Dusting off the hiking boots

I was hoping for a nice snow-free hike up Mt Olympus yesterday, but alas it was not to be. About 2/3 of the way up the 4,200 ft ascent, snow appeared. It was perfect on the way up: just soft enough to kick steps and put an ax in, but still supportive.

Mandatory summit shot:


Summit panorama:
As the sun cooked the snow, it softened. I was sinking balls deep on the way down. Never before has something inanimate prompted me to string together so many four letter words so creatively. Back on dry land again, I motored past the small children, shirtless frat bros and kids sitting on a rock playing guitar (it's a popular trail, although the crowds went way down at snow line) and arrived back at the Taco 6.5 hours after starting.

Avalanche Rescue Dogs

The other day I had the opportunity to be involved in a demonstration with an avalanche rescue dog. Lots of ski resorts keep dogs around because in the event of an avalanche they can sniff you out from underneath quite a bit of snow. The bad news is that it takes some time for your scent to waft up through the snow, so a dog rescue is still a last resort. The best plan is not getting caught in the first place. In any case, here's how dog rescues work.

Step 1: Get in a hole in the snow

Step 2: Get inescapably sealed in

Step 3: Let Jake the avalanche dog sniff around and dig you out. (Kind of a bad picture.)

Step 4: Play tug o' war with Jake the avalanche dog. That's his reward; the promise of getting to play keeps him motivated. Plus he pulls really hard, which can help you get out of the hole in the ground.