Men's Journal 11.12 2021

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JUNE 5, 2022

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jumping out of the water, presumably part because several of the world’s most Musk moving 10,000 Tesla jobs to Texas
to avoid the noxious slurry of pollutants valuable and innovative companies— while rage-tweeting about California’s
that prompts savvy residents to avoid from Apple to Chevron to SpaceX—are anti-business policies, soon promoted
the ocean for at least a few days after headquartered in the state. At 53 each, Pan to state epidemiologist.
a big rain. only New York has as many Fortune 500
companies as California. After seemingly relenting, Musk
“Because of the ways currents work, The Reality: It’s no secret that California’s has again announced a corporate, and
only the northern California coast is sub- tech industry is, in complex economic personal, relocation to Texas. Already,
ject to larger influxes of trash from across jargon, going frickin’ bananas. But most Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Oracle and
the Pacific,” explains Eben Schwartz, of the state’s 40 million people do not dozens of other companies have moved
the marine debris program manager for work at Facebook or Google, and in the their HQs to states with lower costs of
the California Coastal Commission. “As wake of the pandemic, less-than-cutting- living, less regulation and lower corporate
you go south, what you find are much edge jobs have failed to bounce back. tax rates. California’s corporate income
more highly urbanized areas, and that’s tax stands at 8.84 percent—the seventh
where the vast majority of trash is coming “While the state economy overall is highest in the U.S. Individual income
from there.” doing well,” says Jerry Nickelsburg, a taxes are the highest in the country at
professor of economics at UCLA, “there up to 13.3 percent.
In other words, trash piles up on Cali are sectors such as those that provide
beaches no matter what. Every year, services to tourists that have not recov- THE FUTURE
Schwartz and the commission organize ered and that likely won’t recover in the But, hey, we’re talking about a land that’s
a statewide beach cleanup effort. In just near term. And no one should minimize always been characterized by optimism
a half a day, about 75,000 volunteers re- that fact.” and innovation. If any place on the map
move between 300 and 400 tons of trash. can, California can star in its own come-
And nothing guarantees that California back story and untangle its politics,
On the bright side, cleanup volunteers will remain the sweet spot for Big Tech. foster more affordable and sustainable
may not have to clean trash off the beaches Elon Musk announced in a huff last year housing, and even invent bold new ways
forever—rising sea levels could swamp that he was moving Tesla to Texas after to manage water and fire. Then again…
60 percent of the state’s beaches by the the company’s Fremont-based plant was when even Disney, the icon of California
end of the century. shut down due to California’s strict Covid icons, announces it’s relocating 2,000
restrictions. Musk defied the orders and more jobs to its Florida campuses, one
THE ECONOMY reopened—and Alameda County public has to wonder: If enough of the things
The Dream: California is a powerhouse. health officer Erica Pan just let it slide. we romanticize about California change,
The state has the fifth-largest economy Sound kinda strange? No more than the is it still California?
in the world, behind only China, Japan, fact that Newsom, who no doubt feared
Germany and the collective U.S. That’s in

50 NOV/DEC 2021 MEN’S JOURNAL

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GRASSROOTS
HORLADCING TAKESASreufftpueeerrlasstvfaoircrtRoaanrcioointuhgseEfirxrlsaptpes.reieanscoen,

by NICHOLAS MCCLELLAND

DYLAN BUELL/SRX When Doug Coby won coming short-track drivers to the betting in part that these devotees
the first SRX race at roster. “We didn’t know exactly how would germinate and grow the
Connecticut’s Stafford it was going to shake out, but after series into one that elevates motor-
Motor Speedway, we ran the season I was extremely sport in general.
one of the more intriguing con- pleased with it. I thought it brought
cepts sown into the series came an element to SRX that made it real Based in part on the old IROC
to fruition. The local all-star had to local short-track fans.” championship, which ran from
triumphed over a field full of mo- 1974 to 2006, the six-event series
torsport legends—and a David vs. Short track is the grass roots of played out on both dirt and pave-
Goliath story line was realized. stock car racing, and its dedicated ment tracks. SRX is stock car racing
fans come out on a regular basis. whittled away to only the bare
“It was actually Ray’s idea,” says Those are the racing consumers essentials: A mere dozen racers in
racing icon Tony Stewart, co-cre- that Stewart, Evernham, Sandy nearly identical 700-horsepower
ator of the series [with NASCAR Montag and George Pyne had in cars built to trade paint challenge
Hall of Famer Ray Evernham], mind when they created the Su- each other, flying faster and faster
about the decision to add up-and- perstar Racing Experience (SRX), laps. The diminutive length of the

