Kilian again!

Photo of Mont Blanc courtesy bigstockphoto.com









A few of us took note of this when it happened back in Sept. but I was unable to put it into context here. His run on the Grand is likely better understoof by the NA locals.



More here on that one:



http://outerlocal.com/hiking/the-grand-teton-a-runners-peak-outpost



This should help with the Innominata climb.



"Kilian Jornet, 25, one of the world's great endurance runners, has speed soloed
the long, technical and exposed Innominata on the Italian side of Mont
Blanc in a scant 6:17. The time is amazing on many levels. While technically the
climb is easier than the north faces of the Eiger or the Matterhorn, the scale
is much greater and the objective dangers are higher. Jornet, who is not even
known as a climber, started from the church in Courmayeur at roughly 3,300 feet
and ran the 12,000 feet to the summit of Mont Blanc, then ran over 12,000 feet
down the French side arriving at the church in Chamonix in a total time of 8:43."



There is more and worth a look.



""Can you imagine what I could do if I had the physique of Kilian?" Steck told
Rock and Ice."



http://www.rockandice.com/news/2250-kilian-jornet-takes-speed-soloing-to-next-level



More on the Grand climb:



http://outerlocal.com/hiking/the-grand-teton-a-runners-peak-outpost



Running Grand Teton trailer from Teton Movie on Vimeo.

Winter!

As the season wraps up for the remaining climbing rangers here at Mount Rainier, we would like to thank everyone who came out to enjoy Mount Rainier this year. Whether you were climbing, skiing, camping or just day hiking into the alpine, we hope your trip was enjoyable, even if it was during one of those seemingly frequent stretches of stormy weather.


Remember the park doesn't close, just some roads and buildings do. So if you want to come out and enjoy this wonderful area over the winter please do! The road to Paradise is maintained year round and open, weather permitting, throughout the winter. The other roads in the park close as the snow comes, but for the hardy few who aren't turned off by the longer approach these more remote areas of Rainier can lead to some incredible climbing and skiing opportunities all winter long.


Stay tuned to this blog throughout the winter for updates (although less frequent) about conditions on Rainier and happenings related to climbing. Check out the route conditions pages for pertinent winter information about the mountain and high camps before you come out to climb.

Have a safe and enjoyable winter!

Foal in Jacket

Here is the foal in the jacket.

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger (1934)

25th Anual Reunion of Phend & Fisher Familys Sunday Aug 26, 1934

A fair cowd [crowd] gathered at the Nappannee park for the 25th Phend & Fisher reunion.

Prayer was offerd by John Earnest and the [then] every body enjoyed a good feed after which time was spent in a social visit.

The business meeting was called to order. Pres. Henry Phend. A song by the group after which Barton Thornton led in Prayer.

The Entertainment program as follows
Piano Solo Richard Thornton
Encore number "Honey"
Piano Duet Mrs Cecil Phend & Daughter Madylyn

Buisness meeting
Sec Report Read & approved
Officers elected for following year
Henry Phend Pres
Ruben Pletcher Vice Pres
Cecil Phend Sec & Treasure

[page 2]
Treasure Report
$2.17 Balance
1.60 Expences
.57 left in treasure

Entertainment Committee
Mrs Evelyn Werely Bechtold elected chairman

Moved that we have meeting held in building in Nappannee Park

Death report
Mrs Claude Poole - Mishawaka
Mrs Jacob Phend - Granger

Birth report
Shirley Ann Phend daughter of Mr. & Mrs Victor Phend


The Phend-Fisher families gathered for a reunion in Northern Indiana almost annually from 1909 until 1943. The events of the day were recorded in an old ledger book. Spelling has been retained as it was in the original though some punctuation and paragraph breaks have been added. To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post.

Aurora Corona

This shot represents the culmination of probably the single best night of Aurora Borealis photography that I've ever experienced. This image was made early in the morning on July 15, about 1/4 of the way into an Aurora storm that lasted almost 36 hours, one of the longest-lasting geomagnetic storms on record. Shortly after this image was made the activity level of the lights dropped significantly, although they remained visible until daylight started to creep into the sky. The following night the Aurora activity was also very high unfortunately we were unable to view it the second night due to heavy cloud cover. My friends that were with me on this night could only come up with one word to describe the lights as they flickered in the sky directly overhead. That word? WOW.

