Alta Backcountry: Living and Exporing in Wild Places

  • Elk Mountain Schmelk Mountain

    I won't say I'm not just a little bummed out that Elaine and I were unable to register for the Elk Mountain Traverse this morning. I left for a ski at 6:30 am, and when I got back at 7:45… Continue reading

  • Ski invite (humor)

    Hey all! Elaine and I are going to do a little ski on Gasherbrum VI this Saturday, and you are all invited. This is a fun descent, but you'd better be able to ski or board Blue Trails well, because… Continue reading

  • Theft, priorities

    We caught a shoplifter yesterday at Neptune Mountaineering. A repeat offender. I'm glad we caught him, for a couple reasons. First, he stole from us, and a lot of employees at our store take that personally, myself included. We work… Continue reading

  • Voice Crying in the Wilderness

    A fox cries as I skin upward – Vox Clamantis in Deserto – it's haunting call echoing across the valley, richochetting off mountain sides. The only sound in the morning, other than the slish-slish of my skis working their way… Continue reading

  • Skin

    An early morning skin up my old haunt gets the blood flowing, the muscles moving, the soul awakening. It's windy today, adding an element of nature to the foray. Mellow at first, then around the bend and the slope steepens.… Continue reading

  • Eleven things I’m thankful for on Thanksgiving

    – My wonderful wife. You light up my day, you give me energy to be my best, you were one of the first people to be there for me when I was at my lowest…you have inspired me to be… Continue reading

  • Skiing roots

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  • Turn less

    On my morning skin and ski today, I had a breakthrough. Well, really, the inspiration came last night, watching a ski movie clip about the early skiers in the Altai Mountains in China, and how they invented the sport and… Continue reading

  • Mountain lifestyle: keeping it warm

    Eleven degrees at the caboose this morning, but 55 indoors. That's chilly enough to wake you up, but not so bad that it's uncomfortable. The fire cycle is part of winter life in the mountains, especially when it's basically your… Continue reading

  • Stella

    A happier realization just now. Stella our dog is curled up between us tonight. And I realize that I was not the only one going through a tough time on this day last year. Stella our dog was too. At… Continue reading