Nepal has fallen victim of yet another nationwide strike called by the Maoists in their attempts to gain political control of the government. This strike has been called indefinitely and the Maoists claim to use all of their cadres (100,000 strong in Kathmandu alone) to enforce the complete blockade of all businesses, transportation, and government services until their political demands are met. Today, even people riding bicycles were sent home by angry Maoists armed with sticks and slingshots posted at nearly every intersection in the city.

I’ve never been an antique collector, although I admire old things and occasionally have the urge to surround myself with them. Nepal is full of cool old stuff, especially in the remote areas in which we work. Many of my friends collect old Buddhist artwork or furniture from across the Himalayas and, thus far, I’ve always been more of a voyeur than a serious collector.

Dear my seven or eight readers –

I made two new year’s resolutions around my blog. First, that I would write more frequently and try to include photos. The second point was that I would try to focus my writing more on our work and to also mention what kind of silly adventures my Marmot gear ends up in as I stomp around the hinterlands of Nepal. I have been admittedly lax on both points, as I feel one should be with resolutions.

Since the beginning of time, it seems, one of the main forms of political protest in Nepal has been the general strike or, in Nepali, the bandh. These bandhs occur with varying frequency depending upon the immediate political atmosphere, but tend to average around one per month. During times of turmoil this number grows significantly, often reaching one each week or more.

A friend just brought a steaming thermos of salt and butter tea into the office, and the greasy brew warms me a bit as it goes down. But the tea is quickly cold in the frigid office. It’s noon and I haven’t removed my down jacket today, and nor do I expect to.

It’s not that Kathmandu is all that cold, it’s a balmy 43 degrees outside right now and this is about as cold as it ever gets here. But, the complete lack of indoor heat seems to drop the temperature another ten degrees at least.

Happy New Year! It has been a very happy new year in Chamonix, France. We have skied blower powder for the past week! All of the ski areas are open, and we are even able to ski from the top of the Aiguille du Midi right now. It looks like it will be a great year. Check out our recent videos at http://www.steepskiingcamps.com/SSCW/Video.html

It’s the holiday season and I find myself, yet again, vowing to be a more regular contributor to my blog in the coming year. It’s not that the outcry from my seven readers has been terribly deafening, but rather that sitting down to write is a very cathartic and healthy thing for me.

There is a strange sense of order in the domestic terminal of the Kathmandu airport -- some common logic among the whirlpool of people and goods that constantly shuffle across the open and dirty warehouse. There are untold numbers of young Nepalis in western dress, raisin-faced old women laden with gold earrings and elaborate saris, and always a few of foreigners usually looking a bit bewildered. The airport possesses a kind of beauty that somehow, indescribably, makes sense. But this is lost to the untrained Western eye.

Rocklands, South Africa
Summer 2009
Kevin Jorgeson

Once again, the snow has started to fly here in Crested Butte and I am anxiously awaiting ski season. Fall is spent gearing up or winter in my world. This consists of organizing my Ultimate Groove events all over the world. Stay tuned to www.ultimategrooves.com for a full schedule of events. In 2010 we will be hosting events at Crystal Mountain, WA and HooDoo, Oregon, (outside Bend), as well as Sugar Bowl in Tahoe, CA and back east at Sunapee, NH and Jay Peak , VT.