tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32767728033545912132024-03-13T04:04:08.379-06:00vertical-unlimitedthoughts on climbing and the rest of my lifegery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.comBlogger206125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-47490338701334481652015-11-14T16:08:00.000-07:002015-11-14T16:08:27.343-07:00Trophy wall cragging<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68bFoAb8AYVOOYQLiMJbnyGPjAsc00xq0FAJlekS6IpF5AVOwmE7hJAhkLDWn1Wj_X-_lJAxgfqXHTzeimqeO3GCJEZbH_mBGt6Y9K0O71Wwf7RdJfGUEBd8uL-KOtlUMyT_Cc37nAiAP/s1600/Trophy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg68bFoAb8AYVOOYQLiMJbnyGPjAsc00xq0FAJlekS6IpF5AVOwmE7hJAhkLDWn1Wj_X-_lJAxgfqXHTzeimqeO3GCJEZbH_mBGt6Y9K0O71Wwf7RdJfGUEBd8uL-KOtlUMyT_Cc37nAiAP/s400/Trophy.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mighty Trophy Wall high on Mt. Rundle,<br />
zoomed in from the trail head at the end of the golf course road.</td></tr>
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Since the Golf course road was open for the last day of the season and little snow on the approach, Sepp and I decided to check things out on the Trophy Wall. From afar it appeared that the Terminator might somewhat connect with a few bits of rock in between, but we got shut down after the first pitch due to the lack of bigger balls.<br />
Luckily there was plenty of ice to play around for the rest of the day, Post Scriptum is fat and there are at least three independent lines on the first part of the Replicant.<br />
The best climbing of the day was without doubt the first two pitches of the <a href="http://raphaelslawinski.blogspot.ca/2012/11/the-exterminator.html">Exterminator</a>, Raphael's masterpiece on far left side of the wall. There is way more ice on it than on the first ascent and therefore provides classic mixed climbing with lots of transitions from rock to ice and vice versa.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePO8RyL3cvgaBtIqTAALGV8lWprrhAyq7ZI8TJLexxrxPszw_S_VW5mOjuqtTbwwtiNhsrDKz9TF5CIcLO8PmMfIYp_Uqz9RKTXWPm_vrPphAXft-KbS3a4kYda5K8Q4YAprBfSpSd23d/s1600/Trophy+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePO8RyL3cvgaBtIqTAALGV8lWprrhAyq7ZI8TJLexxrxPszw_S_VW5mOjuqtTbwwtiNhsrDKz9TF5CIcLO8PmMfIYp_Uqz9RKTXWPm_vrPphAXft-KbS3a4kYda5K8Q4YAprBfSpSd23d/s400/Trophy+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 hours later and almost there</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQYfD4_QrqWlg8hmzq714eRC_G_KUYYsWgYCGVdfNF8AKqa5y7T2imGOWXpHStS85MZlcdIEWWqWH_ot3zByUkKuMwZ7QySM6N3H8fGybHBPKa7Gc9ijpbHb5SeL8CCb8HekE0ihRFl3B/s1600/Trophy+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaQYfD4_QrqWlg8hmzq714eRC_G_KUYYsWgYCGVdfNF8AKqa5y7T2imGOWXpHStS85MZlcdIEWWqWH_ot3zByUkKuMwZ7QySM6N3H8fGybHBPKa7Gc9ijpbHb5SeL8CCb8HekE0ihRFl3B/s400/Trophy+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'd like to compare the rarely formed La Goute with China's industry,<br />very impressive and ready to collapse anytime. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_qxZIRKXPCRzhJ9N1Bs6t0atZbb9tEbGUto5CQWf2-QXC4B2M8uykfHqotdEWZPeU5k03Bl6ApXegPfK74U-clWrbCXJHc7JamOyGHdM6e34hxHLn73XR8f8wMYDIOrpZfDKwV86Qdhf/s1600/Trophy+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_qxZIRKXPCRzhJ9N1Bs6t0atZbb9tEbGUto5CQWf2-QXC4B2M8uykfHqotdEWZPeU5k03Bl6ApXegPfK74U-clWrbCXJHc7JamOyGHdM6e34hxHLn73XR8f8wMYDIOrpZfDKwV86Qdhf/s400/Trophy+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">on the approach ice below Post Scriptum</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45KT0m-GaGP0s9UD7apQ5x7X8MCd_J3lkBcNh_LmSkdOdeVShEjXYZNy-l6P7-cYuDB4AsGcOSV209xK-_t9wCPoMoBlO4ojVg51vS5bhCING6P24T0J-VP9UJcYmC6rPLRWgEXsiFvax/s1600/Trophy+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45KT0m-GaGP0s9UD7apQ5x7X8MCd_J3lkBcNh_LmSkdOdeVShEjXYZNy-l6P7-cYuDB4AsGcOSV209xK-_t9wCPoMoBlO4ojVg51vS5bhCING6P24T0J-VP9UJcYmC6rPLRWgEXsiFvax/s400/Trophy+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sepp on the first pitch of the Terminator.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKIQFPbjQbGwwx774XFCGkP3NXNVa90-uQ_X4Bei1s2VkQ3C9RrUvFgnBxzwVCGQGCGh23QUwNS4I6_qghMXnagCk414toST5y9E1cIUokaIBKfVunrdKJrennURphck9ePHCKtsKQ0oT/s1600/Trophy+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaKIQFPbjQbGwwx774XFCGkP3NXNVa90-uQ_X4Bei1s2VkQ3C9RrUvFgnBxzwVCGQGCGh23QUwNS4I6_qghMXnagCk414toST5y9E1cIUokaIBKfVunrdKJrennURphck9ePHCKtsKQ0oT/s400/Trophy+%25285%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lot's of ice and different lines on the first 45m of the Replicant</td></tr>
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And before I forget, a big thanks to the organizers and presenters of this years <a href="http://nightoflies.com/">Night of Lies</a>.<br />
A super fun event where I almost peed my pants a few times, and all for a good cause.gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-71930835461139287592015-11-11T13:13:00.001-07:002015-11-11T13:13:39.959-07:00Ice climbing season is upon us<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Sacre Bleu always makes for a good early season outing. The climb lies high in a shady bowl on Mt. Rundle and forms without failure early season. You wanna get it before there is too much snow in the huge avalanche factory above the climb. She's right in your face when you drive on the Trans Canada Highway from Canmore to Banff, so no need to walk for hours to check on conditions.</div>
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Therefore it was somewhat a surprise that, although she is standing proud since well over a week, we were the first ones up there this year. Given the fact that every ice climber in town is super keen to touch ice, it was a real treat to get virgin ice without line ups.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjlXgTvX4K2NYrocHver4Zo3rgYkqgiZML2HJVcgmijlA7vdPeMF-6h-WghLkTweD-kjx0zgDbX4GFzJoQT3wksOjbdAjhp95o9nfCwRJfZ8OH7P0TJlfZsgHD3LmbMjKyrhOiPxiWPgm/s1600/Sacre+Bleau.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHjlXgTvX4K2NYrocHver4Zo3rgYkqgiZML2HJVcgmijlA7vdPeMF-6h-WghLkTweD-kjx0zgDbX4GFzJoQT3wksOjbdAjhp95o9nfCwRJfZ8OH7P0TJlfZsgHD3LmbMjKyrhOiPxiWPgm/s400/Sacre+Bleau.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the first and last sun of the day</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbqf_GuaYuWs4k-_N2rvI124KFmGYVX_ZyQ_cXXSnu-2ozU4d6RrGdRI-0ypQq96L9dYaSNpd9CLCDv-DW4EoNbMAD4moKT19AuGBD09lpyHdvi-89uQNrASvqqE1OgZ4MIvKnTH6_IwN/s1600/Sacre+Bleau+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbqf_GuaYuWs4k-_N2rvI124KFmGYVX_ZyQ_cXXSnu-2ozU4d6RrGdRI-0ypQq96L9dYaSNpd9CLCDv-DW4EoNbMAD4moKT19AuGBD09lpyHdvi-89uQNrASvqqE1OgZ4MIvKnTH6_IwN/s400/Sacre+Bleau+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">she's a beauty!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7gSOhPXQdoN-JYdH9EKrfA23Nta8DCEq4hO6CahUEpyGXbzuam1lZJW105gkrQapcMw7bklBycUY3gIiyawsx2GUsWB9mHHF1D3jToeF6Os8kLVVMGprD6BEDrXHOUB6a0Bc3p-io6Xq/s1600/Sacre+Bleau+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7gSOhPXQdoN-JYdH9EKrfA23Nta8DCEq4hO6CahUEpyGXbzuam1lZJW105gkrQapcMw7bklBycUY3gIiyawsx2GUsWB9mHHF1D3jToeF6Os8kLVVMGprD6BEDrXHOUB6a0Bc3p-io6Xq/s400/Sacre+Bleau+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sepp Hochlahner's first ice climb in Canada</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_fsT8yvhsCTorN4r34WF-lW2463BlJ5oKznOpaSqs2ypko-3LvTnoL7STXadsS9BvXYbIbeKwUwRtEO1644zhYewHMZ3TOjynnyCULp8ac_kxJo-KAnBrXOca6CA2DKo6KGkCjy36a_9/s1600/Sacre+Bleau+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE_fsT8yvhsCTorN4r34WF-lW2463BlJ5oKznOpaSqs2ypko-3LvTnoL7STXadsS9BvXYbIbeKwUwRtEO1644zhYewHMZ3TOjynnyCULp8ac_kxJo-KAnBrXOca6CA2DKo6KGkCjy36a_9/s400/Sacre+Bleau+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A virgin on virgin ice.</td></tr>
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gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-62722258073927383992015-10-30T15:00:00.001-06:002015-10-30T15:00:03.810-06:00bolted multi pitching close to Canmore<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9F9mYnKQxGL0aTwRR2Ut0J7US7IR0Qp-ujaiN5xJWfTQeKCKa6ffvb5LoAftVL9FPc2eXIvu0U6gbN4jqiygq9woMJVe-dLM-6Nmjr_s8uPXDLlFRw2HHqygQBZGqLEOUn8vsmBFMEYQr/s1600/Booty+loader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9F9mYnKQxGL0aTwRR2Ut0J7US7IR0Qp-ujaiN5xJWfTQeKCKa6ffvb5LoAftVL9FPc2eXIvu0U6gbN4jqiygq9woMJVe-dLM-6Nmjr_s8uPXDLlFRw2HHqygQBZGqLEOUn8vsmBFMEYQr/s400/Booty+loader.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simon on his (and Ross Suchi's) new multi pitch in the south ghost called <b>"Booty Loader"</b><br />7 pitches of sweet climbing up the right side of the Wild West Wall</td></tr>
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Now that the rock climbing season is almost over I get to reflect on the perfect climbing conditions way back in May. Although it was technically spring according to the calendar, it felt more like Summer in the Rockies. After a nearly perfect Summer and Fall most climbers, including myself, almost forgot how good it was in that rather typically rainy time of the year.<br />
This gave me a chance to hop on some of the north facing objectives close to town which are usually reserved for the Summer, where I usually roam around in the Alps.<br />
One of the best bolted multi pitch sport routes above Canmore is certainly <b>"The Temptress"</b> in Echo Canyon. 3 long pitches of sustained 5.12 climbing lead to the upper 13b crux pitch, which is even longer. Excellent steep rock and quality climbing, a landmark route put up lead soloing by my friend Derek Galloway. A must do for everyone who can master the grade. I certainly did not master it at all but that gives me a reason to go back for some fine tuning. Not a bad project since I can see my house from every belay.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEavCuBki39wpXvqAp8Do6SmHNWTzMwc9VfKjvzu9nBeNppd32knBS9LP5RkqVen2xBBKue1UEu_KP5zq5PwqYcY-dL3RLpjPrnGPnwJFwR-I1IXoH34jH5svjPJx-78OQR8War7dxSmW/s1600/Temtress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmEavCuBki39wpXvqAp8Do6SmHNWTzMwc9VfKjvzu9nBeNppd32knBS9LP5RkqVen2xBBKue1UEu_KP5zq5PwqYcY-dL3RLpjPrnGPnwJFwR-I1IXoH34jH5svjPJx-78OQR8War7dxSmW/s400/Temtress.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simon Meis entering the crux moves of the first pitch, 12d </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgKJH_rWho6Z_PG9jkTwbMldrY8OoqzwuQBWLIlO2K_gJo61O1jTjNsZXaFyqn5exZItSJ4ZG-RWZzeOOEPD0qnmcyd6mBYYXJMWbE73_9a0TUjfXoJUkWXxtNqFw5zCUjGWoaFBGc6i6/s1600/Temtress+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgKJH_rWho6Z_PG9jkTwbMldrY8OoqzwuQBWLIlO2K_gJo61O1jTjNsZXaFyqn5exZItSJ4ZG-RWZzeOOEPD0qnmcyd6mBYYXJMWbE73_9a0TUjfXoJUkWXxtNqFw5zCUjGWoaFBGc6i6/s320/Temtress+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">higher on the 45m long first pitch, sustained 12a climbing on a steep face</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6osOsiWmqgFn1hId9fnRfFmTIJBISbwo_HmlppVQypvM_l4Cg-0sAGaKrmWacDnGxsG49wkv4fYEI4KSAm7lPtWqGftqezxM8n6jVxnEtdNLZvu1VfZx231elwwIukZzjT-kAd3mb1oU/s1600/Temtress+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6osOsiWmqgFn1hId9fnRfFmTIJBISbwo_HmlppVQypvM_l4Cg-0sAGaKrmWacDnGxsG49wkv4fYEI4KSAm7lPtWqGftqezxM8n6jVxnEtdNLZvu1VfZx231elwwIukZzjT-kAd3mb1oU/s400/Temtress+%25282%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the finish of the 3rd pitch, the orange rock is bomber</td></tr>
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A few days later we found our next goal on the other side of town, the shaded north face of Ha Ling, formerly known as Chinaman's peak. Another friend and climbing partner of mine, Jeff Relph, put up a completely independed 12 pitch line between Rememberance Wall and Premature Ejaculation a few Summers back. It resulted in the hardest line on the wall and has a smart mix of bolts and gear wherever you can place it. A very worthwhile outing in the lower 5.12 grade, but not one to be underestimated due to it's length and taxing climbing on not always perfect rock.</div>
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Here a a few impressions from </div>
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<b>"A particular Manner of Expression"</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMRL4N2yKJYCMSNRVjM-CmhCh3rIqDkSHfuBlYJavxPMRQ78APTb65qGwv7rdgxBQ9rNkh6D1L8HB-aeXV7XSgavN-caW9Iq6XNYFxPsporczweIqAZvGbuVJPWz5PIDtD13F_rgcO4YV/s1600/Particular+Manner+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHMRL4N2yKJYCMSNRVjM-CmhCh3rIqDkSHfuBlYJavxPMRQ78APTb65qGwv7rdgxBQ9rNkh6D1L8HB-aeXV7XSgavN-caW9Iq6XNYFxPsporczweIqAZvGbuVJPWz5PIDtD13F_rgcO4YV/s400/Particular+Manner+%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simon on the last pitch, a 50m 12-</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lower on the wall with the big corner of Premature Ejaculation behind</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the easier climbing is quite run out and not always easy to navigate</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">nice, steep corners that protect well, a rarity in the Rockies</td></tr>
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While I was gone to Europe Greg Toss finished up his line to the left of "Tall Storey", sounds like a must do route with 4 long pitches up to 12-.</div>
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I'm already looking forward to next spring for another objective close to town.</div>
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gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-76566974621196161982015-06-17T22:45:00.002-06:002015-06-17T22:45:20.404-06:00Leaning Towers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcgT3TPC9f7w_X8SY5q79RFbRZhkvgwFET7hyphenhyphenzPRr4XQHRZklpj0TuWs2Z2oGGxMOY3Kg-cEPu47kInkJbUnjVb2Gz-nTCpoMd-019mlqdB2oFw_HuFQucdYWgys8r-0XwBLoQRTHgmvU/s1600/LT+Gery+U+%252836%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcgT3TPC9f7w_X8SY5q79RFbRZhkvgwFET7hyphenhyphenzPRr4XQHRZklpj0TuWs2Z2oGGxMOY3Kg-cEPu47kInkJbUnjVb2Gz-nTCpoMd-019mlqdB2oFw_HuFQucdYWgys8r-0XwBLoQRTHgmvU/s400/LT+Gery+U+%252836%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
Somewhere around mid May I got a last minute rare opportunity to visit a remote area in the southern Purcells, the Leaning Tower group. The area is part of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purcell_Wilderness_Conservancy_Provincial_Park_and_Protected_Area">Purcell Wilderness Conservancy Provincial Park</a> which was founded in 1974 to protect a huge area between Invermere, Kimberley and Kootenay Lake. Since it is a Provincial Park, there is no motorized access and it took us more or less 2 days with very heavy packs to establish base camp below the south face of Hall Peak, the highest mountain in the area.<br />
This project was part of a Patagonia sponsored film/photo shoot with Steve House, Vince Anderson (athletes and models), Christian Pondella (photographer) and Bjarne Salen (camera). Big time helpers behind the scenes were Simon Meis and Brodie Smith who made it all happen.<br />
We got blessed by great weather and stable snow conditions, which allowed us to get awesome footage and eventually accumulated in the possible first full ski descent of Hall Peak without the aid of a rope.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgspiOqi7htS7j-4PszSzxxCPbvHVmtLt6gafAjBuMZNA-nR9twAnpka6SbNVKm7iAOE46IPehRA7S-z78_6OKX8tm9NqKU5Ue96AH4Urdi0BuJqfoYv0qn652B_NIc52Q6uPqjv3BQdh/s1600/Gery+Hall+Peak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLgspiOqi7htS7j-4PszSzxxCPbvHVmtLt6gafAjBuMZNA-nR9twAnpka6SbNVKm7iAOE46IPehRA7S-z78_6OKX8tm9NqKU5Ue96AH4Urdi0BuJqfoYv0qn652B_NIc52Q6uPqjv3BQdh/s400/Gery+Hall+Peak.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">selfish me getting first tracks on Hall Peak <br />(<a href="http://www.stevehouse.net/">Steve House Picture</a>)</td></tr>
