85 years ago Washburn and Bates climbed Lucania …

Poor snow conditions meant the he ski plane could not pick them, so they had to hike out 100 miles. They cached much of their gear, to make packs as light as possible, and this summer an expedition recovered their equipment … including Washburn's cameras.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/30/world/canada/yukon-mountains-cameras.html

Beautiful Sunset But …

Morning temps have been in the 20s, however daytime highs are in the 50s. I don't know when it's going to snow! Starting to panic; I am spending mornings looking at NOAA snow depth maps and MeteoBlue weather reports for the Chic-Chocs and Labrador City.

Gear, tips, and tricks for the TMB

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kks8NuulC1E

18 four-thousand meter peaks in a day

This seven minute video - set in and around Zermatt - has fantastic scenery and makes you want to do it as a 4-5 day climb.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aFgs5-okjy0&feature=emb_title

Starting to get anxious about snow

Roughly one-in-three years I get to ski the Whiteface toll road at least once or twice in October. Clearly, that will not happen this year. In fact I suspect, we may not have snow until after the elections. Lucy is out in Bozeman, running a congressional campaign,  ut even she has skied two or three times already. 

Starting to think about Frozen Thunder in Canmore, or other Canadian early snow spots (Labrador City). Of course, because of snow making, I am still confident that Mount Van Hoevenberg and Whiteface will be ready to go by Thanksgiving.

Sketching the Alps

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=azgvOyBB7fA&feature=youtu.be

The Cassin Ridge … the fish that got away

In the late 1970s and early 80s this was the route that was always on my mind, but the stars never aligned, and it will have to wait until my next reincarnation. HOWEVER, this is a great little video about two gals who climb the route recently. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SH8_xb826R8&feature=emb_title

50th High School Reunion

Twice postponed because of covid, it was finally nice to see many of my old buddies. A wonderful two days, however the 6.5 hours driving each way, put a cramp in my knees, and a crimp in in my training. (I only managed 13+ hours, with 45k running, and 93k riding the exercise bike this week.)

Aside from swapping stories of big games, teachers, hijinks, and friends who couldn't attend or had passed away; one of my buddies shared some photographs of a trip we took prior to our senior year.

The year is 1969, and I am 17. My buddy proposes a trip to Vermont (inspired by Easy Rider perhaps?); so I borrow some rudimentary camping gear and we hitchhike from Manhasset to southern Vermont. We hike a chunk of the Long Trail for a week and hitchike back home.

I spend my senior year in high school classes dreaming about mountains. Toward the end of the next summer, I hitched to Colorado by myself, scrambled up multiple 14ers, saw several rock climbers on the Diamond from Chasm View (I had scrambled up the 5.2 route on Longs Peak), and vowed to myself, that when I went to college that fall, I would figure out how to become a mountaineer. The rest, as they say ... is history.

10th Mountain Division’s Camp Hale designated as a National Monument

This is adjacent to the area I taught ski mountaineering courses for the Colorado Outward Bound School in the late 1970s.

https://fasterskier.com/2022/10/president-biden-designates-national-monument-at-camp-hale-preserving-american-ski-history/

BLAST FROM THE PAST … silvretta traverse

My college buddy - with little or no body fat - was always cold. I am just in a shirt and baseball cap, while he has all his layers on!  Love to do another hut traverse … maybe the PDG in 2023?

This news article reads like a sci-fi thriller

https://apple.news/A0KjDXOeVSAu8rt4v5oxVvA

A longer, more extended look at Tour du Mont Blanc

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vYi0LrT5bWU

Getting excited about going back next fall.

Fears for Iranian Climber

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/18/fears-for-iranian-climber-elnaz-rekabi-after-she-competed-in-seoul-without-a-hijab

Long day trip to New Hampshire

I traveled to Manchester NH and back yesterday. The two main objectives were to visit my Aunt Elaine in the hospital, and to review the four mile loop for the Hamsterwheel ultra.

The flat, very runnable surface of the rail trail is quite nice, and runs along the Piscataquog River with beautiful views. (I will make a final decision based on local weather, and availability of Lake Placid skiing options, on November 2nd.)

BLAST FROM THE PAST … a day of ice climbing with Gary and Brian

The destination was the north side of Pitchoff, which we could ski (look at Brian's tiny snowshoes) to right from the North Country School campus. I imagine this picture was from 2009-10. 

Yikes … what a hard decision

Earlier this week - Monday morning - I tried to prioritize, what were the most important bucket list items, I wanted to tick off in the next 12 months. By Wednesday morning, after a bit of research, I realized I had three winter goals that all took place within the span of a week! 

Well geographically, the closest was The Last Skier Standing event at Black Mountain  in Maine.  Registration opened on Tuesday, October 11th, and by Wednesday it was already sold out. I decided not to put my name on the waitlist, as realistically I figured I would not last more than 6-8 hours (laps). The next two events - 160k Canadian Ski Marathon and the Gothic Mountain Tour - were on successive weekends. Theoretically manageable, but wear and tear, distance, need to acclimatize, and cost made the duo a non-starter for this 70 year old. Having done the Canadian Ski Marathon multiple times, I am about to pull out the credit card and sign up for the Gothic Mountain Tour. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=espl-7X_YpI&feature=emb_title

Solving the housing crisis in ski towns

https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/essays-culture/how-to-save-a-ski-town-west-tourism-economy/

Time to do a pre-season check of your skimo gear

https://www.wildsnow.com/32708/pre-season-checklist-ski-touring-gear-upkeep/

Queen of the North Faces

https://www.adventure-journal.com/2022/10/meet-the-boundary-smashing-climber-they-called-the-queen-of-the-north-faces/

Back In The Groove … after a recovery week

Last week I logged 17.5 hours, with 55k running and 102k riding my exercise bike. I also eased back in, with three relatively short strength sessions. I only logged 3500' vertical, which was a nod to my indecision about jumping into a flat ultra sufferfest in November. With snow on the ground Saturday, and registration opening tomorrow for Last Skier Standing … I feel like I should be getting ready for snow!

First Snow

It won't be long now!

A gem from ALPINIST #79

A wonderful essay by Katie Ives - departing editor of Alpinist - about climbing magazines, their demise and the rise of the internet.

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web22c/wfeature-a79-sharp-end-the-world-between-the-pages

Pre-season ski flics: NEXUS

Nexus is produced and directed by women, and it profiles five pairs of women ski buddies.  Helps you count down the days until you can ski.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=143&v=1FqJcVu2oWU&feature=emb_title

Caffeine and endurance

https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/how-caffeine-boosts-endurance/

BLAST FROM THE PAST … north buttress middle cathedral (V, 5.10a)

My recent long run in the Valley, reminded me of my first big wall in the fall of 1978.

It’s good to get away, but it’s really nice to be back home