So after working a NOLS Patagonia Mountaineering and Rock climbing course I jumped on a plane back to New Brunswick in late March. Here is what I have been up to since.
On the NOLS mounatin trip we traveled 125km from Rio El Engano to Rio Leones... on the way traveling through some magical terrain! Enjoy the photos!
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| Jimmy embracing the Patagonia bush. Photo: Mitch Harter |
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| Some unclimbed stone in the Rio El Engano. Photo Mitch Harter |
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| Teaching how to rig for glacier travel on a small unnamed pocket glacier. Photo: Mitch Harter |
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| More glacier instruction.... splitting and stacking. Photo: Mitch Harter |
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| The unclimbed walls of Cerro Chilean in the notoriously wet Exploradores Valley. Photo: Mitch Harter |
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| Exploradores Glacier elevation around 200m above sea level. Photo Mitch Harter |
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| Andean Condors... one of the largest birds in the world! Photo: Mitch Harter |
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| Looking over unnamed peaks & glaciers of the Cordon Las Parvas. Photo: Mitch Harter |
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| Our camp looking west at the northern end of the Campo de Heilo Norte! Photo: Mitch Harter |
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| Mitch, Felipe and me enjoying mate in la carpa. Photo: Mitch Harter |
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| Cerro Hyades Photo: Mitch Harter |
Shortly after my arrival I was out swinging my tools at my local crag (Cape Maringouin). I also ventured to Parlee Brook and Grand Falls to climb ice with Marty Theriault and Luc Gallant. Marty and I also headed north to find some late season ice on Quebec's Gaspe Pennisula.
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| Cape Maringouin ice late March! |
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| Marty high up on Mt Saint Pierre Gaspesie Quebec. |
During these few weeks in NB my truck broke down in Fredericton while visiting friends and I ended up being there for about 10days while my clutch and transmission was replaced.... more then a little challenging... on the flip side I got to visit good friends and go to the UNB Rock and Ice bouldering gym numerous times.
Once my truck was finished I headed back to Sackville, organized my gear, said my good-byes and was on my way. After 4 days, at about 16hrs of driving a day I made it to Vancouver.
My plan was to be in Vancouver earlier but because of the truck that didn't happen.... regardless I made it out and meet up with my pal Dane Sherstad for a few days of ski touring in Joffery Lakes Provincial Park located in BC Coast Range outside of Pemberton. On our way to ski we stopped in Squamish and got 4 pitches of wonderful granite climbing in.
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| Be careful don't stop! |
We spent 2 nights at Keith's Hut and had great conditions! I haven't really been on my board in 3 years and it was great to have blower pow hitting me in the face! First thing I said to Dane after our first run was.... "I need more of this!"
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| Forgot the camera in the car so after 3 days we thought a shot with some Deshutes Black Butte Porter was a good idea. |
After those wonderful 3 days Dane and I headed to Conway, Washington to re-cert our Wilderness first aid for 3 days, then back to Vancouver.
While Dane and Rachel were packing there stuff to move back to WA I was waiting for the weather to improve for the Squamish rock to dry out! It wasn't along wait.
My time in Squamish has been awesome! I've got to climb the Grand Wall 8 pitches 5.11a/A0, Sunset Strip (a fairly new route that climbs the right side of the Grand 5.10d 12 pitches), an awesome evening lap on St Vidus Dance 5 pitch 5.9, a burn on the Slhanay Wall via Photophobia 5 pitch 5.10d, onsighting some 5.11 sport routes, falling on 5.12 sport routes and going for some west coast rainy day exploring of some old crags that are seeing a resurgence of attention and development.
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| Klem belaying Paul on Yellow Beard 12a Rogue's Gallery |
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| Annika on pitch 1 of Photophobia 10b fingers... excellent! |
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| Annika on the final pitch of Photophobia 10b slab. |
Thanks Scotty and Heather for your wonderful hospitality! Annika, Scotty, Luke, Jill, Paul, Klem, Tony and company for the climbing and hanging out!
Now it is time to start the organization for the Kooshdakhaa Spire in AK!!
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| Kooshdahkaa Spire is left of center, an 800m piece of granite with the summit being around 2200m |
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| A closer look at the upper half of the spire! |
