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

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

Knee surgery on August 31st, but Tetons beforehand

A good recovery week

Getting over the Broken Arrow Ascent, traveling for 26 hours, adjusting time zones, and putting a persistent cough behind me, were all the key goals for the past week. That said, I logged 11 hours, on 146k (134k bike and 12k run), with 2700’ vertical gain, and three stretching sessions. On a different note, I saw this picture of Jessie Diggins on the Stairway to Heaven at the Broken Arrow … not surprisingly she was a lot faster, and more composed than I was.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: a Sierra snow classic

In 2002, Lewy, Hock, Callie, and Mark climbed the Dana Couloir.

Watching the start of the Western States Endurance Run

The lead pack of men went over the pass just 40+ minutes into the race. With unusually cool weather, no snow on the course, and a deep elite field … breaking the course record seems likely!