Glacier Skiing in Switzerland

1/27/2010
The Day Off
I’m finally taking a day off from skiing and ice climbing and getting busy with standard work issues that have been put on the table and not dealt with. We’re packing it up in Saas-Fee and getting ready to head out on the busses and trains of Switzerland and Italy to make our way to Rabenstein for the next climbing competition, locally known as the “Ice Fight.” It’s by invitation only and we are fortunate enough to be invited!
This is that part of traveling that’s a drag. Packing everything up and waiting for the next movement. My next movement is a series of pull-ups, dead hangs, front levers, and hanging crunches off the balcony. It’s hard to stay in shape on this circuit for the Americans, as I’ve already stated.
Yesterday was fortuitous, as we ran into the staff over at the Mountain Guides’ office and the girl there told us that they are having a town party with skiers carrying backpacks on fire coming down the mountain. I guess this is a good photography opportunity in any regard. There’s always something going on at the ski area.
I was able to fulfill my requisite days of skiing complex glaciated terrain and made my personal descents as well. Justin was a trooper and tolerated my wanting to drop in on some big terrain. Good thing he’s got faith in me! We did a great ski tour down a 46 degree slope with waist deep powder for about 200m that gave way to the moat around the glacier. It was covered with scant snow bridges, so it got exciting for a moment as I made my way out onto the glacier. I probed out a nice are to belay Justin from and had him cross the snow bridges. Once on the main body of the glacier we enjoyed another 1300m of glaciated powder and then skied to Saas-Fee.
We’re looking forward to Leigh Caswell coming out to join us from the “505” (New Mexico). I keep trying to get this girl to get busy on the mixed ice climbing since she’s so inherently strong and has ability to do well. Maybe seeing the next two competitions will inspire her to crank hard! Leigh is also the President of the Alb. Mountain Rescue Team now. She’s doing some really good things for the team and is a visionary for the future of how rescue will actually be done in Abq. – a pretty big task to say the least. Anyway, I hope she has a great trip out and it’s going to even more fun with more of a crew from back home to travel with! We’re all looking forward to skiing in Italy near the Dolomites as well.