Meteorologist Chris Tomer
Tomers' Blog
Post #73: Little Bear Peak (14,037')
March 29-30, 2013
I saw a two day weather window perfect for a snow climb of Colorado's most dangerous 14er. (Moniker applies to rockfall in the "Shooting Gallery")
Met up with Dr. Jon and Lynn Bailey at 7,800ft on Lake Como Road. We hit deep snow and postholing about halfway up the road. We setup camp upon reaching Como Lake. (TRT 2.5 hours from Car to Lake Como)
Jon played the role of Chef and sliced and diced numerous chicken breasts, mushrooms, and peppers. He wrapped them in foil and laid them on hot coals -- they cooked in 10 minutes. Turned out to be excellent fajitas, which we smothered in BBQ sauce and High Fructose Corn Syrup. Lynn pulled out the State Puff marshmallows and the night was complete.
We settled in for a cold night with overnight temps around 14 degrees.
The next morning we kept our crampons on from camp to the summit and all the way back to camp. The first notch couloir was in good shape with a few sections of unconsolidated powder. Mother Nature's Stairmaster!
The Hourglass was in good shape (not great) so Jon weaved a route to the summit as safely as possible. The summit was incredibly satisfying! Jon said, "Now this is real mountaineering." I asked the Doctor to tell us when we're performing "medium mountaineering".
It was an incredible climb with two great friends. (Jon and I had done a similar snow climb of Little Bear in May of 2012) Wouldn't have traded this day for anything.
Video: Little Bear Peak as seen on Channel 2 Daybreak:
Post #72: Red Rocks Training Session
March 20, 2013
60s and some sun = perfect training day! Met up with Dr. Jon at Red Rocks for some serious training. Did the Morrison Incline first in 23min20. Then dropped into the stadium for a few sets of stairs. All in all a great afternoon.
Post #71: Russian Asteroid
Friday's asteroid strike slipped between the cracks and was not forecast. The meteorite proved too small for early detection. It leaves us in a precarious situation. Some are calling for an "early warning system" for asteroids - similar to severe weather.
Scientists now estimate the asteroid to weigh 10,000 tons, and say it released the energy equivalent of 500 kilotons of TNT - or 30 times the power of the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb.
Really cool Visible Satellite image from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO:
Post #70.5: Long's Peak Northeast Face, Wind Machine
2/2013
Wind & wave clouds greeted Dr. Jon and me as we climbed Long's exciting northeast face. It was a long 10-hour day roundtrip. The wind so strong all day it sounded like a jet engine forcing us to yell at each other just to be heard.
Tip #1,074: High winds are an almost constant fixture of the Front Range peaks. When you see mountain wave clouds you should expect high winds.
Post #70: My Best Photography
I've taken a lot of photos over the years from places that very few people venture. I decided to put a few of my all-time favorite hi-res photos into a gallery FOR SALE. There are a few from our Sleeping on the Summits book project - very unique photos you won't see anywhere else.
Click here to see the Gallery: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/chris-tomer.html
For example, here's one of those photos for sale:
Title: Lunchtime on Capitol Peak
Thanks! CT
Post #69: John Fielder's Colorado Gallery, Book Signing and Presentation
12/8/12
We were fortunate to be invited to John Fielder's Colorado Gallery off Santa Fe in Denver. Colorado Icon John Fielder wrote a great, cerebral Foreward for our book Sleeping on the Summits: Colorado Fourteener High Bivys. Dr. Jon Kedrowski and I signed books, chatted with folks who stopped by, and gave a brief presentation. We talked about Sleeping on the Summits and a little about Jon's climb up Mount Everest through the "Death Storm". Thanks to everyone who came out!
Post #68: Keynote Speakers: Meteorologist Chris Tomer & Dr. Jon Kedrowski
REI-Denver 2012
FOX-31/Channel 2 meteorologist Chris Tomer and Mountain Geographer Dr. Jon Kedrowski present Sleeping on the Summits: Colorado Fourteener High Bivys and Mount Everest 2012 "Death Storm" to a packed house at REI-Denver. Chris and Jon are available for speaking engagements and keynotes.
