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For our foul-weather friends
Posted on January 5th, 2012 Add a comment >>
Josh Wilson took this photo of a whiteout in the French Alps.
We’ve seen many photos of the Adirondacks taken on blue-sky days with puffy clouds or during sunsets when the horizon is ablaze with red, orange, and purple. We’ve seen far fewer taken in the middle of a blinding blizzard or horrific rainstorm.
If you have one, you might submit it to Teton Gravity Research’s Gnarliest Weather Photo Contest. The winner and three runner-ups will win some pricey Gore-Tex gear.
TGR, a maker of a maker of ski and surf films, is accepting photos online. The public has a chance to influence the outcome of the contest: the judges will consider only the twenty-five photos that receive the most Facebook “Likes” through February 5.
Skiing in the French Alps. Photo by Josh Wilson.
Josh Wilson, who often shoots for the Explorer, submitted the photo above. He snapped it while on a ski tour in the French Alps in April 2010. Josh and his friends, led by a local guide (“a real bad ass”), had climbed the Col de Aiguille Crochues, descended in a storm, and then climbed the Col du Berard, where the photo was taken. The skier on the right is Matt Young of Lake Placid. The skier in the background is their guide, Yannick Graziani.
Josh, who lives in Saranac Lake, said the second descent ended in Switzerland. “The ski day consisted of a bus ride, a tram ride, a ski-lift ride, skinning, hiking, skiing, and then taking a train back to where we started,” he said.
The whole tour, which took six hours, was done in a whiteout.
Fortunately, the gang enjoyed some good weather as well, as evidenced by the inset photo.
The photo below shows the Le Massif de Aiguilles Rouges, the scene of the whiteout ski tour. The group climbed almost to the summit of the highest peak on the left and then descended the other side. They climbed again to a ridge behind the large rocky peak on the right side of the photo.
But Josh won’t win any prizes in the Gnarliest Weather Photo Contest for these two photos.
If you’re on Facebook and like the whiteout photo, Click here. Or perhaps you have one of your own to submit.
The top winner will receive a Patagonia Primo jacket and Patagonia Primo pants, both made of Gore-Tex fabric. The three runner-ups will receive a Gore-Tex jacket, hoodie, or gloves, all made by Burton.
Le Massif de Aiguilles Rouges in Chamonix. Photo by Josh Wilson.
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Adirondack Mountainfest this weekend
Posted on January 12th, 2011 2 comments Add a comment >>The fifteenth annual Adirondack International Mountaineering Festival comes to Keene this weekend.
As usual, the Mountaineer and Rock and River have attracted elite climbers to the event and are offering a variety of classes for those who want to learn or polish mountaineering skills.
Most of the classes are full, but there are still openings for classes in ice climbing, slide climbing, snowshoe mountaineering, and avalanche training. Check the Mountainfest website for updates.
A variety of sponsors, including Black Diamond, Outdoor Research, Patagonia, and La Sportiva, will have gear available for testing in the field.
In addition to the classes, the Mountaineer is offering lectures and slides shows on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. All of the presentations are open to the public, with a $10 admission for each.
On Friday, alpinist Freddie Wilkinson will talk about his recent expeditions and his new book, One Mountain Thousand Summits, which he will sign after the show. The presentation will start at 8 p.m. in the Keene Central School.
On Saturday, Exum guide and Teton legend Mark Newcomb will give a talk, which will be preceded by raffles and a trailer for Jeff Lowe’s new film. This event begins at 7:30 p.m. at the school.
On Sunday, Vermont climber Matt McCormick will present slides and video at 7:30 p.m. at the Keene Valley Fire Hall.
In addition, the Keene Valley Fire Department and Lake Placid Pub and Brewery will host an all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner at the fire hall starting at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $15.
Proceeds from the Mountainfest are donated to local nonprofit organizations.
The Mountaineer also will host the Adirondack Backcountry Ski Festival the weekend of March 5-6. Details will be released in February.
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Name: Phil
Bio: Phil Brown has been editing the Adirondack Explorer since 1999. When he isn’t at his desk, he’s usually out hiking, paddling, skiing, or doing something else important. You can follow his adventures and his musings on the Adirondacks in the Explorer and on this blog.
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