Friday, July 27, 2012
A Home in the Hills, Head High Sets in the Sea
Two day recap
Tuesday July 24, 2012
Yesterday I skipped the morning surf session, Mauricio who works with Jeff and Tony picked us up at 8:30am to take us to Rancho Santana to meet with their lawyer to sign power of attorney so they can get our electric hooked up and make additional decisions in our absence as well.
After the signing Mauricio took us to a home they are currently building and we finally got to meet Tony and see him in action with the couple who were building.
After lunch, despite significant back pain I went surfing at Astillero and it was fun but very windy.
Tony picked Emari and I up at 4:30 and we all walked the property together, decided on where we would build the house as well as other options. It went really well and we walked away with now building our home up, better views, better breeze and more secure. We also decided that we would take care of the electric, water and driveway outside of our proposed building budget. Tony said he would have drawings for us by Thursday or Friday.....looking forward to it.
Wednesday July 25, 2012
Despite back pain an awesome day, morning session at Santana's, afternoon at Popoyo in which I ran into John Selya, a childhood friend I had not seen in 30 years. I knew he'd be down here but wasn't sure if we'd connect. We finished the day with a third session at Astillero in which I had a peak all to myself, chest high to bigger sets......I caught so many good waves.
Topped the day with a lobster feast and as I get ready to sign off I'm also preparing myself to get an ass beating in Scrabble!!!!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
First Year Anniversary...........4-6 ft. Nicaraguan Style
I probably need to back track to yesterday since I was so spent yesterday I did not write. It was our first day on the boat, three Texans.....Ross, Kevin and Will, plus our guide Chris and we spent the day at Lance's Left 6-8' plus on the faces really rip able and when you made all the sections a super long left. Five hours of that and I was shot. Rashes on my bruised ribs, rashes on my waist line.......just spent. I kept thinking since Saturday I surfed Popoyo, Santana's and Lance's.....tomorrow now today were sure to serve up some others.
Today, July 23,2012, our first year anniversary and I woke up kissed Emari good bye as I knew another day of 4-6 foot would make for a great anniversary. We were on the boat again and first spot was Chococente, a turtle breeding beach this time of year. We pulled up and from the back offshore spray and waves peeling. I was the first in the water, caught one bomb, no barrel but open face with some top turns in the pocket. Within ten minutes we heard whistles from the beach, three men, appeared military and we paddled back to the boat. We left some of the best surf I saw all year. We then headed to Playgrounds, which already had 5 boats anchored up. It was crowded but the surf looked good. Despite the crowd got some really good rights and lefts. After lunch session at Lance's. Five hours and my arms and shoulders were toast, lower back and right hip starting to seize up.
Returned back to Popoyo Surf Lodge to see that my boards finally arrived after 4 days, at least undamaged and a voucher to have them flown home free of charge. I got showered and Emari gave me a beautiful card. I had left hers near her toothbrush. We then went for a walk down to the beach break and we eventually got rained on.
Another amazing meal at the camp. During dinner and after we talked with all the new guys that checked into the camp. When we got back to the room Emari showed me the 100 page booked she made of our New Zealand trip, including our entire blog..........fucking awesome.......she is beyond amazing.
One side note from yesterday. We met Jeff and he took us up to the property. It looked awesome cleared, so exciting.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
I Can Ride an Epoxy After All
Picked up at the Best Western, Managua after a slamming free breakfast that was probably rolled into the cost of our room, but it felt wonderful thinking we were eating for nothing. Met Steve from Orlando FA. Who was also heading to Popoyo Surf Lodge. Their was also a group of brazilians that we acknowledged but did not really meet. Three Texans also accompanied us by the time we were picked up.
Drive was uneventful and we arrived I'm thinking before 11am and everyone opted for the let's get out of here and surf. Saw JJ and Chris before we left and JJ lent me a 5'11" Santa Cruz Archie Model. A little thinner and narrower than what I am used to, plus it was epoxy.
We arrived at Popoyo 5-8' on the faces and offshore. The paddle was a little rough, not in shape and smaller board, my lack of surf time back home did not help either. Timing was off and a couple late take offs, one that delivered me into the reef cutting my left foot, I was definitely out of sorts, out of shape, but eventually linked up a few waves. The shifting crowd did not help, but the surf was really fun.
Back for lunch, chicken sandwich and fries, a hammock nap in the shade and a two hour session at Santana's, slightly smaller with full tide. Once in a while you got a good one but had to be choosy since many of the bigger sets were shutting down.
Back at the camp, hot shower and shave and a great dinner of fresh fish, rice and mixed veggies. Ran into Craig Watson and got to chat with him for a bit. My boards never arrived and it looks the the swell is coming up, could be under gunned. Looks like a day on the boat tomorrow, could mean Playgrounds!!!!!!
Friday, July 20, 2012
Nicaragua 8.2
Bienvenidos a Nicaragua.
Sin el equipaje de surf boards.
AJ, "oh my god, how come that's in Spanish?"
Emari, "because I wrote that."
So here we are, almost a full 24 hours since we embarked on our trip, starting with the schlep to JFK, which I dozed through. When we arrived at the long term parking area, we easily made our way to the air rail and to our terminal. To our great surprise, though we were early, we were at the end of a huge line of families with overstuffed luggage carts with flat screen tvs, computers, toys, and suitcases busting with American goods. After an hour wait, we finally approached the check-in desk and were charged $125 for our surf bag that weighed less than every single suitcase surrounding us in line. Before we could proceed through security, we had to bring our bags to the screening area and pay for the shipping so that we could obtain AJ's final boarding pass. Another long wait later and we made our way to security. Just as we're about to go through AJ discovers that he has two boarding passes for the same flight. He was ready to rip someone's head off. And he had been so good! No cranky outbursts, no sarcastic rants that might get us hauled away by security, just a little touchy about his shirt, which was all sweaty in the back. When I leaned in for a hug, I thought he was going to hiss at me.
So he proceeds to run back to the check-in area, and I hustle, but not too much, (I am tired and I don't really want to see how bad this might get). But he only cuts in front of 60 people to speak to "our" service representative. And though he looks really pissed, I don't think he's used any foul language because the lady is being really polite and helpful. In a minute we have his boarding pass and we get to go express through security.
Finally, we're able to rest and it's time to board the plane for five hours of unrestful neck-snapping. We were served s scrumptious egg and potato breakfast with strawberry yogurt. I know, the vomit would have been amazing if we hit turbulence over Miami, where the captain said there was a thunderstorm.
We landed in San Salvador and reboarded the same plane at the same gate for a forty minute flight to Managua. Long enough for the flight attendants to pass out candies and for us to eat them!
In Managua, we cleared immigration easily and went to get our bags. The one duffel bag we checked popped up quickly, but the surfboards did not. AJ began to pace the carousel and scowled at the baggage carriers outside. Though a few more bags were coming up the belt, he was already shaking his head and making a mean face. I asked an attendant if there were any more bags and he directed me to the delayed baggage desk. To our great fortune, they already knew our bag wasn't there. What the hell? There was a customized printout waiting for us, indicating that the bag would be coming tomorrow. As if the number of tvs and duffel bags stuffed with pantyhose and GAP t-shirts made it impossible to fit a surfboard bag.
AJ wanted to rip someone's head off again, but he didn't. I think the language barrier mellowed him out some. As we filled out the form, we realized we didn't have a number for the surf camp and had to put down the only local phone number we knew, the guy who is the property manager for our unbuilt house. We left the airport and walked across the street to Best Western Managua, Las Mercedes. Mario checked us in early and we spent the next two hours trying to find a number for the surf camp.