MEN’S JOURNAL NOV/DEC 2021 55

SRX: STOCK CAR RACING
CUT TO ITS BARE ESSENTIALS

circuits yielded races that were handle on the level of stress and been nailed down yet, the folks at DYLAN BUELL/SRX; OPPOSITE PAGE: KRISTOFFER BENGTSSON / 500PX
tight and competitive in wheel-to- intensity faced behind the wheel. SRX expect the look and feel to be
wheel proximity. Plus, there was quite similar in terms of format and
some pretty solid contact—often Half of the events completely number of races and participants.
involving Paul Tracy—putting in sold out their venues—others came
more than his share of laps as the close—and each race was viewed There are, of course, miles and
series’ villain designate. by a television audience of 1.25 miles of historic race tracks across
million or more, making it the sec- the country that are worthy of the
Stewart, who won the season ond-ranked motorsport in America. spotlight and scores of drivers that
championship and two of the six It was enough to get the CBS nod fans would love to see compete.
events, raced alongside other big for another season next summer. Evernham has indicated the group
names for race fans to embrace, envisions introducing a pair of
including Tracy, Bobby Labonte, What will the second installment road courses to the lineup—which
Willy T. Ribbs, Bill Elliott, Tony look like? “Obviously, we’re looking should allow different driving styles
Kanaan, Ernie Francis Jr., Marco at everything that happened over to flourish, further enhancing the
Andretti, Hélio Castroneves and the course of the six weeks,” says dynamic nature of the series.
Michael Waltrip. Equally large Stewart. “We’re looking at the
were all of those local heroes whose things we know went right and SRX, as its creators have
less-celebrated journeys through looking at the things we know said, is not designed to compete
racing received some deserving we can improve and making the with NASCAR. That would be a
time in the national spotlight. adjustments. At the end of the day, David and Goliath story minus the
we want to take the product that we happy ending. Rather, its purpose is
All in all, the six-race series was have and make it better. Hearing to help grow the game and intro-
an exciting adventure for fans. Tele- the fans’ input throughout the six duce viewers to other genres—be it
casts were easy to follow and beefed weeks and the drivers’ input—those Indy, NASCAR or beyond.
up with high-tech drone coverage, are important things we’ll consider
cameras on board in every car. going into next season.” While no one is quite sure what
Drivers even wore heart rate mon- season two will entail, it’s a very
itors—giving viewers an organic While the details of tracks, driv- safe bet it’ll be another top tier,
ers and television windows haven’t supercharged racing experience.

56 NOV/DEC 2021 MEN’S JOURNAL

THE SOUND AND
FDURRIFYTOF FORMULAmdArmoatmeorariscopan’osrpftaaissvteeamsttie-regn-rtm.oweilntigng

Fast cars, smoking tires and amount of velocity in order to become one of the hottest motor-
ear-shattering noise. These produce the billowing plumes that sports in the world. Its appeal is
are the nuts and bolts of pour from the wheel wells. easy to understand.
Formula Drift.
Unlike most motorsports, This year’s Pro series was con- “It’s the art of trying to control
Formula Drift isn’t an actual race. tested over nine events around the a car that’s out of control—and I
Drivers tango in tandem, com- country and streamed live for view- think there’s something ultimately
peting with their dance partners ers at home. Akin to competitive very sexy and exciting about that,”
to drift longer and deeper into surfing, skateboarding or snow- says Norwegian driver Fredric
corners—and are then judged on boarding, it’s a visually inspiring Aasbø, who leads the points for the
the skill they demonstrate. format that mates perfectly with so- Formula Drift championship going
cial media—Formula Drift’s official into the final event.
That’s not to say drift cars accounts have millions of followers.
are slow. After all, what would a And while the series (launched in Attend any event and it’s
motorsport be without speed? The 2003) predates both Facebook and quickly apparent why drifting is
spectacle is predicated on a certain Instagram, Formula Drift has lately so enthralling. The volume from
the 1,000-horsepower motors is

