for me every year.

THANKS STEGS.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Pretty poor winter unless ...

Unless you happen to live in New England! Read this short article from the New York Times.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/03/01/travel/snow-snow-snow-and-the-east-coast-skiers-rejoice.html?referrer=

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Historic Day For American Nordic Skiing

http://fasterskier.com/article/kalla-untouchable-in-snowy-world-champs-10-k-skate-diggins-and-gregg-surprise-with-u-s-double-podium/

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

San Juans Of Colorado

I suspect this will have to wait until my next lifetime. Having never been back to the San Juans since a trip in 1971, I would love to plan a trip to do some rock climbing and mountain running.

Except for the dorky beginning this is a terrific video with amazing mountain vistas ...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EVS3bDV0LS4&feature=youtu.be

Monday, February 23, 2015

Southeast Spur Of Mount Hunter

I ran into Pete Metcalf in the Tetons a couple of years before he did this groundbreaking alpine style route, and maybe a decade before he started Black Diamond. I still hope to tag the summit of Hunter via the West Ridge some day.

A great little video ...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lgN9Wyvkb5A

BLAST FROM THE PAST ... a different kind of snow cave

This was not dug by NCS students during their afternoon outdoor time, but dug high up on the Eiger North Face as John Harlin, Layton Kor, and Dougal Haston attempt the direct route.

Last real workout before loppet

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Digging snow caves

Afternoons at North Country School have a wide variety of activities but making snow forts, digging caves, and building quinzhee huts are perennial favorites.

Friday, February 20, 2015

Climbing and the Opera

Climbing has a great literary history, some important films, a few good theatrical plays, but this is the first opera I know about.

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/the-current/the-stream/Everest-Opera-Into-Thin-Air-Opening-Night-Review.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tweet

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Skimeister

During my first year at NCS I started a friendly competition encouraging students not to specialize, but to go back to a simpler era, and be a four event skier. Thirty-one years later we still encourage our students to do it all. So today they did Nordic, biathlon, giant slalom, and freestyle. A good time was had by all.

Skimeister

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

HOKA ... won them in a raffle

I have liked them for running on dirt roads. However, because of the huge amount of cushioning, they don't really give you any feel for more technical terrain. Nevertheless there was an interesting story in the New York Times yesterday about the pendulum swinging towards "maximal" running shoes.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/02/17/sports/forget-barefoot-many-seek-cushioning-in-running-shoes.html?referrer=

OUTSIDE magazines top 25 books of exploration and adventure

I probably would have added Nansen's FARTHEST NORTH.

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/media/books/the-25--essential--books-for-the-well-read-explorer.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tweet

Monday, February 16, 2015

Ski mountaineering in Chamomix

http://slcsherpa.blogspot.com/2015/02/racing-world-and-sun.html

Sunday, February 15, 2015

AT laps on the NCS ski hill

Pretty chilly. With -2 degrees as the high ... who knows what the wind chill is!

Saturday, February 14, 2015

George Mallory's Ice Axe ... lot 216

http://gripped.com/news/george-mallorys-ice-axe-sold-really/

Not as cold as predicted!

Clouds, and a dusting of snow moved in last night to moderate the temperatures. I must say, we have not had the brutal lows of some winters - thirty below or worse - however it has been consistently cold since January 1st. I have used nothing but green or blue kick wax every day.

Friday, February 13, 2015

Playing on the nordic terrain park again!

Thursday, February 12, 2015

New England Prep School Nordic Championships

St. Paul's was unable to repeat as champion and finished second overall. It all came down to the relay, and despite a large lead complements of Tessa and Lucy the SPS team was passed in the last kilometer. Lucy finished fourth in the 6.5 K individual classic race. Congratulations to the Gould academy girls who are the New England champs!