🆕📝 7 Things This Week [#182]

I confess, not all of these links are from this week. I double confess — none of them are. 😝

Congratulations to @ismh86@eworld.social on his 7(!) year run as a host of Mac Power Users. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed his tenure on that podcast. Also congrats to @stephenrobles@mastodon.social for filling that spot — excited to see what he brings to the show!

This feels significant for an outlet that made a big deal about commissioning an artist to illustrate their biggest story of the year in defiance of Apple Intelligence/Image Playground taking space from humans. And continue to specify that AI will not do their writing, but will help with everything around it. Not trying to pass judgement, but I do find it notable considering that Finn is @johnvoorhees@macstories.net’s son.

Coding agents have absolutely decimated the MacStories Special Projects Team billable hours

Oh no. Blue Ice has revealed their new packs for Spring ‘26, and I want everything. Especially that Stache Ice 38L. 🤤

I’m drawn to brands that obsess over the details for their given market. Mountain Equipment for alpinist clothing. Raide for ski touring gear. Blue Ice for packs and other climbing equipment.

Today in interests colliding: my wife’s (video games) and mine (climbing) come together beautifully and authentically in Cairn. At least from this trailer, it appears they got so many details right. There’s definitely a climber on the development team. Might be my first play-through in years!

So proud of Brandon and Ali as they summited their first winter ADK peak this morning. Extra kudos for still being game to do a sunrise hike despite (very) negative wind chill temps. We had the mountain to ourselves and enjoyed a lovely summit with no wind! Can’t wait for our next adventure together. 🥾 🏔️

Watched: Shrinking S3E1, My Bad 📺

Dude, what a great episode and return to the series! I’d missed these characters. Hope they didn’t spend all their best writing on E1, but this one fucking ruled.

Finished reading: Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway 📚

Made for a quick listen on my long ski today. Not the most impactful book, but intriguing enough to keep my interest for the full eight hours. Compelling characters!

Did nearly 30 miles of skiing on the Jackrabbit Ski Trail over the last two days in preparation for a guided trip in which a client wants to ski the whole thing. So many awesome sections on this trail that stretches from Paul Smiths all the way to Keene!

Ski poles and skis standing upright in deep snow surrounded by snow-covered trees in a forest. The skis are red and beige with a logo. The setting is wintery and serene. A wooden sign stands in snowy terrain displaying trail information. Text: The Jackrabbit Trail CAUTION The Jackrabbit Trail is not part of the VIC trail system is not patrolled is not a loop trail Distances 1 mi WHITE PINE RD 3.5 mi RTE 86 9 mi LAKE CLEAR JUNCTION Snow-covered trail winding through tall pine trees in a dense forest setting tracks suggesting recent foot traffic in a serene winter landscape. Tracks cut a path through thick snow on a forest road flanked by leafless trees under a gray sky. A person smiles while standing in a snowy forest wearing a green and brown jacket and a cap with the text Mountain Guides. Snow-covered road with visible tire tracks curves alongside a rustic wooden fence in a winter landscape bordered by trees under a bright sun in a clear sky. Snow-covered trail shows ski tracks leading through a winter landscape bordered by bare trees with a distant forest and cloudy sky in the background A person wearing reflective sunglasses and a beige hat labeled Onward Mountain Guides is skiing across a snow-covered landscape with a forest in the background while carrying a backpack. A snow-covered road curves through a forest of bare and evergreen trees under a clear blue sky with sunlight highlighting the snow’s texture. Snow-covered ground lies still in the foreground with a dense forest in the midground and a sunlit hillside under a clear blue sky in the background. Snow-covered path with ski tracks extends through a forest valley surrounded by tree-lined mountains bathed in warm sunset light under a clear blue sky. Snow-covered trees stand still in a serene winter forest with a soft pink and blue sunset visible through the branches.

Started reading: Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway 📚

Matt Gemmell: ‘The Fallen Apple’

Apple removes apps at the request of repressive governments, busts unions, fights tooth and nail against consumer-protection laws, has to be strong-armed into allowing repairability, and so on. Just as the US flag has internationally began to take on the whiff of fascism, so too is the Apple logo now tinged with something else.

We nerds have been saying it for years, and I’m hearing that that everyday folks are starting to get the whiff, too. Apple may have missed its opportunity to “save” its brand — if it even wants to.

