Brrr….another -30 morning, and we were up and out the door at 6:30am. It was a Saturday and we knew that despite the temps, the crowds would still gather at Evan Thomas! The day before we hiked in to Bear Spirit and climbed some laps on the beautiful ice curtain and got pumped on the …
Was fortunate enough to spend a day off with good friends Jen Olson and Mark Cosslett….Jen had big dreams of going to the Asylum, Mark psyched to get on ice, and me…wanting to see if my freshly punched out boots would still leave me hopping on one foot. We found a sort of middle ground …
What a crew…4 days with 6 amazing women, and 2 fabulous guides. Thanks Jen and Kris for your great guiding energy, thanks Sonja for your incredible camp manager skills, keeping us fed, full and happy, and thanks Claire, Mary Ann, Deb, Andrea and Clarissa for all your positive energy, and motivation towards 4 days of …
Our last day and we weren’t going to get scooped on our objective…Tokkumn Pole in Marble Canyon. This climb is the Bow Valleys Ouray…our own little slot canyon graced with one beautiful, intimidating and magnificent pillar of ice. There are other mixed routes in the canyon, but Tokkumn is the most popular of the routes …
This morning we left Banff at 6:30 unsure which mega classic to hit up…Murchison or Right Hand Weeping Wall…but as we reached the approach entrance to Murchison and saw very snow covered tracks and a temperature reading of -25 we opted to continue on to the weeping wall. As luck would have it one car …
Original Plan: Murchison Reality: Snow storm in forecast from both directions Back up Plan: Louise Falls/Tokkumn/Johnston trifecta Reality: Louise Falls and excitement for climbing the other 2 on Thursday:) We were the first to Louise falls, and after a quick approach and two pitches headed up towards the pillar. Earlier this year I had approached …
Ken and Tim are back…. I’m always excited to see these guys. Coming from San Fransisco and New York, this 4 day ice climbing holiday is often the only time they put their harnesses on and get to swing their tools. With that said, it is often some of the hardest ice guiding I do …
Big plans to drive into the Waiporous and scout out some routes for my upcoming clients resulted in a rather lengthy driving day! Mark Cosslett and I had hopes of climbing either Hydro, Caroline or Marion, and after suiting the vehicle with chains and eating through the lunches we had packed for the day, we …
Kinga, Lisa, Mary Ann and Michele braved the yet again chilly temps this Monday and Tuesday for a skill building day at the Junkyards and then an ascent of Snivelling Gully at the weeping wall. For a first timer to ice climbing, I really felt for Kinga and Lisa on Monday. -30 temps had us …
Spent a brisk but super fun weekend with the ACC Calgary crew in Haffner. Day one was a women’s ice and mixed advanced movement day and the Sunday was co-ed. Both days gave us some pretty chilly conditions but some excellent steep ice and fun mixed climbing. So impressed with everyones tenacity, getting in 6-8 …