tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40559636561708481942024-03-14T08:09:02.153-07:00Jenny's Mountain AdventuresJenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.comBlogger213125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-31636313926694411612023-02-21T23:23:00.000-08:002023-12-04T23:16:59.367-08:00Jumbo Pass Cabin Pow Fest<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWjOnxoLqFB4FgZq-p94M5FLZDgaGchmKYFGbbxS7YTo12hRBa5WTyvgyKydz-b7qe4Jo279HOuzyiSbdMm6qfWcQpr-b7RdeV5pP0fH0zI-mFdhxJIpcghZ7eLWt8A3OVvoxmK_gwby36bSqmwfuR--qlWXGyJChC-XYlwZD8-TpT8u9vl-AE6Fy9A/s4032/20230217_134813.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWjOnxoLqFB4FgZq-p94M5FLZDgaGchmKYFGbbxS7YTo12hRBa5WTyvgyKydz-b7qe4Jo279HOuzyiSbdMm6qfWcQpr-b7RdeV5pP0fH0zI-mFdhxJIpcghZ7eLWt8A3OVvoxmK_gwby36bSqmwfuR--qlWXGyJChC-XYlwZD8-TpT8u9vl-AE6Fy9A/w640-h480/20230217_134813.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approach to the Jumbo Pass Hut</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Booking a winter hut trip is a gamble. You never know if the weather will cooperate or if you will even be able to get into the hut at all. We booked the Jumbo hut months in advance after multiple failed attempts to secure a booking at any of the Columbia Valley Huts. Somehow, the stars aligned and we ended up with 5 days over the Family Day weekend. With a treacherous start to the backcountry season and a low snowpack, people were hesitant to commit, but thanks to Steve's network of cool friends we managed to put together a crew of 6 stoked skiers who were all praying for snow.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGD8t-B38MiPhU_yPkYPmK_ajLpRAE0H_7l4tz3qHIt0iUTzDXoZz6zkqqKtctNKJz9ulIyTY_GeLRE2wsza80FhBZ879euxiPELHd-S-PSWwaGTCxKNopH74RQsbmkTiapvTVgznH2G5xgoH3wKwy_VCYbmKaqVjLIyWNJAU4tfmGoVIyB0LA_1nVg/s3648/20230220_134016.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHGD8t-B38MiPhU_yPkYPmK_ajLpRAE0H_7l4tz3qHIt0iUTzDXoZz6zkqqKtctNKJz9ulIyTY_GeLRE2wsza80FhBZ879euxiPELHd-S-PSWwaGTCxKNopH74RQsbmkTiapvTVgznH2G5xgoH3wKwy_VCYbmKaqVjLIyWNJAU4tfmGoVIyB0LA_1nVg/w480-h640/20230220_134016.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Its a good day when you get to ride in a heli</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We met in Invermere at the Glacier Heli Base, where Greg our pilot ran us through how we were going to load and unload the heli. As they only had a small Astar available, we had to fly in in two loads. Half the group staged at the heliport while the other group was staging out of Toby Creek Road where we were going to load and unload our gear while the the blades were spinning. We had only met Niall and Reid on a zoom call so this was our first intro to the brothers who kicked our asses and kept us entertained all trip on their skinny skis. The weather held and both groups arrived uneventfully at the Jumbo Pass Hut. Time to go skiing!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WPZnxQuv2Ns_Qkhzg5npKBVRRmdQYGLkbVPaI8eq84A0P8qceV09-k2sfzTP41QjtzWcJPziC6TiGXn67cbgOlPJ-kFXF-lwyuykGsJ7AGXbZgWG0qjTW4JkvloPPObS-aDsOsi4tqraxN19QjD70lnYLggAZhsJ0YcM5SIP4vvARKUqmEZ871fyPg/s4032/20230217_105237.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7WPZnxQuv2Ns_Qkhzg5npKBVRRmdQYGLkbVPaI8eq84A0P8qceV09-k2sfzTP41QjtzWcJPziC6TiGXn67cbgOlPJ-kFXF-lwyuykGsJ7AGXbZgWG0qjTW4JkvloPPObS-aDsOsi4tqraxN19QjD70lnYLggAZhsJ0YcM5SIP4vvARKUqmEZ871fyPg/w480-h640/20230217_105237.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh snow and smiles</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Despite the low snowpack in the Rockies, we were pleasantly surprised to find excellent snow and coverage up at the pass. We spent the first 2 days punching in skin tracks all over the slopes near the hut to use as super-highways for the rest of the trip. We even got some sunshine and had some amazing laps off the peak above the hut during a break in the clouds. We had unlimited fresh pow and all agreed it was the best skiing of the season so far. An overnight refresh made for an excellent second day and we tracked out the easy pickings near the hut.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxpIuRae-I2RTuAWs1AnJNDTcLPBe81OX1K8whhJOrk2Zp-aXBQSivozlam1EroWKc-PCulBeZA1mbnlJLRbJn2IdZo67Bo8KAHeoB2rRSPjxYxTYgF9eUldndKI5wm9ak-cI5enPXMFHXmGbUGnO_7zNaK25vWvoFb4OlgNL2aKJTjfAuE5uTq432Q/s4032/20230217_151742.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfxpIuRae-I2RTuAWs1AnJNDTcLPBe81OX1K8whhJOrk2Zp-aXBQSivozlam1EroWKc-PCulBeZA1mbnlJLRbJn2IdZo67Bo8KAHeoB2rRSPjxYxTYgF9eUldndKI5wm9ak-cI5enPXMFHXmGbUGnO_7zNaK25vWvoFb4OlgNL2aKJTjfAuE5uTq432Q/w480-h640/20230217_151742.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue skies above the hut didn't last long but we took advantage of the good visibility</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMydlmX2cIDp7n_CPScQ9SZZkc44pexaezDQdyz-neE1FEFueiozgznYh1KhSK3zCn2igglxEZvkDPcirfbJshVeL17ejjjQ-x_ZOj6ulfVnJaAZliyphU8DhZFHLssiskWgKScfsmEopkelIeLaAZ-FWVarmhuzh_3qAiq-PrlinhUUKZotNJXTfTUQ/s4032/IMG_2558.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMydlmX2cIDp7n_CPScQ9SZZkc44pexaezDQdyz-neE1FEFueiozgznYh1KhSK3zCn2igglxEZvkDPcirfbJshVeL17ejjjQ-x_ZOj6ulfVnJaAZliyphU8DhZFHLssiskWgKScfsmEopkelIeLaAZ-FWVarmhuzh_3qAiq-PrlinhUUKZotNJXTfTUQ/w640-h480/IMG_2558.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Punching in tracks for the week</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtSbZLhidyMO0z9VjhNurx9mf-s25V7z7xstRzAmCsdTx7OkaTSApp-Mw9bTxFaeYAOIL9bw5iF8h8PyUVR2V2mVmVvp-_TG6cTm3vZl1IwK2XZu2d4V5KGJ9CROVbsvBchdfH31FZtnr32Z1qakg9I-Rae1TraZSt5WaMH2eN5gX9TBY8mQlSizuBQ/s4032/20230217_102753.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtSbZLhidyMO0z9VjhNurx9mf-s25V7z7xstRzAmCsdTx7OkaTSApp-Mw9bTxFaeYAOIL9bw5iF8h8PyUVR2V2mVmVvp-_TG6cTm3vZl1IwK2XZu2d4V5KGJ9CROVbsvBchdfH31FZtnr32Z1qakg9I-Rae1TraZSt5WaMH2eN5gX9TBY8mQlSizuBQ/w480-h640/20230217_102753.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Digging pits<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyapivO0dpeoPSz7NPpZ7HAToK2hUiOmOIOkbgfh95_9yceGsFM4IKMeO-veb9DkwWx2rAjgc-xFjCpGjfUeuENLq1duOMhcjt5d05GQ38QWEhOWOnOlaHPrC0w6HvO5Xznf88NaLNswTBwf_1qsr8RNrNHHMKHFRLFdUo1Px7e-Ue2LpVDx3fMF7_hw/s4032/20230218_095912.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyapivO0dpeoPSz7NPpZ7HAToK2hUiOmOIOkbgfh95_9yceGsFM4IKMeO-veb9DkwWx2rAjgc-xFjCpGjfUeuENLq1duOMhcjt5d05GQ38QWEhOWOnOlaHPrC0w6HvO5Xznf88NaLNswTBwf_1qsr8RNrNHHMKHFRLFdUo1Px7e-Ue2LpVDx3fMF7_hw/w480-h640/20230218_095912.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More skin tracks</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWnt-ikP3Nyy3L96GCwzf3zWq6ghieEZhcmp1hlwrGOzgrGtUF3XCb1TzW6f9DmuEbZUqCy8ItmrFlQrjDlk0Ff6YD6K2lly20q94FI44PTRRrjm7LTkSgO0NTMm5QP6LhOOw6qx_-V22tKbRjHzxzaWfRK0R8GkSMs2YhURdtNfxfzO5jq2lW_KIKog/s1526/20230218_112235_exported_9031%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1526" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWnt-ikP3Nyy3L96GCwzf3zWq6ghieEZhcmp1hlwrGOzgrGtUF3XCb1TzW6f9DmuEbZUqCy8ItmrFlQrjDlk0Ff6YD6K2lly20q94FI44PTRRrjm7LTkSgO0NTMm5QP6LhOOw6qx_-V22tKbRjHzxzaWfRK0R8GkSMs2YhURdtNfxfzO5jq2lW_KIKog/w448-h640/20230218_112235_exported_9031%20(2).jpg" width="448" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Niall shreds the pow</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNZdZzeP1J5YNazFXYMZ-6fjmzSCiHQEaZMK5aS3ac2n8RQfzNLyBl85fLL5THW1zW9c7ZZDQLdB21b-ro3lSLfmm78qLap-SoZjMDii2S-4qYmHsR0rYYK6VH69KJuMM-vc9iuk1yt3bOfMQiklXGVhk-Sl1Ro9MrkIvzuRlPeE124ARrS2arnbiJA/s2944/20230217_134826.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="2208" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNZdZzeP1J5YNazFXYMZ-6fjmzSCiHQEaZMK5aS3ac2n8RQfzNLyBl85fLL5THW1zW9c7ZZDQLdB21b-ro3lSLfmm78qLap-SoZjMDii2S-4qYmHsR0rYYK6VH69KJuMM-vc9iuk1yt3bOfMQiklXGVhk-Sl1Ro9MrkIvzuRlPeE124ARrS2arnbiJA/w480-h640/20230217_134826.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy to be back at Jumbo for my first mid-winter trip to the pass<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8qLCinUIZklGpRxclVi4lD8MPHXGrLa7HpK_6aMYykpEZSlTFX_ZXhSCuJNoVVCZOzbT-pfrSLHZAAb1a-pH11i8sx6Cg90c2iPaftTAKQ1TNTILSYVN_gziBT9B7DsiErIvGiu4dpWnppyGzoT5kbTsbDyDh0Z6YhactSBf3WIDwaWGtE2AsaVYvQ/s4032/20230218_192316.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn8qLCinUIZklGpRxclVi4lD8MPHXGrLa7HpK_6aMYykpEZSlTFX_ZXhSCuJNoVVCZOzbT-pfrSLHZAAb1a-pH11i8sx6Cg90c2iPaftTAKQ1TNTILSYVN_gziBT9B7DsiErIvGiu4dpWnppyGzoT5kbTsbDyDh0Z6YhactSBf3WIDwaWGtE2AsaVYvQ/w480-h640/20230218_192316.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cozy hut after dark<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">And then it started to snow...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUJ8Do4ogzF0T6QOrKd6R2fDkI5JONHKP2JOnj4dhnJPJnz8V9z-Yz1kLaF6DFeG-aZQ2rsJ0wMUa87BqWtHD7tP26Vv7cVk3YbYr4Ejfk-4TjE02LN4GSOnlK-En8FzhQkREy9e8iykRy5UfsF9F3-dnrBmm3DgLvdt04aiPywIfYJn9C6S_VYm4OQ/s4032/20230217_084548.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPUJ8Do4ogzF0T6QOrKd6R2fDkI5JONHKP2JOnj4dhnJPJnz8V9z-Yz1kLaF6DFeG-aZQ2rsJ0wMUa87BqWtHD7tP26Vv7cVk3YbYr4Ejfk-4TjE02LN4GSOnlK-En8FzhQkREy9e8iykRy5UfsF9F3-dnrBmm3DgLvdt04aiPywIfYJn9C6S_VYm4OQ/w480-h640/20230217_084548.