Tonight, everything is resolved, as long as the boards show up. We'll be on our way to the camp at 7 and AJ will be in the water around noon, even if it's on a borrowed board.
Other highlights: super cute tiny cat roaming the hotel restaurant and another big Scrabble win for Emari, who feels so fortunate that AJ continues to play!
Buenos Noche!
Monday, September 5, 2011
Feeling Wonderfully Small
It is now Saturday September 3rd and Emari and I have been back in Raglan since Thursday evening after spending all day Thursday driving from Wellington up Surf Highway exploring the Taranaki Coast for surf which was plentiful but the winds were not right. Emari and I finished our "Summit to Sea" tour with Aspiring Guides five days ago and in all honesty I am still processing the whole experience and was reluctant to write this entry.
So before I hen peck this iPad with two digits reflecting on our tour it has been great to be welcomed back into Ste'en and Tonya's home and surf Raglan, Indicators yesterday and today. Yesterday the surf was quite good, 6-10 foot on the faces but I definitely struggled finding my place in the line up and only caught about five waves, though one of those waves was like catching 15 really good ones back home. Today Ste'en and I pulled and early dawn potrol for 2 hours and I actually found some rhythm but the surf had dropped to head high with some bigger sets.
On Thursday August 25, 2011 Emari and I arrived at the Aspiring Guides Office in Wanaka at approximately 8:15am, both with mochaccinos in hand where we met our guide Stefan and two others in our touring party, Dave from New Zealand who had some previous touring experience and Tony from the Czech Republic, now living outside of Sydney Australia who had both trekking and ski touring experience. Emari and I were simply green and raw, I was anxious....excited with all the uncertainty that laid before us.
First on the agenda was discussing touring options as a weather system was moving in from the West that in essence shut down the original plan of touring the west coast, likely that we would make the fly in and then be snowed in at a hut negating touring and riding. Although Emari and I were their for input we really had no idea what we signed up for and my two censt were to put us in a place where we can ride. We settled on Mt Cook, more specifically the Tasman Glacier would be our playground for five days.
Next on the agenda was the review of gear and all the extra gear Emari and I would need to rent from Aspiring Guides, down sleeping bags good down to zero degrees, transceiver, shovel and avalanche probes, boot cramp-ons, ice axe, not to mention the climbing harness that would be worn every time We left the hut. I was left with the following thought, "what the fuck did I sign Emari and I up for." More importantly with Emari only riding a season in a half, how would she fair? We loaded up the Aspiring Guides vehicle that would transport us to the Mt Cook airport where our Heli awaited us with all our gear. We parked the camper van in front of Whit's house who also works at Aspiring Guides. We were off to Mt Cook.
From Stefan's log he provided the following for day one: 25/08/11
Car, Wanaka - Mt Cook Vilage ; Helicopter, Mt Cook Village - Tasman Saddle Hut; LUNCH ; Ski/Board, Tasman Saddle Hut - Tasman Saddle (4km, 270m, return).
From my brain, all the gear was weighed, the scale was off 29kgs, but total weight was still under requirements to load up the Heli and fly to the Tasman Saddle. It was windy and the Heli seemed to float right up the Tasman Glacier like a humming bird.
So after the Heli dropped us off on the Tasman Saddle with all our gear we hiked our gear approximately 200 yards down an incline where the Tasman Hut sat on the edge of a cliff, actually strapped down with cables. The walk down into the hut was icy and steps were carved out in the ice but one slip could have resulted in falling to your death. Needless to say with my fear of heights I took it gingerly, complicating my fear where my blown-out Burton Hail boots with very worn tread!
It appeared that we we not the only visitors to the hut, so we did our best to pick bunks that seemed unoccupied and began to put on our gear for our first outing which consisted of skinning along a lower ridge of the Tasman Saddle and taking our first run, untracked corn snow with some wind blown crust, the views were amazing, it was at this point when I first realized just how small I was. We needed to be mindful of two things, saving enough day light to skin back and the prospects of the forthcoming storm. I can remember feeling incompetent and slow as breaking down and putting a splitboard back together is at least a ten minute ordeal, the skiers were left waiting for us at every change-over but it was the best I could do, but I hated being the one others were waiting for. Of course I managed to turn this into few sarcastic and cynical lines.
As my mate, Tim Parker would say,"you have to like to climb on those split boards!" Well Tim our first real skin out was challenging and humbling. Stefan, our guide picked a shorter but steeper ascent, and although we traversed back and forth, the upper third was quoted steep at 30- 35 degree pitch, the last few hundred yards were also crusty and icy. Stefan actually used his ice axe to create two little ski width tracks the last 100 yards. Complicating these steep traverses were our snowboard boots, mine quite soft and I would get an ankle roll, feeling muscles in my calves and shins I did not know existed. For me the upper part was sketchy because of the ice, crust and steepness...my fear of heights put me completely in the moment of one step at a time, like a painful walking meditation. This was definitely my first humbling experience of this tour, their would be many more to come. This climb out was physically challenging, I kept thinking, "a lot of good P90X and yoga has done me" followed with, "what an absolute nightmare this would be if you were not physically fit. Although trapped in my own personal struggle this was my first real glimpse of how amazing Emari was doing, she had a great first run and despite only riding a season in a half, never been on skis before she did an amazing job climbing out. We both arrived back at the hut right before dusk. I was tired and hungry. It was great to eat and meet the other guide at the hut, Al Moore and his two clients, a married couple from all places Stowe VT., Steve and Sharon. Over the next four evening their would be plenty of laughs over dinner. Did I mention the out-house you had to climb up into to piss and shit? I didn't think so, but also a journey with a head lamp at night......I may never complain of a cold toilet seat again. Sleeping in our zero degree down sleeping bag was the warmest I had been this entire trip My sleep was broken by either driving nightmares or mountain nightmares, my brain probably never rested.
Friday August 26, 2011 at the Tasman Hut
Stefan's statistics for the day: 26/08/11
Ski/Board, Tasman Saddle Hut - Down Tasman Glacier (left side,200m 1km),up to Kelman Hut (360m,2.5km) ;LUNCH ; Ski/Board to Tasman Saddle Hut (2km, 135m)
We awoke around 7am, surprisingly no storm as of yet. Breakfast consisted of oatmeal/porridge with some sprinkled musli topped with fruit, hot tea and or as Stefan called it "cowboy coffee" made in a single pot adding hot water to coffee grinds let to steep and stir, after a few minutes cold water is dribbled around the inside edge of the pot causing the coffee grinds to settle. Fucking cool to be a cowboy on the Tasman Glacier. Game plan and gear was discussed and with the forecast storm it was best not to stray too far from the hut as no one wanted to return in a total white out. Standard gear was a climbing harness that everyone wore in case of falling into a crevase and/or to safely ascend/descend, transceiver, probe and shovel, boot cramp ons and an ice axe. Also included in our packs was two liters of water, sandwich and nibblies for lunch, some layering options, goggles and sun glasses.
A short walk put us on the left side of the Tasman Glacier, the steep ascent from the previous day with the 30-35 degree pitch. Riding rules were pretty simply, Stefan picked the line and we were told one of four things, stay to his right, stay to his left, keep behind him or open it up. This first leg was pretty wide open though down to the right were ice formations and crevasses. Up top was steep, one conservative heal side turn before laying out some turns in some great corn snow. In case you are wondering, Emari nailed it. I kept thinking, " damn, I think I finally picked the right one" or did she pick me? I looked back to see a small yard sale from Dave who had fallen and lost both skis. He was not hurt and in a few minutes he had gathered his gear and was off laying out a fresh line.
