Tobacco ON my ROOTS

by Chris Bangs

Hello from the Tobacco Root Mountains in S.W. Montana. On Friday the 15th of February, Jon Wareham and myself rode our bicycles out to the po-dunk little town of Pony Montana. There we pitched camp just on the outskirts of town on a perfect winter day. The temperatures where in the mid 40s and made for a great day of cycling along the Madison River, over the grass fields of Norris, and into the western most mountain range in the Bozeman area.

For the love of winter camping, there is fire.

Our plan for the weekend was to climb and ski Hollowtop Peak (10,604 ft), the highest peak in the Tobacco Root Mountains. Named after the distinctive volcanic like bowl on the summit. This is Peak #3 in my 7 Summits of Bozeman Project. Human-Powered, Vegan, and obviously out of my mind.

We find perfection in individual moments of clear consciousness.

Riding 55 miles on a bicycle in one day, in the middle of winter in Montana,,,, to go skiing on a mountain with nobody else around.... Hell yes! I've wanted to do this for years. The idea has been there floating around in my head like a swollen hot air ballon for the past decade.

Still Life with Christopher

Of course people tell me all the time that I'm crazy. Or that I've lost my mind. My response is to laugh a lot, like I maybe didn't hear them correctly. I tell them I live by two mottos; Safety 3rd, and No brains No headaches. No really,,,, complete strangers tell me I'm nuts, and that I've lost my marbles. It happened at least twice on this trip, by people that were not having near as much fun as Jon here (pictured below) with his bike chain stuck in his cogs.

Yes,,,, this sucks! And No,,, Triple AAA won't help.

After a couple of minor breakdowns on the highway, and 10 miles of headwinds in the canyon on the Madison River. We made it to Norris, and sat down at the convenience store for a little break. As usual I survey all the poisonous food-like substances for sale at the counter and wonder to myself how it ever got this way. Then I pull out a rice cake from my pocket, covered in organic nut butter and coconut oil. Mmm, true whole food rocket fuel.

Jon Wareham, action figure and professional hair model.

The climb to the summit had its full share of winter values. Brutal wind, cold temps, dense styrofoam snow, and no powder.... This is the stuff that weird people like myself enjoy.  Stuff that only mindless heroes would attempt conquer; in mindless human-powered ways. Mindlessly saving the planet one rice cake at a time.

Haven't felt wind like that since I jumped out of an airplane!

All fun and games aside. We did ski off the summit without being blown into North Dakota. The only big crash of the weekend came on day 3 when I wiped out on my bike over frozen mud. Me, my bike, and all my gear came crashing to a halt, just after I uttered the famous last words, "slow speed crashes never really hurt that bad." A little blood on my knee and a sore left hand, heck I'm just getting started. This is going to be a hoot after all.

Tobacco Roots

Schools, Farms, and Skis

I learned how to be a great person because of skiing.
And because of skiing I learned how to live a great life.

Ski Mountaineering in Alaska; 2003

For me skiing took patience and it taught me to enjoy my life in new and different ways.
Today skiing is still teaching me how to live properly.

Getting ready to ski Little Rainbow in the Pintlars; 2004

Little Rainbow above Storm Lake, Pintlar Mountains Montana.

I love skiing,,, and because of skiing I have a message when I go into a school. 

I'm enthusiastic about life....

And I realize how important these next generation are to making a positive,

and greener future.

Captain Green Man w/ bicycle and skis.

Because of skiing, I've learned how to value life differently.

To value my food and my family above profit and material things.

Is it ok to show summer pictures in the winter?

I remember crashing a lot when I learned how to ski.

Being cold and wondering why I was having so much fun at the same time.

I remember the day I realized the truth about skiing.

The exact moment when I knew what it is about skiing that makes it so perfect.

And makes people feel so free.

It's everything!

Everything mountains and earth,

snow crystals and air,

everything magical and real,

all at once

with no barriers between life, love, snow, and mountains

Everything about my relationships with love, 

and how this relationship can catalyst my future.

Sacajawea Peak, Bridger Mountains Montana

Super freekin' stoked....!!!!

I love being the mountains in Winter! 

It's so amazing what you can see out there. 

The majestic Bridger Mountains in Montana! 

For a relatively short mountain range 

the Bridgers are have sharp 

jagged peaks, long elegant ridge lined, and perfect powder snow! 

Skiing into the Mountains. Sacajawea on far right.

The surreal adventure of solo winter mountaineering. 

I froze my ass off a few times. 

Lost the use of my right hand for about an hour,

had to jump around in my big puffy down jacket

while setting up camp. 

Bridge Mountain Majesty. So beautiful in full winter gown.

Not sure if I bruised my big toe or if this is partially due to 

frostbite.

Had to question everything;

where to camp,

where to stash the bike,

how fast to move,

what layers to where,

am I too cold or can I keep going?

Ice climbing boots work well for winter bicycle riding!!!

Yes, keep moving.

When your almost there,

It feels like perfection.

"The Great One" on Naya Nuki.

All my fears and doubts were replaced by sheer joy on the ski up to the top 

of Sacajawea. 

The mountains are so peaceful, soft, and quite in winter. 

How much stuff can you fit on a BOB Trailer?

The 7 Summits of Bozeman

Project...

