Thanks AMGA/Arc'teryx

A huge thanks goes to the AMGA and Arc'teryx for selecting me as the 2010 scholarship recipient. I received full course tuition for the Ski Guides Course, which I just completed in Salt Lake City, UT!

Ski Tours

This past week 2 other CMS Guides and I were fortunate enough to go on a 4-day hut tour in the Aspen area. On day one, we skinned from the Ashcroft trailhead to the Lindley Hut, situated at 10,480ft. The skin was relatively straightforward, on a forest service road. Lindley is one of the more popular huts in the Braun System and rightly so. It was fully renovated in 2002 and now accomodates 18. We arrived early and went on a quick tour to break trail for the following day.

On day 2, we skied from Lindley and over Pearl Pass that separates Aspen from Crested Butte at just over 12,000ft. Our descent took us down a 1500ft South Face and straight to the door of the Friends Hut at 11,370ft. That day, making it hut to hut in 4 hours we were able to go on a "satellite tour" and skied a 1,000ft west facing shot on on sub-ridge of Star Peak.

Day 3 was a relaxing morning sipping espresso in our backcountry "condo." This day was spent touring around the cirque. With some others who had been there before, we skied a powder stash on some North Facing aspects just south of the hut. Temperatures warmed into the 40's and foolishly none of us brought/drank enough water for our tour and were left dehydrated.

The final day was a pre-dawn start so we could ski out the 11 miles before the afternoon sun warmed some hazardous slopes. From my lack of water intake the previous day, I found it hard to recover during the grueling final day. Our exit involved skiing the Southeast Col of star peak, descending into the Taylor drainage, then over another pass on the Taylor Ridge and a long descent back to the car. Despite the long distance, we covered ground quickly and arrived back at the car around 11am, and were eating pizza in Carbondale by 1230pm!

Over the course of the 4 days we logged around 15,000 vertical feet and skied over 20 miles. This was a fantastic weekend spent with great company.

A New Decade

Skiing, skiing, skiing..............So far in this new decade, I have been on skis more often than not. The snow hasn't been falling but that has not deterred me from skiing as much as I can. Trying to find good snow that has fallen is more difficult than it sounds these days. Rocky Mountain National Park has been windy as usual and not much more than a few inches has come from the sky over the past 2 weeks. I have now been directing my attention more to the Summit County zone as there seems to be more snow there and new terrain (for me). Most of my focus has been in preparation for an upcoming AMGA Ski Guides Course in March that will take place in Salt Lake City. Some other guides and I have been out practicing the beacon drill and sled rescue components of the course and exam so hopefully when the time comes, it will be a review.

Aside from skiing, I have been taking my usual abuse from the Alpine Training Center here in Boulder. Full time training, a few days of skiing, guiding, and some ice climbing thrown in, I'm feeling strong for the upcoming course and spring trips I have planned.

Vacation

The last workout before a 2 week Christmas vacation to see family and friends. Then its back to full time training in the new year and preparation for 2 AMGA courses.

Early Winter

I have been busy the last few weeks climbing ice, skiing, and still training hard at the Alpine Training Center. Finally, after a spell of frigid weather here in the Front Range, things have finally heated up back to reasonable temperatures. With the cold temps we were able to sneak in an ascent of Jaws in Fern Canyon in RMNP. This route is most likely melted out by this time but we got it when we could. Skiing has left something to be desired. Not much coverage this time of year but I have still been able to get in some turns. Ill be leaving on Saturday for the holidays which will include a trip to New Mexico and South Florida. Its been a while since I have been somewhere tropical which is a welcomed change to the winds here in Rocky!

Indian Creek Turkey Fry

Once again, I will be headed to the desert Southwest to climb more endless splitter cracks. I have been on a slight hiatus the past few years of traveling to climb for the Thanksgiving week. Unlike years past, I will be headed to Indian Creek for the 2009 holiday week. This year we will be frying a turkey in this sandy landscape. I look forward to spending turkey day with friends in an amazing climbing venue while endulging in fried turkey and all the fixings!

Sandstone Valhalla

The Desert Soutwest is one of the most unique place in the world and maybe my favorite place that I have ventured to yet. It features seemingly endless parallel sided "splitter" cracks. In the coming weeks I will be leaving the Colorado Front Range for an extended trip to this majestic destination. My first stop will be in Colorado National Monument to climb some of its testpiece tower routes such as Medicine Man and Get a Life. Following my 2 days spent in "The Monument" my travels will take me to the world class cragging area Indian Creek, Utah. Here I plan to spend at least a week getting "honed" again on the off-size testpiece splitters littered throughout. I have to be in Moab for 2 days of AMGA Instructor Pool training, then back to the Creek for some more training. Finally, I will end the road trip in Zion, one of the premier big wall venues in the US. There are a few routes here that I have had previous failures on that I hope to rectify this year. Three months of dedicated training should prepare me for some of the free climbing challenges that Zion boasts. Rocktober..........its time to send!!

(The picture above is the ultra-classic Castleton North Face)