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading out into the storm<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHq9uJyhQ-l4_IJoOYGfIrHBakHpdP_NYMWSjrqY2_JpS6df2ZNhGbrimN9oUt0tPXOz-yaqiSMyjePiWATTTFcqnh28iIbfCQqr2ZGinexwkG-va1-68F4vcs1ndkjtaukZExtBHiBBgwBObNSN_JKbI8jbXK51cgpqVA-VCVqVqM-1qvk1gfycWyg/s1521/20230218_154905_exported_16189%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1521" data-original-width="1063" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZHq9uJyhQ-l4_IJoOYGfIrHBakHpdP_NYMWSjrqY2_JpS6df2ZNhGbrimN9oUt0tPXOz-yaqiSMyjePiWATTTFcqnh28iIbfCQqr2ZGinexwkG-va1-68F4vcs1ndkjtaukZExtBHiBBgwBObNSN_JKbI8jbXK51cgpqVA-VCVqVqM-1qvk1gfycWyg/w448-h640/20230218_154905_exported_16189%20(2).jpg" width="448" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve finding face shots</td></tr></tbody></table>A huge storm rolled in and didn't stop snowing for the rest of the trip. All our tracks filled in and we had the joy of breaking trail each lap. Hungry for face-shots, we started pushing further from the hut looking to explore new zones and found a short, steep tree run that was easy to lap. We spent most of the day ripping lines through the trees in perfect pow until we ran out of energy and daylight.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GdEZ04qXrHfHvKGvxwbrILONpBedWwdKv9na8HoGTw7hAyCJ5XkIqnkxAfnRVPTmGKEajXURemxZ7ZMTZjpCm1lDr2urqkZGXOwNoUCngOkY7jx86wSRvdI5D02N9_2suxabTuxxOZFU87eQYroXUXTqQBqdQzZ_HwUyo9qE9CNdElO9pH7mBAlwXA/s4032/20230218_111539.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GdEZ04qXrHfHvKGvxwbrILONpBedWwdKv9na8HoGTw7hAyCJ5XkIqnkxAfnRVPTmGKEajXURemxZ7ZMTZjpCm1lDr2urqkZGXOwNoUCngOkY7jx86wSRvdI5D02N9_2suxabTuxxOZFU87eQYroXUXTqQBqdQzZ_HwUyo9qE9CNdElO9pH7mBAlwXA/w480-h640/20230218_111539.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to drop in</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmFCMgSdJ7qiLpmzIsHxmbpvv34EUfOHiab5419n369brI6q23QweQYQKBUnYlYC3Yzck1LYGBEw6Me5tmtycWacFSRcmjCvD11pp-k-xdjHIiiUFZQQJQ6YB17KMpXgujH1Y71OVSNERYG_tRWLpkKOJltlxBUHdJbLQ_jDMxliazId3S1LIetpQhg/s4032/20230219_102543.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmFCMgSdJ7qiLpmzIsHxmbpvv34EUfOHiab5419n369brI6q23QweQYQKBUnYlYC3Yzck1LYGBEw6Me5tmtycWacFSRcmjCvD11pp-k-xdjHIiiUFZQQJQ6YB17KMpXgujH1Y71OVSNERYG_tRWLpkKOJltlxBUHdJbLQ_jDMxliazId3S1LIetpQhg/w480-h640/20230219_102543.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle coming up for air</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBJKG5okRoAhVIjf4B_oXvLHNliDjlJjnihKnuC3Dx-4528S8WziGiNCITO35ZXSdKdPNYh-S4Ik3iMy9ecw9xACZJ34CUXQxgkTkJChYb0dbtWlkoCXHgEnG3Qqk3l7MDD023RbBn_l5n0ycTYmdImLPKCXGMv8pUdrGlp0jlsSuiVXR15s0OjmY1w/s1528/20230218_112217_exported_11956%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1528" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcBJKG5okRoAhVIjf4B_oXvLHNliDjlJjnihKnuC3Dx-4528S8WziGiNCITO35ZXSdKdPNYh-S4Ik3iMy9ecw9xACZJ34CUXQxgkTkJChYb0dbtWlkoCXHgEnG3Qqk3l7MDD023RbBn_l5n0ycTYmdImLPKCXGMv8pUdrGlp0jlsSuiVXR15s0OjmY1w/w448-h640/20230218_112217_exported_11956%20(2).jpg" width="448" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great day!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlwDFY-oGF5pMcRihsyYvM22JFUzNQMzDJrT-y15-b5wu2AvzAHUvJomaxOfsV-cdhY82mHW8E8rrMWDJ4Wev-6WBmbfRt01G5kLHD4Cu3c91zh-Em6irq2a20sa202LmYOyUKP1tCt8WHaJpTJBSfbVu63T6uGisVOvdtfWUPaIKT1AKu7QzjSPqsQ/s4032/20230219_100508.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivlwDFY-oGF5pMcRihsyYvM22JFUzNQMzDJrT-y15-b5wu2AvzAHUvJomaxOfsV-cdhY82mHW8E8rrMWDJ4Wev-6WBmbfRt01G5kLHD4Cu3c91zh-Em6irq2a20sa202LmYOyUKP1tCt8WHaJpTJBSfbVu63T6uGisVOvdtfWUPaIKT1AKu7QzjSPqsQ/w480-h640/20230219_100508.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back up for another lap</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzf-xxsOg4TwoNyrWUlz-RmShiqTwak-VWwvveBQu7epaKNaAJ67UWkDH9ij1vn-FRJJ9t3LrAOuAcTEH7HQMQCO3JGkXQxirJiBAfB-VsX71qSoCQQKTjmKg732sWX-BSarcvuXlSbIFGEdEVLgBVXosncLjPqrijMSfCO7baP3tRMwnE1noJSAUew/s1552/IMG_2555.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1552" data-original-width="1242" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzf-xxsOg4TwoNyrWUlz-RmShiqTwak-VWwvveBQu7epaKNaAJ67UWkDH9ij1vn-FRJJ9t3LrAOuAcTEH7HQMQCO3JGkXQxirJiBAfB-VsX71qSoCQQKTjmKg732sWX-BSarcvuXlSbIFGEdEVLgBVXosncLjPqrijMSfCO7baP3tRMwnE1noJSAUew/w512-h640/IMG_2555.HEIC" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not having any fun at all!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZbgRKPIcgroxmYh8WXljWeJxUq0j68wZO3Uqobf4p2Ble2tjezyHC7LNnJFo_F3odDhlOKVN1j4A9oEVISqz5WfEyAYSx9pAdb8CKOJZDqu-lVe5_rBC7wy9paWbvu0HUZQe7HYJmVE6FApq-CUe_fIQvsC7eF2NN8tHXH99NDPG9SAAArHRE9D-Ww/s1920/IMG_2609%20-%20frame%20at%200m4s.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1920" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZbgRKPIcgroxmYh8WXljWeJxUq0j68wZO3Uqobf4p2Ble2tjezyHC7LNnJFo_F3odDhlOKVN1j4A9oEVISqz5WfEyAYSx9pAdb8CKOJZDqu-lVe5_rBC7wy9paWbvu0HUZQe7HYJmVE6FApq-CUe_fIQvsC7eF2NN8tHXH99NDPG9SAAArHRE9D-Ww/w640-h362/IMG_2609%20-%20frame%20at%200m4s.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snorkle time<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKABein6jQLttjmCavTarSJMMmXQoF3kh_DN557jM6XXhwcXSuCb868PtBLwBqzI_ur3n4BsI9ZAXsnx0-cufCe2yGANh0hn_2Q92y1N-FKMEhG3L3zTIpy3-ZzKjC7zHjr0-t6EK5eXPoB86kIRrlWxpRNLyOAp_F_UxluyVtBpvbQ1unz0vS_1Lmuw/s1543/20230219_123112_exported_3332%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1543" data-original-width="1063" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKABein6jQLttjmCavTarSJMMmXQoF3kh_DN557jM6XXhwcXSuCb868PtBLwBqzI_ur3n4BsI9ZAXsnx0-cufCe2yGANh0hn_2Q92y1N-FKMEhG3L3zTIpy3-ZzKjC7zHjr0-t6EK5eXPoB86kIRrlWxpRNLyOAp_F_UxluyVtBpvbQ1unz0vS_1Lmuw/w440-h640/20230219_123112_exported_3332%20(2).jpg" width="440" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sendy Steve gets sendy</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXRloXwgjvfGUZOlHbWUfm71XJqZ6rb7ss2tQcrPmZBSx_NHa-RRZy2faTVTv3qrzWCaWOx3bxW2qD8qN5J4CY1llRlJQRqY3b5IL8PQUqBJ3W-uZToKHb48eRXAuWzdiuPXx603dH8uS8ZUdv_exCe47JeXORTl9DmQgMTIcDx1pL-02Av6X2Abi5A/s4032/20230217_112024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXRloXwgjvfGUZOlHbWUfm71XJqZ6rb7ss2tQcrPmZBSx_NHa-RRZy2faTVTv3qrzWCaWOx3bxW2qD8qN5J4CY1llRlJQRqY3b5IL8PQUqBJ3W-uZToKHb48eRXAuWzdiuPXx603dH8uS8ZUdv_exCe47JeXORTl9DmQgMTIcDx1pL-02Av6X2Abi5A/w480-h640/20230217_112024.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think he had some face shots!</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Day four was even deeper as the snow kept falling. We had to dig out the porch and path to the outhouse every few hours as it kept drifting in. In the spirit of Reid's 30th birthday, Reid, Niall and Mike put in a huge effort with a goal of skiing "30 for 30," 3000m of elevation in a day. This would be a huge day at the best of times, but with the heavy snowfall it meant that they were breaking trail each lap too!! Steve skied with Kyle and I most of the day but joined the crazies once our legs were done. At the end of the day, Niall and Reid were the last ones standing. The final elevation came out to 3100m of elevation and 14 laps of epic pow. A feeding frenzy ensued which included a tiramisu birthday cake, followed by a serious food coma.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiky8ZYQIFEmlr7RzlCnSlAOnGjfFoUSFAIgMsl8imTXDL6SYLjbwyyr5bZIRju-WeILf3zzQkI9awc_CrTDMcJG76gsO3UI6uy48KU3Pgy9t7wClMMAaHMvWuqvS3gINj5rk7A-C7osEY0Z3tn9aNrq_sUXfW3HuhddgF8OSbBCmWw0wFGtu6Tuf_AIw/s1383/20230218_141701_exported_3550%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1383" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiky8ZYQIFEmlr7RzlCnSlAOnGjfFoUSFAIgMsl8imTXDL6SYLjbwyyr5bZIRju-WeILf3zzQkI9awc_CrTDMcJG76gsO3UI6uy48KU3Pgy9t7wClMMAaHMvWuqvS3gINj5rk7A-C7osEY0Z3tn9aNrq_sUXfW3HuhddgF8OSbBCmWw0wFGtu6Tuf_AIw/w496-h640/20230218_141701_exported_3550%20(2).jpg" width="496" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle eats powder for breakfast</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceojSFzhe5jGBxagxwYLrAfbFZ5KtpE2nBgSm0mcCPZLqht4uhVrk1TXpOSQcSaL8yKRduzxu0Mhht_vGEibj9YLtUEJfApLLshQv9xvfB1oxzrh89nhgQH3VTRQ1-jSocDSKH1m68Jkd3fOjvQsL8szpOCUSkM9N4m5g6uUI_nb-Jw2ppTj_W0Yl-w/s2158/IMG_2599.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2158" data-original-width="1534" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgceojSFzhe5jGBxagxwYLrAfbFZ5KtpE2nBgSm0mcCPZLqht4uhVrk1TXpOSQcSaL8yKRduzxu0Mhht_vGEibj9YLtUEJfApLLshQv9xvfB1oxzrh89nhgQH3VTRQ1-jSocDSKH1m68Jkd3fOjvQsL8szpOCUSkM9N4m5g6uUI_nb-Jw2ppTj_W0Yl-w/w454-h640/IMG_2599.HEIC" width="454" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go big or go home</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYXUmguRPWOaFy76yZ5BeLuQ1YvDWx8cAo9v_ZV0iUSOwopMgHrywvkjxsRdAdmJ-YC348LpkBuxkiZqRbX6dRgtyiV1UqrBKmp8EBYg00iDDSXq6X4koa4h-iu9luEwe2pgvrChk0U1qRjEcVW2Q2aexUmxU1_8iIm_VzAY4Fr6tD_9MhWVp33SuEQ/s1510/20230220_113118%20-%20frame%20at%200m8si%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYXUmguRPWOaFy76yZ5BeLuQ1YvDWx8cAo9v_ZV0iUSOwopMgHrywvkjxsRdAdmJ-YC348LpkBuxkiZqRbX6dRgtyiV1UqrBKmp8EBYg00iDDSXq6X4koa4h-iu9luEwe2pgvrChk0U1qRjEcVW2Q2aexUmxU1_8iIm_VzAY4Fr6tD_9MhWVp33SuEQ/w458-h640/20230220_113118%20-%20frame%20at%200m8si%20(3).jpg" width="458" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steep and deep</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUKwsOv2JWd8YTyLsSKSa0wXegwKjwoxAxthxIQA0kh9GqRER3yQpImxjFlQ_fYRo09pNrdOOYj-izh1jNe3dGROILZBJtTs3mkvdYu0L2UZCTZYYI13lecFlY6ECDBvCO3PdKY6vZGq9M6N6Dx5UW_g_ns_rbkxs-3w5p6dJzN9_44YB3uZAXHTz0w/s4032/20230220_095802.