Video Courtesy Josh White, Expedition Pictures LLC: http://www.linkedin.com/in/skyjosh
Post #67: Black Friday & Christmas SALE:
If you're looking for a special gift for the Holiday Season look no further. It's our biggest sale of the year for both our book and 2013 calendar. All books ordered from this site are autographed by both Dr. Jon Kedrowski and meteorologist Chris Tomer.
The Deal: When you order the Sleeping on the Summits book for $30 you get a FREE 2013 Sleeping on the Summits Calendar and FREE Shipping.
Total Cost: $30.00
Post #66: Old Friends: Green Family
Naomi Green makes our book and calendar look better than Jon or I ever could. Thanks Naomi for ordering both!
I've known the Green Family since my early days at KJCT-8 ABC-TV in Grand Junction, CO. At that time the Green Family lived in Montrose, CO, about an hour south of Grand Junction. I can still remember when Naomi and Darren brought their son Noah to the station for a visit.
Thanks for all your support over the years!
Post #65: The Weather Channel features Sleeping on the Summits
9/27/2012
Big thanks to my friend and former co-worker meteorologist Crystal Egger for featuring Sleeping on the Summits on The Weather Channel. The story, graphics and commentary were really well done.
Post #64 Neptune Mountaineering
Book Signing and Presentation 9/20/2012, Another Sell-Out
A really great night at an old classic, Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder. Thanks to Jerry Neptune for hosting us and to everyone who attended!
Post #63: Back to Back Sell-Outs
REI Fort Collins & REI Boulder 9/6-9/7/2012
What a ride! Jon and I did presentations/book signings on back to back nights - talk about two long days for me. I wasn't sure what to expect. It turned out to be some of the best memories of the summer so far! Big thanks to everyone who took the time to attend. Great seeing fellow mountaineers Alan Arnette and Jim Davidson at REI Fort Collins.
Post #62: 2013 Calendar Now Available!
The official 2013 Sleeping on the Summits Calendar has finally arrived. It features some of the best high resolution photography from our Bestselling Book as well as some brand new photos that didn't make the book.
We are offering a package deal: An autographed Sleeping on the Summits book and 2013 Sleeping on the Summits Calendar for $40.00. Click on "Sleeping on the Summits" on the left hand menu to order.
Post #61: #2 Bestseller!
I never thought i'd be a "Bestselling Author". Proof that you never know what the future holds. The Denver Post is reporting that Sleeping on the Summits rose to the #2 spot on the July 2012 Non-Fiction Paperback Bestselling List across the Front Range of CO. Huge thanks to everyone who supported our book!
July 2012 Bestselling List: http://www.denverpost.com/books/ci_21113992/books-denver-best-sellers-list-7-22-2012
Post #60: REI-Westminster 8/2012
Awesome night at REI-Westminster! Big thanks to everyone. Jon flew for 18 hours from Israel to Denver just in time for this presentation....talk about a tired man.
Post #59: REI-Denver Flagship 7/30/2012
Huge turnout at REI Denver - thanks to everyone who attended. Some excellent questions from folks.
Photographer Josh White shot video and photos.
Post #58: Tattered Cover LoDo 7/9/2012
Thanks to everyone who came out to Tattered Cover LoDo for our first big book signing and presentation. It was a success! I really enjoyed meeting everyone.
Our next book signing and presentation is August 14 REI-Westminster at 6:00pm.
Thanks to Peter Birdsong for his excellent photography (Peter Birdsong Photography).
Claire Martin of the Denver Post wrote a great story: http://www.denverpost.com/
FOX-31/CW-2's Jeremy Hubbard put together a great story as well:
http://kdvr.com/2012/07/11/pair-summits-sleeps-on-peaks-of-58-fourteeners-in-95-days/
Full access to photos from the event (from Peter Birdsong):
http://peterbirdsong.com/2012/08/sleeping-on-the-summits/comment-page-1/#comment-84
Post #57: Turbo Fit Radio KHOW AM 6/17/2012
Big thanks to Kent Paul, Mike Nix and Julie Genovesi for having me on their radio show! I really enjoyed the opportunity to chat about 14ers, endurance sports, 5Ks, 10Ks, marathons, nutrition, motivation, VO2 Max, and our new book Sleeping on the Summits: Colorado Fourteener High Bivys.
