Torreys Peak via Kelso Ridge > Grays Peak

Date:  August 17, 2013
Climbing Party:  Amanda Harnden

For those of you who are curious about a Sawtooth Ridge / Kelso Ridge tale of the tape, you are in luck!  I will try to compare both routes in this post, and let you go from there.

Torreys > Grays via Kelso
R/T Mileage: ~7.5 miles
Total Elevation Gain:  3,740

Bierstadt > Spaulding via Sawtooth

R/T Mileage: ~8 miles

Estimated Total Elevation Gain: 3,262'

Trailheads/Access
Both trailheads are easily accessed off I-70.  The Grays Peak trailhead is found at the top of a dirt road. If you are late to the show, you will end up parking quite a ways down this dirt road which will add significant distance and elevation to your hike.  It pays to wake up early and get a coveted spot at the top.  Also, turning around on this dirt road looks like it could be challenging at the end of the day!
Advantage:  Sawtooth

The Approach
The 1.75 mile approach to the Kelso Ridge trail through Stevens Gulch is far more spectacular than the approach to the Sawtooth.  It is hard not to be humbled by the towering McClellan Ridge.  Gaining only 1,000 feet in the initial 1.75 miles, it is a great warmup, and gets your wind and legs on the same page before getting to some more serious terrain.
Advantage:  Kelso 

The Ridge 

The Sawtooth Ridge begins with a 700 foot elevation drop to reach the saddle of its ridge.  That is a lot of down climbing even if you are staying on the ridge itself.  It is a lot of lowering positioning and good potential for rockfall (wear a helmet).  The ability to look to the west on this ridge and see approaching weather is certainly a plus.  Even better, the majority of the traverse is on the eastern side of the ridge providing good shelter from wind.  From the saddle, there is some route finding to be done in regaining your lost elevation, and to get to the entrance of the crux section.  For most, a skirt around the buttress to the right is the best option, although a more advanced direct route can be taken.

Kelso Ridge is a a constant climb.  There is no loss in elevation on this one.  Once you get on it at 12,500,  start climbing!  I found the rock on this route to be solid where it mattered the most.  There is a lot of loose rock here, but on the trickier sections, it was solid when it needed to be.  Definitely wear a helmet on this one - be weary of climbers ahead of you, and be mindful of those below you.  This ridge is on the eastern aspect of the mountain, and Torreys summit will obstruct your view of incoming weather.  The ridge is very engaging, and route finding on it is not always straight forward.  The 14ers dot com description gives good benchmarks, but leaves a lot to be explored by those on it.  There are several sections where you could make it as hard as you like!
Advantage:  Draw

Traversing early on up on Kelso

The Crux
The comparison of the crux sections...isn't that what why we're here??

The crux on the Sawtooth is the Sawtooth itself.  It makes itself known while you are getting your gear together in the parking lot.  It is intimidating.  It points defiantly at Mt. Bierstadt on the ridge, and is one of my favorite Colorado mountain features.  You get up close and personal after an already long day of summitting Bierstadt and traversing the ridge.  Before getting to the Sawtooth, the route is well sheltered with little exposure.  When getting to the base of the Sawtooth, the ground drops off and gets very airy.  You are looking down at birds flying, and the exposure smacks you in the mouth!  There is no avoiding the exposure on this one.  The route leads you up a ramp, which is filled with loose rock and scree.  The ramp is wide, and provides an escape from the exposure.  About halfway up, it gets to be easier going with better rock and holds.  Before you know it, you will have rounded the corner at the top into a beautiful, vast, alpine garden!

Kelso's crux is open for debate, but the one that everyone talks about is the knife edge right around 14,000 feet.  The knife edge is notorious for its huge drops on both sides.  Crossing it was very awkward, and required moves I had never, ever had to make in hiking.  For me, the easiest way across was to straddle the edge and scoot across it...very strange.  I don't believe this to be the crux however.

Coming around the corner after the knife edge

Amanda and I both agreed that the crux was actually this portion of the climb (below).  The white wall ahead of Amanda looks small in this picture, but to get up it you first need to descend a little into a gully (hidden from view).  It's roughly 40' from the base of this wall to the top.  The handholds are good, but there was one move on this rock that required an awkward move to get around.  It's a tight squeeze to pass it, and a little awkward with a pack on.
Advantage:  Sawtooth

Amanda approaching the white wall.

