Dongshow Productions

I’ve been failing in my duties around here, but here is the Wilson’s video from last week.

Here is a little video from the weekend.

This will be my new response to people speaking badly of the dark season.  Max made a brief time-lapse of the colors we are treated too on an average cloudy morning this time of year.

It’s been an incredibly boring week around these parts, luckily it’s begun getting colder, with clouds and rain to remind me that winter is on the way.  When I haven’t been shopping online for a boat, I’ve been drooling over some skiing material, and since my posting has been rather slow the last couple weeks I’ve decided to post it all here.  First off, the Arête de Peuterey – Couloir Eccles route off Mont Blanc has been skied multiple times this summer.  One group, including Glen Plake, became the first Americans too ski the route, although they twice needed helicopter assistance.  While on that subject, there is also a video of  flying over the route in a wingsuit.

Staying in the Chamonix area I also wasted a considerable amount of time watching the following split board descent of the Benedetti Direct off the west face of Mont Blanc

Excellent pictures of both the route and the approach (from a different trip) can be found here.  And while I’m at it I really should mention Tobias Granath who’s kept me entertained with his Chamonix pictures all week.  Check out his hit list, Aiguille du Plan North Face, Les Courtes (check out the route shot at the bottom!), the Whymper Couloir, and the Aiguille de l’Encrenaz.  I really need to get back to over there soon.

The picture above instantly caught my attention, after a some research it appears to be from the North Face of Mont Blanc de Cheilon in Switzerland (Arolla) and was skied by whoever it that posts at the excellent Gilles Les Skieur blog. 

Yesterday my cousin Jim pointed out he’d posted a short video with a nice mix of Washington and Michigan footage:

And finally, the always excellent Piste Hors pointed me in the direction of an article on a man who survived an avalanche, won the lottery, and then gave all the winnings to his rescuers.   

With the Champions League starting tomorrow (I ignore the tedious group stage)  I’m going to take the opportunity to look like a fool by offering some predictions.  The snow is horribly wind affected right now, so I don’t plan on doing  much skiing the next day or two.  But luckily 6 of the 8 games are fascinating so the next two days should be very entertaining.  

• Athletico are playing horribly,  having failed to beat anyone other then Recreativo since December, but Aguero just had a kid with Maradona’s daughter, and I still think they’ll get past Porto.

• Roma looked to have been slowly improving since their horrible start, but then they go out and lose 3-0 to Atalanta.  Arsenal are looking tough to beat, but struggle to score goals.  I think Arsenal will take it, one Van Persie free kick over the two games could be enough.

• Both Inter and Manchester United are running away with their respective leagues and have been coasting for weeks.  I think Inter will be more able then United to bring their play up to another gear.  I caught the way Inter came back against Bologna and I was impressed by the ease with which they stepped up their play after the equalizer.  ManU is facing a defensive injury crisis, so I’ll guess that Inter will win.

• When the draw came out in December I thought Liverpool would win this tie easily. But since then Liverpool have looked to be on the decline, and Real Madrid have look both motivated and sharp the last couple games.  Real Madrid hasn’t made it past this stage for the last 4 years.  Torres, in his Athletico days, struggled in games against Real Madrid.  I wouldn’t be surprised either way, but I just have a feeling Liverpool will win, this competition is Benitez’s specialty.

• Before Hidink arrived Chelsea looked to be ready to implode.  I guess they’ve won two games since, but they haven’t looked great either.  Juventus hasn’t impressed me this season, I always took their high position as a sign of Serie A’s weakness this year.  Trezeguet is back, and I hope Juventus win, but I think Chelsea will.  I think Chelsea can play poorly and still squeak by.

• Barcelona lost to Espanyol over the weekend, but I think they’ll go back to their normal selves against Lyon.  I don’t think Lyon has the energy to harass and annoy Barcelona like Espanyol did.  Juninho may hit a free kick, or a Benzema goal might make this interesting, but I can’t see Lyon controlling Barcelona over two games. 

• And for those of you who I’ve confused with this sudden shift in scenery from an Alaskan winter to a smokey French apartment, I have this view of the Wrangells from yesterday.