It doesn't get much better

Running on Adirondack dirt roads

After a great classical ski this morning, I went for a short run on this glorious afternoon. Our trails will not be runnable for several weeks, however we do have miles and miles of dirt roads close at hand.

March 29 ... best Nordic skiing of the season

First tracks

Last night it flurried, and flurried all day. By the time students and I got out to the NCS ski hill at mid-morning there was 4-5 inches of wonderful powder. I did many laps on my randonee gear.

Early spring running in the Adirondacks

Yesterday I was out in the mud and falling snow, jogging with some of our students. The skiing is still great, but some of the adults and kids have mentally shifted gears. Use the link to watch this video with superb footage of mountain running in the Lake District and Scotland.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QXPtJ5rRM-M

The convergence of mountain running, skimo racing, and alpinism

Some insights from Kilian Jornet ...

http://alpinrunning.org/2014/12/04/what-means-light-on-mountaineering/#comments

Red Bull Nordix

Now that national, World Cup, and world championships are over, spring - end of season races - can bring some crazy permutations of the sport. Swedish nordic star Emil Jonsson won the 2015 Red Bull event ...

http://www.redbull.com/se/en/snow/events/1331627848962/red-bull-nordix-stockholm-2015

Soloing the Harlin Route on the Eiger

Gripping to say the least ...

http://www.adventure-journal.com/2015/03/buried-alive-on-the-eiger/

Ultra-running and Environmental Conservation in Patagonia

Enjoy this spectacularly beautiful video ...

http://youtu.be/ryasKmNBJEc

For 2016 practice those kick turns!

Let's get psyched for the Ortler Range, next March. And Dick, I'll work on my downhill turns but you need to get some flexibility in your hips!

Spring has not come to the Adirondacks yet!

Lulu heading off to the Eastern High School Championships

Last hours in the Sierras

Happy Boulders

Sierra sunset

Another scratchy Sierra ski Tour

The road was officially closed, however, not really gated, so we were able to drive close to South Lake ... after having been stopped three miles below Lake Sabrina by a locked gate.

Bouldering state of the art

Yesterday I went for a long trail run in the vicinity of the Buttermilk Boulders ... and happened upon this heinous overhanging problem that a few said may be the hardest route around. The route on the paper thin flake ain't to shabby either.

What an amazing place.

Nice Trail Run In The Buttermilks

Starting my morning in Bishop

Tea and baked goods at Schat's. It's early morning so they are cranking out loaves and bagging different types of loaves.

I am spending the morning catching up on work ... some bouldering or a jog in the afternoon.

Touring up the Rock Creek drainage

Good day on the east side of the Sierras

Happy Boulders, yoga, and spring touring into Mosquito Flats.

Crest of the Sierras

Sunrise on the east side of the Sierras

2015 XC Junior Nationals

2015 junior nationals

East side of the Sierras

Halfway there and so I stopped for a run and a soak in the Travertine Hot Springs. Sawteeth range in the background.

Great afternoon ski

On Mt. Judah at Sugerbowl.

Alex Honnold in the New York Times

Big article, big slideshow, big media ... Amazing guy and amazing how mainstream the sport is these days.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/11/magazine/the-heart-stopping-climbs-of-alex-honnold.html?hpw&rref=magazine&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well&_r=0

Great Day

Up at 5 am doing work emails; then a nice run in Ward Creek Park, followed by a short visit with Lucy who was inspecting the race course; a nap, followed by yoga, and a late afternoon skin up Alpine Meadows.
I ended the day watching a Lynn Hill slideshow in Squaw Valley.

Man's best friend ... sometime

However, not when Lundy breaks Mark's fishing pole, chews up the wicker basket, or jumps out of the car when Hock is going for a run, and it takes Mark 45 minutes to get him back.

Fossils At Smokey's

After watching Lucy at the junior nationals we went out for some burgers to discuss when, and where the next climbing trip will be ... 10 days, late June to mid-August might work, and Winds, Tetons, Bugaboos, or Rainier seemed to fire people up.

Tahoe ski tour

It has been a bad winter in the Sierras, but who says there's no snow? As you can see on my tour into Castle Peak one of the trail signs was almost buried in snow. However, as you can see from the other picture, in a normal winter the trail markers are 15-20 feet up the tree!

Lulu at Junior Nationals

2015 Junior Nationals

Yesterday the races kicked off with the 1.3k skate sprints. You start with a time trial - fastest girl does it in 2:58 - and then the top 30 go head-to-head in the quarterfinals, semi-finals, and on to the six finalists. This is typically Lucy's weakest event. Take a look at the course ...

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

Another one of Bonington's Boys ...

Looks like a good read:

http://footlesscrow.blogspot.com/2014/10/martin-boysens-hanging-onreview.html?m=1

A different kind of March Madness ... The Big Dance is about to begin

2015 NCAA Ski Championships on the Olympic trails and on the Olympic mountain ... March 11-14.

Spring is not any closer in the Adirondacks

No sugaring yet, but pretty spectacular skiing!