Northward Ho!

Wedge Mountain, just north of Whistler, is the highest peak in BC's Garibaldi Provincial Park. Drive time is under five hours from Seattle. Last Friday, Dan and I had absolutely perfect new August corn skiing Wedge's Northeast Arête. It just so happens that myriad other peaks near 9,000 ft are within another one to two hours north.

What am I thinking?

Wedgemount Lake


Smooth and soft

Cured?

I asked if these two psychopaths could not be cured. "Cured?" Goss said. "Would you cure a singer of his voice?"

-from Ursula K. LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness

Show some Backbone.

Seamless transition from ski season (all year) to climbing season (August) during the past week: Thursday, Amar and I climbed Rainier leaving skis at Muir, while Hannah left one ACL at Pan Point; Sunday, climbed Backbone Ridge with Ryan. The offwidth made a good first lead of the season. The half-skiing trip really helped ease my anxiety about leaving my skis at home when I knew there would be snow on the backside of Dragontail.

Moraine above Colchuck Lake

Scrambling toward the beginning of the climb

Foot, offwidth, big cam, Ryan: graphic depiction of wideness to help Hannah feel good about staying home to rehab the knee.

Working on gear to make an exposed traverse to avoid another offwidth, Colchuck Balanced Rock in the background

The Fin features fun, interesting climbing with spectacular scenery, but not without some loose and dirty.

Awesome undercling near the top of the Fin

North is next?

Last week's trip to Robson has me crazy stoked. I just ordered Sean Dougherty's book from the publisher's site since I haven't been able to find it anywhere (Selected Alpine Climbs in the Canadian Rockies, rmbooks.com). Between SAC in the CR, Alpine Select, and Don Serl's The Waddington Guide, I'm determined to formulate a series of sorties to ski the B.C. BC.

Who's with me?