Thirteen Attempt 14er Mount Belford, Six Summit

True Adventures headed to Colorado for a long weekend, Thursday through Monday in mid October 2009.  I took fourteen people from True Adventures out with me.  We met at church the weekend before and I asked how many had experience with mountaineering or winter camping.  Right around zero people raised their hands.  So we were off on a crash course on winter camping and the mountains and altitude!  I taught them as much as I could that day and over a series of emails during the ensuing week.  People were able to either purchase what they needed or rent it from REI or borrow from friends.  I love the first part of a trip – buying gear and packing is half the fun.  We all flew into Denver and managed to get cars and all meet up in Leadville where we spent the night at the Alps motel, quite clean and reasonably priced.  The next morning we woke up and distributed food – all $270 worth from Costco!  We had plenty.  Off to the trailhead for the Missouri basin route up Mounts Missouri, Belford, and Oxford. 

On the trail up into Missouri Basin

We hiked up the very steep first section of the trail about two hours, the girls leading the charge to our campsite where we took a break and set up camp near an old dilapidated log cabin around noon.  After a lunch of pb&j’s on pita we all packed up our daypacks and headed further up the valley, quickly getting above treeline and into a stunning valley with a fresh blanket of pristine white snow. 

Road Trip! Chicago to Colorado for 2.5 weeks :)

Heading west tomorrow!  Packing up my Blazer with all my winter toys – snowshoes, alpine skis, telemark skis and skins, snowboard, hiking boots, sleeping pad and bag.  Lots of time to have fun in the mountains, gotta have the proper equipment.  It’s 1000 miles exactly from Chicago to Denver, about 15-16 hours.  I’ll leave in the afternoon, put down 6-10 hours, crash in the car or a cheap hotel, get up and drive to Aspen to meet the family and extended family for three fun days.   Then the following weekend a place in Frisco, stay with a buddy in Vail a few nights, maybe do Couchsurfing.com for a few nights, maybe spend a night in a backcountry hut, see some friends in Denver, other friends in Golden and the Bundy’s in Fort Collins, last weekend with Brinks’ and their in-laws in Vail, Lisa flys out to join me for a few days and drive back with me.  Looking forward to it.  See I have this season ski pass, I HAVE to get my money’s worth  

It’s pretty stressful to travel like this – lots of things to be done, work to worry about, all this stuff to pack.  It’s hard work to break out of the everyday momentum.  Was thinking about that today.   But so worth it – makes a life more exciting and interesting in my opinion.  And it gives me life – gets me fired up.  I really love the mountains.

Chicago to Denver road trip map

Hustle Up the Hancock 2009

I raced in the Hustle Up The Hancock on Sunday.  It’s a race up 94 floors to the top of the Hancock building.  I really enjoyed it – similar to mountain climbing.  They start a racer every eight seconds from 7am to about one in the afternoon.  The stairs didn’t really get that crowded, but I had to pass people every so often, which takes extra energy as you generally have to pass them on the outside, and need to take the stairs two at a time to get enough speed during the half-flight of stairs before the turn.  I did it as a team member through Lakeshore Athletic Club where I work part-time as a climbing instructor (and they sponsored part of the race).   They actually have water stations in the stairwell.  Timing chips on your shoe and the whole deal.  Very cool experience.  I hadn’t counted on the hand rail being such a help – I pulled myself up, probably 20-30% of my weight with my arms – mostly left arm.   I began running them two at a time but all my training was on the stair machine, and I did them one at a time in training so went to single steps – still made good time, besting my goal of 18 minutes, coming in at 17 minutes, 30 seconds.   Below are some videos I took with my Blackberry on the way up – gives a feel for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJpWCux7t18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu0arx88heI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8PlAOle9oQ

Apparently a fellow with a double lung transplant does the race each year – one of the happiest men around I’m told.  As would most of us be I suspect, were we given a new lease on life and been blessed with that forced appreciation of every minute and day on this earth.

