BIG SHEEP BASIN, WALLOWA SKI TRIP

Kitchen/Guide Tent

camp

morning beacon check before heading out for the day

Low avalanche danger determine - we proceed down one at a time 

looking back at our lap tracks  

At the end of March I am heading to France to do the famous ski traverse; the haute route, more on that later.    While I have put in a lot of ski days this winter, I have not put in any multi days of climbing and skiing and I was starting to get nervous about my upcoming adventure.  I called CB at Wallowa Alpine Huts who was happy to help me out with a few options.  I signed up for a 6-person exploration trip.  Turns out that CB/Wallowa Alpine Huts is in the process of buying Wing Ridge Ski Tours and they are exploring the areas that are new for them to be guiding in.  The purchase of Wing Ridge Ski Tours gives CB a monopoly on the huts in the Wallowas.The trip began Thursday morning with a huge breakfast at Chandler’s Inn in Joseph, OR.  After filling ourselves up with food and caffeine, we got our stuff together, checked beacon batteries, then loaded into our cars for a 30-minute drive to the parking lot where we would begin out skin up from.  The weather was beautiful – cold and sunny.

A beacon park was recently built near the parking lot and warming hut;we were able to test our beacons out before we set off over Wing Ridge.  We skinned up over Wing Ridge and did a few laps on a south facing ridge that we could ski right to the tents from.  The tent camp consisted of 4 tents; an A-frame wood shed; two guest tents that slept 5 + people, a cooking/guide tent and a sauna tent.

We quickly settled in; got a fire going to dry our clothes, then met up in the cooking tent to exchange adventures and to get to know each other.   This group was primarily from Seattle; 4 lawyers, 1 doctor, 1 chemist and me, a land use planner.  I did a lot of listening.  The group from Seattle was a close knit activity group - they did many b/c ski trips, and skied at Alpental every Wednesday night.  This was their annual guy trip, but they were very accommodating to have me crash their trip.  We all settled easily into the routine of camp; 7:00 am coffee, 7:30 breakfast, out of camp with lunches packed by 8:30, skin, ski repeat for the day, return for happy hour around 5:00 pm, dinner around 7:00, early to bed repeat, repeat.  Good living!

This trip was an excellent preparation trip for my upcoming adventure – I left with having to figure out my boot situation and blisters that need to heal.  

Luckily I have enough time for both.

RESOURCES:
Big Sheep huts
Wallowa Alpine Huts
Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center

North Cascades - AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Course

In January I headed up to Mazama Washington for an Avalanche course, the AIARE Level 1 course.  I figured that if I was going to be spending more time in the backcountry I should get smarter about understanding the conditions for both my own safety as well as those that I travel with.  The class was also an excuse to go back to the Methow Valley, North Cascades – I special spot for me. 

The class was 2 ½ days for a total of 24 hours; half of that time was spent inside.  The last day was intended to be out in the field touring around.  The class was packed, 24 people cozily crammed into the Mazama community center.  Saturday we spent a good bit of the time in the classroom learning about snow conditions, decision-making and terrain.  My big take away was – 90% survival rate in an avalanche if found in 15 minutes; that is burial to excavation.  After 15 minutes the rate of survival goes down dramatically - travel with people that know how to respond quickly!  Slope angle; 38% slope angle is the most dangerous for failure.  Concerned about the conditions = lower slope angle

Loading the Cat 

The second ½ of the day was spent outside getting familiar and comfortable with our beacons, shovel and probe.  Sunday morning we met early to board the cat for our day out in the backcountry, I was super excited to explore.  The weather did not cooperate with us that day, woke up to a ¼ inch of ice on top of the snow, ick!  Weather always changes the plan – instead of exploring potential avalanche areas we focused more on snow conditions.  

We learned how to observe the snowpack by hand hardness tests to determine relative strength of each layer, compression test by preparing a column and loading it to failure, rutschblock test to test the snowpack.  We broke out into smaller groups and did a few avalanche scenarios – 15 minutes really isn’t that much time you want to be organized!  We never had the chance to take our skins off our skis.  It didn’t really matter that we didn’t get to tour – the purpose was to learn about avalanches and how to respond and be prepared and the North Cascades Mountain Guides; Larry and Jeff did a great job ensuring that we did that in a comprehensive manner and with humor.

