Ski Touring Season is HERE!....kinda

Here in Vancouver we've been having a crazy winter.
A no snow kinda winter.
It's like the sky is constipated.

Well....there IS snow....but you gotta go high to find the deeper stuff, 1000m+
In the last 72 hours I've spent the last 10 in the mountains....kicking off the ski touring season.

Here are some pictures from today's trip.  I'll post saturday's pictures in another blog.

It was nasty today.  Freezing level was 2000m and we were hiking between 1000-2000m.  RAIN.  HOURS....in the rain.  Oliver B....why do you do this to me?  

With strangely warm weather, rain, but 100cm in the last couple days of fresh powder, and loads of wind....the avy conditions are going CRAZY.  We dug some pits....assessed conditions and were satisfied with keeping it mellow today.

....and mellow is always OK with me.  I just like getting out.  Today needed to be mellow (read: no steep ski descents) because the snow was some of the heaviest powder cement (very wet snow) I have ever skied in. I felt like a beginner!  

....but I'll tell you. There is no better feeling than getting your body moving, being out in nature, breathing in it's silence and enjoying it's beauty.  DO IT!  

 These are good days....

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Backcountry ski touring (Lots of pictures)

We started at dark:30.

Coffee led to more coffee led to....

driving towards Squamish for some backcountry ski touring

My siiike was growing....

I love chains.  Some people hate them -- getting out of the car -- putting them on. I love em'.

SO MUCH TRACTION

I like traction

I also like the fact that Dan did all the work while me and my buddy Oli supervised

It was powder the whole way up....a few hours of awesomeness

....and soon we were in a beautiful place

it was cloudy

but the snow was freshly laid from the previous night

"Oh Lord our Lord how majestic is your name in all the earth..." (Psalm 8)

For lunch we found a suitable spot and were greeted by the sun! 

There is something strangely peaceful about a fresh blanket of snow. It's uniformity, the way it shimmers in the sun, it's "untouchedness".

Peaceful. 

We found a slope that we liked and after a few avalanche snow stability tests....we started doing laps

Skiing down

and skinning back up

It was all powder

all day

After a long descent we were back at the car park and ready for a bro shot

Then it was back to Dan's for a hot tub party

I now want to put a hot tub in my living room 

These are good days....

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Ski Touring - Paul Ridge, Squamish

Monday's are my sabbath and Oliver, my adventures-of-all-sorts friend, invited me to backcountry ski tour in the Elfin Lakes area outside of Squamish, BC. 

Paul Ridge is the area we went to and had a GREAT time doing it!  The Avalanche Forecast for the area we were in was favorable, so off we went!  It was snowing on us much of the time, but only lightly, and there was a great powdery layer to enjoy.     

Ever wonder what I typically bring on a trip like this?

My kit usually includes:

An avalanche beacon

Shovel

avalanche probe

skins

water

food

whistle

an insulating layer

first aid kit

extra eyewear

gear repair kit

emergency kit

extra clothing

Oliver LOVES the mountains and enjoys the simplicity of good conversation + hard work going uphill + the fun work of going down hill

...and yes, even when our wives text us....there is ALWAYS time to get back to them...when there's cell reception.

When you get to a particular hill that is representative of the one you intend to ski, it's important to analyze the snow pack through a variety of tests which help us know the potential for avalanches. 

Today's multiple tests went well...so after a short break....it was time to ski!  

Ever wonder what I typically wear?

It really depends on the weather....but usually it's some variation of:

Upper Wick Layer: Long or short shirt

Upper Wind Layer: Jacket

Upper Warm Layer: Soft shell

Upper Precip Layer: Gore Tex Shell Jacket

Lower Warm Layer: Long under wear

Lower Precip Layer: Gore Tex Shell Pants

Gloves: Warm gloves + thin liner

Toque or Sun Hat

Helmet + Goggles

Ski sock

Touring boots with Intuition liners 

After a fun time through the trees and finding the fresh stuff.....it was back to the car park for the most dangerous part of the day....the ride home.  Logging roads wasn't too bad (I've been on that particular logging road in TERRIBLE conditions....and today was good!).  But snow tires plus chains plus Oliver's awesome driving skillz got us back safely! 

Once we were back in Squamish....it was time for coffee.  

I love coffee.

These are good days....

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