An excellent morning riding lifts

Skiing easy trails on my Skimo race skis.

Last week was another decent recovery week; I cut down volume as my knee joints have still not recovered from my ultra a month ago. I logged 12 hours, just under 3400' vertical, and 140k (104k bike, 33k ski, 3k run). Additionally, aside from one strength session, last week was my first day skiing at Whiteface.

Best Recent Sweat Science Books

https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/books-media/sweat-science-holiday-book-list-2022/

BLAST FROM THE PAST … mount st. nicholas

In the fall of 1974, I spent three months climbing in the Canadian Rockies. Stephanie White, Bill Trollenberg and I were all from Union College, and we climbed many peaks, after a tuneup on Mount Rainier.

This peak - just under 10,000 feet - was climbed via the obvious snow ridge, from the Bow Hut perched on the Wapta Icefield.

What a difference grooming can make!

With several days of crappy, wet, and warm weather, as well as above freezing temps yesterday, I thought Mount Van Hoevenberg would be a washout. However, it was quite nice, and I stormed up some hills. Still, a 2k loop gets pretty boring after an hour.

Thankfully cold weather and more snowmaking are on the way.

The continued demise of tropical glaciers

https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/environment/vanishing-giants-tropical-glaciers-colombia-facing-extinction.html

Arnold Franck … famous producer of early German mountain films

The link below is to his first skiing film (December 1920) called Das Wunder Des Schneeschuhs (The Wonder Of Skis).  Be sure to watch the section between the 5-6:30 minute mark of the crevasse fall … been there done that … and thanks to Gary for pulling me out

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qVzsoNjJz8s&feature=emb_title

Trail running in the Andes has a long history going back to the Incas

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ONeedVaBugc&feature=emb_imp_woyt

A good week, but discombobulated training

Selden's surgery went well, as has her recovery … keeping our fingers crossed. Travel, friends visiting, barnchores, and crappy weather limited me to three ski sessions; but I'm not complaining as I have been on snow more than most. Despite all this, I logged 15.5 hours, 3350' vertical, 3 strength sessions, and 169k (143k exercise bike, 18k ski, 8k run). 

Mulled wine for your next camping trip

https://www.adventure-journal.com/camp-recipes/campfire-mulled-wine-perfect-way-ride-storm/

Re-reading an old classic … PIONEERS ON SKIS

My first edition was published in 1977. And, while the prose is not lyrical or gripping, it is serviceable. There are some wonderful stories which span skiing in the Colorado, Denali, Lake Placid, Stowe, Canadian Rockies, and Norway.

I particularly loved the story from the 1930s when they got permission - Adirondacks as per New York Constitution are forever wild - to cut a downhill trail down from the summit of Mount Van Hoevenberg which paralleled the Olympic bob run. Of course, just like modern day advocates hoping for backcountry glades (like Vermont), the answer is often yes, just don't cut any trees more than 2 inches in diameter!

The Super Tour started this week in British Columbia

The premiere domestic nordic race series kicked off with four days of racing in Sovereign Lake. With the exception of the U.S  and Canadian Teams skiing in Europe on the World Cup circuit, most of the best North American nordic skiers were on hand. My daughter Lucy has been in retirement, running a congressional campaign in Montana, but since Election Day, she has been back in training, so she drove north to jump in a couple of races.

A new Skimo season



https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=76&v=b-V6D1DS-LE&feature=emb_logo

Selden is having knee surgery

I am just hanging out in the hospital, hoping things go smoothly.

10th Day On Snow

It was a good week of training. I logged 14.5 hours, 147k (97.5k exercise bike, 44k ski, 5.5k run), managed 3625' vertical, and did a couple of strength sessions.

Beyond The Summit … kit deslauriers

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2KToPCh77ZM&feature=emb_imp_woyt

Yesterday the weather was a bit grim … grey, too warm, and drizzly

However, the man-made loop is in good shape, and legacy trails that have been rolled are sketchy, but still skiable. I have been timing my ski session to coincide with the end of D-1 college training sessions. So, 11-12:15 and 3:30-4:45 seem to be the best times.