Post #56: REI-Boulder "Mountain Meteorology" 6/15/2012
Excellent night in Boulder - great group with insightful questions. Thanks to everyone that took the time to attend! Presented new info on our Sleeping on the Summits book project, Mountain Meteorology, and some Everest weather information. Next up: Tattered Cover Book Signing July 9, 7:30pm.
Post #55: Mount Everest (6/1/2012)
Huge congrats to best friend and climbing partner of 15 years, Jon Kedrowski! It was a rollercoaster of a ride this season. In my view two things stand out: 1) Jet Stream trapping climbers near the summit on May 19-20, 2) Jon climbing Everest twice with a successful summit in "dead-calm wind". I provided forecasts for Jon's Team, all part of Dan Mazurs' Summit Climb Expedition. It was an honor.
Jet Stream & Weather Windows:
The weather this season on Everest was big news. From my meteorological perspective, I watched the jet stream sit directly over the summit for weeks on end in April and was a little worried. Would the typical 5-day summit windows really open? Technically speaking, the Himalayan Mountain Range is caught between a rock and a hard place - between temperature and moisture contrasts from the north and south. The height of these mountains is a significant factor - any little deviation in the mathematics is hugely important to the bottom line forecast. The placement of the jet stream's strongest core of wind never recedes from Everest's summit by more than a few thousand feet during these summit windows. It looked to me like it would come down to very small summit windows this season, and indeed, that's what happened. Two-day summit windows played-out. And, these tiny 48-hour weather windows forced all the climbers into the normal chokepoints all at the same time.
Jon has an incredible story to tell when he gets back to the USA.
Some Excellent Media Coverage:
Jon Kedrowski summits Mt. Everest (KWGN-TV):
http://kwgn.com/2012/05/29/colorado-mountain-climber-talks-about-getting-to-the-top-of-mt-everest/
Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/30/jon-kedrowski-avon-man-re_n_1556538.html
CNN: (Great Article by Ashley Strickland)
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/25/climbing-geographer-nears-mount-everest-summit/
Jon Kedrowski's Everest Blog: http://www.jonkeverest.org/blog
-CT
___________________________________________________________________________________
Post #54: Earning our Ivy League Stripes: Mount Yale! (5/31/2012)
This was a really fun trip...took 13 co-workers and friends up the 14er Mount Yale. A few folks were sleep-deprived from working late the night before but dug deep and made the summit. Everyone did a great job. I warned the group that snow squalls were likely, but no one wanted to reschedule! It certainly made the summit that much sweeter.
Climbing Mount Yale (14,196ft) with Jennifer Broome, John Strassner, Jeremy Hubbard, Sean Swarner, Ryan Minnaugh, Scott Gilden, Peter & Amanda Birdsong, Josh White, Nick Emmons, Jeremy Auten, and Chris Whalen (KDVR-TV):
http://kdvr.com/2012/05/31/explore-colorado-climbing-mt-yale/
-CT
___________________________________________________________________________________
Post #53: Sleeping on the Summits: Colorado Fourteener High Bivys (5/30/2012)
Finally! Jon and I poured our hearts and souls into this book. Release date is June 15, 2012. You can pre-order autographed copies on this site.....and we'll mail those signed copies out after June 15. www.sleepingonthesummits.com
We're proud of this book. It's heavy on photography and expert analysis. It's a project that's never been done before. If you want a leg-up in the mountains this is your book. It delivers a true look at 14er meteorology and geography.
Jon also has it detailed on his website: http://www.jonkeverest.org/ORDER-SLEEPING-ON-THE-SUMMITS.html
We've got a few book signings setup - we'll have copies on-hand: Tattered Cover July 9 7:30pm, REI-Denver July 30 6:30pm, REI-Westminster August 14 6:30pm.
