Terrific New Blog ... The Mountain Library

While I was doing a bit of research on the life and times of Dougal Haston I came upon this great website. Well worth checking out.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THIS BLOG.

70 K Marcialonga

These guys are serious studs! This famous Italian classical marathon ski race, has the winners double poling the entire course, even the final kilometers which are all uphill ... nordic animals!

More about the Vasaloppet

Lake Placid Loppet

The NCS crew a few minutes before the gun went off for the 25K race. The course is a tough one, climbing over 1800' in the 15.5 miles. Nevertheless, all the students exceeded their goals, and almost everyone won a medal in their category.

Ski History of the Cascades

Lowell Skoogs has put another chapter of this important work in progress on-line.


CLICK ON THE LINK TO ACCESS THIS ARTICLE.

Five Weeks Until Chamonix

Another beautiful day in the Alps. You can see skiers heading down the ridge from the Aiguille du Midi to ski the Vallee Blanche. The weather has been cold and clear, but they need some new snow.

Ski Prep for the Loppet

Norwegian Birkebeiner

In honor of the upcoming Lake Placid loppet and the Canadian Ski Marathon I posted another short video of one of the most famous long-distance events in the world. At 55K it is not nearly as long as the Vasaloppet, however it does climb up and over a mountain! As with many of the Scandinavian distance ski events, it is tied directly to an important historical event.

In this case, almost a 1000 years ago, there was a civil war, with rival claims to the Norwegian throne. Legend has it that two burly warriors skied Prince Hakon to safety, thus all the competitors carry a 3.5 kg pack to symbolize the infant prince. (A recent historical novel suggests that Hakon's mom may have accompanied the two warriors over the mountain.) A couple of my recent graduates skied it last year with their Proctor Academy teammates. Lucy and I plan to ski it when she turns 16. The race usual draws about 15,000 participants. I have skied the American Birkebeiner, which had 9,000 entrants the year I skied it, and I managed to finish in the top 100.

Another bit of History: Joe Tasker

Here is another of "Bonington's Boys" featured prominently in the wonderful book THE BOYS OF EVEREST. I first came in contact with Joe Tasker reading Mountain magazine in the 1970s, in particular, the article "Five and a Half North Faces" touched me deeply. It recounted a very productive summer he had in the Alps with Dick Renshaw. I corresponded with him briefly in the late 1970s about Dunagiri as I had a permit to go to the Garwhal.

He died on the north-side of Everest in 1982. His climbs were notable, and he did much to ignite the "light is right" ... Do it alpine style approach to the big mountains. Among his most important ascents were new routes on Dunagiri and Changabang, and a first British winter ascent of the Eigerwand.

I am pleased that the Cold Thistle blog has unearthed a period piece from the 1970s, where Joe Tasker talks about the state of the gear, and the process of gearing up for a big climb. If you are a Fossil alpinist, then you are old enough to remember all of these items ... Including the Chouinard alpine hammer and salsas wart-hogs. Enjoy the walk down memory lane.


CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE ARTICLE.

Vasaloppet

I am getting my NCS kids psyched up for the Lake Placid Loppet, and so I am going to show them this footage of the much larger (15,000 skiers) and much longer (90 K) race in Sweden. NCS manages all the feeding stations, and I chaperone our fastest skiers around the course.

A Bit of History: Dougal Haston

It has been almost 35 years since Dougal was killed in an avalanche in Leysin. (Ironically, he was killed in the exact manner that one of his characters was despatched in his unfinished novel CALCULATED RISK.)

Dougal burst on the climbing scene in the late 1950s climbing new routes in Scotland with Robin Smith. He went on to do an early British ascent of the Eigerwand, was a major force in the creation of the Eiger Direct, took over the International School of Mountaineering after Harlin died, summitted the South Face of Annapurna with Whillans, and the Southwest Face of Everest with Scott. (The enclosed picture is Dougal leading the Hillary Step on Everest.)

A climbing figure that has grown to mythic stature since his death, and no doubt would have made the transition to light Himalayan alpine style attempts had he lived.