It would take a couple hours to climb back up the glacier and up into the Kelman Hut. Wow, and I thought it was sketchy getting into the Tasman Hut! This climb also became steep and we had to navigate an icy ridge above a shoot which put us at the base of the hut. That Icy ridge was sketchy on a snowboard, my fear of heights, and the fine tremors running up and down both legs did not help. Once across that ridge we stashed our gear safely behind some rocks, climbed up a snowbank to another ridge where Stefan secured a rope and Tony was the first to descend down and tie off the rope to a railing, a fall here would also surely result in death. We clipped into the rope with a carribiner that was attached to our harness and lowered ourselves down. Simple choices, do it or do it, the energy pulsating through my core was amazing, to be afraid and so full of life!
This was a nice and spacious hut though much colder than the Tasman Hut. We ate lunch, signed the guest book and by the time we finished lunch the winds had begun to blow and gust, change of plans, split boards back together, helmets and goggles, extra layers......so much harder getting skins on and off with gusting winds, boards back together with frozen hardware and once this was down Emari and I still needed to navigate a heal side traverse across that icy ridge......it was more like a sketchy booty scoot just hoping we wouldn't slide into the shoot but once far enough across Stefan gave the green light to point it and we had a run back to the Tasman Saddle Hut. Out of our gear and into some dry clothes, warmer clothes. Emari taught a yoga class from the Tasman Saddle Hut Yoga Institute. I did the whole routine from our upper bunk, she taught from a small space on the floor, next to her was Sharon, Steve in a lower bunk but got up walked around doing some of the postures. Stefan and Tony occupied some tight floor space while Dave did the entire routine from a bench. Al was more concerned with what he would call, " a cup of tea and a lie down" and prepping for dinner.
The weather deteriorated and we received a live weather report from Mt Cook and we were in for riding out a storm through out the night that brought 110 km/h winds and 30+cm of snow. It was looking like Mother Nature would deliver. Each passing day brought our crew closer and I felt very fortunate to enjoy the company of all we shared the hut with.....people that travel extensively and put themselves out there in the elements are truly a different breed.
Saturday August 27, 2011
Stefan's log: 27/08/11
Ski/Board in Hochstetter Dome Area, and skinned up left side of Tasman Glacier to Tasman Saddle Hut, (total change in elavation 2600m, distance 12km)
We awoke to blue skies and a foot of fresh snow. This was my 100th day of riding this year and proved to be the most amazing. We had a short skin up to a higher line on the Tasman Glacier before our first descent down to the base of the Hochstetter Dome Area. An awesome first run and we all gathered up to look back at the art work we left behind, five lines laid out from top to bottom that never crossed. I was thinking, "it can't get much better than that!" I was wrong. We broke apart our boards and put them into touring/climbing mode and started our climb about 1/3 up the Hochstetter Dome and although it got steep, the fresh snow was actually easier to climb in, no ankle rolling since we were not on any firm crust. Boards back together and as we all spread out and dropped this was the fruits of my labor, long drawn out lines in fresh snow and about halfway down tracking her own turns in untouched snow, Emari went flying by me, I smiled and laughed, but most of all felt elated and proud, this SheRex was bringing it full throttle. It must of been the end of that second run when I asked her sarcastically, "and how long have you been riding for?" the snow was so good, so fucking awesome we all agreed we wanted more of that. Stefan decided we'd take our skin track only continue to climb up towards the Summit, we'd break for lunch and get another run, though we would also make a few more descents down into the Tasman Glacier.
This climb became physically demanding for me, managing my temperature was the primary struggle. The sun was burning, not a cloud in the sky and the higher we climbed the hotter I became. Despite a single top layer and fully open vented shell jacket, no hat and no gloves, sweat and sunscreen burning my eyes to near blindness as well as fogged up sun glasses I felt like I was skinning by feel. By 1pm I had already drank my 2 liters of water. Only the thoughts of the fruits of my labor kept me pushing one ski in front of the other. At points my breathing seemed entirely too labored for comfort and yet the choice was simply, set a pace and continue, one step at a time became my mantra along with, "keep going mother fucker" and this is what I did. I was the last to make it, exhausted, humbled and grateful for the rest and food. Despite Emari almost losing one half of her splitboard as it slipped from her hands and took flight, she was not thinking about the safe area Stefan had marked off or crevasses, neither was I as we both set running after her board. It was her second diving effort that secure her board, perhaps both lucky that we did not fall into a crevasse, a reminder and lesson in how important it is to secure your gear.
After lunch we put our boards back together, back packs on our backs, we buckled in and for me what lied before was the best run of the entire trip, possibly my entire life when I think about the area we were riding in, how small I felt. No lines were crossed, each of use painted a line down the glacier in fresh powder running it out deeper down into the Tasman. And yes you have to like to climb or at least acknowledge, it is an intregal and major part of the journey. We skinned up the left side of the Tasman Glacier and I was physically depleted, completely spent. Every time we came over a ridge I kept thinking, "just one more and we'll be back at the hut," how wrong I was. Again, I needed to break it down, set a comfortable pace...one step at a time, one step at a time. We covered a lot of ground. It just seemed standard at this point, Emari and I would be the last to arrive at the hut. At this point I did not even care, I was so glad to be back and slide what seemed to be broken feet from my boots.....I was beat up, so hungry when the cheese, salami, crackers and humus were put out as a pre dinner snack I became the "salamitarian".....I did not give two shits what I was eating, I just needed to consume. We all ate a lot of food, I may have been in bed by 8pm though I had a minor freak out when Emari woke me to say she was not feeling well and wanted to borrow my head lamp, it seemed windy outside. It seemed like she was gone for 20 minutes or more and of course my crazy brain started to think the worst, that she slipped and fell to her death, how would I even deal with this, explain this to her parents how I drug her off to some glacier to climb and ride with merely 1.5 years of riding experience........how the fuck do you explain that? Panicked, with the light of my watch I was scurrying through our bunk trying to find her head lamp, put some clothes on and go looking for her when I heard the hut door open, the reflection of the head lamp in the glass......I was relieved!
Sunday August 28, 2011
Stefan's log: 28/08/11
Ski/Board through icefall and into Climbers col area, skinned to hut via right side of Tasman Glacier ( 2000m total ,10.5km )
Riding through this incredible and immense ice fall was breath taking and raised some challenges on a snowboard which Emari and I mustered through, mainly regulating speed and a few places that warranted climbing out of. I surely did not want Stefan's job here, navigating a route through this ice maze. At points it was like we were in an ice cathedral, this glacier, these mountains, this ice field, the immensity......I was reminded how small I actually was, how insignificant I was and am and yet so alive. After the icefall we skinned up an area known as the Climbers Col area, filled with crevasses, but once again Stefan put us in amazing snow. I cam remember it was pretty damn steep the are we stopped, the small working platform I had created to put my board back together, secure my pack, break down my poles, stand in my bindings with shaking legs as I bent over to buckle in.......another amazing run in fresh snow. This was the fruit that left us with a three hour climb back to the hut.......one step at a time. Halfway back we stopped to be educated on avalanche rescue and transceiver search. Emari and I managed to make it back before nightfall.
Monday August 29, 2011
Stefan's log: 29/08/11
Ski/Board down Tasman Glacier to Darwin Corner, (5.5km, 900m), Helicopter to MtCook Village, Car to Wanaka.
Both parties would awake to breakfast, packing up our gear, packing out the rubbish, and cleaning up the hut. This was the last day of our tour, one more skin up and and more of a long cruise down into the Tasman Glacier where it was previously arranged that our Heli would pick us up at 11am. Our packs were waited down, I couldn't tell you how much they weighed, but it seemed to be at least double in weight. Some minor adjustment riding with a pack so heavy. We had all of our gear in a pile waiting for the helicopter and when it arrived we stayed low handed gear to be loaded, found our seats, Emari up front, seat belt connected head set on so you could communicate with everyone in the Helicopter. It was a short flight out as we landed in Mt Cook Village. We unloaded the helicopter and loaded the car, changed into some dryer gear, used real toilets, running water. Both parties agreed to meet up for lunch at the Mt Cook village and we ended up eating at the Hermitage.
