Next year at Holmenkollen

I am determined to tick this off my bucket list, camping out for the Holmenkollen 50k races, and then ski the Norwegian Birkie, the following week.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/14/sports/skiing/holmenkollen-norway-diggins.html

Big Wall - Bev was a historical badass

An excellent article from Adventure Journal about Bev Johnson, an outstanding Yosemite climber in the 1960 and 1970s.  In 1978 she made the first female, solo ascent of El Cap. While she was on this week-long ascent of the Triple Direct, I was directly across the valley, on my first big wall, Warren Harding's north face route on Middle Cathedral. I remember seeing her at the bar after she finished, I was thoroughly trashed from my two days on a far, far, easier route, while she looked like she had just gone for a walk in the park!

https://adventure-journal.com/blogs/news/big-wall-beverly-johnson-changed-the-calculus-of-yosemite-climbing

Brief history of alpine touring bindings

From a 30 year anniversary book about the Dynafit binding.

Beautiful morning skiing at Whiteface

Back to skiing in the Adirondacks

Late March, it's snowing again, and we have excellent conditions. Although, still a little jet lagged and travel weary, but did two modest ski sessions on the 1980 biathlon loops.

Everything was great until I was skiing downhill, and Stash who always runs along side, timed his crossing poorly. I slammed into him. He was knocked around, I went airborne, glasses bent, and me with a sprained thumb and maybe a cracked rib.

I can diagonal stride with ibuprofen, but compressing on a double pole is out of the question for awhile. Tomorrow I will see if I can still make some turns.

Another 1992 memory …

Skiing up the skin track last week to this viewpoint, I was reminded of another incredible tour I did on a previous visit to Zermatt. Skiing to the summit of the 14,940' Signalkuppe, brewing some tea in the Margherita Hut (highest in Europe), and then doing telemark turns on the 10,000' descent to Zermatt on the Grenz Glacier … a great day in the mountains with Gary.

Fond memories from Zermatt 2023 and 1992

This past week while skinning laps from Riffelberg to Rotenboden, I had fantastic conditions, and amazing views.  You couldn't ask for a better outing. 

One other highlight from that day were the memories it brought up, of the incredible Schwarztor tour that I did three decades ago with Gary, Susie, and Ben.  Starting from a hut near Theodul Pass, we skied past the Breithorn (which we had skied the day before), climbed Pollux, and skied telemark turns down the glacier to the Monte Rosa Hut?

It was a memorable day … on both occasions!

A 100 days on snow!

On my last ski day in Zermatt, I hit my 100th day on snow. There is still a good bit of skiing to be done this season!

Zurich: day 7 and heading home

What a great trip; Lenny exceeded expectations on the hikes, and of course, his wry sense of humor was greatly appreciated. Mountains off in the distance from the airport.

Zermatt: day 6, and last

Another beautiful day.

Rather than cram to much in with a partial ski day, I went for a hike instead. I have done the hike to Zmutt many times but it never disappoints. Up and down was just under two hours, not counting the obligatory stop for a snack. My ascent included about 30 minutes of easy level 3.

On a related note, Strava directed me to the leaderboard, and Remi Bonnet Skimo World Cup winner did the uphill in 13+ minutes!

The picture, taken from the deck of the hut, shows the north face of the Dent Blanche, one of the many 4000m peaks in the Zermatt area.

Zermatt: day 5

Another warm and wonderful day. I did two laps on the wanderweg from Riffelberg to Rotenboden, and back. Unlike a few days ago, visibility was superb which brought to mind many fond memories. The big climbs of the 1970s (Triftigrat, Neruda Route, and Northwest face of Dent d'Herens), as well as some major ski tours in the early 1990s. Of course, my time here has also revived memories from the more recent 2018 and 2020 trips as well.

Day 4 was spectacular

I alpine skied all day at Sunnegga. The weather was sunny and warm, and conditions were quite good. I skied mostly easy groomers, and enjoyed the amazing vistas. The picture below is of the North Face of the Breithorn, back in the summer of 1978 I did a route on it called the Triftigrat.

Zermatt: day 4

Morning sunrise view from my deck … it's going to be another good one!

Zermatt: day 3

Well, it started as always, with a sumptuous breakfast in the ornate Zermatterhof dining room. Then a hike up to Zmutt - some apple tart - and then a hike over to Furi (picture with Zmutt in the background. The tiny hamlet of Zmutt is the oldest (almost a thousand years) in Canton Valais.

After Lenny hopped on a tram to Schwarzee, I headed off to skin some laps. Todays data: 164 min of exercise (hike, ski, and yoga) with 1850' of vertical ascent.

First Full Day In Zermatt

Spectacular bluebird day, starting with an over the top buffet breakfast. Hike up to Furi; gondola yo Riffelberg; and then a couple of skinning laps to Rotenboden . The data: 157 minutes, 2325' ascent, topping out at 9300' . A drink on the deck, followed by a sauna, and dinner.