The Descent
The Sawtooth is definitely a longer day no matter how you slice it...basically your 4 options are:

Beatdown option#1:  Go down the initial steep gully and bash your way through the willows;
Beatdown option#2:  Keep going to Evans;
Beatdown option#3   Go to Mt. Spaulding and down it's northwest gully and bash through the willows;
Beatdown option#4   Climb back across the Sawtooth, up Bierstadt, and down the main trail

Kelso descent is way easier, and you'll be eating your victory burger back in Denver in no time.
Advantage: Kelso

Bottom line, both are great routes that give you different things...try em both:)  If you have done one or both, what are your thoughts on the two?

Mt. Yale via the East Ridge (14,196')

Date: July 27, 2013
Climbing Party: Amanda Harnden
R/T Mileage: 10.6
Elevation Gain: 4,826'

Gerry Roach writes in his book that by taking the East Ridge of Mt. Yale to it’s summit is longer than the standard route, but that the additional length and effort is worth the solitude found on the route. He was right. For 5 hours and 12 minutes, we did not see one single soul on the trail – ahead or behind us.

We arrived in Buena Vista the night before with the hope of finding a good spot to hunker down for the evening ahead of the 3:30 AM start time. We ended up settling in for the evening in the back of Amanda’s car at the Avalanche trailhead, which worked out great, as the trailhead was mere steps from where we were.

We were on trail by 3:30, and started making our way up the Colorado Trail with the hope of finding Yale’s East Ridge trail, located 3.3 miles ahead. Our objective was summit at about 8:30, and get down as the weather forecast was calling for early morning precip in BV, and that meant clouds rolling in earlier than normal. So we were on our way!

Our heads were foggy on this morning- we stopped frequently, our steps weren’t deliberate, we were certainly grumpy from lack of sleep. For the first two hours, we put our heads down, and kept putting one foot in front of the other hoping that when the sun finally came up, it would generate more of an alert in our bodies, and wake us up! I can’t remember being so exhausted in the first few miles of a hike, and it began to wear on me mentally, knowing that we had a really long day ahead. The sun finally came up, and renewed our spirits! On a shoulder ridge in the Collegiates was a great place to be to see the sun come up!

We came to the clearing in the woods, where the guidebook says to make a 90 degree left hand turn to begin the East Ridge of Yale. It was blatantly obvious for us, as someone kindly fashioned an enormous arrow made out of dead trees. If you missed the huge arrow, there were also two large rock cairns, and a line of dead branches leading you in the right direction.

The first portion of the hike as standard class 1 hiking. We gained 2,530’ in the first 3.3 miles to get to the Silver Creek Saddle. From here, the remaining route is a class 2/3 scramble to the summit of Yale. Once you leave the Colorado trail, and start off on the East Ridge, it is definitely slower going. If you brought your helmet, this is a good time to put it on, as loose rock is everywhere.  The wind was picking up, and was in our faces. Follow the ridge over and around several large points. The summit of Yale is not too far off, but it will take a little while to get there! The rock is loose in several places, especially around 13,000’ where the ridge gets its steepest.  For some perspective, this portion took 38 minutes to go .25 miles, and we gained 538 vertical feet.

Climbing the talus - the last two miles looks like this!  We came from lookers right around the two points in the distance

First getting on to the summit ridge!

On the way down we decided to take the standard route back.  The thought of going back down the ridge seemed like a lot of work for our beaten up bodies.  The standard route didn't seem to be a cakewalk either...it was a direct slog from the parking lot, a steep, direct route.  It seemed longer I think because we had been up and packs were getting heavy and knees were getting sore.  Plenty of marmots along the way to keep us entertained however :)

Marmot on patrol 

Coming down Denny Gulch 

In the end, the (b)east ridge of Mt. Yale kicked our asses!  The route we took gave us solitude, great views and awesome scrambling.  I would have to agree with Mr. Roach, that the route is a classic.  The only issue with this choice of routes is the 2.9 mile downhill grunt back to the Avalanche trailhead.  I would recommend stashing a bike in the woods at the Denny trailhead.  Walking 2.9 miles back to Avalanche is the last thing you will want to do after this route! 

