alpine recovery
First things first. I finally finished the Denali video. I edit like I read. An hour here and an hour there. I never devote a whole day to editing but rather do little bits at a time - like Sam Stein eats cookies. Yet finally here it is.
I signed off last time with a painful achilles tendon. It left me flaking on climbing trips to prioritize recovery. It left me scared for what August climbing and September hunting season would look like. I was devastated and worried. But I had just hiked baby hills around Jackson with very little pain. There was hope.
Fast forward to today. I’m packing my Alaska gear with a huge smile on my face. My achilles is ready for a month on the tundra chasing moose.
In the last weeks I’ve climbed and backpacked routes I didn’t think i’d be healed enough for. It’s hard for me to believe that earlier this month my foot was twice its normal size. Time with friends and time in the alpine cures all I guess.
My buddies and I share a belief that the alpine energizes you. We call it “alpine energy”. You’ll be tired and seemingly out of shape hiking at 2am through low-elevation timber. But crest the tree-line, scramble the rocks, and gaze at the expansive views. An immense energy, excitement, and drive will overcome you. Suddenly you can cover ground all day.
I won’t get too hippie and say that the high-elevation environment heals injuries. But a scaled approach to the alpine this month, with increasing intensity and mileage, has left my achilles feeling great.
From scrambles and climbs to hikes, swims, and floats, here’s my recent alpine recovery schedule. Or prescription should I say. Wow I’d make a terrible doctor. Don’t take this as medical advice. But the following “active-recovery” plan worked for me.
Jackson Lake
I bailed on plans to scramble Disappointment peak. My achilles wasn’t ready. So I opted instead to swim 7 miles in Jackson Lake to Elk Island and back. A Grand Teton substitution that timed perfectly with the Disappointment crew to celebrate together afterwards.
Tickler Reunion
Tim drove from Minnesota for work and play out west. He’s an addict of the Rockies (and particularly fond of Snow King mountain lol) yet we haven’t quite roped him into moving here yet. Tim’s visit meant Snow King hikes, hilarious river floats, partying, and a Teton Tickler Denali reunion!
Full Exum
With the achilles feeling ok I was itching for an alpine push. I free soloed the Full Exum route on the Grand Teton. No pain until the final mile down. I was pumped. I knew I’d have to save some August goals for next year. But this climb reminded me I could still check off a few.
Alpine Shenanigans with Kelly
Long-time friend and OG RPK3 coworker (shouts out to the rest of the RPK3 crew!) Kelly (AKA Jackson’s new 911 dispatch YYEEEEOOWWW) and I shared many highs together this month.
First came an Albright and Static peak link-up with a descent of Static’s hilariously loose east ridge. That allowed us to drop to Buck’s base and make the hike a loop rather than out-and-back. We saw two bears on the trip making it a double-peak double-bear day.
Next up Teewinot. A personal favorite of mine and Kelly’s first attempt. She crushed it. A low mileage but stupidly steep hike with class-4 scrambles. Add in an adorable and frighteningly small summit and you have a Teton classic.
We saw another bear on this trip. So that’s three peaks and three bears. Two of them under 25 yards. Let’s goooo!
In-between our alpine tomfoolery, we soaked our sore muscles on floats. Our wildlife luck continued with moose sharing the river.
Grom Rides
Pedal-biking, whether mountain or road, caused the most aggravation to my achilles. So I sadly cut out bike rides and picnics for the month. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t rip Honda Groms with Andrew! I’ve driven and biked Grand Teton roads several hundred times. But on a motorcycle it was a completely new park and experience.
Mt. Moran
I met John Sherman and his family on tour several years ago. We’ve remained friends ever since. John climbed the Grand Teton with me last year. Moran’s CMC route was the logical next step. A hell of an athlete, John rocked it even with little climbing experience.
Hard to say which part of Moran is better. The midnight paddle bathed in the moon’s glow and showered by shooting stars. Or the multi-pitch granite wall sitting next to Moran’s iconic black dike. Moran is a perfect and brutal single-day Teton epic.
Teton Crest Trail (TCT)
Emma Wedel and Kelly McKee are two of the greatest people in this valley. I’m so lucky to call them my friends. Adventures with them are filled with laughs, stories, endless jokes, beer, good music, and dogs. The last month they’ve taken me in as an “extra roommate” providing showers, movie nights and endless sleeps on their couches.