bone-shaking and the whole expe- We’re really into drifting,” says TONY STEWART ABOVE LEFT: THANANUWAT SRIRASANT; ABOVE: STREETER LECKA
rience is visceral. Nick Martinez, who recently blew
up his BMW 4 Series F32 on the The racing legend (aka
“You’re not watching it from freeway. Martinez was attending a “Smoke”) notched the inau-
far away. These things are in qualifying session for the Autozone gural SRX championship—a
your face,” says Nick Gregson of Streets of Long Beach with his series he co-created.
Compton-based Antigravity Batter- friend and aspiring drift racer Jehad
ies. “You’re smelling all that burnt Asad, who rips laps in a 1992 Nis- Why do we love racing?
rubber and race gas. It just gets san 240SX. “I’m not trying to get It’s not the speed. It’s watching
your adrenaline going.” us in trouble, but we really do like racers figure out how to be better
it—on and off professional tracks,” or faster than somebody else.
The fans are not only treated to Martinez said. The pair, as do many
the spectacle of the duels, but can others, comes to the track to feel What has racing given you?
also get up close and personal with the energy and thrill of the scene. One big thing it gives you is a
the gladiators and their chariots. “You never know what’s going to large family. You’re all passion-
Any attendee can walk right though happen. It takes a lot of skill and ate about something together.
the pits, and most Drift drivers are attention to do what you gotta do You race together. You have fun
surprisingly accessible—willing to here. That’s what I respect the most together. You get frustrated at each
give autographs or snap a photo. Pit about it—it just takes some balls to other. Just like a big family.
crews are also happy to chat about do what they’re doing.”
their work and will occasionally Who were your own heroes?
even invite a fan to sit behind the The action draws more casual I was obviously a big A.J. Foyt fan.
wheel of one of the racers. observers too. “I get the point of I enjoyed watching Rick Mears.
doing laps in traditional racing. It’s On the sprint-car side, Steve
Unlike other series, a large num- all for speed,” says Buffalo (just one Kinser, Sammy Swindell, Doug
ber of Drift aficionados are serious name) from Orange County. “But Wolfgang—those are the guys I
enthusiasts with their own whips for someone like me who knows looked up to.
they take to the track. It’s a scene dick about cars, this is way more
embraced by the tuner community, interesting to watch.” Advice to your younger self?
where you’re likely to pass fans in Honestly, I’d tell myself to do the
“Tuna, No Crust” T-shirts (a ref- It’s easy to see why that’s true same thing I did. It wasn’t the
erence to The Fast and the Furious) for both aspiring drifters and plain easiest path. There were bumps on
and backpacks with straps made old racing fans drawn to something the road. Last year was kinda the
from racing harnesses. Along with completely different. “We’d all love first time I had a chance to sit back
typical merchandise like T-shirts to be badasses behind the steering and look at my life and career, and
and stickers, vendors also offer wheel,” says Aasbø. “Ask anyone.” I’ve been pretty satisfied with it.
engine parts and mod kits.
What’s the wisest racing tip
you’ve ever gotten?
Sometimes you have to slow down
to go faster. It took me a bit of
time to understand that one—but
when I did, it sure made my life a
whole lot easier.

Do you get challenged on the
street to drag races?
No. I do enough stupid stuff with-
out somebody else’s help.

58 NOV/DEC 2021 MEN’S JOURNAL

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THE DIVE MOTEL

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For your next road trip, pull into one of these revitalized, hipster
motels for a relaxing stay with cool vibes and retro aesthetics.

60 NOV/DEC 2021 MEN’S JOURNAL

The first-come-first-serve
passes for the swim club grant
access to a 60-foot pool with
a sloped “beach” entry—and a
hot tub.

