In the company of guides

Denali Update!

2010-06-22T13:32:00.001-07:00

Todd and crew are heading to the summit today! The group is super strong and weather has been good! Wish them luck as they take on the big one with the summer solstice on their side!

Posted via web from itcog's posterous

The Alps summer season begins...

2010-06-12T05:20:00.000-07:00

After a tumultuous winter season of late snow falls, consulate visits and shattered elbows I have made it on and through the spring of healing and learning to begin the summer season here in Chamonix ,France.

Eating well

and reeducating the limb and mind have been my priorities these last months and it seems to have paid off well with my french language skills not so very bad and my arm being able to extend to at least 20% off of full extension --- remember my full arm span now.. it's almost like I have a normal ape index now!!

I've been able to get back to a reasonable 6a grade in rock climbing and the legs can still carry me on a consistent 500m ascent rate; not bad for a 3 month hiatus from much physical activity!!

Good attitude and inspiring friends go a long way let me tell you.

And so tomorrow I start my first guiding trip into the hills for the season... let it begin!!!!

Well, actually, THEY WON!!

2009-06-18T01:22:00.000-07:00

After an action packed day, 350 +kms of driving, wasp attacks, rain showers, a re-count, blazing sweat drenching sun, 16 climbing routes ranging from 5 to 6c, another recount, a night of celebrating as second placers and then yet another recount!!! Lucas and Tim were in fact hailed as the victors of the 09 Maxi Dash with 440 points with Alex and Marcos (the local and favourite contingency) viaing for 2nd with 417.5 points.

Pre dawn start at Lukenia. 0515

Starting in Lukenia with head torches on their helmets they quickly despensed with 3 high point climbs on a piece of rock named Edinburgh castle while some morning mists made the runout climbs even more problematic

Lucas topping out on the first climb, 'the Keep', as the sun rises. 0620

Driving quickly away as the other teams struggled with the damp rock, Tim and Lucas headed to Ndaiya a 2 hour drive away and climbed 2 more routes there. (They later heard that Michele had taken a ground fall off of 'the keep' and had pulled out of the comp and made his way to the hospital; sprains and a cracked vertibrey but living to tell the tale are the latest words on that.)

Lucas, warmed up now, sends 'fingers' at Ndaiya. 1030

On to the area Frog a short distance away where the days sun was now blazing and where water, hand chalk and running shoes helped them race around and complete another 7 routes. Wasps still plagued the 'unlawfull entry' route and sun and dirt threatened to slow them down on 'calling elvis' but they persivered.

Ooo, that smarts! The wasp bitten ear from 'Unlawfull entry' 1200.

Back in the car and racing on dirt roads, through the small town of Ngong, on through their newly discovered short cut towards the Rift vally and our final stop of Hell's gate NP

Negotiating traffic down into the Rift valley on the way to Hell's gate. 1630.

They actually arrived at the gate of Hell's gate shortly after the other teams, the short cut working out sooo well, and so the final hours of the day found the three remaining teams all climbing on Fishers tower... wondering ' how many points had the other teams tallied during the day'???

Alex finishing up on Fishers tower, 'coniving stratigist to the bitter end'. 1840

The race ended as the daylight shut down as it does on the equator, fast. All partisipants and many members of the Mountain club drove up to the camp site where great feasting, libations and story telling ran on into the night and of course the all important tallying of points.

A count and then a recount revealed that Alex and Marcos had won with a 2.5 point lead. Well, that's the way it goes. Alex has probably won the comp 6 or 7 times in as many years and competed hard, with all the slyness that is worthy of this race...

the final tally sheet for our winners..............

.... but Elena (Lucas's wife) woke just not accepting this outcome and even though her recount in the following morning revieled nothing new it did jog Tim's memory and they found that' unlawfull entry' that fatefull wasp inhabited climb had not in fact been included in the tally; there was to be another 25 points awarded to the contenders!!!
-- yes, yet another recount was made.. and another until there was no denying it. Tim and Lucas had indeed won the 2009 Maxi Dash.

The final recount on the morning after....

