Despite a warming trend this week, we had some good ski days

This week I logged 15+ hours, 5000' vertical, and 159k (105k exercise bike, 54k ski).  I also managed two short yoga and strength sessions, as well as four hours riding lifts (which I don't log). 

The history of summer and winter tourism in Zermatt

I worked on many trip plans for this winter - Colorado, Norway,  Canada - the crappy winter, unexpected injuries, and the unavoidable ebb and flow of life scuttled those ideas. However, planes are booked and I am heading to Zermatt with a college buddy in March. 

https://www.skiinghistory.org/online-magazine/resorts-then-and-now-zermatt-rising-above-it-all

Beautiful short video of Yosemite in black and white

https://vimeo.com/276817023

A beautiful day of spring skiing …

except it is mid-February! I certainly enjoyed the sunshine, soft snow, and just the shirt on my back, but what happened to winter?

Interesting interview with Ron Perla, snow scientist

https://www.wildsnow.com/33750/ron-perlas-snow-science-path/

Hahnenkamm the Super Bowl of downhill ski racing

BE SURE TO WATCH THE VIDEO … STEIF: one hell of a ride

https://www.redbull.com/us-en/12-facts-you-need-to-know-about-the-streif-ski-race

Beautiful morning skiiing at Whiteface

Yesterday was my 70th day on snow this season

I also had another good week of training having logged: 15.5 hours, almost 4500' vertical, two hours riding lifts, and 160k (106k exercise bike, 54k ski).  It looks like warm days are coming, which will whittle down our modest base even further. 

Excellent conditions at Mount Van Hoevenberg

A view from the live cam at 9am. Shortly after this screen capture,  I did an easy 16k classic cruise.

How to plan a big ski traverse



https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1196&v=3sBTOuWIOkE&embeds_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.adventure-journal.com%2F&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&feature=emb_title

Sherpa … the disposable man

From the OUTSIDE ARCHIVES …

https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/disposable-man-western-history-sherpas-everest/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=OOL%20-%20NL%20-%20Long%20Reads&utm_content=245399805&_hsmi=245399515&utm_source=hs_email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_Bn5jRYjDfUL7yU8LXtXkZ1PIWC0_Ctd3cOeUQrnr3C4GENrkWeJef_mmwO8BlhFzoAbxt5XqMvNMu0iA-w3SM-Slhnw

THIS IS NOW ON MY BUCKET LIST … where vanlife meets ski bum

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/07/travel/vanlife-skiing-oregon.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Good afternoon doing Skimo laps at Pisgah



BLAST FROM THE PAST … brenva face of mont blanc

One of my Christmas presents from Selden this year, was a detailed large photograph with all the routes on this stupendous 5000' alpine wall. Of the many challenging routes - a triptych - which included the Sentinelle Rouge, Route Major, and the Pear Buttress are true classics. Graham Brown climbed all three routes between 1927 and 1933.

On my first Alpine climbing trip in 1978, starting from the Col de La Fourche, I simul-soloed the Sentinelle Rouge with Richard Wilmot a South African whom I had met in Chamonix, after I had backed off a solo attempt on a Les Courtes north face route.

Weekly totals

Well the Arctic Blast has passed; University Games are behind us; World Cup Ski Jumping is almost upon us, as is the Mountaineer's Mountainfest weekend; and we are a few weeks out from the SLU college carnival races.

I logged the following this week:
- 140k (87k on exercise bike and 53 on skis)
- 4050' vertical
- 8 hours skiing
- 5 hours riding exercise bike
- 3 hours riding ski lifts
- 1 hour (strength and yoga)

Some good Skimo practice

The Arctic Blast

Well, by the afternoon temperature may raise to zero and winds slacken a bit, so I should be able to ski forested trails out of the wind.

Bill Briggs Biography

https://www.wildsnow.com/33644/beyond-the-grand-bill-briggs-biography/

How strong are your QuickDraws?

A great video, passed along by Gary.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yoHDQNw9OfA

60th day on snow

Most of my skiing is on nordic gear, or skiing backcountry on Skimo gear. Given the $70 season pass for 70 year olds, today will be my tenth day riding lifts (two hours per visit).