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The biggest eye opener for me though were the endless opportunities for high quality granite rock climbing perspectives. Everywhere you look there are cracks, corners and other features that slice through the steep, mainly unclimbed walls. A perfect alternative to the already crowded Bugaboos 100km north, specially for climbers seeking out new lines.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhpl_5Ws1JRtoZnkvP8Jr8OHtQ8765wANxaTT-7cn7wY77a2_e7FooIXqZaXiBQ3mVbQuUw7QOk92UyRI4Eg2v158ubUkdc1iu7ztDJc5VbdiDsqrvRjTVTJVpuAuGdvJcU_BA_pcrxdJ/s1600/LT+Gery+U+%252842%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhpl_5Ws1JRtoZnkvP8Jr8OHtQ8765wANxaTT-7cn7wY77a2_e7FooIXqZaXiBQ3mVbQuUw7QOk92UyRI4Eg2v158ubUkdc1iu7ztDJc5VbdiDsqrvRjTVTJVpuAuGdvJcU_BA_pcrxdJ/s400/LT+Gery+U+%252842%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />Thanks to all the team members for their team effort which made this such a special and unforgettable trip for me. I sure hope to get a chance to return to this wonderful corner of BC in the near future.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mind blowing ski objectives, hard to choose what to tackle next</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYkzRUkyOTpVoR-bJ3E9Yx7ztctLJdeeE08COT-oGLcpVIIeAwcK_39QWjN2Qz3XW4nH1IJ6cHZE6SAfkZtGlww5rIHIHDO3WXhIZ-B0nD-MsLO5c40TCBY_oCde3UHdnTkuivJLLFBN2/s1600/LT+Gery+U+%252832%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaYkzRUkyOTpVoR-bJ3E9Yx7ztctLJdeeE08COT-oGLcpVIIeAwcK_39QWjN2Qz3XW4nH1IJ6cHZE6SAfkZtGlww5rIHIHDO3WXhIZ-B0nD-MsLO5c40TCBY_oCde3UHdnTkuivJLLFBN2/s400/LT+Gery+U+%252832%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and then the rock, clean, featured and plentiful</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggN3BSF9yy_9gFDF7z8SbvBvTOst0_-JehvU8jjuNk27wwlpKdlODwYtCNGzn4nKFrwTOFIHsT8xPCjysLCiWOzkOa9iHwPabIkJymw1hKd-IeDfR7hDzVGXRPm_ivYvUbbaYbxsUqimQJ/s1600/LT+Gery+U+%252811%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggN3BSF9yy_9gFDF7z8SbvBvTOst0_-JehvU8jjuNk27wwlpKdlODwYtCNGzn4nKFrwTOFIHsT8xPCjysLCiWOzkOa9iHwPabIkJymw1hKd-IeDfR7hDzVGXRPm_ivYvUbbaYbxsUqimQJ/s400/LT+Gery+U+%252811%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">northern lights from camp </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIljJZvAkgQaCJ_HkdNSVXJdb_bym6sTb6jS7hsk8hSgh5b6fZyZ7KKI0_jtwhh8ijyb6NPLBI3DqUluC5KvMklhi6axEhNS9dKDMGclNPc22uOsKOS_RuyNuigXh_IpZZ__22O8995dER/s1600/LT+Gery+U+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIljJZvAkgQaCJ_HkdNSVXJdb_bym6sTb6jS7hsk8hSgh5b6fZyZ7KKI0_jtwhh8ijyb6NPLBI3DqUluC5KvMklhi6axEhNS9dKDMGclNPc22uOsKOS_RuyNuigXh_IpZZ__22O8995dER/s400/LT+Gery+U+%252810%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the silhouette of Sharks Finn and Hall Peak</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQy8cTzyFKPxtLVe_Cq50N4zb1CNsMaMIXUdQVSLlO6ZfliZY8gl45ZKxcw_sYGI6tCo8kgFnV8qJqMFdlHer91-eBT2er0BiLAQlPWn6TWw8-EiwB3jjh9yffUm1nXhIEVw7bnv245Ctc/s1600/Leaning+Towers+Gery+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQy8cTzyFKPxtLVe_Cq50N4zb1CNsMaMIXUdQVSLlO6ZfliZY8gl45ZKxcw_sYGI6tCo8kgFnV8qJqMFdlHer91-eBT2er0BiLAQlPWn6TWw8-EiwB3jjh9yffUm1nXhIEVw7bnv245Ctc/s400/Leaning+Towers+Gery+10.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Block Tower and Wall Tower to the right, the just beg to be climbed.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIk3-UCe1gnxbcFTrkkQXg2-WSLKnvL4z3KBADKvKFdnX-X9qJ2HVNC1mobyUo-6AkzurhnFAhbFt7ycgOiSrPAyyVcsNf3idEjB95Cqd8rCq8txqAQwcWZBBZq2JuNpup5hkAxZ6Fr04M/s1600/Leaning+Towers+Gery+19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIk3-UCe1gnxbcFTrkkQXg2-WSLKnvL4z3KBADKvKFdnX-X9qJ2HVNC1mobyUo-6AkzurhnFAhbFt7ycgOiSrPAyyVcsNf3idEjB95Cqd8rCq8txqAQwcWZBBZq2JuNpup5hkAxZ6Fr04M/s400/Leaning+Towers+Gery+19.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unbelievable, the entire south side of Sharks Finn Tower is unclimbed, what a pity. The right hand , slightly higher mountain is Hall Peak, which hosts a few moderate routes on the right side and we skied off the back side. </td></tr>
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Here are more <a href="http://vertical-unlimited.smugmug.com/GuidingTrips/Leaning-Towers/">high resolution pictures</a> in case you want to visit the place in the future, it might help you with scoping out some new lines, will it be climbing or skiing.gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-30820782447508849172015-06-01T15:36:00.001-06:002015-06-01T15:36:09.840-06:00The end of a great Winter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It's June 1st and I decided to put all my ski gear away, I don't think I will need them anymore this spring.</div>
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The majority of my work this Winter was spent guiding Heli Skiing in the Adamants, which is located in the northern Selkirk Range. </div>
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It's been my second season up here and I really enjoy this area. </div>
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The combination of having the best alpine skiing anywhere, plentiful tree skiing with small groups of 5 guests and a good crew of guides make this one of my favourite place so far in over twenty years of playing in this business. </div>
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Here are a few images of what is was like up there,</div>
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and now let the Summer begin.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs18PKMq2eoMz_3Oxj2aLeL8q-4bT1Xzsh9xX-JWTUgapLIhlk2ZZCaVMBVZCbB7parTXAnKCKYZVyhaPdHhtfI3IyM4a-3qjwfaWHo992fPR64XPWTkJEgUU8PbINkbNAT6Tm5rqL0gOi/s1600/Ben.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs18PKMq2eoMz_3Oxj2aLeL8q-4bT1Xzsh9xX-JWTUgapLIhlk2ZZCaVMBVZCbB7parTXAnKCKYZVyhaPdHhtfI3IyM4a-3qjwfaWHo992fPR64XPWTkJEgUU8PbINkbNAT6Tm5rqL0gOi/s1600/Ben.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-16815229115613183892015-03-29T10:49:00.000-06:002015-03-29T17:53:31.058-06:00Bow Peak "Gutentight Couloir"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The name "Gutentight" stems from this <a href="http://battleabbey.ca/content/herr-gutenteit-gut-tight-fit">fun video</a> of a good friend of ours who stayed in his beloved mountains forever. </div>
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<span style="color: orange;"><b>RIP Robson Gmoser</b></span></div>
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you were with us all day </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFfd2MzNo86lxQGB-SDbndVirnODT6_XfHFBsI3eYBxDWC-Ld7OEKFMFMvm4G6erqlp7LMpjxi-wIVtDwwleWABFEBm3s_7qbqGpG0dXFRhc3XNSuhF1lVKMhEtqnSFpOzQsNYYJ7W8K4/s1600/Gery+Picture+Bow+Peak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnFfd2MzNo86lxQGB-SDbndVirnODT6_XfHFBsI3eYBxDWC-Ld7OEKFMFMvm4G6erqlp7LMpjxi-wIVtDwwleWABFEBm3s_7qbqGpG0dXFRhc3XNSuhF1lVKMhEtqnSFpOzQsNYYJ7W8K4/s1600/Gery+Picture+Bow+Peak.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">face shots in the middle part of "Gutentight"</td></tr>
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A few days off work in the middle of March and continuous good stability in the Rockies allowed Andrew, Ben and myself to ski a couple nice lines together.</div>
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After warming up on the less committing <a href="http://vertical-unlimited.smugmug.com/Skitouring-1/Boom-Mountain-2015/">Boom Couloir</a> with Cassey tackling the first doggy style ascent, we decided to head for the Ice Fields Parkway a few days later to step it up a notch and check out some road side attractions, this time around dog less. </div>
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A good write up on the first outing<br />
is to be found on <a href="http://www.globalalpine.com/2015/03/skiing-boom-lake-kindergarten-couloir.html">Andrew Wexler's Blog</a></div>
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Sitting in the left hand back seat, Andrew's keen eyes for beautiful lines </div>
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(btw. not just limited to mountains ) spotted this thing between the Grand Daddy and Funnel of Death on Bow Peak. Unable to make out if it actually connects due to the travelling speed of a way too fast Audi, many cliff bands and obscured skies, he took a mental note of it and without stopping we cruised northward.<br />
But something changed inside Andrew's brain and his facial features transformed into a strange look that reminded me of a hungry animal sensing a scent while hunting for prey.</div>
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None of the other potential food source we spotted on our way suited Andrews high expectations though, so half an hour later we turned around and pulled into Mosquito Creek parking lot. Andrew picked up the scent again and sniffed his way up through the trees to go hunting for his prey...<br />
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And what a beauty she was, probably one of the most aesthetic lines I skied in a while.</div>
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Snowfall all day made for major spindrift, deep trail breaking and awesome skiing.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBz3mIRaHxDjLCPoG7YunLiYaRsde40aspKACNLoHZTSZ7ihE-b6F-KmqgniSMhvSWpOsrzQ2lruLxkEAGPJBxhuE9IWHgSXNOa9S075jkWOTzsUrPd6FCyEsGDAUt6QnZazSr9cYtwQE/s1600/Gery+Picture+(11).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQBz3mIRaHxDjLCPoG7YunLiYaRsde40aspKACNLoHZTSZ7ihE-b6F-KmqgniSMhvSWpOsrzQ2lruLxkEAGPJBxhuE9IWHgSXNOa9S075jkWOTzsUrPd6FCyEsGDAUt6QnZazSr9cYtwQE/s1600/Gery+Picture+(11).jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">into the wild...<br />
the 200m high walls left and right of the choke host some outstanding quartzite rock climb potential</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSKbwChbxSaUpKVMkcW9XuJuWtlfWF61BsX_qlVHxWHP3QOdlA8PXTA_27-n2l9v11e8US6XDT3slTMQ1D3W2gUppKE5o9Y_DW7tCIMFBPJIuh5tOLvAHPZXL6fxjoGi2VJb-m8s3ls3rr/s1600/Gery+Picture+(16).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSKbwChbxSaUpKVMkcW9XuJuWtlfWF61BsX_qlVHxWHP3QOdlA8PXTA_27-n2l9v11e8US6XDT3slTMQ1D3W2gUppKE5o9Y_DW7tCIMFBPJIuh5tOLvAHPZXL6fxjoGi2VJb-m8s3ls3rr/s1600/Gery+Picture+(16).jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">exciting times through the lower choke</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzX0KavpDh4M5OQf4mL_MPexXqQ7B7rT1Vanasd3Le7CMn5jZBojsLQGW3eQH5IaEYLcV6wImn2beF44dWe5WMD0fdzZDkK8y3XRmRedqTBPtbvigvwnoZ-F8K9YEPvIf_pt1AhbcFNBZi/s1600/Wex+pic+Bow+Peak.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzX0KavpDh4M5OQf4mL_MPexXqQ7B7rT1Vanasd3Le7CMn5jZBojsLQGW3eQH5IaEYLcV6wImn2beF44dWe5WMD0fdzZDkK8y3XRmRedqTBPtbvigvwnoZ-F8K9YEPvIf_pt1AhbcFNBZi/s1600/Wex+pic+Bow+Peak.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">me hanging on my ice axe after long lasting spin drift<br />
Wexler Picture</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWbzTh0M_QPi6W7xwlwmSh625xX7h2_R540HkuqH1kpXOAL_xtQEx4PPLK2oJCjye00lDTlvFCoOwLoo4T1JjlHGZVQgJClGgGVqrkGw0Z5-MO4g2RJ4CzMV6aO8wiOVZRheuKwNWYc2N/s1600/Gery+Picture+(17).jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWbzTh0M_QPi6W7xwlwmSh625xX7h2_R540HkuqH1kpXOAL_xtQEx4PPLK2oJCjye00lDTlvFCoOwLoo4T1JjlHGZVQgJClGgGVqrkGw0Z5-MO4g2RJ4CzMV6aO8wiOVZRheuKwNWYc2N/s1600/Gery+Picture+(17).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKViWfrIUuaBSMy444w5AKIRmbJcKinkmtBW9-ydBWgDIOH4PyT9BDXXGHXjefxsrqmh8dPe3cRfX10LG3GCuaDg0BrSoMrVmNzpRktSGXpGxMlSjQBEEktAH4T1DLqTZKS2icTe80_MYH/s1600/Gery+Picture+(18).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKViWfrIUuaBSMy444w5AKIRmbJcKinkmtBW9-ydBWgDIOH4PyT9BDXXGHXjefxsrqmh8dPe3cRfX10LG3GCuaDg0BrSoMrVmNzpRktSGXpGxMlSjQBEEktAH4T1DLqTZKS2icTe80_MYH/s1600/Gery+Picture+(18).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ben amongst spin drifts in the connecting funnels of the middle part.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFAOMaHbhPc7Vhtfv9wJ-WJMPYg_Q0QUYNWw0rcAj1nv9D49zCxXCsTgA8hdp5UbIRQSCrzlWwmNvAVIvtvGtid8jn2MYsk3ESTGvPhaeKmZXX8QqexNbYF8u936_IR4MPdIp35Xuw48-/s1600/Gery+Picture+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFAOMaHbhPc7Vhtfv9wJ-WJMPYg_Q0QUYNWw0rcAj1nv9D49zCxXCsTgA8hdp5UbIRQSCrzlWwmNvAVIvtvGtid8jn2MYsk3ESTGvPhaeKmZXX8QqexNbYF8u936_IR4MPdIp35Xuw48-/s1600/Gery+Picture+(1).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">deep wallowing to the exit cornice</td></tr>
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<a href="http://vertical-unlimited.smugmug.com/Skitouring-1/Bow-Peak-Insanity-Channel">more pictures from the Gutenteight here</a><br />
<span style="color: #0000ee;"><u><br /></u></span>
Another <a href="https://vimeo.com/122020113">video</a> I took last year of Robson Gmoser in Sorcerer lodge shows his famous laugh very well. Let's all give it an effort to laugh more in the future, it will make the world a better place.<br />
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gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-67458676428128373932015-02-27T20:20:00.000-07:002015-03-02T09:12:40.398-07:00you only know if you go<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Although as humans we always like to know what's going on and have a distinct desire to predict the future, it is the unknown which we seek when going on our little adventures outside the comfort and temptation of our plentiful coffee shops and Elevation Places in town.</div>
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The great unknown in our case was, if the line on the west summit of Mt. Whymper we spotted last spring goes or not. Also, in order to catch up with some gossip that built up during this Winter I had to find a special goal for Wex and Josh to lure them in for the much needed boot backing. </div>
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With below's picture I set the hook.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj41CCBN_8DQbnWDD75H3XfoccGarmW5s3qcHm9942ERokE_PnLQEBDd7rEe1xRDJLDIww7hCayP32xCdxL_UteOEhopq0SitCevLctuzCk_AFIFQRLJ-orC9dxY1hUBJaMfZ4s819sRkJ/s1600/Whymper+Triple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj41CCBN_8DQbnWDD75H3XfoccGarmW5s3qcHm9942ERokE_PnLQEBDd7rEe1xRDJLDIww7hCayP32xCdxL_UteOEhopq0SitCevLctuzCk_AFIFQRLJ-orC9dxY1hUBJaMfZ4s819sRkJ/s1600/Whymper+Triple.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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The question mark on the X shaped couloir right of the center of the picture was the hidden parts we did not see from this angle, and how big the cornices would be threatening the entire line.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERh2hVMf0R5VYp-GbmL8JM-yBVGmiVTPvay61PSB8FIgd3lQDEA_YszxxmItolB2_40z0TW32OyzI7V8Fy7pNIdLoV3Eg2iyLU1xKwtnLrOCbbM_C-s7MWKJ-FzpStV3PonZnC6b-OtNy/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(22).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjERh2hVMf0R5VYp-GbmL8JM-yBVGmiVTPvay61PSB8FIgd3lQDEA_YszxxmItolB2_40z0TW32OyzI7V8Fy7pNIdLoV3Eg2iyLU1xKwtnLrOCbbM_C-s7MWKJ-FzpStV3PonZnC6b-OtNy/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(22).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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The first part of the lower left leg of the X was pretty straight forward </div>
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and delivered boot packing at it's finest. We made quick progress, </div>
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even with our heli ski pampered legs.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXAn2UFpB2Un4wwG-YA7n656CU3qwv7Vh52rKPYFo2QZVACO5-G5A0rSzVox0iEHCpD2rj-Lgr1143vGEezg-KWZvhYfmebpqRp-_HX_-dl7gMoAndP9BpSxwRFid5pUo3L73DWStGL14/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(23).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlXAn2UFpB2Un4wwG-YA7n656CU3qwv7Vh52rKPYFo2QZVACO5-G5A0rSzVox0iEHCpD2rj-Lgr1143vGEezg-KWZvhYfmebpqRp-_HX_-dl7gMoAndP9BpSxwRFid5pUo3L73DWStGL14/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(23).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0N351XCC_g7Np_I2PayCiuk65AIQ6BX7BzJFMB2byjLSMAz7bq_WZx4Yb94AIDyhO5PcP_B8ze2awN_9gmvgzE-9u54MYuFWaxLxydhDIN8WR1T5OZ6RF52Ee6H-COCY67XVzFw5F27f/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(25).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG0N351XCC_g7Np_I2PayCiuk65AIQ6BX7BzJFMB2byjLSMAz7bq_WZx4Yb94AIDyhO5PcP_B8ze2awN_9gmvgzE-9u54MYuFWaxLxydhDIN8WR1T5OZ6RF52Ee6H-COCY67XVzFw5F27f/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(25).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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At the intersection of the X things got a bit narrower and rock steps seemed to block the passage.</div>
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Doubt started to show up on our faces and uncertainty started to slowly creep into our initial hype.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-6ycUc9v-0xX1jLv4OLQs3MbyzwVai_Xt7o69-qlRmjDLvySw15v93bXt-zCQOzvcUw9ddEdKJIgkQr0hHmSZ1UsL-vM4dG3BscotbsOPS8qXvqu-tdggEcyvPkQFyBsfjoxynB8Bmb_/s1600/Whymper+Triple+XXX+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-6ycUc9v-0xX1jLv4OLQs3MbyzwVai_Xt7o69-qlRmjDLvySw15v93bXt-zCQOzvcUw9ddEdKJIgkQr0hHmSZ1UsL-vM4dG3BscotbsOPS8qXvqu-tdggEcyvPkQFyBsfjoxynB8Bmb_/s1600/Whymper+Triple+XXX+(1).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: center;">After wallowing in deep facets close to the rocks I was able to make an exposed rock traverse out into the upper right arm of the X.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipk2GldV_u-UULnVF1Z7QELDGrR3vc_tdCnsofMWeResXJ-A5NULT6HHNssVsHzX6ovbpeR1BO6-kys-oqg_YjwpwsadV_beMqB97BWjfGSER3hvFGjxjNjwaqEJ6Yjp7P-dX1TeYnxORW/s1600/P1150478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipk2GldV_u-UULnVF1Z7QELDGrR3vc_tdCnsofMWeResXJ-A5NULT6HHNssVsHzX6ovbpeR1BO6-kys-oqg_YjwpwsadV_beMqB97BWjfGSER3hvFGjxjNjwaqEJ6Yjp7P-dX1TeYnxORW/s1600/P1150478.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wexler picture</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Above the rock step, a few nervous moments in more bottomless facets, until the snow got firmer and more reassuring. This last part of the couloir is very committing since one would be swept over a 30m high cliff if going for a ride for whatever reason.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPf2RphqNH92uxyolKE9dl_O8RnA3aJFlWOKiw15P5K_4DQ5IcWb8qI3SLujnlFW7Iyr-Jy1uvnbpoqr8CIKLY3VrM0xMwfDzYIJF3R93HxLvzdrD3jxLe_NHjMgKsQvVKlKgwJ2UlrXo/s1600/Whymper+Triple+XXX+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKPf2RphqNH92uxyolKE9dl_O8RnA3aJFlWOKiw15P5K_4DQ5IcWb8qI3SLujnlFW7Iyr-Jy1uvnbpoqr8CIKLY3VrM0xMwfDzYIJF3R93HxLvzdrD3jxLe_NHjMgKsQvVKlKgwJ2UlrXo/s1600/Whymper+Triple+XXX+(3).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
