However, I’ve found a little bit of time to have fun. I’ve gotten out diving in Whittier with some awesome dive partners – Larry, Derek and Erica. Erica just got certified in December and is doing a great job in the water.

Scott and Dave coming up the ramp.

Larry going around the far side of the tanker.

Erica and I took a long weekend and drove up to Chena Hot Springs to enjoy some cool weather and hot water!

This was sunset as we drove to Fairbanks. Awesome!!

Enjoying the hot water!

We even saw the northern lights a couple times! But since it was so warm (-10°ish) they weren’t very active.

Saturday afternoon we took a tour of the Ice Museum (oxymoron, I know…). This place was awesome! The building is a double hull steel building. Within the building there is no ventilation, this significantly reduces sublimation (Yes, I had to look it up too). So some of the carved pieces have been there for years! Nuts! They keep the interior at a balmy 20°. It was an absolute mind trick when we “prepared” to go into the ice museum – since it was about 30° warmer inside than the air outside. I actually unzipped my coat until we got ready to go back outside.

This is their newest piece – two knights jousting. Crazy part? It’s made from one huge block of ice! Notice the green knight standing out of his saddle? the purple knight getting knocked back? The impact of the green’s pole striking the breast plate of the purple knight? Not the mention the bridles of the horses! You can see the purple bridle going from the mouth and around the head! And this thing was huge!!

Erica with the Coca cola bear.

In front of the fire place.

They have a lookout tower with a spiral staircase!! Too bad the don’t let you walk up to the top (Something about too many people falling down the staircase).

They get the ice blocks from a local lake, each of the blocks weight over a ton! BTW, each of those martini glasses sitting on top?? Yea, each individually carved from the block! How cool!! (pun not intended)

This is their workshop! The workbenches – made of ice. The tool racks on the wall – ice. Even the trashcan is made of ice!!

Sipping her apple-tini out of her ice martini glass (Oddly enough, you get to keep the glass).

Why drink apple-tinis out of ice glasses? Why not!?!?

On our drive home we got a gorgeous view of Denali at sunset! The best I have ever seen her!

Sunset lighting up the southwest face.

Of course Erica doesn’t know how to take a serious photo, so I only got ones of her laughing at everything – well, usually me.

Frosted trees alllll the way home!

Then this past Sunday I had the most fun! A group of us drove north to Eureka to go snow-machining! (Erica and I are on the far right side of the photo) We picked it up pretty quick and before we knew it we were speeding across lakes and climbing hills like it was our job! Thankfully we have some awesome friends that shared their knowledge so the learning curve wasn’t painful. Photo’s courtesy of Jen2.

Are friends are so awesome in fact, they help us get unstuck (but first they document our bright moments!)

Erica is on the far side of the tree looking for groundhogs, the sled is there just as backup..

Jen2 showing the boys how it’s done!

Erica and I halfway through the day, lovin’ it!! Thanks to our Eagle River SledHead crew for getting us totally addicted!

Well, that’s 2010 so far…. stay tuned.

-Digs

1. Smartwool Mid-weight socks (Medium), Full-weight socks (Medium)

2. Hanes Boxer-briefs (Small)

I didn’t think I was suppose to ask for socks and undies till I was Dad’s age but truth be told… they top the list!

3. Sorel Caribou Snow boot (Size 9) – I think after four years in the white north, I should get a pair of snow boots.

4. New jeans. I’m easy – GAP Low-rise Boot fit jean 30/30. The wash doesn’t really matter.  I have 1 pair without paint/oil/ grease stains and 2 pair (including the clean one) without holes.

5. A good bottle of Scotch. I’ve come to prefer The Glenlivet 12 and 15. However, I’d love to sample their Nadurra Range. 

6. Leather Dopp kit.

7. New Otter Bay hood. Used for diving, my DUI hood has done great but is starting to fall apart. The Otter Bay is a 12mm custom cut hood. Call Dive Alaska at 907-770-1778 for details.

8. Gift certificate to Mens Warehouse. I need to invest in a dinner jacket.

Erica and I Saturday morning. Gorgeous!! 

