Going to miss not going to Zermatt this summer

However, I am super excited to be heading back to the Tetons, and Zermatt (with the traverse of all five Breithorn summits) is definitely on the agenda for 2027! 

David Hochschartner (Hock)

Booked for the AAC Climbers Ranch

The best place to stay when you are in the Grand Teton National Park! Ever since 1975 I have logged a lot of days in this special place.

Less than week before the Tetons

On Monday - my usual rest day - I did the short hike up to the NCS Crag to shoot the breeze with the Treetops Expedition group. Mostly I was telling stories about my time - way back when - running that program, and hearing their tales about the White Mountains of New Hampshire. These last few days before my flight will be busy arranging things for the upcoming knee surgery after I return.

A good week in the ‘dacks with a bit of travel

I made a quick trip over to the New Hampshire coast to visit with my two sisters, a cousin, a brother-in-law, and Lucy. A good trip, which cut down my volume on Friday and Saturday. However, I managed 10.5 hours of exercise, which included 105k (80k bike and 25k run), with 3000’ vertical, as well as a stretching session, and a strength workout.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: 1911 tour de france

Yesterday in stage 20, the riders passed over the Col du Galibier, just as they did in this 1911 photograph … it looked quite different in 2026!

The man chasing Kilian’s Matterhorn FKT



https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/alpinism/nadir-maguet-narrowly-misses-matterhorn-fkt.html

Ben Ogden’s Spring of Silver and Setbacks

I hope I will embrace his surgery/attitude adjustment if I get a knee replacement this fall. https://fasterskier.com/2026/07/ben-ogdens-spring-of-silver-and-setbacks/

Federal Approval for Avalanche Drones in USA

https://planetski.eu/2026/07/19/federal-approval-for-avalanche-drones-in-usa/

Lucy is a delegate for the Maine Democratic Party Convention on Saturday

It seems there are a dearth of pictures of the likely senatorial candidate Troy Jackson. This AP photograph - with Lucy tugging her ear - is being used on television, local, and national news coverage.

Limmer Boots … historic and iconic

https://youtu.be/FbAkrx4mzg0

Good week marred by poor air quality from fires in Canada

 I logged just over 14 hours, on 141.5k (123k bike, and 18.5k run), with 3900’ vertical gain, and two stretching sessions, as well as two strength workouts. (Starting my transition back to trail running and hiking, while cutting back on biking.)

BLAST FROM THE PAST: the great range

Back in the day - mid 1980s - I managed to do it in just under 8 hours, including Hedgehog and Roostercomb, starting (and ending) from The Garden. I believe the current FKT is just under four hours.

Beautiful day and a good hike

Klink and I managed to get to the top of Little Whiteface in 1:46 (4k and 2200’); taking many pictures before we took the gondola down.

Hock with his first ice axe at 5 years old!

For my birthday, Selden totally surprised me, with a photograph my dad took in 1957 which she had restored. She got me a large copy, (beautifully framed), and also a plaque that paired it with a smaller - more recent - climbing picture from the alps!

Alpine World Junior Championships … coming our way

Feeling good post-Prouty

Before the Prouty I was a bit worried I may have been cooked from my previous week’s big volume. However, the Prouty felt good, and I was able to work out on Sunday with no residual soreness or tiredness. Logging a solid 80k ride - just under 21kph - was one of my big goals for year. For the taper week, I logged 11.5 hours, on 162k (154k bike and 8k run), with 4100’ vertical gain. I also logged two stretching sessions and two strength workouts.

A good day at the Prouty

Great to see my college buddies; we had perfect weather; and I managed to average just under 21kph for the 81k ride. It played out more like an interval workout, as I often pedaled slowly hanging with one of my slower buddies and then charging hard on the hills. Great food and drink after the race, and then on the drive home, I stopped at the old fashioned Middlebury A&W Drive-In and had a root-beer float.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: summit of pisco 18,871’

On my second trip to the Cordillera Blanca with Edward Kenney and Matt Hoffman, we climbed this gem. Although, Edward struggled with the altitude, later in the trip we were not able to get up Tocllaraju. After 4-5 trips to Peru, I am still hoping to go once more before I hang up my spikes.

Easing back into strength training

Two very light sessions this week, but maybe I should have waited until after the Prouty. However, I do have another rest day planned for tomorrow, so I should be all right.

Starting to taper for the Prouty

Cutting back on my volume so I can push the uphills on Saturday; since I am such a wimp, I’ll be riding the brakes on the downhills. (A few more pictures from our Trapp Family Lodge visit.)

A beautiful day in the ‘dacks!

Today, I helped out with Treetops Expedition: belaying, sharing stories from my time in the 1980s, and practicing placing and removing protection. A beautiful morning on Owls Head, and then an afternoon warmup with Stash and an exercise bike shakeout.

Great day trip to Trapp Family Lodge

To visit with our grandkids in Vermont. It was my rest day; and looking over my log in the carI had a high volume tuneup week for the Prouty. I logged 16 hours, on 253k (246k bike and 7k run), with 3200’ vertical gain, three stretching sessions, and one strength workout.

A good week and I am ready for the Prouty!

Between my exercise bike and my MTB I logged just under 250k. Going to put in two rest days in the coming week, and cut back on the volume. The hot weather has abated, and tomorrow we are heading off to see our grand kids at Trapp Family Lodge.

A week to go for the 50 mile Prouty charity ride

Despite the extreme heat, I am logging a fair amount of cycling mileage this week. With three days left in the week, I have already hit 132k … hoping to hit 200k.

Yesterday I got my holter heart monitor

I will wear it for two weeks, with the aim of diagnosing arrhythmias and evaluating risks of heart issues in the future. Thankfully, technology has made the data collection easy and unobtrusive, with a stick on patch.

Tour de France starts today