I went to a free carbo-loading dinner the night before the race generously sponsored by the Signature room on the 95th floor of the Hancock and met the fellow who runs the race, terrific fellow and very committed to the Respiratory Lung Association of Metro Chicago whom the event benefits.

A couple points to note.  My friend owns the company that sells Better Whey of Life yogurt -it’s delicious low sugar all natural yogurt with 15-17 grams of whey protein in it.  I ate one before the race and two after.  I had right around zero soreness the day after the race and none two days after.  I did eat a bunch of other good food but I wonder if there’s a connection…

Hustle Up The Hancock Medal 2009

2008 What a Year in Adventure-ness

Reflecting on the adventurous aspects of 2008…  One of the best ever for me second only to 2000 when I travelled the world for 6.5 months.  This year I was so fortunate.  Five foreign countries, two new mountains climbed, fourth Chicago to Mackinac sailing race, surfing, skiing…  I must list all the adventures and trips I was lucky enough to participate in this past year, and be so grateful for the opportunities I was blessed with.

1. Elwha Trail hike in the Olympic Mountains West of Seattle with four good buddies.
2. The 100th running of the Chicago to Mackinac Sailing race, on a J120 named Valkyrie, placed well in our class, finished in around 55 hours.
3. Cruised the North Channel of Lake Huron on a 38 foot Ericson sailboat owned by my parents with a highlight being Topaz lake.
4. Nantucket Massachusetts for several days with my oldest friend Spencer and his family, driving on the beach, catching bluefish from the shore, enjoying old friends, meeting my namesake, Cormac Thomas Carney
5. Upstate New York at my girlfriend’s grandparents’ “camp”, waterskiing, kayaking, mountain biking, swimming.
6. Climbing the highest point in New York State, Mt Marcy, ticking off the 12th state high point on my quest to do all 50 of them.
7. Jamaica for work, Kingston.
8. Cayman Islands to visit my cousin Megan for a few days.
9. Jazzfest in New Orleans for a bachelor party
10. Numerous mountain biking excursions around Chicago
11. Numerous sailing parties on my boat, a 28 foot Ericson christened the Imjatse after a Nepalese mountain I climbed.
12. Rock climbing in Red River gorge, Kentucky
13. Rock climbing at Mississppi Palisades twice
14. Summiting Mt Belford, a 14,000 foot mountain in Colorado, then sleeping in a bivy sack on its flanks overnight in about 15 degrees.
15. Pilgrimage to the original Chipotle in Denver
16. 35 person white water rafting trip sponsored by the adventure ministry I run at church, running class III and IV rapids.
17. Kayaking the Vermilion River in very high, fast water.
18. Costa Rica!  Staying at my friend’s resort, surfing, jungle hikes, four-wheeling.
19. Talon’s Challenge at Vail, skiing thirteen black and double black runs in a single day with a reward of a free beer and a free hat.
20. Skiing at Aspen with the family
21. Moving my friend’s sailboat 200 miles down the intracoastal waterway from Norfolk to Beaufort NC, just my father and I.
22. Two winter attempts of Mt Humphries, the tallest mountain in Arizona, each a failure, but getting closer and I lived to climb another day.
23. Thanksgiving in Boston
24. Ten person caving trip that I led through Buckner’s cave in Southern Indiana.
25. Ski trip to Wausau Wisconsin and Granite Peak Resort.
26. Raced the Cohasset Triathlon
27. 40+ person sea kayaking trip led by my group

What a wonderful year, with lots of love and great relationships started, nourished, and deepened during all these adventures and trips. 

I have to give a lot of credit for this year to Tim  Ferriss, author of The Four Hour Workweek for his writings and inspiration to live like this – thanks much Tim and all the best to everybody in 2009.  I always wanted to live like this but never knew anybody who did – I didn’t think it was really possible until I read Tim’s stuff and embarked upon the adventure.  Inspirational.  This year has been the best to date for my business, relationships, and adventures and experiences.  I hope for an even better 2009 and hope for the same for everybody.  I have to copy some of Tim’s stuff from a mentor of his here  – good food for thought:

“While many are wringing their hands, I recall the 1970s when we were suffering from an oil shock causing long lines at gas stations, rationing, and 55 MPH speed limits on Federal highways, a recession, very little venture capital ($50 million per year into VC firms), and, what President Jimmy Carter (wearing a sweater while addressing the Nation on TV because he had turned down the heat in the White House) called a “malaise”. It was during those times that two kids without any real college education, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, started companies that did pretty well. Opportunities abound in bad times as well as good times. In fact, the opportunities are often greater when the conventional wisdom is that everything is going into the toilet.