DAVE KRUGMAN

MEN’S JOURNAL NOV/DEC 2021 61

Artsy rooms are just the
beginning. The hotel is in the
historic MiMo hood, and just
beyond is the gallery-packed
Wynwood Arts District.

florida glam

VAGABOND HOTEL

MIAMI

ORIGINALLY designed by modernist architect
Robert Swartburg, the Vagabond opened
in 1953 as a motel and restaurant/lounge
swinging enough to be a Biscayne Boulevard
hangout for Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack.
Abandoned for years and at one point set
for demolition, the rescued and revamped
incarnation of the 42-room motel blends
an uber-Miami aesthetic (lots of white and
aquamarine) with the must-have hallmarks of
contemporary travel (free WiFi, gym). Don’t
neglect a cocktail at the palm-shrouded pool
bar, and take a dip to say hi to the mosaic
mermaid at the bottom of the shallow end.
From $159 per night.

62 NOV/DEC 2021 MEN’S JOURNAL

mountain pass pit stop

RATON PASS MOTOR INN

RATON, NEW MEXICO

LOCATED right off I-25, in the Sangre de Cristo
Mountains halfway between Albuquerque and
Denver, this recently overhauled spot’s slogan
is “Where the Wild West meets mid-cen-
tury modern.” And sure enough, the lobby
features a vintage Zenith hi-fi and a 1950s
Westinghouse fridge that could be straight
out of a Coen brothers period flick. It’s in the
individual themes of the 15 well-appointed
rooms (WiFi, flatscreen TVs) that the place
really shines, though, including the Pin-Up
Room, the El Matador Room, the Rodeo
Room and Lucky 13, featuring classic sci-
fi and horror movie posters and a shower
curtain with a bloody handprint. From $84
per night.

As part of the famed Sante Fe
Trail, Raton has long hosted
weary travelers—a tradition
the inn extends to pets for a
modest $2 fee.

MEN’S JOURNAL NOV/DEC 2021 63



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For a challenging, and
cheaper, day on a ski hill that’s
shockingly close to the Anvil,
hit up Snow King instead of the
mobbed Jackson Hole resort.

best western READ MCKENDREE

ANVIL HOTEL

JACKSON, WYOMING

Hope you like Prussian blue, since that’s the
striking shade that coats pretty much the
entire exterior of this reborn motor court
in the heart of a perennial ski-bum town on
the edge of Yellowstone National Park. Its 50
rooms offer a lodge-ish, almost masculine
vibe, featuring high wainscoting, custom
iron bed frames, globe lamps and Woolrich
blankets. Blizzard raging outside? Enjoy
daily happy hours and bison osso buco at
Glorietta, the hotel’s own gourmet Italian
trattoria that surrounds a wood-burning
grill. Psst! If you hold a National Parks pass,
flash it to receive a discount on rates. From
$442 per night.

66 NOV/DEC 2021 MEN’S JOURNAL

NICK SIMONITE Every room faces the heated,
oval pool. At night, you might—
as one Yelper has claimed—
even run into Derek Jeter just
hanging out.

retro rocker

PHOENIX HOTEL

SAN FRANCISCO

POSITIONED amid the “grit” of downtown,
this mid-century motor lodge was ahead
of the curve when it was reincarnated in
1987, and still shines its own unique light.
(Legend has it that Neil Young lived there
while recording the CSNY classic Déjà Vu.)
A choice of accommodations can score you
a suite with its own sitting area, or a room
right on the lush, palm-shaded courtyard.
After a day touring the city, join transient
musicians and artists in the outdoor pool, or
at the upscale Chambers restaurant. But the
most coveted amenity is the parking spot that
comes with every room. From $179 per night.

MEN’S JOURNAL NOV/DEC 2021 67

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To be the first to ski down Half Dome’s most dangerous
line, it helps to be a warrior—and a little bit nuts.

by CH RI S VAN LE UVE N I photog ra phy by E RI C R AS M U S S E N

70 NOV/DEC 2021 MEN’S JOURNAL

MEN’S JOURNAL NOV/DEC 2021 71

Torlano (orange coat)
and Milligan take a
moment to appreciate
the sunset-lit clouds
above Bushido Gully.

