Third place Caleb Olson

The UTMB trail goes through the cafe at La Floria, just three kilometers from the finish of this 106 mile race.

Chatting with Larry Robjent

Yesterday, over a bit of whiskey, we shot the breeze for 90 minutes. Talking about a possible Chamonix trip next year. (I think he could drag me up a route on the Gaillands, as and the Cosmique Arete again, as well doing something more ambitious with his daughter.) We finished our chat, talking about his blossoming career as a metal sculptor, with commissions from the VIC (picture below) as well as alumni. Kudos to him, as he donates 10% to school and camp. Finally, we dragged out the sculpture he made for my retirement gift for a photo shoot. (He is probably the best teacher I ever hired!)

The Big lap around Mont Blanc has just started

The women’s 61k OCC race amazingly went down to the wire, separated by 3 seconds, with third place just a minute back! The 105k CCC is still in process, with the top men having finished and the women still in a real dogfight … about one hour out. UTMB men’s winner will be sub-20 hours, with the top women in sub-23 hours.

A few weeks ago we were having beers here after a long bike ride

https://www.axios.com/2026/08/27/jackson-hole-federal-reserve

Four training days left before surgery

That said, I am mostly on the exercise bike, as I have to abstain from ibuprofen, it’s too painful to do much running.

Fredrick Church and American Landscape

https://youtu.be/D19rFHdAq5c Hoping to see the exhibition in Olana before it leaves in mid-October. A key painter in the Hudson River School, and he painted some large canvases with mountains from the Andes, as well as the Rockies.

Finished most of my pre-Op stuff

A hectic schedule of doctors, informational meetings, and NCS/CTT reunion obligations kept me off my game a bit. In two hours I have my last pre-op appointment, which is a phone meeting with the anesthesia team … then all that will be left, is to arrange the living room-kitchen-bath room for my convalescence. That said, I logged 13 hours, on 130k (113k bike, 13k run, and 4k row), with just over 1150’ vertical gain, a strength workout, as well as two stretching sessions.

An excellent Friends Weekend

Great to see some former students, campers, and staff. Fabulous weather, and another time capsule opened for students from the NCS Class of 2016, who came back for their tenth reunion.

An AI summary of my 3 month rehab

Belaying alumni at the NCS crag

Thinking of knee surgery and next year

I spent the afternoon - with Selden - at “Joint Replacement School” and at the CT scan. As per next summer - my 75th birthday - I have been thinking of the half or full traverse of all five Breithorn summits. These superb climbs are made more palatable by virtue of proximity to a ski lift.

Good start to the week yesterday

A bunch of time on the exercise bike, an hour easy hike on the 1980 biathlon trails - using mountain boots make sure they still fit - and a 20 minute dose of Level 3 uphilling. Stash had fun too.

UTMB WEEK starts in six days!

Excellent video about American Mountain Guides

https://youtu.be/nw2BrMAFj9k

Post Teton totals

The exercise totals for the week are low, given the sightseeing we did and the full travel days on our return from the Tetons. Still, seeing Old Faithful and a little bit of the immense Yellowstone park was wonderful. So too, was the visit to the Wildlife Art Museum, as well as spectating the weekly summer bouldering contest! That said, I logged just under 9.5 hours, on 68k (50k bike, and 18k run ), with 1460’ vertical, as well as two stretching and a single gym workout.

It’s good to be home!

Sitting on the deck, sipping prosecco with Selden, with our dogs dozing at our feet. As per usual, needing a nap, and still dragging a bit afterwards with post travel chores.

Back Home and a 1979 BLAST FROM THE PAST

A great trip with my college buddy - Klink - which stirred up so many memories of all my past Teton routes. One of the best, was climbing the classic North Ridge of the Grand, with Richard Wilmot, a South African that I climbed with the year before in Chamonix.

Heading Home

So far all is well. My flight to Dallas was on time, and if all goes well, I will be in the air in two hours, heading for Albany. WE HAD AN EXCELLENT TRIP.

Yesterday evening in the Tetons

Who knew? Every Tuesday in Jackson, during the summer, they have a low key bouldering competition. The $10 entry fee also includes pizza and soda. People - including middle schoolers - were nailing difficult problems.

Day #9 in the Tetons

Excellent but different sort of day. We spent a couple of hours at the national wildlife arts museum. Then a bit of walking around Jackson, and finally some time bouldering at the town park. (The park was tastefully done: one part great workout space, one part a history of Teton mountaineering, and one part a salute to those who have died in the mountains.

Day #8 in the Tetons

Yesterday was a rest day, we spent it reading, eating, and sightseeing in Yellowstone. We stopped along many pull-outs to take pictures, Lewis Lake Falls being a prime example. The highlight was Old Faithful and hiking along the boardwalk trail looking at the hot spring pools.

Day #7 a good week in the Tetons

Today we biked just under 25k (out and back), as well as hiking 3k as we checked out the Jenny Lake boulders and Boulder City in between String Lake and the Cathedral group turnout. As per the stats for the week, I logged 14 hours, on 133k (110k bike and 23k), and 5550’ vertical gain.

Day #6 in the Tetons

Yesterday, we biked 35k - on clunkers - down to Mormon Row, a collection of buildings that remain from the 1890 farming community. The visibility continues to be compromised by western wildfires.

Day #5 in the Tetons

Yesterday we hiked up Signal Mountain, a nice modest outing with a wonderful trail and wonderful views. However, the fires further west continue and visibility was incredibly poor. Given the pictures below, it seems that we made the right decision not to go to Zermatt this summer.

Day #4 in the Tetons

Another warm sunny day, and we headed north on clunkers, riding the bike trail to Jenny Lake and then on to String Lake. A bit of a rest day, but we did manage 24k on the clunkers, and a couple of kilometers in, and around the shore of Jenny Lake.

Day #3 in the Tetons

Yesterday went well despite a night of crappy sleep, as I had shorts and a t-shirt on when I crawled into my bivy bag. (All was good until midnight when it had cooled off, but I was too lazy to dig out my warm clothes.) Still a bit hazy from the fires, but we had a nice 6.6k hike (2700’ vertical) up to the Rendezvous Lodge, and took the gondola down to Teton Village.

The first 24 hours in Wyoming …

That Included arriving 90 minutes late, picking up the rental car and unpacking at the Climbers Ranch. Highlights in the first 24 hours included beers and dinner at Dornan’s, a 75 minute hike on the Taggart Lake trail, and a 2.5 hour/2700’ ascent to the Rendezvous Lodge. YAHOO!

On my way west … brought sketching and watercolor stuff

Who knows; maybe I will dabble a bit on this trip! Getting inspired browsing through this book. As per my training, it was a good week. I logged just under 13.5 hours, on 140k (112k bike and 28k run), with just under 3500’ vertical, as well as some stretching and strength in the gym.

First quarter of my training year is in the books!

Most things are on track to reach my athletic goals for 2026-27, some just a bit ahead of schedule, while some are just off the mark. For instance, I am a bit behind on my yearly goal of 750 hours; but I am spot on for a total 200,000’ vertical gain; well ahead of my biking goal of 85 rides; and ahead of last year’s benchmark for strength, but I am still well off the goal of 75 workouts in 2027.

Nobody works harder than Selden

Yesterday - the last day of July - she sat down and made her “must do list” of chores for August. You can see her list on the clipboard, of course she had to reduce the font size so it would fit on one page. Well, she is not kicking back in her retirement!

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