General Mountaineering Camp (GMC)

 Last week we spent in the Selkirks near Sir Sandford mountain. We had a fantastic time there, working our way up several summits with great guides and in excellent rope team company. The Alpine Club of Canada has been undertaking this camp since 1906; so we've joined this awesome tradition finally.

The weather was good most days. We started with settling in at camp on Saturday. The bit of rain that afternoon wasn't of any consequence. Sunday was snow school: crampons, ice axes, self-arrest, rope team logistics all figured large.

Monday we did our first climb: Alpina Dome. It was a dome: huge summit area and all snow ascend. Things got a bit worrisome on the way down as hail, thunder and lightening moved in. We hurried as much as we could down the glacier and into camp. All was well. Tuesday, we went out to Citadel mountain - a long glacier walk out and then up a steep snow arete, with lots of exposure. Memorable for sure.

Wednesday, despite myself, Jan and I headed up on a rope team with our guide Peter to Silvertip. A mix of rock and ice, it made for an interesting ridge experience with lots of loose rock and steep climbing sections to gain the summit. Thursday we got rained out: day and night. A well needed rest day, which was filled with more skills and information on mountain craftiness.

Friday we took on Azimouth - the glacier crossing was followed by a long rocky ridge with several intermediate summits. A worthy final climb of our week. Friday night's talent show featured some memorable moments using many windstoppers (buffs).

Saturday we helicoptered out and then caught our ride back to Golden. Sad to leave this time and place and the people we got to know in camp.

Pics will come later - having trouble with uploading from our cameras :(

Kicking Horse

We're celebrating my arrival in Canada 24 years ago today sitting atop the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort outside of Golden, BC. We've enjoyed a tasty lunch at the Eagle Eye restaurant.

Today, is a rest day: we took the Gondola up :) -- unlike this Jeep, which really did drive up the mountain. One of the better ads I've seen in a while.

It feels a bit odd to look out at mountains we did not ascend, but it is beautiful. We've skied here before and definitely put this mountain into the "recommend" section.

Lakes O'Hara and McArthur

Today we hiked into Lake O'Hara to spend the day with good friends from T.O. We hiked up to Lake McArthur and had a fine trail lunch. Here's pictoral proof :)

We'll try tomorrow to post a few choice pics from our awesome Alpine Club General Mountaineering Camp. We loved every moment in the Selkirks Sir Sandford area. We summited 4 mountains: Alpina Dome, Citadel, Silvertip and Azimuth.
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Beautiful Lake Louise

A quick stop over to see the icon sights at Lake Louise.

We're making great time on our ride with Chris (fellow GMCer) and enjoying the first day of this trip :)

BC mountains beckon

We are about to embark on a thoroughly Canadian adventure over the next 17 days. First we fly about 3,000 km, then drive close to 300 km and settle in Golden, BC for a night. Early the next morning we meet up with the other Alpine Club of Canada's General Mountaineering Camp participants and get on a 1.5 hour drive to the heli-pad from where we are then transported by helicopter to our camp in the Sir Sandford Group. There we will spend a week honing mountain crafts, glacier travel, and set out to ascend some of the mountains including, weather permitting Sir Sandford.

Yellow = Sir Sandford.
Orange - road to Lake O'Hara
Red = Horse trail into Yoho back-country

That's week 1.

Week 2 will kick off with a hike in to Lake O'Hara to spend a day with good friends. Lake O'Hara's one of the most regulated places: strict and low limits on everything, including seats on the bus from the parking lot to the lodge at Lake O'Hara. For us the only way to get there is on foot - 11 km in and 11km out. In between we hope to get a few more alpine lake views in, and most important catch up on life and news with our friends!

After a rest day, we head off to Bear Corner Bed & Bale (!)  to meet up with Al and get ready for a 4-day trail riding excursion into Yoho National Park back-country.

There's hoping we have fine mountain weather, excellent company and all kinds of interesting, challenging and fun mountain travel in the alpine.

We'll post pics when we have reception or web access. 

Adirondacks wilderness

We just spent 3 nights in the Adirondacks, one of our all-time favourite hiking destinations. We go often and have been using the technical, demanding terrain of the High Peaks region to prepare for some of our longer trekking and mountain adventures.

This weekend, we were back to hone those skills as we are about to head of the the Alpine Club of Canada's General Mountaineering Camp. The weather was gorgeous, the hiking spectacular, the camp site awesome. In short, we had the perfect weekend.

Jan on top of Saddleback (4,515 feet).

"Precipitous down climb" on way from
Saddleback to Basin Mountain. When the
guidebook says this and adds "extreme
caution" there's a reason.

Massive new slide due to Hurricane Irene
last September. Nature is awe-inspiring in
its sheer force.

View of Basin Mountain. We summitted
it, too (4,827 feet), and then 
backtracked to Orebed camping 
via Saddleback.

Signal Hill view over St. John's harbour

This was the windswept view this morning. This was quite the fortified harbour with its various batteries of cannons atop of steep, rocky cliffs protecting the narrows.

St. John's The Brimstone

And now the raucous sing-along
Newfi style.

George St, St. John's

I'm back on the Rock for a conference. Tonight is the last night featuring the "Rally in the alley": drink tickets, live music (awesome entertainer), and fish and chips. Next bar coming up shortly they say.

Giv'r Hill explained

Last weekend we went to see our friend Giselle walk the Blue Nose Marathon. (She had an awesome time!)

Here's one of the highlights of the weekend: Jan explains Giv'r Hill, a feature that receives much respect from runners and walkers alike.