Day #7 in the Sierras

Starting to taper. Of course, Lucy's idea of a taper was to run up 13,000' Mount Dana. (Her 2:15 time was actually just 30 minutes off the Fastest Known Time for women … she thinks she could Lowe the FKT on another trip.)

I did an easy hike for an hour, and today I will run up to Gardisky Lake. Still sleeping at 9500'; planning to spend Thursday-Sunday at 7000' in Lee Vining for a shorter drive to the races, and access to showers. Of course, we will escape the below freezing nighttime temperatures. (Speaking of which, here is a morning picture, with my iPhone obviously frosted over.)

Day #6 in the Sierras

I had a good first week out west, and the guesstimate on the volume is about 12.5 hours, with two hour long bike rides, three stretching sessions, and 35k+ runs, on probably 3500' vertical.

We are camping at 9500' at Junction just outside Tioga Pass entrance to the National Park. Today, my daughter - the digital nomad - needed to work and so we are spending the morning at Tierra Antigua Cafe.

The nights continue to be chilly in the high 20s.

Day #5 in the Sierras

Lucy ran up Lundy Canyon to Saddlebag Lake, and I did an hour long out and back, after I dropped her off.

Day #4 in the Sierras

We both did good runs from the Green Lakes trail head. Lucy was a 16 mile loop and mine was a 6.5 mile out and back.

Day #3: heading to Tioga Pass

Driving around north shore, over to Nevada and the Carson Valley. A massive, and fatal, traffic accident has had us stuck just short of Bridgeport for quite awhile. Who knows when we will get to Tioga Pass.

GIRL CLIMBER: Maybe the best climbing film ever!

https://youtu.be/YvIfzXPBRxs

Mark and I were able to get tickets to this show, even though it was sold out. Emily Harrington, her husband Adrian Bollinger, and her three year old, were at the show and she did a wonderful Q&A afterwards.

A must see … well it's Day #3 in the Sierras, and we will be driving down to Tioga Pass and camp at Junction or Saddlebag Lake.

Day #2 in Sierras

Lucy spent the morning working and doing a strength workout; while I did some stretching and a nice 80 minute trail run. This afternoon I am biking with Mark while Lucy meets an old NYSEF buddy for a long trail run.

Day #1 in the Sierras

Mostly spent the day catching up with Mark, Liz, and Danny, while Lucy spent most of the day working remotely.

Lucy and I were exhausted from a long travel day, with only about 4-5 hours of sleep. A bit of rain yesterday, but I managed some stretching, an hour bike ride with Mark, as well as a 40 minute run on the old western states trail, while Lucy got in a good run after her last zoom meeting.

So good to be back in the Tahoe area.

Heading to the Sierras

Yesterday, last easy run with Stash.

Another good week ... getting ready to travel

Heading out to the Sierras on Tuesday. I have 7-8 more days of hard workouts, and then a brief taper. Looking forward to the Mammoth Dragon Ascent.

This past week I logged just under 16.5 hours, on 153k (114k bike and 39k run), with just over 5800' vertical. I also managed one strength session where I added an extra set of exercises.

Can Patagonia change our agricultural system?

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/07/business/patagonia-provisions-dirtbag-billionaire.html

The controversy and criminal trial over the Grand Teton FKT

https://www.irunfar.com/michelino-sunseri-federal-trial-grand-teton-fkt-switchback-cutting-2025

Kilian introduces his new project: states of elevation

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aNaO9dbISUU

Remembering Joss Naylor

A good introduction to a wonderful trail and mountain running magazine, with a large bunch of past stories in its website archive. 

https://www.likethewindmagazine.com/2024/07/03/remembering-joss-naylor/

Do not feed the Talus Shark

Be careful out there! (A watercolor I found in my 1988 TTW journal.)

Newest addition to the Alpine Library Of Hock

Given that I'll be making three trips to the American West in the past four months, I thought it time to read a bit more about the West's history and literature.

So, I have finished Fair Land, Fair Land by A. B. Guthrie, am nearly finished with this wonderful collection Stegner essays, but only four hours into - out of 21 hours - Stephen Ambrose's Undaunted Courage.

Mammoth Trail Training Block

A good first week, in this hard 21 day block which will be followed by an easy week, culminating in the Dragon Ascent.

I logged just under 17 hours, on 148k (111k bike and 37k run), with 5630' vertical. I also managed to do some easy intervals and three strength sessions.

BLAST FROM THE PAST … 1987 routes with Michael Franklin

Recently, going through an old box of memorabilia, I discovered a few log books from the years I guided camp and school teenagers in the Winds and Tetons. As we were going fly out of Denver in August 1987; I arranged to meet Franklin and climb for a week, while my two assistants escorted our 12 kids back east.

I discovered in the log book, that I had recorded all the routes we did in Rocky Mountain National Park that week. The highlight was the Petite Grepon, one of the 50 classics in Roper and Steck's guidebook.

On our first attempt, we did the approach and arrived at 6:30 am, only to find about six parties on the route. We hiked back out, and climbed another route on the way out. Later that day, in the early evening we hiked back in, did a cold bivy, and got on the route by 4am. We were first party on top, of the tiny summit.

FOND MEMORIES; A SHAME HE WAS TAKEN FROM US SO YOUNG.

Not sure of his timeline but will we cross paths with Kilian?

Lucy and I will be in the Sierras from September 9 - 21, it does seem mind boggling, to climb all the 14ers in the continental United States in one go!