There is also a cornice looming above, in our case it was not very threatening thanks to the fairly lame Winter we've had so far.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPCECWQWA7DzBoS1mGp1tTEyZWwh9PeLmDziT2Vg6eeShidR_2yBjgTt7Xc845BKLkcWR-6M8etrmOmg2eFLRBECx98yEr1t9IQ1zB_WYzl07XJVJZEhTsBffqlZVP2iamzUIVjw2I2t1/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPCECWQWA7DzBoS1mGp1tTEyZWwh9PeLmDziT2Vg6eeShidR_2yBjgTt7Xc845BKLkcWR-6M8etrmOmg2eFLRBECx98yEr1t9IQ1zB_WYzl07XJVJZEhTsBffqlZVP2iamzUIVjw2I2t1/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Should you constantly look up to see if something falls down on you or simply ignore the beast?</div>
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Nowhere to run anyways.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmPxiM1_Awejz-QK6Go7WxIEJgLzeRvmBrwoNA0ogIhJlszqo2BM0rMJOm1N3-ZCy-hYh6NgXh1udgtmFURU_UEt0M8VDp2BEQF75wG1z-a-RGVkYpO3EYqg-t6D3GzEL-PvO2Ik0b4VV/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSmPxiM1_Awejz-QK6Go7WxIEJgLzeRvmBrwoNA0ogIhJlszqo2BM0rMJOm1N3-ZCy-hYh6NgXh1udgtmFURU_UEt0M8VDp2BEQF75wG1z-a-RGVkYpO3EYqg-t6D3GzEL-PvO2Ik0b4VV/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(4).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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We found a fairly easy exit out to the right and into the light of the summit ridge.</div>
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The last steps to the summit of a very tired but seemingly content Wex.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTa5IYSx5QETZPX6xKN10zvRam9sdqEfBY3jzKOoHxRa0u1QhpFEbSpAGboB3RtCzmSeIEoSpZ3j9Lhd3oBJLRnVGlCOERZmyHPnBxwUCYWh1FPOSOcoOSJs-zDQp3YoTHt4kX6sBDfR_s/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTa5IYSx5QETZPX6xKN10zvRam9sdqEfBY3jzKOoHxRa0u1QhpFEbSpAGboB3RtCzmSeIEoSpZ3j9Lhd3oBJLRnVGlCOERZmyHPnBxwUCYWh1FPOSOcoOSJs-zDQp3YoTHt4kX6sBDfR_s/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(5).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Finally, el Cumbre!</div>
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Me stoked out of my mind, planting the Austrian flag as a proof of reaching the top,</div>
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and Josh trying to digest Kimbi's home made date squares which he forgot to chew.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkhEk8K3ZFIgKJQUNjMw93OUXRN4tukMdeBfKAkJJatuuwMhT-fYTcG8YhTkD8rKL4yA2fZFEDmS0gYm6HVmXuYOop_Rc3Fn9egVj1dsHfT9BWNhcce0UKZo0SVPxj8JQ2kTA9QeFVJRs/s1600/P1150523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNkhEk8K3ZFIgKJQUNjMw93OUXRN4tukMdeBfKAkJJatuuwMhT-fYTcG8YhTkD8rKL4yA2fZFEDmS0gYm6HVmXuYOop_Rc3Fn9egVj1dsHfT9BWNhcce0UKZo0SVPxj8JQ2kTA9QeFVJRs/s1600/P1150523.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wexler picture<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Josh and Wex are typical friendly Canadians and therefore offered me to drop in first, and since I am Austrian I took up on the offer. The proper Canadian way would have been to offer the offer back, something like "very kind of you, but why don't YOU go ahead".</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Spending over 20 years in this beautiful country I slowly get the concept, but offers like this I simply can't refuse, screw the proper local customs and let selfishness take over the moment.</td></tr>
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</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRCxExugxQ-ZY5FMgRzUe1rtV2Iqdy3C1sFaG4tutIyrAadKW9gWkon6PutZwhRKytkVx5A-Z-paJO8rQVTdGNB_nsokEtsriEC2wYO8vGgxcY9OnKz58IwwwNnb9LsHQO0n2_uSdsqU4/s1600/P1150541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRCxExugxQ-ZY5FMgRzUe1rtV2Iqdy3C1sFaG4tutIyrAadKW9gWkon6PutZwhRKytkVx5A-Z-paJO8rQVTdGNB_nsokEtsriEC2wYO8vGgxcY9OnKz58IwwwNnb9LsHQO0n2_uSdsqU4/s1600/P1150541.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wexler Picture</td></tr>
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After a few turns I started a major sluff that ran full path, so I found an island of safety and waited for my friends to ski by and took some pictures. These are all taken above the "no fuck up or you die" zone above the aforementioned cliff band.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRL4D8DUtTsFLYabFaDcBcqlOHqFhuOr3yOCC_tGF98akvyazKoDXi5QHQcmF5yDDKX_ckmkIM1yYGXAanXnmHbvx_4jTIhFbQOTY0X4OnriYWRlVDaiHM6E4ZT2OhmnbkNOkOGhk7273y/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRL4D8DUtTsFLYabFaDcBcqlOHqFhuOr3yOCC_tGF98akvyazKoDXi5QHQcmF5yDDKX_ckmkIM1yYGXAanXnmHbvx_4jTIhFbQOTY0X4OnriYWRlVDaiHM6E4ZT2OhmnbkNOkOGhk7273y/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(8).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIpeHBz5bBZRjQJKaHbs_np_iPd11eUstdVepDnHsk0WKcqfwfn7PidYH7_U2eRPGjXEUXlqZWr78XC4fCnqA89SAzDd5lgFzix5HYtIHwx9Sp-5sZIIhmQEtXF38SNSDR5PXVB0ml2LMF/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(6).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIpeHBz5bBZRjQJKaHbs_np_iPd11eUstdVepDnHsk0WKcqfwfn7PidYH7_U2eRPGjXEUXlqZWr78XC4fCnqA89SAzDd5lgFzix5HYtIHwx9Sp-5sZIIhmQEtXF38SNSDR5PXVB0ml2LMF/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(6).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pK9a4yExSFDmhtlrlpjJS7r9JTEuwAdUUhHNQifqFJLvGF7_iqMwIIeB9VWlB-KZCxlkbDWlSfOfBHP0ktQL7OZBoSnWGYczZXbs5Xrisr1vOxn6v01TvK994WNS0wkL-5VKq43mZUIR/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(10).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4pK9a4yExSFDmhtlrlpjJS7r9JTEuwAdUUhHNQifqFJLvGF7_iqMwIIeB9VWlB-KZCxlkbDWlSfOfBHP0ktQL7OZBoSnWGYczZXbs5Xrisr1vOxn6v01TvK994WNS0wkL-5VKq43mZUIR/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(10).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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You should know that when Wexler shows up with AT gear, there will be some serious line to be skied. No trying to be a hero and freewheeling on this one...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXixAgDSjH9BUa-Razmh58LtvyRxtTneL4daKtVUj15P4iCnUx-LHJbdqoNM8UYLIHcgid2tURpYtnKtJiaZKFyopJpuCRMOBlfRRncLVCTAJrU-QRp8JSreXe5GjlwyfpFbwBzzAGj39n/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(11).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXixAgDSjH9BUa-Razmh58LtvyRxtTneL4daKtVUj15P4iCnUx-LHJbdqoNM8UYLIHcgid2tURpYtnKtJiaZKFyopJpuCRMOBlfRRncLVCTAJrU-QRp8JSreXe5GjlwyfpFbwBzzAGj39n/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(11).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Luckily everything went well and we were even able to keep our skies on from the </div>
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summit to the base, thanks to an exposed short traverse on a shallow ramp back into the lower, </div>
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less committing half.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIx4mwWIjuh6qriRcA6MtKMrp4A_VDaNZSv6Zv8TibpEofQJ_QvNEpwdEhDI0L4K9Zs5Timbqq2918HSSvgvSsbvETjkDq0xN_af1SsQwsY5qqZgqPTeRYrsBu_Rv8a43GsDJ_F2R21D3m/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(14).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIx4mwWIjuh6qriRcA6MtKMrp4A_VDaNZSv6Zv8TibpEofQJ_QvNEpwdEhDI0L4K9Zs5Timbqq2918HSSvgvSsbvETjkDq0xN_af1SsQwsY5qqZgqPTeRYrsBu_Rv8a43GsDJ_F2R21D3m/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(14).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqqdcaj1BhyphenhyphenQJqnWjNPwuI0lIACWkmfChbs-YgXUdLs-58BkAs5GKPkT118_JYfrqZs0QxaDEazjFfP1zcA2RmkioHo6z2vdVaWOyPLytbJJb8BL6TRu699LbVOQ90WfS4R_2ZwG2E7ijb/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(15).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqqdcaj1BhyphenhyphenQJqnWjNPwuI0lIACWkmfChbs-YgXUdLs-58BkAs5GKPkT118_JYfrqZs0QxaDEazjFfP1zcA2RmkioHo6z2vdVaWOyPLytbJJb8BL6TRu699LbVOQ90WfS4R_2ZwG2E7ijb/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(15).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aX6wBo5HrVHf9jt-b9VmH_Y-USSztGdQ1woFTHiyobt8rn8xYet5SiAiuQwARtcr4Cs46BnnQpPmi7F74Cmj1V3LMCknbbJiSCtIGTiFVPYoKBueACNlyd_6uYDZaP35LYx23ziXeISx/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(16).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aX6wBo5HrVHf9jt-b9VmH_Y-USSztGdQ1woFTHiyobt8rn8xYet5SiAiuQwARtcr4Cs46BnnQpPmi7F74Cmj1V3LMCknbbJiSCtIGTiFVPYoKBueACNlyd_6uYDZaP35LYx23ziXeISx/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(16).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Joshua in his element, steep and icy...just like Galena</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJgEqxfHquo7k_Io9gRp6PPBhmx5hhcEgB-gqclo7ICN2MgGhMY8h7w9morBjnAL5Z4vriZFDvhW5XoXYW2E3vM4z4MM7_MqKDFTLWjAl6PEoFyWjuZLoP_T08rhU3HmYmkTAyQ7dnM34/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(17).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJgEqxfHquo7k_Io9gRp6PPBhmx5hhcEgB-gqclo7ICN2MgGhMY8h7w9morBjnAL5Z4vriZFDvhW5XoXYW2E3vM4z4MM7_MqKDFTLWjAl6PEoFyWjuZLoP_T08rhU3HmYmkTAyQ7dnM34/s1600/Whymper+Triple+X+(17).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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This line was certainly one of the finer lines I was able to ski in the Rockies, simply due to the fact that it was an ad hoc decision to go there</div>
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that it was a big ? if she goes</div>
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that she actually did go</div>
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that it surprisingly skied quite well top to bottom</div>
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that I was able to catch up with some good gossip</div>
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that it was a great day with good friends </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WTvoOga9FWILSWOoKICaWBYIcaC7JvHG329OOq2EeDyimszDWhus8SvJAm1PStj0jZcf_aP4LfACF9YUanic_8LNrcFy98C0OAxAsnRD2pDkCeq1thHy-sxSqv6cu6kpMbdPtqBIpgDJ/s1600/P1150601.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8WTvoOga9FWILSWOoKICaWBYIcaC7JvHG329OOq2EeDyimszDWhus8SvJAm1PStj0jZcf_aP4LfACF9YUanic_8LNrcFy98C0OAxAsnRD2pDkCeq1thHy-sxSqv6cu6kpMbdPtqBIpgDJ/s1600/P1150601.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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And now back to the heli ski world, no more boot packing for at least 2 weeks...</div>
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omg, I'm gonna miss it!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsc8cWIxYjKoOVJ5tXWVvazKnoDv9y9bhAK80LMvj1nHwtn873iLjNf5zsWW5ofqxvtSgdBvdVE_8WQxsu1FVeBtFvrHIeWtGwYYkaH1z8MWoZRf-0T2kTgWb8sp5z7qQfCcbzNlXrUwsq/s1600/P1150422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsc8cWIxYjKoOVJ5tXWVvazKnoDv9y9bhAK80LMvj1nHwtn873iLjNf5zsWW5ofqxvtSgdBvdVE_8WQxsu1FVeBtFvrHIeWtGwYYkaH1z8MWoZRf-0T2kTgWb8sp5z7qQfCcbzNlXrUwsq/s1600/P1150422.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wexler picture</td></tr>
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A big thanks goes out to the young bucks who broke trail for the old man.<br />
Here is a link to a short video Josh put together:<br />
<a href="https://vimeo.com/120793315">https://vimeo.com/120793315</a><br />
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gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-46959941555504973012015-02-21T09:31:00.000-07:002015-02-21T15:21:59.380-07:00what it takes to be a "classic'Recently a guest asked me what it takes to call an ice climb a classic. I try to explain it below with a water fall and it's yours to figure out which one it is...<br />
Although for many a ice climber a very casual day out, it has been an adventure for this young man who just had his first multi pitch experience on ice. Like for so many climbers before, a grand introduction to the world of multi pitch ice climbing.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HSn4PYW7SImtqeRgQKafFEHMakmum2rIjn1P7kAZbjUE8U0doaE17kfnlhq4-4TQcHQhBptAVkTXp2IUBdl3EVIKAX6bM5lpgQOhmnRrquRr6vDNzUUPFbCURNRSIYvI6I8Km6WqyVvc/s1600/Luka+Professors+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HSn4PYW7SImtqeRgQKafFEHMakmum2rIjn1P7kAZbjUE8U0doaE17kfnlhq4-4TQcHQhBptAVkTXp2IUBdl3EVIKAX6bM5lpgQOhmnRrquRr6vDNzUUPFbCURNRSIYvI6I8Km6WqyVvc/s1600/Luka+Professors+(3).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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The local favourite, fairly easy accessible by bike or a long flat walk, is one of the best choices for the moderate grade. Especially when temperatures are warm and other ever greens like Cascade and Rogans Gully have been melted away by the never-ending waves of Pinnapples and Chinooks. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrSo5bQzA6hECdlJJWPKiHZYqUT5I1uPrbRgqiu61iRzTOR2gZO2k4Mny3ZH5zhlBlkb3VwpqRWSWKk0O0Xa-5C0KJqF-sn9kBWo4Km08RB8YFarMh_WXzg_c1yj8VVqH5qu7RJggW-zQ/s1600/Luka+Professors+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrSo5bQzA6hECdlJJWPKiHZYqUT5I1uPrbRgqiu61iRzTOR2gZO2k4Mny3ZH5zhlBlkb3VwpqRWSWKk0O0Xa-5C0KJqF-sn9kBWo4Km08RB8YFarMh_WXzg_c1yj8VVqH5qu7RJggW-zQ/s1600/Luka+Professors+(2).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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This climb is a classic for a reason, and the reason is that it's always there. From the end of October until the beginning of May, it delivers even through the most intense warm spells. Also, the ice on the path holds up against any physical laws, I'm always amazed about the skating rink quality of the ice puddles after a day of plus 10.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijILo4TtqTfNRLc_AEaaXqwO5aygr064Ot_Cz7z7e6x-EaHHxZRwlxdYXO5KrM5F0ojJ1bMxOy1AsN-YZIZjzHfiBWbYFbMQYmrAlddWzZjlaLDEYKrdtTGi7-yYtHqwZ8UPZXK3PKv_4P/s1600/Luka+Prof.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijILo4TtqTfNRLc_AEaaXqwO5aygr064Ot_Cz7z7e6x-EaHHxZRwlxdYXO5KrM5F0ojJ1bMxOy1AsN-YZIZjzHfiBWbYFbMQYmrAlddWzZjlaLDEYKrdtTGi7-yYtHqwZ8UPZXK3PKv_4P/s1600/Luka+Prof.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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The one physical law though you might encounter first hand is the one of free fall, </div>
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9.8m per second per second</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHxR9FGj4sIZAobV4YQAZZH-k1yZ7zT_kTC6QgQXof4t-x4Wrhws-GdLSZxFYKkAX7Nggz2A1ambN078yIKRISsDEd5Pohny8VepMP25_jT4NdijX1JODfnqYuavfsFVbDfC8lLEdXGZ5/s1600/Luka+Professors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCHxR9FGj4sIZAobV4YQAZZH-k1yZ7zT_kTC6QgQXof4t-x4Wrhws-GdLSZxFYKkAX7Nggz2A1ambN078yIKRISsDEd5Pohny8VepMP25_jT4NdijX1JODfnqYuavfsFVbDfC8lLEdXGZ5/s1600/Luka+Professors.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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Off the bike and into the weapons, might as well get used to them on the last 5min on the outflow of the falls.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirH2dslv_Ynv_o9Go2i8GmvgYSC2vELoAoxmMZ4fWlNC35U3BTbsXl0lscm2BS3o0szptcOgMFR3jIyNaZK-bTSAaiRa2xMclmyyEgw4SazYtjMEz3_esU4awluwPhLYaYlLtqprGr_6Lm/s1600/Luka+Professors+(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirH2dslv_Ynv_o9Go2i8GmvgYSC2vELoAoxmMZ4fWlNC35U3BTbsXl0lscm2BS3o0szptcOgMFR3jIyNaZK-bTSAaiRa2xMclmyyEgw4SazYtjMEz3_esU4awluwPhLYaYlLtqprGr_6Lm/s1600/Luka+Professors+(4).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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The falls provide 6-8pitches of climbing, separated by a couple of short walks in between, with the crux on the last one. Bolted anchors on nice stances speed up the process and provide rappel options for 60m single ropes. There is also the option to walk off and it is recommended to do so in times of high traffic as a curtesy to the following climbers.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicxFdbvjczVG3NlgfZFwbYIZPnnvB1mW22OE2Fjbp3G_H8ggZHLOk9YCXDaSQqZk8T-vASrP_r3PQL47IeHlXNLY3mSfC5st_yFoDAGMS9CFEW6TmeXGZRdmNSilOnGj_OIUfjsbd1PUyf/s1600/Luka+Professors+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicxFdbvjczVG3NlgfZFwbYIZPnnvB1mW22OE2Fjbp3G_H8ggZHLOk9YCXDaSQqZk8T-vASrP_r3PQL47IeHlXNLY3mSfC5st_yFoDAGMS9CFEW6TmeXGZRdmNSilOnGj_OIUfjsbd1PUyf/s1600/Luka+Professors+(5).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is one of the few water fall ice climbs in the Rockies that can safely provide options for multiple parties if one respects a few basics. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwTmbINVgQkFbx501k9z8QvBUV9AgAX6HQaptzEQYixoVhhYlDs7dc7aXuzPQPXXrxkqzdWEhw3ZPsOfq9jJ4gM0yllEgTf7zuPamZKglbMfeuHWZ6IDvw6ouhzvx_iZ9ZCoVJ5vMDQ1G/s1600/Luka+Prof+debris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDwTmbINVgQkFbx501k9z8QvBUV9AgAX6HQaptzEQYixoVhhYlDs7dc7aXuzPQPXXrxkqzdWEhw3ZPsOfq9jJ4gM0yllEgTf7zuPamZKglbMfeuHWZ6IDvw6ouhzvx_iZ9ZCoVJ5vMDQ1G/s1600/Luka+Prof+debris.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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The upper part of the climb should be avoided at times of high avalanche hazard, at least once a season a big greaser spills over the last crux pitch and covers the gully below in house high debris.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7e5CumwBvRVum5Cl2mtzsB30DLMNi1wea9rXmXzViglL7yQ6cfCWrBjkut6TlO2zEQqNkfVRK-1t8gubzZzAX4NlyF9H5ij5oAqiEX-Sb7RHRPmaWGTdaXNngFwcKGCXixQrvDgFm-1X/s1600/Luka+Professors+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx7e5CumwBvRVum5Cl2mtzsB30DLMNi1wea9rXmXzViglL7yQ6cfCWrBjkut6TlO2zEQqNkfVRK-1t8gubzZzAX4NlyF9H5ij5oAqiEX-Sb7RHRPmaWGTdaXNngFwcKGCXixQrvDgFm-1X/s1600/Luka+Professors+(1).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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A pretty stroll back to the bikes, with the right timing you can catch the happy hour and a well deserved pint at the St. James Gate.</div>