But sorry guys I will never stop asking each time to shower, do laundry, or cook. And I won’t stop saying sorry when my crap is in the way. Deal with it. I’m awkward.
In a 4 day escapade, the three of us explored the Tetons together. First a quick overnight in Garnett meadows to enjoy the peaks, dial-in our gear, and escape cell reception. The next morning we set off on a two-day, one-night TCT thru-hike.
Starting at Phillips Ridge on Teton Pass, we hiked to Paintbrush canyon camping at sunset lake along the way. Two 21-mile days left us in awe of this range we get to call our backyard. Kelly and Emma - you guys are the sh*t. That was so fun.
Grand Teton
Every summer needs a Grand adventure party-style. Minimum of 5 good friends squirming our way up the OS or other route, preferably most members’ first time. Shooooot dang this year was a rowdy, fun crew - Alexis, Denton, Caleb, Brody, and I.
We slid our summit into a perfect weather window. On descent clouds formed and thunder cracked above us. A reminder how fragile and short summit windows can be. I had planned to stay on lower saddle alone for a sunset full exum solo. But the fifth thunder boom and resulting light rain dissolved that plan. Oh well, that’s how she goes. All in all a perfect day with a rad crew.
Cirque Traverse
Last year Tanner and I climbed the Cirque Traverse from the meadows below. Backpacked in day 1, climbed day 2, hiked out day 3. It was one of our wildest adventures together and I’ll always cherish it. But it left an itch to try the traverse car-to-car / trailhead-to-trailhead in one push.
Tanner on the final climbing pitch of the traverse last year — Block Tower
With days in August winding down I saw one final weather window. The Wind River range is notorious for afternoon thunderstorms. Like clockwork expect the high peaks to be dangerous in the afternoon. But the morning looked good. So after the Grand I planned my attack.
Ditching work this year has been so clutch. Never have I been able to prioritize rest and recovery so well. I love it. I’ve learned so much about what my body needs for each trip.
I descended the Grand and immediately slept for 10 hours. I drove to the Big Sandy trailhead the next morning smashing calories the whole way. Arriving at noon, nearby hikers seemed confused when I crawled into my car bed in the heat. Flies buzzed through my windows and I awoke several times in sweat. But I grabbed 8 more hours of slightly interrupted sleep before my 10:30pm alarm.
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* Let me briefly share a pattern I noticed and rant for a second. Driving to the trailhead requires almost an hour on a backroad - dusty and quiet most of the way. It’s an interesting location. The road snakes through ranches, cattle country, and sagebrush but leads to a popular, crowded trailhead at the end. Thus the road is frequented by an odd diversity of cars and people. Weathered ranch trucks plus out-of-state Subarus. True Wyoming horsemen in cowboy hats plus seasoned climbers and bright, fresh, just-out-of-the-box Patagonia-jacket hikers.
As I meander down remote bumpy roads I throw up my hand from the steering wheel in a “wave” to oncoming cars. It’s polite and pretty standard on backroads. Every single ranch truck or Subaru with WY plates waved back. Not a single (not one!) out-of-state car waved back. They just stared. Did they think I was being creepy? I know this roadside courtesy extends outside of Wyoming. Come on people. We are all out here for fun. We respect the others using this same public land. Let’s be human, engage, smile, and wave back.
To be honest it doesn’t change my life or mood to not receive a wave back. It was just an interesting pattern to notice. But thank you to all the hard working ranchers and fellow Wyoming residents that like to smile and wave on backroads.
The Cirque of the Towers is an iconic ridge in Wyoming connecting 11 major peaks. Composed of the best granite in the state, the Cirque is a climbing mecca.
All the peaks are around or above 12,000ft. Traversing all 11 exposes climbers to weather related hazards for serval hours. I set time goals with this in mind.
Ideally finish Pingora and Wolf’s Head in the dark
Finish all major climbing (Pingora to Block Tower) by 10am
Hopefully summit the final peak (Warbonnet) by 1pm
To make this happen I left at 11pm
Note to self - don’t watch scary movies the week before. Emma and I recently watched the Conjuring. This traverse starts with 8 miles through the dark timber. I hike alone at night all the time. I don’t fear bears, cougars, etc. But I fear creepy people and the paranormal. Not aliens or bigfoot. I’d be pumped to encounter those. But the ghosts and spirits keep my mind wandering. In short, don’t watch the Conjuring before a solo night mission.
