Rainier Speed - My Way

Mt. Rainier and the Gibraltar ChuteThe best performances in the mountains arise from a combination of preparation, fitness, conditions and some luck. Watching the antics on Mt. Rainier the past few weeks made this perfectly clear. The players were certainly fit. The route was well known to Andy and Jason while Eric Carter and Nick Elson had the advantage of the cattle trail being in. The weather cooperated for both parties and everyone had the chops to ski the line. The result was two brilliant performances and standard-setting times. Daunting, to be sure.

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Rainier Speed (Updated 6-5-13)

Admittedly, attempting speed ascents of mountaineering peaks on skis is a niche sport right now typically practiced by skimo racers worldwide. Numerous records are set in the Alps each season and have been for years. But similar practices in North America are just starting to be more common.

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My Otter Body Experience

For Teton ski mountaineers, there exists a list of ski lines that we covet and hope to climb and descend at some point in our lives. Skiing the Grand Teton is undoubtedly at the top of this list for most of us.  This event typically involves skiing the Ford-Chevy-Stettner couloirs, which has become a classic ski line in the range and is now even guided on a regular basis.

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Grassroots AK Skimo Racing

Alaska is certainly known for it's skiing with plenty of ski porn featuring epic Chugach descents. But Lycra clad lungs on sticks? Not so much. I think there's been a few uphill races at ski areas up here over the years but nothing like a formal skimo race. Well, that's about to change this weekend as Alaska Mountaineering and Hiking is set to put on the first race this weekend.

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Hatcher Pass Delivers

Sketchy conditions on Turnigan PassAs many of you know, the 2012-13 winter in Alaska has been a struggle for skiers. We had an early start, which was promising, with skiers getting turns at the end of September. This was followed by grim high and dry. Then the big dumps came with many feet of snow falling on two feet of facets. Turnagain Pass was an avalanche prone mess. Then we got some rain up high and it seemed we couldn’t catch a break. And so it goes.

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