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Those are some of the ingredients needed for a climb to be classic, at least in my opinion.</div>
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gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-77568965884759440502015-02-13T10:12:00.002-07:002015-02-13T10:12:45.605-07:00El Ninjo<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
It has been a strange and rather unusual Winter so far. We are again in the middle of a so called Pineapple express, which means that the jet stream pumps warm and moist air from the general direction of Hawai over the warm south Pacific towards our mountain ranges. The third one so far this Season and also the longest lasting. </div>
Here in my little heli ski world bubble of the Adamants things turned out to be pretty good, we were able to stay out of the lower elevation wet snow for the most part and the weather was just good enough to hang out in the alpine lately. The guiding though has been particularly exhausting due to the flat light and extremely fast changing weather conditions.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExOa2A3Q-YoUrvu491ChGBNpqYgbGWt4oUfyvMGGgEdsNIWrLA68enDcuPzBimJ1KKcb_cxGtk0WXxEuwGN6tPr6C37guFYc2xp13Cspo6uNUkC-ie9BfM7frXOE3uIIrAWJHFOlS4CKK/s1600/Unicorn+Gery+Pic+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjExOa2A3Q-YoUrvu491ChGBNpqYgbGWt4oUfyvMGGgEdsNIWrLA68enDcuPzBimJ1KKcb_cxGtk0WXxEuwGN6tPr6C37guFYc2xp13Cspo6uNUkC-ie9BfM7frXOE3uIIrAWJHFOlS4CKK/s1600/Unicorn+Gery+Pic+(2).jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unicorn in the Adamant group, <br />with the clouds lingering around the peaks since a few weeks now.</td></tr>
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Another big part of my Winter job is ice climbing. Canmore is a great hub for this activity and I already guided 3 weeks of mostly excellent ice. In the Rockies the warm temperatures were rather beneficial to the ice quality and the comfort factor. So far me and my guests never had to deal with the infamous screaming barfies, an otherwise constant companion in Winter outings in ice.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQJS5b0MDsU2dDj4APVnRAb1XRYY12O206f9EJZpkcgagt663sj0Xy6GQmcC8rDI4Hx3Rg9xmjYnKGTSDxxMMgE2UOnEyWFBwMV-6y3p2KwpzqZavfHPgnIzaQGHPTYgw3-4AAnYtlqz1/s1600/Franks+trip+rockies+(16).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIQJS5b0MDsU2dDj4APVnRAb1XRYY12O206f9EJZpkcgagt663sj0Xy6GQmcC8rDI4Hx3Rg9xmjYnKGTSDxxMMgE2UOnEyWFBwMV-6y3p2KwpzqZavfHPgnIzaQGHPTYgw3-4AAnYtlqz1/s1600/Franks+trip+rockies+(16).jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pilsner Pillar<br />For the first time I took my guest up to the very top, another 5 pitches of nice ice to had.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ18SfdBMHu6ZPILpc87n2Zo6q0qLfO_ntpUvmuFXXbCNG9E2B8ttxR7xnsW4AJ1yQKIRJ7FAG1KxE5ZdZRTE_cKoIPuChIpSUNVDHEK37FLNStAFhTQznmghP7SfnDdFifvS0ZoLbwsuQ/s1600/Franks+trip+rockies+Gery+pic+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ18SfdBMHu6ZPILpc87n2Zo6q0qLfO_ntpUvmuFXXbCNG9E2B8ttxR7xnsW4AJ1yQKIRJ7FAG1KxE5ZdZRTE_cKoIPuChIpSUNVDHEK37FLNStAFhTQznmghP7SfnDdFifvS0ZoLbwsuQ/s1600/Franks+trip+rockies+Gery+pic+(1).jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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Vito and Motz, friends of mine from Austria, came over for an ice climbing trip and sampled a lot of the harder multi pitch climbs. On one of their later outings in the Ghost Motz got hit by a large chunk of ice on his head and had to be airlifted by Kananskis Country Public Safety. I would like to thank them big time for their quick and professional response. We are so lucky to have those guys staged in Canmore with the rescue helicopter right there, there are few places in North America who have this luxury and potentially life saving service available for back country mishaps.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimsUZ3Vqj4VDSB9LDazGPhbc06d1cclNVtmfSb6O6HQXZ3gnXaT0URyGJlAeBsy23O7jc1fYJbcP1RnapEWk6xKo0ii9bbF4Ze2CqWXPQjWBbG257jUY2H0qXWzBh1dEz6BMSFvZA4cCjX/s1600/Cryo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimsUZ3Vqj4VDSB9LDazGPhbc06d1cclNVtmfSb6O6HQXZ3gnXaT0URyGJlAeBsy23O7jc1fYJbcP1RnapEWk6xKo0ii9bbF4Ze2CqWXPQjWBbG257jUY2H0qXWzBh1dEz6BMSFvZA4cCjX/s1600/Cryo.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Motz Wurzer negotiating thin ice with one tool after dropping the other one on the last rock move on the crux pitch of Cryophobia...don't wanna blow the on sight because of a little mishap.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0AVdFGhhz9PqNSKuosLqw9QvUZS9qSBSX3xQnyLEJw2CTQWFqM-_rbwV6cmqnX-Mi1n3xlAd-cowoYfaxdZWm2FJQ9Z1GjijyegAgYuibgnIsDFyv_TUilJPN2PJcdB1z3sZpvOXrhLU/s1600/Cryo+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0AVdFGhhz9PqNSKuosLqw9QvUZS9qSBSX3xQnyLEJw2CTQWFqM-_rbwV6cmqnX-Mi1n3xlAd-cowoYfaxdZWm2FJQ9Z1GjijyegAgYuibgnIsDFyv_TUilJPN2PJcdB1z3sZpvOXrhLU/s1600/Cryo+(1).jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vito Messini puts his tools away and enjoys the perfect limestone bare handed.<br />This is rather rare for January and another nice side effect of El Ninjo.<br />BTW there is a hanger missing on this pitch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUpEuRkc64em7MU6wsdV-rlEIsDtUBWbhI-k4UchcIHV_BYfTRNAWhXtL6LavpzPFtAMFbJJ_94wax1oswYCCl2eYNZATPkss-sEHOw6tUp0ZlF34B-09B9_zFQ8W5zN6px_1OBWTwzJjR/s1600/Motz+Pilsner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUpEuRkc64em7MU6wsdV-rlEIsDtUBWbhI-k4UchcIHV_BYfTRNAWhXtL6LavpzPFtAMFbJJ_94wax1oswYCCl2eYNZATPkss-sEHOw6tUp0ZlF34B-09B9_zFQ8W5zN6px_1OBWTwzJjR/s1600/Motz+Pilsner.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Traditional Ale, a climb I put up a decade ago with Marc Piche at minus 25C.<br />Motz enjoys it at plus 5.<br /></td></tr>
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<br />gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-44370496914265156242014-11-02T22:34:00.000-07:002014-11-02T22:34:46.700-07:00Paradise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
While some folks in the Bow Valley have already been observed in plentiful numbers dry tooling in the shady and dark Playgrounds on Grotto Mountain, others did enjoy the perfect fall conditions lately to soak up the sun on warm rock well above 2000m, on the highest cliff Echo Canyon has to offer.</div>
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When our Lord envisioned "Bellavista", the main purpose of his creation was to extend the climbing season for the poor locals who could not effort to go south in October on a regular basis in order to get some rock climbing fix in before the season closes. </div>
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As the wise man he was back then (and hopefully still is), he took his hand and sliced a big chunk out of the high south flanks of Grotto Mountain. </div>
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Unlike a straight hand of a Kung Fu Master, he did bend his into a half moon shape. With this simple trick he created a satellite dish feature that accommodates two different aspects and provides shelter from the almost constant west winds that seem to annoy most climbers.</div>
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And since it is for some reason not a forbidden fruit for a change, we just have to go up there and take advantage of his gift...</div>
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without being afraid to be kicked out of paradise.</div>
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Sounds like a good deal to me.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0Y7gL5pXvWCARs_4dKaCwig3RVOorcK_JuduyEw4M9Xzzetz9qjQTyqFYdk8D8Bq1p1t1xXA3wExRLuDbOpAhLH6MLKLrR5GRR7xWlP9KOPRKVsP60uTBf9pzo6EtJOeSh8VQ83g8LY0/s1600/Bellavista+Simon+big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0Y7gL5pXvWCARs_4dKaCwig3RVOorcK_JuduyEw4M9Xzzetz9qjQTyqFYdk8D8Bq1p1t1xXA3wExRLuDbOpAhLH6MLKLrR5GRR7xWlP9KOPRKVsP60uTBf9pzo6EtJOeSh8VQ83g8LY0/s1600/Bellavista+Simon+big.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simon Meis prior to a 6 o'clock sunset on Halloween day</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0Keu70RJ11sESCMSykYwxoF56DExCdjOwP29b43zxtgtH20iMHUMe1j2grDfHMxxPpBKGT1cknl8K9SuRDnXY7n46BvPbAjBYZpZ2LlLqQzCBPZdAkFnKZ6IcOlIR1Jp0dMbfY0wVIcu/s1600/Rainbow+above+Canmore+big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb0Keu70RJ11sESCMSykYwxoF56DExCdjOwP29b43zxtgtH20iMHUMe1j2grDfHMxxPpBKGT1cknl8K9SuRDnXY7n46BvPbAjBYZpZ2LlLqQzCBPZdAkFnKZ6IcOlIR1Jp0dMbfY0wVIcu/s1600/Rainbow+above+Canmore+big.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> the only rain drops I saw in October, and they where kinda short lived </td></tr>
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gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-78910795214627937202014-10-22T19:53:00.001-06:002014-10-22T19:56:19.897-06:00Free Solo Masters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I've been wanting to write about this odd and unique event since quite a while but life got in the way. </div>
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A fellow mountain guide from my home town Lienz in Austria, Peter "Luna" Ortner, had this idea years ago and this Summer he finally made it happen. Most folks probably know him as an Alpinist, among many other big outings, he did the first free ascent of the east ridge of Cerro Torre with David Lama just a few days after the bolt chopping saga. </div>
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This spring he focused on building this foldable, 16m high! climbing wall (EP in Canmore is 14m high). It can be easily transported on a truck and can be put up pretty much anywhere within minutes with the aid of a big crane. Then you blow up the 4m thick air mat (14x14m foot print), crank up the tunes and the competition can start. The rules are simple, climb on sight until you fall off. What counts is your high point and you got 3 minutes to finish the business , but all competitors either topped out or fell off prior to that. After a first and second round there were semi finals for the top 20 and then the finals later in the evening. </div>
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What surprised all of us the most that the event turned out to be an absolut spectator magnet. By the time the Semi Finals rolled around the main square of Lienz was filled with more than 2000 people.</div>
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The last time I've seen such a crowd there was at the Carlos Santana concert in 1988.</div>
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Some good friends talked me into participating and although I had big concerns I really had a good time and I would not want to miss out on it. </div>
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When do you as a rock climbers ever get a chance to fall from such a hight without hurting yourself? Although everybody knew that nothings gonna happen, it was still a huge adrenaline rush.</div>
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Wouldn't this be a good one for Canmore too?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3aYd0qCKYEC_eTS2bMGcsu0T56Kee_siMfA2c5hQg6SL8bzoHOXoJvuKGHShcnUewsnxeCHUSzwGTm-PbCBES90gUsqr53Dx-UCLNZ8WGC2aOTrjn3mrIShFaHTl2pZ5g9GxcfOojn1Z/s1600/Free+Solo+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj3aYd0qCKYEC_eTS2bMGcsu0T56Kee_siMfA2c5hQg6SL8bzoHOXoJvuKGHShcnUewsnxeCHUSzwGTm-PbCBES90gUsqr53Dx-UCLNZ8WGC2aOTrjn3mrIShFaHTl2pZ5g9GxcfOojn1Z/s1600/Free+Solo+(1).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsojSN7XAmpU3nYyUjwBdIqGhF5becj4CGsJhQVK9p2JA7S6dMd7rS42yis5BpuS5dupsAD8MgXAfjn-0jk04UF4POnPt5tlZ3FeD8FJ039uWmZ7Kqb4EFbYxTMsX8JL6LqZzy4C9VijL/s1600/Free+Solo+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsojSN7XAmpU3nYyUjwBdIqGhF5becj4CGsJhQVK9p2JA7S6dMd7rS42yis5BpuS5dupsAD8MgXAfjn-0jk04UF4POnPt5tlZ3FeD8FJ039uWmZ7Kqb4EFbYxTMsX8JL6LqZzy4C9VijL/s1600/Free+Solo+(2).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMSif-4VI6fmob9yj1bTaRVSJ_qIf35qKX-VociUqnEOgRBtHPRJ8fgv_r7s6mvvKEUL6THAeDqi_73jb7uJjTuRSU7VMw9zsZTQ7NtYEuXPNvHUoQrqI2RWBFjunSaTdrHNsYkksmjR5/s1600/Free+Solo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilMSif-4VI6fmob9yj1bTaRVSJ_qIf35qKX-VociUqnEOgRBtHPRJ8fgv_r7s6mvvKEUL6THAeDqi_73jb7uJjTuRSU7VMw9zsZTQ7NtYEuXPNvHUoQrqI2RWBFjunSaTdrHNsYkksmjR5/s1600/Free+Solo.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-65027923302478634712014-10-07T20:26:00.000-06:002014-10-22T19:54:14.849-06:00back from the alps<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I just returned to Canmore from another "Summer" in Europe. Most people thought that it was not really a Summer there, since it was the coldest and wettest in decades.</div>
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Although it is hard to hide the fact that I was at times jealous when I heard reports on the perfect conditions here in western Canada, we still had a pretty good time over there.</div>
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We just had to adopt to different goals, accept to get wet once in a while, and appreciate the fact that it is way nicer to hang out in a bar when the weather is crap.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggA3wH9dFDgZwIWLDHvzjLEEPlYdmIwRISL9tPeNrcye25HnOe6ja7McE7RZRPK1dDQf6i8jTJUZfwkc4U2TshZm8BdlySOnDht7COJImZuDYbfZ8-kECgvdGNVoG-N0Or5ChyaoO2ptzS/s1600/Lisi+on+Falkenstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggA3wH9dFDgZwIWLDHvzjLEEPlYdmIwRISL9tPeNrcye25HnOe6ja7McE7RZRPK1dDQf6i8jTJUZfwkc4U2TshZm8BdlySOnDht7COJImZuDYbfZ8-kECgvdGNVoG-N0Or5ChyaoO2ptzS/s1600/Lisi+on+Falkenstein.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisi Steurer collecting air miles on our 50m project on the water proof Falkenstein</td></tr>
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gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-59812228178265748682014-06-11T21:34:00.002-06:002014-06-11T21:34:59.519-06:00climbing is wonderful<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
In a little bit more than a week I have to leave for another guiding Summer in Europe. It has been a fantastic spring here in the Bow Valley for all kinds of activities and it will be hard to leave this little paradise I call home now.</div>
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Here are some of my favourite images from last weeks climbing outings. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-0a-cn7JMigv4HRlzCt_CL9sjWO_C_-UNg8pxyYd8nK7YZom-hFtQLkTC6L7D9kfZtN4nCw3ymnyOdZ6trRMjdcP0GJtSBeV8WImpDK5zkXkU6dZ32kV8x4isGmc0JDygdwboLw61jIi/s1600/Imaginary+Face+Gery+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8-0a-cn7JMigv4HRlzCt_CL9sjWO_C_-UNg8pxyYd8nK7YZom-hFtQLkTC6L7D9kfZtN4nCw3ymnyOdZ6trRMjdcP0GJtSBeV8WImpDK5zkXkU6dZ32kV8x4isGmc0JDygdwboLw61jIi/s1600/Imaginary+Face+Gery+pic.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imaginary Face, 5.9 Back of the Lake</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjzdABT-i0TMgDmPLF2Z4OoEEnCcgWm1SqQU6z4egaA9kKDmAR3Np3wQTKK7fF1OBkqXMW6hhlHU8FfghJATA-SwNDtQsRlv_S9kbg0AazEoh5ml6QC6mpkRPscxCHGw5sVdWeerRipVv/s1600/Wex+gery+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqjzdABT-i0TMgDmPLF2Z4OoEEnCcgWm1SqQU6z4egaA9kKDmAR3Np3wQTKK7fF1OBkqXMW6hhlHU8FfghJATA-SwNDtQsRlv_S9kbg0AazEoh5ml6QC6mpkRPscxCHGw5sVdWeerRipVv/s1600/Wex+gery+pic.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mardi Gras, 5.11 Back of the Lake</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTCfxdA9SGJ35ILgqa6XVhrd4orPT06_IDLhO8qRyS5uXzHyGMm9gPHCH3NRPcT2Vkm0rd2YrD-xK2-E9eh30b_aPFXgtiUkSzvc8-W1Fxh5Z2TqpLRdCxECapcBl_lCdrB6Z8g4zF50Y/s1600/Liquid+Sky+Gery+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTCfxdA9SGJ35ILgqa6XVhrd4orPT06_IDLhO8qRyS5uXzHyGMm9gPHCH3NRPcT2Vkm0rd2YrD-xK2-E9eh30b_aPFXgtiUkSzvc8-W1Fxh5Z2TqpLRdCxECapcBl_lCdrB6Z8g4zF50Y/s1600/Liquid+Sky+Gery+pic.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liquid Sky, 5.11 Back of the Lake</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaI7xv9NeYj19Ztp9yh_17dZCTB4fcfe4VWB6jA_sAxAWqQIUu6nrWm93zOguw8OojcM2XVnt6c_WJYbahpW0LWr2FIjA1SOde3NWBidwfJmNqWIvnJzYJ31XpaPHjKmsBuwNgGntI8NOf/s1600/Bellavista+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaI7xv9NeYj19Ztp9yh_17dZCTB4fcfe4VWB6jA_sAxAWqQIUu6nrWm93zOguw8OojcM2XVnt6c_WJYbahpW0LWr2FIjA1SOde3NWBidwfJmNqWIvnJzYJ31XpaPHjKmsBuwNgGntI8NOf/s1600/Bellavista+tree.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interstellar Overdrive, 5.11+ Bellavista</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoesvD-8-04DNd8vZXlx3czPSxJQCdCO66fHMQTErkAdxXJHrFeg8mVW3jkm_QzinwajD9N-9ggWHcSiDAUgbf8uHSfDXFn4n9qEAFxMsG23D_xLSe4tX-wA-wRCM4d9wQ6QgfBhldSG1/s1600/Dew+line+Gery+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidoesvD-8-04DNd8vZXlx3czPSxJQCdCO66fHMQTErkAdxXJHrFeg8mVW3jkm_QzinwajD9N-9ggWHcSiDAUgbf8uHSfDXFn4n9qEAFxMsG23D_xLSe4tX-wA-wRCM4d9wQ6QgfBhldSG1/s1600/Dew+line+Gery+pic.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everybody who cares about climbing should know where this is</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0T84omDrellwP-b9FV1LY07d3Zy-q1qcNX_hsIKWURoHos8AIIZ7T-wIVfU-U9r-fRtJOea9bWyaOE64VYqk8g-TiFd7shsGlys4PgtmjQlRs2WzEP4G2SkcKraI5M6y8B6-nUfWXNrNn/s1600/Bellavista+tree+(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0T84omDrellwP-b9FV1LY07d3Zy-q1qcNX_hsIKWURoHos8AIIZ7T-wIVfU-U9r-fRtJOea9bWyaOE64VYqk8g-TiFd7shsGlys4PgtmjQlRs2WzEP4G2SkcKraI5M6y8B6-nUfWXNrNn/s1600/Bellavista+tree+(4).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zeitgeist, 5.12+ Bellavista</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0405BsH_8pM56s1-MMU-A3R9I_WUDLCH1oGX-TrK7sqZ8YrTvJ6G4lr9b0AFqvUCA3X5j3CwnjjWGyZ80LsuUoI0IDrdLxQBo2h3xeEEWrkVAhGCbDRBkt3CfQ5q7qjJdQdp4lf1cA6K0/s1600/Wex+gery+pic+(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0405BsH_8pM56s1-MMU-A3R9I_WUDLCH1oGX-TrK7sqZ8YrTvJ6G4lr9b0AFqvUCA3X5j3CwnjjWGyZ80LsuUoI0IDrdLxQBo2h3xeEEWrkVAhGCbDRBkt3CfQ5q7qjJdQdp4lf1cA6K0/s1600/Wex+gery+pic+(4).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always Hungry, a beautiful Stellarjay I believe</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qDSWRQFb6vn6jPWWCiXy-Anyipxs7NdlhWmU1k1CVQGDejb4Ub4sdP-559yIpa0eZnC3NAzPm73hx9wfAEFcRQjiPHPF1KcSrCcnGeeDYZKu7pQcQ5KfZBcnXwx2FdeirvbdjyofZLHr/s1600/Bella+at+Cathedral+Gery+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5qDSWRQFb6vn6jPWWCiXy-Anyipxs7NdlhWmU1k1CVQGDejb4Ub4sdP-559yIpa0eZnC3NAzPm73hx9wfAEFcRQjiPHPF1KcSrCcnGeeDYZKu7pQcQ5KfZBcnXwx2FdeirvbdjyofZLHr/s1600/Bella+at+Cathedral+Gery+pic.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bouldering at Cathedral</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaA6xyp3IGCmWI0uMaPrTiwLXW3_bFNSlf7JKpVwLqyFPCq8TWivgNWODq_c3XcfH5VOuFWMkyhzKkYhnJldw_X-npekAf40sliYZ3CcrWShG5B9VFDML4zbwGllU1_vUsNexnmAKXTLVg/s1600/Bellavista+tree+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaA6xyp3IGCmWI0uMaPrTiwLXW3_bFNSlf7JKpVwLqyFPCq8TWivgNWODq_c3XcfH5VOuFWMkyhzKkYhnJldw_X-npekAf40sliYZ3CcrWShG5B9VFDML4zbwGllU1_vUsNexnmAKXTLVg/s1600/Bellavista+tree+(2).jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming down from Echo Canyon, an evening shower over<br />the three Sisters<br /></td></tr>
