Enjoy the Fall and get Psyched for the Winter

http://tv.salomon.com/story/saltv-fall-winter-teaser

Sobering Climate Change Milestone

https://www.adventure-journal.com/2016/09/we-just-passed-a-major-climate-milestone-and-theres-no-going-back/

Working in the Bay Area

Looking forward to seeing El Presidente when I am done.

The beautiful mountains of the Valais

Mountains of Valais from Christian Mülhauser on Vimeo.

My next book purchase ... THE WINTER FORTRESS

A recent book review on FasterSkier.com had this to say ... For THE WINTER FORTRESS, the idea of spies on skis surviving out in the wild for months on end before infiltrating a heavily guarded plant (Vemork) that holds the keys to the German atomic bomb program hit me on three levels. I love science history. I love spy stories. And I love survival and adventure. This story combined all three.

Quote of the Week

Another chilly morning

Great run on the Olympic Trails

Parents visiting day at St. Lawrence University

We spent a few pleasant hours touring the campus and then had a nice picnic with the ski team.

Next week is the start of official practice with coaches, and it is dedicated to physical testing. Tuesday a 3k running time trial on the track followed by a battery of strength tests; Wednesday a 1.5 uphill double pole time trial; Thursday a 5k skate time trial; Friday a 5k classic time trial; Saturday is off, and Sunday an uphill timed mountain run. (Lucy will be a weekly blogger for the team ... http://sluski.blogspot.com)

Oh, and classes are going very well.

Reel Rock 11

Looking forward to this, and seeing Gary, in a couple of weeks.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ju3cJbQHgEs

Hilly run ... on the road

Seeing alumni in Boston today but squeezed a run in Prospect Park. Sorry about the blurry picture of Boston.

Evo Rock Gym In Portland

QUOTE OF THE WEEK ... from THE BOND

Once again, if you grew up climbing in the 1970s or have ever climbed in the Alaska range, you will find THE BOND riveting. The Jack Roberts-Simon McCartney routes on Huntington and Denali were amazing epics. The final passage, in the acknowledgment section reads:

"A nylon climbing ropes loses it strength in a section or two, but the bond between climbers on Denali remains unbreakable."

Bob Kandiko

Climb to the Castle

Lucy set a PR. She was the second fastest of 20 college girls that showed up. And I had a good 75 minute run up and down part of the course.

Chamonix? Cordillera Blanc? San Juans?

The weather is great, and there are lots of terrific 6000 meter peaks to climb. If I go to celebrate my 65th I might use this trail race for acclimatization.

Winter slack lining in the Dolomites

Highlining 2800m in winter.'Hayley'- 90 seconds about fear. (Dir. Stian Smestad Music by Nils Frahm) from Stian Smestad on Vimeo.

Chouinard ... The Philosopher King Of Patagonia

A great article, the skeleton of which is known to most climbers, but some great stories I had never heard.  He is obviously something of a curmudgeon, and I wish I could sit around a campfire with him, and a bottle of whiskey as I did in the 1970s at the climber's ranch. 

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/09/19/patagonias-philosopher-king

Chamonix? Cordillera Blanca? San Juans?

Well no doubt there is more than enough to climb in Chamonix!  Of course the weather is not as good as the Cordillera Blanca, and the overall trip cost is much greater than the San Juans. 

A new guidebook to the Chamonix area comes out at the end of September.  The pages I have seen online look fantastic, and so this should be a good addition to the two dozen guides that are already out in English. The App version of the book is already available on the Rockfax App.

Shaquille O'neal in the Adirondacks

I spent the better part of the day with a production person as they were interested in using our campus for the TV show. Unfortunately, they decided to go elsewhere.

BLAST FROM THE PAST ... Hock Cragging in 1982

Love those socks and EBs!

Must read ... Only on page 47 ...

But it is a real page turner!

Jack Roberts, an original Stonemaster, meets Simon McCartney a young Brit, in the Bar National in Chamonix. This is the story of two extreme Alaskan climbs in the late 1970s. Afterwards, Simon never climbs again and drops totally off the radar screen. Jack develops a guiding career, but the two never talked again. Jack died in 2012 after a long fall and subsequent heart attack.

Of their two climbs: many disbelieved their first ascent of the North Face of Huntington, and the other on the south face of Denali was never written up. A story of a rare friendship, climbs so extreme as to alter their life forever, and the untold tale ... finally told.

Gripping read.

Pretty busy month ahead ...

QUOTE OF THE WEEK ... Rudyard Kipling

"Something hidden. Go and find it.
Go and look behind the Ranges—
Something lost behind the Ranges.
Lost and waiting for you. Go!"

Excerpt From: Adams, Mark.

Nice run to Marcy Dam

Five Days One Summer

I re-watched this on Amazon last week, filmed near Pontresina, the climbing is excellent stuff circa 1930. Inspired by novelist Kay Boyle's short story Maiden, Maiden. Well worth $2.99.

Ouch ... Cable cars stuck!

An overnight bivy suspended between the Aiguille du Midi and the Torino Hut. Eventually everyone was rescued by helicopter.

UTMB 2016

If I am in Chamonix next summer, I will not be running this 170k race but I would like to hike the route as a warm up!

http://youtu.be/oJpggFwx9Ic

Another glorious Adirondack day

CONTINENTAL DIVIDE: a history of American mountaineering

More academic and dry than Climbing In North America by Chris Jones. However, his thesis is sound - the story of our mountaineering is really the story of our country - worth reading.

Back to the crag

Now that I have fully recovered from the 50k it's time to scratch some anorthosite again.

Turning 65 ... three birthday choices

TOP TO BOTTOM:

 Chamonix, Cordillera Blanca, San Juans in Colorado

Alex Honnold

https://m.youtube.com/watch?ebc=ANyPxKpuqOIbJLMB8PhyV3kcuNmo0KCnKPBCEUWNlwjq1z7C9DNKvcX3GG2UXQC3LBIyMzT_zNiMUcgFyvWoxDFrFR4KixnIEg&time_continue=407&v=shXpJ8gnk8I

The first ultra runners?

I am re-reading TURN RIGHT AT MACHU PICCHU, and in talking about the Chasqui runners who relayed along the "Royal Road" it was reported that they could bring fish to Atahualpa from the coast 300 miles away and it was still fresh.

Ski mountaineering in the San Juans

With Brian moving to Durango fossils will have a launchpad to do sections of this iconic ski mountaineering route.



Skiing The Hardrock 100 Trailer from Schlarb-Wolf Productions on Vimeo.

Ultra trail runs on my bucket list

http://www.outsideonline.com/1870266/top-8-ultra-long-distance-adventure-runs?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=tweet

Blast from the Past ... 100 years ago

The rescue of the last 22 of Shackleton's men ...

http://adventure-journal.com/2016/08/100-years-ago-today-shackleton-crew-finally-rescued/