Summary 2011

-Warning-  Mega "spray" contained herein.  The rough outline of this is something I prepared for professional purposes. I personalized and expanded it a bit for this entry. Posting here is inspired by Michelle.  She's way cool, and she can do it.  Why can't I aspire to such coolness?  "Guided" implies I got paid for the pleasure.  Thanks to SMG and the great paying guests there.  This isn't a comprehensive list, but it certainly hits the highlights.  The idea originally was to list things that I could easily remember.  But recollections led to digging through journals which led to discoveries of forgotten adventures.  Which got listed. 

-January 2011.

• 7 days ice guiding, 6 days ski guiding/avy courses, 2 days alpine guiding.
• AIARE Level 2 ITC in Rainqualmie Pass, WA.
• “Photoshop Chimney” Lee Vining Canyon,  With Christy.  Ice climbs 2011 blogged here. CA IV M5 WI4
• “Bleached Bones” and "Solarium" Happy Boulders.  V4
• “Spiral Staircase”, Lee Vining Canyon III WI 4. Guided
• “Bard Harrington Center”, Lee Vining Canyon, CA IV WI 4. Guided
• “Cardinal Peak”,  High Sierra, CA.  Ski Mountaineering. With badass John M. 8000 V.F.
• “Mount McGee.”  High Sierra, CA.  Ski Mountaineering.  4000 V.F.  With Reed and Evan.
• “Aspendell to Peabodies” High Sierra, CA.  Ski Touring.  4000 V.F.  With Alex
• “Bard-Harrington Left”, Lee Vining Canyon, CA IV WI 4 Thin. With Christy.  Check out this sweet picture.

-February 2011

• 15 days ski guiding/avy courses, 3 days ice guiding.
• Taught an AIARE Level 2 course with Howie.  Students included a real movie star and a real rock star.
• “North Couloir” Mt. Tom, CA.  Solo, Ski Mountaineering.  5000 V.F.
• “South Couloir” Mt. Tinemaha, CA.  Ski Mountaineering.  6000 V.F.  With Howie.
• “Red Mountain” High Sierra, CA.  Powder BC skiing, a few trips.  5000 V.F.
• "Wonder Lakes Loop", High Sierra. Skiing. Guided. 

-March 2011

• 11 days ski guiding/avy courses, 3 days ice guiding.  5 days alpine guiding.
• 1 day formal professional development.
• “Mt. Whitney”,  CA. 1-day Ski Attempt. Guided.
• “Mt. Thor”, CA.  Ski Mountaineering. Guided.
• “Coke to Kidney to Gibbs”, CA.  Ski Mountaineering.  8000 V.F. Guided
• “Mountaineers Route”, CA.  5-day Attempt.  Guided.
• “Mt Lewis Circumnavigation”,  CA.  Ski Touring.  4000 V.F. With Alex.
• “East Bowl”  Mt. Tom, CA.  Ski Mountaineering.  7000 V.F. With Howie.

-April 2011

• No work, all travel and professional development.
• “Chips off the Old Block”, Pine Creek, CA.  III 10b. With Alex.
•  18 days in ski boots.
• One 30^th birthday party for my sister in NY.
• AMGA Ski Mountaineering Guides Course and Aspirant Exam in Alaska
• Skied first faeets at Hatcher Pass, powder at Turnagain, from a helicopter in Girdwood and  then rain at Turnagain.
• I did not make the grade on my first try at this AMGA SMGC/AE.  Jump ahead to December of this year for a happy ending to the story. 
• Post AMGA Course, met up with John and Scott and Steve to tear up Valdez.  School Bus, Girls Mountain, Valley of the Tusk, Prince William Sound, porpoises, whales, eagles, ferrys, trains, rental cars.  Whew.  
• One big avalanche incident in Alaska.  Don't worry, all are well. 

