Explore this wonderful ski mountaineering website

Just goggle The High Route, and enjoy poking around. Additionally, I have just finished reading their recent journal publication, as well as getting ready to download some of their podcasts.

Barn laps

Part of my rehab work, is to do two daily walks on our gravel driveway. Depending how far up or down the driveway I go, the laps tend to be 5-8 minutes long. So, yesterday on my easy walks, I covered a total of 1.5k with 125’ vertical gain, in just under 30 minutes.

Day #20 post-surgery

Well, it’s obvious that my left knee is still swollen, however it appears that the swelling is much reduced. This reduction is most notable by the ripple of individual quad muscles which are now discernible, and the tendons in my left foot which are clearly visible as well. The additions of two short “hikes” a day with my dog, and range of motion exercise biking, have clearly improved my mood. These “exercises”bring huge psychological benefits even if the physical benefits are purely incremental. Obviously, my weekly log is quite modest, with 9.5 hours, on 47 kilometers (39k bike and 7k run), and 700’ vertical gain, with many stretching and PT workouts.

Another fond Teton memory

Brought to you by chatGPT; my recent stay at the Climbers Ranch with Klink, brought back many fond memories from the 1970s and 80s.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: buck mountain

With the help of chatGPT I turned an old, blurry, Kodak picture of me bouldering in the woods into an oil painting. Memory tells me, I was guiding a group of teenagers up the East Ridge of Buck Mountain in the Tetons. (On a rest break on the approach, I did a bit of bouldering on this erratic in my vintage Nike Cortez running shoes.) The peak is a fourth class scramble, but I recall setting up two rope lengths which campers climbed with prussik self-belays.

Day #18 post-surgery

Knee flexion is up to 108 degrees, enough to do some range of motion cycling (not aerobic) on my exercise bike. A few days ago at my two week visit, I was cleared for easy walking on flat, and obviously, non-technical terrain. So, my movement world has enlarged. Until I can drive - probably another three weeks - my go to place will be laps on our gravel drive way. (Supplemented by some hiking on the roller ski track at MVH, when I can get Selden to do drop-offs.)

Underrated mountaineering films to watch



As I am spending time icing during my rehab, I am going to watch them all … the summit, the eight mountains, the wall, and the last mountain.

Day #16 post-surgery

Yesterday, I had my two week followup with Dr. Bryne. Staples are out, swelling going down, and a thumbs up from doc for easy walking laps and easy stationary bike … YAHOO. He did say, I was ahead of the curve in all departments!

NORDIC INSIGHTS posted some good new articles

Full coverage of the two important fall rollerski races in Lake Placid this past weekend, as well as an article about training advice for the over 65 year old athletes. The rollerski race coverage was particularly interesting, as it came at the end of a week long women’s camp for both nordic and biathlon team members. Google the website and check it out!

Starting this witty and engaging book

I have included a book review to give you a better sense of its scope, tone, and tenor!

Quick look at what Jessie Diggins has been up to since retirement



She has been doing quite a bit of trail running, including: finishing the Broken Arrow Triple Crown in fourth, a respectable finish in the incredibly competitive Sierre-Zinal, and yesterday winning the Superior 100 miler, finishing fifth overall. Obviously, she is still one incredibly fit gal. https://www.trailrunnermag.com/people/profiles-people/jessie-diggins-is-running-into-retirement/

Day #12 post-surgery: first outdoor adventure

Selden dropped me off at the handicap parking at Mount Van Hoevenberg, and I watched the Keys To The Castle Roller Ski race. A beautiful day, with a handful of women Olympians in the field. I logged about 2k over 45 minutes moving time … interspersed with sunning myself in a deck chair. A great mental health boost!

Fastest Know Time: teton crest trail

Anna Gibson skimo Olympian, Brooks trail runner, winner of the 2026 Broken Arrow Ascent, and multi-sport athlete, recently set the standard on this iconic trail loop.

Day #11 post-surgery

Spectacular sunset, good PT workouts, swelling continues to slowly decrease, able to help a bit with doing some dish cleanup … so feeling good!

Another pre-season snow prediction

Day #10 post surgery

As of yesterday, I pretty much ditched the walker except for excursions outside the house … so it’s hands off!

Great video about history of Thunderbolt Ski Run



https://youtu.be/CuL3eWWHFN0

New documentary about Yosemite plane crash in 1977

 https://www.climbing.com/culture-climbing/yosemite-weed-plane-crash-documentary/

Day #8 post-surgery and our anniversary

It was a busy day, as I started PT, Selden was getting the vet to write an antibiotic prescription for Stash, and our anniversary celebration was limited to popping the cork and raising a glass of prosecco. (However, I was pleased to see that my initial measurement was 74 degrees of flexion, and after a few exercises I measured 87 degrees.)

