Birthday Chutes

Steve and Jordy - The view of the Birthday Chutes from Murphy Ck.

With still few options on the bike trails, Steve, Jordy and I checked out the skiing conditions in the Birthday Chutes on Mt Plewman. A firm Spring snow-pack made for easy traveling through the big trees up Murphy Ck, up the headwall, and the corniced ridge to the summit. The snow in the chutes hadn’t quite consolidated into corn and the re-frozen sluff was a little tricky in places, but we were cruising on velvet on the open middle elevation slopes. It was a bit sticky in the trees, but still fun skiing all the way back to the truck.

Steve - On the ridge to the Summit.

I’ve finally worked out how to embed videos in this site. Here’s Jordy dropping in off the top.

Viva La Mexico

Only one person out on sunrise at Barra de la Cruz.

Well I’m back in Rossland after 3 wonderful weeks in Mexico, surfing on the Oaxaca coast, reading, relaxing in my hammock, subsisting on Heuvos Rancheros, mangoes, fish and cold beers . It seems the weather was unseasonably cold here through most of April, and there’s significantly more snow than I can recall for this time of year. I’ve started work back on the trails, but most of them are still covered. I won’t pack the ski gear away just yet.

After 16 years away, the new line-up at Chacauha was cranking.

Closing Weekend at Red

The Microwave Face - Palo Alto to First Cooler (during snowier times).

Compliments to Red Mountain for opening Granite for a final weekend of skiing. Sunny spring weather and awesome coverage made for a great end to the ski season. On Saturday I hooked up with Sparky and Andrew to check out the snow on the high steep north faces of the Microwave face, and were rewarded with silky dry snow on a day when everything else had turned to goop. I spent the rest of the day lapping lines that I hadn’t skied all season - the Center ridge  and  Skier’s right lines off the top, Natty Brown, Psycho and First Coolers. By Sunday even the snow on these lines had degenerated to a mashed potato like consistency, but I still managed the traditional last run of the season down the Microwave face, albeit in marginal conditions. Now off to Mexico for some tube time, back May 2nd  for mountain biking season. I’ll Blog occasionally over the summer on skiing related stuff (including more from the Purcells traverse), but more frequently at www.rosslandtrails.wordpress.com.

Southern Purcells Traverse

Andrew -  Mt Klahowya

After much anticipation and preparation, seven days of spectacular remote mountains, huge climbs, long days, steep chutes, epic powder runs, snow camping and camaraderie, Andrew Gross Jordy Hall and I completed the Southern Purcells traverse (Dewar Creek to Toby Creek). In cold, snowy and stable conditions, we found just the right amount of challenge. More later.

Drying Gear after a long day

Climbing with Mt Clutterbuck as a backdrop

Jordy - Boot-packing to a pass on Mt Findlay

Andrew - Findlay Glacier

Steep in Nelson

After an incredible last couple of days of skiing 40cm of light new snow at Red, I’m packing away my hill skis and resting up for the Purcell traverse. We leave on Thursday. I just found out that the movie Steep is playing this Wednesday night (April 2nd) at the Capitol Theater in Nelson. It’s a documentary about the history of steep skiing, with interviews and footage of all the major players from Bill Briggs and the French pioneers to Doug Coombs and Seth Morrison, and I’m stoked that I’ll get a chance to see it on the big screen.

Endless Winter

My yard - March 28th.

It’s nearly the end of March, there’s still over a meter of snow in my yard, and we’re still skiing cold, dry powder on the ski hill. It seems we’re not going to be getting any Spring skiing on the hill this year, and it might be a late start to the biking season. It snowed heavily all through the day yesterday, and I rode the Red Chair until it closed at 5.00pm (thanks to management for the positive change) , each run better than the last. After closing, I had my appetite sated at the reincarnation of the annual Turkey Roast. It was great to see a whole bunch of old and new faces participating in a real community celebration. Today was more powder skiing in the sunshine. Unfortunately I lost and never recovered a ski while skiing the Waterfall about half-way through the day. I went back on my touring skis and poked around, but it seems I’ll have to retrieve it sometime this summer. I’m not too concerned, as the skis were de-laminating and the the bindings kept pre-releasing. I’ve other skis I can use for the last few days, and I’m already considering what new set-up I’m going to purchase for next year (Scott Pures or another pair of Coombas). I did a lap on Mt Roberts in the afternoon, but found the Knife-edge into Center Chute surprisingly wind-effected. Skiing was much better on the hill. There’s more snow in the forecast, but I’m hoping it lets up soon, so that conditions can settle for our up-coming ski traverse, otherwise we’re going to be in for some energetic trail breaking.

Dave - Second Slide (Red Mountain in the background).

Inspiration.

Thoreau wasn’t a skier, but I think he would have empathized with those of us who devote our lives to this indulgent whimsical passion.

“I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits unless I spend four hours a day at least—and it is commonly more than that—sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields absolutely free from all worldly engagements. When sometimes I am reminded that the mechanics and shop-keepers stay in their shops not only all the forenoon, but all the afternoon too, sitting with crossed legs, so many of them—as if the legs were made to sit upon, and not to stand or walk upon—I think that they deserve some credit for not having all committed suicide long ago….” - Henry David Thoreau (1851)

Easter Skiing

Jill - catching some air at the end of the day at Wildhorse.

Late season powder skiing continues in the Kootenays.  After a couple of great days  skiing at Red, showing guests from Salt lake City and Whistler a few of our secrets, I was back up at Wildhorse with a group of Red Mountain lifties. I don’t know who was loading chairs at Red on Sunday, but we were having a great time in the untracked mid winter conditions.

Rugged Conditions on Unnecessary Ridge. 

Today I wandered around our local mountains with Cam and Andrew. We toured up Kirkup from the highway, and skied the North glades. I guess I’m getting a little spoiled from all the untracked snow I’ve become accustomed to, and found it a bit tracked for my liking. So we traveresed over to the Old Glory trail and on up to Unnecessary Ridge, where we were blasted with horizontal snow in the howling wind.  We dropped off the Ridge on a slope I’ve never skied before (same aspect but south of the Hanna Peak chutes) for a great steep powder run and a long rolling descent down a gully into the South fork of Hanna Creek and on down the highway. It snowed most of the afternoon and into the early evening - so it’s going to be a powder day at Red tomorrow.

Broken Dynafit Insert Post

I thought it was just the attachment screw working itself loose, but the issue with Dynafit heel insert in my Garmont Mega-rides is actually a broken locater post. I’ll call Garmont tomorrow and try to sort something out in time (15 days and counting) for my ski traverse.

Record Mountain - North Face.

Stewart - Dropping the cornice.

After 3 hectic days of charging fresh lines on the hill, it was actually a relief to wake up to no new snow. Looking to stretch the legs and enjoy some smooth turns, Jeff, Denis, and I made quick time out to Record, and dropped into the North side for a couple perfect powder runs in the sunshine.

Jeff - Finding the goods.

…and charging.