Hard Climbing in Cordillera Huayhuash

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rzlLT-je9jg

Post knee gel injections … felt good!

I logged 15.5 hours, on 134k (93k bike, 30k ski, 7k run, and 4k row), with just under 3000' vertical gain. I also managed 3 stretching sessions, two afternoons alpine skiing, and one good strength workout. Pretty good stats, given that I had to take two days off after the injections.

The skiing is terrific for the first week in December.

On Friday I did a nanospike morning warmup with Stash

We had snow flurries all day, which filled in the classic tracks in the morning, but yielded a couple of inches of powder, by the time I was riding lifts in the afternoon. However, the temperature was dropping quickly, and by the time the lift closed it was single digits. As a previous post showed, it dropped well below freezing.

Fantastic sunset ski

The tracks were a bit scruffy in places, but quite nice for early December, and the views were spectacular.

It looks and feels like winter!

Yesterday morning was a brilliant ski outing!

Doesn't get much better than this: some good tracks, bluebird sky, 21 degrees, and they continue to make tons of snow.

Day #20 on snow, was also my first day riding lifts for 90 minutes

Well, my doctor says that 48 hours after my knee injections - tomorrow morning - I can resume full training load … yahoo!  I was skiing at the Bear Den - beginner area - at Whiteface, the picture below is of the rocky knob known as Bear's Den.

Der Berg Ruft (1938) - The Mountain Calls …full length video

It's in German, but the story of the attempt to climb the Matterhorn is so well known you get the gist.  The story covers the race to the top to claim the mountain as Italian or Swiss - of course it's on the border - but it's more frequently thought of as a Swiss mountain, since the first ascent was from that side.  This is a classic in the German Bergfilm tradition which started after WWI. 

https://www.facebook.com/austriangermangourmettruck/videos/der-berg-ruft-1938-the-mountain-calls/531386134232112/

Heading back to Zermatt in March

Yahoo … looking forward to another great adventure with Lenny.

The mid-week rainstorm was a bit of a bummer, however cold, snowy weather will dominate this week.

Last week I logged over 14 hours, on 154k (113k bike, 22k ski, 14k row, and 5k run), with almost 2600'. I also managed one stretching session, BUT no strength workouts.

Day #2 … nordic ski lesson with my grandson Dave

We were logging more kilometers on our two ski sessions. The big things we worked on were: getting up when you fall, and lots of step turn practice in our figure eight loop (picture below).



First day on skis for my grandson

After sledding for 30+ minutes, it was time for his very first nordic ski lesson. He was psyched.

Dreary day, but a great Thanksgiving

Warm temperatures and rain in the past 36 hours decimated the snowpack. However, there is enough coverage for some sledding on the small hill in our north pasture. My six year old grandson was a voracious sledder.

BLAST FROM THE PAST … 1978 in the Alps

Lenny had a break from classes in Belgium, so he tracked me down in Zermatt.  I was living the true Dirtbag existence, bivying on a farmers hay field high above town, while living on bread and cheese.  He found me sick, and treated me to some restaurant meals, and a warm bed at a hotel.  For a payback, I told him I would take him up the Matterhorn. Weather was bad, and so we moved over to Chamonix. 

After a long approach and up the valley to a bivy on the glacier, I took him up Argentiere - a 4000m peak - pictured below is the view from the summit. The big snow peak behind him is Les Courtes, and the even bigger rocky peak behind that, is the Grand Jorasses. A few days later, after Lenny headed back to school, I tried - unsuccessfully -to solo the challenging Swiss route on Les Courtes. 



Well it’s raining … YUCK!

So I took this off the library shelf, because it's never raining in these vintage posters.

Excellent conditions on the toll road

Spent part of Monday (rest day), browsing the ski history collection

As per the last week of training, I logged 14:40 hours, on 149k (100k bike, 22k ski, 21k ergometer, 6k run), with a bit over 2300' vertical gain, and one strength workout. 

A sad week

I was away for a few days for the funeral for Sue Klinkow. She was a wonderful person, and long time spouse to "Klink" one of my college fraternity brothers.

