Alpine Style

At left: Mt. Forbes as seen from the Columbia Icefields.

In September 1997, Ptor Spricenieks twisted my arm into quiting my construction job, and driving from our homes in Whistler B.C. to the Rockies, with intents of skiing the north face of Mt. Forbes. Mt. Forbes is significant because at 3612 meters, it's the highest peak in Banff National Park, and its beautifuly steep face just beckoned to be skied. So after a full days drive, we arrived at the parking area on the icefields parkway and began our three day adventure. Day 1 was an 18 km hike which ended with a chest deep, ice cold river fording, just a few hundred meters below the toe of the Mons Glacier. Day 2 was the day. After 3000 feet of scrambling, we finally reached the glacier and the transition to ski touring mode. A releif after carrying our skies on our backs for 21 km! After another four thousand feet of glacier and climbing the face, we finally arrived at the summit. The sharp pointy summit of Mt. Forbes is especially memorable for me. The late afternoon light was crisp and warm and there were stunning views in all directions. The summit was too small to stand on but made a perfect handhold to balance from when clicking into our skis. The first ten turns were on great sugary corn snow on a 40 degree slope before it rolled into the 50+ degree face. The adreniline pumped through our bodies as we dug our edges into the icy face. Our legs burned as with neither of had skied since the spring, but of course it was just like riding a bike, which we had spent a lot of time on during the summer. The lower angled glacier below the face was a fun high speed giant slalom affair with a few little crevass hops.

It got dark during the descent and we were forced to have an open bivi after crossing the Mons glacier. Of course it started raining in the middle of the night and we were forced to press on. As it got light we, we finished the scrambling in a full downpour, found our tent, and preceded to make dinner and take a nap before hiking out. The river fording with our heavy packs fortunately was without incident, and we made it back to the van, exhausted but incredibly satisfied, and thrilled about our successful journey.

In april 2005, Troy Jungen, Doug Sproul and I skied the most famost famous of the "grand-traverses" in western Canada, in an unprecedented style for such an objective. The 135 km and 30 something thousand feet of vertical took us 80 hours to complete. Story and photos to come soon...

Climbing and skiing, together at last. The first complete descent of the north face of Popes Peak

The hanging basin below the north face of Popes Peak has always been an attraction to skiers for it's multitude of steep couloirs. However two pitches of ice and mixed climbing through the seracs had prevented skiers from making the complete descent of Popes' north face from the summit. It was mid April 2007 when Chris Brazeau and I set out for this coveted prize. At the top of the main couloir (which is classic on its own), Chris led a 15 meter pitch of water ice 3. With no possibilities for an anchor at the top, we simulclimbed the 55 degree hanging snow slope above until an ice anchor was available in the hanging serac. I took the next lead which involved a couple of body lengths of awkward M4. I had to turn my torso sideways so my ski tips didn't but into the severely overhanging seracs. I belayed Chris up on an ice screw anchor, we stashed the cord, and kicked steps and skinned to the summit. We enjoyed a spectacular 360 degree view in beautiful spring sunshine before shredding the cold smoke that awaited us below. On the way down, we rappeled both climbing pitches off a v-thread and a massive bollard, and made it back to the car without incident. We only carried three ice screws and wished we had more. Now i can't wait to hit the lines I on Mt. Narao, Popes' neighbour!

Getting up early is worth it. Doug Sproul savors a sunrise from Perfect Peak, in the Selkirk Mountains. The day began at a Sorcerer Lodge, and we would go on to ski tour over 3000m that day, of perfect powder above a sea of clouds.

Doug Sproul rips off his skins and makes a speedy transition from skinning to skiing, in anticipation of the champagne powder below. Perfect Pass, Selkirk Mountains B.C. (near Sorcerer Lodge)

Doug Sproul dropping in to another blissful run near Sorcerer Lodge, in the Selkirk Range, B.C.

Andrew Wexler getting face shots one particularilly deep stormy day of ski touring on Ross Peak, Rogers Pass B.C.

Johny Franko enjoys an 80 cm dump, as he drops into the exit couloir of Envers de Plan, Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix, France.

North Face of Mt. Robson dominates the view, as Troy Jungen arrives at the summit of Peak 9200 on the Hargreaves Glacier. This was the coldest day we've ever ski toured, and required down jackets, goggles and mitts, even when going uphill.