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUKwsOv2JWd8YTyLsSKSa0wXegwKjwoxAxthxIQA0kh9GqRER3yQpImxjFlQ_fYRo09pNrdOOYj-izh1jNe3dGROILZBJtTs3mkvdYu0L2UZCTZYYI13lecFlY6ECDBvCO3PdKY6vZGq9M6N6Dx5UW_g_ns_rbkxs-3w5p6dJzN9_44YB3uZAXHTz0w/w480-h640/20230220_095802.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Niall breaking trail as usual</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSD4EVmwqZ23zTxFacEzuSnmjkXFzbTjQ6WQM2aN7ctPEMOlqUPC2A-F2zzhJnr1ChOXx7QVDfYhIFK_hzvQM7Knx3i3iBfqSLoeATyaHFoR2R0HO9Dtp9S4MkZFaeG2UWc25KR-eiMUGp204szxzhR2O1KIndod1NXryn4J9qHVoIK2_9WiVW3kNjqA/s1920/IMG_2582%20-%20frame%20at%200m8s.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSD4EVmwqZ23zTxFacEzuSnmjkXFzbTjQ6WQM2aN7ctPEMOlqUPC2A-F2zzhJnr1ChOXx7QVDfYhIFK_hzvQM7Knx3i3iBfqSLoeATyaHFoR2R0HO9Dtp9S4MkZFaeG2UWc25KR-eiMUGp204szxzhR2O1KIndod1NXryn4J9qHVoIK2_9WiVW3kNjqA/w640-h360/IMG_2582%20-%20frame%20at%200m8s.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday pow</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJM-PHef6Xb3bj_eqoBHrdfLu1Y5tCHZAICqcounYOGptt5wC2dKQzndHyDL5KdP0xI4YNcf7uFtaF-TvuEIQU1QSd1jqvMY5vpP-6723OA9Yv-rmzVt8GtMDAFfVdd-sCAAer8eNcHUZ8oD7dEvPV6IN8VLooU1Exig1cCiqtk4x-XMsbqqiG8F-eiQ/s4032/20230219_130718.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJM-PHef6Xb3bj_eqoBHrdfLu1Y5tCHZAICqcounYOGptt5wC2dKQzndHyDL5KdP0xI4YNcf7uFtaF-TvuEIQU1QSd1jqvMY5vpP-6723OA9Yv-rmzVt8GtMDAFfVdd-sCAAer8eNcHUZ8oD7dEvPV6IN8VLooU1Exig1cCiqtk4x-XMsbqqiG8F-eiQ/w480-h640/20230219_130718.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh lines for days<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSb7z0p_5ZA-xgTPg-1p8BXcm5hzzPpNgTwsoyGY-AfdoKqAMHVMPOp_zfu1tKQpiV-OJWpqTCFh0Hkmkv92-FUHjVFhPuklQztQ91yOY2AOnIkln833LB1PSaIp93Juzu34QReekeEKR7EcslogjxN48jAkEYstDMS9DsUAFFBoJDJkJV5D8S6mVyAg/s4032/20230219_203647.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSb7z0p_5ZA-xgTPg-1p8BXcm5hzzPpNgTwsoyGY-AfdoKqAMHVMPOp_zfu1tKQpiV-OJWpqTCFh0Hkmkv92-FUHjVFhPuklQztQ91yOY2AOnIkln833LB1PSaIp93Juzu34QReekeEKR7EcslogjxN48jAkEYstDMS9DsUAFFBoJDJkJV5D8S6mVyAg/w360-h640/20230219_203647.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy 30th birthday Reid!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">We woke on our final morning to see the storm had passed and left behind another blanket of white and a beautiful sunrise.</div></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizu8acR49BGDXAMjdxhYeVyeX9sJDlYH887maT98tSRrujxHUMCpkb_ocDKPUFKClBpPvTvyzLQBGySY2z5RzjqkdHVvo3py0guX3F8juGVdlc-hJORmm9qc1VWEvCuilBBPYpA68EBzJFJK3NjowzRKiXSqRWt0ZPIZZET2jet7ymdI9Yp_ZScQSAIA/s4032/20230220_071116.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizu8acR49BGDXAMjdxhYeVyeX9sJDlYH887maT98tSRrujxHUMCpkb_ocDKPUFKClBpPvTvyzLQBGySY2z5RzjqkdHVvo3py0guX3F8juGVdlc-hJORmm9qc1VWEvCuilBBPYpA68EBzJFJK3NjowzRKiXSqRWt0ZPIZZET2jet7ymdI9Yp_ZScQSAIA/w640-h480/20230220_071116.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dawn at Jumbo Pass</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtVaf6QHIlh5bbCV7oEVoHrc8wlls1-K6UaXnIrlhk-NmbLjDFBHKBU9WsI0V0zQlRPPLBi4gouoIFa7mTw_79pykPlwIjRfVwe-e3uTorZ1BJX8bRuTqROqFVB-FWiLXKWwfhSB72Gvvk-qkYXCFXcAmaTWjZ4tEJKp9CT4qDDhwwDqsdndC9SnUZQ/s4032/20230220_074041.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtVaf6QHIlh5bbCV7oEVoHrc8wlls1-K6UaXnIrlhk-NmbLjDFBHKBU9WsI0V0zQlRPPLBi4gouoIFa7mTw_79pykPlwIjRfVwe-e3uTorZ1BJX8bRuTqROqFVB-FWiLXKWwfhSB72Gvvk-qkYXCFXcAmaTWjZ4tEJKp9CT4qDDhwwDqsdndC9SnUZQ/w640-h480/20230220_074041.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fire in the sky for our final morning<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Energy was low and legs were sore after four days big days but the fresh powder was calling. One lap proved to be enough for the guys that had put in huge efforts the day before and they returned to the hut to start packing. Kyle and I stayed out for another lap, this was hands down the best skiing of the season and we didn't want it to end. On the way up the skin track, I turned on the inReach to get in touch with Greg and update him on the visibility at the ridge-top and confirm our afternoon pickup. A message came in from the guys at the hut, "heli is on its way." Kyle and I freaked out, we still had to get back to the hut and get packed. This wasn't what we had planned!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCm55tEtxVAg9ntlibyoxJPbssyI_wsymxYDq8YxORGSYcrt2S8UWfNsbuS13X9mntgTEbCCqqpA7iSfaod7jt1umAKdYOmWvamN36g-bLVLlydAuMQ1h1cDTfTnEgb-_UFAHc4tjrznKtCfNDk6mtaw4fy2KAOtE4namizt2AZNo9iM6pNNAqjGd4Gg/s4032/20230218_150927.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCm55tEtxVAg9ntlibyoxJPbssyI_wsymxYDq8YxORGSYcrt2S8UWfNsbuS13X9mntgTEbCCqqpA7iSfaod7jt1umAKdYOmWvamN36g-bLVLlydAuMQ1h1cDTfTnEgb-_UFAHc4tjrznKtCfNDk6mtaw4fy2KAOtE4namizt2AZNo9iM6pNNAqjGd4Gg/w480-h640/20230218_150927.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great visibility for our final day</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGupOht45wrPcDj-q3OlTzjGc-oWaP1J2HspHtjP3kgc3NPAkwFMoCXKvIfMw9-Ul7IWKwn2HlVwT20rS8-8oKNNXag0fFODHccbEA_GUQuSklUvloBQj3AYWOM6-oJDj3ySif7-lPA1I5X4fJtz54qPuAeldewoshR4tXU6ibXkNkLkze446f2wlbQ/s4032/20230218_153128.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNGupOht45wrPcDj-q3OlTzjGc-oWaP1J2HspHtjP3kgc3NPAkwFMoCXKvIfMw9-Ul7IWKwn2HlVwT20rS8-8oKNNXag0fFODHccbEA_GUQuSklUvloBQj3AYWOM6-oJDj3ySif7-lPA1I5X4fJtz54qPuAeldewoshR4tXU6ibXkNkLkze446f2wlbQ/w480-h640/20230218_153128.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh tracks and tired legs<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mDf0CbR0ng_P5Pza9o7nJGodu8xFTCcYKgFN_cbsT7MZedXW6ltXCftXwB-qK_dwwN5irOfGArrZhLf9_CPRmGFCLvUhcl1w9W6mQoo8Z1Q3iIcZ92kjRs-Vt3jCUNl9BvtfDXYZto-CJe5HNkPSa_24JwqgxoDPB3OLLLA7dhDyW9_F3ammhE33NA/s1215/20230220_101549%20-%20frame%20at%200m7s%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1215" data-original-width="852" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mDf0CbR0ng_P5Pza9o7nJGodu8xFTCcYKgFN_cbsT7MZedXW6ltXCftXwB-qK_dwwN5irOfGArrZhLf9_CPRmGFCLvUhcl1w9W6mQoo8Z1Q3iIcZ92kjRs-Vt3jCUNl9BvtfDXYZto-CJe5HNkPSa_24JwqgxoDPB3OLLLA7dhDyW9_F3ammhE33NA/w448-h640/20230220_101549%20-%20frame%20at%200m7s%20(2).jpg" width="448" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steep and deep</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEnUdvljbuoKxLVrTUB1rp7lMA-kb8_W3Wo1Wf-JEkHqEfXK895j4rRKAIbdhixqT_ykJJuJkqcIy_ONMJElqZhLUvmOCKqvS7Yo6qAK6RGjpRqbjFvxJkwbetlvsdYBqtBJwjoSsXZ1yMsQVamzJ4EBN2XWKO4GdPKT-hMs0i9ILyie9I1UlHNSAuQ/s1920/IMG_2608%20-%20frame%20at%200m1s.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1088" data-original-width="1920" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgEnUdvljbuoKxLVrTUB1rp7lMA-kb8_W3Wo1Wf-JEkHqEfXK895j4rRKAIbdhixqT_ykJJuJkqcIy_ONMJElqZhLUvmOCKqvS7Yo6qAK6RGjpRqbjFvxJkwbetlvsdYBqtBJwjoSsXZ1yMsQVamzJ4EBN2XWKO4GdPKT-hMs0i9ILyie9I1UlHNSAuQ/w640-h362/IMG_2608%20-%20frame%20at%200m1s.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Face shots for breakfast</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Back at the hut we got an update on the situation. Our pilot Greg had another group he was supposed to pick up in Revelstoke and needed to fly straight there after picking us up. Another storm was rolling in and he wanted to try and beat the weather. He had managed to get in touch with Niall to let him know that he was coming in early. We gave my car keys to Mike so he could get the first flight out with the brothers and they could drive my car down from Toby Creek to the heli-port in Invermere. Kyle and I finished panic packing and tidying up the hut, but we had plenty of time to let the adrenaline wear off before Greg was back to pick us up.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBkjQmjUbT-8gFpNb89AIzfBR3duN5B_XujF3xKOxEdZNeH793fmHns0pQel8dWZw-l4-lP_18jbVRPb7Ic__mpWmBpTZZX77YKTPPaA-GcwmPHhtOXrdEqexfQjMtxiXdFzgwSlfR-Gl5fAYhNVnE8_EeIRy0S8ywg08uNodphN3cn-R1-qIvqUb1w/s4032/20230220_125814.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaBkjQmjUbT-8gFpNb89AIzfBR3duN5B_XujF3xKOxEdZNeH793fmHns0pQel8dWZw-l4-lP_18jbVRPb7Ic__mpWmBpTZZX77YKTPPaA-GcwmPHhtOXrdEqexfQjMtxiXdFzgwSlfR-Gl5fAYhNVnE8_EeIRy0S8ywg08uNodphN3cn-R1-qIvqUb1w/w480-h640/20230220_125814.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time to go!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0K5Pr6q3vEiZxBzOlkptCatpXJSj47RiqMkzgBHdPCDRnf6Izqt6noLetncGXqoHR47RSnPl01cHYjeWUXlUtp0YSRJfbOQs2l9HIs8EQa66ovofx6YxihZxFeI3yqsPmr3wCHBWNciCzc7DSQjZr72k-GCw4F0ynd-v8E3pACbhfp_r_uZ8fp8e0w/s3648/20230218_173139.