AAI Guide Liz Daily began working for the institute this spring after returning from a splitboard ski trip to Chamonix, France. The following blog was reprinted from Teton Gravity Research:
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As of three months ago my life has turned into an utter maelstrom of events and obligations. When I arrived to Chamonix mid March the snow was dwindling and summer seemed like it was right around the corner. Then what do you know, a MASSIVE influx of snow and fog rolled in for the entire month of April and we were shredding pow everyday. Verbier was off the hook, we were the only people on the Jumbo and to the top of Mont Fort a couple times. Apparently Switzerland doesn’t ski after April 1st. That’s fine with me.
I flew into SLC then had two days to completely move out of my house and drive 14 hours to Leavenworth, Wa to start almost a month of guide training for American Alpine Institute. Three and a half weeks of super intensive training in the bush. As I’m driving I find a funny looking red oval on the back of my arm and Dave told me it was Lyme disease! I broke down, super stressed out, I went into an Urgent Care and sure enough I had the Lyme. I got some antibiotics and was able to rid myself of that nasty crap.
I’ll be designing my own courses at AAI out of Bellingham, Washington, combining splitboarding and alpine climbing. They will probably start running next spring. The trips will be from 3-5 days, probably trips up Silver Star, Liberty Bell, the Early Winter Spires or Forbidden Peak. The trips will involve backcountry shreddage, multi-pitch rock climbing, and climbing a multi-pitch alpine route and snowboarding down. I’m also hoping to be doing some backcountry steep couloir clinics and maybe some Cascade volcano trips.
Contact AAI at (360) 671-1505 for inquiries!!! COME SHRED WITH ME!!!!!!
–Liz Daily, AAI Instructor and Guide