Steve House … how to make an A thread for a rappel

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5RKwAyscHFM

How to watch cross country and biathlon World Cups this season

https://fasterskier.com/2022/11/viewing-cross-country-and-biathlon-in-the-united-states/

Cross Country Skiing World Cup Races Are About To Begin!

It starts with a classic sprint in Ruka On November 25th. Watch the short video below to get your motors running! 

https://www.fis-ski.com/en/cross-country/cross-country-news-multimedia/videos/2022/11/cross-country-the-42nd-season-we-could-not-be-more-excited-fis-cross-country-0LLsT2_M8Sg

DAWN PATROL … a great short video

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MCQR3ABTV4A&feature=emb_imp_woyt

A good week of training …

Blisters have healed, I am shaking off a cold, but I still have elevated morning heart rates. So, while I might not be completely recovered from my ultra, an appetite for training is definitely back.

My volume is on the uptick, and I will do my best to keep the ramp up gradual. Last week I logged 13.5 hours, almost 6000' vertical, and 115k (70k exercise bike, 30 skiing, 15k running).

The Whiteface Toll Road

This classic Adirondack ski tour has been in fine condition all week. Yesterday was my third day skiing, with my skimo race skis. Time to pull out my nordic gear.

Tips on collecting books about skiing …

https://skiinghistory.org/online-magazine/dusty-passion-collecting-books

Jack Kuenzle … king of the FKT landscape

https://www.outsideonline.com/health/running/culture-running/people/jack-kuenzle-fkt/?utm_campaign=OOL%20-%20NL%20-%20Long%20Reads&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=234364598&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--iavRObawwMaPrSHYOwqbYTSgVguZd-jGeNjisGBLy-C4azQaQ_h5_BXNe1x3XL4IAIEYbbmh2cEI6pb-N5J0YjMWLjA&utm_content=234363434&utm_source=hs_email

Boot Camp On Mt. Rainier

https://skiinghistory.org/online-magazine/boot-camp-mount-rainier

Whiteface Toll Road: the first ski of the season

The 46ers … watch the trailer

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/the46ersfilm/300621434?autoplay=1

Some good news for eastern skiers

There is snow coming tomorrow, and with the colder - more seasonal - weather, all the Olympic venues in our area were making snow yesterday.  So, Whiteface, the jumps, and Mount Van Hoevenberg will be usable in the very near future. 

Great day at the Giants game

I had a terrific day with my college buddy; the Giants won and are now 7-2. Len and I got to the stadium at 9am, in time for some serious tailgating.

BLAST FROM THE PAST … east ridge of the grand teton

In 1977, Murph (a college buddy) and I are setting up our bivy on this classic route.  It rained off, and on, through the night and we headed down the next morning. Several years later, I tried this route with Michael Franklin in winter, and that time we bailed because of avalanche conditions.  Still, on my bucket list, but my guess is that it may have to wait until my next reincarnation. 

Colorado Avalanche Information Center

I will be watching this in the coming months as I get closer to my February backcountry ski trip.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=114&v=zpK9Pa3oJys&feature=emb_logo

Never imagined an article like this in the New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/22/well/move/fitness-bouldering-rock-climbing.html

Another unusually warm November day, but quite wonderful

A nice recovery hike in Rochester, Vermont with Ted and Dick. My knees are starting to feel better, and I am able to increase the volume a little bit each day. Next week I will be able to resume full training hours, which will hopefully include some time on snow.

Where the 10th Mountain Trained

During WW II, the 10th Mountain Division was quartered at Camp Hale, and nearby was the Cooper Ski Area, where many learned how to ski. It is also where I taught beginners for Colorado Outward Bound School, before we took them out in the mountains for 20 days.

Thumbing through the guidebook, I am starting to get excited about a backcountry ski trip to Colorado in February.

A bit of good news …

The National Weather Snow Forecast out to November 16th,  suggests that maybe higher elevations (Whiteface Toll Road), could have 12 inches of snow in that time period. Also, it looks like Foret in Quebec (six hour drive) might have a similar amount, and maybe they will groom their five kilometer loop.

HamsterWheel … 53k in 9:24

Plopped in a chair, and ready to break open the bottle of whiskey with Matt, who did the last 12.5k with me.