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<br />gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-41381624188216135422014-06-08T21:53:00.003-06:002014-06-08T22:00:23.133-06:00Boulder instinct<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
There is something about bouldering that particularly attracts young people. It must be similar to the desire of climbing trees and other obstacles, unfortunately most of those activities are taken away from adults for justified safety reasons. It's always hard to argue against safety. </div>
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"If you wouldn't have climbed up there you wouldn't have fallen down and you wouldn't have hurt yourself". </div>
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Years ago I got in trouble when I belayed some kids up a tree after I picked up Luka from pre school. You should have seen the undescribable glow in their eyes before we got busted, they have obviously never been allowed to do such bad things before. </div>
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Today we had a quick road side stop from our way back home from visiting some good friends in Golden, and I saw that wonderful glow again.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbr3qJnznAifMYRPqbDBbQUiC62w3YQJYesC43wnt9esSLCPjxQW3R-EGVv4Y0nwPguJDdduZyC7Mz401ZFjxfq_UGztvJYh1AvkYQ-LQHLBydry9NgsvLF3x77zzLknKtXjWPLWYJyWtT/s1600/Kids+Bouldering.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbr3qJnznAifMYRPqbDBbQUiC62w3YQJYesC43wnt9esSLCPjxQW3R-EGVv4Y0nwPguJDdduZyC7Mz401ZFjxfq_UGztvJYh1AvkYQ-LQHLBydry9NgsvLF3x77zzLknKtXjWPLWYJyWtT/s1600/Kids+Bouldering.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a><br />
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<br />gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-85766270070992605552014-06-02T09:31:00.001-06:002014-06-02T09:31:52.586-06:00a last one?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
May 31st should have been my last ski touring day of the season.</div>
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After getting talked into skiing one more time I thought we might as well make it a good one and try to ski of Mt. Smut. Driving into Kananaskis Country early morning the light was just good enough to see that there had been a substantial loss of snow pack since I was there the last time 2 weeks ago.</div>
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There was no snow to be seen anywhere on the valley floor as well as the crossing over Smuts Creek into the Commonwealth. </div>
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Nevertheless we shouldered the skis and left the car, ready to walk for a while.</div>
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Well, the combination of knee deep marshes, a neck deep raging creek and a half dozen Canadian Geese dropped our psycho meter to just below zero and about 5 minutes later we were back at the car.</div>
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So we drove a few k's up the road to Burstall parking lot and headed for Robertson Glacier.</div>
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It actually turned out to be quite a pleasant day in the mountains. We were able to ski almost right from the car to the top and out again and the skiing on the glacier was similar to corn snow after it softened up. We also spotted some fresh grizzly bear tracks crossing the Haig Glacier at 2800m, a sign that spring has definitly arrived.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkqnzFOYfnkh8xJnQJni8kPi2oWAcnVB-9_CtGjWTQuME8_Vt_GXLN8uwzFtEGLxhSIxsRMSL4oT72WA3RwS8S0JMiuSFQymKnaw2THPaayW1CzlZxLXe8xAw6ET4A0sa8tFcYUuYJRAAK/s1600/Rob+on+Robertson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkqnzFOYfnkh8xJnQJni8kPi2oWAcnVB-9_CtGjWTQuME8_Vt_GXLN8uwzFtEGLxhSIxsRMSL4oT72WA3RwS8S0JMiuSFQymKnaw2THPaayW1CzlZxLXe8xAw6ET4A0sa8tFcYUuYJRAAK/s1600/Rob+on+Robertson.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rob H. popping out in the sun high on the glacier, <br />with the shadows of the rock pinnacles of Mt. Robertson painting a piece of moving art.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUi0PSYe2c2q8cRv3QbUWa8RLZCWQ4ypIvcWZmTJqSs0N5fm9jHiBdVnM52iXkLoCRz6Rh57knc1zlwQU2wM3ODVcxjX23mxJ0YcPfy59SL9Ghn4cwCIbwJNNgxniXLKjr7wYYS_Qkg3GY/s1600/Rob+on+Robertson+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUi0PSYe2c2q8cRv3QbUWa8RLZCWQ4ypIvcWZmTJqSs0N5fm9jHiBdVnM52iXkLoCRz6Rh57knc1zlwQU2wM3ODVcxjX23mxJ0YcPfy59SL9Ghn4cwCIbwJNNgxniXLKjr7wYYS_Qkg3GY/s1600/Rob+on+Robertson+(2).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADOUju0vY6zFSQAmoVx6RrcSYx74T5R9t4DaRU_6E_kHXCgA6htqWF5UnUn0yrEueQFnCPGIN_WQeCjqLtypAH5-b_PeFoc4zCqxeL2Os6MzLPU7LkPezxcT7RdtG1I7oWMnH1tWsNVL5/s1600/Robertson+Glacier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjADOUju0vY6zFSQAmoVx6RrcSYx74T5R9t4DaRU_6E_kHXCgA6htqWF5UnUn0yrEueQFnCPGIN_WQeCjqLtypAH5-b_PeFoc4zCqxeL2Os6MzLPU7LkPezxcT7RdtG1I7oWMnH1tWsNVL5/s1600/Robertson+Glacier.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here you can see the lack of snow on the south facing slopes of Mounts Commonwealth and Nestor beyond.<br />Rob Hill Picture</td></tr>
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<br />gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-83691371191689404722014-05-20T16:52:00.002-06:002014-05-20T16:58:20.503-06:00aging<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Recently I ran into this quote below from <a href="http://nickbullock-climber.co.uk/2014/05/13/the-wasted-lands/">Nick Bullocks B</a></span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://nickbullock-climber.co.uk/2014/05/13/the-wasted-lands/">log</a> </span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: Calibri; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">...</span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">always a great read btw., maybe at times a bit depressing but such must be climbing life on the Island overall. Or maybe I just don't get the british black humour... </span></span></span></span></h4>
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<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Bitstream Charter', serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 24px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: Calibri; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“We ain’t getting any younger and we should stop relying on our bodies for fulfilment – </em></span><em style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: Calibri; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">it’s a fucking dead-end street!!”</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Just turning 45, I agree that there is a certain amount of truth to this statement, but I certainly try to see the inevitable fact of aging a bit different.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBVg3M7sCvNn8QNkRiVvzyZNXAyPudor8sd7x6Xe_YeGN6wiSdOZh0S_a8EFZsaNyqTgb_tPCg295Nq50YhQwEPW40Kl3N0bxehJOi8XoNgZtO_iZ_5__SbBWi6-pSvb3oHMiMeO8-kjL/s1600/Younger+than+yesterday+Gery+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBVg3M7sCvNn8QNkRiVvzyZNXAyPudor8sd7x6Xe_YeGN6wiSdOZh0S_a8EFZsaNyqTgb_tPCg295Nq50YhQwEPW40Kl3N0bxehJOi8XoNgZtO_iZ_5__SbBWi6-pSvb3oHMiMeO8-kjL/s1600/Younger+than+yesterday+Gery+Pic.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greg Toss on his "younger than yesterday" (not in Ceuse)</td></tr>
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Climbing the other day with even older guys than myself I got inspired by their drive to still push their personal limits. </div>
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They offset the unstoppable aging process with increased training, smarter climbing and a healthier life style overall. </div>
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Is this a bad thing to do, setting yourself a hard goal and work hard for it?</div>
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So, if it's not our own body we should be looking for fulfillment, what else is there left to strive for?</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2S1_HGrORdSILKj4aeQcI6u9FcVYH5xjQebQAWXBPqpyl1Qy3wJmrpvvw9V75TIRPGilNINBKGLqAQ9rFXWM5qqZwqqTQ2TqbFsdhkIKEmm7B00t_rCqJY_id-oumAPHw0nmjTPQFO74z/s1600/Younger+than+yesterday+Gery+Pic+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2S1_HGrORdSILKj4aeQcI6u9FcVYH5xjQebQAWXBPqpyl1Qy3wJmrpvvw9V75TIRPGilNINBKGLqAQ9rFXWM5qqZwqqTQ2TqbFsdhkIKEmm7B00t_rCqJY_id-oumAPHw0nmjTPQFO74z/s1600/Younger+than+yesterday+Gery+Pic+%25285%2529.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even Rusty himself isn't getting any younger. Although he is sore after the long walk to the Lookout,<br />
he for sure looks satisfied.<br />
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<b><i>It's better to burn out, than to fade away.</i></b></td></tr>
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<br />gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-16254155497784159022014-05-13T21:08:00.002-06:002014-05-14T10:09:15.837-06:00it all started out with a picture<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
And it was the picture below that I sent Wexler at 10p.m. in great hopes he might join me the next day. It only took a couple of minutes that I received the message "I'm in! What time?"</div>
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Now the pressure was on to find the easiest access to that thing and hopefully get to ski something cool. At the time I send Andrew the picture, which I actually took about three years ago, I did not even know the name of the mountain. At midnight I finally had everything sorted out and finally off to bed for a few hours of sleep.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEI5pxwqz_osXvDeS53Z9m3ERaEuSAmrbuIXdkalonVhzc-CteNSewIkKfBe3PwsA3ciMuQldaMpz1SLSsz85ezPsWhLF9nDYFXTgPmFEUWnJwcO0y9emGvO1DoiVP-VI_kZwsufmZfJLy/s1600/The+Tower+picture+Gery+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEI5pxwqz_osXvDeS53Z9m3ERaEuSAmrbuIXdkalonVhzc-CteNSewIkKfBe3PwsA3ciMuQldaMpz1SLSsz85ezPsWhLF9nDYFXTgPmFEUWnJwcO0y9emGvO1DoiVP-VI_kZwsufmZfJLy/s1600/The+Tower+picture+Gery+Pic.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a><br />
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The line I really wanted to go for is the one almost off the highest point, but is not entirely visible on the picture, so it was certainly a relief when we turned the corner and saw the whole thing connected.</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMh7xpggmucbslzQHiw4HSnQzhMZuKZlPBaggXwn5gsqMXLY2CJ88xnPaD6CK1x3wQ9_xPn7h4A7DyryUz_JP0YOV8HPO47T6740FeisQ_7bgdr7x6D41SpUWjO7W1oRyurNxJK2gJ6gFL/s1600/The+Tower+Boot+pack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMh7xpggmucbslzQHiw4HSnQzhMZuKZlPBaggXwn5gsqMXLY2CJ88xnPaD6CK1x3wQ9_xPn7h4A7DyryUz_JP0YOV8HPO47T6740FeisQ_7bgdr7x6D41SpUWjO7W1oRyurNxJK2gJ6gFL/s1600/The+Tower+Boot+pack.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
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After the typical sluff debris at the run out we boot packed the entire way up in chin to knee deep powder. It was not hard to guess that the descent has the potential of beeing awesome.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSX4-IuriyFFS9-DO9MrGxvvlbA0bHTZlX2V-LWuL2IigVFCuKiJCBTsI00tbXNU0Efjzf8Pag43fbPfb29WGoSEvVdQZcrxtfHCI4nPcwNJn9wwYiS-lnMBjWZYgB5Mr5y_SLErdZ3nd8/s1600/The+Tower+Boot+pack+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSX4-IuriyFFS9-DO9MrGxvvlbA0bHTZlX2V-LWuL2IigVFCuKiJCBTsI00tbXNU0Efjzf8Pag43fbPfb29WGoSEvVdQZcrxtfHCI4nPcwNJn9wwYiS-lnMBjWZYgB5Mr5y_SLErdZ3nd8/s1600/The+Tower+Boot+pack+(1).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-lNcBB2PhBHk9MZKJjq8g_sLJHAgxeIY4zn6R2kwOLGuUPZQgTmzXGdr0d-2ZKy-0-tLPSyyvCEMBAUKzdIUMCGQZ5cIcV11M5M-6mi4wwnhAPIsRNKmoJN4Oaf75-6SYW44PGIWSwp9/s1600/The+Tower+Boot+pack+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-lNcBB2PhBHk9MZKJjq8g_sLJHAgxeIY4zn6R2kwOLGuUPZQgTmzXGdr0d-2ZKy-0-tLPSyyvCEMBAUKzdIUMCGQZ5cIcV11M5M-6mi4wwnhAPIsRNKmoJN4Oaf75-6SYW44PGIWSwp9/s1600/The+Tower+Boot+pack+(2).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vK9m2D0PNz1PjlqxyLlJPy8-hsns2TE_QCsRH9iVUAx4p9ZXKt6yc6HLbQs7tB2LAI8TYQW_giGRaNrxt7K7Lek_SG0vl3inT4zjao3R9OJLeR7r_ZBQI5Z1AMX0TAjIt1QW7Dn36WRi/s1600/The+Tower+Boot+pack+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vK9m2D0PNz1PjlqxyLlJPy8-hsns2TE_QCsRH9iVUAx4p9ZXKt6yc6HLbQs7tB2LAI8TYQW_giGRaNrxt7K7Lek_SG0vl3inT4zjao3R9OJLeR7r_ZBQI5Z1AMX0TAjIt1QW7Dn36WRi/s1600/The+Tower+Boot+pack+(3).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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After some narrow sections we entered this wicked wide slope which went on and on forever.</div>
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A few rock moves placed us on the ridge about 80m below the Summit.</div>
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After some ridge rodeo and other fun games we left our skis at the top of a perfect entrance to the face and pushed on without them on a very exciting ridge climb.</div>
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The run down the 800m face was memorable to say the least, it's not often that good powder sticks to a steep run like this with barely any sluffing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLTEy_eU1j32lclG1CaUZ0QoiQduIxj_cb4Q19b60ndluxiG5WO4yK73YttqMpBHxGXcjjkrojeJGEQ-FnHfaE9a5ociXxO4gTyZdHXhnWUCT6OuPr3ojA3oZ2MF2ERUnMybqMMtqsat7/s1600/The+Tower+new+Gery+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKLTEy_eU1j32lclG1CaUZ0QoiQduIxj_cb4Q19b60ndluxiG5WO4yK73YttqMpBHxGXcjjkrojeJGEQ-FnHfaE9a5ociXxO4gTyZdHXhnWUCT6OuPr3ojA3oZ2MF2ERUnMybqMMtqsat7/s1600/The+Tower+new+Gery+Pic.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZnwdKW1WsJ6Bo37SZ_qQMyOjqtDvKCgSxtDsu7rDRDAdElHjkcjxfpp8geXbfqJYJyeRKOC-xkJ1gtoRiXbdmEeQTRKWDOmg7mgEdfmdt0hh73XSvMxmmO92VuQmcIMNCJpQ_mwnFjaK/s1600/The+Tower+new+Gery+Pic+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcZnwdKW1WsJ6Bo37SZ_qQMyOjqtDvKCgSxtDsu7rDRDAdElHjkcjxfpp8geXbfqJYJyeRKOC-xkJ1gtoRiXbdmEeQTRKWDOmg7mgEdfmdt0hh73XSvMxmmO92VuQmcIMNCJpQ_mwnFjaK/s1600/The+Tower+new+Gery+Pic+(1).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-40DGwqmVE38FPezs2TPBeTvr1OeiEGmyFxJuw4Gu30FdtUIcUQcMDH8g12-9bFZjOQdmfDOWyLldIT4hHp0pKNNCZUPTXaCIrg82kLtIBeb3rNqBRBGp8JpbDxLDbjP7pzFttZuA5W-/s1600/The+Tower+new+Gery+Pic+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid-40DGwqmVE38FPezs2TPBeTvr1OeiEGmyFxJuw4Gu30FdtUIcUQcMDH8g12-9bFZjOQdmfDOWyLldIT4hHp0pKNNCZUPTXaCIrg82kLtIBeb3rNqBRBGp8JpbDxLDbjP7pzFttZuA5W-/s1600/The+Tower+new+Gery+Pic+(2).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivU0UXXOljSrYl84Q_U6wALgmgNILu-Z-X5w0XqBQwffBKX00X7PxsaHGqSGsBGImImX9k3SnUI-pG4-6YCBJErCUIEpX3Yofda3rbOTTGQ0h47Ns1Yc9d9pLjSBcY1Ozsk2QmOOQWcrhG/s1600/The+Tower++gasher+Gery+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivU0UXXOljSrYl84Q_U6wALgmgNILu-Z-X5w0XqBQwffBKX00X7PxsaHGqSGsBGImImX9k3SnUI-pG4-6YCBJErCUIEpX3Yofda3rbOTTGQ0h47Ns1Yc9d9pLjSBcY1Ozsk2QmOOQWcrhG/s1600/The+Tower++gasher+Gery+Pic.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The price you pay for skiing hard in the Rockies.<br />
