7/24/12
An epic realization has struck me: the two most awe inspiring, badass things I’ve ever done in the mountains occurred in 2012, within 3
months of each other, in what most would call “the off season."
My first dream trip occurred on the famous Vallee Blanche ski tour in Chamonix - Mt. Blanc in May. Chamonixskiguide’s definition: The
greatest descent in the Alps: the Valley Blanche is not a piste, but a high
mountain route with unprepared snow on the glaciers, the itinerary is 22
kilometers (13 mi) long and the vertical descent is higher than 2800 meters
(1.7 mi/9,186 ft).
I used crampons on my ski boots and ski crampons under my skis,
roped to my partner, nearing the closest I’ve ever come to death but for one false move during that tour. I felt humbled sitting atop that glacier, soaking in the scene around me and what was promised for my descent. Knowing that many ski and mountain enthusiasts
can only dream of checking off Mt. Blanc and The Vallee Blanche, many of which will never get
there. Luckily my best friend lives in Les Contamines – Montjoie and I was
able to enjoy an epic trip on a seriously low budget. It pays to have friends
in high places!! Quite literally…
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| Atop the Aguille du Midi |
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| Crampons, check. Skis, check. Rope, check. Away we go down the knife's edge ridge to start our ski. |
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| Soaking in the view with hot chocolate and jambon beurre - tres bon! |
My second most amazing mountain adventure happened in
July on Mt. Hood. Two friends and I hiked up above crater rock, up the
hog’s back (~10,600 ft) on all fours because it was so treacherous and windy, post holing through
the snow each step up the ridge. We clicked in from the massive crevasse above the hogback's neck, traversed across and skied an
amazingly steep corn snow pitch (over 1,000 vertical feet of steep!), then traversed to Illumination rock and skied
another glorious wide open corn snow field back in bounds to Palmer. We gained roughly
2,500+ vert and skied down over 2 miles back to the parking lot. Best
Sunday-Funday ever! July 22, 2012
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| Palmer Glacier, climbing/ski route. July 22, 2012. |
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| Looking back at Crater Rock from Hogsback ridge. |
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| Hiking Hogsback, almost to where we finally put skis on! |
A few common threads loop through my mind dreaming of these mountain ascents. The first and most evident being certain death or dismemberment if anything had gone wrong. So, apparently my definition of epic,
amazing, hardcore mountain adventures involves an incredibly high risk of death. I believe
most people’s definition would, by default, include a serious risk of death or
injury when considering high mountain activities. Its a common thread that binds why many ski and mountain
enthusiasts do what they do. Its all for the adrenaline rush… the natural unabated high.
Although its involved, I don’t necessarily enjoy being fearful
of death when I'm skiing. But many of the activities I do enjoy, and will continue to pursue, include death as a consequence if anything went wrong. Perhaps
it is not the intimate knowledge that I could die out there, but with that
knowledge, that I’ve never felt more alive.
Holding exclusive domain over the mountain heights, if only for an hour or an afternoon, also makes me feel incredibly alive and at peace. Most people don’t get to experience mountains the
way I do or the way I strive to one day. That the masses do not share this
experience with me lets it become something special for me, and a select
group of people on the same vibration.
Ski touring, to me, goes beyond a feeling of peace, greater than the physical
accomplishment of hiking your ass off to get to an exclusive place. Maybe
it’s the promise of getting to go ski something beautiful and untouched…
All I know is that I’ve never been happier or more filled with joy than at
those moments*. I do not want to be anywhere else at that moment. I feel pure
satisfaction in both what I’ve just done and what I am about to do – ski some
of the purest snow conditions, untracked, for miles and miles.
To me, this lifestyle in no way conjures the word “bum,” and I want to prove that the lifestyle I've chosen is just real and validated as any other job. I work hard, outside, everyday and must, in order to make ends meet. I feel
fortunate to have found what I truly love early on and the courage to go after my
passion whole-heartedly. Isn't the "American Dream" to go out and find what you love and figure out how to make money doing it? In this period of my life, there’s nothing else I’d rather
be doing and nothing else I feel I should be doing except more skiing, bigger skiing,
and better skiing, for a lifetime.
