The FIFTY

**skibrd** · 10-20-2019, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by Alkasquawlik

One thing we didn't show is because of Pete's sled key debacle, we actually ended up about a half hour behind two parties going for the same line. So we went into full Pete mode and were sprinting to catch up, pass and get to the top and off before the others could potentially drop in and slough us out or something. At one point, while I was going all out, Pete says, "This is a nice group pace". I felt like slapping him but was too out of breath. From sled drop off to bottom of the line we finished in 5 hours. So about 6.5 miles and 6k vert in 5 hours....and that was a "good group pace". Fucker. It's probably why I was so wasted the next day. Pete, Pete seemed fine. Fucker.

Dare I ask who is worse to keep up with, Peter, Mark Smiley (or Mark’s bro in law), or Jimmy Chin?

Thanks for the extra info about each video. It adds an additional layer of fun, and I can’t help reading them in your voice, which I think is funny.

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**Alkasquawlik** · 10-21-2019, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by skibrd

Dare I ask who is worse to keep up with, Peter, Mark Smiley (or Mark’s bro in law), or Jimmy Chin?

Thanks for the extra info about each video. It adds an additional layer of fun, and I can’t help reading them in your voice, which I think is funny.

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Easily Pete. Janelle Smiley may actually be harder to keep up with than Mark as she was the Ski Mo racer in the family. Jimmy, that was easy. In his prime, it would've been impossible. His Grand, Middle, South link up in 10 hours is still holding as an absurd and almost untouchable 'record'. But living out of hotel rooms and traveling the world to promote a little film he made about rock climbing left him a little off his game. Though he still was plenty damn strong that's for sure.

**Lindahl** · 10-21-2019, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by Alkasquawlik

Easily Pete. Janelle Smiley may actually be harder to keep up with than Mark as she was the Ski Mo racer in the family. Jimmy, that was easy. In his prime, it would've been impossible. His Grand, Middle, South link up in 10 hours is still holding as an absurd and almost untouchable 'record'. But living out of hotel rooms and traveling the world to promote a little film he made about rock climbing left him a little off his game. Though he still was plenty damn strong that's for sure.

I’d be curious how those guys measure up to Teague Holmes and some of the other skimo guys I know back in CO. There’s no way I can keep up with them. Hah.

**skibrd** · 10-21-2019, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Alkasquawlik

Easily Pete. Janelle Smiley may actually be harder to keep up with than Mark as she was the Ski Mo racer in the family. Jimmy, that was easy. In his prime, it would've been impossible. His Grand, Middle, South link up in 10 hours is still holding as an absurd and almost untouchable 'record'. But living out of hotel rooms and traveling the world to promote a little film he made about rock climbing left him a little off his game. Though he still was plenty damn strong that's for sure.

Note to self, don’t ever try to keep up with a guy named Pete in Colorado.

Oh I didn’t know Janelle joined you three. I forgot she’s a beast and even expecting a kiddo in a few months would kick everyone’s but.

I bet Jimmy would be able to get it back in no time. I’ve heard stories of him lapping friends on the Glory boot pack.

Was getting to ski with different locals from each mountain range part of the original plan, or has it sort of evolved to where you either reach out to people like Mark, Janelle, and Jimmy, for their local knowledge and to have a different view/experience with each of the 50 classics?

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**TAFKALVS** · 10-21-2019, 12:22 PM

It’d be cool if you and Noah Howell end up completing this project around the same time and finish it by skiing one of the crux lines together.

**Alkasquawlik** · 10-21-2019, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by Leavenworth Skier

It’d be cool if you and Noah Howell end up completing this project around the same time and finish it by skiing one of the crux lines together.

I mention this in the AMA video, been trying to link up with Noah for a line this past season and hoping for this season as well. I definitely want to tell his story through the project at some point. As far as completion of the project together, if for some reason the universe made this happen miraculously, then I'd be super beyond down for it. But I believe both him and I know that completion of this project is going to be a minor miracle in itself and could take between two more years to fifty more years...or never.

**TAFKALVS** · 10-21-2019, 03:42 PM

Chinese downhill off Mt St Elias. Make it happen. hah.

Yeah pulling this project off is going to be a major accomplishment for anyone who does it... which is crazy considering both of you are quite accomplished skiers as it is.