So that was that. We'd like to congratulate all who participated. Alex and Marcos for giving some real competition and the Wonder women team of Geraldine and Paula for really stepping up to the plate. A quick recovery to Michele is hoped for and a nice try for his partner Steve. Our team of Tim and Lucas wants to thank five ten for supporting them with the best shoes and rubber in the world, to both Alex and Iain of Tropical Ice for their historical input and insight and to Elena for her never tireing belief and support.

...... now go take a shower lads!!!!!!!

Well used 'Marvels' , part of the winning strategy

All is set for Maxi Dash

2009-06-12T05:45:00.000-07:00

After an excellent week of training both Lucas Gonzales and Tim Connelly feel good about their challenge for the Maxi dash title.

Alot of the strategy is based on how to drive between the areas in the most efficient way possible trying to allow for the unexpected which is allways present here in east Africa so a few hours here and there were just checking out dirt roads and trying to link up known thourough fares.

cross training at the MCK club house

The rest of the time was just plain climbing in all the areas which was great. A few times the barking baboons got a little close and on one climb, 'unlawfull entry' both Tim and Lucas were attacked by wasps which made them climb the 10c route in record time , with minimal gear!!

Lucas onsighting one of the harder routes of the Dash - Lie of the Mind

Now the car is packed and the plan layed out (as well as the contingency plan of the rainy routes!!)

Patching up a few spots on their five10s with the great 'Stealth paint kit' and paring down their rack to 'only essentials' the team is now in racing shape ... Wish them luck, Saterday is race day, all day!!

NEWFLASH - MAXIDASH GETS COMPETITATIVE

2009-06-05T02:44:00.000-07:00

Last week it was announced that Tim Connelly (us) and Lucas Gonzales (sp) will team up to compete in the Mountain Club of Kenya's Maxidash race, the premier and only race of it's kind in East Africa.

Lucas getting familiar with the Ndeiya site

The Maxidash has been held for over 20 years and many colourful characters and storeys have been engaged in its history. This year however the 2 newcomers have seen to it to challenge the locals and mainly a set of 3 or 4 climbers that have consistently won the competition in the last 10 years. 'We shall see them really DASH this year!!' barked Connelly at the weekly MCK meeting where he announced his participation and threw down the proverbial gauntlet to those few climbers attending.

Tim working out the intricacies of Hell's gate's Main wall

The official rules state there is to be no sabotaging of vehicles, brought about after a particularly competitive year found wheels flying off vehicles at high speed. But they continue to not ban activities of route sabotaging such as banana smearing or baboon baiting (whatever that might be!!)

Finding the descents, strategy of which routes to climb, when and general motoring skills on African roads is as important as efficient climbing ability. (Tim racing down so that he can climb up another route)

Spare wheel, food, plenty of petrol, liquids and good shock absorbers will see competitors through the whole day. There will be at least 3 hours of driving between sites, probably closer to 4 or 5, and Kenya is not known for it's great roads!! (one of the sites, Frog. a good hour from Nairobi and probably an hour and a half from the next site)

The next week will be filled with lots of preparation . Luckily this team is fitted out with a few pairs of 5ten shoes for both the climbing and approach/descent, a Toyota 4runner and lots of energy for this 'rumble in the jungle'!!!

Africa!

2008-10-30T05:43:00.000-07:00

It's been two weeks now since we landed in Kenya.

The rainy season in the mountains has definitely started and tried to thwart our attempts on Mt Kenya but with much perseverance we climbed to the Bation summit on our 7th day in the park.

We found alot of snow and some ice on this 5200m peak and with the ecuatorial position giving us only 12 hours of daylight it all made for a long 15 hour round trip (17 hours from shipton camp!!)

I'll try and get some pictures posted soon as I have now found a pretty good internet connection in Mombassa.

cheers
tim

The Trilogy. European Alps #2

2006-08-16T07:13:00.000-07:00

The Trilogy: Mt. Blanc, Matterhorn, and Eiger, July 17-26, 2006
The following is the conclusion to a report written by AAI guide Tim Connelly, detailing a series of climbs with John and Brandon Elley of Camano Island, WA on Mt. Blanc, the Matterhorn, and the Eiger that took place from July 17 - 26, 2006.