I throughly enjoyed this weekend’s @aiare_official course taught by @caseyghenley and @northeastmountaineering (put on by @mountaineerbandana). Great crew and tons of learning! This is just the start of my avalanche safety and snow science education, but it provided a firm foundation — not a weak crust. 😉

People stand on snow holding drinks in a parking lot surrounded by vehicles with snow-covered trees in the background under a clear blue sky. A man works on a laptop at a conference room table with a wall-mounted screen displaying a mountain diagram by AIARE. Nearby is a 7up can and snacks on another table. Two skiers stand on snow-covered ground holding ski poles under a bright sun with a wooden cabin in the background and trees nearby. A person stands on a snow-covered area using ski poles next to a large snow pile surrounded by tall pine trees under a clear blue sky.

Ryan Christoffel has a great tip regarding generated-but-not-yet-saved passwords in Apple’s Passwords app:

Now, when new passwords have been generated in iOS, but aren’t fully saved inside the Passwords app, a new menu option appears.

Available behind the three-dot icon in Passwords’ top-right corner, you’ll see a ‘Generated Passwords’ option.

I’m in the midst of transitioning from 1Password to Apple Passwords (so far, so good!), so I’m happy to have run across this.

It was 13 years ago today that I was first introduced to ice climbing at the @michiganicefest. It’s fun to look back at how goobery that first climbing day was with my tools upside down on my pack and terrible technique. 😆 Little did I know that it would become one of my favorite sports and so important to my career. It’s been a great journey!

A person climbs a steep ice wall using ice axes and crampons secured with ropes surrounded by a snowy environment. Text reads 2013. A red and orange backpack leans against a snowy surface holding ice axes and a blue water bottle attached on one side. Marmot and Drakon 45 are visible. A person stands in the snow wearing an orange hooded jacket crampons and a backpack. Surrounding them are snow-covered trees creating a wintery forest scene. A person wearing an orange helmet labeled Petzl and green winter clothing stands in a snowy environment surrounded by leafless trees. Snowflakes are visible on their clothes and the background. A person climbs a steep ice wall using ice axes in a snowy mountain landscape with visible conifer trees and distant mountains. Text 2026 is in the lower right corner.

Short, sweet, and to the point! Thanks, Mike! 😁

Review text over snowy mountain and trees background reads Mike Local Guide 88 reviews Jarrod is knowledgeable and helpful A great choice for a guide

My final morning (Day 5) at @ourayicepark with @adkclimb.club pals. I only did a couple (loooong) climbs and didn’t take a ton of pics, so enjoy this progression of @bbrianandersonn emerging victorious from Brass Tax on a gloriously sunny morning. I feel so fortunate to have spent these past few days pushing hard on western ice with such good friends. Thanks to Shane, @bbrianandersonn, @darnisock, and @casey_hale_ for making this trip happen. And to new friends Andrew, Simo, and Grace who we adopted into the clan. Hope they’ll make it to an @adkclimb.club meetup someday! 🙌

A wooden ice axe is secured to a green climbing rope ascending an icy cliff with a clear blue sky backdrop. A climber ascends an icy cliff using ice axes supported by a bright green rope within a snowy mountainous area with icicles and snow-covered rock formations. A person in climbing gear ascends an icy slope using an ice axe with a safety rope attached surrounded by a rugged mountainous snowy landscape. A climber wearing a helmet and sunglasses ascends an icy slope with ice axes gripping the surface surrounded by sheer ice formations and snowy cliffs.

Day 4 at @ourayicepark with @adkclimb.club pals! We spent the day at Lower Bridge and South Park, and enjoyed sunshine and mixed climbing, stoked on by @darnisock. Full value day!

A person wearing a red helmet and climbing gear ascends an icy crevasse using a green rope surrounded by steep frozen walls in a challenging outdoor environment. A climber ascends an icy crevasse using a rope surrounded by rugged ice formations and snowy surfaces in a mountainous environment. Climber ascending a frozen waterfall using an ice axe in a snowy mountainous landscape. A climber ascends a frozen waterfall using ice axes and ropes surrounded by tall jagged ice formations with snowy ledges under a clear cold sky. Three people wearing winter gear smile and pose for a selfie amidst a snowy landscape with a frozen waterfall and pine trees in the background. Climber ascends a frozen waterfall using ropes with pine trees visible at the top in a snowy mountain landscape under a clear blue sky. Climbers ascend a large ice-covered cliff. Several people stand at the base observing. Surrounding are snow-covered ground and trees in a mountainous area. A person wearing climbing gear holds an icicle while standing on icy terrain. They are positioned near a wall of frozen icicles adjacent to a rocky cave entrance. A climber ascends a steep icy cliff using ice axes surrounded by snow-covered rocks and evergreen trees under an overcast sky. A climber rests on snowy ground, wearing crampons and bundled in warm gear. Nearby, a backpack, gloves, and climbing ropes are set against a rocky snowy backdrop. A person wearing a green helmet smiling in the foreground while another person climbs a snow-covered slope using a rope in a snowy mountainous area.