Jackrabbit Trail Ski Tour

An early morning ski for 90 minutes on the Olympic biathlon trails with Stash; followed by an hour sunset tour on the north side of Pitchoff. The picture is of the Central Pillar of Pitchoff (NEI 3+\4).

Another good week of training

This week's summary:
- 10+ hours skiing
- 4.5 hours exercise biking
- 2 hours lift skiing
- 1+ hours yoga
- 26 minute strength session
- total 146k
- total 5400' vertical

Last season World Cup skimo highlights

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YTjfyOnOpYg&embeds_euri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ismf-ski.org%2F&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&feature=emb_title

The story of Nanda Devi Unsoeld

https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/exploration-survival/nanda-devi-unsoeld/?utm_campaign=OOL%20-%20NL%20-%20Long%20Reads&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=243496832&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--cUrslcJL5bIf1_qF0RDC5DMrNDerzfcntjZ05UPpmBOu1l1CFBDmrw9J8zqayIw878sqiv7aH7sHHH1-XCdqhh9J3sQ&utm_content=243496832&utm_source=hs_email

Falling in the no fall zone

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GyVrfJ_C33Q&embeds_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.adventure-journal.com%2F&feature=emb_imp_woyt

BLAST FROM THE PAST … climbing and skiing in Zermatt

My first trip to Zermatt was in December 1972, on a term off from college. A college buddy (Dick) and I traveled around Britain, Norway, Denmark, Morocco, and Central Europe. In Zermatt I was captivated by the ambiance of this small mountain town.  Our short stay included a lucky break for Dick, who took an uncontrolled fall, and stopped just short of the "big ride" off a huge cliff during one of our hikes. 

My first climbing trip was to Zermatt was in July 1978, after I had spent June climbing in the Lake District, Wales, and the Tre Cime area outside Cortina. I spent the month bivying in a hay field just below the Edelweiss Alterhaupt. I met an older British climber - in his late 30s - who had done a great deal of climbing in the Valais, and so he had a well developed tick list.  In pretty short order we climbed one of the North Face routes on the Breithorn (4164m), the Neruda route on the North Face of Lyskamm (4,533m), and the Northeast Face of the Dent d'Herens (4174m).  Snow and ice conditions were quite good, and with the exception of glacier travel, we dispensed with the rope, and soloed all the technical terrain. After my partner left to get back to work in London, Lenny arrived unexpectedly and nursed me back to good health with some hot meals. 

Fast forward to winter 1991, and my next trip to Zermatt during the NCS spring break. I went across the big pond with Gary, Ben, and Susie.  We spent 10 days camping in the unheated winter room, in a hut just below the Theodulpass, with the thought of trying to climb the North Face of the Matterhorn.  It snowed, and snowed, and snowed so plans changed. We climbed the standard route on the Breithorn, and skied down it from the summit. We climbed Pollux (4092m), and skied the Schwarztor tour, just east of the Breithorn to the Monta Rosa Hut. Finally, we climbed one of the summits of Monte Rosa - the Dufourspitze (4634m) - and skied 10,000' vertical all the way back to Zermatt.  All this skiing was done on vintage 1980 three pin Karhu backcountry skis and leather boots. 

(In the photo below, the red lines are my ski routes, while the green ones are climbing routes.)

   

Good day uphilling on Middlebury Snowbowl

Some excellent powder snow on the runs back down.

Video overview of skimo racing

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=l-54xSma7M4

A good week of training, but perhaps too much intensity

Lots of cloudy weather, and no grand views on ski workouts this past week. I logged just under 15.5 hours, and just under 4500' vertical, over a total of 175k (113+ bike and 61+ ski).  This morning we did get a short view of the Sentinel Range from Scotts Cobble.

Strength Training

https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/future-of-strength-training-research-2023/

Re-gluing your skins



https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fYa9pI43cbA

The Sierras are getting pummeled with snow

https://www.adventure-journal.com/2023/01/californias-snowpack-has-reached-absurd-levels/

Yesterday was my 50th day on snow this season



A beautiful morning ski tour yesterday

In the shadow of the High Peaks at Scott's Cobble before the rain, sleet, and a bit of wet snow move in.