INTERESTING CLIMBING BLOGS

http://andyhouseman.blogspot.com/

http://chamconditions.blogspot.com/2011/01/sorry-to-say-we-were-late.html

http://alexandrebuisse.org/blog

http://andyturnerclimbing.blogspot.com/


http://andyturnerclimbing.blogspot.com/

American Avalanche Institute ... Level I

AAI Avalanche Safety Weekend at Alta, Utah from Edmond Stevens on Vimeo.

Quote of the Week

"Play for more than you can afford to lose and you will learn the game."
Winston Churchill

Clearly this was not meant for Alex Honnold on Half Dome, nor for solo climbers in general, however it does seem to fit the scene.

The Matterhorn In Winter is Bittersweet

This picture from Gornergrat, was taken today from a Zermatt webcam. The essay about a March 2006 attempt on the Hornli Ridge was published on the website SummitPost.


CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE ARTICLE.

Col de L'Aiguille Verte

Another outrageous Chamonix ski descent!

Andreas Fransson skiing Col de L´Aiguille Verte from Bjarne Sahlen on Vimeo.

Ice Climbing Tips From Will Gadd

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THIS SHORT ARTICLE.

Skiing the Aiguille Blanche

The things they ski these days in Chamonix is pretty amazing. I am not sure I would climb it with two tools and a full rack of screws, let alone ski the darn thing!

Aig Blanche ski descent from Luca Rolli on Vimeo.

Training for a Winter Ascent of the Matterhorn

This morning Carter and I did multiple laps on some 5.2-5.4 routes that were thoroughly snowed and iced up, on the NCS crag. Climbing with crampons, hooking nubbins with tools, and jamming the occasional gloved hand in a crack, all at 10 degrees was good training.

Ode to the belay parka

Read top flight alpinist, Kelly Cordes' essay published on Patagonia's blog. A more than gentle nod to the importance of having a belay parka clipped to your harness or in the top of your pack. The enclosed picture is from the Moonflower Buttress on Mount Hunter.


CLICK ON THIS LINK TO READ THE FULL ESSAY.

Chamonix Alpine Granite

This ten minute video chronicles a successful trip to the Alpine Mecca.

Chamonix Alpine Granite from Joshua Lavigne on Vimeo.

Biathlon Nor-Ams

I had a big day of training for the Haute Route ... It started with a two hour classical ski with over a thousand feet of climbing and then a couple of hours of telemark turns out on the NCS ski hill. My ski started from the biathlon trails where I watched a bit of the sprint competition. In the picture you see one of the women from the Canadian development team coming into the finish. On a related note, the biathlon World Cup circuit moves to Maine for the next two weeks.

More illustrations from GLACIER MOUNTAINEERING

A funny but all too common scenario ... The second man on the rope team is an eager beaver with way too much slack, and the third man is slow and being dragged on a tight rope ... Not a good scene on the glacier. (CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE THE PHOTOGRAPH.)

The Secret of Staying Warm On An Ice Climb

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ESSAY.

Video: snow pit basics

Telemark Turns

After several laps skinning up and down the NCS ski hill, I ripped the hide, grabbed the rope tow, and made 60 minutes worth of turns.

Terrific Book ... GLACIER MOUNTAINEERING

I have mentioned it before on the Fossil Blog, however GLACIER MOUNTAINEERING by Tyson and Clelland is awesome. Clear and concise, with often some very funny illustrations. It is particularly useful for the skier or ski mountaineer making a transition to alpine climbing. (CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT.)

NCS Snow Physics Class

Larry's class covers the theoretical and scientific principles involved in the mountain snowpack, however he also teaches students the rudiments of avalanche safety, route selection, and rescue. Here the students are using transceivers to locate a buried victim.

Umbilicals for your ice tools ... again

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE COLD THISTLE ESSAY.

Demo ski and bindings

As the Haute Route gets closer I am having a bit of gear anxiety. Tele-gear, use my old Ramers on alpine skis, buy new AT gear, or maybe buy silvretta 500s, mount them on tele-skis and use my mountaineering boots.

On Tuesday I skied this setup on Whiteface, and yesterday I toured laps on the ski hill with them ... Loved the bindings, and especially loved the Dynafit Mustagh Ata skis.

WARREN "BATSO" HARDING

This article was originally published in the San Francisco Examiner, and then publishes in Climbing Magazine.

