closing time

Winter finished very abrupt on me a couple of weeks ago on my last ski outing with Scott and Raphael on Mt. Sparrowhawk. April 30th marked the earliest ski touring end in years, what promised to become a super ski spring turned into SCHMUHH with a rather unusual heat wave in the Rockies. I have to admit though that I could have stretched it a little longer with some real early starts and get up high, but rock climbing took over. After missing out on most of the spring time rock climbing last year due to the Mt. Logan expedition, I enjoyed inhaling as much limestone smell as possible above town.

Furthermore, I was convinced that it was appropriate to finish such a great Winter on a powdery note.

Scott on the summit ridge, who can spot Raph?

last run of the year in perfect powder

Besides the Coliseum we spent a couple days reviving the routes at the almost forgotten and seldom visited Echo Cave. For some reason this little gem gets neglected by most climbers hiking up to the Lookout. Only 10 min up the Hideaway with a southern exposure, this cliff is ideal for the spring and fall. From the overhanging jug fest to technical crimping and pocket puzzles, a solid 5.12 climber will find the perfect fit for his style. 

The current Routes from left to right:

Project (deep in steep cave)
Morpheus, 5.12b
Echo, 5.13a
Glueless, 5.13b
Destination Unknown, 5.12d
Project
Take a Minute, 5.12a
Lost and Found, 5.12c 

Derek on his first go red point of "Echo"

Derek entering the powerful crux on "Glueless"

Greg Toss on the way to red point "Glueless",
the route he created a few years prior.

Derek on sighting "Morpheus"

the wonderful grey streak of the 33m long "Lost and found"
photo Derek Galloway

"Destination unknown"
would blend in perfectly with the best routes at the lower wall of Acephale

Destination Unknown

Matt Pieterson returning to the Rockies from almost a year of absence...
"Morpheus" with Matt's former home turf, the Coliseum in the background.
photo Derek Galloway

trying to beat the pump clock to the anchors of "Morpheus"
photo Derek Galloway

Prime time for the Coliseum

Derek Galloway lost in a sea of rock and snow in the Coliseum

Without doubt, the Coliseum is the best and most impressive chunk of rock in the entire Echo Canyon.

So tell me why there is not much more traffic up there? 

I can tell you:

-the wall usually seeps heavily from mid May to Mid July (if not much longer)

-although south facing, you have to wait until 2 p.m. to see the sun (if there is any)

-it catches any sort of wind there might be and multiplies it (and there is always wind)

-a long approach and no easy routes... certainly not a girl friend cliff (unless you want to get rid of her)

-despite the bolted sport climbs, there is this "alpinish" flair up there-

hard to explain if you haven't been there yet. 

Maybe it is the lack of trees, the constant noises of rock fall, the snow covered ledges, 

airborne  icicles or the size 3 avalanches roaring over the top of climb in the spring.

And then there are this imaginary voices which you can hear now and then 

-and for some strange reason your partner doesn't- 

and they tell you to get the hell out of there.

Needless to say, all of the above factors keep the line ups at bay.

So don't miss out at the best chunk of rock in the Rockies, 

hope to see you up there before the seepage starts!

Greg Toss getting virgin rock on his new creation "Aquarius"
-a very nice five twelve addition
on an otherwise five thirteen overloaded main wall

"Fit Bird", a stout 5.13d,
drilled, cleaned and climbed last Summer by Matt Pieterson.

Derek Galloway pulling the roof on his first red point attempt on "Fit Bird"

let it bleed...
battle marks from a filed RP attempt

I love my belay glasses, especially on the long routes up there.
They make me a more attentive belayer and my neck is way less stiff after extended belay session.

they are certainly not the most attractive eye wear made
and definitely not very beneficial for picking up climbing chicks

The cedar sign I carved 3 years ago is slowly starting to age into a natural gray,
sorta like some of my hair.

all pictures by Derek Galloway except the 4 of mine on "Fit Bird" where he is actually busy climbing.

Bella's first ski tour

Since Bella kept on asking me when it is her turn to get out, I finally took her to the same place as I did  almost exactly a year ago with Luka. With him and Kimby as a back up and cheerleaders, we ventured to Mt. Buller in K-Country, which offers easy, roadside access ski touring in stable spring conditions. You can go all the way to the top or turn around at any point and call it the day, or do multiple laps on the rather gentle lower slopes. 

Therefore there is neither pressure to perform nor reach a certain goal for a six year young girl.

gotta make sure those skins stick on well

that's my two girls!

and this is what happens if one skin slides,
you only get away with this in a young age

A Mars bar every half hour keeps the gurrls going.
You gotta eat it sloooowly, because when I'm finished with it I have to walk again for another half hour.
Might as well take my time here and explore the various layers and consistencies.

Although it wasn't a summit, a "high point kiss" was still in order.

Short roping exercise on the way up,
a ski pole was a decent substitute for the rope left in the car.

nobody ever gets hurt in the air

Bellas first self-motorized turns.
"It is way more fun to go down than to go up" was her first comment.
Didn't take her long to figure that one out.

A well deserved lunch break followed by a some leisure time in the woods before the second lap

April ski touring

An unbelievable April so far, at least when you like skiing. I keep on running into people who would rather have it warmer and sunnier in order to go rock climbing and the only thing that keeps them sane is the newly opened Canmore climbing gym. I do love climbing too, but if the ski conditions are like this I have a hard time missing out on those magic days. After finishing my heli skiing season in the Cariboos first week of April, I was guiding and playing with skis entirely in the Rockies, and the Rockies certainly delivered.
and it's not quite over yet...

 on the way to work, sunrise on Mt. Cascade.

Lorne on the last stretch of Buller Mountain
with Spray Lakes 

Somewhere above Lake Louise

gotta wonder what Steve is listening too

way back in Kootenay Park

Below Mt. Fairview

steep chutes off Fairview with Lake Louise Ski Area behind

the last steps to Surprise Pass

Sheol Mountain appearing as the convective clouds start to lift

Powder in the sun mid April

Giller seems happy and content after another big day

Just below the Summit of Mt. Fairview

A group of the full ski exam on the way to White Pyramid

Steve getting first tracks down White Pyramid

A very wintery looking Howse Peak.

The NW ridge of White Pyramid, overlooking Howse River and Mt. Forbes

A beautiful rock formation along the way to White Pyramid.

out again with my 'lost' son

Almost a year ago I took my son Luka out to Mt. Buller for his first ski tour. At that time he was eight and to my surprise he really enjoyed the laborious act of skinning up.

Earlier this Winter we got out again for a bit of a shorter day on Mt. Norquay, and we had an equally good time. There was only one problem with the progress in Lukas ski touring career...

...he developed a really bad habit and fell in love with a snow board.

In his vocabulary, the word skiing did not even exist anymore until recently, when he got to see some of my latest ski pictures which showed the perfect conditions we have these days out there.

This must have re-sparked the smoldering fire burning inside his well hidden skiing soul and he did not have to ask me twice to take him out again.

Yesterday we took advantage of the parent teacher interviews and had our own papa/son interviews on our way up a mountain on the Banff/Radium Highway. 

The 4 hour climb was rewarded by a perfect 1100m powder run 

and a hot chocolate plus donut at a locally owned Tim Hortons. 

Sweeeet!