On Top of the World!
July 30, 2008
This past weekend I finally climbed the Grand Teton! My body is still trying to recover from the elevation & shock of some serious rock climbing, but overall – I ascended & decended with only a few minor scrapes & bruises! I tried to recap all of the amazing things I experienced below in a story-like way, enjoy!
After working in the window-less box at PAWS most of the day Friday, Sacre & I had a relaxing steak & shrimp BBQ dinner. Then I went over to the bar with some friends for a glass of Pino (hey it’s good for your heart!). Of course I had to leave as soon as everyone was coming in to party, but I finally said my goodbyes & went home to go to hit the hay before the big day . . .
Waking on Saturday morning @ 6:30am, I showered & packed a few last items into my big ol’ backpack. I headed over to my neighbors house & hung out with the doggies before driving myself to the Jackson Hole Mountain Guides office up the road. I stopped for a yummy breakfast burrito @ DOG (Down on Glen) & Shawn made it all special for me because I mentioned I was doing the Grand (it seems to impress the boys here I’ve been noticing LOL)! & then off I went to the office!
I was happy to learn that I would be climbing the Grand with a lovely couple, Tim & Ruth & true mountain man guide (originally from Montana), Nate. Nate just came from Alaska leading 20 day trips up Denali. We grabbed some gear, drove to the trailhead & started the climb. We all chatted a bit while hiking & of course, I was always stopping to take pictures! As I climbed higher, I was literally in awe of the amount of talus/scree & the beauty of the rocks themselves – some literally sparkled a beautiful silver (Precambrian crystalline rocks)! As we crossed over snow fields, streams & further up even steeper terrain, it was getting tougher with the heavy backpack I had. It was so heavy I cursed it LOL.
Finally we made it to the campsite @ roughly 11K feet & I felt a bit queasy (started hiking @ 10:30 & ended @ the campsite @ 2:30 or so). Everyone else ate chips & guac & these specialty honey cookies from the Netherlands, but I didn’t really have an appetite. So I went into my tent & passed out for an hour before dinner. We sat in the main tent with camp chairs & enjoyed a ravioli & thai noodle soup dinner that Nate so graciously cooked for us. Shortly thereafter I went to bed @ 8pm, but not before I received my monthly gift from the lovely lady world (dang it)!
Putting on my warm clothes before bed, I put my ear plugs in & nestled off to sleep. Actually, I didn’t sleep that well & woke several times to check the time on my cell phone. I was so excited & totally nervous because I knew the danger that was lying ahead for the day. I woke at 3am & got ready for the hike & the highest climb of my life. We climbed higher in the dark & did our first rock climb with ropes in the pitch black with waterfalls trickling down making the terrain wet & slippery. We then got up to the lower saddle which was so windy you couldn’t hear anything but the howl of it all. The dawn came & we could see all of the beautiful snow covered mountains around us bathing everything in a georgous pink light.
So, the Grand Teton is also known as the American Matterhorn. It has a pyramidal peak/glacial horn which means the mountaintop has a sharp summit & very steep side slopes. The rock climbing I did was insane. I belayed Nate up & then I was second to climb after him. We did 3 pitch climbs & they were STEEP. Pictures can say a thousand words, but even mine don’t even come close to what it looked like way the hey up there. The route we took from the lower saddle to the upper saddle was called the Owen/Spalding. Then, @ 13,000′ we took the Pownall-Gilkey route. The P/G headed south and west into a ramp and corner system that took us to the crux. Climbing in the shade of the mountain was pretty gnarly too – it was really cold. My toes were frozen in my approach shoes & we all had to take off our gloves when we started climbing the massive chilly rocks. Not to mention the wind that whipped at you as you climbed some sheer rock faces.
After the pitch climbing finished (rated 5.8), we then roped ourselves together & did the upper Exum ridge route. The top was amazing — we got up there @ 9:30am & chilled on the rocks for awhile enjoying the spectacular views. Then, it was time to go back down (although I suggested a heli lift) – which was just as danger-ridden as climbing up. We went back some of the same routes, but Nate also switched it up a bit. I was the first to self-belay down a steep face, which included some suspended rope hanging without touching any rocks with my feet. We also went through the eye of the needle which was like a crazy rock cave formation. It was a longggggg way down & by the end my legs were about ready to give out I was so tired.
Tim & Ruth took off (it was Ruth’s birthday!) & Nate & I went to Dornan’s for a drink. He then dropped me home & I promptly took a hot shower & headed over to Sacre & Michele’s place. We had ourselves a few crown royal drinks, nathan’s hot dogs cooked in butter & a crazy-fun slideshow to celebrate. & the rest, as they say, is history.
I done did it!!!
All pics are located here (always!): http://picasaweb.google.com/rocaiazzo
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Rock Climbing Practice!!
July 25, 2008
Alrighty then!