Well…we’re nearing the end of another great year, and, despite what we read about the outlook for 2009, we can look forward to a New Year filled with opportunities as well as stimulating challenges.”

Hustle up the Hancock

How cool is that race?  Up 94 floors to the top of the Hancock Center in Chicago. 

The Hancock Building in Chicago

2700 or so entrants, staggered starts every 8 seconds.  Have heard great things about it but have never done it.  As a mountaineer it’s something I may be pretty good at or may find myself wheezing and puffing at floor 18.  We shall see.  Training on the stairmaster then will do some stairs at my office building – but tough to find somewhere open with as many floors as the Hancock – not too many options!  Aon, Sears, Hancock, Trump.   Goal is to get to level 20 for 25 minutes on the stairmaster before the race.  That may be aggressive.  Other goal is to do it in better than 17 minutes.  Puts me in the top third of my age group.  We shall see!  Pretty excited.  The gym where I work is sponsoring us, Lakeshore Athletic Club.  I teach rock climbing there part-time, one day a week for two hours.  100 foot high wall, amazing. 

100 foot high climbing wall at Lakeshore Athletic club

The climbing wall at Lakeshore Athletic Club where I work

It’s fun, free membership, pro-deals on climbing and outdoor gear, and a whopping 50 cents over minimum wage or something like that.  It’s fun, I love it.  Been at it for 8 years or so.  Also keeps me climbing.

Summitted Mount Belford in Colorado

Jeff Lemaster in front of Mount Belford

Mt Missouri from Elkhead basin

Made it to the top of Mount Belford! Great climb, cold but with blue skies, very pretty, amazing valley and pretty mountain. I was pretty tired by the top but felt so good. I love the mountains and get such a high when I’m in the rockies. Was so fired up the whole time. I used to live out the for about five years and grew to love all different mountain activites. We actually spent the night at 11,300 feet after climbing the mountain.  We camped on about a 30 degree slope, each of us in a bivy sack.  Every time I would roll over I’d slide down a foot or so, so had to get up every so often and drag my sleeping gear up.  We went to bed when it was dark, about 6, and laid there until about 7 the next day – long night.  Clear, many stars, spectacular.  Saw people hiking by at what must have been 4am.

We did 4600 feet of elevation over only 3.7 miles – tell me that isn’t steep!  Got a very late start so weren’t able to do the doble of Mt Oxford too – but truth be told I’m not sure I could have handled it.  It was an  extra 1400 feet of elevation gain, and another couple miles – I was pretty shot by the time I got to camp, and the following morning was pretty painful on my knees as it was.  At the top of every fourteener and most every major mountain and many minor ones for that matter, is a summit log.

Sailboat at Crowleys for the winter :(

Sailed my boat down to Crowley’s for the winter yesterday from Monroe Harbor with my father.  Fun time, failry heavy seas, 4-6 foot waves, very confused seas, very lumpy ride, wave from every which way.  Wind was on our quarter however, so that’s always good.  No GPS and there are a few shoals that need to be avoided, added some excitement.  Had all the clothes I brought on, plus a hat and gloves and was still cold.  Why do I wait so long??  Because I can’t bear to take her out, that’s why.  I need a boat in the south or a home in the south or I need to live in the south.  The older I get the tougher winter here in Chicago gets.   Pumped the oil out of the engine, pulled the jib down, and other various tasks.  My boat partner will finish most of it off Sunday when he comes down.   I have to throw in some praise for my father, what a trooper!  Thanks to him, had a great time and he made it possible.  It is fairly hard though fun (with the right attitude) work.

