top of the Gondola, Green Valley, Crystal MountainToday my daughter and I went skiing at Crystal Mountain, which will probably be open well into June and perhaps even July this year. They just set a new record for snowfall, surpassing 600 inches for the year. Sure, in some places it was a little grabby, and the water content is high, but there is a lot of snow left on the mountain above 5000'. I couldn't help but think of this year's backpacking season and the amount of snow right now, and based on previous year's experience I think it's going to be a late season.

frozen toes on the trailThis winter I did some research on the barefoot running shoe (insert here: fad, craze, movement, etc) and decided that I would give it a try.

A Whorey Marmot

Since I've recently been accused of writing sedate "intercity garden walk" reports, I thought I'd go out for a real adventure. With only my street clothes and a big knife, I hit the road as a hitchhiker to Mt. Rainier, intending to do some snowshoeing. Of course, I didn't have any snowshoes, cold weather gear, or sunscreen but I knew I could fix this problem on the way and have an adventure at the same time for a more interesting writeup.

(left; 1 lb tent, Gossamer Gear)

I've recently been testing some prototype equipment for Gossamer Gear, a small US based manufacturer of lightweight backpacking equipment. It seems there is a small revolution going on concerning materials and designs for the outdoor industry that is being embraced by cottage industry companies like Gossamer Gear but overlooked by the larger manufacturers...

frame grab from short film, "The Ups and Downs of Slammin' the Trail"

 

I just had an unusual reaction to a congratulatory email informing me I was a finalist in the Kendal Mountain Film Festival....I was disappointed.

how to lift 50+ lbs?It's been awhile since I've written in the blog, and I will make sure that I update more often just in case anyone reads these. That said, I've had an active summer out on the trail, both solo and with my now 15 year old daughter. I came home one day to her ridicule; she had found some old photos taken in the mid-80's during my first Wonderland Trail trip.

I used to do things that were hard. It seems not so much anymore. As I approach my 55th birthday, I'm beginning to wonder if I'm losing the mental edge along with the physical. Over the past years I developed a "system" that worked well for me and my family life. I would train to the minimum for an event, so that I would at least be able to hold up physically without damaging myself, then make up for the rest with mental toughness, or "grit."

I'm not going to give up easily. My kid's kicking my butt only makes me realize that I need to work harder, to make myself workout when I don't want to, to do things that are outside my comfort zone, so that at the very least, I can continue to do challenging hikes with them or go run a race where they don't have to wait too long snacking on bananas and free 'aide for Dad to appear at the finish line.

I saw nary a sole for the remainder of my descent, gloriously lit by a better than half moon, negating the need for a light, and glittering off Pebble creek like so many miniature reflectors. Sure, the pace is slower in these conditions as I throttle back and lift my feet more, scanning side to side to look for the shadows off rocks cast by the moon. But who's in a hurry on a night like this, with perfect weather and complete solitude?