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs0K5Pr6q3vEiZxBzOlkptCatpXJSj47RiqMkzgBHdPCDRnf6Izqt6noLetncGXqoHR47RSnPl01cHYjeWUXlUtp0YSRJfbOQs2l9HIs8EQa66ovofx6YxihZxFeI3yqsPmr3wCHBWNciCzc7DSQjZr72k-GCw4F0ynd-v8E3pACbhfp_r_uZ8fp8e0w/w640-h480/20230218_173139.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rad trip with a rad crew</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPWRAfz75EA2h-IeO6H-wG8FRWcf-KW4AzuxfbWIx-tPUgzB2vGlqneHFwmO8V11A3BYrV4bt9Yghl7EC7icrIaWj-oHd2a8YNHuDEC0PpCylLMdNGw0EZnIJj889rsBffAseSwPpISt3R9m2TJBa46eHXn8nwtXhBWZ012JDGRYA6FiDjv9GXjrbUQ/s4032/20230219_154825.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPWRAfz75EA2h-IeO6H-wG8FRWcf-KW4AzuxfbWIx-tPUgzB2vGlqneHFwmO8V11A3BYrV4bt9Yghl7EC7icrIaWj-oHd2a8YNHuDEC0PpCylLMdNGw0EZnIJj889rsBffAseSwPpISt3R9m2TJBa46eHXn8nwtXhBWZ012JDGRYA6FiDjv9GXjrbUQ/w480-h640/20230219_154825.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks to Greg at Glacier Heli for getting us in and out!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Despite all the unknowns when we booked the hut, we managed to get lucky with an amazing crew and perfect snow at the Jumbo Pass Hut. Sometimes things just work out.</div>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-4106312630775006142023-02-03T16:33:00.004-08:002023-02-15T16:56:56.696-08:00Little Sifton Traverse - Rogers Pass<div style="text-align: center;">Distance: 12 km</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elevation: 1400m</div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Time: 6hrs</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3ZOe5gLJDuCrujwaRAdK9YDp3qy2dflCzCibSf3hQP0CZq-dQddDxSREdr9Ey21Y_U3ZMGsB3bXiJrQ5rsrdNklxqER4I0mN3uppx_o4_qRJolRTSyfwbgheEr3SuJEjf1uQ9lPR3RByrqzwh8O-xjDwCsk7_JAe3fmhwiJFptFY0dQtbgBUlf7FKw/s4032/20230203_114900.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih3ZOe5gLJDuCrujwaRAdK9YDp3qy2dflCzCibSf3hQP0CZq-dQddDxSREdr9Ey21Y_U3ZMGsB3bXiJrQ5rsrdNklxqER4I0mN3uppx_o4_qRJolRTSyfwbgheEr3SuJEjf1uQ9lPR3RByrqzwh8O-xjDwCsk7_JAe3fmhwiJFptFY0dQtbgBUlf7FKw/w640-h480/20230203_114900.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rare clear day in Rogers Pass gave us the perfect opportunity to tick off the Little Sifton Traverse</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">A Roger's Pass classic, the Little Sifton Traverse gets you up high in the alpine above Grizzly Shoulder and offers excellent views of Sir Donald, Illecillewaet, Asulkan and Cheops. There are options to summit Little Sifton, or ski some yo-yo laps on the way down the confusingly named Grizzly Slide Path out the the Hermit Parking Lot.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We had a good weather window between storms to start our second annual Roger's Pass weekend with Sabina. With the weird snowpack this year, we wanted to keep things conservative, making the Little Sifton a great option. Along with plenty of turn-around options, Sabina had lots of local knowledge about the descent route to Hermit to give us a fun ski down. Surprisingly, Kyle and I had never actually skied Little Sifton. It tends to be pretty stormy when we ski Rogers Pass and this is for sure a route you do for the views!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xLbT-EWHg-1SuiDE8D2juu_YQSSIukQg80uK9Z-rOoiXqj8iduRZx35adplswTrTVt9v6C9Acr9wxZJXhNE6p-bHkc07P0Znrq8pi8K-rHXKWeP3OJxeNc5Hxlfjpqu5ULw7GY5_JisvMW0fynCb1gcAh-NISxuDFoNm78qFT0HnR1yLy-mc3LklXg/s4032/20230203_103703.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xLbT-EWHg-1SuiDE8D2juu_YQSSIukQg80uK9Z-rOoiXqj8iduRZx35adplswTrTVt9v6C9Acr9wxZJXhNE6p-bHkc07P0Znrq8pi8K-rHXKWeP3OJxeNc5Hxlfjpqu5ULw7GY5_JisvMW0fynCb1gcAh-NISxuDFoNm78qFT0HnR1yLy-mc3LklXg/w640-h480/20230203_103703.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grey skies but a high ceiling as we make our way up Grizzly Shoulder</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We hopped on the super highway skin track at the visitors centre and started up Connaught Creek. The snowpack was noticeably better than our last trip to the pass back in December, but still very low for early February. The skin track up Grizzly Shoulder was well established and we gained elevation quickly up to the treeline.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_H1y_Mtotah4hlhJgCI90DGjo31WdRSJH6kMLYLfNSMeqSo18JIQgG-TYdk08Jf-FYQWTU3Q_Dnr3tlsndFAI4XOpS0cfq72DkUch62j-iLtDAv-D_sK5pdYQXeaenGFDFK-kzymAkL5-phxQt6D1Wba6YX-c--ywFLh73gQenoc5rwwA4PzFZ6MqFw/s4032/20230203_112558.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_H1y_Mtotah4hlhJgCI90DGjo31WdRSJH6kMLYLfNSMeqSo18JIQgG-TYdk08Jf-FYQWTU3Q_Dnr3tlsndFAI4XOpS0cfq72DkUch62j-iLtDAv-D_sK5pdYQXeaenGFDFK-kzymAkL5-phxQt6D1Wba6YX-c--ywFLh73gQenoc5rwwA4PzFZ6MqFw/w480-h640/20230203_112558.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking up through the wind-scoops below the shoulder</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8ZpAGoa0kxFi2ctiEFega4AuN_Fnp__lV9lr-UjF42Lt7AKJZXl3wquSybE6RESLHXFv2kjfNQtYXTYYFJheGxujf_bpIC11baLtHdUbsQSfxCXYMiRqAjwvVo2Niedz9udhC_Vxlf7Y9K3Z-NnvLia9u4h0PjbDk5_E9lKvlqj5rnq72osXoKlpgg/s4032/20230203_112957.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8ZpAGoa0kxFi2ctiEFega4AuN_Fnp__lV9lr-UjF42Lt7AKJZXl3wquSybE6RESLHXFv2kjfNQtYXTYYFJheGxujf_bpIC11baLtHdUbsQSfxCXYMiRqAjwvVo2Niedz9udhC_Vxlf7Y9K3Z-NnvLia9u4h0PjbDk5_E9lKvlqj5rnq72osXoKlpgg/w480-h640/20230203_112957.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The clouds lifted to give us a great view<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjks3d3RgJ0uKshTlkz2bhmODQO75SaSMlitZpzKVJ6SJvPEvjmg5IadX-U9-ZDoktvWZl5kfGIeZDYjI9i2z0Ghyv0DqpOG4CR3efc1_SSc5GkwsPRfEkwPTtUCsMGslzJIaiLhma-S4ogRrcS1_qyaGpNNenxUj7L1Pxx7K-OvqBnkMNbcVblYRNpSA/s4032/20230203_113219.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjks3d3RgJ0uKshTlkz2bhmODQO75SaSMlitZpzKVJ6SJvPEvjmg5IadX-U9-ZDoktvWZl5kfGIeZDYjI9i2z0Ghyv0DqpOG4CR3efc1_SSc5GkwsPRfEkwPTtUCsMGslzJIaiLhma-S4ogRrcS1_qyaGpNNenxUj7L1Pxx7K-OvqBnkMNbcVblYRNpSA/w480-h640/20230203_113219.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rogers Pass is a magical place<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We followed the climb to the top of the shoulder, and regrouped at the top of the short bootpack for a snack. At this point, we had gained 2/3rds of the elevation to the top of the traverse. From the ridge you can access Rogers Run or Puff Daddy, our go-to run for stormy days. Continuing up the ridge takes you towards Little Sifton Col, the entry point into Grizzly Path for the descent.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0C442xbkGzKnSLK-VcijUWvi_2Y6suRiGmzV-AbF-5KXWdWiFBUDM1CxbcuyHxJ9KXLrux-XDukH7o6sDnxgDAblwJQYKSdTtjb51JN12Rilzc0TqqFBGB37oL09rMO2dy86TWIcp8RpTRRAbS4hW0ytyCfDqlqCY3kdbHTmfNlIFBVVHtwgU2mu8Dg/s4032/20230203_113234.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0C442xbkGzKnSLK-VcijUWvi_2Y6suRiGmzV-AbF-5KXWdWiFBUDM1CxbcuyHxJ9KXLrux-XDukH7o6sDnxgDAblwJQYKSdTtjb51JN12Rilzc0TqqFBGB37oL09rMO2dy86TWIcp8RpTRRAbS4hW0ytyCfDqlqCY3kdbHTmfNlIFBVVHtwgU2mu8Dg/w480-h640/20230203_113234.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Short bootpack to gain the ridge</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DtA7sQnWprnDqdmSjOc66bck5-OUQf3PSuJ3WdKDdAQkxLMA_6H8eDwAvl1CrXvNb83LH2EXuF5i9tN0S5fkUPPoQr0jOkhZ_IOLvLG8rBw_atpu-mh_F396TRx3UVzhqG7MGjXMEVfozfjSqrBbT7wugKYXd-Q77v5a0DawiQ8FGoaI6uu-mK9BPg/s4032/20230203_114009.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1DtA7sQnWprnDqdmSjOc66bck5-OUQf3PSuJ3WdKDdAQkxLMA_6H8eDwAvl1CrXvNb83LH2EXuF5i9tN0S5fkUPPoQr0jOkhZ_IOLvLG8rBw_atpu-mh_F396TRx3UVzhqG7MGjXMEVfozfjSqrBbT7wugKYXd-Q77v5a0DawiQ8FGoaI6uu-mK9BPg/w640-h480/20230203_114009.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spectacular day in Rogers Pass</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_AFfdRyOs7PM2SNta2hJ0OR-z5oaICm2bP6lRoHg76v011jIuBvddf3KDcJiQWmd9nTq8fZHzDUBBUW95EXP4S8x5obouD-ruXyXVSdHLa9Hg55uV8Ldkzf__ESuVFGUKT9FdbifbuHXpqEO5YfSCLhturOs5UovIzS-SYu5zgc8pasE6EGLzNMVnw/s4032/20230203_114318.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_AFfdRyOs7PM2SNta2hJ0OR-z5oaICm2bP6lRoHg76v011jIuBvddf3KDcJiQWmd9nTq8fZHzDUBBUW95EXP4S8x5obouD-ruXyXVSdHLa9Hg55uV8Ldkzf__ESuVFGUKT9FdbifbuHXpqEO5YfSCLhturOs5UovIzS-SYu5zgc8pasE6EGLzNMVnw/w640-h480/20230203_114318.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking in the views<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrjnxdFgUkr4D2Gb92ffM60HUq59W38ovJHClDkARqx5ApgO16auhNnkFWfu7hcnLx-oL8fNdSmWdhIRoTzDTQ2HQ_SVxO_5AMz_mddcPOrpLUxxlMdZw8pt5oz4QgwQmdkolTYOpoQVf4k_Nn4l5l1dywvCr2PWqgStFUScA180WXrkb6xvz9fHy4jA/s4032/20230203_114748.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrjnxdFgUkr4D2Gb92ffM60HUq59W38ovJHClDkARqx5ApgO16auhNnkFWfu7hcnLx-oL8fNdSmWdhIRoTzDTQ2HQ_SVxO_5AMz_mddcPOrpLUxxlMdZw8pt5oz4QgwQmdkolTYOpoQVf4k_Nn4l5l1dywvCr2PWqgStFUScA180WXrkb6xvz9fHy4jA/w480-h640/20230203_114748.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sun makes a brief appearance<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbTiTKoceAJYw4VXGzZF8HKTtVaMsnxgR0zVkStVGIu2mIw_PY7marTkcKMX3ANUfmsLGjYCkagqAYlOk5SeMzCPjzZ3E_CgrdxpRQhqwil7zgHGpUr0veihg9d-nBKg4F2bMYjAuEyCCQ_JkRpf-DJfA7HIwN7EuGOODc1s5lKryp7L9TIK6dODduvA/s4032/20230203_121148.