Category Archives: Profiles
John Harlin Walking the Swiss Border
Earlier this summer we posted our story & photos about John Harlin’s Swiss Border project. It was a project we were very lucky to be a part of as we would have the pleasure of meeting John, spending some days with him as he walked the entire Swiss Border, and getting to visually document part of the process. After three very long & difficult days with John, I was left thinking that in order to complete this epic journey he would need a very strong will, endless endurance and bomber knees. Apparently, he has all these things as yesterday, September 12, at exactly noon, he summited Mont Dolent – this, after 104 days of being on the move . By doing so, he completed a very large circle that offered him countless geographic and weather challenges, but also an endless stream of memorable trailside human encounters and support via social media.
John Harlin arriving to the summit of Mont Dolent
We joined him as he first set out this summer, then again yesterday for his finish atop Mont Dolent, which serves as the border between France, Italy and Switzerland. Also in our group were supporters & partners from Swiss Tourism, some close friends, and his host SwissInfo.ch.
The day started off with the sound of heavy rain bombarding our bivouac on the Italian side of Mont Dolent. 5 am, rain, 6am, rain, 7 am, drizzle. With drizzle being a major improvement, and John determined to close the project, we all set out. 30 minutes later as we gained the glacier the first rays of sun were streaming through the clouds. Shortly after this we had bluebird conditions and a freshly frosted mountain all to ourselves.
A huge congratulations to John for completing his journey and lifelong dream. There are some great stories from along the way at SwissInfo Border Stories. Also, a follow up summary is soon to follow and can be watched for at the SwissBorder Facebook Page. His own write up of the final day is appropriately titled, Party Time.
A few images from a great day with a superb group of people.
Inside the Bivouaco Fiorio. Too bad we had to carry all the schnapps & wine up, there just wasn't enough.
John Harlin leaving the bivouac in wet and unpleasant weather for his final day on the Swiss Border
The crew negotiating a heavily crevassed glacier below Mont Dolent
The skies cleared to a perfect last day. Here, John is on the upper glacier before the final rock ridge.
John Harlin and Friends on the summit of Mont Dolent. Congratulations John.
Even the Ibex were out in support. This big guy was on the doorstep of the bivouac when we returned.
Everyone down and happy to the bivouac with Mont Dolent behind.
Interested in following what we do, as we do it, via your favorite Social Media:
Also posted in Climbing, Photography
Tagged Documentary, Europe, hiking, Photography, Photoshoots, Switzerland
2 Comments
Training with Ueli Steck
I have watched the Sender film The Swiss Machine numerous times – and still the goosebumps come. Seeing Ueli Steck speed soloing the North Wall of the Eiger is something sublime. For those not familiar with this, a quick summary: Ueli Steck, alone, climbed the North Wall of the Eiger in 2:47 minutes. This is something along the lines of someone suddenly running a one minute mile. He also established alpine speed records on the North Wall of the Matterhorn as well as the Grand Jorasses. Feats that left the climbing world stunned.
Ueli Steck beneath the North Wall of the Eiger. February 2011
As a climber myself, I am in awe of his technical skills and mental strength. As an athlete, I am inspired by both his fitness and ability to push himself to limits when the consequences are extreme. Ueli Steck not only plays one of the most dangerous games, he does it as an elite athlete, combining many skills and applying them to huge objectives. One can’t help but wonder, what’s this guy like?
The subject came up recently when talking to Mountain Hardwear, a company we provide photography for and who works closely with Ueli in developing their alpine gear and clothing. With Ueli preparing for an upcoming trip to the Himalaya, I asked them about spending some days photographing him training at home in Interlaken, Switzerland. One thing lead to another and suddenly it was a go, I had Ueli on the line and a plan came together.
The catch was, Mountain Hardwear did not want a “photoshoot”, but rather a documentary of Ueli’s time which it turns out, is in great demand. Ueli is in the middle of a slideshow circuit for Explora.ch in Switzerland and has a show almost every night for 6 weeks right up until the eve of his Himalaya departure.
