It ALL starts w/Lucia- you should get a VAN!!
general things about living in 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:)
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.
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 🙂
Had a few great days touring in the Colorado backcountry…super fortunate.
Spent the first morning with my buddy and Head Wrestling Coach from the US Air Force Academy…Sam Barber. Great man, husband, father and has taught me a lot about decision making in the backcountry…thank you SAM!
I was also able to hike up and Ski Quandary peak…one of the 58 “14ers” ( mountains over 14K) in this great state of CO. It is a pretty moderate climb and ski..but beautiful and inspiring.
Big call out to my brother Steve (and Nellie!)…he just moved into a beautiful house in Blue River CO..just South of Breck on way to the Hossier Pass on HWY 9. Has been great seeing Steve more than I have since we were kids. His house is a great basecamp as well for Send-IT! and I :).
Wolf Creek is the last family run ski area in Colorado. I was lucking enough to go into the ski shop to buy a sticker and left with a complete Beta (knowledge) of the ski area, where to ski (spicy terrain) and treated to amazing hospitality by Breanna — who husband’s family is the 3rd Generation owner of Wolf Creek. You can feel family here…everywhere. From the ski patrol, to the liftee’s, to the guys directing you to parking (not really needed first week in April :).
I really have enjoyed the last two weeks…been awesome seeing winter turn to spring. Something i was looking forward to… Nice opening up the Van door and letting in the sun and fresh air! Fun change after a few months of cold, snow, and dark~
I love everything about this place…magic. Both the ski area (Karma is a bit different than sun valley — better 🙂 as well as the nearby backcountry.
Great few days with my buddy Chris Burg and his son Seth.
Other peaks to ski next time 🙂
Tomorrow #Send-it and driver are off to central CO. Some backcountry with buddy Sam Barber, some ski mountaineering with Colorado Mtn Guides, and finishing the ski season with great friends in the San Juan MTNs CO.
Love ya…what a journey. Thankful for my family, health and opportunity. #Send-IT!
I am so fortunate (thanks to my buddy Chris Morgan recommendation) to have explored one of the most beautiful and remote places I have ever travelled in the USA.
Was fortunate to book the Sawtooth Mountain Guides for two days of Backcountry skiing in this magical world– so impressed with their operation…and most of all for my kickass guide Everett Coba.
Backcountry skiing was awesome, spring conditions. Everett is a machine so he took me on about 20+ miles and 8,0000 feet of beautiful vertical over two days. We skied some of the best corn ski I have been in years. For non skiers, corn is snow that freezes at night, and just enough (i.e. perfect) warm/sun hit it and when you ski it…all you can do is smile! Like skiing a perfect glazed ice cream sunday….
Tomorrow off to the Wasatch (SLC, UT) and then a stop to ski & camp (near Steamboat) a brand new ski area (no lifts)…called bluebird backcountry. Then on Friday pick up Lucia and Sonja in Denver! Get two weeks with them as well as Ms Ruby my sweet, talented/beautiful niece — Crested Butte CO (Skiing) and then down to AZ for some non skiing! sun and visits. Also working to coordinate spending time with Kristian and Erik (still working schedules). I miss them!
Cheers…the journey continues (Send-IT! and Driver)
One of my goals this trip..was to hit “the local favorite” ski areas. Ones you and I probably never heard of. I am finding they have 1) better snow (not skied out) by 11 AM 2) Cooler Ski Karma 3) Super nice people / families who just want to ski. Who cares they don’t have 6 seated, heated express lifts! I love the pace and vibe of a fixed two seater with a liftee that has been working the place for decades — dancing to his Spotify playlist that he promotes w/yellow pull off stickies!
Besides awesome workers and snow…I love the analog (failsafe) way to communicate open chutes (wall of ski patrol shack) and the little rope tows to help you move around the place!
A special shout out to the Dupont family (Greg and Kelly) and friends … treated me to my first parking lot party — Kids, Hot Dogs and a few local refreshments (beer that is!). Awesome vibe!
BTW if you like to support these independent ski resorts…a great way is buy an indypass (about $250 and you get 2 free days at dozens of ski most family owned ski areas…).
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