News from the Arctic

I have always been interested in polar exploration and mountaineering in the Arctic. The Denali Range, the Wrangells, or the Brooks Range, have long fascinated me. From Baffin Island, Greenland, onto Svalbard, Lyngen Alps, and Lofoten. This is an interesting article about how melting ice is opening a trade route through the Arctic. China has begun the first regular service, part of its polar ambitions. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/08/world/europe/china-arctic-shipping-trade-route.html?unlocked_article_code=1._lA.llJf.UxC22VwjBmMJ&smid=em-share

Day #7 post-surgery

Monday is typically my normal rest and recovery day. A night of poor sleep, led me to think that I needed to reduce my rehab “mileage” today, to assure myself, that I was not over doing things. So, it was a day with more icing, and time on the continuous passive movement machine. Another highlight was venturing out on the deck and having a small whiskey with Gary.

BLAST FROM THE PAST: storm point

Mark led the 5.10; it’s such a Teton classic! We did it sometime in the late 1970s - early 1980s.

Day #6 post-surgery

The bulk of my days are focused around: icing my knee, taking and organizing my meds, strapping into the machine for continuous passive movement, taking a zillion laps around the house with my walker, doing the exercises suggested at discharge, napping, and keeping buddies apprised of how I am doing. Given, that my pain management has gone well, I have often also been able to read or listen to audio books. Currently I am finishing the last 20 pages of Regime Change, knee deep into two novels (Summerland and Separation of Power), as well as reading Matterhorn Vision. When I finish that I will start to dip into a favorite collection of climbing fiction.

What this winter might bring

David Hochschartner (Hock)

Day #4 post-surgery

Pain management continues to go well, and I continue to log many laps with my walker, inside the house. Things seem to be going well, and I am more able to concentrate on reading and listening to audible books for a bit. I also daydream about getting better, and going to Chamonix and climbing on the Gaillands, as well as maybe doing Pointe Lachenal, and the Cosmique Arete again.

Wide distribution for Threshold … Jessie Diggins and the U.S. Ski Team



https://cms.fasterskier.com/2026/09/inside-threshold-diggins-documentary/

Day #3 post- surgery

Yesterday the pain level rose, however our pain management did reasonably well. I logged many laps in the house with the walker, spent two hours on the continuous passive movement machine, iced my knee, and did my PT exercises. I am pretty beat. Oh, and Selden changed the dressing covering my incision yesterday morning. In addition to dwelling on my recovery, I started to think of skiing a late season nordic race next year, and running the Broken Arrow again, as well as going to the Alps next summer.

Day #2 Post Surgery

I actually had a fairly decent sleep last night! Have scheduled morning meds for 8am, but Selden has wisely suggested I move that back to 6am. I am always awake by then, and it will increase the chances of me not falling behind the pain curve. I have filled my greatly enlarged pill box for the week. Moreover, I have also been strapped into the continuous passive movement machine for an hour, while I deal with daily emails.

Post surgery: day #1

Or, the first day of training for the 2027 Broken Arrow Skyrace and other adventures. It was also the day I got the catheter removed, cleared by Occupational and Physical Therapists, as well as two thumbs up on my blood work, and of course had numerous medications added to my daily regimen. Huge shoutout to Selden who was the maestro who coordinated everything, and made the magic happen.

Out of Recovery

The surgery went quite well. As a matter of orthopedic policy, they keep full knee replacements overnight. So, it’s just passed 11 PM and I’ve gotten up, - won’t let me walk around - not enough nurses on duty, but I stood up, marched in place for awhile, and then sat down in a comfy chair, and I’m listening to a book on tape. Tomorrow I expect to be released, and I’ll post a picture of the awesome view from my hospital room of Lake Colby just across the street. (A lake, which I paddled on quite often - back in the day - when I was prepping for canoe or kayak races.)

David Hochschartner (Hock)

A good but painful week

No ibuprofen, due to today’s surgery. Despite that, last week I logged just over 15 hours, on 205k (192k bike and 13k run), with just 1050’ vertical gain, and one stretching session. Knee replacement in a couple of hours!

BLAST FROM THE PAST: the cathedral group

A sketch from my journal, of all the routes I have done on the cathedral group, plus the route I tried twice - East Ridge - which I was stormed off in summer and winter. (Several of these routes I have done multiple times.)

An exciting UTMB race

Both the men’s and women’s course records were broken. In the men’s race the top ten runners all completed the big loop in under 20 hours. Blandine won the race, and was the first women to go under 22 hours for the big loop

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