Larry demonstrating slope stability

Larry demonstrating the snow stiffness test;
fist, four fingers, pencil or 1 finger

Class outline:

1. Intro to decision making
2. Avalanche fundamentals
3. Plan
4. Observe
5. Choose terrain and travel wisely
6. Emergency response
7. Where to go from here

Jeff demonstrating the
Rutschblock test

 


















The class was timely – there have been several tragic avalanche fatalities in the NW this winter.  I feel better prepared for being in the backcountry, I look at slopes much differently than I did before the class.  It is dangerous out there – but like everything else get good information about the conditions, travel with safe, knowledgeable people and have fun. 

http://www.ncmountainguides.com/

http://avtraining.org/Avalanche-Training-Courses/AIARE-Level-1.html

http://www.nwac.us/

http://www.mvsta.com/ski.html

Tiffany Cruikshank 200 hour Vinyasa Teacher Training

Yoga teacher training 2012 graduation class 

Tiffany demonstrating tittibhasana

A few years ago I innocently stumbled into Tiffany’s Tuesday 4:30 class at Yoga Pearl, I did not knowing the impact is would soon have on my life.  I was in my usual hurry from work, race to change then rush into the studio.  This Tuesday I rushed in and found the room completely full.  I stood by the door nervously looking for a spot in a corner, Tiffany, not missing a beat rolled her mat up and gave me center stage.  For some people this is a great opportunity to shine, for me it was a bit intimidating and stressful to be center stage – I quickly got over it.  The class was dynamic and challenging both physically and mentally, nobody was watching me, we were all absorbed in our own practice.  After the 1 ½ + hour class I walked out a changed person, wanting to be a better yogi.

Early last summer I started thinking about the 200-hour teacher training, I have dabbled in yoga my whole life but have not had the desire to teach.  This was a four-month teacher training with two one-week retreats.  I decided to challenge myself – instead of a Hawaii yoga retreat in January I went for the four-month yoga training that included a Hawaii retreat.  At the time I wasn't sure I wanted to teach yoga, I was more interested in deepening my own practice.

Back October I drove to Whidbey Island for the Yoga retreat and beginning of the training.

http://spontaneousplanner.blogspot.com/2011/10/yoga-pearl-vinyasa-teacher-training.html

After the Whidbey Island retreat a group of us met in Portland every Sunday learning about 
(the out of town people watched videos of the class):

• Meditation
• Physiology
• Sequencing
• Therapeutics
• Pre & Postnatal yoga
• Ayurveda
• Sanskrit
• Yoga Sutras
• Chakras
• Yoga History
• Business

In addition to the weekly classes, there was anatomy homework, a cadaver lab, book report and 10 hours of observations.  I was back in school with yoga homework! 

Second week of January – fresh off a plane from Alaska I jumped on a plane to Kona for the final week of yoga training.  -10 to 80 degrees was a welcome change.  The week was intense, lots to cover and lots of personalities. 

Every morning we started at 7 am with a vigorous two plus hour yoga practice, breakfast, 2 hour review and teacher training, afternoon break, 4-5 pm review, 1 hour restorative practice that often started with a handstand, dinner.  This was not a vacation.

30 minute student teaching

Mid-week we started our 30-minute practice teaching to the class; half the class observed and the other half took the class.  After the class each person got feedback from their peers and the teacher.  That was really the final exam – it was so interesting and informative to watch people’s different teaching styles; what they focused on and how they lead a class. 

30 minute student teaching

Being one of the more physically inflexible people in the training I focused my class on grace and how grace shows up in your life.  How to be graceful in an inflexible body. I was surprised that I really liked teaching the class and putting the class together, normally I don't really like a lot of attention focused on me in large groups.  Yoga has been an important stabilizer and calming tool for me in my life, I was able to get out of being scared and able to share something that has brought so much to my life - it is fun to share.

beach time!