Not much time, so can’t elaborate — however, yesterday I went & did some rock climbing to get ready for my GRAND TETON trip that starts tomorrow! After climbing the gnarliest rock wall in Hoback Junction (& that I’ve ever done! Coded 5/8), dubbed “The Shield,” I also went to the figure 8 races at the famous Teton County Fair down the block from me. Hopefully I don’t miss the demolition derby on Sunday, but it all depends on when I get back from climbing the GRAND TETON!!
Must get packing, cheers y’all & have fab weekend!!
All pics are located here (always!): http://picasaweb.google.com/rocaiazzo
Music Festivus!
July 21, 2008
Talk about a great weekend away!
(Even if it was only over the “hill” into Idaho) LOL
I was so psyched when my friend Bob (also my voice over coach) told me he was able to get a free pass for me the entire weekend! There was tons of great music, fun dancing, fantastic people & much drinking & eating!
& this next week will be a serious change from what this weekend was!
I must establish a “no partying” mode until after next Sunday . . .
Why on earth would I do such a thing you ask??
Well . . .
Because . . .
Next weekend . . .
I climb the GRAND TETON!!
Get ready for some super lady-action!! LOL
All pics are located here (always!): http://picasaweb.google.com/rocaiazzo
I’m a British Gunslinger!
July 17, 2008
LOL
You’re probably reading this like . . . what in the heck does she mean?!?!
Well, you’ll understand more as we go!
Last Friday, we had a mountain bike guide BBQ that was fun. Then Saturday I went to a few of the PAWS calendar photoshoots (boy is it hard to get dogs to stay in 1 place)! Then it was another BBQ & a visit up the Snow King chair to visit Sacre. That night me & the girls went out to 43 North & whooped it up and Sunday – me & my neighbors went up over the Teton range via car to Victor/Driggs, Idaho to drop off a girlfriend that lives there. My roommate came home Sunday night & we had a good time reconnecting (he’s been gone for a month). No more room to myself!! Sunday night I went over to my friend Will’s house & we made ourselves a delicious lamb BBQ.
Monday I did some voice recordings with Bob & amazingly enough, I was chosen for a voiceover for a British teen! It’s for a company called “Footie Girl” & it’s going to be a video spot (TV) for the Pennsylvania/New Jersey area! When the final product is sent to me, I’ll be sure to post up on Utube for y’all 
I also did another recording for a rug gallery for the cable station here in Jackson. I’ve been doing a lot with voice over & I’m totally loving it!
Click here for my professional voice over demo!
http://boomp3.com/listen/bz3ncgmg8_y/rose-professional-demo
Tuesday was another glorious day off & I went hiking with Sacre on Josie’s Ridge. After that, we moved the bed upstairs into the room & now I am in heaven on my memory foam! Tuesday night I went to the gun range with my friend Kenny & we had a blast! LOL I shot all sorts of serious guns (Jason you would be so proud!):Browning Buckmark 22, Winchester Rifle 270 & 454 Casull Raging Bull Pistol.
Future news:
* I’m toying with the idea of going to Laguna Beach, California for a week vacation in October!
* I will purchase my airfare shortly for a 3 week trip to the tri-state this December & January!
All pics are located here (always!): http://picasaweb.google.com/rocaiazzo
The 4th in the Hole!
July 7, 2008
The 4th of July here in Jackson was quite the time!
After moving all of my stuff into a house of boys (a temporary place until I find a place of my own), Sacre & I took some time to have some fun at the maze down the street. The owner being a friend of ours, let us run around in there after we had a few drinks LOL & then we cooked marshmallows over a burn barrel with some kids that always hang there which was fun.
For my photography class this week, we decided to go over the Tetons this time & into a town called Tetonia to take some pics. The light was amazing for photos & I got to chat with some horses as you will see.
The 4th was cool because I was actually IN a parade . . . I haven’t been in a parade since 4th grade when I fake-twirled a baton! We decorated the truck & then walked shelter dogs – it felt so good to be a part of that I walked a pomeranian named ladybug & I so wanted to take her home with me! O wait, I don’t have a home — OK well you know what I mean LOL Later that day, I went with some girlfriends to a few parties around town (we rode our bikes) & because I had to work the mountain bike company the next day – I drank water all night. Booooooo.
I actually worked a ton for the bike company this weekend, & I’ve been so tired when I come home! & my schedule is packed for this week to work every day! So — more to come, but for now . . . goodnight!
All pics are located here (always!): http://picasaweb.google.com/rocaiazzo
Marti’s Visit + Moving Out!
July 2, 2008
Moving is never really that fun.
In fact, it’s a lil’ bit on the stressful side . . .
But this too shall pass & make way for better things!
I moved this morning & now I’m at the Snow King center poaching internet for awhile.
Last week I did some bike tours, did my early morn photography class, Marti (my friend from 4th grade) & Elle came for a visit from Denver, Colorado. It was great. Lowered stress from the move fer sher. Moving was OK, I had the help of Sacre & Scotty – so they were able to take over all the boy-jobs well
Now it’s about living in a house that’s not very clean — with 3 boys!!
Should be interesting – wish me luck!!
All pics are located here (always!): http://picasaweb.google.com/rocaiazzo