-CT
___________________________________________________________________________________
March 29-30, 2013
I saw a two day weather window perfect for a snow climb of Colorado's most dangerous 14er. (Moniker applies to rockfall in the "Shooting Gallery")
Met up with Dr. Jon and Lynn Bailey at 7,800ft on Lake Como Road. We hit deep snow and postholing about halfway up the road. We setup camp upon reaching Como Lake. (TRT 2.5 hours from Car to Lake Como)
Jon played the role of Chef and sliced and diced numerous chicken breasts, mushrooms, and peppers. He wrapped them in foil and laid them on hot coals -- they cooked in 10 minutes. Turned out to be excellent fajitas, which we smothered in BBQ sauce and High Fructose Corn Syrup. Lynn pulled out the State Puff marshmallows and the night was complete.
We settled in for a cold night with overnight temps around 14 degrees.
The next morning we kept our crampons on from camp to the summit and all the way back to camp. The first notch couloir was in good shape with a few sections of unconsolidated powder. Mother Nature's Stairmaster!
The Hourglass was in good shape (not great) so Jon weaved a route to the summit as safely as possible. The summit was incredibly satisfying! Jon said, "Now this is real mountaineering." I asked the Doctor to tell us when we're performing "medium mountaineering".
It was an incredible climb with two great friends. (Jon and I had done a similar snow climb of Little Bear in May of 2012) Wouldn't have traded this day for anything.
Video: Little Bear Peak as seen on Channel 2 Daybreak:
Post #72: Red Rocks Training Session
March 20, 2013
60s and some sun = perfect training day! Met up with Dr. Jon at Red Rocks for some serious training. Did the Morrison Incline first in 23min20. Then dropped into the stadium for a few sets of stairs. All in all a great afternoon.
Post #71: Russian Asteroid
Friday's asteroid strike slipped between the cracks and was not forecast. The meteorite proved too small for early detection. It leaves us in a precarious situation. Some are calling for an "early warning system" for asteroids - similar to severe weather.
Scientists now estimate the asteroid to weigh 10,000 tons, and say it released the energy equivalent of 500 kilotons of TNT - or 30 times the power of the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb.
Really cool Visible Satellite image from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO:
Post #70.5: Long's Peak Northeast Face, Wind Machine
2/2013
Wind & wave clouds greeted Dr. Jon and me as we climbed Long's exciting northeast face. It was a long 10-hour day roundtrip. The wind so strong all day it sounded like a jet engine forcing us to yell at each other just to be heard.
Tip #1,074: High winds are an almost constant fixture of the Front Range peaks. When you see mountain wave clouds you should expect high winds.
Post #70: My Best Photography
I've taken a lot of photos over the years from places that very few people venture. I decided to put a few of my all-time favorite hi-res photos into a gallery FOR SALE. There are a few from our Sleeping on the Summits book project - very unique photos you won't see anywhere else.
Click here to see the Gallery: http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/chris-tomer.html
For example, here's one of those photos for sale:
Title: Lunchtime on Capitol Peak
Thanks! CT
Post #69: John Fielder's Colorado Gallery, Book Signing and Presentation
12/8/12
We were fortunate to be invited to John Fielder's Colorado Gallery off Santa Fe in Denver. Colorado Icon John Fielder wrote a great, cerebral Foreward for our book Sleeping on the Summits: Colorado Fourteener High Bivys. Dr. Jon Kedrowski and I signed books, chatted with folks who stopped by, and gave a brief presentation. We talked about Sleeping on the Summits and a little about Jon's climb up Mount Everest through the "Death Storm". Thanks to everyone who came out!
Post #68: Keynote Speakers: Meteorologist Chris Tomer & Dr. Jon Kedrowski
REI-Denver 2012
FOX-31/Channel 2 meteorologist Chris Tomer and Mountain Geographer Dr. Jon Kedrowski present Sleeping on the Summits: Colorado Fourteener High Bivys and Mount Everest 2012 "Death Storm" to a packed house at REI-Denver. Chris and Jon are available for speaking engagements and keynotes.