-May 2011

• Some of Alaska skiing spilled over into May.
• 5 days rock guiding.  2 days ski guiding.
• 1 day formal Professional Development.
• “Solar Slab” Red Rock, NV.  IV 5.6  Guided.
• “Chrimson Cryssalis”, Red Rock, NV.  IV 5.8.  Guided
• “Dark Shadows”, Red Rock, NV IV 5.8.  Guided
• “Frigidaire Buttress,” Red Rock, NV III 5.9.  Guided.
• “Whodunit”, “Super Pooper”, “Open Book”, “Fingertrip”, All with Alex, all in Tahquitz, CA
• “Mt. Starr”, High Sierra, CA.  Ski Mountaineering.  3000 V.F.  Guided
• “S. Lake to Sabrina”,  High Sierra, CA.  Ski Mountaineering.  5000 V.F. Guided.
• “Lamarck Col”, High Sierra, CA.  Ski Touring, 5000 V.F. With Alex.  Late May powder skiing!

-June 2011

• 6 days rock guiding, 2 days ski guiding, 7 days alpine guiding.
• “West Face to Crack Kingdom”, Cardinal Pinnacle, CA.  8 pitches.  5.10c.  With Alex, for her birthday.
• 4 other days crag/sport climbing
• “East Chute”, Matterhorn Peak, CA.  3^rd Class.  Guided
• “Black Mountain North Couloir”.  Ski Mountaineering.  Guided
• “Nevahbe Ridge”, High Sierra, CA.  4^th class. with alex.
• “North Ridge” Lone Pine Peak, CA.  III 5.6. with alex.

-July 2011

• 13 days alpine guiding, 3 days rock guiding.
• “SE Glacier”, Mt. Ritter, CA.  3^rd class, steep snow.  Guided
• 4 days crag/sport climbing
• “North Face”, Mt. Sill, CA.  4^th class, glaciated.  Guided
• “Palisade Traverse”, High Sierra, CA.  V 5.9.  Guided
• “Evolution Traverse”, High Sierra, CA.  Solo Recon mission.
• “On the Lamb to Oz to Hobbit Book”, Tuolumne Meadows, CA.  11 pitches, 10d. With Viren
• “Regular Route to Lucky Streaks”, Fairview Dome, CA. 18 pitches, 10d. With Alex
• “North Ridge” Mt. Conness, CA.  III 5.6. Guided

-August 2011

• 13 days alpine guiding, 5 days rock guiding.
• “West Pillar” Eichorn Pinnacle, Tuolumne Meadows, CA.  III 5.10b
• “NW Ridge” Mt Winchell, CA.  IV 5.8
• “Palisade Traverse”, CA. V 5.9.  Guided.
• “Leconte Ledges”, North Palisade, CA.  III 4^th class.  Guided
• “Evolution Traverse”, High Sierra, CA.  VI 5.9.

-September 2011

• 12 days Alpine guiding.
• All the Palisade 14ers this month.  Guided.
• 3-day “Evolution Loop” Fastpack/run with Sage To Summit, Sierra Mountain Guides and Camp USA

-October 2011

• 2 days alpine guiding, 2 days rock guiding.
• Yosemite Cragging.  Lots of it.  5.10 crack onsites.
• “Serenity to Sons” Yosemite, CA.  IV 10d.  Mock Guided.
• 6-Day AMGA Rock Guides Exam, Red Rock, NV. Itinerary:  2nd Pullout sport climbing, Wholesome Fullback to Triassic Sands, Ginger Cracks to Power Failure, Epinephrine, and Community Pillar.  I passed, now a Certified Rock Guide. 
• “North Couloir” North Peak, CA.  III AI3, 5.6.  Guided
• “North Arete” Crystal Crag, CA.  III 5.7.  Guided.
• “SE Face” Mt. Emerson, CA.  III 5.5. Guided.

-November 2011

• Flagstaff, Sedona, Joshua Tree Road trip. 
• “Solar Slab” Red Rock, NV.  Guided.
• “Walker Spur” Red Rock, NV.  II 10b R.
• Family trip, 3 weeks.

December 2011

• 1 week in New York, including a funeral and a weekend in Brooklyn and Manhattan.
• 4 days ice guiding.  1 day Avalanche course.
• 2 days formal professional development.
• 3 days skiing in Silverton, CO for a "make-up" of my sup-par performance in Alaska in April.  I passed.  Now I am an official IFMGA Aspirant. 
• 2 days climbing in Owens River Gorge.
• 1 week in Florida. 
• 7 bottles of champagne.  Happy New Year.