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbTiTKoceAJYw4VXGzZF8HKTtVaMsnxgR0zVkStVGIu2mIw_PY7marTkcKMX3ANUfmsLGjYCkagqAYlOk5SeMzCPjzZ3E_CgrdxpRQhqwil7zgHGpUr0veihg9d-nBKg4F2bMYjAuEyCCQ_JkRpf-DJfA7HIwN7EuGOODc1s5lKryp7L9TIK6dODduvA/w480-h640/20230203_121148.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking ahead to Little Sifton Col</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We contoured up the gradual moraines below Little Sifton as the clouds started to roll back in and the light turned flat. As we arrived at the top of the col, we had lost our visibility and made a decision to skip the final push to the top of Little Sifton, choosing instead to transition and drop in from the col.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOPAhgr2rinTspdzVCbifGeXPNcPqCFby9fbIxXOxHLgm-YojYmeGxvFdvu6AbTaCjSKh-9kE6HCUelo0RaxoW49zyqz8p7M2NO3PqsNhFAgI7X0idx-lkuDVxUnelM6KuK5nLQ_R0vkWavJ2aWtM1pnujvF3U48-D0r0YZStB4vVAY5vbq9bq7zOuA/s4032/20230203_125048.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkOPAhgr2rinTspdzVCbifGeXPNcPqCFby9fbIxXOxHLgm-YojYmeGxvFdvu6AbTaCjSKh-9kE6HCUelo0RaxoW49zyqz8p7M2NO3PqsNhFAgI7X0idx-lkuDVxUnelM6KuK5nLQ_R0vkWavJ2aWtM1pnujvF3U48-D0r0YZStB4vVAY5vbq9bq7zOuA/w640-h480/20230203_125048.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final approach to Little Sifton Col</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">At the col, there is a cornice which we avoided by entering at the far skiers left. The first pitch punch wind slab with some barely covered rocks. Fortunately the light improved briefly to allow us passage. Once we made it into the bowl, we traversed below "Big Sifton" gazing up at some of the big chutes and lines above us.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaPkK78yGoMf0A-XMMORD6708LSaO6RxRjGkq-fqn1dq_T3bixLi2mWhNM4H7UNBQmMX8UPX5_fR7Cb8BDjFi058JWIUFXCyjbU5kBPqhrrOllinVCXKXP4qQ1TwtTTTJU9Ih33BmlqjSTz109kg-0ps3e0viXUv-zmiKn4k_szHvtpoBo0n_nCxiUg/s4032/20230203_132751.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUaPkK78yGoMf0A-XMMORD6708LSaO6RxRjGkq-fqn1dq_T3bixLi2mWhNM4H7UNBQmMX8UPX5_fR7Cb8BDjFi058JWIUFXCyjbU5kBPqhrrOllinVCXKXP4qQ1TwtTTTJU9Ih33BmlqjSTz109kg-0ps3e0viXUv-zmiKn4k_szHvtpoBo0n_nCxiUg/w480-h640/20230203_132751.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The boys waiting for the light, ready to drop in from the col</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The skiing down into the Grizzly Path was really fun. The short pitches of varied terrain kept things interesting and we found some excellent snow. Sabina showed us some fun pillow lines and tree skiing lower down the run. It was a quick and easy ski back to the car we had dropped at Hermit Parking lot.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOpbj5nxGxA9DZozfSSd6qaD0qaiGWd7-H9qwg8nc4VsGqBMaUmwrF7xgaJxptt55eSjsZH5wTpVqmiiEq4STTkI0NXkiYW1do4Ge2K-hfG0QInFT_AIUGVaRfvfA66FIWTkaXHDXMjILkikrJAz4rWSdYZOh4IOeMiHhpnMVjsCF8azRJrDL0OMrdw/s4032/20230203_141651.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOpbj5nxGxA9DZozfSSd6qaD0qaiGWd7-H9qwg8nc4VsGqBMaUmwrF7xgaJxptt55eSjsZH5wTpVqmiiEq4STTkI0NXkiYW1do4Ge2K-hfG0QInFT_AIUGVaRfvfA66FIWTkaXHDXMjILkikrJAz4rWSdYZOh4IOeMiHhpnMVjsCF8azRJrDL0OMrdw/w480-h640/20230203_141651.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle finds some fresh snow</td></tr></tbody></table></div>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-85507255568303974532023-01-02T18:00:00.002-08:002023-02-15T17:05:10.757-08:00Trespass Ridge Fernie<div style="text-align: center;">Distance: 14km</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elevation: 1300m</div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Time: 4h 15min</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwn9DoFs3Yvu5Y1RVDkh9klt45o1FIDV4obeClYpHcswr68jUr577W8p8VYRHsmK7uxKW2XPJOEwVWv1-LoNE8DPL7q9D5qfz4-9bAp3ETnS_3F4vYMWPpZqLKF1mGJi38zPk4WOU9JPmScFS1gcfhSSlDFfRVlry0n3pGIoRk9yxnZnux8ejK5703Gg/s4032/20230102_100933.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwn9DoFs3Yvu5Y1RVDkh9klt45o1FIDV4obeClYpHcswr68jUr577W8p8VYRHsmK7uxKW2XPJOEwVWv1-LoNE8DPL7q9D5qfz4-9bAp3ETnS_3F4vYMWPpZqLKF1mGJi38zPk4WOU9JPmScFS1gcfhSSlDFfRVlry0n3pGIoRk9yxnZnux8ejK5703Gg/w480-h640/20230102_100933.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up the Tunnel Creek Road</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Trespass Ridge is a great day trip out near Fernie! Starting at the Tunnel Creek parking area west of Fernie, we followed the road up as if we were approaching the hut. After 4km, the skin track to the hut branches off right up a drainage but if you continue to follow the road, it wraps around under Trespass Ridge. Follow the flat logging road until it starts to climb again. Take the right spur and follow it to the cut block. From here you will have a view of the ridge.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3JtfBHiG1OqYlZiW0soxz8fcG0W3cIBGbW9t8WZyExd4de0Vxd5vcj4M_qW6fGdifsmkd5MoVwqZRikOiDJH_tjlRJVfAdMM4GQeEtjwM45qOwzlMF5-DZwHzYUUeNKbtoT9-xDbCKkNlA7oUc97yI-H6JClHQO875vU4GEub2WdkTVzMsM1IiIbyA/s4032/20230102_112004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3JtfBHiG1OqYlZiW0soxz8fcG0W3cIBGbW9t8WZyExd4de0Vxd5vcj4M_qW6fGdifsmkd5MoVwqZRikOiDJH_tjlRJVfAdMM4GQeEtjwM45qOwzlMF5-DZwHzYUUeNKbtoT9-xDbCKkNlA7oUc97yI-H6JClHQO875vU4GEub2WdkTVzMsM1IiIbyA/w640-h480/20230102_112004.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Into the cut block</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">After climbing the cut block and gaining the ridge, we continued up through the trees and into the alpine. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Ep4cFLpZmut5KvVyiYkdmdczuscW3hdEIAF21EaQzQEcYZAORVMjnTnBlyQG5a0CJBdeYerw5lWYoxmWFV2jsGotDRstdlCnl9V6RajHW5I9Hr1teAFbdfiDHFNrfqz05qchfOulsYG-ILmR8lvTrdFBY49iyzJAQ0T8lZKCzstbziI8-RscKVa7Jg/s4032/20230102_120008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Ep4cFLpZmut5KvVyiYkdmdczuscW3hdEIAF21EaQzQEcYZAORVMjnTnBlyQG5a0CJBdeYerw5lWYoxmWFV2jsGotDRstdlCnl9V6RajHW5I9Hr1teAFbdfiDHFNrfqz05qchfOulsYG-ILmR8lvTrdFBY49iyzJAQ0T8lZKCzstbziI8-RscKVa7Jg/w480-h640/20230102_120008.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breaking trail on the ridge</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEtY_-4V1WkhieyCnQ7wVXLpEp5QOvqaHp9Z3dQ0uMfbAj_TSd4YXH7Uqjc-hl1idK_Qp3YIJAbD1ZE5h0j7um4tPa1bnJvXKxPJBCLLR0oX38hb_sR9sFfbOWQjjTyYvNSD-dhm_M_olJAXFNzD7HRgh-mnEnLg77GJ6ccMb85AR6aoLp1I4nF3tSw/s4032/20230102_120013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEtY_-4V1WkhieyCnQ7wVXLpEp5QOvqaHp9Z3dQ0uMfbAj_TSd4YXH7Uqjc-hl1idK_Qp3YIJAbD1ZE5h0j7um4tPa1bnJvXKxPJBCLLR0oX38hb_sR9sFfbOWQjjTyYvNSD-dhm_M_olJAXFNzD7HRgh-mnEnLg77GJ6ccMb85AR6aoLp1I4nF3tSw/w480-h640/20230102_120013.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking good up there!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDd-11W9Og0dh-SC4pK2MpdsKbvCGLRxHZmZGrgYajftD7XOyLUgae5QzxkDlaqjiUP72GAiQwT0LbOrv4UOgCpTCTNdLGYiTlQpH0vbJ1ojCWxrbPrhbcHJvuKCNOW-IApaNG5h5xzLAlk2HqvGIHhES9TJzwnssz_I3EuzG1ikfbWTC_Diam_jq55A/s2944/20230102_120017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="2208" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDd-11W9Og0dh-SC4pK2MpdsKbvCGLRxHZmZGrgYajftD7XOyLUgae5QzxkDlaqjiUP72GAiQwT0LbOrv4UOgCpTCTNdLGYiTlQpH0vbJ1ojCWxrbPrhbcHJvuKCNOW-IApaNG5h5xzLAlk2HqvGIHhES9TJzwnssz_I3EuzG1ikfbWTC_Diam_jq55A/w480-h640/20230102_120017.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inspecting the snow ghosts</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">From the top of the ridge, we skied the mellow trees back the way we had come, before dropping off the north aspect of the ridge. We had a short steep pitch of excellent tree skiing before it flattened out at the bottom of the valley. We contoured the creek-bed and met up with the Tunnel Creek Hut skin track on the logging road. If we had more energy, it would have been great spot to skin back up for another lap after putting in all the effort to get up there as it would only be about 350m back up to the ridge.