Leaves in My Yard

A few of the leaves in my yard that have turned a little bit since fall is in the air. First two photos are of one of my Bradford pear trees. In the second one you can see the tiny dried seed pods that are left on Bradford pear trees as it is considered an ornamental tree instead of one that has pears for eating. It has beautiful white blossoms in the early spring.







Photos 3 and 4 are of my other Bradford pear tree who seems to have different color leaves and no seed pods.



Apple tree leaves.



Redbud tree leaves.




Again the second Bradford pear tree a couple of days later when the leaves had turned to a deeper rusty red. This tree is by my front door.

Islands in the sky

The fog over Lake Superior yesterday was mesmerizing. One of the best places along the whole Minnesota North Shore is from the Mt. Josephine wayside in Grand Portage, where this photo was taken. We had a series of intense thunderstorms roll through the area yesterday and in between each storm the fog was incredible. Sometimes it would roll in and completely hide the Susie Islands from view, other times it was just thin wisps of fog in between the islands. My favorite views were when the fog was thick in between the islands but not completely covering them. It looked as though the islands were up in the sky, floating in the clouds.

Good Skiing and Narada Falls Face Snow Pit

Howdy Everyone!



Afterseveral daysof cooler weather and some precipitation, the mountain has come back out in full sunshine with a good 6" of powder on her flanks. There is some great skiing on the south and west aspects right now; while the eastern aspects are getting crusty.



This weeks snow pit was dug at the top of Narada Falls Face, just below the Steven's Canyon Road. As you can see from the profile, the main layer of concern is between 10 to 20 cm below the surface. Some moderate failuresfor the stability tests indicated that point releases are possible especially on lee slopes. However, no propagation was observed during the stability testing.





CTM(14) @ 12 cm Q3

ECTN(18) @ 12 cm Q3

RB3 @ 12 cm Q2



Keep an eye out for possible point releases on south facing aspects...there's plenty of sluffs coming off all around the Paradise area; especially the face onPanorama Point and the 4th Crossing area.

Switzer Land :: Disposition of Jacob's Land in Salem Township

Jacob Switzer passed away on November 2, 1859 and in this transaction dated November 27, 1860 his widow Leathy is selling the land in Salem Township ( S ½ NE ¼ S33) to his heirs in this straight-forward Quit Claim deed.



Daniel Deemer, Peter Buhecker, Jacob Yarion and Jacob Manaweck paid $400 to Leathy for the land.





Columbiana County, Ohio Deeds Volume 62, bottom of page 507 (FHL Film 926960)



Then, on March 7, 1861 the heirs sell the land to Mary Stalloup for $3,525. What makes this deed interesting is that it provides the current place of residence for each of the parties:



Jacob and Barbara Monawick of St. Joe County in the State of Indiana, Jacob and Elisabeth Yarian of the County of Portage in the State of Ohio, Peter and Rebecca Bubecker of the County of Mahoning in the State of Ohio, and Daniel and Susan Deemer of the County of Columbiana in the State of Ohio.



The deed was not signed “in person” rather, each of the parties involved signed an affidavit attesting to the fact that they had signed the deed and that it was voluntary on their part. The affidavit's were signed at a court in their respective places of residence.



When I obtained this deed, I already knew that Jacob and Elizabeth Yarian resided in Portage County but was not aware of the residences of the other three. This information helped me to locate the families in census records.



Columbiana County, Ohio Deeds Volume 62, top of page 508 (FHL Film 926960)



Columbiana County, Ohio Deeds Volume 64 page 256 (FHL Film 926962)



Columbiana County, Ohio Deeds Volume 64 page 257 (FHL Film 926962)

Mt Rainier storm & flood damage photos - Ohanapecosh

Snow is accumulating at Paradise. I measured 46" total, with 15" of fresh snow this morning. It looks and feels like winter and if the park were open, skiers, boarders and snowshoers would be enjoying the early snowfall. But the floods really did a number on the roads and as the days pass, it becomes more clear how complicated the damage is, especially with the prompt arrival of winter.