It for sure hurts, but it's a good pain.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6i55WOBUfNgphOmMbaiN8eL2nEkBD8VPbk0K86NBScb_q6lqgDzT-JLmDiNwYtOi1Q6PTkK_5FWm47vUycqgfi7DWb2ZD_XnOEnf0rAIvnKAVu79k8FhDDonefuI3JUmkrYZBHoe4knl/s1600/The+Tower+overview+Gery+Pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6i55WOBUfNgphOmMbaiN8eL2nEkBD8VPbk0K86NBScb_q6lqgDzT-JLmDiNwYtOi1Q6PTkK_5FWm47vUycqgfi7DWb2ZD_XnOEnf0rAIvnKAVu79k8FhDDonefuI3JUmkrYZBHoe4knl/s1600/The+Tower+overview+Gery+Pic.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This over view of the mountain I took today from the summit opposite side of the drainage, <br />
which provides a great corn objective in the spring.<br />
It shows the line off the main summit on the left which we skied that day,<br />
the other obvious lines have been skied since.<br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: small;">In times when wild places like Stanley North face turn into a mogul slope after one day of perfect conditions, <br />it is for sure nice to find those untouched outings right in your back yard.</span></i></b></td></tr>
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gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-48685714069744431972014-05-05T15:42:00.001-06:002014-05-05T15:42:38.238-06:00Three Rockies days in a row.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
After getting sick for the first time this Winter during Easter break I felt weak and sans energy. But I knew the skiing had to be unreal out there and I finally stopped dragged myself out into K-country for a solo mission, just to see where I was at. Since our stolen ski gear never surfaced, I had to re-activate my old Dynafit Manaslu "boingers" with some half broken bindings for an unexpected adventure in my immidiate backyard. After skiing the <a href="http://www.vertical-unlimited.blogspot.ca/2012/04/first-ski-tour-with-luka.html">regular Buller chute</a> with a foot of new snow over a very stable and supportive snow pack, I decided to go for a line I looked at for years. The big cornice that usually threatens the entire couloir was gone and the snow looked good all the way up with no wind effect or avi debris. This was the day to do it, and so I decided to poke my nose in.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-P6ojHGqimI4-x-XZmA3h0Uwl22F5TR_OzNtm2jl4R9dFjbHXx7rv73sfbaWB8m95HRNVW1jwDOoP4kCxTOGcTc2G5yc4sjN1iEMEG9L2XPKZWkEJKUiWEOQ-ZARg5uj8L8Fny8y3K52/s1600/Buller+new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-P6ojHGqimI4-x-XZmA3h0Uwl22F5TR_OzNtm2jl4R9dFjbHXx7rv73sfbaWB8m95HRNVW1jwDOoP4kCxTOGcTc2G5yc4sjN1iEMEG9L2XPKZWkEJKUiWEOQ-ZARg5uj8L8Fny8y3K52/s1600/Buller+new.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">everything went well and I got higher in what promised to be a great ski down, <br />
hard to get lost in that one</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61NG09vq4eQF2jHLMiI-n03PsVLgR9gb_Mkzb27BZYoTQYj4ea8-Vv-0JuIY_Lc4t0LP0czUEWISSqtA0hxBkXtPJReICew8_rDgUIlEP8jnkRf7pmM0nJ8A0NGP87ycTi9rUUlxngXD_/s1600/Buller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61NG09vq4eQF2jHLMiI-n03PsVLgR9gb_Mkzb27BZYoTQYj4ea8-Vv-0JuIY_Lc4t0LP0czUEWISSqtA0hxBkXtPJReICew8_rDgUIlEP8jnkRf7pmM0nJ8A0NGP87ycTi9rUUlxngXD_/s1600/Buller.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie half way up where the chute widens again,<br />
this was the first time I could see that hidden cornice.<br />
It was a small one but certainly unsupported and overhanging.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEdHO9inIfYAIXg1OFGJS6HicrkMm505l4nuYVLbBdh64_vdlWn9WjjCCCXm7GaiZ4QElfZ6s0HKPzRVw0TsOjjo3rKZCI25sW4JEU7A3276J2qvlanBTO3HPwRgO7ViAplqmRbf08lgd/s1600/Buller+new+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrEdHO9inIfYAIXg1OFGJS6HicrkMm505l4nuYVLbBdh64_vdlWn9WjjCCCXm7GaiZ4QElfZ6s0HKPzRVw0TsOjjo3rKZCI25sW4JEU7A3276J2qvlanBTO3HPwRgO7ViAplqmRbf08lgd/s1600/Buller+new+(2).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From now on I made my way up a vague ridge feature to stay away from the potential party pooper above me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NSdaWnuhyfHfCenlR04juxIJ9vLqknOWw-zpA7CWoAG7P0gvSUQLy2eWjQswEIodUTkGPsKHQFWUIoawOyrouuMjDiWAQ2xkQQAjeRD9R8m7gmC6pOc9zssLEp8Uto07urHGp17zle8k/s1600/Buller+new+(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NSdaWnuhyfHfCenlR04juxIJ9vLqknOWw-zpA7CWoAG7P0gvSUQLy2eWjQswEIodUTkGPsKHQFWUIoawOyrouuMjDiWAQ2xkQQAjeRD9R8m7gmC6pOc9zssLEp8Uto07urHGp17zle8k/s1600/Buller+new+(4).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As I topped out on the ridge and started to climb towards the summit, there was a sudden whumpf and<br />
a hole opened just 2 feet away from my track and the cornice released down into my ski line.<br />
Although it did not take out my up track in the upper half, it certainly took out the whole lower part you can see in the first picture. So much for all the good snow I was looking forward to ski...<br />
I had to put in the slow 4 wheel drive for the last 300m of the choke.<br />
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The next day Ben F. and I had an early start in order to beat the radiation on the east facing top slope of Haddo. We tried this line a <a href="http://www.vertical-unlimited.blogspot.ca/2011/05/haddo-peak.html">couple years back</a> with Josh Briggs, but sloppy snow conditions below the summit made us turn around. This time we hooked up with Kyle C. from Golden in the parking lot at Lake Louise. The last time I skied with Kyle was in the Bobbie Burns when I was still guiding there and he was the maintenance man. Good ol' days.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3N6yia5z3nNeQyuG_LvWfptuQ0YO-KjIfyVVe-3L3uhSPQL4-ZUtMP-P4DRzEdBRkTIzbUezhBqHtJq_f97PGfPDw86MoA3GmVgyk_ciUJBfVr8M7jkHZfpalY8hhXf8Mg6EKXOb7AWd/s1600/Haddo+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR3N6yia5z3nNeQyuG_LvWfptuQ0YO-KjIfyVVe-3L3uhSPQL4-ZUtMP-P4DRzEdBRkTIzbUezhBqHtJq_f97PGfPDw86MoA3GmVgyk_ciUJBfVr8M7jkHZfpalY8hhXf8Mg6EKXOb7AWd/s1600/Haddo+(2).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">overall a wintery day, pretty high on the mountain was the first time we got into direct sun rays...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKfvBMq1shZXcywYPsVeqBqzq0WfrOemfYnKdzNrow4rF7miAkIKetnkxJ7OuhgAFywm6GyIjXbsyybkdqbSf61t2O-vnzYHoKuU-AT8j5UJ2YimofWbGNkyXqgVXdhfM6uBS0cti62Th/s1600/Haddo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoKfvBMq1shZXcywYPsVeqBqzq0WfrOemfYnKdzNrow4rF7miAkIKetnkxJ7OuhgAFywm6GyIjXbsyybkdqbSf61t2O-vnzYHoKuU-AT8j5UJ2YimofWbGNkyXqgVXdhfM6uBS0cti62Th/s1600/Haddo.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...but cloud cover with the occasional little snow shower kept the surface cold and powdery.<br />
The Sphinx Face of Mt. Temple looming behind Ben.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUiqmbB03oHdcKgMTXSZtXR3qM7gqZRCs-9xb1B-fTS4nPjmJr0ml5bISDMuVNv5MdBro5MIm4lNKfIE1EWUrlwz41bSfgMGQnnW9_SpkcLXIGoo55WJTZST8dN97mL9a-g4pn45ZaU0TD/s1600/Haddo+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUiqmbB03oHdcKgMTXSZtXR3qM7gqZRCs-9xb1B-fTS4nPjmJr0ml5bISDMuVNv5MdBro5MIm4lNKfIE1EWUrlwz41bSfgMGQnnW9_SpkcLXIGoo55WJTZST8dN97mL9a-g4pn45ZaU0TD/s1600/Haddo+(3).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Due to a logistical error of our intricate planning procedures we did not manage to summit.<br />
(read: us idiots did not think we need a rope and left it in the car although it was obvious we had to climb a rock band just below the summit, dahhdushbags)<br />
...and we could not blame any bad conditions on it, other than our own stupidity.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGzOsE5ikMGd4ziWUfo1Q-pLAlMhpL0W_-sqa875yKZGc41dFPW6mUMZti33CtmJmFQLuQRuokP_6SjTBYhVMwrg2ebH5xAqa4fBMh9lfVwLdCq58ciab9oHKgYs4JaJIjLgqUmMRhBBL/s1600/Haddo+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDGzOsE5ikMGd4ziWUfo1Q-pLAlMhpL0W_-sqa875yKZGc41dFPW6mUMZti33CtmJmFQLuQRuokP_6SjTBYhVMwrg2ebH5xAqa4fBMh9lfVwLdCq58ciab9oHKgYs4JaJIjLgqUmMRhBBL/s1600/Haddo+(1).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">regardless, we had a fantastic powder run down and afterwards a little bonus boot pack to a col west of Surprise pass which gives you access to a wonderful couloir down the backside. Kyle (in the back) in particular seemed to enjoy the boot pack and had a hard time keeping his inner feelings under control. </td></tr>
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And then, just as I was ready for a rest day, <a href="http://www.globalalpine.com/">Wex</a> finally got out from Camp Bugaboos and we had to get amongst it for the first time after his accident at the start of last Winter. We figured the last time we were out together was on the <a href="http://www.vertical-unlimited.blogspot.ca/2012/02/honeymoon-is-over.html">Narao couloir</a> over two years back. Jason Kruk from the coast joined us last minute for what seemed to be a casual outing to the north chute of Mt. Bell.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFB94Dulx-ZFpKU0BFXdHM-wpdhpty7GkTTUM-b_M_qIALUz2PHsSPkGOsO2anRmyepLjuRnXS6gsR9DIY0zMSvoyM5Nz_BsRHB70F2bsfpjRKZOWbe_DawRAPLDEDZWR7Ud1ik3P_3dk4/s1600/Bell+(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFB94Dulx-ZFpKU0BFXdHM-wpdhpty7GkTTUM-b_M_qIALUz2PHsSPkGOsO2anRmyepLjuRnXS6gsR9DIY0zMSvoyM5Nz_BsRHB70F2bsfpjRKZOWbe_DawRAPLDEDZWR7Ud1ik3P_3dk4/s1600/Bell+(4).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">10min into the day Wex already lost his ski pole on the intricate hiking trail to tailor lake.<br />Luckily he is used to mishaps like this and has already developed a technique for lost item recovery in isothermal snow.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmc3IU7F9kg4Iw6EKg-2TQoQ7Uj3jZIf41_93oiy4qrTUkTzOELgyz8iNSQqX-tZg1x4dW-ToAuj8o3jhVv9AHrIOiorp3SYjUCkObdA1WWeIOc2JC-eZ9X93q9tjf91dh1_fiFbrHZd9J/s1600/Bell+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmc3IU7F9kg4Iw6EKg-2TQoQ7Uj3jZIf41_93oiy4qrTUkTzOELgyz8iNSQqX-tZg1x4dW-ToAuj8o3jhVv9AHrIOiorp3SYjUCkObdA1WWeIOc2JC-eZ9X93q9tjf91dh1_fiFbrHZd9J/s1600/Bell+(3).jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After 10km of schlogging past Taylor Lake we finally saw our goal, but we could also see something else.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xOoewkXIg6H_s5SYDkUUhbuXmwiXtDt5HKR4DjNSREDZk7dKK4aPM1hhKn6WyIGlbjMClgS7eh-ikzOepJGMyDVU8WM6BdxZHdpkidMG6waZ5_nJR9UnmNGYtVKGrd7YfUPdJzuWvCXl/s1600/Bell+wex.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3xOoewkXIg6H_s5SYDkUUhbuXmwiXtDt5HKR4DjNSREDZk7dKK4aPM1hhKn6WyIGlbjMClgS7eh-ikzOepJGMyDVU8WM6BdxZHdpkidMG6waZ5_nJR9UnmNGYtVKGrd7YfUPdJzuWvCXl/s1600/Bell+wex.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A narrow slot left of the main line was slicing it's way almost all the way to the summit.<br />Neither of us had been in this area before so this came as a pleasant surprise to all of us. At this point we did not know if the line would connect all the way to the summit ridge or not, we had to wait for 2 more hours to find out.<br /><a href="http://www.globalalpine.com/">Wexler Photo</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd31HHLbCtXHSzoVJOWdSYnx2AOhAkAuiJVI5xS-sqGPCPXnCt-mQPXpSRmhVN4V-0mcZihH7iI1QIc2BpiOkf9GICX6iwpZt7fGHWxtZt6s0sQGamzBQxKXknty69ujyAXLOnsVQaBgnB/s1600/Bell+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd31HHLbCtXHSzoVJOWdSYnx2AOhAkAuiJVI5xS-sqGPCPXnCt-mQPXpSRmhVN4V-0mcZihH7iI1QIc2BpiOkf9GICX6iwpZt7fGHWxtZt6s0sQGamzBQxKXknty69ujyAXLOnsVQaBgnB/s1600/Bell+(2).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's why I like to bring the young lads with the strong legs.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17B8i5tfihCdJ5QIF6V-j5dDxZ0pwCWTWyGO6XWjimZ6W1VRvMiZEYLyJJMgiqwKp329OScHujyCWnRP5iaUjCOP_S6FgP5FfkgCzQe7TTUEOwuRkCGvxEX-sKSsC9YSvcyH9ILKv46Pw/s1600/Bell+wex+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh17B8i5tfihCdJ5QIF6V-j5dDxZ0pwCWTWyGO6XWjimZ6W1VRvMiZEYLyJJMgiqwKp329OScHujyCWnRP5iaUjCOP_S6FgP5FfkgCzQe7TTUEOwuRkCGvxEX-sKSsC9YSvcyH9ILKv46Pw/s1600/Bell+wex+2.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back in the skis higher up I was ready to go ahead again. <br />Beautiful pink quartzite can be found left and right of the main chute and would make a summer climbing visit worth while.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbEq_FEzeBwURISxmr-7UkO-8aTLal4DMEKLJIGL_p_GWR3PdnDnaxHiXea0s-4IPQGL4_TFYzDnTd96Gs-iQiVCBlIS0doI36UkudOojKzYuyyoBtDIDm5UbSC8PKSlySHz-izVptvbb/s1600/Bell+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbEq_FEzeBwURISxmr-7UkO-8aTLal4DMEKLJIGL_p_GWR3PdnDnaxHiXea0s-4IPQGL4_TFYzDnTd96Gs-iQiVCBlIS0doI36UkudOojKzYuyyoBtDIDm5UbSC8PKSlySHz-izVptvbb/s1600/Bell+(1).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo session close to the Summit with Jason checking out the entrance to our line.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigblI1cfGgnMVfVJ3EPA6xO6vSx8vO5nSMtwVG96FgC9HlirR33bRKd1vYcUWephQj2pmXtRbpyEXRvh0LTABgE6QWOz2LO-Ofh6ITAOl5nd2KjqvDNqY_sOm2E8dbfFTmg5RSp1kF6Cg0/s1600/Bell+Couloir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigblI1cfGgnMVfVJ3EPA6xO6vSx8vO5nSMtwVG96FgC9HlirR33bRKd1vYcUWephQj2pmXtRbpyEXRvh0LTABgE6QWOz2LO-Ofh6ITAOl5nd2KjqvDNqY_sOm2E8dbfFTmg5RSp1kF6Cg0/s1600/Bell+Couloir.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Since I let the youngsters have first tracks on the boot pack, I thought it's my turn to go first.<br />Gotta clean it out and make it safe for the boys!<br /><a href="http://alpineartist.ca/">Jason Kruk photo</a></td></tr>
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</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTm1ayk3C5EE-gp3ELw4wpDMra-KBucFCCVXHOjXkeutYjVkqEq_3rTQq-GtaXLuAyaF8oupzpO58gh8crhrlBgcKVaK2o0BxVYXvdZyVtsYUnufqmXOpoQoJBGxMNP6oDBqeV8NDpJxmC/s1600/Bell+wex+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTm1ayk3C5EE-gp3ELw4wpDMra-KBucFCCVXHOjXkeutYjVkqEq_3rTQq-GtaXLuAyaF8oupzpO58gh8crhrlBgcKVaK2o0BxVYXvdZyVtsYUnufqmXOpoQoJBGxMNP6oDBqeV8NDpJxmC/s1600/Bell+wex+3.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the wider middle part of the Hells Bells Couloir;<br /> there you can really rip it before it narrows again at the bottom.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPY8aS8MLQ0B0dwUR18FSuw67YqKG2d0TxqQWBxaQ9EEYLjW_x172jgoYE9amtmJ2M5KXCsEVWMdNF_o4HXW44-L_FDduZK_WtV2dSSX0IEjToawL9t_JnKmqMLdutzuIUels1HBxZc-F/s1600/Bell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPY8aS8MLQ0B0dwUR18FSuw67YqKG2d0TxqQWBxaQ9EEYLjW_x172jgoYE9amtmJ2M5KXCsEVWMdNF_o4HXW44-L_FDduZK_WtV2dSSX0IEjToawL9t_JnKmqMLdutzuIUels1HBxZc-F/s1600/Bell.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jason decided to ski another arm of the new line which joined the main chute a bit earlier,<br />here I snapped a picture of him in the lower part of the main chute.</td></tr>
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<br />gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-34610788707494147792014-04-19T21:48:00.000-06:002014-10-27T10:11:43.182-06:00an easter story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
A 10 year old boy from Canmore doesn't get out much anymore with his father, </div>
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since his dad was gone most of the Winter working. The rare times papa was home son had to go to school. Today Easter Holidays started, Papa is finally at home for the entire 10 days. </div>