Three hours later we were back in Wanaka , at the office unloading gear. Dave had offered his home to shower and even stay to all of us, an offer we shouldn't refuse and didn't. It was the best damn shower and shave of my life. It reminded me of the surf charter I did in Indonesia, coming into Padang Port, the $5 hot shower and massage, the kind where they walk on your back. We all agreed to go out to dinner, a pub in Wanaka, quite good and glad that Stefan joined us. We did stay the night at Daves and the next day we got organized and gave ourselves two days to make the ferry in Picton, it was a lot of driving.
So in summary, what did this whole Summit to Sea experience mean? I think it was a humbling reminder that their is so much more than me, that in feeling small I could experience feeling so alive. I was reminded that we make many choices, the major one for me out on that glacier was not to give up, to meet the physical demands and challenges, to welcome suffering which made every turn that much more rewarding. I was reminded that traveling takes you out of your box and perhaps what I will remember most was the people we met, their stories, our stories and life experience shared, the laughs we shared, the food we shared and the reminder that life is short their are no guarantees, so hurry up and get the fuck out their and do more of what you just did. Finally, it was amazing to share this experience with a partner, who never gave up, never complained (except about her boots and feet), challenged herself beyond anything I would've imagined and snowboarded like a champ, smiling ear to ear.....perhaps the fruits of her suffering......truly a gift to have such an amazing partner to share such an amazing experience with. Rest assure their will be more........
New Zealand done............next?
Jumping to September 4, 2011.....Sunday
Made it to the airport to find out our Qantas flight back to the states was cancelled, lucky for me Emari has a cool head and the airline had already booked us on an Air New Zealand flight to San Francisco where we will clear customs and get on a American Airlines flight to JFK. Resent e-mail check confirmed our friends Jamie and Caroline are aware of the changes and will pick us up same day 9pmish. Soon to be back to the grind!
So before I hen peck this iPad with two digits reflecting on our tour it has been great to be welcomed back into Ste'en and Tonya's home and surf Raglan, Indicators yesterday and today. Yesterday the surf was quite good, 6-10 foot on the faces but I definitely struggled finding my place in the line up and only caught about five waves, though one of those waves was like catching 15 really good ones back home. Today Ste'en and I pulled and early dawn potrol for 2 hours and I actually found some rhythm but the surf had dropped to head high with some bigger sets.
On Thursday August 25, 2011 Emari and I arrived at the Aspiring Guides Office in Wanaka at approximately 8:15am, both with mochaccinos in hand where we met our guide Stefan and two others in our touring party, Dave from New Zealand who had some previous touring experience and Tony from the Czech Republic, now living outside of Sydney Australia who had both trekking and ski touring experience. Emari and I were simply green and raw, I was anxious....excited with all the uncertainty that laid before us.
First on the agenda was discussing touring options as a weather system was moving in from the West that in essence shut down the original plan of touring the west coast, likely that we would make the fly in and then be snowed in at a hut negating touring and riding. Although Emari and I were their for input we really had no idea what we signed up for and my two censt were to put us in a place where we can ride. We settled on Mt Cook, more specifically the Tasman Glacier would be our playground for five days.
Next on the agenda was the review of gear and all the extra gear Emari and I would need to rent from Aspiring Guides, down sleeping bags good down to zero degrees, transceiver, shovel and avalanche probes, boot cramp-ons, ice axe, not to mention the climbing harness that would be worn every time We left the hut. I was left with the following thought, "what the fuck did I sign Emari and I up for." More importantly with Emari only riding a season in a half, how would she fair? We loaded up the Aspiring Guides vehicle that would transport us to the Mt Cook airport where our Heli awaited us with all our gear. We parked the camper van in front of Whit's house who also works at Aspiring Guides. We were off to Mt Cook.
From Stefan's log he provided the following for day one: 25/08/11
Car, Wanaka - Mt Cook Vilage ; Helicopter, Mt Cook Village - Tasman Saddle Hut; LUNCH ; Ski/Board, Tasman Saddle Hut - Tasman Saddle (4km, 270m, return).
From my brain, all the gear was weighed, the scale was off 29kgs, but total weight was still under requirements to load up the Heli and fly to the Tasman Saddle. It was windy and the Heli seemed to float right up the Tasman Glacier like a humming bird.
So after the Heli dropped us off on the Tasman Saddle with all our gear we hiked our gear approximately 200 yards down an incline where the Tasman Hut sat on the edge of a cliff, actually strapped down with cables. The walk down into the hut was icy and steps were carved out in the ice but one slip could have resulted in falling to your death. Needless to say with my fear of heights I took it gingerly, complicating my fear where my blown-out Burton Hail boots with very worn tread!
It appeared that we we not the only visitors to the hut, so we did our best to pick bunks that seemed unoccupied and began to put on our gear for our first outing which consisted of skinning along a lower ridge of the Tasman Saddle and taking our first run, untracked corn snow with some wind blown crust, the views were amazing, it was at this point when I first realized just how small I was. We needed to be mindful of two things, saving enough day light to skin back and the prospects of the forthcoming storm. I can remember feeling incompetent and slow as breaking down and putting a splitboard back together is at least a ten minute ordeal, the skiers were left waiting for us at every change-over but it was the best I could do, but I hated being the one others were waiting for. Of course I managed to turn this into few sarcastic and cynical lines.
As my mate, Tim Parker would say,"you have to like to climb on those split boards!" Well Tim our first real skin out was challenging and humbling. Stefan, our guide picked a shorter but steeper ascent, and although we traversed back and forth, the upper third was quoted steep at 30- 35 degree pitch, the last few hundred yards were also crusty and icy. Stefan actually used his ice axe to create two little ski width tracks the last 100 yards. Complicating these steep traverses were our snowboard boots, mine quite soft and I would get an ankle roll, feeling muscles in my calves and shins I did not know existed. For me the upper part was sketchy because of the ice, crust and steepness...my fear of heights put me completely in the moment of one step at a time, like a painful walking meditation. This was definitely my first humbling experience of this tour, their would be many more to come. This climb out was physically challenging, I kept thinking, "a lot of good P90X and yoga has done me" followed with, "what an absolute nightmare this would be if you were not physically fit. Although trapped in my own personal struggle this was my first real glimpse of how amazing Emari was doing, she had a great first run and despite only riding a season in a half, never been on skis before she did an amazing job climbing out. We both arrived back at the hut right before dusk. I was tired and hungry. It was great to eat and meet the other guide at the hut, Al Moore and his two clients, a married couple from all places Stowe VT., Steve and Sharon. Over the next four evening their would be plenty of laughs over dinner. Did I mention the out-house you had to climb up into to piss and shit? I didn't think so, but also a journey with a head lamp at night......I may never complain of a cold toilet seat again. Sleeping in our zero degree down sleeping bag was the warmest I had been this entire trip My sleep was broken by either driving nightmares or mountain nightmares, my brain probably never rested.
