Whiteface/ Wright Peak Birthday weekend 1/15/11-1/17/11

For my birthday weekend this year i was lucky enough to do two of my favorite things: snowboard and climb a high peak. The gnar crew has been renting this amazing ski cabin about 20 minutes north of Whiteface. We wake up bleary-eyed, pile into the cars.....

and end up at Whiteface for first tracks. Drool (as I am) as you gaze upon the untouched corduroy.

Sathi comes through with another mouth (and eye) watering batch of his signature cider. Be careful!!!! This stuff has been known to induce lift-line naps.

Whiteface is larger than life. Conditions vary wildy and terrain shows as much variety. Not to be triffled with, turns are earned. Jeanette, Kieran and I all learned lessons about respect on this mountain. It is a great humbler. We had some great days there this year, including some of the deepest pow of the season.

Whiteface is the fifth largest mountain in New York State. It is also the most isolated of the high peaks, well to the north of the others, it stands alone Jeanette and I plan on finishing the 46 on it's summit the end of summer/ early fall of 2012. Join us in celebrating! See you on the slides this winter ;)

After two epic days at Whiteface we drive to the Adirondack Loj to meet up with Derrick. He was moving to Colorado and came to the realization that he hadn't actually climbed Wright Peak (one of the most accessible high peaks, a mere 3 miles from it's trail head) and was not actually a 46er. it was a perfect winter day. Bright clear skies, temps hovering around 15 degrees.

Wright Peak is pretty special to me. It's the peak I've climbed the most (5 times to date), one of Jeanette and I's big first trips started here and most recently we took my cousin's Eileen and Christine up it as their first high peak.

This was a special trip. It was my birthday. I turned 29 in the Adirondacks doing what love.
Derrick is one of the big reasons why I live like I do now. I was beginning to dable with bigger hiking and camping trips. He took me on my first mega-hike (17 miles in the Lake George wilderness) and my first high peak (Phelps, at night, in the rain...quite an illustrious start). It meant so much to me to be able to be there when he finished the 46.

This has been a phenomenal year of hiking for Jeanette and I and it started right here. We climbed 16 high peaks this year, doubling the amount we had previously done. We climbed Mount Marcy, New York's largest, got to stand on many summits with some of our best friends and climbed our first trailless peaks (the Seward Range). Many 14 mile days, 20 plus mile weekends, astronaut dinners and PB+J lunches.

We feel so lucky to have the opportunity, drive and ability to undertake such a seemingly unreachable goal. For much of my life the idea of attempting something like this would have been laughable. Even more so, I feel SO grateful that this magical place is in this state, so close to home. I've truly found my place in this word.

Never had a home like this.....