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First off, son wants to go ski the cool looking line right above town, the one he can see so well from his bed room window.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnHhmiNCrjRWoLusJ_w2NMm9uUXEaOl9bDs6y-a0dq9NeqHzXs-zX9-OpAjG4GLo95cUMYWkp_HHIazziJF509OuljJe53dINVJoJdQV6S4t0XEEXqXOVesv7vXkrQDBBWSbA1gANL8w_/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnHhmiNCrjRWoLusJ_w2NMm9uUXEaOl9bDs6y-a0dq9NeqHzXs-zX9-OpAjG4GLo95cUMYWkp_HHIazziJF509OuljJe53dINVJoJdQV6S4t0XEEXqXOVesv7vXkrQDBBWSbA1gANL8w_/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(1).jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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So off they went, a cool line requires an early start, earlier than any school ever starts.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQdzK4YLXBs0_A3pAlrIl9d6YKRfITv8fWtfPR8nrBHwZLVu37NZ55Mu5TR-ZIGcyoXW_0VDhG2Ud05nrtt_8M3QyXKgIV5fdn9LeUcmuIw0bCDMmn5tgXGrnuBmvIrjsimqES3X9hx8t/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQdzK4YLXBs0_A3pAlrIl9d6YKRfITv8fWtfPR8nrBHwZLVu37NZ55Mu5TR-ZIGcyoXW_0VDhG2Ud05nrtt_8M3QyXKgIV5fdn9LeUcmuIw0bCDMmn5tgXGrnuBmvIrjsimqES3X9hx8t/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(2).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Finally, after 2 hours of steady climbing, the top is near and the town with all the schools and rules far beyond.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOoIPLwduxlNiHo7vEkzQ2d9nqKwCVXhyDfS-yl5IjhSzrs19-wLhrPARYdyMEBeEXnHWvrCxWySZUpQjSGtT1fHa14hhs0QqSK7HUNINMlYIVOgWUrkRrs79AD3EbZTDROW0QL2kB0qj4/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOoIPLwduxlNiHo7vEkzQ2d9nqKwCVXhyDfS-yl5IjhSzrs19-wLhrPARYdyMEBeEXnHWvrCxWySZUpQjSGtT1fHa14hhs0QqSK7HUNINMlYIVOgWUrkRrs79AD3EbZTDROW0QL2kB0qj4/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(3).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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With the line in sight new energy is gained, and son wants to boot pack ahead.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAinH8lnOQN_goN4GbKkeYHpp-mOf8BkEDSA6AGzzpylodkzjqPcxHFcJ4i1kCSkSOX7ayHNnJQvXRMuTLPpxoUmYcBDVRv69KGmASmU-VP5rhBvP5Z2D2oVb1h_pnPNHSb2zYISJdQABH/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAinH8lnOQN_goN4GbKkeYHpp-mOf8BkEDSA6AGzzpylodkzjqPcxHFcJ4i1kCSkSOX7ayHNnJQvXRMuTLPpxoUmYcBDVRv69KGmASmU-VP5rhBvP5Z2D2oVb1h_pnPNHSb2zYISJdQABH/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(4).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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1,2,3...dropping in</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KuhU34cEm-A5HZPCJJ9rj30wZ5azmQvda-7CjukmT7Y6JbUdY985WKLgpg2ydIBcYhYA9y6fLtML6adgrDfqpmj4vTyuE6U_W9dledd3iTPXrxmiHiylS_pgVpfV2Nv7bZKUbof6BY1d/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KuhU34cEm-A5HZPCJJ9rj30wZ5azmQvda-7CjukmT7Y6JbUdY985WKLgpg2ydIBcYhYA9y6fLtML6adgrDfqpmj4vTyuE6U_W9dledd3iTPXrxmiHiylS_pgVpfV2Nv7bZKUbof6BY1d/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(5).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Papa kicked of some surface sluffs, but the debris is still quite skiable.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfEBzPAa7sGzkfBSlkFVhSFD82Pe-wviNlWqSegnXypC9S3_yQ7sHVTSfMArceUK9BtTinG4tGmQEqqtuiii2Tg1qJsatcNq9KSfQpCSy9Xykbdlu5y2AAgxdFTx67PXdpO3tIQBygv8M/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(6).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpfEBzPAa7sGzkfBSlkFVhSFD82Pe-wviNlWqSegnXypC9S3_yQ7sHVTSfMArceUK9BtTinG4tGmQEqqtuiii2Tg1qJsatcNq9KSfQpCSy9Xykbdlu5y2AAgxdFTx67PXdpO3tIQBygv8M/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(6).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you never fall you never have fun.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhED2kAGGWMoIg2faFiI9QRYTm8w4lfLe-4i-xp8ImTTXFNpnEAR1fGpAZflghW_jce9VOwt0eQCZ1lWyNFJp1gsT-f6swzHh8HaJ8_Wt8Vdmh2JobjJavAYm6E7hfyOgfUgmS65kweYDh1/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(7).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhED2kAGGWMoIg2faFiI9QRYTm8w4lfLe-4i-xp8ImTTXFNpnEAR1fGpAZflghW_jce9VOwt0eQCZ1lWyNFJp1gsT-f6swzHh8HaJ8_Wt8Vdmh2JobjJavAYm6E7hfyOgfUgmS65kweYDh1/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(7).jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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Little boy in big mountains</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWUhyxfn4eiEzq1-FkdtQzqUPF-sl2vbqlo5Z8u9WiujxQwi4deZiCJSEnWIq0ScH6D-a4-HgU1b68pqu4A8weDtKRYOeNukTkaiyADfkp_s-plWZFo_6W5M6BPqloFmFIVQMirexyPId/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(8).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWUhyxfn4eiEzq1-FkdtQzqUPF-sl2vbqlo5Z8u9WiujxQwi4deZiCJSEnWIq0ScH6D-a4-HgU1b68pqu4A8weDtKRYOeNukTkaiyADfkp_s-plWZFo_6W5M6BPqloFmFIVQMirexyPId/s1600/Miners+Couloir+(8).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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almost done, what an adventure</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62UIyFewkVaEEnFwLXLmR2Heqi1yTfSFVrpyfYpUKNS54j5WPi1hoMJyBo1p1Cnnc61ike25-ntGac7osMwHipUD4iP1pdecTDnxQN3OFBwH7S5eZwp2rlfJ39zo24PPbnfp8APnt_060/s1600/Miners+Couloir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh62UIyFewkVaEEnFwLXLmR2Heqi1yTfSFVrpyfYpUKNS54j5WPi1hoMJyBo1p1Cnnc61ike25-ntGac7osMwHipUD4iP1pdecTDnxQN3OFBwH7S5eZwp2rlfJ39zo24PPbnfp8APnt_060/s1600/Miners+Couloir.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Playing the features around the bottom rock steps and gullies beat any terrain park on the planet.</div>
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After a short walk Father and Son reached the road. Instead of calling mum they decided to be environmentally friendly and hitch hike back up to the car, which is parked a few miles up the hill.</div>
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Finally, after 40 min and what seemed about a 1000 half empty oversized trucks later, a friendly local stopped and offered them a ride. The nice man did not have any space in his vehicle for the skies though, so F and S just left them at the side of the road in order to pick them up on their way down 20min later. </div>
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Well guess what, their entire equipment was gone by the time they returned.</div>
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So much for their other ski adventures they already thought out during the long wait on the dusty gravel road.</div>
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Happy Easter to all the rest of you who don't steal the wings to our dreams. And please stop the next time you see anybody hitch hiking with ski boots and a pair of skis, they are usually good, tired people who mean well, just returning from another soul filling adventure.</div>
<br />gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-78355614446525571632014-04-08T21:00:00.001-06:002014-04-09T07:02:52.870-06:00Winter recapIt's raining today in the Adamants, all the way up to tree line. Our first "down day" of the season and I finally find the time to post something in a while.<br />
The last few months were very busy and filled with predominantly ski guiding in British Columbia and the a bit in the Rockies. The difference for me to the last two Winters was a rather unplanned, almost full time return to CMH. I worked 10 weeks in the wonderful mountains of the Adamant Range at the northern part of the Selkirks as a heli ski guide, alongside a crew of wonderful guides and staff. Besides that I had great trips to Sorcerer Lodge and Campell Icefield Chalet, ski touring in remote back country locations. Some day trips around Revelstoke and Lake Louise rounded up the season nicely. That only left room for a few days of ice climbing work this season, but it will hopefully change for next Winter. The busy schedule also did not leave a lot of time for my family, but at least I got to spend one week of school break with them at the end of February. Now I have a week of heli skiing left and then I want to make up for lost time with them in the spring, I am sooo looking forward to it.<br />
It has been a long Winter with lot's of awesome days in the powder with good people, but now I slowly feel the urge behind my fingernails of touching rock again. I am super out of shape for it but I hope the psyche and motivation will make up for the lack of fitness.<br />
I trust everyone out there had a good Winter too and wish you all great outings in the spring.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lMKQiXteWcQVLUB14ztEUFOw6IOmHqskodzkFl75BJ78VZYPofamguMGF4x99TLyRs19ndxmXu01-xZKM_WBsnUsxUH3vFIeiuioWKWmezsqnG7IwTw1MfRlB76WapmrceCukavH4RAy/s1600/gery-flow-burn-deepcraig+mcgee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4lMKQiXteWcQVLUB14ztEUFOw6IOmHqskodzkFl75BJ78VZYPofamguMGF4x99TLyRs19ndxmXu01-xZKM_WBsnUsxUH3vFIeiuioWKWmezsqnG7IwTw1MfRlB76WapmrceCukavH4RAy/s1600/gery-flow-burn-deepcraig+mcgee.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For a change, this is a shot of me on one of my rare private outings somewhere on in the Rockies early March.<br />
<a href="http://cmcgeephotography.com/">Craig McGee Picture</a></td></tr>
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gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-65428106845998225052014-01-19T21:56:00.002-07:002014-01-19T21:56:27.810-07:00Downie Peak<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Spending the past 15 days guiding in the Adamant Lodge, a heli skiing lodge based in the upper reaches of the Goldstream River of the Northern Selkirks,</div>
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I can't help myself of not falling in love with the view of this stunning peak.</div>
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I know it has been climbed a few times and the reports of very loose rock have been followed by all ascents, but to my knowledge it has not been skied as of yet. </div>
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Maybe this is not the Winter to try such a challenge, but then there is always spring and many more Winters to come. </div>
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For now, I just keep enjoying the views of this forbitten fruit,</div>
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hanging way up there in the tree, well out of my reach.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAjvYwjxTNdcfliOVVDTPkVoDIDOmShUrTApAolCBRulIubtdxg6ThhdUqbS4oR15zuGEUheoY6zRa_twT7JGkQwMuEwE1V8WXyfdFH4qDBrMprPCEJlVUasWxLw0uJS8Pz6ipIJPWUYG/s1600/Downie+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibAjvYwjxTNdcfliOVVDTPkVoDIDOmShUrTApAolCBRulIubtdxg6ThhdUqbS4oR15zuGEUheoY6zRa_twT7JGkQwMuEwE1V8WXyfdFH4qDBrMprPCEJlVUasWxLw0uJS8Pz6ipIJPWUYG/s1600/Downie+(1).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">if it's clear skies,<br />this is the side of the mountain I can see every morning out of my bedroom window</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4UuUAUxf6182UbuNSRF4W3sz3HOSxzNUclO9rCUz-LKITFModZGoFfXCiKtsQUSExZc_p_n9o380gh0r4vxiHCynogadh_cpYEr6kdMYF-ZXwUJRHrdBP_f14FsxpG7e6pjAlR6ZhjW9/s1600/Downie+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4UuUAUxf6182UbuNSRF4W3sz3HOSxzNUclO9rCUz-LKITFModZGoFfXCiKtsQUSExZc_p_n9o380gh0r4vxiHCynogadh_cpYEr6kdMYF-ZXwUJRHrdBP_f14FsxpG7e6pjAlR6ZhjW9/s1600/Downie+(2).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-qgWJuqb60K8rgPZ938GIZcw_YCztqvHUyLyMD643L8Zf7Hv4jSbsVAN1QJMn0cjhm_bfzdAv9_-cOJEtdr89jyugawq_dtv3_6tO9vxIOqZl5aWFgiBxP81Bof1LzGg4Fj1jYKDDcpMZ/s1600/Downie+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-qgWJuqb60K8rgPZ938GIZcw_YCztqvHUyLyMD643L8Zf7Hv4jSbsVAN1QJMn0cjhm_bfzdAv9_-cOJEtdr89jyugawq_dtv3_6tO9vxIOqZl5aWFgiBxP81Bof1LzGg4Fj1jYKDDcpMZ/s1600/Downie+(3).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsGct6H-uGyXu_kJPVjLBpyx0q2ymi2_8ig3CTb1r07Z4z_2weCJ3Zk_6NeAa-lPCuZYwNNN1MNWLylWTiKe5ZvbI1QrFnlvIqQBW3qJlZ45mC5fjY8uqQncNCANOJx-1C3XNvrpZL337/s1600/Downie+(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZsGct6H-uGyXu_kJPVjLBpyx0q2ymi2_8ig3CTb1r07Z4z_2weCJ3Zk_6NeAa-lPCuZYwNNN1MNWLylWTiKe5ZvbI1QrFnlvIqQBW3qJlZ45mC5fjY8uqQncNCANOJx-1C3XNvrpZL337/s1600/Downie+(4).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzyRgftVyEfI6Dfm-jDXSVoR_rRqm1y10swKVb-tIOmsPsodEdChGGCW0JidiVsdDW1s6YQcgLwBgbhBOP8osYMirJ-IbOo_mvuphPMM9i2TR3cyIC35AlulcM0eYw90pu7IH8xxacs3U/s1600/Downie+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzyRgftVyEfI6Dfm-jDXSVoR_rRqm1y10swKVb-tIOmsPsodEdChGGCW0JidiVsdDW1s6YQcgLwBgbhBOP8osYMirJ-IbOo_mvuphPMM9i2TR3cyIC35AlulcM0eYw90pu7IH8xxacs3U/s1600/Downie+(5).jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9ulbEGK5zZgrNwWgyWiJxsducIN4yIhuEjqACFL4xCJHv4abrJz1AUBMftqkg-SL9sOa-F-JGc2ldfI3zN-j6VK0iLDgwMsdsbfF9kWwrDzlB55AO8TVhRie95d0JEQUJoVRysNeYVVV/s1600/Downie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij9ulbEGK5zZgrNwWgyWiJxsducIN4yIhuEjqACFL4xCJHv4abrJz1AUBMftqkg-SL9sOa-F-JGc2ldfI3zN-j6VK0iLDgwMsdsbfF9kWwrDzlB55AO8TVhRie95d0JEQUJoVRysNeYVVV/s1600/Downie.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-41762877799659629232013-11-17T17:21:00.000-07:002013-11-17T17:27:01.584-07:00The rebirth of Dry Tooling <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzR2edY9HV5gqlDpIgOuhd0Gosd6ESrH6ALYsofj3KxzUjHjVHtrGkjauuUMp5WU_wHkSauWsBlYJR3x_JaPX9aUFzARF-ITED82Ur3fXXJTVTZSHKN1DdBcfnsR5iHm0_vRo1um36Wag/s1600/Drytooling+new+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpzR2edY9HV5gqlDpIgOuhd0Gosd6ESrH6ALYsofj3KxzUjHjVHtrGkjauuUMp5WU_wHkSauWsBlYJR3x_JaPX9aUFzARF-ITED82Ur3fXXJTVTZSHKN1DdBcfnsR5iHm0_vRo1um36Wag/s400/Drytooling+new+1.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I started visiting the plentiful bolted venues like Haffner Creek, Killer Cave or<br />
Bear Spirit,<br />
my main intention was to maintain a minimum fitness level to be able to strike when multi pitch mixed routes like the one above came into climbable shape.<br />
Since the route has perfectly formed right now<br />
I picked a picture of the mighty Rocket Man.<br />
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<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Most climbers still falsely call it mixed climbing, but the only part that's mixed are the different opinions about the sport. Some do it, like me, as a preparation for ice climbing in the so called shoulder season...because that's where most folks hurt their shoulders. Others do it to get strong for actual sport mixed climbing, which is a similar game, just with some ice added.Then there are those who do it because they don't know what else to do, in a time where ice is still rare, thin, unpredictable, <br />and skiing rather desperate.</span></td></tr>
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But more recently there is a new wave hitting the Bow Valley. Climbers do it just for the sake of dry tooling, simply because it actually can be fun and physically demanding. And with the generally well protected climbs one can go to his very limits without risking their lives or potentially serious injuries.</div>
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Although most consider "the Playground" on Grotto Mountain as the birthplace of pure dry tooling, </div>
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a bunch of other routes exist already well over 15 years, a few examples shown below.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jcANNB1M8zm5dR4HeU2tZdR0K_oOo8QyGp32QaurumlYAXd-bTsuUBicqw7nK5tlBKxCgItRwYDcKppN1mlGa15joNe5_G6oSl-1tBCfNDBOQYVc5I1SXo8L-m9lW4iKFmr_lxL_xsmn/s1600/Drytooling+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jcANNB1M8zm5dR4HeU2tZdR0K_oOo8QyGp32QaurumlYAXd-bTsuUBicqw7nK5tlBKxCgItRwYDcKppN1mlGa15joNe5_G6oSl-1tBCfNDBOQYVc5I1SXo8L-m9lW4iKFmr_lxL_xsmn/s400/Drytooling+(3).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the earliest and most known dry tooling routes in the Rockies.<br />
Caveman in upper Haffner Creek had always been criticized due to the lack of ice, <br />
but was still the most climbed hard core route in the area, <br />
simply because it has a lot of fun moves on it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWA4RejHSu2A-3oXI2WN9HkpB5BTdH6f9us1H9T7PVZzxky0epczh8JB1f4W7551Xrw9WoSBxLf5UTXgBwN4tIgQTDaPJw87ZuOUnldE_FZCeSok6VWgdSmpbx16OY3WBmupqnYbz7USHU/s1600/Drytooling+(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWA4RejHSu2A-3oXI2WN9HkpB5BTdH6f9us1H9T7PVZzxky0epczh8JB1f4W7551Xrw9WoSBxLf5UTXgBwN4tIgQTDaPJw87ZuOUnldE_FZCeSok6VWgdSmpbx16OY3WBmupqnYbz7USHU/s400/Drytooling+(4).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another high end classic with no ice at the same venue, <br />
"Fire roasted" with the mandatory swing.<br />
<br />
Below an old picture of a route of mine in lower Haffner,<br />
then aptly named "the girl without titts",<br />
because a mixed climb without ice is like a girl without...<br />
Now one of he many lines there who never or very rarely see any ice on it.<br />
Nobody seems to care about the lack of ice anymore.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbLdpcQNBVX-4qhFU4yst5yDoQ6EIEqtcqRoRxzF24spdeRXhWFXy_1HBT6Aer3dfTexHiBa-RugzPObX99ItoeGZqlptHC6pl439bLFeoLFORDH8FXDf6Pqk1VPWSilOjyqvwspcw9Sr/s1600/Drytooling+new+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbLdpcQNBVX-4qhFU4yst5yDoQ6EIEqtcqRoRxzF24spdeRXhWFXy_1HBT6Aer3dfTexHiBa-RugzPObX99ItoeGZqlptHC6pl439bLFeoLFORDH8FXDf6Pqk1VPWSilOjyqvwspcw9Sr/s400/Drytooling+new+2.jpg" width="265" /></a><br />
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What I show below are new, still kind of secret areas where hardcore locals put a lot effort into their development. Like the Playground, they are entirely made for dry tooling, but on bigger cliffs in a more scenic environment with southern exposure.<br />
What you make out of this is up to you, and although I have my own "mixed emotions" about this I think it's going to take off in the near future. In my crystal ball I can see climbers doing this year around to open up cutting edge routes and possibly during prolonged spells of foul weather in the Summer.<br />
And hey, it gets you out of the house with some cool people into some cool places. Also a motivating factor to stay fit in a time where Thanksgiving is followed by Halloween and Christmas with plenty of opportunities to gain weight.<br />
Now we just need the industry to catch up with producing fruit boots again, although more and more climbers simply use their rock shoes for it.<br />
Other products on my wish list would be heated gloves, pre heatable tool handles and some sort of turbo boost to get me up some of those amazing lines.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDRULt_b3pSeaSi8dPwI8bcHO8mhO0lX-PWWiX40ikzufEd3Ng__EeRnv2OKSq8q2Dfis31FSG56QauV3sYgiYviUmpWlA8DZ4tWgIWIUmfLQCdMG4eE_RqTgwsEB0PSS-X4pniuHyjNS/s1600/Drytooling+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDRULt_b3pSeaSi8dPwI8bcHO8mhO0lX-PWWiX40ikzufEd3Ng__EeRnv2OKSq8q2Dfis31FSG56QauV3sYgiYviUmpWlA8DZ4tWgIWIUmfLQCdMG4eE_RqTgwsEB0PSS-X4pniuHyjNS/s400/Drytooling+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the new monster cliffs in development stage. <br />
45 degree continuos overhangs and over 50m long.<br />
Note the tiny climber in the lower left reaching the 20m anchor.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWQsZCnc2K8J9ONLEft6qqm1sAEP2kOCBeQj4R11pPw8_It-OnnFF296YKPwWi634-APAkiapBsO2Jfl67J24Rhx0cVgCK-TcHK7o0CRzeFkAVGHpndVCAat7T0bkEbWdZYl98I2E6ZTH/s1600/Drytooling+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheWQsZCnc2K8J9ONLEft6qqm1sAEP2kOCBeQj4R11pPw8_It-OnnFF296YKPwWi634-APAkiapBsO2Jfl67J24Rhx0cVgCK-TcHK7o0CRzeFkAVGHpndVCAat7T0bkEbWdZYl98I2E6ZTH/s400/Drytooling+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">no need to mention that cliffs like this require a certain amount of fitness-<br />