Made it to Zermatt

A long travel day which went off without a hitch!

Heading to Zermatt today

Mid-March, it doesn’t get much better than this

Snowing all over the Northeast

Jon, Amanda, and our two grandchildren in Granby are enjoying a snow day.  Stash and I had first tracks on the 1980 biathlon loop; he insisted that I do all the trail breaking. It is going to continue to snow into tomorrow. 

Lucy is out exploring the Canyonlands with a college buddy

Yesterday they were off trail running in Arches National Park, with Devils Garden and Delicate Arch being the focal points. She has another 4-5 days of hiking with Steph, and then it will be a frantic week packing up, saying goodbyes, and driving cross country to a new job in Maine.

Back in the Adirondacks I had a good recovery week logging 15.5 hours, 154k (78k exercise bike and 76k ski), three yoga sessions, as well as a morning alpine skiing. My lower back still hurts from the skimo race, although ibuprofen continues to enable pain free skiing. Morale is good, as we have more snow coming, and Zermatt has gotten well over a meter of new snow … I leave on Thursday.

 

Historic first ever women’s Holmenkollen 50k ends with a lunge at the finish line

https://www.fis-ski.com/en/cross-country/cross-country-news-multimedia/news/2022-23/historic-haga-wins-first-women-s-50km-race-after-thriller-sprint-finish

A big day for nordic fans

The Crown Jewels of the nordic World Cup are the Holmenkollen 50k, where typically tens of thousands of spectators line the course, camp, and party in the woods. The course is probably the toughest on the circuit with over 6500' of climbing. Today the Norwegians men swept the podium, in fact they swept the top ten places! The top Americans were David Norris and Scott Patterson in 17th and 18th. All eyes will be on Diggins, Brennan, and the Swedish gals tomorrow to see if they can break the stranglehold of Norwegian dominance.

Back at home, in Lake Placid, the NCAA alpine and nordic championships which ran from March 8-11, concluded today. This morning the women's 20k classic was won by Novie McCabe (she also won Thursday's 5k skate). This afternoon, Remi Drolet of Harvard won the men's classic 20k, while local guy, Everett Sap, also from Harvard placed 34th.

Snow conditions continue to be excellent in the Adirondacks

I had a terrific classic ski on the 1980 biathlon trails, for well over 90 minutes, this morning. I was on my waxless backcountry skis, and the picture shows me slogging through our cow pastures, to get back home.

Yesterday was my 90th day on snow this season

Excellent 13 minute North Face video … A Skier’s Way

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=guOABkB1ook&t=608s

More about Herman (Jackrabbit) Johanssen

https://vault.si.com/.amp/vault/1979/12/10/the-old-man-and-the-ski-herman-jackrabbit-smith-johannsen-began-skiing-102-years-ago-and-hes-still-going-strong

A high traverse in the North Cascades

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vsxpqsYqzX0&utm_campaign=Weekly+News&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=249088902&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8miQRnIbxPih28LniuK9_zK5F5wsA6Z_oxEBJklEZ_0mjIE-yW5fa_NC84OqmSGcPOogBUVp2JJgICRM8UKDvXv3aZhA&utm_content=249088902&utm_source=hs_email

Finally put a bib on!

A good week, with trimmed down volume, to leave some metaphoric gas in the tank for the Lyndon Outing Club Uphill Bonanza. I logged just over 12 hours, just under 5500' vertical, and 109k (73k bike and 36k ski). I also managed two yoga sessions and a morning riding Whiteface lifts.

Lyndon Outing Club Uphill Bonanza

Well, it's a great event, but I had a somewhat disappointing performance. The hill has just over 400' vertical, and you get six hours to record as many laps as you can. I drove over on Friday evening to Lyndonville and slept in the Hockmobile, at the race site.

My fitness level was good; the uphill track was reasonable with two short steep sections; the downhill was fairly challenging, especially navigating over a foot of new, heavy, wet, ungroomed snow on skimo race skis.

I took a spill on the second lap and tweaked my lower back. As the day progressed, the pain increased (as did consumption of ibuprophen). At the end of my ninth lap - at the three hour mark - I threw in the towel, thinking that as fatigue set in I might take an additional fall or two, which could aggravate the lower back.

Still, it was a great workout, good people, and a well run event to fundraise for the community outdoor center.

Record breaking snowfall on the floor of Yosemite Valley



https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/02/us/yosemite-national-park-closed-snow.html?smid=em-share

Diggins crushes it at World Championships

https://fasterskier.com/2023/02/diggins-is-world-champion-tears-of-joy-as-u-s-star-takes-gold-in-womens-10-kilometer-individual-freestyle/