Photographing Ueli Steck
Typically, photoshoots include our ability to control what we photograph. We know where, when and what we will shoot ahead of time. In this case, we had no clue, we were along for Ueli’s ride. With his tight schedule, Ueli needed to maximize his training time so as to fit it in along with two shows and a TV interview – just in the two days we were with him. We were allowed to hover but not to impose, the photos had to be honest accounts of who he is. No back and forth in perfect light at a scouted location, just running by where we could get to him.
So, what was it like? How is the Swiss Machine? Janine and I met him in pre-dawn darkness in Grindelwald, Switzerland and were immediately struck by his casual, friendly nature. He’s also all business, “I’m going to run up to the Eigergletscher Station (1400 meters gain), you take the train up, ski down and shoot me where we meet. Then I wait for you at the station, bring my skis up, we’ll ski down together and then go get some lunch.” Off he went, “Tschüss!”
Setting out in the early morning to run pistes. Grindelwald, Switzerland
Coffee at Grindelwald's C & M Cafe
Later, after our turn free descent, we headed for a local cafe and finally got to spend some time sitting and getting to know this guy. Some of the creative direction provided was to capture what a “badass” he is while training. And admittedly, I had gone into the shoot with the desire to do this very thing. I wanted portraits that demonstrated his “Swiss Machine-ness”; absolute focus, maybe even a killer look in his eye. I found none of this to be the case. This was my perception of a man who has certainly done some very “badass” things, but when sitting at a table sharing a meal, I felt I was with a completely normal person who happens to have some clearly defined goals and is willing to work very hard to obtain them.
Ueli Steck winter running below the Eiger
Suddenly my perception and focus changed. With our job being to document Ueli Steck, I realized I wasn’t going to get “badass”, I was going to get a guy running in the woods behind his house, training at his local climbing gym and drinking coffee in the morning. This is who the hero is. He is a genuinely good guy working his ass off each and every day, balancing a staggering training program with a climbing profession, a media onslaught, and a happy marriage; the badass comes from what he accomplishes. Ueli Steck might be a bit uncomfortable being called a hero, but he handles it with grace. Best of all, he is a guy to learn some things from about working hard for what you want. What more could you want from a hero?
Morning run; approximately 10km, 1400 meters gain, on snow, fast.
Post morning run; straight to Interlaken's climbing gym
Many laps on hard routes
Ueli Steck presenting his show to a Swiss audience
Ueli at home; a man who loves coffee and knows how to do it right
Training in the forest behind the house
Post run; straight to Bern for a TV interview. Briefing & makeup
Another Ueli Steck day
Post TV show; straight to Bern's climbing gym
Janine and I would like to express our sincerest thanks to Ueli for welcoming us into his home and life for two days – and to Mountain Hardwear for making it all possible.
To keep track of Ueli, visit his Facebook Page: Ueli Steck
DolomiteSport profiled by Backpacker Magazine
Exciting news for our DolomiteSport site, Backpacker Magazine has put a profile of our work and site on their website: Backpacker Magazine
This is ahead of their August issue sporting another of our photos from the Dolomites on the cover. We are super happy to be noticed by these guys!
Also posted in Dolomites, DolomiteSport, Photo Business
Tagged backpacking, Dolomiten, Dolomites, Dolomiti, hiking, Mountain Sports
Leave a comment
Susie Sutphin Interview
Skiing corn beneath the Tre Cime di Lavaredo
A good friend of our’s from the US, Susie Sutphin, just stayed two weeks with us here in the Italian Dolomites. Together we pushed the limits of our legs and motivation, managing to ski every single day of her visit, 2 weeks solid. Included was Austria’s Silvretta Tour, a few days in the Zillertal Group, numerous days in the Dolomites, including three doubles where we skied during the day, finished at a hut, and then maximized our ski time by skiing out under fullmoon with a slight grappa buzz. The weather was at its absolute best behavior, favoring long days and lots of mileage.