Friday August 26, 2011 at the Tasman Hut
Stefan's statistics for the day: 26/08/11
Ski/Board, Tasman Saddle Hut - Down Tasman Glacier (left side,200m 1km),up to Kelman Hut (360m,2.5km) ;LUNCH ; Ski/Board to Tasman Saddle Hut (2km, 135m)
We awoke around 7am, surprisingly no storm as of yet. Breakfast consisted of oatmeal/porridge with some sprinkled musli topped with fruit, hot tea and or as Stefan called it "cowboy coffee" made in a single pot adding hot water to coffee grinds let to steep and stir, after a few minutes cold water is dribbled around the inside edge of the pot causing the coffee grinds to settle. Fucking cool to be a cowboy on the Tasman Glacier. Game plan and gear was discussed and with the forecast storm it was best not to stray too far from the hut as no one wanted to return in a total white out. Standard gear was a climbing harness that everyone wore in case of falling into a crevase and/or to safely ascend/descend, transceiver, probe and shovel, boot cramp ons and an ice axe. Also included in our packs was two liters of water, sandwich and nibblies for lunch, some layering options, goggles and sun glasses.
A short walk put us on the left side of the Tasman Glacier, the steep ascent from the previous day with the 30-35 degree pitch. Riding rules were pretty simply, Stefan picked the line and we were told one of four things, stay to his right, stay to his left, keep behind him or open it up. This first leg was pretty wide open though down to the right were ice formations and crevasses. Up top was steep, one conservative heal side turn before laying out some turns in some great corn snow. In case you are wondering, Emari nailed it. I kept thinking, " damn, I think I finally picked the right one" or did she pick me? I looked back to see a small yard sale from Dave who had fallen and lost both skis. He was not hurt and in a few minutes he had gathered his gear and was off laying out a fresh line.
It would take a couple hours to climb back up the glacier and up into the Kelman Hut. Wow, and I thought it was sketchy getting into the Tasman Hut! This climb also became steep and we had to navigate an icy ridge above a shoot which put us at the base of the hut. That Icy ridge was sketchy on a snowboard, my fear of heights, and the fine tremors running up and down both legs did not help. Once across that ridge we stashed our gear safely behind some rocks, climbed up a snowbank to another ridge where Stefan secured a rope and Tony was the first to descend down and tie off the rope to a railing, a fall here would also surely result in death. We clipped into the rope with a carribiner that was attached to our harness and lowered ourselves down. Simple choices, do it or do it, the energy pulsating through my core was amazing, to be afraid and so full of life!
This was a nice and spacious hut though much colder than the Tasman Hut. We ate lunch, signed the guest book and by the time we finished lunch the winds had begun to blow and gust, change of plans, split boards back together, helmets and goggles, extra layers......so much harder getting skins on and off with gusting winds, boards back together with frozen hardware and once this was down Emari and I still needed to navigate a heal side traverse across that icy ridge......it was more like a sketchy booty scoot just hoping we wouldn't slide into the shoot but once far enough across Stefan gave the green light to point it and we had a run back to the Tasman Saddle Hut. Out of our gear and into some dry clothes, warmer clothes. Emari taught a yoga class from the Tasman Saddle Hut Yoga Institute. I did the whole routine from our upper bunk, she taught from a small space on the floor, next to her was Sharon, Steve in a lower bunk but got up walked around doing some of the postures. Stefan and Tony occupied some tight floor space while Dave did the entire routine from a bench. Al was more concerned with what he would call, " a cup of tea and a lie down" and prepping for dinner.
The weather deteriorated and we received a live weather report from Mt Cook and we were in for riding out a storm through out the night that brought 110 km/h winds and 30+cm of snow. It was looking like Mother Nature would deliver. Each passing day brought our crew closer and I felt very fortunate to enjoy the company of all we shared the hut with.....people that travel extensively and put themselves out there in the elements are truly a different breed.
Saturday August 27, 2011
Stefan's log: 27/08/11
Ski/Board in Hochstetter Dome Area, and skinned up left side of Tasman Glacier to Tasman Saddle Hut, (total change in elavation 2600m, distance 12km)
We awoke to blue skies and a foot of fresh snow. This was my 100th day of riding this year and proved to be the most amazing. We had a short skin up to a higher line on the Tasman Glacier before our first descent down to the base of the Hochstetter Dome Area. An awesome first run and we all gathered up to look back at the art work we left behind, five lines laid out from top to bottom that never crossed. I was thinking, "it can't get much better than that!" I was wrong. We broke apart our boards and put them into touring/climbing mode and started our climb about 1/3 up the Hochstetter Dome and although it got steep, the fresh snow was actually easier to climb in, no ankle rolling since we were not on any firm crust. Boards back together and as we all spread out and dropped this was the fruits of my labor, long drawn out lines in fresh snow and about halfway down tracking her own turns in untouched snow, Emari went flying by me, I smiled and laughed, but most of all felt elated and proud, this SheRex was bringing it full throttle. It must of been the end of that second run when I asked her sarcastically, "and how long have you been riding for?" the snow was so good, so fucking awesome we all agreed we wanted more of that. Stefan decided we'd take our skin track only continue to climb up towards the Summit, we'd break for lunch and get another run, though we would also make a few more descents down into the Tasman Glacier.
This climb became physically demanding for me, managing my temperature was the primary struggle. The sun was burning, not a cloud in the sky and the higher we climbed the hotter I became. Despite a single top layer and fully open vented shell jacket, no hat and no gloves, sweat and sunscreen burning my eyes to near blindness as well as fogged up sun glasses I felt like I was skinning by feel. By 1pm I had already drank my 2 liters of water. Only the thoughts of the fruits of my labor kept me pushing one ski in front of the other. At points my breathing seemed entirely too labored for comfort and yet the choice was simply, set a pace and continue, one step at a time became my mantra along with, "keep going mother fucker" and this is what I did. I was the last to make it, exhausted, humbled and grateful for the rest and food. Despite Emari almost losing one half of her splitboard as it slipped from her hands and took flight, she was not thinking about the safe area Stefan had marked off or crevasses, neither was I as we both set running after her board. It was her second diving effort that secure her board, perhaps both lucky that we did not fall into a crevasse, a reminder and lesson in how important it is to secure your gear.
After lunch we put our boards back together, back packs on our backs, we buckled in and for me what lied before was the best run of the entire trip, possibly my entire life when I think about the area we were riding in, how small I felt. No lines were crossed, each of use painted a line down the glacier in fresh powder running it out deeper down into the Tasman. And yes you have to like to climb or at least acknowledge, it is an intregal and major part of the journey. We skinned up the left side of the Tasman Glacier and I was physically depleted, completely spent. Every time we came over a ridge I kept thinking, "just one more and we'll be back at the hut," how wrong I was. Again, I needed to break it down, set a comfortable pace...one step at a time, one step at a time. We covered a lot of ground. It just seemed standard at this point, Emari and I would be the last to arrive at the hut. At this point I did not even care, I was so glad to be back and slide what seemed to be broken feet from my boots.....I was beat up, so hungry when the cheese, salami, crackers and humus were put out as a pre dinner snack I became the "salamitarian".....I did not give two shits what I was eating, I just needed to consume. We all ate a lot of food, I may have been in bed by 8pm though I had a minor freak out when Emari woke me to say she was not feeling well and wanted to borrow my head lamp, it seemed windy outside. It seemed like she was gone for 20 minutes or more and of course my crazy brain started to think the worst, that she slipped and fell to her death, how would I even deal with this, explain this to her parents how I drug her off to some glacier to climb and ride with merely 1.5 years of riding experience........how the fuck do you explain that? Panicked, with the light of my watch I was scurrying through our bunk trying to find her head lamp, put some clothes on and go looking for her when I heard the hut door open, the reflection of the head lamp in the glass......I was relieved!