Mt. Bierstadt (14,060’) > Sawtooth Ridge > Mt. Spaulding (13,842’)

Date:   July 20, 2013
Climbing Party:   Sabrina Langer, Martin Barnett, Katie Moser, Nathan Hankins, Zach Taylor, Rich Ostrosky, Chris Pierce, Becca Frager
R/T Mileage: ~8 miles 

Estimated Total Elevation Gain: 3,262’

Mt. Bierstadt is one of the most popular 14ers in the Front Range. It’s close proximity to Denver and paved access to the trailhead makes it a very attractive option for folks looking to get up high. Let me say this again…Bierstadt is a VERY popular 14er.

Our group of 9 left the trailhead at 5:00 AM, and the parking lot was already nearly full. Lines of hikers could be seen going up the mountain ahead of us, and queuing up behind us. We were off, and summited Bierstadt just before 8:00 AM.

On the way up Bierstadt

From the summit of Bierstadt, we began the traverse of the Sawtooth Ridge. Picking our way down to the low point of the saddle was a lot of fun. This ridge traverse is mostly class 3 scrambling, requiring the standard three points of contact most of the way. The ridge affords beautiful views to the east, and beautiful views to the west accompanied by some exposure as you make your way. The ridge was snow free, except in one spot roughly 10 feet wide by 40 feet long. Ironically, we were there to witness the sole patch of snow warm to a magic temperature, and release a boulder about the size of a refrigerator down the slope. It rumbled its way down, and smashed into another rock and broke into pieces. The boulder surely would’ve ruined anyone’s day that was unlucky enough to be below it. Thankfully, no one was. It served as a reminder as to the level of care to be taken. It was not human triggered, as we were all resting above it, just a small chapter in the mountain’s history. We gingerly made it past the snowfield, and gained the saddle of the ridge at 13,300. 

About the low point of the ridge

From the low point of the ridge, there is a large gendarme straight ahead. It can either be taken straight on, or bypassed to the east. To take it straight on would’ve entailed what appeared to be class 4ish moves. We elected to bypass it to the east. There is a nice trail that will take you past the gendarme to another spot on the ridge where you will get your first view of the ramp up the Sawtooth itself. The ramp is exposed, but wide enough to feel relatively safe. There is some loose dirt and scree that leads you to larger, more solid rock ahead. It’s a quick move around the corner and voila, you have finished and are on top of the tooth! There is a Starbucks on top and a large hot tub to soak in…wouldn’t that be nice! 

Preparing to go up the ramp (ahead)

The remaining route to Spaulding consists of picking your way through an alpine tundra littered with grass, wildflowers and small boulders. It is a welcome change of terrain and pace following the traverse. So long as there are no clouds moving in, it’s a great place to relax! The summit of Spaulding is at 13,842, and a gain of 542 vertical from the low point of the Sawtooth saddle. 

From the summit of Mt. Spaulding, we descended west, and into a friendly gully that lead us to the willows. ***There is a trail to be found to the south of the southernmost stream. If you are able to locate it, it will lead you to the Bierstadt trail, through the driest part of the willows***

On top of the tooth

 We got back to our cars around 4:30, tired but feeling great about our hike. We couldn’t have asked for better weather, or a better day. For one of our hikers, it was her first time at 14k’. Knocking out a 14er, 13er, and a class 3 scramble is a hell of an intro to high altitude hiking, and she did a great job!

Mt. Morrison - 7,884'

To get there:  If you are familiar with how close Red Rocks is to Denver, then you know how close this is!  Just head to the Red Rocks Amphitheater entrance #4 which is located a few hundred feet west of the intersection of CO74 and CO8 (on CO74), and you will see what looks like a game trail on your left, and room for about 4-5 cars on your right.  That game trail looking path is what you're after.  It's not marked, but tis the only obvious trail you will see.

