Cold Fusion at Room Temperature

Published on May 18, 2013 by a ok.
Cold fusion being Slashed.

Cold fusion being Slashed.

In physics, cold fusion is a process that a bunch of scientists got interested in 20+ years ago because they thought maybe they’d find the holy grail – abundant, cheap energy. Completely aside from the fact that this would have upset the established energy providers immensely, it didn’t work. No one could replicate results the two behind the cold fusion fuss – Stanley Pons and Martin Fleischmann – claimed to have attained. Thus, interest in cold fusion fizzled.

The obvious difference between ‘hot,’ or nuclear fusion and cold fusion, is temperature. Cold fusion was supposed to take place Continue reading ‘Cold Fusion at Room Temperature’

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Beating the Heat in Tips & Tails

Published on May 14, 2013 by a ok.

Like rats scurrying to the high end of a sinking ship in an effort to avoid the inevitable soggy grave, skiers move higher in elevation as summer draws nearer. That sort of thinking put Slash and me into Wolverine Cirque yesterday. It didn’t cross my mind to lament the roughly 112 feet of walking on dry ground between the car and continuous snow. In May, during a heatwave, that’s just plain excellent.

A OK finding himself at Wolverine Cirque.

A OK trying to beat the heat at Wolverine Cirque. In pinstripes. And gaiters. Pic by Slash.

For a moment, I thought we’d broken Continue reading ‘Beating the Heat in Tips & Tails’

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Deseret Peak & the Twin Couloirs

Published on May 10, 2013 by a ok.
The South end of Deseret Peak. The high point lies at the north end, a few hundred meters away.

The South end of Deseret Peak. The high point lies at the north end, a few hundred meters away.

Layne lives just north of SLC and says he can see the Stansbury Mountains, including their highest massif – Deseret Peak – from his house. We didn’t need any more excuse than that to head up and tag the summit, one neither of us have been on. Here’s another guy I’ve had numerous unsuccessful attempts at touring with throughout this winter. Schedules, oh, tax season! Hint: Someone is an accountant.

Reliable weather forecasters called for mostly cloudy or something similar. Discouraging, but we went anyway. It turned into all sunny all day, lending credence to the idea that you only find skiing if Continue reading ‘Deseret Peak & the Twin Couloirs’

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The Angelic Doorstep

Published on May 8, 2013 by a ok.
I've been calling this line the Angelic Doorstep just to keep it straight in my mind, since I can't find another name for it.

I’ve been calling this line the Angelic Doorstep just to keep it straight in my mind, since I can’t find another name for it. On the Devil’s Castle.

As happens for more obscure pieces of Wasatch ski real estate, I don’t have a clue about whether this line has been previously skied. Anchors were not visible at the obvious rappel point, which lends something to one side of the argument. If it has been ridden previously, I can’t find a name for it, which is kind of annoying to me.

Can you imagine if we handled streets this way?

‘Oh yeah, that old back road was put in a long time ago. Take that to that other back road, and you’re halfway to where you’re going.’

“What are those roads called, I’ll look them up on the map?”

‘We don’t call them anything, we Continue reading ‘The Angelic Doorstep’

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East Face, Broad Fork Twins

Published on May 7, 2013 by a ok.

This is what Willis was talkin’ ‘bout.

The East Face of the Broad Fork Twins. You can spot the line.

The East Face of the Broad Fork Twins. You can spot the line.

Perfectly timed Spring corn snow on the East Face of Broad Fork Twins.. A great, solid, overnight refreeze. Not TOO much melt off, river action, or avy debris on the Tanner’s Gulch approach. Did I mention perfect corn?

Corn timing in motion.

Corn timing in motion. Slash heading up.

Lest my pic of Slash makes it look too easy, here's what the approach was really like.

Lest my pic of Slash makes it look too easy, here’s what the approach was really like. Ski crampons in effect. Pic by Gleich.

Had a look back once we gained the Tanner's col. Not a bad view.

Had a look back once we gained the Tanner’s col. Not a bad view.

The

A OK engaging in the old, ‘skitter down the icy via headlamp’ routine.. Pic by Slash.

Corn, as Continue reading ‘East Face, Broad Fork Twins’

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NE and NW Face, Mount Aire

Published on May 5, 2013 by a ok.
The price of admission.

The price of admission.

Low lying snow has been melting off in copious amounts of late. It seems there’s almost none left below 8,000 feet. Still, quality turns are easily found by the intrepid upon the high peaks and ridges. On the mountain terrain down low? I know more than Continue reading ‘NE and NW Face, Mount Aire’

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