Sunday August 28, 2011
Stefan's log: 28/08/11
Ski/Board through icefall and into Climbers col area, skinned to hut via right side of Tasman Glacier ( 2000m total ,10.5km )
Riding through this incredible and immense ice fall was breath taking and raised some challenges on a snowboard which Emari and I mustered through, mainly regulating speed and a few places that warranted climbing out of. I surely did not want Stefan's job here, navigating a route through this ice maze. At points it was like we were in an ice cathedral, this glacier, these mountains, this ice field, the immensity......I was reminded how small I actually was, how insignificant I was and am and yet so alive. After the icefall we skinned up an area known as the Climbers Col area, filled with crevasses, but once again Stefan put us in amazing snow. I cam remember it was pretty damn steep the are we stopped, the small working platform I had created to put my board back together, secure my pack, break down my poles, stand in my bindings with shaking legs as I bent over to buckle in.......another amazing run in fresh snow. This was the fruit that left us with a three hour climb back to the hut.......one step at a time. Halfway back we stopped to be educated on avalanche rescue and transceiver search. Emari and I managed to make it back before nightfall.
Monday August 29, 2011
Stefan's log: 29/08/11
Ski/Board down Tasman Glacier to Darwin Corner, (5.5km, 900m), Helicopter to MtCook Village, Car to Wanaka.
Both parties would awake to breakfast, packing up our gear, packing out the rubbish, and cleaning up the hut. This was the last day of our tour, one more skin up and and more of a long cruise down into the Tasman Glacier where it was previously arranged that our Heli would pick us up at 11am. Our packs were waited down, I couldn't tell you how much they weighed, but it seemed to be at least double in weight. Some minor adjustment riding with a pack so heavy. We had all of our gear in a pile waiting for the helicopter and when it arrived we stayed low handed gear to be loaded, found our seats, Emari up front, seat belt connected head set on so you could communicate with everyone in the Helicopter. It was a short flight out as we landed in Mt Cook Village. We unloaded the helicopter and loaded the car, changed into some dryer gear, used real toilets, running water. Both parties agreed to meet up for lunch at the Mt Cook village and we ended up eating at the Hermitage.
Three hours later we were back in Wanaka , at the office unloading gear. Dave had offered his home to shower and even stay to all of us, an offer we shouldn't refuse and didn't. It was the best damn shower and shave of my life. It reminded me of the surf charter I did in Indonesia, coming into Padang Port, the $5 hot shower and massage, the kind where they walk on your back. We all agreed to go out to dinner, a pub in Wanaka, quite good and glad that Stefan joined us. We did stay the night at Daves and the next day we got organized and gave ourselves two days to make the ferry in Picton, it was a lot of driving.
So in summary, what did this whole Summit to Sea experience mean? I think it was a humbling reminder that their is so much more than me, that in feeling small I could experience feeling so alive. I was reminded that we make many choices, the major one for me out on that glacier was not to give up, to meet the physical demands and challenges, to welcome suffering which made every turn that much more rewarding. I was reminded that traveling takes you out of your box and perhaps what I will remember most was the people we met, their stories, our stories and life experience shared, the laughs we shared, the food we shared and the reminder that life is short their are no guarantees, so hurry up and get the fuck out their and do more of what you just did. Finally, it was amazing to share this experience with a partner, who never gave up, never complained (except about her boots and feet), challenged herself beyond anything I would've imagined and snowboarded like a champ, smiling ear to ear.....perhaps the fruits of her suffering......truly a gift to have such an amazing partner to share such an amazing experience with. Rest assure their will be more........
New Zealand done............next?
Jumping to September 4, 2011.....Sunday
Made it to the airport to find out our Qantas flight back to the states was cancelled, lucky for me Emari has a cool head and the airline had already booked us on an Air New Zealand flight to San Francisco where we will clear customs and get on a American Airlines flight to JFK. Resent e-mail check confirmed our friends Jamie and Caroline are aware of the changes and will pick us up same day 9pmish. Soon to be back to the grind!
Friday, September 2, 2011
Skinning on Thin Ice: To and From Tasman Glacier
"We walked along the hard crest of the snowdrift/the shiver is not from the cold." How many times did I repeat these lines from Ahkmatova as I slid one foot in front of the other?
Our five day Summit to Sea excursion became a tour of the Tasman Glacier. When we met in Aspiring Guides' Wanaka office on Thursday morning, we learned that a storm was brewing in the west and a trek toward the Tasman Sea would not be possible. Though we might be able to Heli in, it would be unlikely if we would ever leave the hut. We had two other options: trek close to Mt Cook village in the nearby Silla Range or trek along the Tasman Glacier. We opted for the latter.
Besides our guide, Stefan, two other men would be a part of our trek. David lived in Auckland and had a holiday home in Wanaka. He was a retired contractor who had completed several long tramps in NZ and abroad and had recently been ski touring in Europe. The other member of our group was Tony, who lives outside of Sydney but was originally from the Czech Republic. He has done a lot of trekking and ski touring and was actually quite familiar with the glacier.
I keep starting and stopping this blog post. I thought I just needed some time to process the experience, but days later, I'm still struggling to describe what happened out there. It was physically grueling. On Saturday, after trekking over ten miles, I could barely feel my right foot, though I had a shooting pain along my right ankle. I was so exhausted, I felt wobbly. I needed to concentrate on each step or I was liable to trip myself.
And in all of that silence, along those blank canvas of glacial plains, my mind was a carnival. I thought about composting. I thought about when I practiced gymnastics as a girl. I returned to my first time snowboarding ever. I reminded myself that my zodiac sign is part goat. I recited every line of poetry I knew and lamented that I hadn't memorized more. I thought about the coming of the ice age and how the last of the dinosaurs must have moved in the snow. (I realize my time table could be off and that there may have been no dinosaurs when the snows came, but thinking of a brontosaurus on the glacier was oddly reassuring.) I thought of my parents, the house in Piney Hollow, all of my dead grandmothers. I thought of my sister, who had just completed a 24 hour run. I hummed Om. I called on the Medicine Buddha. I repeated two word phrases to help me keep pace. I focused on my breath. I tried not to count or focus on how many ridges we needed to cross. I kept my eyes on the ski tracks set by my compatriots and not the postage stamp sized hut in the distance. I took off my hat, my gloves, I'd sip water, I'd sing Om name shivah. I'd pause and take in the immense landscape. I'll tell myself to keep going. I'd tell myself that I could do it. I'd want to stop and sometimes I did. Terribly out of breath, sweating, aching. I'd start up again, try another breathing pattern, and let my mind whir.
I want to say it was the most physically grueling activity I've ever sustained. There's no coming out of this pose, or if you come out, you still have to go back into it. We trekked for hours at time, sometimes the incline would be over 30degrees. On Sunday, we trekked for three hours straight just to get back to the hut at the end of the day.
Amy Stephanik often reminds her level 2 yoga classes that suffering is optional. On a trip like this, the mental suffering is optional. I was thankful to have the ability to witness all that came up during the physically challenging parts of our trip. On Friday, when the storm was moving into the Tasman, we were just about to leave the Kelman Hut, where we had lunch. We had used the rope to climb down into the hut, which was super tough for AJ with his fear of heights. I was not phased by the height, but I discovered how afraid I am when I lose my footing. As we traversed an icy ledge only a few inches wide, my bottom foot kept slipping below me. Our guide was right there in case I fell, but it was so hard to take the next step when I already felt unsteady. Well, that's true in my daily life. I want both feet firmly rooted before I take the next step. Of course that isn't always possible, in my daily life and especially on the glacier. Just trust your gear. That's what Stefan said. And he was right. I wasn't going to fall, and if I did, he was right there to make sure I didn't fall too far.
I got better at taking those climbing risks. My ski touring technique improved and I slipped less and less. And as long as I was being careful and observant, there was no use worrying about all of the what-ifs when I could and should be using that energy more positively.