Mt. Morrison - A beastly front range hike!  Red Rocks Amphitheater below

Mt. Morrison is located in the small town of Morrison, Colorado, and served as the last hike I did before my surgery.  I figured it might be a good test, kind of a then and now snapshot of where I was physically then, and what direction things are going.  The trail we did must have originated as erosion, as it more or less leads you directly up to the summit ridge.  It's steep, and filled with what my father calls "death cookies" or loose rock on a steep trail.  It's a no nonsense gainer, getting you out of the gates and up high immediately.  You will gain 900' in the first mile or so, and 1,800' in what I'm guessing is around 2 miles?!?!  It is a short hike, but a good burner.  Many people on this seem to be training for something with enormous loads on their backs, it will definitely get your motor going quickly, and it's really close to town!

March 19, 2013:  It was the day before my surgery, and it was the date of the physcial pack carry for Alpine, and we did the shoulder of Mt. Morrison.  It was 5:15 am, climbed 900' in one mile, and did it in 30 minutes, without stopping with approximately 40lbs of gear on my back.  Winded? A little bit, but definitely not tired.

June 23, 2013:  On the trail about 7:15, just Scarlet and I.  We stopped about three times before getting to that 900' point.  Wow!  What an eye opener.  This goes to show there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.  We went longer today, going further along the trail, and almost gaining the summit.  Didn't think it fair for the dog to continue much further on the last little bit of some steepish scramble moves.  Winded?  Absolutely.

July 13, 2013:  Hiked it with my friend Rich, and could not believe how much better the legs felt.  Felt stronger overall, and balance felt a lot better too.  We got all the way up, and had great views of the city, Mt. Falcon's trail system to the south, and blue skies off to the west.  Winded?  Yes, but not like last time, and legs felt better too.  Great views.  This hike seems to be under the radar for now, but take advantage of this hike so close to town!

Pettingell Peak (13,553') via East Ridge

Date:                    July 4, 2013
Climbing Party:   Zach Taylor, Nathan Hankins
R/T:                     9 Miles, 3,300 gain


Following our weekly Wednesday meeting, Zach, Nathan and I bolted up the I-70 corridor to the Herman Gulch exit (218) to camp at the Herman Gulch trailhead.  We had our sights on Pettingell Peak via the East Ridge for a fun class 3 scramble, and to get a little more familiar with the area.  We had our eyes on the west ridge of Quandary, but this was more attractive as it was closer, in territory, and none of us had been up in this drainage before.

After getting our camp set up, and conversing with a motorist who had stopped for a safety break, we hunkered down in the parking lot for a few hours sleep.  The jake-braking semis coming out of the tunnel all through the night ensured we all got quality rest before our hike.

At 4:30 AM, I rolled over and accidentally hit the "panic" button on my truck keys sounding the alarm, and waking everyone up.  I didn't feel as bad since that was the time we were planning on getting up in the first place.  We hit the trail at about 5AM, the light provided by the sun and moon together.

At the low point of the saddle, about to move to the summit ridge.

We took the well travelled Herman Gulch trail to the junction about 2.5 miles up, marked with a sign.  At the sign, looking straight ahead is a low lying saddle of the east ridge of Pettingell.  Once you leave the established trail, it is a "choose your own adventure" route straight up to the saddle.  It is a steep, direct route to gain the saddle, but once you get there, you will be rewarded with gorgeous views of the Herman Gulch drainage and Jones Pass area.  Once you attain the ridge, the next objective is the short but steep scree climb up to the summit ridge.  Looking west at this point, you will have a better look at the class 3 ridge ahead.

Herman Gulch

Along the ridge it is important to check your handholds and footholds, but overall the holds along the ridge are bomber, and can be trusted.  There are a few sections of the ridge that are somewhat exposed to the right, but can always be avoided to the left.  There is a large face at the end of the ridge that we had read would appear to be impassable.  When we got there though it was pretty straightforward, and were able to scramble up to the summit without an issue.

After all that, this is the only pic of the ridge I took...

On the way down, follow that drainage!

On a day when the front range fourteeners were most likely at capacity, we enjoyed solitude at the summit.  This was my first 13er, and it was great!  I enjoyed the scramble, the route finding, scenery, and solitude it provided.  It also felt great to test out my ears at elevation.  Aside from constant ringing, they felt fine.  Pressure didn't affect them one bit.

I will add that being deaf in one ear enhances the serenity that can be found in the outdoors:)  

Cookin' up some bratwurst on the summit for the 4th!