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/31/style/kilian-journet-states-of-elevation-14ers.html

TOP THREE UTMB MALE FINISHERS

1st … Tom Evan
2nd … Ben Dhiman
3rd … Josh Wade

Back doing my thing in the ‘dacks

Less biking and mostly very hilly running

Getting ready for the Mammoth Trail Festival Dragon Ascent.  Of course, I am getting psyched up by watching people crush the uphills in the OCC and CCC thus far in UTMB week. Great live streaming coverage. 

BLAST FROM THE PAST … the ice climbing revolution

In the late 1960s and into the early 1970s, Chouinard launched the Revolution with his curved piolet, ice hammer, and rigid crampons. Others followed with Terrordactyls, Mjolnars, tubular ice screws and snargs.

Overnight, ice climbing not only became fashionable, but testpieces became trade routes, outrageous drips became manageable, and Alpine north face ice routes, were casual for even the likes of me.

Sexy pictures began to flood the climbing magazines, like this one of Chouinard climbing in Lee Vining which graced the cover of an early British Mountain magazine.

The UTMB WEEK short race

The ETC is currently the race that any of us can enter - no lottery, no other races or a UTMB INDEX needed - just sign up. It is run on the Courmayeur side of the range, and is 15k with 1200 meters of ascent and descent. 

It has gained popularity these past few years, and has started to draw in top sub-marathon, elite trail runners. Registration begins in December; I'm going.  After the Tuesday race, take a recovery day, and then absorb the vibes of the OCC, CCC, and UTMB from out on the course, as well as sitting at a cafe at the finish line. 

Best of ETC | HOKA UTMB Mont-Blanc 2024 youtube.com

2025 ETC winner Alain Santamaria Blanco

European alpine villages in danger of being wiped out as glaciers melt

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj4w9ggzxv4o

Feeling over my jet lag and tiredness

Tomorrow I will start a training bloc for the Mammoth Trail Festival VK. The Dragon Ascent race will be on September 19. The focus of training will be on run/hike vertical (between 3-500' per kilometer) and strength sessions. Once I travel out west on September 9th it will shift to easy acclimatization runs.

The past week has been - perhaps - the lowest volume and vertical of the new training year.
I managed just under 11 hours, with 194k (88k bike and 16k run) on almost 2600' vertical. Not too surprising given a long tiring travel day, non-stop schmoozing at the alumni reunion, and some low key outings with Mark.

The picture below is with two former students from the class of 1985.

UTMB WEEK starts tomorrow

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

Importance of long, easy, training sessions

https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/easy-training-endurance-success/

Back Home

Despite a long travel day - arrived home at 3am - I had a good trip, and I am excited and delighted to be back home. I flip-flopped between unpacking, storing gear, and participating in the school and camp reunion.

In the afternoon we had an alumni climbing session on the NCS Crag … it was super painful on my rotator cuff.

Day #11 traveling home

Up at 6am to finish packing, and make some tea. Mark and Liz drove me to the airport, 50 minutes away. Both plane flights were delayed by about an hour, meaning that it's likely I won't get home until 2:30am.

NCS/CTT alumni weekend is on my Friday-Sunday agenda. (Picture is from last years reunion.)

Day #10 in the Tetons

Another hot and hazy day; I suspect there must be a fire somewhere. However, we had a good day with Mark doing his longest bike ride in 5 years. We did a two hour outing, 25k from Moose to Jenny Lake and back. Heading home in about 30 hours.

Day #9 in the Tetons

I had a nice night; slept well, under a dark and starry sky, on a cot. Started the morning with some tea, everybody sleeping, and me starting to charge watch and iPhone with Tori's solar charger. NEED TO GET ONE FOR THESE TRIPS!

Great day - #8 - in the Tetons

Started with a great 30 minute bike ride, a wonderful hike with fantastic views, and then a good wash up in Jackson Lake.

USA SKIMO UPDATE



Hours of daylight is getting less and less by the day and the dog days of summer will soon be behind us. That can only mean one thing; winter is quickly approaching. USA Skimo staff and athletes have been hard at work this offseason working on a number of key initiatives that we hope you will be just as stoked about as we are!

The first stop of the 2025/2026 ISMF World Cup will be held at Solitude Mountain Resort in Brighton, UT on December 6th and 7th. Not only is an ISMF World Cup coming to the US for the first time in 20 years, but the outcome of the Mixed Relay will determine if the US sends athletes to the 2026 Olympic Winter Games. Currently, USA sits one point behind Canada with the winner securing the "Americas" continental quota.

A good first week in the Tetons

No really big days, but good time with friends and a good time to be around these big mountains of my youth. I managed 186k (165k bike and 21k run) with 4700' vertical.

Day #6 in the Tetons

A pretty casual day, catching up with Mark, Liz, John, and Karin. We did a very casual bike tour of the Colter Bay Area, which I supplemented with many laps. The visitor center had some excellent exhibits as well as a great selection of books.

A late afternoon weather alert for a significant storm which never materialized up in northern Wyoming. It did however, get us doing a flury of buttoning up the camp, as well as setting up a tent for me.

Day #5 in the Tetons

Feeling a little tired - poor sleep and pushing too hard - so it will be a partial rest day. I biked 18k, to Moose and back for ice cream. Then I packed, and spent most of the day, waiting for Mark in the library. Finished my re-read of Angels Of Light, which I am gifting to Tori, and the picked on Roger Frison-Roche's The Grand Crevasse of the shelf.

It is a wonderful library.