**mall walker** · 10-22-2019, 12:33 PM

has lou dawson complained yet that if you didn't rap the exit of the cross it doesn't count

awesome double episode

**Alkasquawlik** · 10-22-2019, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by mall walker

has lou dawson complained yet that if you didn't rap the exit of the cross it doesn't count

awesome double episode

If Lou Dawson is complaining about something I'm doing then I know I'm doing something right! The "rules" that he tries to enforce with skiing and the 14ers in particular is exactly what I never want skiing to become. You get into climbing culture and it's a cess pool of people critiquing and yelling at each other for grabbing a cam with a pinky finger, for climbing with an unregulated set of lightweight crampons, for not touching their scrotums on the exact millimeter high point of a summit...it's completely counter to everything outdoor sports are supposed to be in my opinion...methods of having fun, learning about the natural world and becoming a better person because of it all. To me, that climbing culture shit has to be fought and rallied against in ski culture or it too will be the cesspool of shit talking and paranoia. It's why I actively call out anyone that says stuff like "sleds are cheating" or something. To me, you walk from the ocean to the summit, well that's a cool, interesting way to do it. You use a sled to drive on the road to the bottom of the peak, well that too is a cool, interesting and more efficient way of doing it. Maybe not as cool as the ocean start, but probably still quite enjoyable. One may say the ocean walker had more of a challenge but it's not given that that person had more fun. It's the mountains, its skiing, its fun. Not a football field with refs blowing calls and changing the outcome of a Super Bowl.

**toast2266** · 10-22-2019, 12:59 PM

Shit. We're supposed to be teabagging peaks?

I've definitely been doing it wrong.

**Norseman** · 10-22-2019, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by toast2266

Shit. We're supposed to be teabagging peaks?

I've definitely been doing it wrong.

Peakbagging, duh

SB · 10-22-2019, 01:26 PM

Teapeaking

At least they are not butt chugging.

**Boissal** · 10-22-2019, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by Alkasquawlik

If Lou Dawson is complaining about something I'm doing then I know I'm doing something right! The "rules" that he tries to enforce with skiing and the 14ers in particular is exactly what I never want skiing to become. You get into climbing culture and it's a cess pool of people critiquing and yelling at each other for grabbing a cam with a pinky finger, for climbing with an unregulated set of lightweight crampons, for not touching their scrotums on the exact millimeter high point of a summit...it's completely counter to everything outdoor sports are supposed to be in my opinion...methods of having fun, learning about the natural world and becoming a better person because of it all. To me, that climbing culture shit has to be fought and rallied against in ski culture or it too will be the cesspool of shit talking and paranoia. It's why I actively call out anyone that says stuff like "sleds are cheating" or something. To me, you walk from the ocean to the summit, well that's a cool, interesting way to do it. You use a sled to drive on the road to the bottom of the peak, well that too is a cool, interesting and more efficient way of doing it. Maybe not as cool as the ocean start, but probably still quite enjoyable. One may say the ocean walker had more of a challenge but it's not given that that person had more fun. It's the mountains, its skiing, its fun. Not a football field with refs blowing calls and changing the outcome of a Super Bowl.

There's a small and very vocal population of "climbers" out there who are more interested in arguing the technicalities of redpoint vs onsight than actually climbing. They're typically out of shape noobs who consider Freedom of the Hills as their personal bibles or bitter old fucks who never got over the fact that kids these days are all over their lawns. The other 95% of climbers give very few fucks about abstract stylistic considerations and are out there climbing, not grumbling on the internet about what constitutes a proper nut drop on a previously unmolested summit. While I completely agree with the sentiment in your post, I think it's worth pointing out that the climbing referees aren't any more rabid than the skiing ones and there always will be a small kernel of people in every outdoor pursuit who are keen on ruining it for everyone who isn't doing it exactly the way they prefer. Whether it's a pseudo-guru like Dawson or a random idiot from FL on moutainproject, fuck 'em, they're doing it wrong and will end up pickling themselves in their own bitter juices.
To this point: finding a way around a cliff on skis will always be preferable to using a rope. Better style, less risk. The only downside of not rappelling is the loss of cool-guy hashtags on IG.

**thefortrees** · 10-22-2019, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by SB

At least they are not butt chugging.

