More Denali Training - Video

Just a quick shot of myself hiking along the fire road at 10,000' in Colorado.

As a fun note, in the lower right corner, the disturbed snow is from where I stepped off the road to place the camera and sunk to my waist. I had to cross my poles as a brace to mantle off to get out.

Pentax w80
Joby Gorilla Pod

Training for Denali

I've been spending the past week in Summit County CO, and while here, I'm continuing my training for Denali. Right now I'm doing some fast walking on a fire road behind a ski resort that the ski patrol hauls sleds down from the backside lifts.

I've been able to get in 3-4 miles per day at an average 3.3 mph pace (both up and down at an average 5% grade). It's been snowing pretty much every day I've been here, with about a foot last night so I got to do some trail-breaking training today.

I hike in my Lowa 8000 meter boots with poles. Pretty cool overall. I was going to do a 14'er in them last weekend, but the weather and avalanche danger were more than I wanted to deal with. I talked to some friends that tried it last weekend, and they didn't make the top and they said the weather sucked.

In this picture:
Lowa 8000 meter system boots
REI mountaineering socks
Pearl Izumi windproof tights
UnderArmour Coldgear medium weight fitted top
The North Face running shell
Outdoor Research beanie

Audio:
Creative Zen MX
Skullcandy cheap earbuds
Android Lust

Denali/McKinley - Not the standard route

Okay, just a quick post that I'm going to do Denali this May via the Northwest Buttress Route. This is the next ridge to the North from the standard West Buttress "tourist" route, and is considered between West Rib and Cassin in difficulty. Going to go train now, so I'll say more later.