I was only foolish twice. Once I stopped on the side of a mountain too close to some ice cliffs so that AJ could get ahead to shoot some video. Thankfully nothing happened. Had the ice released I would have been blasted to smithereens and wouldn't be writing this post. The other mountain faux pax happened Saturday afternoon. We had hiked to the top of a mountain for lunch. As I was switching my board from skis back to a board, I kept getting the hinges caught and as I forcefully banged them apart (necessary when the hardware and your hands are frozen) one piece of the board slipped out of my hand and toward the ridge line. Stefan had clearly marked one side as a crevasse area and advised we stay in this small square of terrain. As half of my board zipped toward the ridge, I jumped up and stumbled before diving head first arms extended catching my board. All of those years of playing third base and laying out for line drives had paid off. I had bolted past AJ who was looking terrified (rightfully so) and our guide, who was pleased I did not lose my board or need to be rescued from a crevasse or the bottom of the ridge, which went on for miles. I had been careful of assembling my split board before this incident, but now I was even more observant.
I've only told you about the challenges of this expedition. Perhaps because you spend 90% of the time climbing and 10% of the time skiing/riding. The riding was phenomenal. I had the most amazing runs of my life on this trip. I rode through pristine, untouched powder that sprayed up with each turn. I was following AJ down the first run on Saturday morning when this incredible feeling of lightness and grace swept over me. I felt the smile on my face widening and I just let the board run, ripping right past AJ. Birds move with this ease. For a few moments gravity has been altered and I am barely touching earth. My eyes blur. I tear up from the wind and the jolt of adrenaline.
Our second run on Saturday, after an epic climb and my board mishap, was probably the best run of my life. It was 2/3rds longer than the first run and was perfect snow. I was squealing with delight as I rode down the bowl, and my permagrin grew as I looked back at our perfect lines and watched AJ shred the mountain as if it were a gigantic wave.
I felt confident riding, only took one or two minor tumbles when we rode over flat terrain with frozen tufts of crust and one of these was because I rode over my pole when I was trying to give myself a boost. I rode through ice cliffs, along tiny ridges, and down some of the steepest terrain I've ever encountered. And I managed to ride out of the glacier with my full pack without needing a boost or push from any of the skiers. AJ was even following my line.
Some people might wonder why I'd want to do something like this for my honeymoon. I mean thermals and wool socks are not very sexy lingerie and not showering for six days is few people's idea of paradise.
This entire trip has been incredible. Everyday has had its own adventure, some more dramatic than others. The glacier trek put me and AJ in entirely new terrain, physically, emotionally, mentally. We are both new to ski touring and had to experience the beginner's mind. We had to permit ourselves to take risks and to face fears. I listened to AJ's voice crack as he hesitated, confronting his fear of heights. I watched him focus as he traversed the steep cut out on the last part of the trek back to the hut. I saw him entirely spent at the top of the mountain, sunscreen and sweat burning his eyes. I heard the urgency in his voice when he asked me if I was okay with some of the sketchy traverses we were about to embark upon. Pushing ourselves in this type of environment brings new perspective to everything else.
The fact that AJ welcomes this type of challenge is infinitely attractive to me. Here is someone who is willing to confront his fears, to experience discomfort, to endure, to trust, and to open up to something new.
Our hut crew was fantastic. Another couple from VT and their guide were also there and we had some good laughs. I even taught a yoga class in the hut on Friday. Everyone was busting on AJ because he said that Saturday was better than sex...the amazing powder runs and the 10+ miles trekking. I'm not saying that glacial treks should be substituted for sex (or vice versa), but this experience taps into something as primal as sex. It was a moving meditation. We trekked through the glacier with a reverence and respect for the power and danger the earth wields. What happens if we extend this philosophy to our lovers and friends? That's another post/essay.
We're back in Raglan again. A day and a half before we fly back to the States where a hurricane has ransacked our coast, where a family I may never meet buries a teenage boy my college students taught last fall. A mentor's husband has also died.
I remember telling myself "be here now" at some point during a long climb. It's not just split boarding/ski touring where the majority of the time is an uphill climb.
I am so fortunate to have found a partner who understands this and who loves me unconditionally. I am also grateful for the circle of family and friends who have made my time away easier. Those involved in Operation Get Elsie to High Ground, you rock! And Pam, you always make my job easier and more fun.
Mom and Dad, you'd love it here...in a warmer season, you could tour wineries, where sheep graze in the vineyards, hike the pristine countryside, and fish in one mirror lake after another.
Over and out, for now.
Our five day Summit to Sea excursion became a tour of the Tasman Glacier. When we met in Aspiring Guides' Wanaka office on Thursday morning, we learned that a storm was brewing in the west and a trek toward the Tasman Sea would not be possible. Though we might be able to Heli in, it would be unlikely if we would ever leave the hut. We had two other options: trek close to Mt Cook village in the nearby Silla Range or trek along the Tasman Glacier. We opted for the latter.
Besides our guide, Stefan, two other men would be a part of our trek. David lived in Auckland and had a holiday home in Wanaka. He was a retired contractor who had completed several long tramps in NZ and abroad and had recently been ski touring in Europe. The other member of our group was Tony, who lives outside of Sydney but was originally from the Czech Republic. He has done a lot of trekking and ski touring and was actually quite familiar with the glacier.
I keep starting and stopping this blog post. I thought I just needed some time to process the experience, but days later, I'm still struggling to describe what happened out there. It was physically grueling. On Saturday, after trekking over ten miles, I could barely feel my right foot, though I had a shooting pain along my right ankle. I was so exhausted, I felt wobbly. I needed to concentrate on each step or I was liable to trip myself.
And in all of that silence, along those blank canvas of glacial plains, my mind was a carnival. I thought about composting. I thought about when I practiced gymnastics as a girl. I returned to my first time snowboarding ever. I reminded myself that my zodiac sign is part goat. I recited every line of poetry I knew and lamented that I hadn't memorized more. I thought about the coming of the ice age and how the last of the dinosaurs must have moved in the snow. (I realize my time table could be off and that there may have been no dinosaurs when the snows came, but thinking of a brontosaurus on the glacier was oddly reassuring.) I thought of my parents, the house in Piney Hollow, all of my dead grandmothers. I thought of my sister, who had just completed a 24 hour run. I hummed Om. I called on the Medicine Buddha. I repeated two word phrases to help me keep pace. I focused on my breath. I tried not to count or focus on how many ridges we needed to cross. I kept my eyes on the ski tracks set by my compatriots and not the postage stamp sized hut in the distance. I took off my hat, my gloves, I'd sip water, I'd sing Om name shivah. I'd pause and take in the immense landscape. I'll tell myself to keep going. I'd tell myself that I could do it. I'd want to stop and sometimes I did. Terribly out of breath, sweating, aching. I'd start up again, try another breathing pattern, and let my mind whir.
I want to say it was the most physically grueling activity I've ever sustained. There's no coming out of this pose, or if you come out, you still have to go back into it. We trekked for hours at time, sometimes the incline would be over 30degrees. On Sunday, we trekked for three hours straight just to get back to the hut at the end of the day.
Amy Stephanik often reminds her level 2 yoga classes that suffering is optional. On a trip like this, the mental suffering is optional. I was thankful to have the ability to witness all that came up during the physically challenging parts of our trip. On Friday, when the storm was moving into the Tasman, we were just about to leave the Kelman Hut, where we had lunch. We had used the rope to climb down into the hut, which was super tough for AJ with his fear of heights. I was not phased by the height, but I discovered how afraid I am when I lose my footing. As we traversed an icy ledge only a few inches wide, my bottom foot kept slipping below me. Our guide was right there in case I fell, but it was so hard to take the next step when I already felt unsteady. Well, that's true in my daily life. I want both feet firmly rooted before I take the next step. Of course that isn't always possible, in my daily life and especially on the glacier. Just trust your gear. That's what Stefan said. And he was right. I wasn't going to fall, and if I did, he was right there to make sure I didn't fall too far.