However, that being said, this weekend I head to colorado to climb three fourteeners, namely Mt, Oxford, Mt Belford, and Missouri Mountain.  Should be a great time.  We intend to camp at 12000 feet after summiting two peaks, then summit the third the following day.  I’m a bit behind on my goal of one fourteener each year, so this should catch me up to within a few years.  Really looking forward to it.  Again, fairly hard work but fun with the right attitude!!

Triathlon with an Olympian, Nantucket Fish Haul, Mount Marcy Climb

Just took a week long vacation – haven’t done that in a few years.  It was action packed.  Started by flying into Boston and eating at Lisa’s folks – they always make amazing dinners – had pasta for us Saturday night in preparation for the Cohasset Triathlon on Sunday.  My good buddy from age five, Bill Burnett, puts it on, and what an amazing job he does.  This year Jarrod Shoemaker (representing the USA in the triathlon in Beijing!) and 900 other people raced it, including a number of elite competitors.  Jarrod beat me.  In just two years it’s become a huge deal in the northeast.  They had a giant stage and all sorts of gear and food available.  Super foggy and a heavy surf in the morning but they did the swim anyways, which added that much more difficulty to it.  I finished on a mountain bike, next year I’ll get a real bike, though I’ve said that for the last 8 triathlons I’ve done and never have.

Wayne and I before the Cohasset Triathlon

The next day we left for Natucket to stay with my very close family friends the Carneys in their beautiful home in the town of Nantucket, overlooking the harbor – such a nice place.  But boo, it’s on the market, bummer.  My best bud Spencer was there with his kids, including new baby Cormac Thomas – named after me!  How cool is that?  2 months old, and amazing.  Also his older sister Daley, who at three is super fun to hang out with.  Went out to a super nice dinner at Orin Moore’s with Spence, Sue, Lisa and I, highlight was when the waiter brought a french press and pushed down on it at the table, spraying coffee and grounds all over the table and putting out the candle – we found it hilarious, the head waiter not so much.  Went sailing several times on their Rhodes 19 in Nantucket harbor and through the cut in the jetties to the open ocean, a little sketchy coming back in but fortunately the tide had shifted in our favor.  And a highlight was driving out on the beach on Coatue and surfcasting – we caught four huge bluefish!  I can never get over how you can stand on the beach up to your ankles in water and take this giant rod, cast out a huge lure, and reel in these 4 or 5 pound (guessing) fish.  Plus the added bonus of driving on the beach which is always a good time.  Letting the air out of the tires first so they are somewhat flat is fun too.

Fish in hand

 

After Nantucket we went to Lisa’s grandparent’s place in upstate New York, on Indian Lake.  A terrific two houses they have, on the water next to each other, a bunch of waterfront  with docks, ski boat, swim platform, rowboat, kayaks, canoe, and sunfish.  And over the course of five days we used them all!  Taught Lisa to sail one day which I expect will do wonders for her confidence on my boat here in Chicago – so much easier to “get” sailing on a small boat.  Swam every day and showered and shaved zero days – just an “Adirondack shower” in the lake each day.  So fun.  For the 4th we went and climbed Mt Marcy – 3200 feet or so of elevation gain, 7.2 miles up and 7.2 miles down – it took us 4 hours up and I couldn’t believe it, but also four hours down.  Weird.  The last couple hours seemed to take forever.  The summit was really beautiful, above tree line so huge views, 360 degrees.  Count it as my 12th state high point! 

Nearing the Summit of Mt Marcy

Actually quite incredible fireworks that night on the lake for such a small town – we took the rowboat and speedboat out to watch.  The next night I went on about an hour long mountain bike ride around Indian Lake, which is no small feat considering the trails are for snowmobiles not bikes – and are overgrown and mosquito infested and swampy in places.  Kevin, Lisa’s uncle, was in better shape and kicked my butt up the hills – one particularly long one – tough to train for that kind of stuff in Chicago.  Was a blast, and really cool and pretty.  A interesting aside – at one trail intersection in the middle of nowhere out in the woods there were advertisements on the trees for bars, hotels, restaurants, etc – for the snowmobilers.  Was something I’d never seen before.