Susie making tracks upward
Susie is the former Patagonia Athlete/Ambassador Coordinator from where we came to know her years ago, but now lives and works in Truckee, California for the Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival. She is, simply put, one of the best telemark skiers around. Where people just should not be dropping their knee, she does, with grace and power at the same time. More than a few Austrians are likely singing songs about her right now. Susie’s primary goal in skiing is one thing, skiing steep, narrow, and mightily long couloirs.
This was Susie’s first visit to the Dolomites, I asked her some questions about the skiing.
I know what is coming, but what are your thoughts on the Dolomites?You have expectations from places, from the media, videos, etc… then what a place really is becomes focused when you arrive. The Dolomites are like the Eastern Sierra times 10. Turn everything up 10 notches and it is the skiing here. There are so many visible lines, so many things I look at and know I can go ski, the Dolomites are raining couloirs.
Here it is GO TIME. My skiing really improved in two weeks because the terrain required me to improve. Back home we have training grounds, then the Dolomites are the olympics. The Dolomites make you show what you’ve got.
And it is just so beautiful, the scale is massive, to be up high in the mountains at night and see the tiny villages shimmering below – fantastic.
Why the love of couloirs?
You always hear climbers describing being a part of nature when they climb. For me, being in a couloir, I feel connected to something so big, to actually be inside a mountain where not everyone can go is a great experience. And to stand on the top, looking in, seeing your ski tips sticking out above the drop, feels so good.
Explain the quote of the trip, “I love Europe”.
And not just for skiing, for everything. This trip was special, spending all my time with people who live here and not being just a tourist made it feel even better. Seeing how people live here, seeing my friends living here and how to make it happen, I love this.
What is your perception of Europe’s Mountain Culture?
The sports are just part of the culture, it is what you do. I heard a girl on the Silvretta Tour who was learning to ski in the mountains say, “I am from the Tirol, I must ski.”
And all the older people out?
Great, to be in the mountains, on a tour, arrive at a hut and there are 150 people inside of all ages, amazing. It is so inspiring and motivating. There is so much depth to the culture.
Would you return?
The question is “How do I come back forever?”
Finally, in your group of friends back in the US, is there an awareness of the Dolomites?
They think, “They’re somewhere in Italy, right?” That is it. They seem to be known for just climbing. For skiing, Chamonix and the Alps overshadow everything. But the Dolomites are the most varied, the location and proximity to other incredible areas, the Ortler, the Silvretta, Stubai, etc… And then the Dolomites themselves, if you love skiing couloirs and love just real skiing, go to the Dolomites.
Susie Sutphin dropping into the Holzer Couloir, note the ski line, straight down
Susie Super Psyched post Holzer Couloir
Skinning beneath the Tre Cime di Lavaredo
In the Silvretta
Also posted in Dolomites, DolomiteSport, Skiing
Tagged Backcountry Skiing, Dolomites, Europe, Mountain Sports, Ski Touring, Telemark Skiing, Women
Leave a comment
Lou Dawson Interview
Lou and Ted will have to explain this ritual of post ski breathing technique
Lou Dawson is a legend in the American ski culture. Primarily known as the first person to ski all 54 of Colorado’s 14,000 foot peaks, he is also a pioneer of backcountry skiing, a leader who brought about awareness of ski touring ideas to the US and the daily manager and writer for the tremendously popular WildSnow.com.
We were lucky enough to run into Lou and his great, longtime friend Ted Karasote while we were all on Austria’s Silvretta Tour. Together we enjoyed dinner in the huts and had some time to chat about Euro ski touring vs. the American scene. I asked Lou some questions regarding his thoughts after years of visits to Europe.
Lou (in green hat) enjoys a meal in the Wiesbadener Hut, Silvretta Tour
Lou, what is the first word that comes to mind when you think of Euro ski touring?
FOOD
Would huts like those found throughout Europe make it in the US?
YES, absolutely, they would have to be in just the right places. Eastern Colorado and the Pacific Northwest seem the logical spots. In the US they would have to be far enough in and with only moderate motorized access to keep out the trouble makers. But yes, they would work once people discovered the concept.
