2013 was a good year and here’s evidence. What a privilage to travel with so many enagaging people! Here’s to more learnin’, travlin’ and smilin’ in 2014!
A few days after the end of 2012, I boarded a plane to Mexico with one set of clothes, one packraft, and my camera to meet some guys I only knew on the internet. Luc Mehl had conceived a weird triathlon that entailed biking to North America’s 3rd highest peak, Pico de Orizaba, climbing the volcano, biking another few days, ditching the bikes and paddling to the ocean. Luc, Doom, Todd Tumolo and I caught a bus out of Mexico City, bought cheap mountain bikes, climbed the peak, ate street tacos, camped in corn fields, and 11 days later, made it to the Gulf.
Kyle Miller and I chased a storm to southern Utah. Fun riding if you don’t mind a few base dings.
Forrest Shearer and I found a chute on Olympus that probably gets ridden about once a decade.
Then Neil Provo, Michelle Manning, Powderwhores‘ Jonah and Noah Howell, Allison and I traveled via ferry boat and school bus to Holden Village, a mining town turned Lutheran retreat in the Cascade Range. “I had no idea that stuff was up there,” remarked one of Holden’s staff after seeing photos of one of the chutes we’d skied.
Bibi Pekarek, Liz Daley, Maria DeBari, Davide de Masi, and Chipie Windross went to the Italian Dolomites where we celebrated with Nigronis each night. Skiing in Cortina set my personal record for “craziest lift-accessed chutes.”
In Chamonix, we were the first to rappel into Cosmiques couloir after a storm. New personal record for “craziest lift-accessed chutes.” Thanks Dave and Dave for leading the charge.
Liz Daley, Maria deBari, and Bibi Pekarek and I schussed to some huts in France and Switzerland. Probably the first time I skied across international borders.
I flew from Geneva to Utah, washed my long undies, then shoved ’em back into a duffel and flew to Mongolia. A group of scientists had converged in Ulaanbaatar for a National Geographic wolverine research expedition. We spent the next 23 days skiing 230 miles through the recently-established Darhad Special Protected Area. I photographed biologists Rebecca Walters, Gregg Treinish, Forrest McCarthy and Jason Wilmot collecting Gulo gulo hair and scat DNA samples.
Back in Utah, we celebrated Jortski. The turnout sure has grown from it’s humble origins a few years ago.
I was pruned after a week we spent “glamping” on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.
Moe Witschard, Forrest McCarthy, Andrew McLean, Mike Fiebig and I walked three mountain passes and paddled three rivers over six days and 100 miles on the move in Wyoming.
Brendan Leonard had the idea to walk the crest of the Sangre de Cristo range for 100 miles. It was splendid until the Great Colorado Monsoon of 2013 arrived. Then it was very wet.
Back in Utah the mountain biking was prime until it started snowing.
In October, I went on another packrafting trip, this time with Chris Solomon, Forrest, and Scott Schell. Our plans were derailed by the government shutdown and the subsequent closure of the National Parks but we put together a good hike-paddle-hike loop nearby.
Ben and I got a few laps in at Alta after the first dump.
Then my dad and I headed on a backpacking trip to the Dirty Devil River.
Back in the mountains, skiing had improved.
I took some dog pictures just because dogs are fun to take photos of.
It snowed more, but the avalanche danger notched higher.
We flew to San Francisco to meet Allison’s family for Thanksgiving. It was a beautiful dawn over the city.
“Dawn patrols” for a catalog shoot required a few 3am wakeups. Big shout out to coffee.
Photo John loaned me a Nikon AW1 and I took it out to shoot some low-snow shredding.
We spent Christmas with my folks and they were dog sitting my cousin’s retriever.
And now it’s 2014, there’s snow in the forecast, fresh batteries in the avalanche beacon, a bunch more places to see, people to meet, and photos to take.
Makes me tired reading through it, epic trips and photos. The Middle is my backyard.
Jim. Great recap of 2013. Thanks for sharing and giving me more motivation to get out and do more quality outdoor adventures. Safe travels in 2014.
Jimmy you are leading a spectacular life. Your photo’s are amazing but not as amazing as your courage to travel around the world and experience extreme adventures. Your parents are long time friends of my husband, Tom, and me and I just wanted to remind you how proud they are of you. Best wishes for another wonderful year of adventures.!
That’s some good stuff there.
That’s one helluva year of adventures! You must have a boat load of awesome photos from all these trips, I don’t envy you having to try to narrow it down to fit a years worth of them to a one post. Breathtaking!
Absolutely incredible Jim! What a year! Love the macro shots of the various winged creatures. You’re living the dream my friend!
You live an amazing life my friend. Hopefully I can ski a day with you this season, it’s been too long.
thanks!
with this pictures we can learn more things and explore new places. thanks!
Dang, Jim! Looks like a helluva year. Here’s to a great start to 2014!
Incredible stuff Jim!
You have such an amazing life! And great pics, too!
Living the dream man! So sick!
Thanks Alex!
I really enjoy looking into your windows of adventure! Your passion is incredible. Please keep it real and don’t become branded. Your photos show so much more character by not being advertisements for outdoor manufacturers. Thank you very much for sharing!
Thanks! Yeah, it’s a blanacing act to keep commerical clients happy while also being true to my vision
Thanks for sharing your exciting vision and work.Too few get to experience what you have and to a lesser extent I have. I am following the coverage of your unfortunate recent events and wish you Godspeed in healing. We have not met but traveled many of the same paths, ridges and rivers. I am a St X and Montana grad also,at least a generation before you , an exclusive club nonetheless.
Be well
Pete McCarthy
St X 76 Montana 82