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyX9dtyrlJW4DHSEoxZcow_RxxBYX_ExHqVj5vSOcA5rz6ITAKaC-bs7grCvnQCo1o7VW5q__3yjAjT7KI4J083auq8QSzOb-wUZyicMFnG5shOVT6TvZ_HiAv5aEH68LJJCAlEq2t8iyUJ6JEYnkIPSsp8vQAJ4_-5Lxe-rjsytUVl-wXYa6bYl1ARA/s1563/20230102_124217%20-%20frame%20at%200m5s%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1563" data-original-width="1072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyX9dtyrlJW4DHSEoxZcow_RxxBYX_ExHqVj5vSOcA5rz6ITAKaC-bs7grCvnQCo1o7VW5q__3yjAjT7KI4J083auq8QSzOb-wUZyicMFnG5shOVT6TvZ_HiAv5aEH68LJJCAlEq2t8iyUJ6JEYnkIPSsp8vQAJ4_-5Lxe-rjsytUVl-wXYa6bYl1ARA/w438-h640/20230102_124217%20-%20frame%20at%200m5s%20(2).jpg" width="438" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice turns</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMAfua8Ba28PBuwC1moQnbGsoWJIMvFnj_rLoABn0pOYIzG95u-pb_s8WauPt4aYsV8UO0NgbhRs8hYFR-gATd_lzLA7uCVWRNLPCfmtPyCNO0fFFgoxA9Pu6MMynPBOtXnAe0wIhOEZbsCE_NldxHCAwywZEJ2RCOklLj5Qj0t_95T2_gIKixpFTow/s1691/20230102_124217%20-%20frame%20at%200m9s%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1691" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMMAfua8Ba28PBuwC1moQnbGsoWJIMvFnj_rLoABn0pOYIzG95u-pb_s8WauPt4aYsV8UO0NgbhRs8hYFR-gATd_lzLA7uCVWRNLPCfmtPyCNO0fFFgoxA9Pu6MMynPBOtXnAe0wIhOEZbsCE_NldxHCAwywZEJ2RCOklLj5Qj0t_95T2_gIKixpFTow/w408-h640/20230102_124217%20-%20frame%20at%200m9s%20(2).jpg" width="408" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awesome tree skiing</td></tr></tbody></table></div>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-67642232999813610822022-12-17T21:00:00.130-08:002023-02-15T16:57:57.021-08:00Early Season Pow - McGill Glades (Rogers Pass)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Distance: 12km</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Elevation: 1150m</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Time: 5hrs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFcxW8SacN89ihg9JwlGj4YG90r-7NSV_LjfKZpIWEjjHPXx9S6RvzSs_23UxRng46PqiQKqBxJ7j5ew2ziKc9Tr5zKWx4_wPfWAbvoDaLQvKtuOc4lXOXjdnYa3X98JZGsEsNXLSVeNFQnYkkBkfk_dy2CZ3ythc2h_mo9EyujZCmyup8fdWqjAKMw/s1358/20221217_134650%20-%20frame%20at%200m4s%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1358" data-original-width="1070" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFcxW8SacN89ihg9JwlGj4YG90r-7NSV_LjfKZpIWEjjHPXx9S6RvzSs_23UxRng46PqiQKqBxJ7j5ew2ziKc9Tr5zKWx4_wPfWAbvoDaLQvKtuOc4lXOXjdnYa3X98JZGsEsNXLSVeNFQnYkkBkfk_dy2CZ3ythc2h_mo9EyujZCmyup8fdWqjAKMw/w504-h640/20221217_134650%20-%20frame%20at%200m4s%20(2).jpg" width="504" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">McGill Glades deliver<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;">After a mediocre day on Bruins Ridge and Hospital Bowl the day before, I had low expectations as we started up from the Bostock Parking lot towards the McGill Glades. So low in fact that I was feeling sad we hadn't skipped out on skiing altogether to stay up for the midnight Moontricks show in Golden the night before (we are now to lame to do both apparently). The only thing that kept us on track was the fact that Kyle was in bed at 8:30 and I felt too guilty to wake him up to come to the show with me. Good thing too, because we managed to find awesome powder and explore a whole new zone!<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The skin track started up the summer trail switchbacks from Bostock, branching off right within 400m of the trailhead. Starting at a low elevation of ~900m, the first few hundred meters of elevation gain had low snow coverage and the trail was very icy, making for difficult progress.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgclAlcFpGuNX5XU6pZSZOpsRdRRSSLYI1bzZy5SkUGqhQf90supenHwsMxFs_-9xyVYIXkpSUG6wxfhT9Xkh-nlhHpkS0domvUFlQOw6HPlF-is4AVZrSyZJlpnOSIKcTCgXWkBDnJHTVC44AojPzrNGzW3dwy0byjZQN2OHj1ghmBjHU9L82tLK-w2g/s4032/20221217_112915.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgclAlcFpGuNX5XU6pZSZOpsRdRRSSLYI1bzZy5SkUGqhQf90supenHwsMxFs_-9xyVYIXkpSUG6wxfhT9Xkh-nlhHpkS0domvUFlQOw6HPlF-is4AVZrSyZJlpnOSIKcTCgXWkBDnJHTVC44AojPzrNGzW3dwy0byjZQN2OHj1ghmBjHU9L82tLK-w2g/w480-h640/20221217_112915.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Low snow and lots of logs made it a slow climb<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcckAvKaIW3NSJ7OpeZx9X61_ACwBRtEelx0s-t_NBsb4kkBL033fY-hv7nDf3H0nP7oEbURVYnTk489foTzeNZmuNHdyvPlKEkHJnOMjZ_5kPdnWomHUGXWgws6Q2DTiqKmis8uHstL6oDCV0453H8_KIhV0CDbHor1ePktwmGlVDLPK3tS7oo6LkLQ/s4032/20221217_121615.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcckAvKaIW3NSJ7OpeZx9X61_ACwBRtEelx0s-t_NBsb4kkBL033fY-hv7nDf3H0nP7oEbURVYnTk489foTzeNZmuNHdyvPlKEkHJnOMjZ_5kPdnWomHUGXWgws6Q2DTiqKmis8uHstL6oDCV0453H8_KIhV0CDbHor1ePktwmGlVDLPK3tS7oo6LkLQ/w480-h640/20221217_121615.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some fresh snow up high!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;">As we climbed up the ridge, the trail got better and snow got deeper. It even started to look a bit like winter. After a long drought and slow start to the season, it was nice to see some snow on the trees. We hit our high point at 2000m, choosing to drop into an open lane through the trees just below the gunbarrels. We had fresh tracks through well spaced trees down to about 1600m. Pure bliss!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jdiI_sC_uXp7p7H6O7ZNyXvhARJh8KsyMwq_XDESAQ6YMHM7yNqXrQ0glTOwWBccJ4pfdiCGUswTBgEzFkEAYAsh-cYcQFjGp4It5F3ZzjFIKHS5JEda0sQNal3nZbjFZ7y8GcuiWcl6QF1JyIICjNLrjYL6OH84N6CYMwzpHY__3z3KCY610wVHBA/s4032/20221217_134212.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jdiI_sC_uXp7p7H6O7ZNyXvhARJh8KsyMwq_XDESAQ6YMHM7yNqXrQ0glTOwWBccJ4pfdiCGUswTBgEzFkEAYAsh-cYcQFjGp4It5F3ZzjFIKHS5JEda0sQNal3nZbjFZ7y8GcuiWcl6QF1JyIICjNLrjYL6OH84N6CYMwzpHY__3z3KCY610wVHBA/w480-h640/20221217_134212.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best turns of the season so far!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8GbOrbnf1sX7tOKowNguPn4SoVhcbsp4pvCgpGGzW-3O9SznZ73CsxM_LLdgQ_zdCFIVsMnNB_i2o4nLLhto_TbZO24bYmbu8hyb-ZKmP6dB4GxiINt9xAVucKJnJaemP6fnh_2a2JOgnNeSyh2WT9InXHEBA5GZjq6H7jigqKtIjkQ-zGJU6iiCqwg/s4032/20221217_134841.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8GbOrbnf1sX7tOKowNguPn4SoVhcbsp4pvCgpGGzW-3O9SznZ73CsxM_LLdgQ_zdCFIVsMnNB_i2o4nLLhto_TbZO24bYmbu8hyb-ZKmP6dB4GxiINt9xAVucKJnJaemP6fnh_2a2JOgnNeSyh2WT9InXHEBA5GZjq6H7jigqKtIjkQ-zGJU6iiCqwg/w480-h640/20221217_134841.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cold smoke<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Below 1600m, it started to get shallow and we had to be careful picking our way through the deadfall and alders. We had a bit of a panic moment when we thought we had missed the summer trail, but managed to link up with it shortly after (1280m). It was a quick rip back to the car on the very thinly covered trail. Any aggressive edging would turn up the moss and dirt below the snow. We made it out with skis intact and I had no regrets about choosing sleep and skiing over late night shows.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFJ4MJW32hi2EyxWfMJOG3Uw_J6D354EaI001EE8j2G7ScV2GNE5GW2o4F9YBK3QL7PiJJKYdEArv8E2eodSVFeq1EAqN26YMlvfGZcmTHWlWWe4j3t6mxwwjCiLhUHv8Wsii1FJfJGdkYjCjOG_auGPBr4MSdXz4XmnFqGS-YELhcW2eyLnBDxEvJg/s4032/20221217_143449.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFJ4MJW32hi2EyxWfMJOG3Uw_J6D354EaI001EE8j2G7ScV2GNE5GW2o4F9YBK3QL7PiJJKYdEArv8E2eodSVFeq1EAqN26YMlvfGZcmTHWlWWe4j3t6mxwwjCiLhUHv8Wsii1FJfJGdkYjCjOG_auGPBr4MSdXz4XmnFqGS-YELhcW2eyLnBDxEvJg/w480-h640/20221217_143449.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summer trail almost down to dirt</td></tr></tbody></table>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-12206310028896232432022-12-16T22:00:00.002-08:002023-02-15T17:02:32.445-08:00Bruins Ridge and Hospital Gully - Rogers Pass<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Distance: 14km</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Elevation: 1150m</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Time: 5.5h</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqV8rjV_gwjNc9hgGZ2glZyvQnOXZUmOwffz04klTr6Y2UBOvzR8sjy1X21m75fLhq25wIDOSrS-OQ8jZGZWASpgdTA3Y8fvUrrX1MBc_nf0_pBXyEBs8e5u3Mh3w5dRBteiBhKNQv4Nq5UByNFpIS-_mMkkGpDBhq36qfnU6-9omcN4Ybhxx2FcYN5A/s4032/20221216_100744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqV8rjV_gwjNc9hgGZ2glZyvQnOXZUmOwffz04klTr6Y2UBOvzR8sjy1X21m75fLhq25wIDOSrS-OQ8jZGZWASpgdTA3Y8fvUrrX1MBc_nf0_pBXyEBs8e5u3Mh3w5dRBteiBhKNQv4Nq5UByNFpIS-_mMkkGpDBhq36qfnU6-9omcN4Ybhxx2FcYN5A/w480-h640/20221216_100744.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of alders in Connaught drainage this year</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Mid-December in Rogers Pass is usually a safe bet for some good snow, even if the Rockies haven't seen much precipitation yet. This year was different. Driving west from Golden, there was barely any snow on the ground. Even as we arrived at the visitor centre we were shocked at how small the snowbanks were. Equipped with our rock skis, we made our way up toward Balu Pass, with a plan to ski 8812 Bowl.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_i8KH0qEfXTZ7Ii0izDC_zPJPedrKxTSk-1x0efSyIkVyEzXpCf6WMwQF5P48aQayMPhD11mtl7uCyfXTjbPFY1QkliDjlCT8SorjSx02ntAyE6TkCIWDkuavayxuMefoh2pZi00MCTShWfMzAkvfQxAL-DphckgQee3XY7lXY5guNyBV0RHIJTrg2A/s4032/20221216_100749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_i8KH0qEfXTZ7Ii0izDC_zPJPedrKxTSk-1x0efSyIkVyEzXpCf6WMwQF5P48aQayMPhD11mtl7uCyfXTjbPFY1QkliDjlCT8SorjSx02ntAyE6TkCIWDkuavayxuMefoh2pZi00MCTShWfMzAkvfQxAL-DphckgQee3XY7lXY5guNyBV0RHIJTrg2A/w480-h640/20221216_100749.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading up towards Hospital Bowl</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We passed under Grizzly Bowl, Frequent Flyer and the Ursus Trees before joining a steep skin track that lead up to Hospital Knob. From here, the trail contoured above the Hospital Gullies and gained Bruins Ridge.