Finally we start talking about something interesting in this thread

**skibrd** · 10-22-2019, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by Alkasquawlik

If Lou Dawson is complaining about something I'm doing then I know I'm doing something right! The "rules" that he tries to enforce with skiing and the 14ers in particular is exactly what I never want skiing to become. You get into climbing culture and it's a cess pool of people critiquing and yelling at each other for grabbing a cam with a pinky finger, for climbing with an unregulated set of lightweight crampons, for not touching their scrotums on the exact millimeter high point of a summit...it's completely counter to everything outdoor sports are supposed to be in my opinion...methods of having fun, learning about the natural world and becoming a better person because of it all. To me, that climbing culture shit has to be fought and rallied against in ski culture or it too will be the cesspool of shit talking and paranoia. It's why I actively call out anyone that says stuff like "sleds are cheating" or something. To me, you walk from the ocean to the summit, well that's a cool, interesting way to do it. You use a sled to drive on the road to the bottom of the peak, well that too is a cool, interesting and more efficient way of doing it. Maybe not as cool as the ocean start, but probably still quite enjoyable. One may say the ocean walker had more of a challenge but it's not given that that person had more fun. It's the mountains, its skiing, its fun. Not a football field with refs blowing calls and changing the outcome of a Super Bowl.

You, and your wife, have a fun way of putting smiles on peoples faces. Your take on what does and doesn’t count, and how we should or shouldn’t be doing things, definitely put a smile on my face. People seem to want to make rules for everything in 2019, and life isn’t black and white like that. You want to sled in to the base of a mountain, skip touring 6 miles, yet still climb 4/5/6,000 ft to ski sometime really cool, way to go. Same if someone wants to start naked in the ocean, forage for clothes, food, skis, whatever, and walk/climb up Shasta, good for them. I bet some big company will bring them in as a motivational speaker some day, pay them buckets of money, and I couldn’t care. Both of you did something rad I probably won’t be able to do ever.

So thanks for not letting the haters get to you, and keep it up. 3 of the 50 are in my backyard, and you’ve given me motivation and drive to try to give at least the Skillet a bother shot this winter, maybe Buck too, if I can get a few friends to go with me. The Grand, well, I’m not quite there skiing yet.

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**skiATL** · 10-24-2019, 12:24 AM

First, I love everything about this project; it has been amazing to see. Related to the discussion above, I really appreciate your attitude when it comes to recreating in the mountains. In the end, it’s about staying safe, developing amazing friendships, having fun, and pushing yourself and your skill set, not achieving some arbitrary set of rules to “ski it the right way” or some shit.

Also, I just spent several hours of my evening reading this entire thread. I’ve been following along with the Fifty on YouTube but have been absent from tgr for a while. Didn’t think i would ever read so much about armchair avalanche experts, PLBs, rock avalanches, USFS/NP permits, or requests for info on boot mods, all in one thread. And I still haven’t started to read the 20ish tabs opened from links on here. Quality info all around from the mags.

Anyways, thanks Alka for creating all of these amazing videos; it’s been exciting to see each one. It’s also been great to bring back memories from the lines ive already skied, but also valuable to get a better preview of the lines still on the tick list. Keep on keepin on.

**garyfromterrace** · 10-25-2019, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by Alkasquawlik

...It's the mountains, its skiing, its fun. ...

FKNA! Not always type one fun... but fun yeah!

**garyfromterrace** · 10-25-2019, 02:08 AM

Oh, and outstanding work as usual on the last 2 episodes! Thanks man and keep em coming.

**Jacques Sheer-Rocko** · 10-25-2019, 07:02 AM

Originally Posted by Alkasquawlik

call out

Ski off!

**kootenayskier** · 10-25-2019, 07:32 AM

I’m a fan, looking forward to and thoroughly enjoying every episode. I just watched the latest (Maroon Bells/Holy Cross) episode back to back with the new Lhotse Couloir vid, and the contrast was jarring. Lhotse’s traditional adventure film film cliches - heroic posturing, scripted over-sincerity, accomplishment over-each, nauseatingly blatant product placement, and casual misogyny, seem so crass and manipulative in 2019, whereas Cody and friends casual lack of pretence makes every adventure completely relatable. Keep it up.

**hafjell** · 10-25-2019, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by kootenayskier

I’m a fan, looking forward to and thoroughly enjoying every episode. I just watched the latest (Maroon Bells/Holy Cross) episode back to back with the new Lhotse Couloir vid, and the contrast was jarring. Lhotse’s traditional adventure film film cliches - heroic posturing, scripted over-sincerity, accomplishment over-each, nauseatingly blatant product placement, and casual misogyny, seem so crass and manipulative in 2019, whereas Cody and friends casual lack of pretence makes every adventure completely relatable. Keep it up.

Couldn't agree more. Although the Lhotse effort was excellent, the branding/marketing sours it. I don't know why every sponsored outdoor athlete has to effect this posture of faux wisdom wrapped in strip-mall life coaching. Sometimes the sponsored athletes don't have much to teach about life; they're just better skiers or climbers.
Kudos to CT and crew for avoiding sententiousness and just sharing the decision making, route finding, risk management, and joy.