Pow Pow

Davie Whyte Edit from Anthony Bonello on Vimeo.

This year I'm getting a late start to my ski season.  I've had a few days out, face shots, white room and all but I can't consider my season officially started until I get a heavy dose of alpine.  After spending so much time in the Himalaya over the past 5 years, even the Rockies seem flat.  In early Feb I'll be going back to the Pir Panjal mountains of Kashmir.  This is the land of 6$ gondi rides for 4,600 vertical of untracked.  The vertical my not be huge comparatively but it is nearly all above treeline.  And the touring puts you straight into a Himalayan wilderness survival situation.  A buddy Anthony Bonello is over there now making a film.  He shot this footie earlier in the season.  Although it isn't in the Himalaya (it's BC), the terrain looks amazingly similar to the forests of fir trees common in Kashmir.  During the storm cycles it is just too dangerous to ski in the alpine zone so we ski in the forest.  Though this is not true big mountain skiing, it is the next best thing, Pow Pow.

Everest North Face

This shot is from 2006.  It was taken at the top of the 2nd step at 8650 meters.  The traverse from the 2nd step to mushroom rock is one of the sketchiest parts of the route.  Sugar snow on tiny downsloping ledges with very old and tattered ropes.  The slabs of the upper north face look pretty mellow in this photo, but sure seem a lot steeper when your crampons are skidding around on the smooth rock at 28,000 ft. 

Everest, North Col

Sherpas working for Alex Abramov's  7 summits club

Makalu and Lhotse

Makalu (8,462m) is the world's 5th tallest mountain.  It is 14 miles east of Mount Everest.  The wall in the foreground is a small part of the South face of Lhotse (8,516m).  Lhotse is the world's 4th tallest mountain and sometimes considered a sub-peak of Everest.  Wikipedia says of the Lhotse South Wall:

Lhotse is a dramatic peak in its own right, due to its tremendous south face. This rises 3.2 km (1.98 mi) in only 2.25 km (1.4 mi) of horizontal distance, making it the steepest face of this size in the world. The south face has been the scene of many failed attempts, some notable fatalities, and very few ascents.

Wow

This photo was taken on the morning of May 11, 2006 from the summit of Everest.

Mount Everest, North Ridge

This is a shot I took in 2006.  Walking between camp 1 (7000m) and 2 (7800m) is long and slow.  The incredible North Face is towering above the whole time so the view is unbeatable.  Snow on the North ridge stops at 7500m, then some rock scrambling is required to get to camp 2.  The rest of the route to the summit is mostly rock scrambling as well, with a few harder sections up high.  The two guys in the photo are from Maine.  John Bagnulo and Bill Yeo.  Great dudes who were there with little support and put in a really great effort.  Bill turned around at 8300m because he was coughing up blood, good choice.  He was still feeling strong so he descended alone.  John joined myself and George for our summit push.  We topped out on May 11, '06, John's 36th birthday.  Imagine standing on the world's tallest point on your birthday- pretty awesome.