Dick and Judy Opsahl met when
skiing, and outdoor activities have continued to be a part of
their life together. They have skied the High Route from Verbier
lto Zermatt, walked the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu, and
sections of the Appalachian and Colorado Trails. Both became
marathon runners, with Dick having run well over 100 marathons,
including the Everest Marathon, from Everest Base Camp to Namche
Bazaar (the only marathon in the world where you walk 3 weeks to
the start). Dick soon moved up to ultra-running, and in 1998
completed the Grand Slam of ultra-running, four 100 miles trail
races in one summer. Both Dick and Judy have participated in
long distance XC ski marathons, canoe races, and multi-day bike
trips.
Dick and Judy on
the Great Wall of China
Since coming
to Los Alamos in 1999, the Opsahls have led a number of trips to
to the Tenth Mountain Huts, five in the winter and three in the
summer. Their trip for this summer to Skinner Hut, July 1-5,
2010, is full and has a waiting list. They walked the Camino to
Santiago in Spain from The Pyrenees to Santiago in 2002, and
have since gone back to re-walk it in three sections. In 2008,
they led a trip of Mountaineers there to walk the last 120 miles
of the route. The Opsahls also travel a lot, and have led trips
using Overseas Adventure Travel to Central America, Thailand,
Vietnam and Cambodia, China, and to India and Bhutan. A number
of Mountaineers have come on these trips. Meanwhile, Dick has
led innumerable trips up the Pipeline Road to the ski area. Last
summer, the Opsahls walked across England on the Coast to Coast
Route, and that will be the subject of their presentation in
May.
LAM Board:
LAM
Programs:
A Few Relevant
Trip Reports:
-
October
1-14, 2008, Camino de Santiago
Pilgrimage within Spain
-
July 3-7,
2008, Uncle Bud's Summer Hut Trip,
near Leadville, Colorado
-
June
30-July 4, 2007, 10th Mountain
Huts in Summer
-
January
21-26, 2007, 10th Mountain Hut Ski
and Snowshoe Trip above Leadville, Colorado
-
February
11-16, 2006, 5th Annual X-ctry and
Snowshoe to the 10th Mountain Hut
-
February
2005 and March 2002, Two "Uncle
Bud's Hut" Ski Trips
|