My goal is to climb and ski the highest peak in each of the 7 mountain ranges the surround Bozeman in the next 5 months. All 100% Human-Powered! This is a fund-raising climb-a-thon to raise money for our organic farming networks, (that include School presentations on fitness, farming, and a plant-based diet to support a better you and better community, and our BIKE TO FARM summer group rides). Pledge by the mile or vertical foot! Donate today! (find the donate button on the right and make a contribution to support Human-Powered Mountaineers Inc.)

Because food is the most important issue we face in the world today.  Buy local, support organic, and make a difference!

Old Rad Dog Rio

Rio "Old Dog" 1992-2006

Old Dog turned grey at two years.

He held an air of authority and intelligence beyond that of any dog.

My companion, gardian, and best friend.

Rio saved my life more times than I will ever know.

(And a few times that I do.)

We skied off hundreds of Peaks together, from Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, and Colorado.

Hitch-hiked thousands of miles in every type of weather possible.

And he never complained once.

Animal companions are a special part of our lives.

I keep this photo of Rio framed in my house

from one of our last adventures together,

rock climbing at Stone Hill near Eureka, MT.

Endorsed by The American Alpine Club

Get ready and buckle up! HPM Inc. is back with the help of Pat Clayton @ Fish Eye Guy Photography and the American Alpine Club. All proceeds will go to support our organic farming education network here in Gallatin County.

Immediately following the slide show we will turn the event into a social, by introducing our farmer friends from the summer's BIKE TO FARM project that Justene and I spearheaded, and we will be introducing all our friends and sponsors who are all apart of the holistic food & body work network here in Bozeman. This will be a great way for everyone to meet their farmers, yoga teachers, nutritionists, natural-path doctors, body workers, etc, etc, etc.  And all in a setting to drink a beer with them (?). Yep that's right. We are going to let it all hang out this year, (like we didn't do that last year...)

We are creating the future together. One peak, peddle stroke, and picture at a time. See you there!

p.s. The poster here is incomplete. Not all of our sponsors have reported in for duty. But as you can see this is going to be one awesome raffle. Everyone who buys a raffle ticket will at least be going home with a bag of swag. Everyone loves swag, and Bozeman is the king of swag.

Screaming Barfies

To many of us, ice climbing is church.

We come here to pray and get on our knees.

Our fate: The Screaming Barfies

If your not wailing out loud and dry heaving, it's not the 'screaming barfies'.
This man is getting the full value experience.

When your friend gets the 'screaming barfies' for the first time, the proper thing to do is humour him by laughing, pointing, and having a little boy come over to untie his knot.

By definition, the screaming barfies are when your hands warm up from frozen little icicles, to red hot pumping blood at 98.6º, so fast that the burning sensation drops you to your knees, and you start wailing and dry heaving at the same time. (As pictured above).

Now I hear a lot of people throwing around the term 'screaming barfies', which makes me happy because it means that ice climbing is finally out of the closet and we don't have to be shy and bashful anymore about the sport that we love more than anything else in the world that requires our most basic primal instincts. BUT,,, if your not screaming and barfing, you haven't experience the screaming barfies.

Where's Waldo?

Can you see the ice climber in this photo?

The first person to identify the location of this amphitheatre wins
free Yerba Mate, from Mate Factor.

Why do people love ice climbing so much?

Maybe because it's cold,

dangerous,

and absolutely beautiful!

big love's advice column

We recently got this Email from Ian Gibson:

Hi There,

Just want to say great website and very inspiring.  You have got some really important stuff on there.  I am also very interested in holistic health and healing, and also planning my own human powered mountaineering trip on Vancouver Island next summer.  I was wondering if I could ask for your advice about how you packed your climbing gear on the bicycle.  I Have a bob that I intend to use and my trip partner will probably rely on panniers.  We will be encountering mixed terrain with some glacier travel and some low grade belayed climbing.  We are both experienced at cycle touring and climbing, but have yet to combine the two.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Ian

Going to extremes can easily look like this...!!!!
Note the shock on the BOB Ibex Trailer. Very nice ride...!!!!

Hi Ian,

Glad to help and share the adventure with you. I absolutely love bicycle touring and fell into almost by accident. If you have a BOB Trailer your stoked. In the past I've done everything from 3 day trips to 18 months, and the BOB (Trailer) has carried all of my gear without a single problem or complaint. Usually I put all the heavy climbing gear and ropes in the bottom of the dry bag, if you have one of those yellow dry bags that come with BOB. This keeps my rope and gear dry and I don't have to move the stuff around at all when I'm on the cycling leg of the trip. I also put my climbing gear and hardware in a stuff sack so that it's not lose in the bottom of the dry bag. Then depending on how much stuff you have with you, (I usually have more than enough) I put most of the light clothing, sleeping pad, food for the day, and other odds and ends in my back pack and strap that onto the out side of the trailer on top of the dry bag. I've done this with multiple size loads, everything from large backpacks with skis strapped to them, and smaller packs too.Please take pictures and we'd be stoked to hear about your adventure. I spent a month on Salt Spring Island (Gulf Islands between Vancouver and Vancouver Island) in 2010 at the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga, and then from there took the ferry over to Vancouver Island and rode north to Nanaimo, then back on the ferry over to Horseshoe Bay, and rode up to Squamish (world class rock climbing destination) and spent a month there climbing rocks with friends. Awesome ride on the Island. Love'd the places I camped and the being on the coast. Have fun and try to get your buddy a BOB Trailer....!!!!!

big love,

Christopher

big love