/  Jaywalker   /   The Grand Traverse

Dave K elk mountain grand traverseLast Saturday I left Crested Butte Ski Resort at 12am to compete in a 40-mile ski mountaineering race. The goal was to ski from Crested Butte to Aspen in one go. Pre-race weather included two feet of snow which made it unsafe to continue over the highest passes due to avalanche danger.  Therefore, the course was changed to round-trip back to Crested Butte. My partner and I powered through the night with subzero temperatures and a brutal course. After completing three brutal climbs back to the finish, we knew we were in good standing, and ended up finishing in 10 hours and 9 minutes. This put us in 1st place in our age group (18-25) and 14th place overall. Reflecting on the race, I see many lessons from recovery that were key to my success. I had to let go of my will, live in the moment, and literally approach the night one step at a time. Needless to say, I could not have had this experience without the life I have been able to build through and around Jaywalker.

Dave Krimstock

Expedition Assistant

Jaywalker Lodge