Quiver Update 2018

Over the last several months, a few commenters have suggested that I update my “quiver” piece that I wrote several years ago. I’ve certainly gone through a few skis since then, discarding some I didn’t like while embracing a few that I did. I will list my favorites here while expanding on the topic of what (I think) makes a good ski for ski alpinism and general back country whoring. So, while the snow is finally falling in Alaska and the temperatures drop, I’ll take a break from whining about my jacked up knee and write about something perhaps more interesting.

Click to read more ...

Blown - Life after my ACL rupture - 4

It’s been about 15 weeks since I had my left knee anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed with cadaver allograft. My recovery was initially steady and most observers say that I progressed more quickly than average. Truth be told, I didn’t comply completely with the typical rehabilitation time line. I did so not because I believe I’m some sort of unique snowflake but rather because the sensations I had along the way suggested to me an altered path. Pain, swelling and the return of muscle control all guide one’s progress. I adhered to these concepts without fail, testing the waters and then proceeding. The deal was that I did so two to three weeks faster than expected.

Click to read more ...

Stuff I like - A2-16 Ski Poles

The A2-16 ski pole from Chamonix represents the full pendulum swing of pole design which I feel best suits the need of steep skiers and ski alpinists. My path to them has involved many stops with attempts at several innovations tried and discarded along the way. I’ll present a case for them here along with some history about the journey.

Click to read more ...

Blown - Life after my ACL rupture - 3

Gotta wait awhile for more days like thisThe deal is done. Commitment made. Time to get on with the business of healing and returning to normal. But first, I'll share my impressions with the surgical experience and the first few days of recovery.

I didn't sleep much the night before surgery. I was literally tortured with the graft choice decision. It wasn't an easy choice due to lots of pros and cons but ultimately, having younger tissue and sparing my hamstrings made the most sense for someone my age. My surgeon admitted after the fact that he'd never done an autograft oon someone over 50. So, there it is.

Click to read more ...

Blown - Life after my ACL rupture - 2

Better days with KarolIt’s been just over two weeks since my knee injury. The swelling is down and the range of motion is much better. I think I’ve arrested the rapid atrophy of my left quad. I gingerly stepped under my squat rack several days ago to see how things felt. I was already doing pistol box squats on my right leg but knew that getting the left back on line would help things going into surgery in another week or so. I typically squat to a box to ensure depth so for the current project I simply built the box height to a level that felt comfortable. As swelling has subsided and range improved, I’ve lowered the box height incrementally.

Click to read more ...