Iphone photos and friends.

In the race to move to the coast, I have been focusing on getting out with good friends in the mountains. Nothing nutty, just hanging with buddies and taking lots of Iphone photos.

 The ritual of signing the Yamnuska register and seeing what your friends have been doing pre-facebook.

On the approach to Yam with Rob, we climbed the route 'Another Fat Bastard', a mixed bolted gear route going at 5.10c. Another controversial route of this style squeezed in between classic traditional lines on the bastion of the ethic. Still a great day out with a good friend.

The first pitch of AFB

Rob getting ready to go in the off width section.

Jason and I ventured up 'the fold' in K country - The line takes the obvious rib in the center of the photo here. An amazing position for sure, luckily we had our Iphones to capture the moment.

On the last pitch.

Summit!

Trunk beers.

Evolution Traverse

 Since I was little I imagined climbing on ridge lines, I daydreamed about what it would be like on that juxtaposition in the sky, between land and space - It was just so 'there' and unavoidable. Some of my favorite climbing since then has taken place in the theater of ridges and I have grown very found of this style of climbing. It takes a long long time for a ridge climb to end, measured in miles and kilometers instead of feet or meters, so perfect in many ways.

 It was 1997 I believe when I first starting reading about Peter Crofts exploits in the Sierra's of California. I don't recall the specifics of that particular piece but '70 pitch ridges', 'flawless mountain granite' and 'almost too-good weather' rang home. Something about it resonated in me and a few years later I started seeking out the great ridge climbs of the Rockies and Selkirks. Travelling lightly and forever, I felt like Peter Pan, flying for the first time - the possibilities for adventure expanded. Always in the back of my mind loomed the ginormity of the 'grand course' ridge, the king; The Evolution Traverse in the Sierra backcountry.

 Julian and I were going through the options for a post Outdoor Retailer trip and with a bit of hesitation I suggested it. I knew we could give it a solid try and with a bit of luck, maybe pull the damn thing off in a day. Time to pull out the pickle...

 Sierra alpine start = Magic.

 Early on, lower Mendel.

 With Huxley on the far right, the end of the traverse and 7 miles away.

 Lots of easy 5th class.

 We are on the Evolution!

 Moving quickly through the great knobs.

 Between Mendel and Darwin. Awesome.

 Darwin summit block.

After reaching about the halfway mark, we looked at each other and knew we needed to go down but neither of us wanted to say anything. It was getting late in the day, there was literally miles of 5th class ahead and we were slowing down. The rope was coming out more and more, our bodies racked from the week of OR, the logistics of the trip and being at altitude; everything was taking its toll.  We started rapping and reached the talus just as the first fat drops started falling, 2 hours of intense thunderstorms surprised us but somehow made us feel better. We arrived back at the wet tent, made some curry and passed out.

Amazing.

We will be back...

Many thanks to Julian for his energy, enthusiasm and good nature!

Oldies.

I was looking through some photo albums and became quite reminiscent. Or maybe thankful is a better word, for the people I have had the incredible fortune of meeting as well as the experiences I have been lucky enough to have.

After a day of climbing on Yam, I was going for my best "Tony Yaniro", one of my hero's at the time. I think this was after Kahl Wall or maybe something on the east end. I was about 17 years old. Yamnuska shaped my ambitions as a young climber, after my first route there (Grillmair Chimneys) a couple years before, I felt like a real climber and above me lay thousands of amazing pitches and chances for greatness. If I could do 5.10 on Yam, maybe I could do a 5.9 on the north side of Mt. Temple..what if I could do  5.11 on Yam...!? I remember being so thrilled here..

Leigh Dolanz, One of my dearest friends at the Sad boulders in Bishop California. Leigh and I did a few trips here on the cheap over the years. In this picture, I think we are mid-session on 'The Bird", an obscure sandbag on the rim.

First road trip with James Von and the red rocket in 96', we climbed Grillmair Chimneys with 12 hexes and some stoppers then drove to Squamish listening to The Police's Zenyatta Mendatta and a mix tape of off the track Hendrix tunes compiled by Jon P- That summer we lived the dream doing our irst crack climbs, first real aid pitches and having our first 'dirt bag' experiences. Magic.

Cave Route at the Buttermilks, V6 - 1997

In many stages, James and I built this wall in my parents basement. Underwritten by junkyard dives, salvaging trips to construction sites and penny pinching techniques. We would recreate our projects in Bishop and Squamish here.

Grout Road Bridge, I think I spent about 400 days climbing here. No Joke.

"When I was 16 I thought I knew everything there was to know about climbing mountains and we just so happened to be in California and in the famous halls of Yosemite on a family vacation. Already infatuated with everything in sight, I gazed upon the 1000m walls of El Capitan and told my dad at once what we were going to do, I said "Pops! I will make you a harness. I've got a few biners and some rope- lets go and climb that thing!". Without much protest, we were at the base of the Captain staring up into the void. My Dad with his homemade harness and me leading off with nothing more then two allowance's worth of climbing gear and a dream in my mind. I looked down at my dad at a hard section and I could see him egging me on, I slipped and he caught me with the rope. Just like that our summit fever was gone. We retired to a burger stand nearby and talked about bigger ideas, it was one of those great memories I have of him. He was supportive like that, with his actions"
- A exert from a previous post about my dad, Paul.

Jon on the first ascent of "Edmonton's Most Macked"..I think he rated it new wave A2 but I can't be sure. A small (as you might imagine) group held the torch for the fledgling aid climbing scene in Edmonton, bagging a bunch of first ascents on the bridges around town for about 3 years with such names as Apparitions, pipe dreams, just hook it and more. Pounding micro sized pitons into incipient seams and hooking air bubbles in the concrete to expose lines all ended in a blazing fire ball of red tape, court appearances and midnight gear retrieval sessions from our high points...

Another Yam route.

"Buildering" around Edmonton, this was a sweet dyno problem from the horizontals on the wall in the background. Lloyd King and I had a circuit of these all over the university and downtown.

The late great Mike Pollard in typical bivi fashion. We had driven out to try Dirretissima on Yamnuska and spent the day drinking coffee at the Summit Cafe due to an April snow storm. I was hellbent on making Heuvos Rancheros here amidst the comforting smells of oil and brake grease...Awesome.

Sometimes if you forget where you came from, pull out those old photo albums for a glimpse of someone you may have forgotten about.
 

Pobotkan Creek to Nigel Pass

Just back from a few great days in the mountains with G and Jonny. With G out of climbing commission, we hatched some hiking plans to travel lightly over some beautiful country east of the Icefields parkway, namely the Brazeau Loop with a start at Pobotkan Creek, finishing at Nigel Pass and without the hike to Brazeau lake (bridge out) - so, a modified Brazeau loop if you will. The weather was absolutely perfect, bluebird for 4 days straight. 98 km in total. Just great.

The usual tomfoolery the night before at Kerkeslin Campground.

Pobotkan River Valley, upper reaches.

Currie Ramen, Mushrooms and candied Cashews.

At Jonas Cutoff Campground.

Amazing how light you can go when not carrying climbing gear.

Start of another great day.

Jonas meadows, looking towards the shoulder.

BB.

Over the shoulder, towards the pass.

After a couple of days of hiking a groove develops, similar to a ski traverse. Wake up, hike, stop when hungry, take a few pictures, keep walking, eat, pitch camp, etc. Living simply and looking for authentic experience.

We avoided the trail in many spots due to high water.

C.

Jonas Pass in the background.

In the tent early to avoid the Mosquito 'problem'

Leaving Four Point campground.

Wolfie.

Gaining altitude at Cataract Valley.

All is well that ends well!