30 hour wave is off

My Hamsterwheel wave leaves at 9:30.

And to add to the grim picture …

Maybe it will be even too warm to make snow during this time period!

Now this is grim …

This is the National Weather Service snowfall forecast out to November 13th. As you can see for New York and New England … nada! Of course, maybe low temperatures will mean alpine areas and nordic centers like Mount Van Hoevenberg, Craftsbury, and Middlebury might make snow. However, up above Gaspe, into Labrador City it shows over a foot of snow. I just might need to hop in the Hockmobile and get up to the Menihek Nordic Ski Club.

However, this weekend I am running an ultra-marathon, so I will worry about it next week.

VALLÉE BLANCHE … the badass version

Just two minutes long, and we'll worth it!

https://vimeo.com/335879257 

Escape To Lucania: an epic story of survival

As a followup to the New York Times article about the expedition that found the 1937 cache of gear from Washburn and Bates, enclosed below is the first paragraph from Escape From Lucania. I am already halfway through the book … it's gripping!

85 years ago Washburn and Bates climbed Lucania …

Poor snow conditions meant the he ski plane could not pick them, so they had to hike out 100 miles. They cached much of their gear, to make packs as light as possible, and this summer an expedition recovered their equipment … including Washburn's cameras.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/30/world/canada/yukon-mountains-cameras.html

Beautiful Sunset But …

Morning temps have been in the 20s, however daytime highs are in the 50s. I don't know when it's going to snow! Starting to panic; I am spending mornings looking at NOAA snow depth maps and MeteoBlue weather reports for the Chic-Chocs and Labrador City.

Gear, tips, and tricks for the TMB

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kks8NuulC1E

18 four-thousand meter peaks in a day

This seven minute video - set in and around Zermatt - has fantastic scenery and makes you want to do it as a 4-5 day climb.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aFgs5-okjy0&feature=emb_title

Starting to get anxious about snow

Roughly one-in-three years I get to ski the Whiteface toll road at least once or twice in October. Clearly, that will not happen this year. In fact I suspect, we may not have snow until after the elections. Lucy is out in Bozeman, running a congressional campaign,  ut even she has skied two or three times already. 

Starting to think about Frozen Thunder in Canmore, or other Canadian early snow spots (Labrador City). Of course, because of snow making, I am still confident that Mount Van Hoevenberg and Whiteface will be ready to go by Thanksgiving.

Sketching the Alps

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=azgvOyBB7fA&feature=youtu.be

The Cassin Ridge … the fish that got away

In the late 1970s and early 80s this was the route that was always on my mind, but the stars never aligned, and it will have to wait until my next reincarnation. HOWEVER, this is a great little video about two gals who climb the route recently. 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SH8_xb826R8&feature=emb_title

50th High School Reunion

Twice postponed because of covid, it was finally nice to see many of my old buddies. A wonderful two days, however the 6.5 hours driving each way, put a cramp in my knees, and a crimp in in my training. (I only managed 13+ hours, with 45k running, and 93k riding the exercise bike this week.)

Aside from swapping stories of big games, teachers, hijinks, and friends who couldn't attend or had passed away; one of my buddies shared some photographs of a trip we took prior to our senior year.

The year is 1969, and I am 17. My buddy proposes a trip to Vermont (inspired by Easy Rider perhaps?); so I borrow some rudimentary camping gear and we hitchhike from Manhasset to southern Vermont. We hike a chunk of the Long Trail for a week and hitchike back home.

I spend my senior year in high school classes dreaming about mountains. Toward the end of the next summer, I hitched to Colorado by myself, scrambled up multiple 14ers, saw several rock climbers on the Diamond from Chasm View (I had scrambled up the 5.2 route on Longs Peak), and vowed to myself, that when I went to college that fall, I would figure out how to become a mountaineer. The rest, as they say ... is history.

10th Mountain Division’s Camp Hale designated as a National Monument

This is adjacent to the area I taught ski mountaineering courses for the Colorado Outward Bound School in the late 1970s.

https://fasterskier.com/2022/10/president-biden-designates-national-monument-at-camp-hale-preserving-american-ski-history/