Since it's going to be difficult to write about the climbing routes and upper mountain while the park is closed, I will devote more energy to the events surrounding the park being reopened. There will be updates, damage assessments, projected repairs and ongoing weather observations. I'll also pull together photos, when possible, like these NPS pictures of the Ohanapecosh area.

Above left is an interpretive sign in the Grove of the Patriarchs that has been flooded with mud and silt. Normally, this type of sign rests about 3 and 1/2 feet above ground.

The heavy rain also lead to a number of landslides, like this large one near Ohanapecosh Campground. The slide started on the road above (out of image) and swept everything in its path down to the Ohanapecosh River and Campground.

Here is the primary deposition zone for all of the timber that was unearthed in the same landslide.





The river also moved and in doing so, took a couple of the campsites with it. Here is the new loop C of Ohana.

Candle

Playing with the camera.

Oh nooo...

One of my referrals yesterday - the phrase that someone searched on to find this blog - was "Middle Age Blogger".

In fact according to Google I'm currently #1 for "Middle Age Blogger".

Talk about your dubious distinctions.

I made the South Park me above with the South Park Character Generator a while back, and had titled it "Hard Day". (Note the bags under the eyes, grim expression, and dirt.) In light of the above I guess I should change the hair color though.

Owl

A big hoot owl and to the side is a bird.

FYI...ski specific.

Hu!? 117mm under foot. Nice! Who would have thought?










I've spent much of the winter skiing different skis and boots from several manufactures. Most of them with at least some touring application built in.



Over the last week as I have been going back through my notes on ski performance. I'vealso made a point to lookup other online reviews of the same skis. Much to my surprise more than once I have to wonder if the other reviewers were even on the same skis!



It is all opinion of course. But geese, louise, it is really worth looking around before you buy skis these days. As I often say, "what works for me may not work for you." If I bought skis by the reviews I have been reading wouldn't likely be on any of the skis I have come to really treasure.



And more than once those same reviews have kept me off a ski. Same skiIhavecome to appreciate.

Same ski another reviewer found so flawed. I was encouraged tolookat anotherboot by a review but then failed torealise just "how bad"my other boots were. Orhow "bad" they were for the other reviewer anyway.



In the climbing world I have seen 8000m down jackets used and reviewed for cold weather bouldering. But I haven't seen seen rock shoes reviewed used for ice climbing. Some times I think that is what happens when a lwt touring boot gets reviewed as a full on free style/big mountainboot.



If you don't know what the item was designed for...it pays to do some research as to the the original design process behind the piece of gear you want to buy. Make sure your use is the same as the reviewers is a good place to start for worth while info.



I have literally no cluewhat influences ski testers any more than how climbing gear gets by that is sub-par on performance. I'd bet somesimply don't noticeadifference. Or that particular piece of gear doesn't enhance their experience. Fair enough. Others I suspect simply don't care as long as the newest gear keeps coming their way.



And may be a few simply get stuck on some arbitrary numbersthatdecide "THIS" is the ski. "The" ski they should be on or the closest thing to it. "The" next piece of rad gear. Trust me not every new piece of gear is so "rad".



Many of theskis I thought mightimpressme this winter simply under whelmed me more times than not. The skis I wasn't expecting much from have time and again, simply Wowedme. Ski modelsare included in the comment, but thesize...both width and length, has as well.



Two issues I find really important in all these skis and boot tests while using tech bindings is "ramp" angles and ski mount points. More on both coming soon. If you are looking to get the most performance from your own gear set up. Both issues are worth knowing a lot more about.

