Ueli Steck found dead in the Himalayas

I had lined up this short video days ago for the blog, to profile another futuristic Ueli Steck climbing project. Then this morning,  thinking it was time to post it, I hear he is dead. There are no details yet, although his body was found near Camp 1 on Everest. He was acclimatizing for this big traverse. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=387&v=Us4lW7ElEn8&ebc=ANyPxKoyBzyVnaUHkctAQ7YD343dxEHKP88wJSqtqwv0-o3qGAmN59zfavn79k80Es1iy2aORz-25grlophdgaVxAfiaiX7ZHg

http://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/alpinism/ueli-steck-dies-in-everest-accident.html

Peru in early August ...

Looking forward to the good views, good breakfast, and the good help of Zarela.

Nice overview of ski mountaineering on northwestern volcanoes

https://www.adventure-journal.com/2017/04/wanna-climb-volcano-heres-start/

VIDEO OF THE WEEK ... Lightning Ascent

Tahoe to Tahoe in 14 days via an 8000 meter peak.  Part research, part ski mountaineering adventure, and probably part product testing ... not sure how I feel about this?  I ask myself: If I was 32 again, and teaching full time, would I be training like that for the nordic Olympic Trials during Christmas break, or to climb the Cassin Ridge in early June after school ended?

https://vimeo.com/212336105

As we get ready to move ...

to our new house at Fairhope Farm, this is our mantra!

Over a billion acres of national monuments threatened by Presidential executive order ...

http://outdoor-society.com/trumps-newest-executive-order-to-attack-one-billion-acres-of-public-lands/

Youthful enthusiasm ...

Do you remember what it was like to spend hours doing jumps on the very last patch of snow ... at NCS we have spunk!

Lucy ... in the record books as a freshman

A page from the St. Lawrence University quarterly alumni magazine.

Casual Sunday

I just finished three very long - but productive - days in Manhattan.  It took me about three hours to really wake up yesterday morning. Other than catching up on work emails I did yoga for 30 minutes; an easy trail run for 35 minutes, and an easy 45 minute hike.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK ... from the Analects of Confucius

Only two chapters in, but a very engaging book. In talking about his round-the-world trip when he was young, he peppers his travelogue with quotes from different countries ...

"The man who moves a mountain starts by carrying away small stones."   Confucius

Of course, when he was in Japan, we got this unattributed native quote: "A wise man climbs Fuji once. A fool climbs it twice."

Climate change and the future of skiing

https://www.wildsnow.com/22409/future-skiing-climate-change/

Ortler Traverse 2018 ... time to start planning

http://www.skimag.com/ski-performance/other-haute-route?utm_source=WedNewsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=Story1&utm_campaign=122816

VIDEO OF THE WEEK ... The Crown Traverse

Get excited as you transition from skis to trail running shoes ...

https://vimeo.com/181667982

How long does it take for your butt to get used to a MTB seat?

Well there are only a few 50k trail races left in these knees so I did the inevitable and bought an entry level mountain bike.

A must have for all fossils ...

The 50th anniversary issue. A walk down memory lane with reprints of famous essays and articles by: Chouinard, Robbins, Roper, Pratt, Waterman, Bridwell, Robinson, Matous, Long, and Tejada Flores.

Last day of skiing at the jumps ...

However I will probably squeeze a few more sessions over at Whiteface.

Thinking about turning 65 in the Cordillera Blanca ...

And after I climb some 5-6000 meter peaks, I would run this 45k ultra before heading home.  Watch the trailer enclosed below ...

https://vimeo.com/173545624

First trail run of the season ...

Soggy, muddy, icy, and snowy but good to be off the dirt roads of winter running.

Kudos, Bravo, and Congratulations ...

My son's book was published yesterday.

Still Nordic skiing in Lake Placid

A nice 1.5k loop at the Olympic jumps.

Everything you wanted to know about the snow factory ...

http://fasterskier.com/fsarticle/mt-van-hoevenbergs-snow-factory-game-changer/

Video of the Week

https://vimeo.com/169309392

Spring in Alexandria ...

I took the red eye East, and managed an easy run in shorts and a T shirt, before I got ready for my nephew's wedding at the Army-Navy Country Club. HEADING HOME!

The early days of the skating revolution ...

Early video of Bill Koch, great videos of the marathon skate, and even some video of the attempts to beat the original ban on skating. The voice over is Norwegian but the footage is priceless.

https://www.facebook.com/nrksport/videos/10156050941377796/?hc_ref=PAGES_TIMELINE

A great CTT/NCS reunion in Alta

Quote of the Week ... from Cesare Maestri

As quoted in Kelly Cordes book: "Even when I made love to a girl, I did it in a press-up position to strengthen my arms."

Yahoo ... Wasatch foothills

New nordic rankings

Lucy moved up at the end of the season. Currently ranked #37 in the sprints nationally. Pretty good given that the top 15 all are on the US Ski Team and skied on the World Cup circuit sometime this year. She was ranked 6th in the U20 category.

Skiing is still great ...

An ode to wilderness

As the political winds shift profoundly, it is worth your time to re-read this seminal letter ...

https://www.adventure-journal.com/2017/03/an-argument-for-wilderness-by-wallace-stegner/

Skiing on fossil gear

Europa 99 ... my first ever, pair of backcountry skis.