BLAST FROM THE PAST … pinnacle gully

Forty-five years ago I spent the winter as the Harvard Cabin caretaker in Huntington Ravine. It was a memorable winter, made possible by a chance meeting with the Harvard Mountaineering Club President in Chamonix.

A couple of my fondest memories involved this classic climb: dragging my buddy Len up the route; soloing the gully on a beautiful, warm, and windless day; as well as doing a winter ascent of the 5.6 rock climb on the buttress with Dean, the Tuckermans Ravine caretaker.

A good week

I spent the morning watching the World University Games skate sprint with Stegs, a buddy from my Union College days.

Recovery from surgery is on track, so I have taken it relatively easy since Thursday. That said, I logged just over 13.5 hours, and a little more than 3300' vertical. My 146k mileage, was comprised of 108k on an exercise bike, 27k on skis, and 11k on foot, as well as a couple of hours alpine skiing.

Aspen and the lost gonzo spirit

https://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/essays/gonzo-aspen-overrun-by-billionaires/?utm_campaign=OOL%20-%20NL%20-%20Long%20Reads&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=241521012&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9dHDLUjhf-fOYpfpHEPlzVYA6745oKtCkmpgA1vVDRWrWI0P5Q_5IFx_bWFODVKKSL_CeUtVWlF7iZLVOkGisXx-ef6g&utm_content=241519534&utm_source=hs_email

Not much snow, but enough to have a two hour Scott’s Cobble tour

The Charpoua Way

I would love to visit on my next trip to Chamonix, it's in a section of the range I have never been to.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=136&v=5d8hdhVxecA&embeds_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.patagonia.com%2F&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&feature=emb_title

First nordic events World University Games off to exciting start

A waxing nightmare for a classic race with rain, sleet, and heat wet snow. An unexpected finish with the Japanese team grabbing a commanding lead after the midpoint of mixed sprint relay. Team USA nipped the Norwegians entering the final downhill for second place. Sweet and Andersen skied a smart and tactically sound race.

Unfortunately the other very strong American team did not qualify for the finals, as all times for the second semi-final were slow given the onset of a deluge of heavy wet snow. The race was well organized and it was great having the ESPN feed on the Jumbotron. The one glitch, was the professional sports announcer, was not up to speed on all things nordic, as he called the race winner a little early (after the second lap), he did apologize after seeing the tag for the third lap!

Surgery went well … clear margins on excision

Other good news, is a bit of snow in our future … which should increase local options significantly.

Another good ski on the toll road

Today I did 1.2k interval laps (roughly 3x12 minutes) in my Skimo race gear. Looking at my heart rate data, it seems these were hard level 3 or 4 intervals.

A great morning on snow

I grabbed first chair at Whiteface and skied for two hours, then I drove around to the back side, and toured up the toll road.

A recovery week from a nasty cold …

Compliments of the holiday season. Both Selden and I have had a really bad bout of snotty noses, headaches, and crappy sleep.

With the massive thaw, and restrictions at Mount Van Hoevenberg due to the impending World University Games, skiing options have been drastically reduced. Thankfully the combination of having purchased an inexpensive senior pass at Whiteface, plus commuting to the VIC, and skiing at MVH after hours, has meant that I did manage to ski a total of six days last week.

So, I logged just under 13 hours of exercise, accumulating 138k (112k bike, 24k ski, 2k on foot), and 2000' vertical. I also alpine skied on four days, riding lifts for about 7 hours, and also managed one easy strength workout.

Nice ski tour at the VIC

The upper sections of the Loggers Loop were definitely sketchy, but there is some good skiing to be had, and even some groomed tracks. Well worth the drive and somewhat closer to home than Hayes Brook. 

I think Hays Brook Truck Trail Is Still Skiable

Will check it out today. 

David Hochschartner (Hock)

Day 40 on snow

Big day for the American nordic men

In the 10k classic leg of the Tour de Ski, we had three young guns in the top 15.  Ben Ogden (recent UVM grad) spent quite a bit of time in the "leader's chair" until Klaebo bumped him out. Ben eventually finished 6th, Hunter Wonders in 11th, and Gus Schumacher in 15th. 

Kilian Jornet reviews his training year

Still skiing but a big thaw!

Three kilometers of World Cup trails with man-made snow are still good to go.