We all met up in Zermatt where Mike Powers showed us an excellent Swiss restaurant where we had a delicious meal and discussed the following days' activities and changes of equipment.
The early evening was clear, and returning to our hotels we had fantastic views of the Matterhorn with the Hornli ridge (our proposed ascent route) pointing straight towards us, dry and clear of snow.
The next day we had a casual start, and after a few last minute purchases (like leather climbing gloves) we made our way to and up the Schwartze telepherique where we began an easy but spectacular hike for a couple of hours to the Hornli hut.
After a quick lunch of 'rosti' we donned helmets and harnesses and made a foray up the ridge for an hour or so just to check out the initial route that would be our terrain in a pre dawn start the following day. We all moved well over this new medium of rock. We tried to calm our excitement as we turned in early to rest for the following day.
The hut was awakened around 330 am by the guardians and immediately the place was an exploding hive of climbers. Quickly donning boots, harness and helmets, we threw some basic breakfast of coffee and bread into our bodies and were out the door by 4 o'clock.
The first hour was over known terrain, as we had been there on our recon of the day before, and as we entered new terrain, we had the day's first light to help us on our way.
Dawn was spectacular as Brendan and I pulled ourselves on to the platform that housed the Solvay hut (a bivouac shelter high on the ridge), and we stopped for five minutes to drink some water and marvel at our position. We could see Mike and John not far behind us.
We did not rest for long though, as the masses of other people that we deemed our greatest hazard were streaming behind us.

Up and up we scrambled the ridge alternating between pitching out steeper rock portions and short roping/ pitching (a very fast and efficient guiding technique). Pretty soon though things were getting icier and we decided to put our crampons on. They added to our security as did the fixed lines which are big howser ropes that one can use to move fast over very mixed and steep terrain.
As the angle started easing off, there was more and more snow, but it was in great condition and we had no problem cramponing up the final summit slopes.
Spectacular views into Italy and across to France and Mt Blanc. Soon enough John also arrived and it was a great thing to see father and son congratulate each other atop such a peak.
Half way there; the descent took just as long as the ascent, and the hoards of people we had been in front of were now a tide that we needed to wade through on the way down.
Hilarious at times and a moment I will never forget was hearing my name shouted from above and looking, making out Mike Powers waving, mostly hidden from view in the midst of a very steep wall, shouting 'welcome to the Matterhorn!!'
Back at the Hornli hut we fueled up on more rosti, and then picking up our ski poles, we trekked down to the telepherique and on to Zermatt where some good, quick food sent us to bed and sleep.
Day 8. Now our pacing was to really come into play as we made our way to Grindelwald and out final objective, the Mittelegi Ridge on the Eiger. Rest and hydration was our mission as we transferred from train to train and eventually arrived at this most beautiful mountain town high above Interlaken. Another early night was in order.
John and Mike were to see Brendan and myself off on this last climb so we all rode the train up towards the Jungfraujock, first stopping at the North Face Station and then at the Ismeer Station where we got off. Fantastic big windows looked out over the glaciers and peaks of the Bernese Oberland as we donned our climbing gear and opened up a small metal door that led down a dimly lit corridor and the start of our route - what an approach!!
Finally after negotiating a few false doors that opened out onto the middle of a rock face we came out to a brief scramble above our glacier. Saying good-bye to John and Mike, we quickly moved across the warming glacier and onto the approach slabs. Right off the bat we were rock climbing in our boots, clipping insitu protection and loving moving over solid rock. After 3 pitches we changed to moving together and quickly found our way traversing super tiny ledges and increasingly loose rock. Perched on the narrow ridge we came upon the hut that would house us and 38 others that night; a far cry from the 130 at the Hornli hut.
We had time to enjoy our position here high above Grindelwald and the notorious North face of the Eiger; tea and apple pie also.
The Mittelegi Ridge is truly a fantastic alpine climb, and with so few other people on it we were at times climbing completely alone. Great, exposed rock pitches with breathtaking views fueled our ridiculous grins as we climbed higher and higher. The clouds that we rose into could not dampen our spirits a bit, and we were very psyched to top out on our third and final summit of this Trilogy.
Half way there. Our descent route was the south ridge and there was just as much climbing on it as in the ascent; in fact it took us more time. Most excellent was the journey with rappels, icy traverses, belayed rock climbing, and a final glacier traverse around the Monch to the train station at the Jungfraujock.
What an adventure this final peak and in fact the whole trip from our alpine ascents in Chamonix to Mt Blanc, the Matterhorn, and at last this notorious summit of the Eiger. I sincerely applaud both John and Brendan for all their hard work in preparing for this trip and their stamina and gusto throughout. I look forward to their company on many other adventures in the mountains of the world.
Cheers,
Tim

