Stephen Koch

I love swimming, and going for dips in extremely cold water is great too…it is invigorating, a way to appreciate warm clothes, environments, the sun and to simply have an intense physical experience that is psychologically challenging too.
This morning I went for a short run, which I rarely do, with my host in Chicago, Gene [...]

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I thought it was Sherman Poppin and many incorrectly believe it was Jake Burton (due to some wicked good marketing done by Burton Snowboards), who invented the snowboard. No one may be completely sure who was first to stand up sideways and ride downhill on a sled over snow, but in the 1920’s Gunnar and [...]

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While most visitors to Jackson Hole do not suffer any medical problems from their visit to our high altitude, I hope the following information will help you have a safer and more enjoyable vacation to Jackson Hole.
ALTITUDE EFFECTS ON PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL PROBLEMS
The reduced amount of oxygen at altitude may have adverse effects on preexisting [...]

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In the late Fall of 2008, with Tristen “Trippy” Sieleman, an extremely funny and good looking (might come in handy for spooning on a bivouac) man who I met through his girlfriend, Carrie Dagher, one of the funnest, most loving and positive people I know (and sexy as hell to boot), I returned to the [...]

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Stephen Koch
This was first published in Alpinist Magazine in June, 2004.
On January 17 at 4:45 a.m. Mark Newcomb and I began the Grand Traverse, a route that comprises ten peaks (in order: Teewinot, Owen, Grand Teton, Middle Teton, South Teton, Ice Cream Cone, Spalding, Gilkey’s Tower, Cloudveil Dome and Nez Perce) in Grand Teton National [...]

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My show at Keene State was a lot of fun.
A dreadlocked freshman named Johnny asked a couple of questions during the q and a about moving “out west” and taking time off from college. I could tell he knew the answers to his questions already…he is ready to pack up and move out west to [...]

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I had a great time at the 2009 Ouray Ice Festival and Competition.
This was the second year I competed and I am very pleased with my 5th place finish. Last year I did not make it into the finals. My success this year must have had a great deal to do with the weight of [...]

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On Sunday I drove to the Grand Teton National Park with my family for something fun to do because it was too cold (-28) to go skiing with my son Axl, age 2 1/2. As we drove north on the highway the first crown I noticed was one I had seen the day before from [...]

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Short video of the Snake River in winter.

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In the late 1980’s and early 1990’s I went paragliding in Jackson, WY a few times with Kurt (spacing on last name) and then again with Cam Eddie and his “steering” harness wing up Curtis Canyon. I did some unintentional “steering” right towards the ground and nearly hit hard but it was not yet my [...]

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