What is your ideal day skiing in Europe?
I have had these days where I have skied lower level stuff, not the big mountains or big tours, but smaller stuff which we have run laps on situated above small villages. At the end of the day we dropped back to the valley and stayed in small, local guesthouses where we have all these great experiences with people who belong to the mountain culture here. It is a wonderful way to experience the mountains of Europe.
Lou, you are 58, in the hut there are numerous others of the same age or even much older. In the US, it is not too common to see “older” skiers putting in 2000+ meter days day in and day out. Here it is completely normal. What do you think fosters this? Will America get to this point in it’s mountain sport culture?
We must have our eyes open to the possibilities in the US. Younger people are much more active and the older ones slow way down. In Europe there is a huge range of people involved with alpinism, in Europe it is no big deal, it’s just what you do. For Europeans, mountain sports are just part of the lifestyle, in America it is a “sport”. Americans are more concerned with “speed” and how much “vert”, this comes from our media. In Europe you would have to be like Messner to get noticed. It is the experience vs. the accomplishment idea. Europeans are more about the mountain experience. There are older role models in the European mountain culture, this has not yet come to the American scene with such a great base.
What is the next ski tour you want to do in Europe?
It’s time I do the Haute Route. I am especially interested in the historical component.
—-
For me it was a great pleasure to meet up with Lou and Ted and spend time laughing about the decadence of the European ski touring scene. His site WildSnow.com is a fantastic source of information for backcountry skiers and now has a full report of the Silvretta Tour for those interested in visiting Austria. Become a regular visitor and encourage Lou to visit the Haute Route for yet another trip report.
Cosley Houston Mountain Guides Profile
Mark Houston and Kathy Cosley
Even at 40, I think it is important to never lose the ability to both recognize and have heroes.
So many personality traits I place value on are held and demonstrated beautifully by our great friends Mark Houston and Kathy Cosley.
Like Janine and I, they are a couple managing a mountain sports business together, 24/7/365. In their case, it is a professional International Mountain Guiding Service (Cosley Houston Mountain Guides). They work in mountains around the world; from the Alps to the Himalaya, and from Patagonia to Alaska. Based in Chamonix, France, they are also American transplants to Europe.
It is rare to see anyone with such enthusiasm for getting out and being active in the mountains. They are passionate about what they do and they do it perfectly. Even while guiding full time, year round, they still call on their days off and ask if we want to go play in the mountains. This visit to our home in the Dolomites was no different, in the early stages of 7 straight weeks of nonstop ski tour guiding, they still swung by our house and off we went, ski touring.
I have been on trips alongside their own and able to see just how smoothly they operate. It is a pleasure to watch the dynamics of how well they work with people. Kathy’s endless charm, wit and storytelling all while displaying flawless mountain skills. And Mark, setting the pace and being the ever present “rock” of leadership.
In addition to working outside, day in and day out, the two run the definitive website for guiding and mountain information. And, they are the authors of the new Bible of Alpine Climbing, called, oddly enough, Alpine Climbing. Mark has been President of the American Mountain Guides Association and is a brilliant photographer. Kathy has a line of duct tape wallets and accoutrements for the mountain sports athlete. Together, they have been “Guides of the Year.”
I have long been suspicious that they do not sleep. There image should grace a cereal box.
While visiting, we asked them a few questions:
How were the Dolomites?
“The food was incredible, we had some bad weather but we also had some phenomenal snow.”
The huts?
“The BEST ever. Private rooms, full showers, friendly people. And of course the food…”
What about the food?
“We ate too well for a ski tour, we gained weight.”
If you were to be on a cereal box, which would it be?
“It would have to be Wheaties, for the company we’d keep”, says Kathy. “Maybe Shredded Wheat”, Mark adds. “But most certainly Quaker Oats”, they agree.
How is it being a couple and working together full time, in what can be a stressful environment?