 

Kelso Ridge Preview

Slowly but surely back into the swing of things over here.  The weeks of being cooped up seem to be over.  Before vacation, I decided to have a second opinion done on my left ear.  I met with a doctor who did a record review of my past treatments and did his own audiogram and synopsis.  The conclusion he reached was not a good one, but in a sense it was.

His findings were kind of in line with what I was thinking.  I felt there was a good chance the hearing wasn't there.  All that could be felt in there is a loud, constant ringing.  He told me that the hearing in the left is permanently gone, nerve included.  He says the cyst was so large it had eroded all of the tiny ear bones used to transfer sounds from the inner ear and connect them with the nerve that makes sense of them.  This cyst had also affected the balance mechanism inside.  He says the balance will return, the hearing will not.  It's what he called a dead ear.

I was initially blown away by all of this.  The finality of it all just was a lot to think about, and it made me anxious.  After thinking about it though, I came to the realization that my hearing has been deteriorating anyway, and at least can get back to doing activities!  Actually, I got pretty pumped to be back to more activity!

Hearing this news was the first hour of a week long vacation.  Luckily, we had a ton of driving ahead of us to New Mexico for a few days, and then on to Scottsdale for Doverload 2K13 family gathering!  It was the best vacation ever.  We celebrated my grandmother's 88th birthday, hung out at the pool, did some hiking, visited, ate a lot, and had a blast.  It was great to be with my family!  I laughed so much, and it was the perfect way to let go of a lot of stress.

Looking forward, next weekend the team will be hosting a team training on the Kelso Ridge up off of the summit of Torreys Peak.  This is a route I have been pining to try, but was a little leery because the majority of it is a Class 3 scramble, culminating with an exposed ridge right around 14,000'.  I'm excited to be doing this with a bunch of people, and curious to see how my ear reacts up high.

This weekend will be spent just trying to condition more ahead of the hike, and most likely a busy weekend.

A view of a climber about to cross the knife edge on Torreys

Calling Audibles

A quarterback on the line of scrimmage calls an audible to change the next play on the fly before the ball is snapped.  Hopefully, the rest of his team is on the same page, otherwise the play will fall apart.

Questionable hearing can have some serious implications.  Communication is very important to our daily lives and essential to how our interactions proceed with others, and how we are perceived by others.  Any slight misunderstanding can lead us down a different path.  Since the surgery in March, there have been instances where I thought I heard a piece of a conversation one way, only to find out later that I heard it completely wrong.  The end result is not being on the same page with the rest of the folks on the field.

It's good to laugh at these sometimes!  I will be trying my best to keep track of these moments and share them with you.

Scenario #1 - South Pearl Farmers Market
Walking by a vendor tent on crowded South Pearl Street, a woman vendor selling tea approaches a passerby:

Vendor:  Hello sir, would you like to try some locally grown tea?
Man:  Sure.
Vendor:  What flavors do you prefer?
Man: Uhhhh-
Vendor:  Do you like women?
Me: (whoa...that was awkward- his wife is right there...)
Man: No.
Vendor:  Ok, what about black tea?  (Ahhh- the vendor was probably asking if the man likes lemon, not women)

Scenario #2 - Whole Foods Checkout
Amanda and I were at Whole Foods today, getting ready for a Memorial Day gathering in the park tomorrow.  I had just a few things (namely raw meat and an ear of corn) for the cashier to scan.  Whole Foods was loud, I wasn't quite tuned in yet...

Cashier:  Hello, how are you today?
Me:  Good thanks, how are you?
Cashier:  Great, are you having a cookutnight?
Me:  Trying to think quickly on my feet saying to myself what the heck is a cookutnight??....ahh a cook out tonight....A cook out tonight? (I get out the answer just before 3 seconds go by)
Cashier:  Yea? Looks like you are cooking out tonight.
Me:  Ah no, (trying to save face)...the cookout is actually tomorrow night. (It's actually tomorrow around noon, but I wasn't going to get into that with her.)

Downtime Musings - Volume 1

One outlet for so much downtime is writing and thinking, and listening to the Bruins games on the radio.

