It ALL starts w/Lucia- you should get a VAN!!
Been working on being more intentional and seizing opportunities (I call it stopping time!) as the sand runs through the glass…
Stopping time…to climb a 14er with my Son Erik. Priceless…
Stopping time & “create an opportunity”. Climb a peak near campsite with 11 of our tribe..friends / family! Dark start, sun rise MTN top flag raising. Doing hard things:)
The Flag raising…
Stopping time… hanging out with the tribe. My tribe. I am blessed! Bungie tours ’24:)
Pain cave + beauty + big weather = Awesome
Before and after our “little May blizzard”…
Outside of the summit and great skiing….so worthwhile to get “one” with the crevasses and better understand traveling and navigating around glacier fields.
Crevasse rescue scenarios feel pretty real when the wind is blowing!
Probably one of the most challenging things on these trips (outside of dealing with weather) is getting up and down mountain with big packs…
Sweet trip…great team.
Back on the pointy edge, overcome fears, practice humility (being new at shit!), more time in nature, share my love for mountains and challenges with others. That is my North Star. This winter i have spent many weeks getting more experience, learning new skills, building more confidence in my path to be a certified Mountain (Ski) Guide. With this winter / spring behind me look to apply formally into the American Mountain Guide track this summer. As always blessed to have Lucia and my family support in this undertaking… thank you!
If you give a shit…here are the cliff notes :).
VAN LIFE
Time in the Van…people ask me what do you do. I normally just think and reflect on my life. No shit. For hours and hours. I really enjoy it!
BACKCOUNTRY SKIING / SKI MOUNTAINEERING
If you ask me what i love most about backcountry skiing and more technical ski mountaineering…it could be lots of things — beauty, quiet, “big nature”, the sound of the ski poles hitting the wind buffed rocks on a ridge, the skiing!, but actually the highlight for me is working as a team with people you trust and often love (if you are with your buddies!). It is a unforgiving environment…so a great place to grow team work and decision making skills! And make memories that you will remember in your last breaths on earth…no doubt!
2) Learning new skills and developing others!
After a year of rock climbing…my buddy Chris mentored me and we enjoyed a few days of climbing at the City of Rocks (in Southern Idaho). Big trip for me…not only enjoying climbing with a great friend but accomplishing my first lead climbs and co leading a multi pitch. Still so much to learn. Also spent time with great guides/coaches/leaders with Sawtooth Mountain Guides and Big Sky Backcountry Guides. Sawtooth mountain guides (Stanley Idaho) took my Level 2 Avalanche course and also had an epic day in the backcountry with the co owner Erik. I spent two back to back yurt trips at Bell Lake Yurt in the Tobacco Root mountains (100 miles or so West of Bozeman) with the team at Big Sky Backcountry Guides. One trip with buddies and another developing more skills in more technical skiing and mountaineering.
Next for me a trip / expedition clinic to Mount Baker with mentor, friend, IMGA Mountain Guide — Ben Markhart. Spend time on the glacier, navigating in that terrain, rescue skills in crevasse, and hopefully a climb and ski from the summit! Then summer on the river…before a busy 24/25. No doubt!
The journey continues…
Here is a great memory from this winter…powder conditions in mid April in North Couloir on Long Peak in Tobacco Root mountains. Not very often skied… Pretty hard to get to:).
Out of the office, not on zoom, and on the “pointy end” in nature. In the mountains, on skis, on rock… Feel very fortunate to have lived awesome professional chapters as an F-16 Pilot in the US Air Force and then building and leading VC backed Tech Companies (Enterprise Software, Security).
Tomorrow is really the launch of career 3: Woolly Mammoth Ventures . Lucia and I set off for Montana (Big Sky) for a week of family time skiing and celebrating our family tribe. Then off to climb and ski for the the next 2 months. Montana — Tobacco Roots, Idaho — Sawtooths, and then up to Cascades (Baker). Going to spend the next few months building my own skill sets in the mountains and broadening my experience. I can’t wait!!!
Packing Day!
I will be blogging about this transition and posting about every week. Feel free to comment or send me a note. Cheers!