Erica on her 5th dive taking a compass heading. 

hmm, really??

The class and instructors.

On the fly shadowing Erica’s team on their first dive being certified.  

Sunstar that has been eaten by a Sea Lion (notice the shorter legs).

Streamlined.

Erica and I after she got certified!

**Note: none of the photos have been photo shopped  or altered. Only one has been cropped.**

I spent 21 days in September hiking across the Talkeetna Mountain Range. Our crew covered about 150 miles over the most beautiful country I have ever seen! We started at Gunsight Mountain and weaved our way across 9 maps to the railroad at the Susitna River. 

Navigation “a la fog.”

The result of shifting winds

Notice the water droplets. 

Who carries over a 7000′ peak just for the hell of it?? yea, that would be us. 

Kayti at the top with Denali on the horizon.

The birth place of a river.

The local flora. 

Denali in the background.

Alaska Railroad picked us up along the tracks. Everyone sat in the food car, I hung out the the cattle car with the most interesting group of guys that have been living out here for years! It was amazing to listen to their stories.

The group before we dropped into Susitna valley!

A couple photos from diving in Resurrection Bay, Sept. 26.

What do I do on halloween? regular party scene? no! I help organize the underwater pumpkin carving contest. It was sweet!! Next year, larger pumpkins!

Brian carving – notice the pumpkin chunk floating above his hand.

Brian (left) and I with our award winning pumpkin – “Dark Army”.. our prize was beer and pizza with the other teams at Chair 5 in Girdwood.

Brian and I with the finished product! Master carving  skills were present.. awesomeness. 

The lineup.

Eric Keller entering Hidden Treasure at 70′.

Derek Frohbieter enjoying Boulder City.

China Rock Fish

Brian Clem 

Clem at 80′

Myself at 60′ at Boulder City

There was a ton of ash all over the place. 

I reached the cabin and met a few people. I decided to spend the evening there since it was already 10:30 and was hailing.

Sunday morning I left around 8:30 reached the pass. Crow Pass it at 3,500′.

Raven Glacier.

As I said before, there was a good amount of ash everywhere.

Toe of the Eagle Glacier and Glacier Lake. (Headwaters of Eagle River.)

Crossing the river that ended up being thigh deep. Mmm glacial water. It was at this point I wish I had something besides gore-tex boots. My feet were soaked for the next 17 miles. 

Looking up valley to Saghala Point.

The “trail.”

I reached the Eagle River Nature Center at 6pm. From there I started hitch hiking for a few miles till a couple picked me up and brought me into town. 

Cheers

I went down to work on Scott’s boat. He has a 43′ Delta. He owns Dive Alaska.

Mt. Redoubt:

Bretwood Higman (don’t know him) took this photo. Mt Redoubt is 103 miles south of town. Pretty good shot I think.

The roads were pretty empty driving home from work. Notice how gray the sky is. That is looking East south east.

And that’s looking East north east. If you look closely you can see the line between ash and blue sky. 

My truck once I got home. 

I imagine clean up is going to be a pain.

Cheers

Just getting to the top of the bluff to set camp.

Climbing after we dropped out skis.

A ways up. 

Ben kick-stepping all the way up.

Looking back down towards the valley. 

What we were climbing.

View from our camp. Amazing spot!!

Creek as we were skinning out.

My feet at the end of the trip. Ugh.

Cheers!

The approach:

The ice:

The lower section is Water Ice (WI) 2 and the upper section is WI4. We soloed the lower section and kept climbing to the top.

Ben led the pitch and I followed then we set up a top rope and did laps all over the front curtain. It was an awesome day! 

It was around 3 degrees that day and oddly enough there was a column of water spraying straight out of a hole in the ice. It shot between 12 and 15 feet out from the wall! So as I rappelled down I had to take a sip. 

Needless to say, I was covered with ice when I finally got to the ground. It tasted great!! Just freezing cold.

After we climbed to our heart’s content, we down climbed and simul-rappelled down to the road. We were warm and laughed pretty much the whole time, certainly the best day of climbing in a while!

Cheers