Dear Hemingway, We just finished our first father-and-son camping trip, or at least our first attempt. You’re only three and a half years old, and we’ve already done a lot of overnight backcountry trips, but never one in snow, and never just the two of us. I was excited, and …
A first winter ascent of Mount Milner, in the Prince of Wales Range
View PostMt. Hall – Coronation Mtn, Ski Traverse
View PostWinter snowshoe ascent of Springer Peak, Prince of Wales Range
Springer Peak wasn’t our first objective for the day, but when I took over leading the trip, I felt that the snow conditions were too questionable to continue with our original objective. When I suggested using Bill’s Trail, a section of the route used for the annual Kusam Klimb race, …
Mt Elma: A Beginner Ski tour
On February 19th, we met at Ski Tak Hut in Courtenay to gather the final pieces of backcountry ski gear needed for our day on the mountain. Lisa and I watched the sky, hoping that the hard rain would let up – or at least, that it was snowing on the …
Snowshoe to Boston Falls Lookout: A Sunny Day below Mount Becher’s Summit
When I’m stuck inside, it sometimes feels like I won’t ever break free and get outside! If you’re passionate like I am, you probably feel the same. Now that I’ve added two kids to the equation, it’s even more difficult to balance the time between my family obligations and my …
Mt Becher –Ski and Snowshoe
Mount Becher is a popular destination for ski touring, hiking and snowshoeing, but on February 4th, it wasn’t our primary objective. Our first option was Mount Curran, in the Beaufort Range, but an unexpected snowstorm conspired against us. Mt Becher was a better goal for a day with a heavy …
Mt. Cain –The Long Way Around
Being focused on an objective is a great way to track progress and remember to celebrate when you achieve a goal. But sometimes, I get so focused on the objective that I forget about everything that goes into making the day a success. On January 22nd, I had a good …
My First Ice-Climbing Experience
Hiking, mountaineering, and rock climbing have been my passion for about five years. Every weekend, I get together with a few close friends, and sometimes my hiking club, to head out into the backcountry to seek out one obscure peak or another. Each experience is unique unto itself, but it’s …
Mt Grey, another in a growing list of failed summit attempts
Mount Grey is a lovely hike through old-growth alpine fir and along a treed alpine ridge, up to a summit that offers great views of the Alberni Inlet. My Mount Grey trip had two portions of adventure: the cold from an arctic outflow, and the ride home. On January …