Prepare to be blown away by these women, Sarah Hueniken and Ines Papert, in this film Fifty-Five. It’s only ten minutes long and, if you’re like me, you’re going to come away inspired to become stronger mentally and physically with every passing year.

Day 3 at @ourayicepark with @adkclimb.club pals. We took on the longest and steepest lines yet at Pick O’ the Vic and ice fresh out of the oven at the Scottish Gullies. Spectacular positioning!

A frozen waterfall cascades down a steep cliff as climbers ascend it amid a snowy mountainous landscape with evergreen trees and a wooden building nearby. A person climbs a steep icy cliff in a snowy canyon surrounded by jagged rock formations and frozen waterfalls. The climber uses gear for support in the icy terrain. A person stands smiling in a snowy landscape wearing climbing gear and holding a green rope. Surrounding are snow-covered trees and rocks, with visible steps in the background. Climber ascending frozen waterfall using ice axes wearing a red jacket and crampons surrounded by towering ice formations in a snowy canyon. Climbers ascend a large, icy, snow-covered cliff face, using ropes for support. They are surrounded by a deep gorge with rocky, snowy mountains in the background and trees nearby. Climber ascends frozen waterfall using a rope for support surrounded by icy terrain under a clear blue sky. A person wearing a red helmet and pink jacket holds a climbing rope in a snow-covered landscape surrounded by leafless trees and rocks. A person in climbing gear stands on snow observing a steep frozen waterfall surrounded by rocky cliffs and evergreen trees under a clear sky. Climber ascends steep snow-covered slope using rope for support surrounded by icy terrain and snow-laden trees. A person wearing climbing gear stands holding a backpack with a rope on a snowy path watching snow-covered mountains and a cabin under a clear blue sky. Signs read “Furnace” and “LOWA simply more…”.

I’ll take it! (Via Athlytic)

A digital display showing an “Athlytic Age” of 22.7, which is 9.2 years younger than the actual age of 31. The section lists various health metrics: Resting Heart Rate at 55 bpm, VO2 Max at 48 ml/kg/min, Heart Rate Recovery in 2 minutes at 70 bpm, and Weekly Steps of 106,519. Each metric shows a comparison to a range, indicating improvement in years.

Day 2 at @ourayicepark with @adkclimb.club pals. School Room area. So much fun with friends! Refueled with great food at @ouraybrewery.

A climber ascends an icy cliff face using ropes in a snowy forested mountainous area with tall evergreen trees in the background. A person climbs a steep frozen waterfall using ropes amidst an icy landscape with sparse trees above under a clear blue sky. Climber ascends a frozen waterfall using an ice pick in a mountainous setting surrounded by ice formations and trees under a clear blue sky. A person ascends an icy, frozen waterfall using climbing gear, surrounded by thick layers of ice forming irregular, jagged surfaces. People sit on swing chairs attached to a wooden bar table. They smile and wear warm jackets. The setting is a cozy, sticker-decorated room with soft lighting and wooden furniture.

Nick Heer: ‘Tim Cook Attends Screening of Propaganda for Authoritarian’s Wife’

Cook, though? He was there because he wanted to be. This was on the same day that, as Stuart writes, agents of the U.S. government murdered a second citizen in Minneapolis in three weeks, and then lied about it. Renée Good and Alex Pretti both embodied courage. Cook chose fealty and, ultimately, cowardice.

Indeed.

New toy, new place! Having the best time on western ice at @ourayicepark. Fun to get a new perspective on my own climbing. Thanks to @bbrianandersonn for the belay. 🙂 More to come, for sure.

Lots of preparation and hiking the high peaks in every season helps keep my internal compass honed for the trails no matter the conditions. They’re sometimes tricky, but I work hard to keep us pointed in the right direction. 🙂

Person standing on a rocky ledge pointing towards distant blue mountains under a clear sky. Text overlay: CD Stayton Local Guide 27 reviews 5 stars 6 months ago I met Jarod 3 years ago for my first guided hike I highly recommend him He makes every adventure fun and he hasn’t gotten us lost yet Lol

As of a few days ago, I had hundreds of drafted notes in Drafts. They were ideas, tasks, quotes, and in-progress blog posts saved over years. But out of sight, they were out of mind. I finally cleared them out, moving most to Things as actual tasks, transferred some to Apple Notes for long-term storage, and archived the rest. I’m making a fresh go at staying on top of my tasks with Things, and Drafts will be simply “where text starts” — not where it stays.