AAIRE Level 1 @ Mt. Washington, NH

Subtitle:

Coldest Windchill Yet?

In late January, we took the AAIRE Level 1 (Avalanche Awareness) course with Jon Tierney from Acadia Mountain Guides at Mt. Washington in New Hampshire.  For anyone out there on the internets who is considering this course, here's my review...

The course had more classroom time than I expected.  The Friday evening, Saturday morning, part of Saturday afternoon, and part of Sunday afternoon were in the classroom.  The classroom sessions are ok - a review and discussion of the material in the manual, plus lots videos.  The best part of the classroom session was this interactive route finding exercise, which is available free to the public for playing!

Saturday afternoon, we spent a few hours doing beacon practice.  Modern beacons seem really simple to use, though maybe I would feel differently if I were in a rescue situation.  We each practiced acting in the lead (beacon) and supporting (probe) rescue roles.

Hilarious moment:  seeing Tim running toward the buried "victim," which has been a beacon hidden in a stuff sack in every other scenario...  out pops Dave!

Sunday morning, we hiked up to Hermit Lake to for a basic snowpack analysis.  This is the best part of the class, as you'll actually see the facets, rounds, weak layers, and other snow terms from the classroom.

The conditions were brutally cold (around 0 F), with 45 mph winds and windchills around -30F.  Bring every single layer you have, not just your usual ski clothes, as you'll spend a lot of time standing around.  And don't run up the hill like the college boys to show off your fitness, as you'll just sweat and get even colder.  Slow n' steady wins the warmth.

Jon, the instructor, been guiding almost as long as I've been alive and literally wrote the book on a few climbing certification courses.  He was personable and a pretty good teacher, though he seemed really tired during our course.  Sometimes I found myself zoning out when he was telling yet another personal story, but with as much experience as he has, it's not surprising that he's seen it all.

Overall, the best part of the course was the emphasis on group dynamics and trip planning.  These skills are a continual "work in progress" for Dave and I.  The course spurred a lot of great discussion about how we plan our trips (or don't) and our dynamic as we balance being a married couple who climbs together, as well as climbing partners who are married to each other.

Overall, I enjoyed the course, and I think it added to my body of outdoor knowledge.  The course was geared toward backcountry skiiers.  Given my preferred activities, I think the most likely situations where I might encounter avalanche potential is on a slide or maybe a climb in the Adirondacks.  I'm definitely NOT an expert - the course emphasizes that something like 30-40% of folks killed in slides have formal avalanche training - but at least I have a better idea of what I don't know.

Goodbye, 2013

How did 2014 sneak up on me?  

It's been three years since we returned from that one big adventure?  

Coming up on two years since that other adventure?  

And over six months since the start of the latest one?  

Crazy.

Highlights from the second half of 2013...

There were a few more fun evenings in Stewart Park.

One more trip to the Gunks,

and one more trip to Rumney!

There was an unfortunate incident of keys locked in a car...  while it was running...

...and an unfortunate incident of a wasp sting on a hand (on Millennium Falcon, which is a sucky climb, by the way). 

Two trips to the Adirondacks to finish the Dix Range and to attempt Dial/ Nippletop: 

Macomb Mtn

Grace Peak (East Dix)

Carson Peak (South Dix)

Hough Peak

Dial Mtn

There were a few surprises,

and a few things that had been in the works for a while.

home

Here's to 2014.  :o)

Get the Ark (Overflowing Waterfalls of Tompkins County)

I didn't sleep the night before Labor Day - booming explosions and bright flashes kept me awake.

One point three inches of rain?  Why yes, it's time for Waterfall Tour Extravaganza To Determine Most Awesome Waterfall 2013!

(Keywords:  I'm visiting Ithaca and I want to know the most popular waterfalls to visit.  Heh.)

First up:  Ithaca Falls.  Always a strong contender for Most Awesome Waterfall because it's not in a crowded park - it's just on the side of the road.

ithaca falls - typical flow

ithaca falls - 9/1/2013

I'm going to give this a 8.5/10.0.  We've got a super strong flow and a decent amount of spray.  Water color is white and foamy.  Gets an additional 0.5 points for the decent flooding in Fall Creek.  Still, I'm not getting that sort of "OMG I'm going to get blown off my feet by the power of that sucker."

