Winter is Donesvile

Well I think thats it for skiing for me. People are still out there and the conditions are excellent but its just time to hang em up, exchange goggles for surf shorts and enjoy the 3 months of summer weather. Already have had a few great days out rock climbing and I am gearing up for a great summer of climbing, hiking and mountain biking. The summer ski wax is going on today and its time to get outside!!

Photographs

A perfect moment. Selkirks.
Cafe De Bogeuita, Havana.
Perfect Lighting in Vardero.
Storm rolling over the Bow Valley.
Magic light on EEOR.
Michelle at the Mt. Colin Hut.

So on Sunday I had the opportunity to hang out with one of my good friends and serve drinks for Rob and Marion's wedding. Aside from being an amazing night of friends and good times, Jason and I had a chat about the merits of un-edited photos. It's different working with just what you are given in terms of light and colour. Here are a few black and whites.

Summer Already?

Well I am sitting here at the computer with a nice americano trying to decide if I should go climbing or skiing tomorrow. This is the first time this season I have considered not skiing and it might be time to put the summer wax on, pull out the rock shoes and get ready for another season of summer. As this unfortunate decision is being made, I pulled up some photos from the last few years to renew the stoke factor, its just been such a great spring for touring... Well, maybe these shots can get us going again.

Alpine Magic.
Moby Dick, El Capitain.
Black Feather Canyon.
Cats eye View, Photo Nick Rapaich.
Relaxing by the palliser river after a few days climbing, bushwacking and dream living in the Royal Group- BC.

Bow Summit Couloir- Mt. Jimmy Simpson Sub peak

So today I met with my Friends John O, Lars B and Janez to exlpore a couloir above Bow Summit on the icefields parkway. After driving by it for years and wondering if it would go it was nice to be up there in May when the snow is strong and the weather warm. We stopped at Laggan's in Lake Louise, filled up on coffee and drove to Bow Summit where we started up the trail. Soon enough we were hiking up with our skis on our back and entering the start of the couloir. After reaching our highpoint we turned the pointy end down and did 80's style jump turns down the punchy snow to a safer spot where we could take photos and admire the view of Peyto Lake. We continued on the bomber melt-freeze crust to a traverse leading back to the main ski area of Bow Summit and soon after, the car. Another great day of skiing in the Rockies with friends!

Approaching the Couloir.
A handy moat to change skins for crampons.
Looking down the Couloir with Peyto Lake below.
Enjoying the schnarby melt freeze crust below.
Thanks guys!!

The Bridge

This is the bridge in Edmonton where it all started for me and climbing. My buddy Jimmy and I would skip school, steal rides, walk for 2 hours and basically do anything to climb here every week. It had everything from single pitches of rock climbing to hard aid climbing over water in which you had to wait until winter to traverse the catwalk on the underside, rappel to the frozen N Saskatewan river 25m below and climb up on body weight placements in cement hoping the ice is solid enough to hold us up because our skills weren't! So much adventure on something designed to move traffic...