Video Courtesy Josh White, Expedition Pictures LLC: http://www.linkedin.com/in/skyjosh
Post #67: Black Friday & Christmas SALE:
If you're looking for a special gift for the Holiday Season look no further. It's our biggest sale of the year for both our book and 2013 calendar. All books ordered from this site are autographed by both Dr. Jon Kedrowski and meteorologist Chris Tomer.
The Deal: When you order the Sleeping on the Summits book for $30 you get a FREE 2013 Sleeping on the Summits Calendar and FREE Shipping.
Total Cost: $30.00
Post #66: Old Friends: Green Family
Naomi Green makes our book and calendar look better than Jon or I ever could. Thanks Naomi for ordering both!
I've known the Green Family since my early days at KJCT-8 ABC-TV in Grand Junction, CO. At that time the Green Family lived in Montrose, CO, about an hour south of Grand Junction. I can still remember when Naomi and Darren brought their son Noah to the station for a visit.
Thanks for all your support over the years!
Post #65: The Weather Channel features Sleeping on the Summits
9/27/2012
Big thanks to my friend and former co-worker meteorologist Crystal Egger for featuring Sleeping on the Summits on The Weather Channel. The story, graphics and commentary were really well done.
Post #64 Neptune Mountaineering
Book Signing and Presentation 9/20/2012, Another Sell-Out
A really great night at an old classic, Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder. Thanks to Jerry Neptune for hosting us and to everyone who attended!
Post #63: Back to Back Sell-Outs
REI Fort Collins & REI Boulder 9/6-9/7/2012
What a ride! Jon and I did presentations/book signings on back to back nights - talk about two long days for me. I wasn't sure what to expect. It turned out to be some of the best memories of the summer so far! Big thanks to everyone who took the time to attend. Great seeing fellow mountaineers Alan Arnette and Jim Davidson at REI Fort Collins.
Post #62: 2013 Calendar Now Available!
The official 2013 Sleeping on the Summits Calendar has finally arrived. It features some of the best high resolution photography from our Bestselling Book as well as some brand new photos that didn't make the book.
We are offering a package deal: An autographed Sleeping on the Summits book and 2013 Sleeping on the Summits Calendar for $40.00. Click on "Sleeping on the Summits" on the left hand menu to order.
Post #61: #2 Bestseller!
I never thought i'd be a "Bestselling Author". Proof that you never know what the future holds. The Denver Post is reporting that Sleeping on the Summits rose to the #2 spot on the July 2012 Non-Fiction Paperback Bestselling List across the Front Range of CO. Huge thanks to everyone who supported our book!
July 2012 Bestselling List: http://www.denverpost.com/books/ci_21113992/books-denver-best-sellers-list-7-22-2012
Post #60: REI-Westminster 8/2012
Awesome night at REI-Westminster! Big thanks to everyone. Jon flew for 18 hours from Israel to Denver just in time for this presentation....talk about a tired man.
Post #59: REI-Denver Flagship 7/30/2012
Huge turnout at REI Denver - thanks to everyone who attended. Some excellent questions from folks.
Photographer Josh White shot video and photos.
Post #58: Tattered Cover LoDo 7/9/2012
Thanks to everyone who came out to Tattered Cover LoDo for our first big book signing and presentation. It was a success! I really enjoyed meeting everyone.
Our next book signing and presentation is August 14 REI-Westminster at 6:00pm.
Thanks to Peter Birdsong for his excellent photography (Peter Birdsong Photography).
Claire Martin of the Denver Post wrote a great story: http://www.denverpost.com/
FOX-31/CW-2's Jeremy Hubbard put together a great story as well:
http://kdvr.com/2012/07/11/pair-summits-sleeps-on-peaks-of-58-fourteeners-in-95-days/
Full access to photos from the event (from Peter Birdsong):
http://peterbirdsong.com/2012/08/sleeping-on-the-summits/comment-page-1/#comment-84
Post #57: Turbo Fit Radio KHOW AM 6/17/2012
Big thanks to Kent Paul, Mike Nix and Julie Genovesi for having me on their radio show! I really enjoyed the opportunity to chat about 14ers, endurance sports, 5Ks, 10Ks, marathons, nutrition, motivation, VO2 Max, and our new book Sleeping on the Summits: Colorado Fourteener High Bivys.
