On Saturday, April 7, 2012, I climbed Ben Lomond in northern Utah. On the descent, I talked briefly to two women who were also intending to summit. I wonder if they realize how unique they are, as they were ski mountaineers, not just back-country skiers.

Since then, I have been wracked with regret for not having made an attempt to get their contact information. For as I have gotten wiser, I have come to realize it's not about the height of the peaks we climb, or about the difficulty of the route, or about the brand of boots we wear, or who we blog about, but simply about developing the next generation of climbers.

I've been encouraging and educating several young back-country skiers, but combined, I don't believe they have anywhere near the potential those two have. I am not harboring any hope of ever seeing them again, but I would use this experience to encourage everyone to watch for opportunities to get others into the mountains. That is, after all, the future of climbing...

Ski mountineering is not new. Here is a website with an interesting historical perspective by Lowell Skoog: http://www.alpenglow.org/ski-history/ch ... inier.html. Ski mountaineering was well established sport in Europe before it was here in the US.

Ben Lomond is climbed and skied more often than you think. A few Utah SP members have skied Ben Lomond during winter.

To me, the TyeDyeTwins represent the next generation of ski mountaineers.

Yes, there's going to be decisions to be made ... possible injuries and mishaps ... but, when the going gets TOUGH, the TOUGH go skiing !!!

How many know what D.Q. means ? Nope, doesn't mean Dairy Queen ... it means Don't Quit ......

Hot chicks with skis, crampons and ice axes will make an impression on anyone!

I saw two of 'em a few weeks ago, on a real "ski mountaineering" tour. Couple o girls laughing and talking as they smoked by me in a ridiculously steep forest with lots of saplings to heft the skis over. No boyfriend types around. Later, they were a million miles away on the snowfields. I was thinking to myself, "man, it's truly honorable to be in the presence of the next generation, blah blah." But I had other deeper thoughts that I won't bore you with.

Jeez, crickets. I thought I'd get a laugh

mvs wrote:Hot chicks with skis, crampons and ice axes will make an impression on anyone!

On a similar note, I've been trying for years to design and publish the

Men of SummitPost Annual Calendar

to no avail. No takers on the modeling. Surely we've got 12 SP Mac Daddies out there! Wanna be Mr. February?

mvs wrote:Jeez, crickets. I thought I'd get a laugh

Well, you should have posted pics.

Cool, so Michael & Bob have volunteered. 2 down, 10 to go!

Sarah Simon wrote:Cool, so Michael & Bob have volunteered. 2 down, 10 to go!

Here you go, Sarah-- topless even!

Bob Sihler wrote:

Sarah Simon wrote:Cool, so Michael & Bob have volunteered. 2 down, 10 to go!

Here you go, Sarah-- topless even!

No photo attached. Bare it and share it!

The few hikers who saw me shirtless on an early morning trail have all been hospitalized. Something about my alabaster sheen appears to be toxic or radioactive. Other problems stand in the way of a beefcake picture, notably my propensity to wear gaiters, shorts and polypro, offending the sensibilities of at least two generations of mountain people. But I can assure you that at the end of the day, under the tremulous light of a headlamp, when the camouflage is removed...I present a breathtaking sight!

Hey guys ... THIS is the "Utah" regional thread ..

It's really difficult to get a buffed-out suntan when you have those seagulls flying overhead with the crickets and brine flies getting in your face.

Reckon Arizona doesn't have much snow, but makes up for it in SUNSHINE ... we need more sunshine on SP !!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cqh54rSzheg[/youtube]

Bob Sihler wrote:

Sarah Simon wrote:Cool, so Michael & Bob have volunteered. 2 down, 10 to go!

Here you go, Sarah-- topless even!

Dang, Sihler, set my monitor a-flame!!!

mvs wrote:The few hikers who saw me shirtless on an early morning trail have all been hospitalized. Something about my alabaster sheen appears to be toxic or radioactive. Other problems stand in the way of a beefcake picture, notably my propensity to wear gaiters, shorts and polypro, offending the sensibilities of at least two generations of mountain people. But I can assure you that at the end of the day, under the tremulous light of a headlamp, when the camouflage is removed...I present a breathtaking sight!

Take heart - the alabaster sheen theme works wonderfully for Mr. January.