Next up:  Lucifer Falls at Treman State Park.  YEAH BABY!  9.5/10.

lucifer falls from overlook - normal flow

lucifer falls - 9/1/2013

This got a 9.0 in the initial evaluation, but the Russian judge bumped it up an additional half point for the comparison between these two photos.  We've got increased width in the falls and a rainbow from all of the spray.  Lucifer Falls is bringing its game to capture the title of Most Awesome Waterfall!

Style points for water-based trail erosion closing the Gorge Trail.  This was as close as we could get:

lucifer falls from gorge trail - normal/ low flow

lucifer falls from gorge trail - 9/1/2013

Whew.  Is that spray from the falls or just a thin film of sweat from the adrenaline?

Third stop:  Buttermilk Falls State Park.  Buttermilk is usually pretty tame.  How did it stack up?

buttermilk falls - typical flow.  very chill.

buttermilk falls - 9/1/2013

7.5/10.0.  Considering Buttermilk Falls is usually a garden hose rather than a geyser, this increase is impressive.  But it can't compare to the other falls in the county.  Nice try, Buttermilk!

Last stop:  Taughannock Falls State Park.

taughannock falls state park - typical to slightly low flow

taughannock falls state park - 9/1/2013

Check out got a huge mist cloud filling up the "bowl" of the gorge.  Those falls are ripping!  Obvious increase in volume and thunderous from nearly a quarter mile away.  9.0/10.0.

So there you have it!  Final Rankings:

9.5/10.0:  Lucifer Falls, Treman State Park - Most Awesome Waterfall Award
9.0/10.0:  Taughannock Falls (State Park)
8.5/10.0:  Ithaca Falls
7.5/10.0:  Buttermilk Falls (State Park)

Acrobats in Red Leotards and Other Images from Montreal

I'm hesitant to write another post, because the dispatch previous to this one is so epic that I can't bear not to have it first on this blog.  But life goes on.

Particularly when the passport is involved.

Chris and Mike said they were going to Montreal for the Fourth of July weekend.  Montreal?  I've never been there before!  It's only 5 hours from Ithaca!  They speak French up there!  And they have poutine.

mmm...  poutine...

I am SO in.

Montreal is a very livable city.  Not sure I'd want to live there, but still a very comfortable, pleasant city to visit, even in the heat and humidity of July.  Coming from a lady who doesn't like cities, that is a RINGING endorsement!

Here's a quick photojournal:

Day One: we walked around Old Montreal, Chinatown, went for a dinner in a fancy French restaurant, and caught some excellent music at the International Jazz Festival.

graffiti, a sleeping bum, and a delicate fresco

mangoes in Chinatown

artist's alley in an old courtyard

fancy dinner

street scene

jazz festival

Day Two:  back to Old Montreal to visit the Basilica, the archaeology museum, and the International Fireworks competition in the evening.

very, very beautiful and ornate architecture

archaeology museum built right over the ruins of the oldest parts of the city

not gonna lie...  ithaca's fireworks were better.

walking home through gay village...  such a cool neighborhood

Day Three:  farmers' market, Kate/ Tim/ Chris join us after the Tough Mudder, and the most amazing random acrobatic show!!

excellent produce at the jean talon market

eating lunch when suddenly street theater was right in front of us!

we followed the acrobats over to to the back side of a Metro station...

...and then to a park...

...and then to one of the best shows I've ever seen.

wow

and wow 

Day Four:  more walking (so. much. walking.), repeat of the Jean Talon market, slacklining in Mt. Royal, and finally home.

view from mt. royal

:o)

Good times!  More images here.  The highlights of the trip...

• The acrobats!  Montreal Completement Cirque at Place Émilie Gamelin, performing "Babel"
• Finding a great place to stay on airbnb.com
• Jean Talon market
• International Jazz Festival

And I'm oh-so-ready for another adventure.  Sigh.