Post #56: REI-Boulder "Mountain Meteorology" 6/15/2012
Excellent night in Boulder - great group with insightful questions. Thanks to everyone that took the time to attend! Presented new info on our Sleeping on the Summits book project, Mountain Meteorology, and some Everest weather information. Next up: Tattered Cover Book Signing July 9, 7:30pm.
Post #55: Mount Everest (6/1/2012)
Huge congrats to best friend and climbing partner of 15 years, Jon Kedrowski! It was a rollercoaster of a ride this season. In my view two things stand out: 1) Jet Stream trapping climbers near the summit on May 19-20, 2) Jon climbing Everest twice with a successful summit in "dead-calm wind". I provided forecasts for Jon's Team, all part of Dan Mazurs' Summit Climb Expedition. It was an honor.
Jet Stream & Weather Windows:
The weather this season on Everest was big news. From my meteorological perspective, I watched the jet stream sit directly over the summit for weeks on end in April and was a little worried. Would the typical 5-day summit windows really open? Technically speaking, the Himalayan Mountain Range is caught between a rock and a hard place - between temperature and moisture contrasts from the north and south. The height of these mountains is a significant factor - any little deviation in the mathematics is hugely important to the bottom line forecast. The placement of the jet stream's strongest core of wind never recedes from Everest's summit by more than a few thousand feet during these summit windows. It looked to me like it would come down to very small summit windows this season, and indeed, that's what happened. Two-day summit windows played-out. And, these tiny 48-hour weather windows forced all the climbers into the normal chokepoints all at the same time.
Jon has an incredible story to tell when he gets back to the USA.
Some Excellent Media Coverage:
Jon Kedrowski summits Mt. Everest (KWGN-TV):
http://kwgn.com/2012/05/29/colorado-mountain-climber-talks-about-getting-to-the-top-of-mt-everest/
Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/30/jon-kedrowski-avon-man-re_n_1556538.html
CNN: (Great Article by Ashley Strickland)
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/05/25/climbing-geographer-nears-mount-everest-summit/
Jon Kedrowski's Everest Blog: http://www.jonkeverest.org/blog
-CT
___________________________________________________________________________________
Post #54: Earning our Ivy League Stripes: Mount Yale! (5/31/2012)
This was a really fun trip...took 13 co-workers and friends up the 14er Mount Yale. A few folks were sleep-deprived from working late the night before but dug deep and made the summit. Everyone did a great job. I warned the group that snow squalls were likely, but no one wanted to reschedule! It certainly made the summit that much sweeter.
Climbing Mount Yale (14,196ft) with Jennifer Broome, John Strassner, Jeremy Hubbard, Sean Swarner, Ryan Minnaugh, Scott Gilden, Peter & Amanda Birdsong, Josh White, Nick Emmons, Jeremy Auten, and Chris Whalen (KDVR-TV):
http://kdvr.com/2012/05/31/explore-colorado-climbing-mt-yale/
-CT
___________________________________________________________________________________
Post #53: Sleeping on the Summits: Colorado Fourteener High Bivys (5/30/2012)
Finally! Jon and I poured our hearts and souls into this book. Release date is June 15, 2012. You can pre-order autographed copies on this site.....and we'll mail those signed copies out after June 15. www.sleepingonthesummits.com
We're proud of this book. It's heavy on photography and expert analysis. It's a project that's never been done before. If you want a leg-up in the mountains this is your book. It delivers a true look at 14er meteorology and geography.
Jon also has it detailed on his website: http://www.jonkeverest.org/ORDER-SLEEPING-ON-THE-SUMMITS.html
We've got a few book signings setup - we'll have copies on-hand: Tattered Cover July 9 7:30pm, REI-Denver July 30 6:30pm, REI-Westminster August 14 6:30pm.
-CT
___________________________________________________________________________________