I got better at taking those climbing risks. My ski touring technique improved and I slipped less and less. And as long as I was being careful and observant, there was no use worrying about all of the what-ifs when I could and should be using that energy more positively.
I was only foolish twice. Once I stopped on the side of a mountain too close to some ice cliffs so that AJ could get ahead to shoot some video. Thankfully nothing happened. Had the ice released I would have been blasted to smithereens and wouldn't be writing this post. The other mountain faux pax happened Saturday afternoon. We had hiked to the top of a mountain for lunch. As I was switching my board from skis back to a board, I kept getting the hinges caught and as I forcefully banged them apart (necessary when the hardware and your hands are frozen) one piece of the board slipped out of my hand and toward the ridge line. Stefan had clearly marked one side as a crevasse area and advised we stay in this small square of terrain. As half of my board zipped toward the ridge, I jumped up and stumbled before diving head first arms extended catching my board. All of those years of playing third base and laying out for line drives had paid off. I had bolted past AJ who was looking terrified (rightfully so) and our guide, who was pleased I did not lose my board or need to be rescued from a crevasse or the bottom of the ridge, which went on for miles. I had been careful of assembling my split board before this incident, but now I was even more observant.
I've only told you about the challenges of this expedition. Perhaps because you spend 90% of the time climbing and 10% of the time skiing/riding. The riding was phenomenal. I had the most amazing runs of my life on this trip. I rode through pristine, untouched powder that sprayed up with each turn. I was following AJ down the first run on Saturday morning when this incredible feeling of lightness and grace swept over me. I felt the smile on my face widening and I just let the board run, ripping right past AJ. Birds move with this ease. For a few moments gravity has been altered and I am barely touching earth. My eyes blur. I tear up from the wind and the jolt of adrenaline.
Our second run on Saturday, after an epic climb and my board mishap, was probably the best run of my life. It was 2/3rds longer than the first run and was perfect snow. I was squealing with delight as I rode down the bowl, and my permagrin grew as I looked back at our perfect lines and watched AJ shred the mountain as if it were a gigantic wave.
I felt confident riding, only took one or two minor tumbles when we rode over flat terrain with frozen tufts of crust and one of these was because I rode over my pole when I was trying to give myself a boost. I rode through ice cliffs, along tiny ridges, and down some of the steepest terrain I've ever encountered. And I managed to ride out of the glacier with my full pack without needing a boost or push from any of the skiers. AJ was even following my line.
Some people might wonder why I'd want to do something like this for my honeymoon. I mean thermals and wool socks are not very sexy lingerie and not showering for six days is few people's idea of paradise.
This entire trip has been incredible. Everyday has had its own adventure, some more dramatic than others. The glacier trek put me and AJ in entirely new terrain, physically, emotionally, mentally. We are both new to ski touring and had to experience the beginner's mind. We had to permit ourselves to take risks and to face fears. I listened to AJ's voice crack as he hesitated, confronting his fear of heights. I watched him focus as he traversed the steep cut out on the last part of the trek back to the hut. I saw him entirely spent at the top of the mountain, sunscreen and sweat burning his eyes. I heard the urgency in his voice when he asked me if I was okay with some of the sketchy traverses we were about to embark upon. Pushing ourselves in this type of environment brings new perspective to everything else.
The fact that AJ welcomes this type of challenge is infinitely attractive to me. Here is someone who is willing to confront his fears, to experience discomfort, to endure, to trust, and to open up to something new.
Our hut crew was fantastic. Another couple from VT and their guide were also there and we had some good laughs. I even taught a yoga class in the hut on Friday. Everyone was busting on AJ because he said that Saturday was better than sex...the amazing powder runs and the 10+ miles trekking. I'm not saying that glacial treks should be substituted for sex (or vice versa), but this experience taps into something as primal as sex. It was a moving meditation. We trekked through the glacier with a reverence and respect for the power and danger the earth wields. What happens if we extend this philosophy to our lovers and friends? That's another post/essay.
We're back in Raglan again. A day and a half before we fly back to the States where a hurricane has ransacked our coast, where a family I may never meet buries a teenage boy my college students taught last fall. A mentor's husband has also died.
I remember telling myself "be here now" at some point during a long climb. It's not just split boarding/ski touring where the majority of the time is an uphill climb.
I am so fortunate to have found a partner who understands this and who loves me unconditionally. I am also grateful for the circle of family and friends who have made my time away easier. Those involved in Operation Get Elsie to High Ground, you rock! And Pam, you always make my job easier and more fun.
Mom and Dad, you'd love it here...in a warmer season, you could tour wineries, where sheep graze in the vineyards, hike the pristine countryside, and fish in one mirror lake after another.
Over and out, for now.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Six Blue Birds
Wednesday August 24, 2011
I awoke after sleeping 10 hours, boy was I shot out from the previous epic day of snowboarding. It was six in the morning, I turned on the gas to start the coffee. Emari was still in bed but now awake and I asked her if she wanted eggs, which she did...I warned her nothing fancy, straight up scrambled eggs.
We rolled out of our camp site at 7:45am so we could make it to Treble Cone for the 8:30am shuttle which we made. It was suppose to be an overcast day with rain and snow at higher elevations but we were given another blue bird day, more windy up top, some passing clouds through out the day. It did not soften up like yesterday but by noon we were off-piste and riding all over the place. Three blue bird days in a row with yesterday as epic as the come, only thing that would have made it better was 24" of powder under a blue sunny sky. This was my 97th day riding for this season, it sure has been an amazing year.
Tomorrow morning we report to the Aspiring Guides Office to review our gear, the itinerary, the weather etc. We are expecting some foul weather to move through, hopefully nothing that will prevent the Heli from trans prong us. At this point it seems it may just be Emari and I with a guide, this could be the icing on the cake but I can't allow myself to get my hopes up, the weather could shut down the whole trip, just give us a clear window so we can get out in the elements, start climbing and riding, climbing and riding, climbing and riding...soaking in the magnitude of the experience.
I asked Emari how long she has been riding for? She responded, "one full season and some extras..." damn she is ripping.
AJ
I awoke after sleeping 10 hours, boy was I shot out from the previous epic day of snowboarding. It was six in the morning, I turned on the gas to start the coffee. Emari was still in bed but now awake and I asked her if she wanted eggs, which she did...I warned her nothing fancy, straight up scrambled eggs.
We rolled out of our camp site at 7:45am so we could make it to Treble Cone for the 8:30am shuttle which we made. It was suppose to be an overcast day with rain and snow at higher elevations but we were given another blue bird day, more windy up top, some passing clouds through out the day. It did not soften up like yesterday but by noon we were off-piste and riding all over the place. Three blue bird days in a row with yesterday as epic as the come, only thing that would have made it better was 24" of powder under a blue sunny sky. This was my 97th day riding for this season, it sure has been an amazing year.
Tomorrow morning we report to the Aspiring Guides Office to review our gear, the itinerary, the weather etc. We are expecting some foul weather to move through, hopefully nothing that will prevent the Heli from trans prong us. At this point it seems it may just be Emari and I with a guide, this could be the icing on the cake but I can't allow myself to get my hopes up, the weather could shut down the whole trip, just give us a clear window so we can get out in the elements, start climbing and riding, climbing and riding, climbing and riding...soaking in the magnitude of the experience.
I asked Emari how long she has been riding for? She responded, "one full season and some extras..." damn she is ripping.
AJ
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