10 for 10

A few years ago, when I was trying to do 100 ten thousand foot days, I attempted 10 consecutive days of 10 000 ft. It was a wicked time each day was in a different zone, each descent different. So that by the tenth day I had skied tonnes of powder, always in a different zone, I was pumped and we headed up an unknown road. This mistake ended my 10th day, it turned out that the road led to the mountain of no vertical and we ended up doing a loop of 15 km with  barely 4000 ft of gain. So I never managed 10 for 10.

During this year I have always dreamed that I would do 10 for 10, it would be so good for my average, adding an extra 45,000 ft to my goal. But it has never manifested itself. In Bariloche, I mentioned that I was hoping for 9 out of the last 14 days of August to be tens. Then I got sick and ended up in bed for 5 days. So I did not mention anything this time.

This time I just went out day after day and watched my numbers add up. It was great, not a lot of exploring, but some serious skinning.

I lapped these two volcanoes, like a biker in a velodrome. Just setting my skin tracks in and lapping 2000-2300ft laps, head down, getting’er done.  Going to the summit of Nuevo at least 14 times, skiing off the back side a couple but mostly on this front side. Some days like today, I hung out low and lapped down low, others times  higher.

My efforts paid off. 10 days= 103,370 ft. I went from behind par to 3 days ahead. Awesome.

Also a month ago when Tracey and the kids left I vowed I would take advantage of my freedom. No responsibilities but my goal. This month would be the month that made the goal happen.  14Sept-13Oct= 30 days, 2 days off, 28 days on, average per day 9,128 ft, lowest day 2990ft(Jesse’s Birthday) biggest day 11440ft,  16 days over 10 000 for a grand total of…..255 610 ft.   That is so satisfying.

Loco Gringos

I know that quite often the chileans must look over at me and wonder what the hell I am up to. Long hair, mustache, crazed look in my eyes and moving quickly uphill. but its reassuring to know that I am not the only loco gringo around; check out Rainer.

This dude has skied everyday for the last seven years, every day! Logging usually on average 30 grand a day, so he has skied 83.5 million feet in those seven years. I know I am being obsessed this year, but I still have made time for other things like family trips, beaches, mountain biking, golf.  I cannot imagine not taking a day off for seven years! Check out this article to read more about his mission. Impressive dedication.

I met him in the morning and we both went on our separate adventures, and then I met him again in the afternoon. You can see he is writing down his numbers.. Which were 30101 ft to my 10400ft.

Well 9 days of over 10g’s in a row. Getting further ahead…

Happily ahead of Par

What a feeling! I couldn’t keep the smile off my face today, I was so excited to be in fact at Par and now slightly ahead of it. Each creamy corn lap was fun, each summit exciting. Damn I cannot believe how long it took me to get back on PAR. June 1st I fell behind and now its Oct 10th, so many days spent playing catch up. The farthest behind was probable 75 000 feet, and then I would gain some, loose some.  And now finally on day 283 I am ahead of par. At an average of 5480 ft a day I should be at 1550840, and I am at 1553460 ft, exactly 2620 feet ahead. Yahhhhhh.

And when I hit par, on the summit of Volcan Viejo, I showed the mountains that hill is still kickin’

Pretty tough to time that one with my self-timer, but five tries later and I got it.  From there I rewarded myself with a nice dunk in the hotsprings.

This hotspring is kinda warm, not hot, but so refreshing on this warm spring day. Then a last tour up and home.  My seventh 10 thousand footer in a row..

And now I am celebrating,a steak on the barbecue, a bottle of Merlot and I am going to skype call anyone I know back home.