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnD-3brM5fTL0A8Ttm93UNJuZbj178-dh9-dTGuxyLfEv1ayNdrD2OLqSi9ErvaLOZtkxNlZAeNXN0YOgWQ_PbA0ZiHvULZhlCJub6HQm_1mB5ImsPc_AOHEzEnwL7i8IvBxMxk7fWypHtCC8IGlMMTBMtl6Ei6w6HhLyRjK84-35HBrmtyou204fKnQ/s4032/20221216_114650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnD-3brM5fTL0A8Ttm93UNJuZbj178-dh9-dTGuxyLfEv1ayNdrD2OLqSi9ErvaLOZtkxNlZAeNXN0YOgWQ_PbA0ZiHvULZhlCJub6HQm_1mB5ImsPc_AOHEzEnwL7i8IvBxMxk7fWypHtCC8IGlMMTBMtl6Ei6w6HhLyRjK84-35HBrmtyou204fKnQ/w640-h480/20221216_114650.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crossing below Hospital Bowl to gain Bruins Ridge</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">As we worked our way up the ridge, the clouds rolled in and wind picked up. Leaving the shelter of the trees left us exposed to the blowing snow and we could see that the visibility in 8812 Bowl was going to be terrible. Cutting our losses, we turned around just below the top of the ridge and skied by braille back down to the trees.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUxsk4hniM6kC-PXiI--tEdZaoOLvkNZ_bfKemEE-A1TJn4vzVHjSjb41vqfHAYO7It8po461uZz_kL0aTBf2qnHy80PmByrHAsdNwwENbG2Lv3PFxGSp6Qy5mn2lC8JWcQvL-KUYES5oTpk73V_zdKsOuX2zwBWBB7O6IWwQF0Vc8tn4KQogOgxhFA/s2944/20221216_130627.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="2208" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEUxsk4hniM6kC-PXiI--tEdZaoOLvkNZ_bfKemEE-A1TJn4vzVHjSjb41vqfHAYO7It8po461uZz_kL0aTBf2qnHy80PmByrHAsdNwwENbG2Lv3PFxGSp6Qy5mn2lC8JWcQvL-KUYES5oTpk73V_zdKsOuX2zwBWBB7O6IWwQF0Vc8tn4KQogOgxhFA/w480-h640/20221216_130627.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There goes our weather window, time to bail!</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The snow quality was surprisingly good as we ripped down through the wide lane on the ridge. Once we were out of the wind, we started having a much better time. Kyle took an early exit into the bottom of Hospital Bowl and had some nice mellow turns back to the skin track. Of course the clouds cleared up and we got a good view of Video Peak.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcCWs5x52aq2fexC0Jc1hIf29KzamxspXTkVZhTiHajKSknQX8gSr7W9z8v2l4d_gUX1tibtXkFzFRRnz18zhrTLcI6nsOb83dcFgFHqDI4ojs0ABGVFzRe8sdi1ROjcquK0t6N-MO-rZpFFgZggULbLN7wv1r_KfapQbfZnxhaD91B5gWEguEn_H6A/s2954/20221216_132209%20(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1882" data-original-width="2954" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPcCWs5x52aq2fexC0Jc1hIf29KzamxspXTkVZhTiHajKSknQX8gSr7W9z8v2l4d_gUX1tibtXkFzFRRnz18zhrTLcI6nsOb83dcFgFHqDI4ojs0ABGVFzRe8sdi1ROjcquK0t6N-MO-rZpFFgZggULbLN7wv1r_KfapQbfZnxhaD91B5gWEguEn_H6A/w640-h408/20221216_132209%20(2).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle makes his way down Hospital Bowl while Ursus Minor peaks out of the clouds<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We chose to exit through one of the Hospital Gullies rather than back down our skin track. The first few turns were great before it started to get steep and shrubby. We were able to pick our way through the waterfalls and pillows which would probably ski a whole lot better with a deeper snowpack.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRf0kati6SSygiqpXZ6LKoIg0wzqBKV9HkcFDDCXcNYV2rnjHGa0PATWWovk9aUUK34f70fJfRapvk0iMBjjS5z-2D6i3UClbLrrewtZqiK2yDXgukSzXrrUIvcRTHpFjqn4oUg2k3NDwKKCK0yi_DWAWeSJUyRB97wZtk0isVpU_jukvWyFoKof1SQ/s4032/20221216_133024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCRf0kati6SSygiqpXZ6LKoIg0wzqBKV9HkcFDDCXcNYV2rnjHGa0PATWWovk9aUUK34f70fJfRapvk0iMBjjS5z-2D6i3UClbLrrewtZqiK2yDXgukSzXrrUIvcRTHpFjqn4oUg2k3NDwKKCK0yi_DWAWeSJUyRB97wZtk0isVpU_jukvWyFoKof1SQ/w480-h640/20221216_133024.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jumping waterfalls down the Hospital Gully</td></tr></tbody></table>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-28025994735964606862022-12-12T16:33:00.139-08:002023-03-21T15:19:24.364-07:00December Pow at McMurdo Cabin<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6GqNKj76u2uZ3IMFZAnxbt_3pf7pNDLvepbK0XtD2-M6IpjktvurvFrfQH8tH4LqFCjYUvfWylR1FTAoWzMU6GgPgqE66E9Zfz4JwaKY42OyitV1goAVZgx3f6kNfYnmjQ8tyQevCp25kDymcVwqB3Vta_FAfol2dj48jHwEic0B1Sc97NVHJBd-KA/s4032/20221209_095309.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6GqNKj76u2uZ3IMFZAnxbt_3pf7pNDLvepbK0XtD2-M6IpjktvurvFrfQH8tH4LqFCjYUvfWylR1FTAoWzMU6GgPgqE66E9Zfz4JwaKY42OyitV1goAVZgx3f6kNfYnmjQ8tyQevCp25kDymcVwqB3Vta_FAfol2dj48jHwEic0B1Sc97NVHJBd-KA/w640-h480/20221209_095309.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting at sunrise</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Our 3rd annual December pilgrimage to the McMurdo Cabin was our first weekend of skiing for the 2022/2023 season. After horrible snow conditions the previous year and a rough start to the season, we had very low expectations for the skiing and we couldn't find anyone with a sled who wanted to come with us. Despite that, Kyle and I managed to find some decent snow and had a surprisingly fun weekend at the hut.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_kMG-3q14a-Yj2tuVYnC2OEDTNklAVewEcA5k9r36ZOt5kcML8_IwsDdfFwIfL-F5nyrv5--ZGQJgIhgquu4VX6r4PYudPWbx0LRX_Ncn23_ktcAnh7eMJYG7ZsTrIyqyYaETfgbMkozH4C2tnpON5aj9Fp-w0p7-4SHvr30YbQt5aeGfyrHiw_ntQ/s4032/20221211_105414.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_kMG-3q14a-Yj2tuVYnC2OEDTNklAVewEcA5k9r36ZOt5kcML8_IwsDdfFwIfL-F5nyrv5--ZGQJgIhgquu4VX6r4PYudPWbx0LRX_Ncn23_ktcAnh7eMJYG7ZsTrIyqyYaETfgbMkozH4C2tnpON5aj9Fp-w0p7-4SHvr30YbQt5aeGfyrHiw_ntQ/w640-h480/20221211_105414.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Third time back at the cabin <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The road wasn't groomed yet this year but it was pretty smooth getting in and all the creek crossings were fully frozen over. We are getting way more efficient at packing and sledding into huts. There were no hummus or beer explosions either so I call that a win! Arriving at the hut we were shocked with how low the snowpack was. There was less than 1 metre of snow.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Breaking trail up the ridge was horrible, 20cm of fresh snow on facets to ground. I was plowing through about 50cm all the way up and it was exhausting. We only made it 2/3rd up the ridge on the first day and dropped back down to the hut trying not to hit logs.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fzkOov5Z4o4Ln_kbhkLYx-TJCoS-rZLBnDFOoVncx32QhWGifykaMRQH36ELhokHWNFoRLxO7oLnNrlIvPHWkwBisjy-qwZdN3q-lf_D1kJ5rQISTnOx4I3zL3X6Z1gNOszecX6i-5vdIUjSwthMLrWUbGFlqsVJNRsf0bAAM0vCFDrlTZWveVsDZg/s2944/20221209_161258.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="2208" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fzkOov5Z4o4Ln_kbhkLYx-TJCoS-rZLBnDFOoVncx32QhWGifykaMRQH36ELhokHWNFoRLxO7oLnNrlIvPHWkwBisjy-qwZdN3q-lf_D1kJ5rQISTnOx4I3zL3X6Z1gNOszecX6i-5vdIUjSwthMLrWUbGFlqsVJNRsf0bAAM0vCFDrlTZWveVsDZg/w480-h640/20221209_161258.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for our first turns of the season - fake smiles after struggling our way up the skin track</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpctJSQhLyIKrQXrWO6V-IUbPSOrsSafL-VnWZLgCWlu087H7Nf-Naqa0YVaDDwvgDCFNt8-dEmUxm_HRKFjS2-CAfo-Hjbpw8ChYYGrW4_Vo07KkfjSxgUw-QiVeYMra9vmN3xZ2RRLXtxWZVrtGgJikmVXB1XRSA0Daq6VexLcsB68RqrmaaPWzSA/s4032/20221209_162211.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpctJSQhLyIKrQXrWO6V-IUbPSOrsSafL-VnWZLgCWlu087H7Nf-Naqa0YVaDDwvgDCFNt8-dEmUxm_HRKFjS2-CAfo-Hjbpw8ChYYGrW4_Vo07KkfjSxgUw-QiVeYMra9vmN3xZ2RRLXtxWZVrtGgJikmVXB1XRSA0Daq6VexLcsB68RqrmaaPWzSA/w480-h640/20221209_162211.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pillow playground - not quite deep enough yet<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Luckily we had planned for bad skiing and had board games, music and enough cheese to last a week. I also love being totally off the grid for a few days and spending time with Kyle in the backcountry. Even when the skiing sucks, hut trips are still fun.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusit5H7AIcWAfQFBo49LxR8IFXMP7M91yzMn2KSma1LKpItbmY2Rw-znky0xOsXI2jNFayv4uhuqt3pHu1tSDhS8VDQcgPifm2o5__54Wb0jDk4kndWsbjEx8Q-K6E1Mdh7Hhs_SFWeE1Z0WkvqK-awecS0p0Y-RZjacRyLTsG5GJX1Al52i9dZCrfA/s4032/20221209_172742.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiusit5H7AIcWAfQFBo49LxR8IFXMP7M91yzMn2KSma1LKpItbmY2Rw-znky0xOsXI2jNFayv4uhuqt3pHu1tSDhS8VDQcgPifm2o5__54Wb0jDk4kndWsbjEx8Q-K6E1Mdh7Hhs_SFWeE1Z0WkvqK-awecS0p0Y-RZjacRyLTsG5GJX1Al52i9dZCrfA/w480-h640/20221209_172742.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hut gourmet</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Shockingly, we woke feeling well rested to find fresh snow. We hit the trail with renewed enthusiasm. Having dusted off the skiing cobwebs the day before and with a nice skin track to follow, we were able to get up above treeline and find some excellent skiing about 300-500m above the hut. We lapped the open slopes getting early season face shots and only the occasional rock shark attack.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3bFq-D9DQULDQj2cTHcMAXXDh4tPj0JkO1AXvUZqxRgdaPRKN9Buau5SNkvqg4LERrr7qU2NltkGN-7lB-BIlHcRtxGeZkDlKvmbkcFG_QjYtuD7ouiGwYCZEipKiwITZzcpRPnM1Ez1ZV1nQhUJoCYd2o-kn4-MVfb4aKg8Om_7GLKAg3elLzAaxQ/s4032/20221210_094715.