As they moved to Saratoga several years ago - from Austin Texas - we have seen them on many occasions. Memorable reunions at college football games, the solar eclipse, as well as bobsled, nordic, and mountain bike events at Mount Van Hoevenberg.

Several fraternity brothers made the trip to the Saratoga area to attend the mass, and to raise a glass to Sue. We will miss her spirit, which in younger years, earned her the nickname of "mad dog."

Glad for metal edges!

Yesterday I skied on the Whiteface toll road for 90 minutes. It was covered and skiable from the bottom gate … but it was pretty darn icy. Hopefully, we will get an inch or two overnight which would greatly enhance the fun factor.

ADK Tour de Ski

Winter warmups

I have three types of warmups I do before I go skiing in the winter: 20-30 minutes on the exercise bike or ergometer, or 20-30 minutes with nano spikes on Old Mountain Road.

Good skiing at Mount Van Hoevenberg



It’s official … Jessie Diggins to retire

https://fasterskier.com/2025/11/the-last-lunge-jessie-diggins-to-retire-at-the-end-of-this-olympic-season/

Another good week

I logged 14 hours, on 146k (99k bike, 32k ski, 14k row, 1k run), with 3300' vertical, and one strength workout.

On a different note, Lenny sent me a trove of slides he had digitized, taken back in 1978, when he tracked me down in the Alps. We spent some time together in Zermatt and Chamonix … the two photos are from our climb of Argentiere a 4000m peak near Mont Blanc. (In the background, you can see Les Courtes and the Grand Jorasses.)

Tenth day on snow

However, later in the day temperatures rose through much of the night, and rain diminished the snowpack. But, by this morning temperatures were below freezing, and it had started to snow. I should be able to ski something, this afternoon, and there will be more snow tonight.

First of three important pre-World Cup races

This weekend, Finland is hosting a classic sprint, an individual start 10k classic, and a 10k freestyle. (The only two Americans I saw were Alayna Sonnesyn, and John Steel Hagenbush.) 

Next week, Norway hosts key races in Beitostoelen, while Sweden hosts races in Gaellivare.   I suspect we will see more Americans racing in those venues.

Newest Olympic sport … Skimo

A critically important World Cup in Park City the first weekend in December, will be one of the final deciding factors for Olympic slots.

Wonderful conditions on the toll road

Early season avalanche in Tuckermans

https://www.mountwashingtonavalanchecenter.org/observations/#/view/observations/9a8d06f4-15ae-4668-af72-0c2b1d24c9bc

First big storm of the season

Between last night when the snow started, and dinner time on Tuesday we have gotten 5-7 inches of snow. We will probably get another few inches by Friday … it feels like winter has truly started. 

The morning ski tour with Stash on the 1980 biathlon trails; afternoon breaking trail at Scott's Cobble with 19 degrees and a vicious wind. 

Thinking of an October Trip For Next Year

After reading this article, I am giving some serious thought to going to Canmore for Frozen Thunder, or maybe to Italy next year!   But, I have been excited to get on snow in November, and will be heading out soon to enjoy the 3-4 inches we got last night. 

https://nordicinsights.news/2025/11/04/october-skiing-photo-roundup-from-fairbanks-to-the-world/

Good week of training

Three days on snow this past week, although yesterday was just barely skiable, but I was out long enough for it to count in my official tally.

I logged just under 15 hours this past week, on 182k (137k bike, 19k row, 16k ski, and 10k run), on 4150' vertical gain, with one strength session.

It’s that time of year

Two days skiing this week, but then sunshine and mid-40s and I am on my bike, with a side order of hiking. Heading out to see if I can ski on the toll road today!

Excellent morning skiing on toll road yesterday

Excellent short essay … everything you really need to know about training

https://fasterskier.com/2025/11/training-philosophy-a-holistic-view/

Another ski on the toll road

Icing up big time, but it was great to log some modest kilometers and vertical.

Put this on your calendar!

Nordic World Cup Finals at Mount Van Hoevenberg.

Good week of training

The weather was a mixed bag this week, but it was awesome to get a couple of inches of snow and get on skis. I logged just under 14.5 hours, on 167k (124k bike, 19k run, 7k ski, and 17k row), with 3420' vertical, and two strength sessions.