Seemed like a swell idea at death. That’s just the sort of wintertime with ice axes at the frozen ground. They
the time. This past March, fun they crave. skitter and slide. “You scraped off all the
an intrepid trio of veteran snow!” he hollers down, but his hoarse
backcountry trekkers gazed Shortly after a frigid-but-glorious recrimination is lost in the wind.
upon Half Dome, the granite sunrise, the trio’s deputized photogra-
monolith that rises majesti- pher, Eric Rasmussen, balances shakily THIS IS SKI MOUNTAINEERING, a mix of
cally from California’s Yosemite National on a precipitous slope with Half Dome’s skiing, rappelling and climbing required
Park, and decided to ski down a steep, lookout spot, known as the Diving Board, to challenge such imposing terrain. “It’s
icy furrow that runs near its famously looming over his shoulder. Immediately never pretty,” says Rasmussen. “It’s just
sheer northwest face. Never mind that below, snow funnels into a wave of rock a matter of getting down alive.”
their chosen route, dubbed Bushido cliffs that drop 3,500 feet to the valley
Gully after the moral code of the sa- floor. Moments ago, his companions, One of the key assets in attempting such
murai, is seldom used even for summer seasoned climbers Jason Torlano and a feat is trust. These guys, no newbies to
climbing ascents, and never for descents Zack Milligan, squeaked through this mainlining the rush of risk, have forged
in inclement weather—too rugged, too section ahead of Rasmussen. Now it’s his that asset over decades. Team leader
exposed, too damn easy to slip to certain go. Inching forward on his skis, scraping Torlano, 47, is a shaggy-haired father
close to the void, he jabs ski poles fastened of four and volunteer medic in Middle

72 NOV/DEC 2021 MEN’S JOURNAL

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East war zones. But he’s called Yosemite in Yosemite, which is somewhat ironic out cold. The following year he nabbed
home since he was a toddler. His mother, since he doesn’t mind skirting park ap- eighth place.
a receptionist in a local clinic, supported proval when plotting a new wilderness
his zeal for skiing and climbing—his ear- challenge. Milligan, 41, with blue eyes and a
liest memories are of riding kiddie-size brutally direct way of communicating,
skis over powder-blanketed boulders. Rasmussen, 53, also worked for Search believes his “only gift is staying cool under
As a teen, he learned rock climbing from and Rescue in his younger days, special- pressure.” Fresh out of high school in
Mike Corbett, who once held the record izing in big-wall climbing. After that, he 1999, he moved to Yosemite and lived
for most ascents of Yosemite’s other was consumed by downhill mountain-bike among its boulder fields for 13 years,
climbing mecca, El Capitan. At 24, Tor- racing, and typically either crashed or despite describing them as “haunted as
lano became a U.S. Army paratrooper. won. Dirt bike racing followed. During fuck, like pull-the-sleeping-bag-off-you
He’s also worked as a heli-ski guide in a Baja 1000 training run in 2006, he haunted. Deeply unsettling.” As camp-
Nepal and as a law-enforcement ranger hit a rock going 60 mph and slammed ing in such wilderness areas without a
into the desert so hard he was knocked permit is strictly prohibited, he played

Some parts of the route MEN’S JOURNAL
down from Half Dome
are painstakingly slow.
Others are crazy fast.

74 NOV/DEC 2021

Torlano and Milligan
beneath the south face
of Yosemite’s iconic
Half Dome.

