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Hey, on Saturday I've been on Bola del Mundo (2.268 m / 7,441 ft) again, that is near Peñalara (see page). We did the same as in my message of General section / Wino's unite! but ski-mountaineering and snowboarding (my cousins). The ascent was quick but I had to take my skis off because ot the steep icy slope. We didn't descended to Collado de Valdermartín this time, so we had lunch at the top of Bola sheltered against the walls of the buildings that are located there (there are some big aerials too). The wind was moderate, the minimum temperature 1 ºC and there was fog above 2.100 m / 6,890 ft as far as 60 m / 197 ft. I managed well descending with my skis on the upper section, not so my cousins. Then there was a steep and narrow gully where they descended faster than me. Also I had problems with my back bindings because they were very loose. Then there was a narrower gully with some rocks and trees, I had to take my skis off because those problems and my skiing level. So I descended hiking with the skis on my shoulders down to the final section, very difficult to ski because there're too much obstacles. Then I reached the road M-604 and walked left to my parked car where there were my cousins waiting (1.835 m / 6,020 ft ), it started to snow.

Hey, take a look at this piece of news that I've corrected after translating with an automatic translator. It's about a woman died on Bola del Mundo N face, just some hundreds meters to the right of the slope that I was skiing on Saturday:

MADRID. - A woman of 30 years who was climbing in the Bola del Mundo, near Navacerrada, has died when she fell down a slope of 100 meters. The mountaineer, who was with other four persons, has not managed to be revived by the emergency services.

The group was ascending the north side, which was frozen, when the victim slipped and fallen down the slope to smash finally against a pine. As the emergency services have reported, the woman was taking crampons not even ice axe.

More information, in spanish, at:

http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2002/12/1 ... 59784.html

I'm back again from Sierra de Guadarrama, Spain. This sunny morning my brother José and me have drived from Madrid to La Barranca (1.380 m / 4,528 ft) where we had to couple the tyre chains because of the icy snow that covered the parking. Then climbed Maliciosa (2.227 m / 7,306 ft) first by Cuerda (ridge) de los Almorchones. At the top there was blizzard and the temperature was -8 ºC / 18 ºF or -6ºC / 21 ºF depending of the Suunto watch that measured it, mine or the one of my brother. We met some climbers in the final section of the climb and on the summit. We had no need for crampons because the snow was powder. On descent we ascended El Peñotillo Alto (2.125 m / 6,972 ft) wich is a subsidiary summit of Maliciosa. It's easy to climb in spite of the sharp shape, the rocks were icy but there were a lot of snow in the cavities between them. The descent was by the SE face of Maliciosa, a wide cwm with shrubs and rocks, we sometimes sank in the snow to our hips. Finally we crossed the side of a big pinewood and the dam of a little reservoir. After 4 h 30' we were at the parking again.

Tried to introduce the Pinnacles National Monument, California, to my wife and daughter. It rained the whole time.

Back from Sierra de Gredos, Avila, Spain. We've climbed La Mira (see summit log) and Morezón (2.393 m / 7,851 ft). The temperature was never below freezing point but the NW-N winds were so strong, on Morezón the guts might be of 100 Km /h or 62 M/h sometimes. The snow was hard and we put our crampons on. Great days of winter climb!

See Los Galayos and Almanzor pages for more information.

Last Saturday we went skiing to the Mannli (ca. 2000m). We drove for 30 min. to an altitude of 800. Parking was hell, due to the deep and fresh snow of the previous night. We had to use our avalanche shovel to get the snow away. Everybody seemed to like that mountain, because it is a rather safe and easy mountain, while the general danger of avalanches was quite high on Saturday. Thick fog. We walked for 1.5 hours, then had a rest, still thick fog. I almost gave up and started binding my ski boot. Suddenly it became brighter. Sun must be near. We continued the climb, aber 15 minutes we were in the sun, deep blue sky, but cold and windy.

The descent was excellent. Wonderful snow. Soon we were down in the fog again. At noon we were back in Lucerne for lunch, piano and internet.

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Congratulations alpenkalb!

This Saturday (Feb 1st) we had a clear night after heavy snow fall. The temperature at 1800 m was at -17°C, so there is practically no danger of avalanche despite the huge amount of fresh new snow.
We drove for 15 min, then took a cable car to Maria-Rickenbach (1000 m), then we climbed in deep snow the Buochserhorn (1800 m). The slopes are steep and sunny, usually bad for skiing, eiher no snow or avalanches. Today was just perfect, exceptionally. Yesterday snowing all day long, today blue sky without a single cloud, no wind, just felt warm. I like when the photons hit my head. There were also some neutrinos that just crossed my body, but nerver mind.

We could ski down in powder from 1800 m to 500 m. The snow reminded me of the rockies of Alberta and Montana.

alpenkalb I envy you and your mountains. Conditions there are harder than those I have here also you have more snow than us

Today I've hiked to the summit of <a href=//www.summitpost.com/mountains/mountain_link.pl?mountain_id=1450><b>Ocejón</b></a>, I'll add the summit log and photos nextly.

I just discovered this thread, so I also will add what we did today (sunday). As often when we do not have much time we took our ski's and walked up Schneeberg (2076m). There was very much snow, and strong winds since some days let us avoid the steep northeast downhills, the avalanches are still not down. First a little foggy, but soon the weather became fantastic, sun, -9° C and deep powdersnow at the easy northwest downhills, and it was just great, as you can see on the 2 fotos below. A good start for the next workweek
(Foto1 is upper part of the Julien-trench, Foto2 is mid part of Hoyos-trench. We did it this way because the summitplateau was covered with hard, icy snow, not nice to ski. So we walked up 2 trenches instead of one, but only until we reached the bad snow, and didn't care about the summit. Ski intoxication was more important this day.

<img src="http://web.utanet.at/szumovsh/interimpictures/schneebergjul.jpg">

<img src="http://web.utanet.at/szumovsh/interimpictures/schneebergjul2.jpg">

I've recently posted my <a href=//www.summitpost.com/mountains/summit_log_query.pl?object_id=1450&sort_by=submission_date#20905summit ><b><i>summit log</i></b></a> of Ocejón, climbed the past saturday

herbie - That looks fantastic! I wish i were there or anywhere i could ski like that.

This weekend i haven't gone into the great outdoors, so i will tell about last weekend.

Last weekend i went with my dad and some friends to a river in the state of Veracruz. This river seems to have many names. In general i think it is called Huitzilapan. The specific part that we did is called Barranca Grande and goes into Pescados. Below that is Antigua.
Anyways, it is a beautiful river, deep in a lush tropical canyon. The river starts much higher up on the slopes of El Pico de Orizaba (Citlaltepetl). It has almost continuous rapids. Class II seems to be almost constant with many class III and some class IV. I've heard that the part of the river we did is rated to be class V, but i wouldn't say that in my estimation. I know the scale does vary from place to place, though. Nevertheless, it was a terrific trip, probably the best rafting trip i've ever done. =-)

Ah, what a great weekend here in the Northwest. Rock climbed at a local crag on Saturday in what seemed like 70 degree weather (in the sun) and then summitted Hood yesterday. You don't normally get great weekends like that in early February................

I second Brian's enthusiasm for the unseasonal weather here in PNW - love being outdoors this time of year w/o getting hosed.
Unfortunately I'm guessing it's going to be a drought in the summer and hence a long and severe forest fire season (giving Bush's "prevention of forest fires thru. deforestation" a great boost)!!!!
Did Monkey Face and Silver Star in perfect conditions!!