It's exciting to listen to these games on the radio.  I've been lucky to catch most of the games on the internet by streaming the audio from my cell phone signal, which is them pumped via bluetooth technology into a portable speaker!  I can bring it anywhere.  I brought it outside for yard work, inside for laying on the couch, even into the bathroom for showering!  I like radio, and think the commentators are much more imaginative and exciting.  They make you really think about what is going on, and to pay close attention to the game.

I remember going to our family camp in Maine and listening to the radio a lot.  Most of the time, all we could pull were the French stations from Montreal.  Once in a while we got lucky and could catch the Sox or Bruins and listen to the game out on the porch while we got eaten alive by mosquitoes.  Our radio at the camp had one speaker....not initially two speakers, down to one...no - it was purchased new with only one speaker.  It had a single tape deck, with buttons each the size of a deck of playing cards.  This thing was a machine.

Another good place for listening to the radio is on a boat.  Radios on boats are great especially on a nice cool summer evening fishing for chub.  Music is okay in this instance, but again, the creme de la creme is listening to a sports game.  Give the anchor a good heave, prop up the life jackets in the bow, sit back, close your eyes, and relax.  Disposable radios are great for canoes, and unregistered aluminum boats.  If you are listening a shitty radio on a shitty piece of watercraft, there is a good possibility you may be shitty as well.

You young whippersnappers might not be in tune with the joys of listening to the radio, or "boom box" as we called them.  Most models had one tape deck, others had two (for creating mix tapes).  It was not uncool to prop it up on one shoulder with the speakers positioned approximately 3 inches from your ear and walk about town (or the woods of Maine and New Hampshire).  One note about the over the shoulder carry were the 8 D-Cell batteries required, so the boom box could get heavy depending on how far your travels took you.

Probably listening to Poison

Teens across the land rejoiced when the walkman was unveiled.  Gone were the days of walking about town with a boom box.  "There has to be a better way..." was the driving force behind this technology. It was the original hands free device.  I remember thinking how cool it was to be somewhere with my walkman and headphones (with the puffy earpieces) on.  It really was liberating to take your music anywhere.  

In my opinion, the discman was just a pain in the ass.  It was a so high maintenance.  Everyone was so impressed with this new technology..."oh my god, a laser reads this silver disc with rainbow reflections?"  The discman required so much care.  DONT scratch the discs.  DONT bump the disc man.  DONT get the discman wet.  The best uses for a discman were in the car or in the library studying.

Loser.

The iPod generation is lucky.  Or are they?  This technology is the end result of older generations experimenting and refining personal audio.  We have worked out the kinks for these people.  Remember when your walkman ate your Metallica tape how crushed you were?  Pulling, pulling, and more pulling of tape out of the innards of your walkman.  Trying like hell to recoil the tape back into the cassette with a pencil.  The new generation will never experience that.  

Either way, no matter the new audio technology, I will need to have it!  With a little more downtime ahead, I'm glad the B's have taken out the Rangers and there will be a few more games to listen to:)

Doctor's Orders

Opening up Microsoft Word to a blank page reflects my activities for the next 30 days.









A few weeks ago, our Prospective Member class at Alpine completed our 24 hour overnight training, which consisted of navigation, multiple patient packages, evacuations, rappelling , medical assessments, radio communication work, and an overnight in some frigid temps without a sleeping bag or tent. It was awesome to be a part of this experience with a team of others all working towards a common goal. I realized I was allowed to do this by my doctor, and that a follow up visit with her loomed.

I was able to see her today. The doctor has ordered no running or activities at altitude (including hiking or flying) for 30 days. This may be easier to cope with if my leg was broken, or I was otherwise incapacitated. The thing is, every part of my body works fine, and every part of my body wants to go- none more than my wandering mind.

It has only been about an hour since hearing the news, and already I have passed countless runners on the road, realized that activity on Alpine will be cut back, flights to New York and Phoenix are no longer a go, no more Tough Mudder. No Bolder Boulder, no Colfax Marathon relay. I would kick and scream about it not being fair, but really, it could be a lot worse.  I am extremely thankful for all of the positives in my life! There are countless other people who:

a) Would not have the opportunity to be a part of these activities in the first place;
b) Are not surrounded by great family and friends for support in a time like this;

I don’t want to dwell in it, but right now, it just feels good to let it all go on to the page. It’s just 30 days.