cat-and-mouse with park rangers, moving Taft Point. Back then, Rasmussen egged “Jason knows he can die,” says Milli-
nightly from cave to cave, never leaving on the younger man, saying, “Let’s just do gan, “but he lives his whole life like he’s
any trace of his presence. For income, he 100 feet at a time. We can always climb invincible, this dental floss of luck that
washed windows at Yosemite Lodge and back out.” Midway down the 3,000-foot he’s dangling from.”
installed carpets at the park’s luxurious gully, he watched Torlano morph into “a
Ahwahnee Hotel. He worked nights so he maniac skier. He had ice axes in each hand Just a month before the Bushido Gully
could climb by day, preferring free solo and was jump-turning all the way down.” attempt, it was Torlano and Milligan
and on sight (no ropes, no preinspection), who were first to ski a different, breath-
in which every move must be decided on Over the last three decades, Rasmussen takingly steep route from Half Dome
the fly and executed perfectly. He scaled and Torlano have made ski mountaineering down to Mirror Lake on the valley floor
Sentinel Rock, a 1,600-foot tower of first descents in Yosemite something of a through 5,000 feet of snow, rock slabs
fissured stone, at least 275 times. discipline, scouring the park for skiable and undergrowth. Midway, Milligan lost
lines. They’ve rappelled rock cliffs, tra- his ski edge and instinctively arrested his
Thirty years ago, before the war zones versed blue-ice slopes, and belly-crawled tumble with his ice pick. Staring down
and motorcycles, Rasmussen led the teen- through dense chinquapin bushes. Along at his demise and summoning the will to
aged Torlano down his first ski descent the way, Torlano has assumed the mantle live, he righted himself and continued.
in the park via El Capitan’s viewing area, of fearless leader. Before reaching relative safety, however,

MEN’S JOURNAL NOV/DEC 2021 75

they still had to ski down the instructively DOWN THE DOME
nicknamed “death slabs,” several sections
of steep, barely covered rock. “A thing Thousands are drawn to the top of Half Dome every year.
only Jason thought would be skiable,” says They don’t all descend the same way.
Milligan. “High consequence scary snow
with avalanche debris—his specialty.”

THAT DESCENT garnered awe among the

small circle of adrenaline junkies who take

note of such things. Make no mistake,

though, descending Bushido Gully, to the

right of Half Dome’s enormous northwest

face, is even hairier, the most complex

and dangerous first descent that any of

the three has attempted. CLIMB THE CABLES SNOWBOARD FLY

The previous day, March 16, 2021, Hordes of Yosemite visitors In 2000, Jim Zellers Despite strict prohibitions,

after a storm dumped fresh snow over a scale the rounded east became the first snow- BASE jumpers regularly

rotting base, they’d hiked nine miles up face’s final 400 feet using boarder to shred down fling themselves off the

from the valley floor, following the most a steep cable ladder the Dome, completing Dome and other Yosemite

popular, if arduous, hiking trail across affixed by park rangers. what he called “The Half landmarks. Experienced

semifrozen marsh and over downed logs, Coming back down the Brain Project.” He later told locals Dean Potter and

and past the stunningly scenic Vernal slick granite is even trick- Snowboarder magazine Graham Hunt perished in

Fall and Nevada Fall. At the remote Lit- ier for exhausted hikers, that it probably would 2015 when they jumped

tle Yosemite Valley campground, they causing frequent falls and have been safer just to from Taft Point wearing

diverted off the established trail and a dozen deaths over the BASE jump off the summit. wingsuits, failed to nav-

bushwhacked several miles to reach their last 15 years. No flip-flops, igate across a ridgeline

bivouac atop Diving Board, 1,600 feet people! and crashed.

below Half Dome’s highest elevation.

It was from this vantage point that

Ansel Adams captured his famous black-

and-white portrait of Half Dome’s sheer beginning of Bushido Gully, which feeds ahead, or climb up and over slick, wet

western face in 1927. Adventure pho- to the base of Half Dome’s sheer 2,000- rock to cross the ridge. Without debate,

tographers are still drawn there, and a foot northwest face. From there, another Torlano takes over, committing himself

few wingsuit BASE jumpers who elude 1,500-feet stretch of rock, ice and snow to the blind ridgeline and skiing out of

park rangers have launched themselves will usher them down the death slabs. This sight. “It’s good!” he soon calls back. “I

off the precipice. funnel system, rife with razor-thin cliff can get across. Bushido Gully is right in

With the sun setting and thick, bril- edges, finally descends to Mirror Lake. front of me!”

liantly lit clouds filling the valley below, The journey will require them to traverse This is what they came for, a wide, in-

Torlano, Rasmussen and Milligan crawled a void, cross under massive hanging ice sanely steep bowl coated in fresh powder,

into their sleeping bags. Soon, at that blocks, and be in constant danger of being albeit studded with enough ice blocks and

elevation, the overnight temperature swallowed by an avalanche. exposed boulders to rack up a dozen black

dropped to near 20 degrees. They’ve barely begun when Rasmus- diamonds. Torlano skis it aggressively,