I did not meet my 2011 goal of an unsupported handstand, not even close!  But I can do a supported handstand – one step at a time.

Resources:

Tiffany Cruikshank
Yoga Pearl
Hawaii Island Retreat

sko:p - winter skirts for active girls in cold climates

a scandinavian cure for the cold butt - skhoop

A few years ago I noticed women wearing winter skirts in Anchorage.  Not just for walking around in the cold but for cross country skiing, downhill skiing, hiking, running as well as just walking around town and shopping.  I asked around at a few stores and found out that they were only available on line from skhoop website.  Since I am not in Anchorage that much I forgot about them, until my next visit I saw even more women wearing them.  Being a person that runs cold I was curious if they actually made much of a difference.  So I asked around and the consensus was definitely, I was told that in the extreme cold they helped manage the cold by keeping you an estimated 20 degrees warmer.  

 On my most recent visit to Anchorage it was unusually cold.  Most fortunately I was gifted (actually an early birthday present that I opened because I have to patience) a full length down skirt.  What a huge difference it made in the temps below 20 degrees.  Since I live in the lower 48 where the temps aren't that freezing I traded it in for a mid length down skirt for skiing, running, biking and visiting Alaska.  
The skhoop is originally from Sweden, designed by Sissi Kewenter who - story goes - wanted a warmer solution to getting her mail in her PJ's in cold climates.  In 1999 she started selling the skhoop, which is pronounced S-K-hoop, in northern Europe.  In 2007 she started selling the skirt in Alaska, now you can find the zip up insulated skirt at REI.  At the Skinny Raven in Anchorage I learned that men are starting to wear them for hunting and ice fishing.




Check out:
skhoop
REI
skinny Raven - Anchorage AK

cyclocross and knee high sock - a fashion statement for some

KNEE HIGHS AT THE OREGON CYCLOCROSS RACES:

 

Cyclocross Clothing

Clothing is similar to that of road racing. However, since cyclo-cross is a cold-weather sport there is an emphasis toward warmer clothing such as long sleeves, tights, knickers and arm and leg warmers. 

Wikipedia

Knee sock resources:
smartwool

Icebreaker

I hope your animals are fattening up nicely - Mongolia 2011

12 days in Mongolia

Moon rise in the Gobi Desert

Horse back riding break on the steppe

Camel riding in the Gobi Desert

Ger roof repair at the Three Camel Lodge in the Gobi 

Future house for Richard Gere in an upcoming
movie about Buddism, Gobi desert

Mongolian super highway - pick a lane!

Russian vans in the Gobi Desert

Ulaanbaater - still very much an industrial city

Three Camels ger in the Gobi Desert

bike goat herder in the gobi desert

 modern sheep herders on the steppe

wild horses on the steppe

The beginning of September I set off for Mongolia, nothing too rugged, I was on a tour to see the best of the country.  The twelve days I spent touring around Mongolia barely scratched the surface, this is a country in transition.  In Ulaanbaatar, the capitol, there are building cranes everywhere one looks.  High end housing is displacing the traditional gers (mongolian for yurt) in the outlining hills.  Expensive stores like Louis Vuitton are opening up to cater to the wealthy mining executives and international bankers that are quickly moving in.  I got the impression that Mongolia was a much different place just two years ago and will be entirely different in two more years.


I had signed up for the REI multi sport tour that was actually lead by Nomadic Expeditions.  Our guides were excellent - funny, knowledgeable and very very proud of their country.  Our days were filled with activities ranging from 10 mile hikes, horse back riding and camel riding. The food was surprisingly good, given everything I had heard about it.  There was lots of high speed driving across open lands, the drivers would race each other while we bumped along inside trying to take photos of the beautiful landscape that was flying by.  I feel that I barely scratched the surface of Mongolia and am already planning my next adventure to western Mongolia.


"Perhaps my children will live in stone houses and walled towns - Not I"  Chinggis Khaan




http://www.nomadicexpeditions.com/
http://www.rei.com/adventures/trips/asia/mon.html


Foot note: "I hope your animals are fattening up nicely" is a popular phase to open conversations up with families in the country.