The climbing begins with two of the most iconic peaks - Pingora and Wolf’s Head. I climbed both of these under the cloak of the milky way. It was magical but I couldn’t get photos. So above are two shots of those peaks from last year.
One highlight occurred on the summit of Wolf’s Head. I sat on a mental high from the exposure. Above me the stars shined bright and the moon’s tiny waning crescent began to rise. Suddenly I heard a distant loud shriek followed by a guttural growl. My first elk bugle of the season! What a killer spot to hear it from. A sign that fall is near! YEEOOWWW get excited.
The day was perfect. I hit all my time goals. Sun rose while working up the heady solo on Shark’s Nose. I finished all the climbing pitches and all 12-15 rappels by 8:44am. I was starting down the final peak by 11:35am. And as expected in the afternoon, safely back at my car, dark clouds poured over the entire range. Dodging weather and timing windows is addicting when you nail it.
Pingora - 2:43am
Wolf’s Head - 4:36am
Overhanging Tower - 5:48am
Shark’s Nose - 7:07am
Block Tower - 8:11am
I succumbed to an adrenaline dump after the climbing. The remaining peaks and scrambling left me drained and my legs sore. On the top Warbonnet I took a second to chill, eat, tape some blisters, and change socks.
Suddenly a second wind came over me. I decided to run the final 6-7 miles home. The endorphins spiked, runner’s high began, and I was hooked. Even more so when I realized “wait…I’m running!” Running is one of the largest strains on the achilles. I learned that a week prior when I tried to jog to a friend’s car. Yet now it felt great! “Holy crap I don’t feel my achilles! I can run!” Hard to explain how great it felt to have my body back. A smile wiped across my face the whole way out.
I’m amped on my time of 14 hours, 37 minutes, 59 seconds. I could have gone faster though. Mainly with less weight. I should have brought less food, fewer jackets, and less backup climbing gear to bail from. But I like feeling prepared. Oh well. I probably won’t be trying this again solo. As mentally satisfying as it was, I don’t think I get enough from free soloing to make it worth the risk. 5.7 or less from now on.
After 2 Grand Traverses and 2 Cirque Traverses, I have to say the Winds win. Sorry Tetons. But the Cirque has 10x better granite, more pitches of actual climbing, fewer miles of heinous scrambling, crazier views, and fewer people.
the heartbreakers
Tanner once made an important and true realization that I keep with me. These outdoor goals and aspirations are in our backyard. At least the local ones in the Western US. It’s no sweat to stay safe and bail on a trip or change plans. We can always try again the next week, month, or year.
I set skiing goals each winter and climbing goals each summer. I love the drive and challenge it gives me. And I’m never at a loss for new ones with the opportunities Jackson offers. I can find myself frustrated, however, when I don’t get to some. In reality it’s silly. I can just do them next year! Wow I love this place.
With my injury came a goal reset. My good friend Kelsey Wellington quoted me during my lowest point “I’ll give up every single trip this August if it means I can be healed for Alaska”. She also made a great point - “injuries will redefine your goals”.
As my foot began to heal I was excited to get outside but knew it could take just one more push to wreck it again. With that, I ditched all multi-day adventure plans. Really I just wanted to be able to join on whatever my friends were doing. If I could move enough to share momentary highs with them that was priority.
I am still in awe from this month. It has been unreal and I healed enough to complete things I didn’t expect. Following the injury, however, two goals were pushed to next year’s list.
Moronic
Teton Tri Traverse
And let’s add one more since David Gonzales showed us how badass it is
Hoodnic
To me that’s so rad. Already trips to start dreaming of and training for next year.
Right on right on! Elk are starting to bugle and moose will begin grunting and stripping velvet soon. The deer family is getting horny.
Which means one thing - hunting season. It’s time to hang up the ropes, cams, wetsuit, and mountain bike in exchange for rifles, bows, wind checker, bugle tube, and binoculars. I’ll trade out the bright synthetic athletic clothing and running shoes for camo pants and jackets plus my hiking boots.
First Alaska. I’ll be gone for the next month. Hopefully back in late September with stories, photos, and a full freezer. That’ll jump us right into elk and deer season in Wyoming. This will be a wild couple months.
Here’s some Alaska photo porn from previous years.