Desert / Dragons / Deepening
Great trip…the desert is so beautiful, massive and a great backdrop for a week of growth. Pushed into some areas that are always challenging for me: Medical trauma — got my Wilderness First Responder Certification, Exposure — keep pushing myself here and build confidence operating in varying levels of terrain. Was fun experiencing this with Kristian Bell — my deepening / changing relationships with my kids as they are now adults is a fun journey itself!
Desert Dwelling
What a place to “just be”… can see why certain people (me included) just want to BE here. Loved the guy who soled “Ancient Art” ahead of us, and when we got back to the parking lot, he was hanging by his tent — singing while he played his banjo. Perfect! Or when Kristian got tired of my hotel (as I was!) and went back to the desert for his final evening/sleep.
My desire to be stronger in the mountains in the winter…brought me to build more skills in the summer. Specifically rock climbing, alpine scrambling, rope, anchor and other technical skills. Also learning to get more comfortable and confident with exposure and trusting skills/equipment/knowledge and your partner(s)! Enter Ben Markhart — an IMGA guide who just happened to grow up in MN. When I reached out to him after last ski season. He set me on this journey…. here we go..
After a few months climbing in a gym here in MN…Ben reached out and said “time to come into the real world” and see how this all works. Just returned after 4 days out in beautiful Estes Park / Boulder canyon and Rocky Mountain National park. What a trip! Feel like a 57 year old intern w/some of these new skills. But what the hell…you can’t be an expert unless your start as a newbie!
DAY 1: Castle Rock / Boulder Canyon
Day 2&3 Rocky Mountain National Park (East Glacier Knob, Butterfingers)
Pretty cool to be out in Rocky Mtn National Park…this time in the summer after backcountry skiing this area a few times over the past few years. So damn beautiful. So much cool wildlife as well!
DAY 3: “Butterfingers” in RMNP
Really a cool alpine climb / scramble. Multiple pitches…some relatively difficult for me (in approach shoes and “developing” climbing skills:). Thanks out to Ben for some occasional “assist” in his belay… Was directly across the canyon from Dragon Tail couloir I skied a few years back (I think it looks steeper in summer…maybe not. Ben say it is steep in winter as well:)
Great trip… Bought a lot of gear since I have been home. Lots to learn from anchor systems, protection, and continue to build experience and skills. So much gratitude for Ben, my health, support from Lucia and family — glad I am able to push myself further. So important to me…in the words of Kristian Bell… to truly live you got “slay your dragons!”.
“So oftentimes it happens that we live our lives in chains, and we never know we have the key..”
Eagles, “already gone“
Every spring the San Juan’s call to me and my buddies. I have had the good fortune to spend time in mountains all around the world — and the San Juans (SW Colorado) are top of my list. Sharp, Alpine, Intimidating, Strong, Beautiful… This time no Airbnd (Silverton) or huts with whiskey bars on Red Mountain pass (Thelma hut). For this trip we decided on a bit more of an adventure…pack in/out our gear / food / beer and stay in a backcountry hut (actually we did not pack in all of gear…we did pay $150 for Amy, from the San Juan Hut, to porter in some food so we could carry our beer…well at least 2 days of beer).
Prep / Travel
Skiing / Navigating
April is typically where snow is transforming / stabilizing. Corn, spring conditions, lower avy dangers…but not this year! This year powder, colder, and a challenging snow pack that demanded respect. We made a decision to ski lower angle terrain (<35 deg) — and again confirmed — that skiing sub 350 is a ball…especially when you have powder, lots of sun (and snow!), and are able to save the North facing trees for the last day after sun cooks south faces!
Hut Life
5 hour, 6 mile, 3,000 feet of elevation beer run…hell yeah 🙂
I forgot the beer run. Day 3…ran out of beer. Made a trip back to Send-IT! (van) parked at trail head (just so happen to have more beer + brats + …) for a little bday party for Chris 50th :). Packed up 6 beers each in our day/avy packs and headed back to hut.
Thats a wrap…
Send-IT! get another sticker (San Juan Huts) and we pack her up and drive 23 hours back to WI/MN. Nothing like sleeping in the van between drive shifts as we travel through the night…a bit mysterious and just part of the adventure…
Till next time. Send-IT!!!!