Quick, Healthy, Brazing-Inspired Dessert

The main thing you are taught when learning to braze a bicycle frame, is temperature control. For instance: When brazing a lugged joint, the tube, the lug, the flux (gooey stuff the joint is smeared with) and the silver you add all heat up at different rates - and what you try to do is get them to the point where they are in sync. I thought about this as I eyed the pile of fruit and berries I'd brought home from the grocery store. I wanted to make dessert for the husband, and his request was something healthy and light. I decided to keep it simple and approach it as I would brazing: First I'd heat up the thick, heavy ingredients, adding the delicate, leaky ones after the overall temperature was sufficiently hot. Here is the result:



Autumnal Fruit and Nut Medley



Ingredients:

apples

cranberries

blackberries

blueberries

walnuts

lemon

honey

bourbon



Preparation time:

7 minutes



Instructions:

In a bowl, mix a bunch of hard sliced apples with a fistful of crushed walnuts and a fistful of raw cranberries. Add a spoon of lemon juice, a spoon of honey and a shot of bourbon. Heat in microwave for 2.5 minutes or in oven (in appropriate container) until apples turn soft. Alternatively, if preparing in workshop, you could use a brazing torch (held upside down and pointed at the bottom of the bowl - as you would heat a bottom bracket). Let sit for 30 seconds. Add blackberries and blueberries. Heat for additional 1 minute or just long enough for berries to release colour onto the rest of the concoction. Remove, let cool for a bit, and serve with tea.



This dish is basically like a fruit tart, only without the dough. Tastes surprisingly good, looks festive and takes very little effort to prepare. Want to make it less healthy? Add whipped cream.



Enjoy your Sunday evening!

A Light in the Forest

Sunlight penetrating the forest depths in Redwood Regional Park.

I highly recommend this park to anyone who lives in or visits the Bay Area. Definitely worth a side trip.

Illston circular - Kings Norton, Little Stretton, Burton Overy, Carlton Curlieu

Led by me, with Gordon, Barry and Maureen, Cloudy at start, then v hot. Dry underfoot. Eight and three quarter miles.




Mostly the same as two recent walks done on Thursday 18 July, and Thursday 11 July, but this time anticlockwise, and with a short extra loop.



We take the right hand path after the small field in Illston, hugging the hedge, then through the wheat and behind Illston Grange, over the pasture, with a small stand of trees on our right and the house on our left. When we leave the field at the crossroads, we turn right and walk a short distance along the road before taking the byway to Kings Norton.



The views of the church from this path are magnificent, and Gaulby Church is visible as well. The byway goes in a straight line to the road, and then uphill to the church and the village.



At the road junction we ignore the road to the right and carry straight on. The footpath goes to the left past a farm, and through the farmyard. We follow the way marks over a couple of fields and across a bridge through the hedge to a road, where we turn left, and just after the junction to Little Stretton, we pick up the path at a farm gate, near some large agricultural buildings.



There are a fair number of butterflies on the wing, and around the thistles.

Hmm - just closed its wings!

Over a few more fields, and the odd stile, and we arrive at Little Stretton. As last Thursday, the church porch is a pleasantly cool place to sit for a while.



We follow the path, past the old Manor House and the pond, along the avenue of trees to the road. We turn right and find our path just after the junction towards Stoughton. We turn left and walk along the edge of a field of wheat. At the far end a quick read of the map sets us on the right route and we follow the path past The Cottage, across the road and over pastures towards Burton Overy. The pub appears to be closed today.



I offer two alternative routes - one of about 2 miles, one of 3. Barry says decisively, "Oh, I think the longer one!" Suits the rest of us, so we walk uphill from the village on the Carlton Curlieu road. When the road turns to the left we continue through a farmyard and fields directly to Carlton Curlieu - we can see the church on the hill ahead.



This village has a tempting bench so we take another rest - Maureen and I almost have a nap. But we must onwards. From the Illston Road theres a bridleway to the left, which swings right between two hedges as far as Carlton Curlieu Manor.

Gordon strides ahead

Here's Maureen, with Barry as lanterne rouge.

Ha! caught this one just before it closed its wings!

Across the road the path takes us below the Manor, beside the hedge, then uphill and through a large wheat field. We reach Illston before too long - quite pleased to get away from the heat.

Big and Little

Our smallest horse, Stormy, who is a bit to big to be a true Miniture Horse, and our biggest horse, Sunny, is isn't really all that big compared to BIG horses. And our Border Collie, Tuffee