Star and I took Gavin to Nagano for some snowboarding this Valentine's Day. What a success!!! We stayed at Hotel Terry. Our rate included breakfast and dinner. The breakfast was a buffet and dinner was a very interesting French (Japanese interpenetrated) cuisine. The first night we were at the hotel in the town of Hakuba, it snowed about a foot. Star and I had decided to split the ski day and take shifts with Gavin. It worked out very good. Star was very happy to be on her board again. The views from the top were amazing. The next day I sent Star out for some more runs and I went and took some photos of the surrounding yamas (mountains). We wound up having such a great time that we booked another trip in a couple of weeks back. This time we are staying at a different hotel that seems VERY nice. We will see. On Tuesday Jack and I went ice climbing. It was the first time that I have ever been. Knowing my experience is key in the story. This waterfall that Jack picked was to be a first ascent and onsight. He had never been to the base before due to lack of trail and a super steep approach. Well after an hour of hiking/scrambling/climbing up 1000ft we made it to the base of the 60m waterfall. It was awesome. Everything went great!!! Jack onsighted it and I followed clean. The line went at WI3/4. Super fun day. We even made it back to Tokyo in time to make it to Caramba.

Also in the happs was the bolting of some routes at the Col. Towers area.

Here are the pictures!!!


Go Climb Something!!!!

This week was some what eventful. I am making headway on the guide book. I have been in touch with a publisher and they seem to be interested. So, I hope this will go somewhere. I went to another sport area close to home today. Really nice joint. Tufas and stalactites, super cool. I also built a climbing wall in our storage closet in our condo. Small but pumpy. The wall will be great for days I can not get outside or to the gym.

This weekend the fam' is heading to the Nagano Prefecture for some snowboarding. We are staying at a ski in/out resort in Hukkabu, which is where the Olympics where held. Hukkabu is being dumped on right now. Steep and deep!!!!!

Star and I have been talking about a few things and trips is one of them. In the next 1.5 years we are looking into going to Australia, New Zealand (south island), Mongolia, S. Korea, and Exploring Japan more in depth. I am pumped about all of these ideas/trips but most so about Mongolia. I am turing 30 next year and we think it so to have a big excursion. So I looked into Chad and Morocco. Both are in the future but not near future. For now the Ulan Bator area of Mongolia looks tops. Clean rock too many untouched stone. The perfect ingredients for a fantastic trip. For more reading on this check out Black Diamond's recent trip there.

Anyway. This week looks like developing more at the Towers area and bouldering at the gym. Star is on call so I will not be able to get outside this week. Next Tuesday I will be heading out with Jack to check out some new large and STEEP!!!! boulders that he found and can not stop talking about. I am stoked to say to the least.

Enjoy the pictures.


Go Climb Something!!!!