This month has been a very interesting one for me. As is to be expected when my home is on one side of Earth, and my passion and work are on the other side of Earth. The pandemic hasn’t and isn’t allowing pursuit of my goals this year. The 8000m Karakoram ski project passed in June, and I readjusted my training for an opening of the Nepal Himalayas for, well, right now. Nepal continues to see spikes in covid infections and a new lockdown is in place. 8000m expeditions won’t be happening in the Himalayas this Autumn 2020 season. So as I type now I am finishing the final weeks of tapering for a big ski mountaineering project in the Himalayas that will not be happening. That is frustrating, and it certainly is another lesson in patience and staying the course. Most of my training for these big mountain projects is cardio-based and foot bourne, I log 15-20 hours a week running, doing workouts with weight on hills and also a day each week of gym based muscular endurance exercise. My friends here in the Tetons who work as guides do not get it. Why am I carrying water up hills and running? Why not just go into the Tetons and climb?
In order to put my body into the condition it needs to be in once a year, or sometimes twice a year, I have to train very specific stimuli that aren’t always fun, yet I have come to enjoy it as part of my daily work. I get to go outside and push my body, putting a bit more in the “bank” of reserves that will prove beneficial when I’m finally able to pursue my goals. So far, it’s been two years to the date where I’ve trained specifically for my projects. Now I am resetting the training for the Spring 8000m season in 2021, along the way I’ll get to do some fun human powered ski projects as part of the HIMALAYA 500, and that really helps to break up the training.I also have some winter climbing projects here in USA I’m excited about and small ski mountaineering goals in the Tetons.
Part of the HIMALAYA 500 I’ll do while working as a mountain guide for Himalaya Alpine Guides, and the other portions I’ll do as a professional ski mountaineer. Certain objectives have higher risk tolerance than I’m comfortable guiding guests on, and these I’ll be doing with ski partners, or solo. These projects are why I began my work as a mountain athlete two years ago, working in partnership with brands to design and create equipment and clothing, recording my pursuits with film and images, training full time and pursuing goals that I’ve always wondered about. I am at my best when I’m pursuing my dreams, as opposed to standing around talking about it. Pursuing these goals does not make me the most balanced person. Most days I’m researching new ski lines and climbing objectives in the Himalayas in my library and on my computer, logging my daily training, writing to sponsors and guests to plan for the coming seasons and years, and generally focusing on anything but what’s in front of me in the present moment. I’m ok with that, this is what I love and I want to share that with others. I do not think I’ll regret what I’m doing, however there will be bumps in the road. That is to be expected.
I’ve started to make friends here in the Teton valley, I recently got a dog, and I’m learning to cook again and also live in a single place (the home I purchased in May 2019 here in the Teton Valley). The past decade I have more or less lived out of a duffel bag in India, Nepal and Tibet. This lifestyle is very different than what I’m used to, I really can’t relate to my friends here (yet), and I’m sure to them I seem distant. So the training continues, and I continue to wait patiently for us to be able to travel internationally again. I am grateful for new friendships here, my dog Wolfie and all that I am learning while I try and pursue balance while also keeping a mountain range on the other side of Earth in my mind. See you in the mountains, and here’s to growing a life here in the Teton Valley of Idaho, something that I am not the best at currently.
A training session in the Tetons, this day was focused on keeping the heart rate in zone 3 while scrambling and running up a peak. Nice views while I maintain the training regimen. Really love these Scarpa Spin Ultra shoes for off trail alpine running and peak bagging, plus Mountain Hardwear has some great new additions to their lineup, including the ultralight 20L pack and great layers for UV protection at altitude in exposed areas.
After training I’ve been getting out with friends and solo on long mountain bike rides for some additional cardio, probably not recommended to go beyond what you’ve been prescribed in a training regimen, this can lead to overtraining which takes months to recover from. Neverless, the MTB here is great fun. The Teton Valley has a vast network of trail systems and more on the way thanks to the work of Teton Valley Trails and Pathways.
I have been doing some rock climbing this summer, not a ton. I am not in rock climbing shape these days yet have been going to the rock gym after I get my training hours in and then climbing outside with fellow guide friends. This image from a moderate 5.9 in Death Canyon a few weeks back, called Dihedral of Horrors. I highly recommend this traditional route (no bolts, a climb using traditional protection) simply for the mind riot exposure on the third pitch. I’m using the Tenaya Masai shoes and Trango ropes and hardware these days, absolutely love the shoes for all day long alpine routes and the ropes and hardware are carefully researched and produced to outlast and outperform other brands. Check them out (!).
???? Yep, running uphill as fast as possible with 50 pounds of water on my back. I do this for 60 minutes, dump the water, and then head back down to the base of the hill. It’s important to have a hill of consistent grade to do this, and you definitely want to have enough weight so it’s your legs slowing you down and not your speed. I’m using the COROS Vertix watch to document my training and also for everything else in life. The pack I’m using is a prototype of some new ski packs we’re working on at Mountain Hardwear. The goal is a pack that is durable to last through the seasons yet also is of a clean and intuitive design. I’m also training on some days with the LEKI Crossmax Poles. I’ve never used poles in my life yet these poles do have a niche use in my life for certain applications. I like them as they’re super light and pack into a pack, and are great for approaches to actual climbing, weighted uphill workouts and I can also see a use for them in ultra trail races.
In an effort to not tarnish Wolfie’s reputation, here is his first photo online. You can see he has a penchant for rolling in cow excrement, which he is completely covered in here while we do a trail running session in the Sawtooths of Idaho. Wolfie is a Siberian Husky (I think), and he is completely white in color (the other color is, you guessed it). He is a rescue from the Teton Valley Animal Shelter, and he has fortunately found an owner that loves high mileage on the daily, skiing and running (me). He does have some behavior that isn’t dog like, and he also appears a bit like a wolf. Hence the name.
More views from the Tetons while on another workout day.
Per the usual, it’s been a smoky latter half of August here in the Tetons. Just today as I write this the wildfire smoke is clearing out (although I expect it to return). This was on the day we went to Dihedral of Horrors in Death Canyon, the sky reminded me a bit of metropolitan Delhi, India. I think several times that day we were saying, “It’s so cool to climb here in India.” No offense to my Indian friends (!) yet it did feel that way. 🙂