CLICK ON THIS LINK TO ACCESS THIS IMPORTANT PIECE OF CLIMBING HISTORY.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

About 35 years ago Hock, Danny, and Mark met in the municipal pool in Chamonix. The Aiguille de Geant was our first route, and several days later, I soloed the 5,000' route on the Brenva Face of Mount Blanc. Climbing the Sentinelle Rouge was one of the highlights of my climbing career.

Ueli Steck The Swiss Machine

The video trailer for an amazing Reel Rock video. You see Ueli soloing in the Alps and speed climbing with Alex Honnold in Yosemite. Clearly, he is THE MAN!

The Ueli Steck Special Edition Knife

More like a leatherman, however it is just made for taking care of ice tools and ski mountaineering gear. The video makes it look pretty slick ... besides Ueli Steck is my hero!

Hard Mixed Winter Climbing in Scotland

This video follows the progress and the whippers taken by some guys trying to put up a new route in the Cairngorms on Coire An Lochain.

Coldest adirondack night yet

This was the coldest night of the winter. The bottom dropped out of the thermometer, and on campus the readings were -38 or -40 degrees depending on where it was taken. (Believe it or not, the temperature is still dropping.) Barn chores is going to be brutal in another hour, but heck our kids are tough.

Alpinist Profile: the Grand Teton

The new issue is out, and the large essay on the Grand is superb! I just picked it up at the Mountaineer ... It looks awesome.

Video: flight into the Kahiltna

Approaching Denali from Hossedia on Vimeo.

If your mouth just doesn't start watering while you are viewing this video, well maybe you just do not have a pulse. I see this and I say ... Cassin anyone?

NORIO MATSUMATO

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER..

Eagle Slide on Giant

Unfortunately, this classic snow climb (ski descent) does not look in shape yet.

Climbing Art

Most of you probably remember the old A5 magazine ads from back in the 1980-1990s. The book dealer Michael Chessler has gotten his hands on the original pen and ink drawings by McMullen. They are quite reasonable ... $25-$50. (AS ALWAYS CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT.)

Exquisite Mountain Landscapes

Norio Matsumoto is a Japanese photographer who lives in an igloo or tent for months on end as he photographs the northern lights against spectacular mountain backdrops.

(Many thanks for the Talkeetna Air Taxi blog which turned me on to this wonderful photographer.)

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS A GALLERY OF HIS NORTHERN LIGHTS PHOTOGRAPHS.

Back to the Adirondacks

After a successful board meeting I am heading home and expect to arrive at NCS in the early afternoon for a good ski tour.

Jim Logan Interview

Still climbing regularly at 60, Jim talks about his famous route on Robson's Emperor Face in the CLIMBING magazine interview.


CLICK HERE TO READ THE INTERVIEW.

Ice Climbing Accident

Another valuable post from the Cold Thistle website. This one covers the potential for rope damage in a fall when the rope runs over an ice screw crank left exposed after placement. VERY IMPORTANT.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL REPORT.

Video: Kikkan's World Cup Win In Liberec

A flawless race, fantastic tempo, and well waxed skis, yield her second ever world cup victory. (Unfortunately the commentary is in Polish.)

Avalanche Instructional Tool

The NCS middle-school curriculum is unusual in many respect, and certainly our 8th grade Earth science class unit on snow physics is one of those unique offerings. In this two month hands-on class all students get the equivalent of a Level I-II avalanche training, as well as substantial field opportunities. This PowerPoint presentation - made by Larry - uses a variety of slides from climbing trips, as well as some resources that I put together 20+ years ago, when I taught the course. ENJOY.

The Early Days of Telemark Skiing in Europe

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE.

New Adirondack Ice Route

Endangered Species from Matt McCormick on Vimeo.

On Friday January, 14. Bayard Russell, Matt Horner and I climbed a line on the “Big Wall” section of Poko-Moonshine in the Adirondacks. The line paralleled the legendary Jeff Lowe route Gorillas in the Mist which hasn’t seen a 3rd ascent since Alex Lowe and Randy Rackliff repeated it the day after the FA in 1997.

Insane Vedauwoo Off-Width

Pamela Pack doing a 5.13a in Vedauwoo Wyoming. She wound up working into this position in an off width crack to place some pro.

CLICK ON THE IMAGINE TO ENLARGE THIS VERY ODD PICTURE.