Human-Powered the Great One (Bridgers)

Billy followed me around licking my pee.  Yum....

Wednesday June 27th,

I rode out to the Bridger Mountains with my skis attached to my bicycle and skied a run that we call the Great One.

This may be the first time that the Great One has ever been skied by "fair means" to quote Reinhold Messner.

Awesome full value experience just 28 miles from home.

The ride was a bit of an ass kicker, and I had to throw down a little, or a lot to be honest, and I wonder sometimes, is this really this hard?, am I a wimp?, and how come there aren't more human-powered people out here raging with me?

I camped at the lake and was honoured to hang with a Mountain Goat, and a Moose during the evening hours.  Both of my four legged friends were about 10-15 feet from my tent, and I'd forgotten how big Moose are up close like that.  Obviously they did not feel threatened by me, so I naturally didn't feel threatened by them either.  Probably because we're all vegetarians and smell good, and don't put off that "I kill things" feeling.

My friend Pat Clayton came out and took pictures, which I haven't seen yet, but I hear that we rocked it, so stay tuned for the follow up photo album.  You can check out Pat's work at Fish Eye Guy Photography, his photos speak volumes!!

Blah, Blah, Blah. Here are my photos from the trip, enjoy.

Baby Budda sits at the helm of my command center

Looking down the second half of the run

When you've earned it, it tastes so much better!!!

Schlepp and Bob at Fairy Lake, um my skis have no name.

The Great One is the couloir on the left.

The Denali Orgasm

Twenty Thousand Three Hundred Twenty Feet,,,, high!

Reaching the peak, or the climax, of "The Great One" on a clear day in June.  I pause to give special thanks to my friend and climbing partner Chip Snyder for inviting me on this trip, and to the mountain itself, "The Great One" for allowing me summit her, and to play out my own personal fantasies of being a pilgrim and a pioneer.  Learning the ways of nature through my own deep and meaningful relationships that I have with these mountains that I climb.  Thank You.  That was the best summit climax, mountain orgasm, that I have ever had.  Cheers,

Sitting in Talkeetna, waiting for the flight in.

Somehow ended up at the Brewery and got drunk.

Then wandered through the grave yard to sober up.  This is the grave stone
of the late great Mugs Stump, RIP.

No better way to start a big trip than being hung over.

Super psyched, and still drunk.

Mount Hunter seen from the landing strip on the glacier.

Camp one at 7,800 feet on the Kahiltna Glacier.

Day 2, still hung over, slogging up the glacier.

Searching for crevasses in a white-out is an easy way to have
a good time.

Pushing 17,000 feet on a warm up hike.

Over looking Camp 3 and all the tiny little tents.  Mount Foraker
in the background.

Heading for the summit on a beautiful day.

Descending the 6,000 feet back to Camp 3 after the summit. 

Looking north into the great expanse of the land we call Alaska.

So yes, it's been a month since I checked my email, or changed my clothes.  My fingers have forgotten how to type, and full decompression will take another week or so I imagine.  Please stay tuned for a full trip report.