The Trilogy. European Alps

2006-08-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

The Trilogy: Mt. Blanc, Matterhorn, and Eiger, July 17-26, 2006
Posted August 30, 2006
The following report was written by AAI guide Tim Connelly, currently stationed in the French and Swiss Alps. The report details a series of climbs with John and Brandon Elley of Camano Island, WA on Mt. Blanc, the Matterhorn, and the Eiger that took place from July 17 - 26, 2006.

Tim reports:
The Elleys, the trilogy: what an excellent adventure!
John Elley, Brandon Elley, and myself had a very successful 10 days together this July, with the fine, dry weather allowing us to hone our skills and become acclimatized to these high peaks which were to test our nerve and endurance.
After meeting John and Brandon at the Hotel Richmond and checking their gear, I knew we were all in for an energizing adventure: these guys could not sit still and were so jazzed they could hardly wait to start the next day.
Instilling in them the need to pace themselves for this 10 day adventure we took off for the Petit Aiguille Verte, a favorite starting point of mine. We journeyed across a short, steep glacier onto a spiny, rock ridge where we enjoyed steep rock and ice climbing with our crampons on. It was perfect practice for the peaks to come and we were able to edge into some higher altitudes (around 11,000'). We had great views across to the Aiguilles Rouges, into the Mer de Glace, and over the Argentiere Glacier. After completing the ascent, we were stuck on top of the Grand Montets téléphérique for hours due to mechanical problems. They were not able to fix the problem so we, as well as a 100 other people, were actually helicoptered off, six at a time!!
To help our acclimatization along, the next day we first rode the téléphérique up to the top of the Aiguille du Midi (3800m), crossed the glaciated Vallée Blanche on foot, and then traversed the rocky and very exposed Aiguille d' Entreves. This was fantastic training for both the upcoming Matterhorn and Eiger climbs, as well as for moving quickly and efficiently at altitude.
We then spent the night at the Torino, hut enjoying some Italian cuisine and views of the southern side of Monte Bianco (Mont Blanc), which allowed us to spend our first night at altitude.
Taking it easy the next day, we rode the Hellbronner lift back into France, and after a quick ascent of the Point Lachenal, we made our way to the Cosmique hut and rested and watered up for our up coming ascent of Mont Blanc via the three summits route.
2am still came a little early, but we were blessed with a star filled sky as soon as we left the mad house of the early morning hut. We made excellent time and kept leap frogging other parties. We crossed first the Mont Blanc de Tacul summit and then the shoulder of Mont Maudit before reaching the Col de Brenva at the base of our final 1600-foot slope to the summit of Mont Blanc. We reached the top in under six hours with a slight breeze and -4 degree celsius temperature.
We descended the way we had ascended as the snows on both the Maudit and the Tacul started warming up and getting the slightest bit sloppy, but we made good time and were riding the midi téléphérique down by mid afternoon - in time for showers and a well deserved meal in Chamonix.
Sleep was good that night, and we were all able to get a little more rest in as we traveled to Zermatt, Switzerland by train where we met senior guide Mike Powers, who was to join us for the two remaining peaks of our trilogy: the Matterhorn and the Eiger.