AK's Footnotes

 Tour du Mont Blanc, Switzerland Day 1: Les Houches to La Balme - 10mi, 3700ft Day 2: La Balme to Elisabetta - 13mi, 6000ft - 4 mountain passes, steep! Day 3: Elisabetta to Courmayeur - 11mi, 3600ft - should have taken the gondola down! Les Houches to La Balme The starting line... Packed and ready to go. Hotel in Les Houche. First glimpse of things to come. From the top of Bellevue gondola.  First break of the day - snack and cold drink from the hut in the valley.  The most scenic outhouse! A very cool composting toilet with conveyor system.  View from the hut! Delicious post-hike snack. Day 1 is done.  Dinner! Yum. Day 2 La Balme to Elisabetta  Day 2 started a bit dreary.  Picked up a few hiking buddies, and the weather is improving. Great start to the day.  Moody mountains. Pass #1. an Aussi, Jess, Danny and I Descending another pass. Lots of vert today! Pass #2. Rude... The last pass of the day! The valley as we approach the hut. The view from ...

 Valkry Lodge Ski Trip - Outside of Nelson BC 7 days of skiing with a great gang.  Ken, Monique, Odile, Travis, Amalija, Tuan, Xuan Mai, Sean, Sam, Petra. Storm skiing party! Excellent mellow tree skiing for stormy and high-avy danger days. Waiting for the weather to clear so we can get the helicopter out. You have to be ready at a moments notice! Helicopters are just the coolest. The day we traversed the ridge in a blowing whiteout. It was a relief to see the skies clear.  Great terrain! Our favorites: Stoney Trees (steeper trees, long descent), Arnies, Sunrise (low-angle trees), The Prow, Bonus Tracks, Roller Coaster. We ate and drank well! cocktail assembly line Xuan Mai's creativity and presentation for the win. Mochi cake with candied ginger, spice infused syrup and whipped cream.  Wrapping up each day over a hearty meal, with tired legs and a full heart. No pictures of the sauna?

Mountaineers Trail Run - Lake Ingalls Loop 10mi, 3900ft, 5 stars!  Gaia Route Gorgeous fall colors from the larches. Smooth runnable terrain on the last downhill. The valley bottom was also runnable. Longs' Pass would make a good ski! Mt Stuart A bit scrambly around Lake Ingalls - no trail to speak of. Some fun friction climbing though!