and of course dedication to put them up while lead drilling, like the picture below.<br />
(uups, that looks more than 45 degrees to me)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Vr_VFMfYx-rhBkh-EaCVHQadn649yb6RcQfmROlOWRAgPv0GOrhXJVTXrl1ID4YwyoXPJOi9LryPfX0PGcIIJHDNzwZBo7Lkie9IqjvFv5fXuG3XhjQ0y53l5zoFgnxfStoKU9F7-xpd/s1600/Drytooling+men+at+work.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Vr_VFMfYx-rhBkh-EaCVHQadn649yb6RcQfmROlOWRAgPv0GOrhXJVTXrl1ID4YwyoXPJOi9LryPfX0PGcIIJHDNzwZBo7Lkie9IqjvFv5fXuG3XhjQ0y53l5zoFgnxfStoKU9F7-xpd/s320/Drytooling+men+at+work.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy10IqfAZeOelJKrzGjedGjFcUOk7Bp5X9i9k8UJSlXCnYVh9_jh7aOMlFPf1vxWQoNVosdaku6vUDXhpb0aiYuwEZ4a2Cpu32EevYAftXKDkwnqRkUQrrxm0t7VrGhLHfFwhm28RSd1fF/s1600/Drytooling+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy10IqfAZeOelJKrzGjedGjFcUOk7Bp5X9i9k8UJSlXCnYVh9_jh7aOMlFPf1vxWQoNVosdaku6vUDXhpb0aiYuwEZ4a2Cpu32EevYAftXKDkwnqRkUQrrxm0t7VrGhLHfFwhm28RSd1fF/s400/Drytooling+(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another welcome trend with new route development is to stay away from pack rat stinking caves in the shade.<br />
Since there is no ice required for this sport, why not do it in the sun.<br />
The Winter is grim enough.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIcSugDyXXA0URQsrbh5bb5WFdNYa1-liORXbrvoSbrbmW_cS_Bpdcj2Z7HMmE6YJr1Uvp-hE7PQD6PgTsymCQNvAlsK3neFFAmDJCHLHEUBjuimyqD-Zjsni_jS_B0xCv1DIK0W9w3VM/s1600/Drytooling+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIcSugDyXXA0URQsrbh5bb5WFdNYa1-liORXbrvoSbrbmW_cS_Bpdcj2Z7HMmE6YJr1Uvp-hE7PQD6PgTsymCQNvAlsK3neFFAmDJCHLHEUBjuimyqD-Zjsni_jS_B0xCv1DIK0W9w3VM/s400/Drytooling+(2).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bring your T shirt and leave your long johns at home.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5_lQNL0Ft7UhrKTWK5EFsix4fVQ5AU9YCGi-vaR8jsR0FQeHko5KTlNhQynbfe0uK9h8HOW6Khh8GekvTFmvzr7aa6_wzBjUcnvw_WoeDGFtrinoyIOWsK8mHMziUDRGeVIDqfDrVWAd/s1600/Drytooling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5_lQNL0Ft7UhrKTWK5EFsix4fVQ5AU9YCGi-vaR8jsR0FQeHko5KTlNhQynbfe0uK9h8HOW6Khh8GekvTFmvzr7aa6_wzBjUcnvw_WoeDGFtrinoyIOWsK8mHMziUDRGeVIDqfDrVWAd/s400/Drytooling.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy21dUVdJa27_uqC9H6CUCLT4_R92TUJIwHwThY8hh01mi32Jolhs9YAXHH91njqNyZxd5s2jkrlzaCdd7KJTUtwVNtds4lnwKVsPfOVAkYJykyYzxoWWD-14WK7TMvPOB3HbLerz6mTiS/s1600/Drytooling+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy21dUVdJa27_uqC9H6CUCLT4_R92TUJIwHwThY8hh01mi32Jolhs9YAXHH91njqNyZxd5s2jkrlzaCdd7KJTUtwVNtds4lnwKVsPfOVAkYJykyYzxoWWD-14WK7TMvPOB3HbLerz6mTiS/s400/Drytooling+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One more welcome trend (at least for the men) is that more and more women take up the new sport, <br />
it is not uncommon that girls outnumber the boys in these areas.<br />
A way better ratio than any bar in Canmore or Banff.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO5_lQNL0Ft7UhrKTWK5EFsix4fVQ5AU9YCGi-vaR8jsR0FQeHko5KTlNhQynbfe0uK9h8HOW6Khh8GekvTFmvzr7aa6_wzBjUcnvw_WoeDGFtrinoyIOWsK8mHMziUDRGeVIDqfDrVWAd/s1600/Drytooling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<br />gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-55566330240998136042013-11-13T20:39:00.002-07:002013-11-13T20:39:39.942-07:00morning magic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Within the last few days there have been a few spectacular sunrises in the Bow Valley. Luckily they coincide with regular breakfast time, so there is no need to set an early alarm to be able to witness them. </div>
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The pictures below are all taken from the front deck of my house at around 7.30</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpoQwQJ-wSUM1IoSFmkXQGv1ASDsAc4bhkQ5G8X4UEieFNsswdwcBcuQizCduHmS_6r8CVi9CWiGF_n_iG6ix7IhUsAT5uorrgMRM-MOPJmBhrDSpMIE87oqLMv5vVYfMtalfzqUYCub8/s1600/Sunrise+above+Lougheed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpoQwQJ-wSUM1IoSFmkXQGv1ASDsAc4bhkQ5G8X4UEieFNsswdwcBcuQizCduHmS_6r8CVi9CWiGF_n_iG6ix7IhUsAT5uorrgMRM-MOPJmBhrDSpMIE87oqLMv5vVYfMtalfzqUYCub8/s400/Sunrise+above+Lougheed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicANbyKfmdWHKuGjWl2wm18pt18i8vbZ0bIosbDps3_Qg3JXd-2riAWCPn1VAdRkDO-LPim5wz277wI4SEzzXHhaU8ikbLONDKQ3OQgFndRj_YWB3tZx_EfkVCOXo-udkmTg8ucMhTaqa-/s1600/Sunrise+from+home+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicANbyKfmdWHKuGjWl2wm18pt18i8vbZ0bIosbDps3_Qg3JXd-2riAWCPn1VAdRkDO-LPim5wz277wI4SEzzXHhaU8ikbLONDKQ3OQgFndRj_YWB3tZx_EfkVCOXo-udkmTg8ucMhTaqa-/s400/Sunrise+from+home+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzfNZ3J_bVa0xYa5IoSIuHV6jI4S0UVcB4wj7tvOhCM7BtNuMV0xkyEHRKshWa5M-Y0XO7CAPwX50BYo8D2l4v9V3ynttaRwyjAgO9nQrMgWSLLIQGEeFPd0_woUSmH_n9Llzuk_bHgnn/s1600/Sunrise+from+home+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjzfNZ3J_bVa0xYa5IoSIuHV6jI4S0UVcB4wj7tvOhCM7BtNuMV0xkyEHRKshWa5M-Y0XO7CAPwX50BYo8D2l4v9V3ynttaRwyjAgO9nQrMgWSLLIQGEeFPd0_woUSmH_n9Llzuk_bHgnn/s400/Sunrise+from+home+3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvfBf-2wTsAQobqqggYMFPjG1wGH0CbGXl5ih3OpKhUeGyOhHdBbdVSplEBBnoeM10f2XtkReH7hxrkUE-GEhql33l3RMRRLyguXf9dhEw0wsN9Y1SPlNAgT4gC-L4N8mHOMbtvhatArW/s1600/Sunrise+from+home+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvfBf-2wTsAQobqqggYMFPjG1wGH0CbGXl5ih3OpKhUeGyOhHdBbdVSplEBBnoeM10f2XtkReH7hxrkUE-GEhql33l3RMRRLyguXf9dhEw0wsN9Y1SPlNAgT4gC-L4N8mHOMbtvhatArW/s400/Sunrise+from+home+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4wvOjmBEJhaGBkVIbHJaGBZnZRNKtKLlDxnC7GC11LcQ9a-HtqbiuBOkxDhPSbtq6cJROCOKT5ChK4MBzrp-90317FTB5Gd4h37d9Wlsy3oY5d29iymZjqmcfo_ymqphNG4uDf338slA/s1600/Sunrise+from+home+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4wvOjmBEJhaGBkVIbHJaGBZnZRNKtKLlDxnC7GC11LcQ9a-HtqbiuBOkxDhPSbtq6cJROCOKT5ChK4MBzrp-90317FTB5Gd4h37d9Wlsy3oY5d29iymZjqmcfo_ymqphNG4uDf338slA/s400/Sunrise+from+home+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-33985429472779681272013-11-11T08:50:00.000-07:002013-11-12T21:00:26.720-07:00classic early ice lines close to the road<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJN-gIjQxWVWeHuG9MgH_JBzQaJRG2D3C8IvKq-43aydaGN6yZnjCmZs7AEByZxdPp0Rc-X55SN_qDzXGRZazhxq7Klb2kUkxfhf0R7_jcS4CBl4t6BeBWXZHff_afSc7VfBXZ6N9zyQzk/s1600/Bourgeau+left+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJN-gIjQxWVWeHuG9MgH_JBzQaJRG2D3C8IvKq-43aydaGN6yZnjCmZs7AEByZxdPp0Rc-X55SN_qDzXGRZazhxq7Klb2kUkxfhf0R7_jcS4CBl4t6BeBWXZHff_afSc7VfBXZ6N9zyQzk/s400/Bourgeau+left+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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The climbs below formed early this year and are ready to go.</div>
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Have fun and play safe!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_fi8ZDb-jwEvDVrWQMeOlTRM-Ma9u_DUBFm2zj1buPxGLDCYA6t64JNrA6HrhHLSM-XOwnqz53ZngOd4a20xlV6OYAWwnEToOkc7YckXQaKDBYtOw6RJQ5WClm4MOgriXfNHGCMLvAaJ/s1600/Sunshine+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji_fi8ZDb-jwEvDVrWQMeOlTRM-Ma9u_DUBFm2zj1buPxGLDCYA6t64JNrA6HrhHLSM-XOwnqz53ZngOd4a20xlV6OYAWwnEToOkc7YckXQaKDBYtOw6RJQ5WClm4MOgriXfNHGCMLvAaJ/s320/Sunshine+8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20pyR0lCJrExEXtnysZ3k6_WzkVer0oghErX0SnuZgaRBNw53fhDfdisUNg35jXyXdIB_xDpN40pCtRNljvFcBS2192h-ub2GrsWh48CrtUCaSENTEehuFXY_DWoAOspVDHJGx0pMMEWt/s1600/Sunshine+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi20pyR0lCJrExEXtnysZ3k6_WzkVer0oghErX0SnuZgaRBNw53fhDfdisUNg35jXyXdIB_xDpN40pCtRNljvFcBS2192h-ub2GrsWh48CrtUCaSENTEehuFXY_DWoAOspVDHJGx0pMMEWt/s320/Sunshine+10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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For those of you who don't know where they are, <a href="http://vertical-unlimited.smugmug.com/skitouring-1/Sunshine-National-Park">click here</a> to find out.gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3276772803354591213.post-73339296771589935362013-10-30T17:47:00.002-06:002013-11-09T14:05:40.904-07:00First ice climb of the new Winter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
A few days ago I was still drilling new routes shirts off up at <span id="goog_1008684707"></span><a href="http://vertical-unlimited.smugmug.com/Rock-climbing/Bellavista">Bellavista</a> , well above the 2000m line. </div>
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Sundays brief but intense coldfront brought a rapid cool down with snow here in town and miserable minus 10 degrees - it's time to dust off the ice gear.</div>
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Although I don't consider myself an early season ice hunter, </div>
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there are some routes you can only get at this time of the year. </div>
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For one, the approaches are still approachable, with little to no avalanche hazard, </div>
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and secondly, the thin ice has not had a chance to de-laminated yet.</div>
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Therefore, the main targets these days should be routes in a high setting with serious approaches, with no cornice build up above. Also, most of those routes have a one time chance to form and what you see in October is the fattest they get for the rest on the season, since they are not actively feeded by a water source - sort of like a hibernating bear.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So, off we went in search for <a href="http://vertical-unlimited.smugmug.com/Ice-and-Mixed-climbing/VSOP-Kananaskis-Country">one of those routes</a>, conveniently close to town-</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
at least as a crow flies, but since we are not crows, it took a little longer.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXu08Rict5f0n_wPYo9D7V9OmTEdEt_CthnYpjgac3kGJVwskAKJQ6AqxXSsyF7icDGxSiLVNay4Bk4c8MyoDeR5mIP3XAc1_6fDvvWhAIbUgFhUqnfxzWwHprkTQWmivkQIUnIpwXhwSM/s1600/Vsop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXu08Rict5f0n_wPYo9D7V9OmTEdEt_CthnYpjgac3kGJVwskAKJQ6AqxXSsyF7icDGxSiLVNay4Bk4c8MyoDeR5mIP3XAc1_6fDvvWhAIbUgFhUqnfxzWwHprkTQWmivkQIUnIpwXhwSM/s320/Vsop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Only the beginning of a huge approach with some river navigating by headlamp</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9W-64WG2CCxNfMKRrP3ECioUfxlAojz0eRX0b0K9eyBdHpQagP0nKVlQzS2MgrptvNSXlTyhhw847nJIL01_MnaRtJwItAi60z3QRFMVdnwWYPk_sTzDLHPEUvpwOhJZXcZ-e53mkXzjg/s1600/Vsop+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9W-64WG2CCxNfMKRrP3ECioUfxlAojz0eRX0b0K9eyBdHpQagP0nKVlQzS2MgrptvNSXlTyhhw847nJIL01_MnaRtJwItAi60z3QRFMVdnwWYPk_sTzDLHPEUvpwOhJZXcZ-e53mkXzjg/s320/Vsop+(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">closer to the ice after almost 4 hours, the spirits are lifted</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoDbfYB7CY10wI4ylnjI4azrbqYNq3eTVv86xNVP0bKLCBPui4X1zBRdvSSLyviMnHUwb9tqXNEfIgQPncxsbkafgTgGtRfb14A5h4NOPHUXy-UM1R4P0nigra6tOd86l8qGphcOQIj-l/s1600/Vsop+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoDbfYB7CY10wI4ylnjI4azrbqYNq3eTVv86xNVP0bKLCBPui4X1zBRdvSSLyviMnHUwb9tqXNEfIgQPncxsbkafgTgGtRfb14A5h4NOPHUXy-UM1R4P0nigra6tOd86l8qGphcOQIj-l/s320/Vsop+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">borderline snow conditions, <br />
we chose to traverse to an exposed rip to stay away from the biggest slopes</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4blJEldtSml-s0U4va8SuPsZYgGPgSxj0B-rk1VmV2MaoelFZYBpDkZi4HvTuu0CIx95NbK1iljBCAuCHM1vNmtCBFnDhdWVpMlLWm-sIIhsfnmMWtigIn4djHxLeqTZxWxYPzuc0jB_x/s1600/Vsop+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4blJEldtSml-s0U4va8SuPsZYgGPgSxj0B-rk1VmV2MaoelFZYBpDkZi4HvTuu0CIx95NbK1iljBCAuCHM1vNmtCBFnDhdWVpMlLWm-sIIhsfnmMWtigIn4djHxLeqTZxWxYPzuc0jB_x/s320/Vsop+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting closer. Can we make it under 5 hours?<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyQtsbExH23QmscYVQ2hrH8jOBdf9rTXeXCchkg7gQ1m-RkTS10meAxj6g5YT7LHT92mkvXmyfRkeyQlKAw0cE_9dRwl6-mIrb9NWbP04JHl79IpdbP5lYVy8r0wTZ1Z8MTPBR0PutCQy/s1600/Vsop+1+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyQtsbExH23QmscYVQ2hrH8jOBdf9rTXeXCchkg7gQ1m-RkTS10meAxj6g5YT7LHT92mkvXmyfRkeyQlKAw0cE_9dRwl6-mIrb9NWbP04JHl79IpdbP5lYVy8r0wTZ1Z8MTPBR0PutCQy/s320/Vsop+1+(1).jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Juan-<br />
relieved to have almost made it to the ice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfl7cI_ITYn2QF7_4GCo6x2c29ofESvcFy1eJoPDRgRUtu9tD7Vq66RbYhkzYr_FZqZLLoT9Cd4NgSPqC9SJwQspa9xW8AcZDsjgtfIzzkw2C1jNuGdgTJXDlAGqxzyNCuSRFSMhb8DsEU/s1600/Vsop+2+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfl7cI_ITYn2QF7_4GCo6x2c29ofESvcFy1eJoPDRgRUtu9tD7Vq66RbYhkzYr_FZqZLLoT9Cd4NgSPqC9SJwQspa9xW8AcZDsjgtfIzzkw2C1jNuGdgTJXDlAGqxzyNCuSRFSMhb8DsEU/s320/Vsop+2+(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the few mixed moves on the rib are a welcome change to post holing...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEfvchgTpubqzIPTasFU32t7TNdjVx8EGYyZdBDKk7R6rS_0I1YzuEjwiQlJ1k2tm1gltsjGJmgPfNQc_Py3qrFJgy1wHepvxUb8TIraNGzYBIwaG2IO9bZ91JS4_NPGOyFfpRDsPS7_0/s1600/Vsop+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVEfvchgTpubqzIPTasFU32t7TNdjVx8EGYyZdBDKk7R6rS_0I1YzuEjwiQlJ1k2tm1gltsjGJmgPfNQc_Py3qrFJgy1wHepvxUb8TIraNGzYBIwaG2IO9bZ91JS4_NPGOyFfpRDsPS7_0/s320/Vsop+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...unlike wallowing, which is definitely not a welcome change to post holing.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkPZy6A5sbTznQFi7saTOPzxUncQyD1lqvXwWCfgYNQXmZrRurHJQYDrsZVd6JPBzgXj0ZWuBqIdVU6WHnnRYxratwZWw3y6rLEO-VgscVYET5vaDF2H2QUA0fU0So8d3scqonvD8khEL/s1600/Vsop+1+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWkPZy6A5sbTznQFi7saTOPzxUncQyD1lqvXwWCfgYNQXmZrRurHJQYDrsZVd6JPBzgXj0ZWuBqIdVU6WHnnRYxratwZWw3y6rLEO-VgscVYET5vaDF2H2QUA0fU0So8d3scqonvD8khEL/s320/Vsop+1+(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">into thin ice</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFicGXS3diBJAL_vInx8XhTi-OgS-OFxFu7Ie_HBmp7B-s-Dc8sQSkrM8bCpyZBdm9KTmyCmw2j2Bcng0Uz0ogKWZw44o4LMJmhQK5uQiIfxhbm6zbkDCIjGIGbVK_z1kxISH2G84-CRF/s1600/Vsop+2+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisFicGXS3diBJAL_vInx8XhTi-OgS-OFxFu7Ie_HBmp7B-s-Dc8sQSkrM8bCpyZBdm9KTmyCmw2j2Bcng0Uz0ogKWZw44o4LMJmhQK5uQiIfxhbm6zbkDCIjGIGbVK_z1kxISH2G84-CRF/s320/Vsop+2+(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">short ice screws, a calm head and a soft touch are the key to succeed in this environment</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVcraJyTyrKDUNTpwOP9_HRo_vQxvthyphenhyphenzv8DZa7JSAZDp3yq2cr9iOqkA5N1P75WQy2TwEM-MFVfygOnKobij57UL3tZmkqO08uETPAW5LtnSyZaMl-yPbJKvpO0JTCP8zc-atv-2vxVcU/s1600/Vsop+1+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVcraJyTyrKDUNTpwOP9_HRo_vQxvthyphenhyphenzv8DZa7JSAZDp3yq2cr9iOqkA5N1P75WQy2TwEM-MFVfygOnKobij57UL3tZmkqO08uETPAW5LtnSyZaMl-yPbJKvpO0JTCP8zc-atv-2vxVcU/s320/Vsop+1+(3).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> high on the route the ice gets fatter, <br />
but we are fighting the screaming barfies and the early season pump simultaneously </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWi5ExGrBU_zcLtDuc1uPAcI_-lOK7e-3M9fk0VPKseFFl5BPDAT0BAOUilEWWgiIpvvVj0AU0H77J7cb21ZTtiKQUm2Zp3lt3VovHB_3QYRUoxHzhzLr9YQF8GGyvIWNbq2xckiz4IUdw/s1600/Vsop+2+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWi5ExGrBU_zcLtDuc1uPAcI_-lOK7e-3M9fk0VPKseFFl5BPDAT0BAOUilEWWgiIpvvVj0AU0H77J7cb21ZTtiKQUm2Zp3lt3VovHB_3QYRUoxHzhzLr9YQF8GGyvIWNbq2xckiz4IUdw/s320/Vsop+2+(3).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">late afternoon arrives with spindrift and colder temperatures</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-wEXS3dm-VtO4NpODXopiWKMcdveZFXYNwkDKiotO3LhoxqSLDaT1cBNCd1ti42bkgYGkAcPkgyJoDkDXx637z-_BX-rJuMtCsrTWGQDpYiJ_MZvzbnxAWE35Vf8IivDehFMjiwls3Gz/s1600/Vsop+1+(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-wEXS3dm-VtO4NpODXopiWKMcdveZFXYNwkDKiotO3LhoxqSLDaT1cBNCd1ti42bkgYGkAcPkgyJoDkDXx637z-_BX-rJuMtCsrTWGQDpYiJ_MZvzbnxAWE35Vf8IivDehFMjiwls3Gz/s320/Vsop+1+(4).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Late Oktober, there is a short window between sunset and darkness </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrv7nFCYKunlJGBjRZk5CJfvgP1jlc4wuV9Uyim4FrjE6hvnJwzfO9D2q1rWfrnoaMPPj4-Kk6oL5CWo2WISYXB14u8f82wGQel7wvyfFEx6a-lqsQWI2UApkYvsWanSYjAXyJNh771oFq/s1600/Vsop+2+(4).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrv7nFCYKunlJGBjRZk5CJfvgP1jlc4wuV9Uyim4FrjE6hvnJwzfO9D2q1rWfrnoaMPPj4-Kk6oL5CWo2WISYXB14u8f82wGQel7wvyfFEx6a-lqsQWI2UApkYvsWanSYjAXyJNh771oFq/s320/Vsop+2+(4).jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the endless way out we did not bother to find convenient river crossings no more,<br />
the boots will have a long time to dry out,<br />
enough ice for now - at least for a day or two.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9W-64WG2CCxNfMKRrP3ECioUfxlAojz0eRX0b0K9eyBdHpQagP0nKVlQzS2MgrptvNSXlTyhhw847nJIL01_MnaRtJwItAi60z3QRFMVdnwWYPk_sTzDLHPEUvpwOhJZXcZ-e53mkXzjg/s1600/Vsop+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />gery unterasingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09230443513546305601noreply@blogger.com0