Well…10,000 miles and 3.5 months later. Wrapping up this little Odyssey (as Kristian calls it!). Three ski days in the San Juan mountains in Southern Colorado…San Juans remind me of the Alps in europe. Sharp, rugged, and massive views. We did one day at Silverton (not exactly beaver creek:) — one lift, boot packs, and a yurt for a lodge. We also did some great backcountry skiing…working around challenging snow and avalanche conditions (avy conditions improved while there…).
Well it all started with Lucia saying “You should get a Van!”. I am so very appreciative of her love and support. This has been such a gift…but I am ready to close it out. I really miss being home…
I also want to thank so many who made trip really a powerful journey…
Basecamps…lots of people hosted Send-IT! and driver. Thank you…including the Bedford’s, Walker’s, Lindstrom’s, Haynor’s, JJ Healy, Zablocki’s, Daniel’s, Pete and Marilee Bell, Steve Bell (extended basecamp…love your new house!).
Ski Buddies..great lines and even better conversations and fun. Chris Burg (3 different trips with me – would have been 4 without the blown ACL on trip 3! — speedy recovery!), Amy Burg — thanks for the turns and even more for some of the great food!, Kristian and Erik (nice job carrying Mom ski’s up the hike!), Lucia and Sonja!, Steve and Michael Bell, Ruby!, “Heywood” Zablocki (SADT!) — and the entire Clan!, “Tunga” Morgan (also for his unbelievable talented videos and photo’s as well as helping me as my Van life Sherpa!), Eric and Harrison Haynor (showing me the best of big sky!), Sam Barber…so glad we were able to spend the day together at Butler…you are awesome.
Professional Ski Guides… Jamie Bernstein (Yostmark) — Tetons, Everett Phillips / Mike Coyle / Gage Meredith / Andy Hansen (Colorado Mountain School) — Rocky Mtn National Park, Everett Coba (Sawtooth Mountain Guides) — Sawtooth Mountains, Jesse Wegert (Silverton Mountain Guide). I learned so much from each of you..thanks for sharing with me your passion, knowledge and experience of skiing smart, fun, and safely in the backcountry!
New Friends.. so many. Ben Hamilton — never again will i cross a closed road sign in the plains of the Tetons!, Greg and Kelly — thanks for the awesome parking lot party with your friends and family at Lost Trail. I really need that..was feeling a bit lonely at that time!. Lauren and Corbet…thanks for the great meal, conversation and letting me crash in front of your awesome restaurant in Schweitzer ID the St Bernard!, Tony Petrilli — sharing a great conversation and chairlift ride #4 at LT, best of luck in your journey!, Jesse / Mickey / Nick — great time on Quandary and best hamburger ever in Breck!.
Liftees .. thanks for every liftee..especially on fixed doubles and triples as well as the T-bars and rope toes. You were sometimes the only human I had a conversation with — you rock. Love your music and style!
Random Act of Kindness — thanks to the cashier at the truck stop who gave me a free coffee. You didn’t want me to call you out, take your picture, etc…. so I am just thanking you! That was a highlight of my day!
Thanks for lots of encouragement from many of you. If you want to know more…just ping me. Van life, ski touring, favorite places etc. Bell out!
Last meal in the Van…330 AM somewhere in NE 🙂
Send-IT! and I started the trip back at the start of Jan taking an avalanche education and safety course (along with Chris Burg and Kristian) in the Rocky Mountain National Park (by estes park, co). Was so impressed with the organization https://coloradomountainschool.com/( and the beauty of rocky mtn national park)…had to finish the trip with another visit. This time — skiing some of the bigger lines that open to ski mountaineering with the more stable spring snowpack.
Had an awesome day with CMS guide Andy Hansen…we spent a lot of time working on decision making, assessment of terrain, snowpack and weather. We also spent time on traveling…setting a better skin track, boot pack and use of tools like ice ax and boot and ski crampons. What an awesome day…fun and a ton of learning…
Really fortunate for this awesome day…being in a beautiful place, building my experience, and meeting and getting to know Andy.
Gettting ready to head Send-IT! down to the San Juan MTNs (Southern CO) to finish the trip with a few buddies and hopefully Kristian (if schedule allows). The San Juans are one of my favorite mountain ranges in the US.
Cheers! Love Ya
Send-IT! and Driver
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