As dawn glimmered, the clouds parted sen’s poles fail to find purchase on the executing his signature jump turns for

to reveal a crystal clear view of their steep, frozen trail already navigated by a few hundred feet before pausing for

descent. But the sun can be a mixed his teammates. But he pushes his skis his teammates.

blessing—once its glare hits the sheer forward another 200 feet, heart beating “This is an amazing position,” Milligan

face, everything can come crashing down, out of his chest, right thigh cramping says to Rasmussen. “Too bad we’re in

icefall triggering rockslides and full-on from holding his ski edge while weighted the direct line of fire from falling ice.”

avalanches. Torlano clicked into his ski down with camera and camping gear. Chasing Torlano downward the gully,

bindings as the other two stirred. “I’m Relieved, he high-fives his team, skis they both snag their skis in the boulders

packing my gear,” he declared. “I’m leaving past and encounters another 55-degree and face-plant into the snow. Rasmus-

in five minutes with or without you guys.” slope that scrapes along a cliff edge. The sen’s camera is soaked, but they quickly

Just below the Diving Board the team path appears to dead end, leaving them resume, wanting to clear the car-sized

aims to cross a ridgeline to reach the with two bad options—continue blindly icicles dangling from the rim of Half

Dome above.

Now, with the perilously technical top

THE JOURNEY REQUIRES THEM TO section and the blitz of the Gully behind,
the team has only one dodgy stretch to

BE IN CONSTANT DANGER OF BEING go, the death slabs leading all the way
SWALLOWED BY AN AVALANCHE. back to their pickup spot. Only weeks
ago, Torlano and Milligan had become

the first to ski this stretch. Now it’s Ras-

mussen’s turn. He knows that they’re all

76 NOV/DEC 2021 MEN’S JOURNAL

A break in the action. time.” Then he skis backward down the
Below: Risky? Yes. But slope with the rope feeding through his
at least the scenery rappel device, steps over a ledge and
isn’t bad. continues down for another 80 feet.
Milligan follows. Again, Rasmussen is
the rear guard.

Trembling with fear, he attaches his
harness to the rope and gingerly shifts
his weight. As he descends, the pine vis-
ibly bends but somehow doesn’t break.
He reaches the end and lets out a huge
sigh of relief.

From there, the team reverts to skiing,
happily zigzagging the slope to find the
last of the skiable terrain. When they
finally reach dirt, they switch to sneakers,
load up their packs with skis and boots
and trudge over to a final rappel. A few
hundred feet of relatively easy walking
leads them to Mirror Lake. It’s over.
In a little over six hours, the team has
completed the most difficult descent of
their lives.

“Although you can’t say it was more
dangerous than our February route—if
you fall in the wrong place, you die
either way—this had a lot more going
on,” says Milligan.

“This was one and done,” Rasmussen
informs his friends as he sheds gear. “That’s
not something I would recommend, and
I’m never coming back.”

Torlano looks back up at Half Dome
and grins. “I’ll possibly come back.”

getting tired, ratcheting up the odds of
making a costly mistake.

Peering ahead, he spies gullies that
merge into a melt-off over a treacherous
mix of avalanche-prone 1,500-foot slabs,
loose boulders and tight shrubs sure to
snag clothing and skis. This is the site
of many hiker rescues, made worse by a
major rockfall in 2015 that rained rocky
shrapnel. To ascend the death slabs in
summer, climbers rely on aging ropes
left through vertical sections. But now
it’s winter, and many of these ropes are
shrouded in snow and ice.

The team descends, terribly aware of
the possibility with every step of slipping
to their deaths. There is zero room for
error. Suddenly, Torlano and Milligan ski
away from the path and locate a spindly,
15-inch ponderosa pine they’d identified
weeks earlier. They intend to rappel from it.

“You must be joking,” calls Rasmussen.
“If that thing pulls out, we’re going all
the way.”

Torlano, chuckling mischievously,
replies, “Dude, this is safe. It held last

MEN’S JOURNAL NOV/DEC 2021 77

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