Local climber and so-so skier Hamik Mukelyan is organizing an informal ski mountaineering race Sunday, February 21 (weather-depending), at Mount Baldy’s southeast bowl. Meet time is 10 a.m. at the ski hut. Course details are slim, but the route will be marked with wands, and Hamik expects 10-15 competitors. No sign up necessary: just appear on time at the hut, and you’re in. Prizes are limited to the personal satisfaction of crushing your competitors, or whatever other metric you choose. This sounds like a lot of a fun. I’ll be away on ski safari that week, but otherwise I’d definitely give it a go…though my current toddler-based training regimen leaves something to be desired.

Our little girl is here! Roxanne and I are so happy to announce the birth of our daughter, Alice Rose Lewicky, who arrived a little early last night but safe and sound and very healthy. Mom and baby are together and doing great. I am having a lot of spontaneous tears of joy as I sit here thinking of how lucky we are to have a tiny miracle in our home—and thinking of all the wonderful times ahead. Owen is eager to meet his baby sister…he’s grabbing my hand and pulling me to the door. I’ll post some more photos later today. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers and support! It’s a girl!

I’m not panicking, I’m not panicking, I’m not panicking…

I’M PANICKING!!! I’M PANICKING!!! I’M PANICKING!!!

Friends of Jordan Minyard have organized a benefit climb on Mount Baldy this Saturday, June 20th, 2009. Jordan, 27, was diagnosed with testicular cancer and began chemotherapy March 9, less than one week following the birth of his first child, Hunter Gabriel. The goal of the climb is to raise $10,000 to help cover Jordan’s expensive cancer treatments, child birth costs, and living expenses during Jordan’s 3 month leave from work.

If you are interested in participating, it works like this: registered hikers/donors who climb and summit Mount Baldy on June 20 via the Manker Flat Trail or the Devil’s Backbone Trail will have their donations matched by several generous sponsors of the event. Even if you can’t afford to donate anything, just by climbing Mount Baldy, a pledge will still be made on your behalf when you summit. And, of course, you can always just make a tax-deductible donation and forgo hiking entirely.

Note that people who summit via the Manker Flat trail will get a matching donation for each successful round trip! Okay, that’s a lot of vertical, but it does put a little extra incentive into the mix for the ambitious mountain goat.

For more details, donation form, and registration information, please see Baldy for Baldy, a website put together for the climb. You can also check out Jordan’s Blog, One Day at a Time to read more about his progress.

I’ve got to hand it to the folks who manage the San Antonio Ski Hut: not only have they rebranded work as fun, but they actually get you to pay them while you do it. Tom Sawyer would be proud.

Yes, it’s time again for the ambiguously-annual San Antonio Ski Hut Work “Party”, in which you the willing participant get to enjoy the privilege of carrying heavy awkward objects back and forth up the Ski Hut Trail during your weekend break. Festivities occur on June 13 and 14, and you must RSVP no later than May 30 (reservations are required).

You can choose to work Saturday, Sunday, or both. Fees vary from $10-20. For your efforts, you’ll be treated to lunch, happy hour, and dinner (for those working both days). Note that work party participants get the inside track on becoming Hut hosts, as well as contributing to a good cause and maybe even having a little bit of fun. For more info, see the San Antonio Ski Hut website.

The Ski Mountaineer’s Section of the Sierra Club’s Angeles Chapter is holding its annual potluck get together this Saturday, October 25th at 5 p.m.

If you’ve never heard of the SMS, it was founded way back in 1934(!) — compelling evidence that Los Angeles and the Southern California mountains have a rich tradition of backcountry sking. The SMS remains active today (though perhaps not so much as in its glory days), organizing regular meetings and ski trips into the local backcountry, as well as throughout the Sierra.

SMS also offers leadership courses, in case you’re interested in organizing trips of your own. I’ve found the group to be informal and friendly—and they do get out there when it comes to skiing. If you’re in SoCal and you’re interested in finding mentors, or just partners to ski with, this is a great resource (I’d join myself, if I wasn’t a reclusive exhausted grinch).

For more information on the potluck and this year’s events calendar, see the Ski Mountaineer’s Website.

If you’re free this Sunday, August 5, you might enjoy paying a visit to the University of California’s Barcroft Research Station. They’re having their annual open house, allowing the public to come in and try to sniff out the top-secret projects normally kept under wraps.

Barcroft sits around 13K on White Mountain. Normally, the road is locked about a mile or two from the lab, but this Sunday the road will be open to the main station, cutting off a good chunk of walking time if you want to head to White’s 14,246-foot summit.

This time of year isn’t my first choice for hiking White Mountain, as monsoon thunderstorms can pop up with little warning, but for your troubles you’ll get short lectures from researchers, refreshments, and ’sales of souveniers’. For more information, see the White Mountain Research Station Website.