Managed to chop a whole bunch of wood for Lisa’s grandfather, he appreciated it and I enjoyed the physical labor.  Small repayment for such incredible hospitality and relentlessly delicious meals, one after the other.

Got back late Monday night, tired but refreshed.  I need to figure out how to do more and longer trips!  Actually in a couple weeks we have the Mac race and then a few days sailing in the North Channel with my folks – so good stuff.

Back from the Islands, British colonialism

Great trip to Jamaica and Grand Cayman.  Terrific people and such a laid back atmoshpere.  Great to unwind for a bit on the beach.  Didn’t do much, some snorkeling, watched some beach volleyball, drank some mudslides, saw my very cool and fun cousin Megan on Grand Cayman where she lives.  Met her boyfriend.  He and I went to the local rugby pitch on Saturday to celebrate St Patty’s day with all the Irish, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, South Africans, and Americans on the island, all living there and almost all doing some sort of financial work running or supporting hedge funds.  I always find the british colonies fascinating – so many countries have a british influence and it’s so interesting to see what has developed in each, in terms of sports, economies, governments, and education.  Seems many of the very successful economies were founded by the brits, including Hong Kong, America, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Grand Cayman, even India, whose national language is English and still runs a british system of education and democracy, who knew?  Jamaica too, was once heavily influenced by the brits, same with obviously the british Virgin Islands. 

Monday evening I returned to Jamaica from Cay-man (that’s how they say it down there), Tuesday I traded a bit from beside the pool and made enough to pay for the trip, had I actually paid for it and not my potential clients.  At 9:30 I started looking for a ride to climb the highest peak on the island, not possible, was a day and a half deal, so I settled on a drive up to Strawberry Hill, $90 with a Jamaican driver and included a ride to the airport.  Was a fun drive and an amazing resort/spa.  It is owned by music mogul Chris Blackwell who produced all of Bob Marley’s stuff as well as 8 of U2’s albums, Melissa Etheridge and many more.  Got lucky and a worker at the estate took us around and showed us the room that  Prince Charles had stayed in the previous weekend!  And all sorts of nooks and crannys that most don’t get to see.  The view was amazing and the ambience especially soothing.  Weather and temperature were perfect.  So relaxing.  See the video for a taste of this place:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJ9rJKo-P5A

And a tour of the house Prince Charles of Wales stayed in last weekend in Jamaica: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yScpE2gCVt8

On Grand Cayman the highest point is actually the dump - so I improvised – here’s a shot of me on what could very well be the highest point:

Me on the high point of Grand Cayman

apparently in Hurricane Ivan a few years ago the entire island was underwater, I read a story of peoplle having to bail out their houses…  not sure that really makes sense, but that’s what the story said.  couple photos of myself, my cousin, and her South African boyfriend George on the beach.  Good times!  Favorite bar was Royal Palm, right on seven mile beach with a ton of beach chairs, good music, good bands, rocking day and night, or not rocking, but chill and cool and fun and not cheap.  Yummy mudslides.  Here’s some pics

Megan, George and I on Seven Mile beach

Meg and I

How’s yer Aspen

Heading to Aspen tomorrow morning early to ski.  Managed to get a direct flight from Chicago for $299 last week, how great is that?  My family, sis, nieces, brother-in-law and all my sisters inlaws will be there.  All terrific people, great skiers, and fun.  Always a great time, we go every year.  Really looking forward to it.  My brother-in-law and his brothers like to hike/snowcat to the more serious terrain at Aspen Highlands, and I’m always games for that.  Aspen’s such a great town.  We’ll actually be staying in Snowmass, but I’m sure will be skiing all over and eating and hanging out in the city some.  Woody’s tavern I’m sure will be visited.  All good!  I should be in shape from the Talon’s Challenge a few weeks back but haven’t been to the gym much since – hopefully some has carried over.

 Check this video spoof out on mountaineering – these dudes are hard core…  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNXwMeI2iTk