The doc says walking is just about the extent of activity for now - maybe another procedure down the road. The dogs were very happy to hear this exciting new! Thank goodness at least it’s grilling season:)

Playing It By Ear

I know that there hasn’t been an entry on this blog for quite some time, and that’s not to say that there has been a lack of things to write about. There have been many things to write about and reflect upon in the last few months. There has been training for and completing the Canyonlands Half Marathon in Moab, Utah. I’m also working towards becoming a field active member of Alpine Rescue Team in Evergreen. The job, the life, everything! Why the delay in writing? I’m not so sure I can explain it.

About a month ago, I underwent a surgery to repair problems with my inner ear. The surgery itself was a piece of cake as far as I know. They removed a cyst, and made me a new ear drum. I just thought the biggest deal would be going in and getting my IV installed, and I’d wake up and it’d be all over. It was true. I did wake up. Job done. Let the anesthesia wear off and it’d be back to normal life.

I must write that the last month or so has been one of the most difficult recoveries, mentally. I’ve been in great hands with Amanda! Everything was great from that standpoint.

My doc said the key is to do as much as you can during the recovery, and try to regain sense of balance. By sitting and passive, mind and body won’t learn to work together, and so she encouraged activity. At first, the focus was on walking a straight line. It’s really strange, like being at happy hour 24-hours a day! Thought that hiking would help, especially practicing on the uneven terrain. Then I added some running to the mix. One block to start, and trying to build on that every day. Before I knew it, I ran 1, then 2, and finally 4.5 miles at home in New Hampshire! After so many weeks of not doing much exercising, it felt great to finally breathe hard and sweat!

On Monday, with one week to go before my overnight mock mission, the culmination of months of training for a spot on the Alpine Rescue Team, some funny things started happening. My ears started to ring so loud. After nearly a week, the ringing is there all of the time and sounds like a fire alarm. My hearing test revealed mid 70% hearing loss in the left. Dizziness returned and with vengeance. My steps cross sometimes, weaving on the sidewalk. Yesterday, walking to the train, I became so light headed, and sweating profusely, and felt nauseated. Once on the train, it was all I could do to make it to the next stop. Once off the train, I stripped off my wool overcoat in the middle of the May snow storm, and sat outside and let the freezing temps cool me off. What the hell is happening?

I talked to my doctor again, and she believes it is a perilymph fistula. Basically, fluid draining into the balance mechanism in my inner ear. The only way to fix it is by doing nothing. No activity other than going to work.

I’m not sure how long I will be able to sit still-this is going to be a prison of sorts.  We'll just play it by ear...man I'm sick of hearing and saying that!  

Star Date: January 1, 2013

Happy New Year!  Now that 2012 is a thing of the past, it's time to kick down the door of 2013 and own it.  It's time for new goals.  Last year's goals were solid, but time for new ones right?

I'm ready for the new year for a number of reasons:

1)  Amanda has me in the running spirit again!  After watching her kick some a$$ last year - completing her first sprint triathlon and half-marathon - we've decided to tackle a half marathon in Moab, Utah coming up this March.  It's run through canyons of Moab, and hopefully the sheer beauty of the event will help the miles go by.  I've never run this distance for a race, so she has helped me develop a training schedule, and is keeping me motivated.  I even picked up some new kicks for training.

Canyonlands NP, Utah

2)  The Hyatt Riot Squad is ready to get muddy again this year up in Beaver Creek for the Tough Mudder.  Looking forward to not spraining my ankle on the way to the starting line this year.  That should help make this year's Mudder a little more enjoyable.  I'm hoping Kori will sign up too, she has been eyeing the orange headband...

3)  Longs Peak is once again on the radar screen - but this year, we have a full scale party! Yes!  Amanda, Dad and my brother Ty have all expressed interest in getting this one done.  We may need to enlist some sherpas to get all of our gear to the Boulderfield!  

On a side note, I'd like to gain 100,000 feet of elevation this year through running, hiking, snowshoeing  or biking.  I've seen some folks keep track of elevation, and it seems like an interesting alternative to strictly charting mileage.  Any thoughts or ideas on this??

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2013!  Do you have anything specific lined up this year?