Laughs. “It is the best.” Then, silence…
“It is nice to know each other so well, problems are dealt with quickly and efficiently, to be with someone you know so well makes it easier to handle variables in the mountains. Sensing when the other person is stressed and then picking up the slack without saying anything.”
How has guiding changed in the last 10 years as the sports have become more mainstream?
“There are more clients. But they have more money and less time. But maybe we changed, what we do changes as we get older.”
How is guiding different in the US compared to Europe?
Laughs… “It is more varied, one guide can do all different kinds of guiding in Europe. There are no permits, you are free to work in the mountains. Once you have the badge you do as you please.
Yes, Europe is crowded, but the American line, “We don’t want American mountains to be like Europe” typically comes from people who don’t understand Europe, or who’ve never been.
If you want pristine mountains, don’t come here, but you can certainly find wild areas and get away from people.
The exceptional thing about Europe is the fact that the mountains are huge, and also there are all these valleys with their own cultures, languages, and architecture. For us, this is as special as going to the mountains themselves, there is discovery everywhere.”
Are Euro guides welcoming to you?
“Yes. Very. They make a policy of being welcoming to other professionals. In the States it is not always like this, they are protective of their turf, territorial. This is funny because there are so many more guides in Europe compared to the US.”
Now tell the truth, do you two sleep?
Kathy, “I am pretty attached to my 8-9 hours.” Mark says nothing, he’s become distracted by some work on the computer.
Dawn Patrol: Freezing, snowing, but always happy to be out
Kathy Cosley on the Haute Route
Living room cam confirms, no sleep.
Toph & Kim Gaylord: The Tour du Mont Blanc
Topher Gaylord on the Italian side of Mont Blanc
I have a rule. It is the “Yes” rule. If someone calls and asks me to go do a fun trip. The answer, within reason, must be, “Yes”.
So when Topher Gaylord called and asked if we wanted to run the Tour du Mont Blanc (100 miles and approximately 8500 meters of gain) my answer was, “No”. But after thinking about it some, we opted to obey the rule and decided on a sketchy, “Okay”.
This was 2004. We did not know Toph or his wife Kim. Now, years later, we look back having done the trip and we are friends with some really good memories of a perfect three day tour.
Kim & Toph Gaylord with Janine Patitucci
Janine and I arrived to Switzerland for our usual multi-month summer shoot schedule. Within hours of getting in, Toph was on the phone. At that time, he was the President of The North Face International and we had a photo shoot scheduled later that summer in Italy where he and Kim lived. Toph thought we would all come to know one another by doing this run. He had heard we were fit and boldly decided to take the chance of spending a few days running with strangers. Now that I look back on this decision, it really was a brave thing to do as we could have been punters extraordinaire.
Toph is, quite possibly, the most psyched and motivated human on the planet. A top ultra runner, Toph has actually placed second in the Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc, the race on the same course we would run. To say Toph travels a lot is an understatement, airport staff know him. To stay fit he has been known to actually run in airports, putting on his running clothes, and actually lapping the airport, inside and out. He is one of those people the rest of us stare at.
He has two mottoes, “Charge”, and “Get after it”. This sums up Toph. Simple as the saying are, when put to practice they are life changing in a wonderful kind of way. Kim is the same. When Toph charges, she charges alongside.
Toph in full "Charge" mode at the start of the Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc. Note Italian on cellphone
The two of them recently moved back to the US and we can no longer play together in the Dolomites. But the other day as I was skinning up a peak at night and doing live Twitter feeds, I get a message from Kim, “Make some turns for us”. A huge smile came across my face, not just because someone was actually following the feed, but because I knew that the two of them had done identical things as I was doing and they understand exactly how fun it is.
Toph and Kim’s Blog can be found at : http://www.tophergaylord.blogspot.com
Enjoying the lack of border control, the Italian-French "rock line"
Toph explaining the "Charge" concept to locals
Also posted in Friends, Trail Running
Tagged Mountain Sports, Trail Running, Ultra Running
1 Comment
Connect with us
