"Pat Sheenan" Traverse

Wow what a great time to be skiing in the rockies! After finding the snowline on our first idea, Mt. Wilson to be a few hundred meters above the road we headed north to the big bend where we skinned up the road leading to the Sask glacier before cutting off and heading into the alpine for the "Pat Sheenan Traverse". The tour takes you across two minor unnamed icefields leading to Castleguard meadows and an amazing campsite surrounded by the giants of the rockies.  Today we awoke and did the "powder eleven" down the Saskatewan glacier to our awaiting car. Great travelling conditions, great company, great weather and a new area made this a tour for the mind to recall fondly.

Marc enjoying reaching the alpine near "hidden valley".
On an unnamed icefield at 9000 feet.
Our great camp in Castleguard Meadows.
Dusk on the Saskatewan Glacier and the encompasing greatness.

Must be spring time in the rockies ski friends!

More Freshfields....

Freshfield to Wapta Ski Traverse

Well, just got back from a great ski tour with friends over some big Rockies real estate. We flew from Golden with Don at Alpine Helicopters where he dropped us off at the high col between Mts Nanga Parbat and Gigit at about 3000m. We skied a few runs, climbed a couple of cols, summited a minor peak and generally enjoyed the winter conditions and snow before exiting out the Freshfield drainage to the Howse river valley and soon after, taking a turn to the west to the Blaeberry valley. From here it was a jaunt up Wildcat creek to Mistaya Lodge and soon after- the familiar Wapta icefield. An amazing adventure with great folks.

These are all in reverse order, coming down from Bow Hut- Almost done.
done.
Mistaya Alpine, Day 5
Creek fun in the Blaeberry Valley
Good melt freeze travel in the Howse Valley
Dry out in BC
Good isothermic fun
Wonderful turns down the lower Freshfield Glacier

Jeff, a great fella
Down the serac to the lower Freshfield
Johnny O
Sweet turns, upper Freshfield Glacier

Jason, cant wait till next years big tour!!
Mt. Mummery
Flight In

Crowfoot Mountain

Well today I had a great time with my good friend Marc for a day of ski touring to Crowfoot Mountain. After skate skiing across the lake in 5min! M-A set his usual pace and we were up to the glacier in just a couple of hours. The skies opened up before us to unveil the spectacle at hand, amazing views for miles and miles as well as the great peaks that we were to ski this day. We skinned up the chute leading to the top of Crowfoot Col, ripped the climbing skins off and enjoyed the great spring snow down to the glacier, happy for more we launched up the second peak to the west and enjoyed similar conditions down to the lake where more skating was in order. A great day topped off with a coke classic in a can from the grocery. Thanks dude!

Crowfoot Pass

On Saturday we joined our friends John and Laura for a nice tour to Crowfoot Pass near Bow lake. Beautiful weather and great travel conditions led to a spectre which is savoured by all mountain enthusiasts, perfect visibility for miles and miles and no wind to speak of. Nice preserved powder met us on the way down as we hooted and hollered down the winter scene, dogs in tow. A nice beer at Num Ti Jah lodge to finish the day and the promise of more spring skiing.

Mt. Nestor

A great day was had with the boys on Friday in Kananaskis, a great uptrack up an amazing ridge and a drop into a big gully back to the lake....Awesome. Photos Jeff MacPherson

Mt.Field

The Open Road

North Wapta

Wow, what an outstanding 3 days out on the Wapta in the cold temperatures and crystal clear skies! Niall, Marc, Jeff and I went up to Peyto Hut and over to Bow with a couple of nice peaks along the way. We had a great time all in all with highlights being Chic Scott singing aloud to everyone in the hut, no wind and endless views on top of St. Nicholas peak, drinking some nice coffee's in the hut with friends and each of us having a body part to complain about while it freezes. 

Marc on the final 20m hike to the summit of St. Nic in splitter weather.
Endless views in the -40 weather + Windchill.

St. Nic with Chic Scott on top with his friends.

Niall Harris.
Map study at the Peyto Hut.
En-route to Peyto Hut.

Emerald Lake Slidepath

So today my good old friend Mario was in town and we wanted to head up high into the mountains and find some reasonable skiing. After deciding to check out the Emerald Lake "zone", we coffee'd up and shot down the road and started up the main slide-path, eyes open and ears perked ready for signs of instability. The day was amazing and after digging around in the snow and finding the surface hoar that is raking the Rockies, we ripped off the skins and enjoyed a surprisingly good run back down to the lake. As we descended we couldnt believe that we were as luck as we were with the day, the weather and the ski conditions- despite the spooky basal facets and surface hoar layers. Great to be out with my good old friend!

Chief getting a good look at the snowpack, this dog loves skiing.
Near the Alpine on the Slidepath.
Mario reaping the sweet rewards.


Enjoying the Sun. Soon after, Mario parted ways back to Revy and I went over to the Truffle Pigs cafe in Field for a double americano and apple strudel to go. Happy and content.