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3bFq-D9DQULDQj2cTHcMAXXDh4tPj0JkO1AXvUZqxRgdaPRKN9Buau5SNkvqg4LERrr7qU2NltkGN-7lB-BIlHcRtxGeZkDlKvmbkcFG_QjYtuD7ouiGwYCZEipKiwITZzcpRPnM1Ez1ZV1nQhUJoCYd2o-kn4-MVfb4aKg8Om_7GLKAg3elLzAaxQ/w640-h480/20221210_094715.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Overnight freshies!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJ0pWW_2ALJf7gEtRe43vB_Wu1849I7awfjeD0nbV_zuspZSs2YGAdeHIjYPE5II86VRjjjckYBjC3AUNfTpB0Iqa--hbrFbHWq90n2291tzwUssARHOvhnm8d9Jak5woAhTEkoGcGjy-cGcBFnLn_Zf0rAaonemdNtuVXkRmWeeOV0oHxGSjW_Wf8w/s3648/20221210_111456.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipJ0pWW_2ALJf7gEtRe43vB_Wu1849I7awfjeD0nbV_zuspZSs2YGAdeHIjYPE5II86VRjjjckYBjC3AUNfTpB0Iqa--hbrFbHWq90n2291tzwUssARHOvhnm8d9Jak5woAhTEkoGcGjy-cGcBFnLn_Zf0rAaonemdNtuVXkRmWeeOV0oHxGSjW_Wf8w/w480-h640/20221210_111456.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Its snowing!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLi4LTvXDbAaBfzWBvi6qVqrRGClrPs-7-RoVYNRwCNJVY2owi0sUyBM-r05B84LIAhIdMBMxpwHp02--g99LmzGWhSvIhDUdlsir1ftQGotmuXmWwML7nPqlejwpyxCS7BaxJx_LZLU4VGUZoc5fjl0AHgwhmfQf-_3j9uJovbNrQF4a-YirFn8vnAg/s4032/20221210_120628.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLi4LTvXDbAaBfzWBvi6qVqrRGClrPs-7-RoVYNRwCNJVY2owi0sUyBM-r05B84LIAhIdMBMxpwHp02--g99LmzGWhSvIhDUdlsir1ftQGotmuXmWwML7nPqlejwpyxCS7BaxJx_LZLU4VGUZoc5fjl0AHgwhmfQf-_3j9uJovbNrQF4a-YirFn8vnAg/w480-h640/20221210_120628.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awesome laps above the hut<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYg8qAakY-oPOmzSvJGEx3_SU5Eo95-841n7uO8E4Tje47xLBAwSSCspQmOh-oi5DZ8oo3sGhGC0AnfsZTezPB8z2sZiYBlYwy2gY6pvoRMlGDHaxJSk26fhiq_1sYkEYsQ0wipwtnJ9bUEao64OwLEgP9PURjnCI8Huc3FN753wVdGwKt3LvjQKPFxg/s4032/20221210_120913.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYg8qAakY-oPOmzSvJGEx3_SU5Eo95-841n7uO8E4Tje47xLBAwSSCspQmOh-oi5DZ8oo3sGhGC0AnfsZTezPB8z2sZiYBlYwy2gY6pvoRMlGDHaxJSk26fhiq_1sYkEYsQ0wipwtnJ9bUEao64OwLEgP9PURjnCI8Huc3FN753wVdGwKt3LvjQKPFxg/w480-h640/20221210_120913.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Probably skiing along the ground but it looks sick<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4zaUzQ9S03amP4wpFLJWujx8_SnxwPUzpMfBzJgGGJoM1t0Gxl3kbXOwQtx1ZSdBsw048nhHzV_Fx4ssAA42hDtxjrl48in7Wjs0-8I21CPuH4X87Gsw-TJKaRzA5zUn2vuXFIXO4LtxO0jysLV4f_IOZoQiCBfqpqvzBFS_AIR_Bx7bqb_B3-SE5g/s1435/20221210_133106%20-%20frame%20at%200m8s%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1435" data-original-width="1065" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4zaUzQ9S03amP4wpFLJWujx8_SnxwPUzpMfBzJgGGJoM1t0Gxl3kbXOwQtx1ZSdBsw048nhHzV_Fx4ssAA42hDtxjrl48in7Wjs0-8I21CPuH4X87Gsw-TJKaRzA5zUn2vuXFIXO4LtxO0jysLV4f_IOZoQiCBfqpqvzBFS_AIR_Bx7bqb_B3-SE5g/w474-h640/20221210_133106%20-%20frame%20at%200m8s%20(2).jpg" width="474" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steep and deep<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibslZx5wWv5H0TEFJYpvooA6uZ12HVnbBX4xZUdM4tut2sOJGeM82FvOr0SFmbjCoH199EQkjDhxaniawh2mt5d1f2-cIIZmdv5pZ_Cq_UX8EySXLt8_Cj8U3thlxX7X1XAINNWQN_pg8aUfphrUyxYQzNuZfGt4fD0xAJ2c9DtNaDD-OQK0GKUm9BUg/s4032/20221210_134351.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibslZx5wWv5H0TEFJYpvooA6uZ12HVnbBX4xZUdM4tut2sOJGeM82FvOr0SFmbjCoH199EQkjDhxaniawh2mt5d1f2-cIIZmdv5pZ_Cq_UX8EySXLt8_Cj8U3thlxX7X1XAINNWQN_pg8aUfphrUyxYQzNuZfGt4fD0xAJ2c9DtNaDD-OQK0GKUm9BUg/w480-h640/20221210_134351.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winter wonderland<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0-2Ox6EpszGSTLzBV5jey7ZYq6o1tJbG3rCQ5NschkPFalHv6NEaxzxtzFZ9Td0RE4-daTcV59vgcqzCqU2BTgsHYuKpqKrFtFvDTTtSvozlC15g-N_3ITJlKV1yTtb2xW8FfrIgjNXvjZepsatHf7v-4Ls3Eptiz3THxv_q6YntByW5vrvpO75qlQ/s2944/20221210_135058.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="2208" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg0-2Ox6EpszGSTLzBV5jey7ZYq6o1tJbG3rCQ5NschkPFalHv6NEaxzxtzFZ9Td0RE4-daTcV59vgcqzCqU2BTgsHYuKpqKrFtFvDTTtSvozlC15g-N_3ITJlKV1yTtb2xW8FfrIgjNXvjZepsatHf7v-4Ls3Eptiz3THxv_q6YntByW5vrvpO75qlQ/w480-h640/20221210_135058.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just dumping<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaxPm8_0iIP6qYUWAi-ABKyQoH6u9z-uX-BtBYBT-rOeIuxNrK8QF_IlsbYRjoRP7JsNnz-DS6T5ZwbWdOObjuU8JdDm3gQxJYgOQicENYDsuD9Qg2ujMPUohVTWQMr_sZPY9UhazqnUrzmFYLjSafbIjBNYUulR6nfzS0DsyzgPcZHgySDP6Y9rwtw/s4032/20221210_143936.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaxPm8_0iIP6qYUWAi-ABKyQoH6u9z-uX-BtBYBT-rOeIuxNrK8QF_IlsbYRjoRP7JsNnz-DS6T5ZwbWdOObjuU8JdDm3gQxJYgOQicENYDsuD9Qg2ujMPUohVTWQMr_sZPY9UhazqnUrzmFYLjSafbIjBNYUulR6nfzS0DsyzgPcZHgySDP6Y9rwtw/w480-h640/20221210_143936.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Endless pow<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">It was too much of a whiteout to get up into the alpine, but we were stoked to enjoy the treeline skiing all day. On the ski out back down to the hut, we remote triggered all the micro-terrain around the creek which was pretty spooky. This was the first evidence we had seen of instability but was in line with the layer of facets from November that avalanche forecasters had been warning about.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisQYFBP2ewBwQnYENYG966WZBEh7B4ysZbtZEdenWVHGOvJEKWTOsslNlVnnZ254zlSU7nJaZh74sfPil48Q5RLBmFuiDWni5JdLlO5gj4meOKSjqK2d8AxD24NH4Ca2WQXoAPCDRjbHnxA7aUTUj7N8JeeNS0Nkk52CvsgsUllEV6JkufOt-eA9MgKA/s4032/20221210_144944.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisQYFBP2ewBwQnYENYG966WZBEh7B4ysZbtZEdenWVHGOvJEKWTOsslNlVnnZ254zlSU7nJaZh74sfPil48Q5RLBmFuiDWni5JdLlO5gj4meOKSjqK2d8AxD24NH4Ca2WQXoAPCDRjbHnxA7aUTUj7N8JeeNS0Nkk52CvsgsUllEV6JkufOt-eA9MgKA/w480-h640/20221210_144944.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Touchy slab</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">For our third and final day at McMurdo, we got up before the sun (which isn't hard when the sun doesn't rise until after 8am) to sneak in another lap before packing up to head home. It was a beautiful morning and another successful early season trip to the McMurdo Hut.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgviJeeB13j77EEcYaCGxJ8TNvPGKqBE5tRkDZ-aSSZoVrZqzcUR05BUVtDBq_Y4nQxfDaBAfg_39vbnly9OsAdaGLUnK7iCckIt0uYgc4J7alY-LrXT-xjzFqcETOFzRWj2oAFDut3xy2lj1wQIjR9Su3FkCRAqdPNGWlU4TCPr7JuvkyN32Lyp5UePg/s4032/20221211_075223.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgviJeeB13j77EEcYaCGxJ8TNvPGKqBE5tRkDZ-aSSZoVrZqzcUR05BUVtDBq_Y4nQxfDaBAfg_39vbnly9OsAdaGLUnK7iCckIt0uYgc4J7alY-LrXT-xjzFqcETOFzRWj2oAFDut3xy2lj1wQIjR9Su3FkCRAqdPNGWlU4TCPr7JuvkyN32Lyp5UePg/w480-h640/20221211_075223.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dawn patrol - skinning by moonlight</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhzJ9kbv3dusNuDaLvtD50FaSpG78pQZ_Sq8sOYjOhzp5PcBU9kHfgkwzPYmcgFrvqq8_y1ZVieUfznAEl8ZNIRuco6R_ZpkAu4hyM6m-6dAx1Hx8XQf7S3WhFQAyROep0u9OMwEe1wlNSxziP2B_-H69uFrqHrG8b1N7Ql_QDmo8_fYyfIMVHpfyHw/s4032/20221211_083039.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhzJ9kbv3dusNuDaLvtD50FaSpG78pQZ_Sq8sOYjOhzp5PcBU9kHfgkwzPYmcgFrvqq8_y1ZVieUfznAEl8ZNIRuco6R_ZpkAu4hyM6m-6dAx1Hx8XQf7S3WhFQAyROep0u9OMwEe1wlNSxziP2B_-H69uFrqHrG8b1N7Ql_QDmo8_fYyfIMVHpfyHw/w480-h640/20221211_083039.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So fluffy<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8ApmvYaPGNOlxuxysLmktvpaNSQCghI0gqQMqs95R9Hw8_qKFyaFMfkigwJ4FfCyI9AGR34Pw9hy_otTrwpeNBfxT6YPe_wffdW0D4L2O9_DUeG2-UpgyREQ9sQ5W0BVX5MuVfYPkhrlCcFqKGMgajizzpfQFfluM8jxooBf52okgp_sxxeYmvhjgQ/s2944/20221211_083051.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="2208" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF8ApmvYaPGNOlxuxysLmktvpaNSQCghI0gqQMqs95R9Hw8_qKFyaFMfkigwJ4FfCyI9AGR34Pw9hy_otTrwpeNBfxT6YPe_wffdW0D4L2O9_DUeG2-UpgyREQ9sQ5W0BVX5MuVfYPkhrlCcFqKGMgajizzpfQFfluM8jxooBf52okgp_sxxeYmvhjgQ/w480-h640/20221211_083051.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome back to winter</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglabHi0_zStxq2jDdyvx9XqcyG-illrcao3evX8uL6RUqZZVRyUiDA2H9xWyMLMW3l42ph7E24BTtEJN53CICLatqX3bFHcGq9a1udJYJciiZWNE57vY_atHbgZQD4YXvkz3ZDzf8ZXOHLJnBNH02KHDnkoxrToqzhjh_aa0LNPqa06csnT_QuikYr0A/s4032/20221211_091634.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglabHi0_zStxq2jDdyvx9XqcyG-illrcao3evX8uL6RUqZZVRyUiDA2H9xWyMLMW3l42ph7E24BTtEJN53CICLatqX3bFHcGq9a1udJYJciiZWNE57vY_atHbgZQD4YXvkz3ZDzf8ZXOHLJnBNH02KHDnkoxrToqzhjh_aa0LNPqa06csnT_QuikYr0A/w480-h640/20221211_091634.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning skin track</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-34858438270359532712022-12-02T16:34:00.118-08:002023-02-14T11:30:34.794-08:00A Few Days of Riding in the Phoenix Area<div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPu9wy2-O9Hflog2ygH3FqvC2b1FOiMUOvi9iOYNQus_VyKlQMlyeKB82oyrQwM7GnoGwE3sOuibLa3rWiBAzvSino9Uocmjkz546yKjycKLTOzsAe32gFQqPEcTEAk6r6czMBeeYuJD0qg6og9u7GpDOpzpbSzh-QUW3z6hv7wCMhKeVpfyP7_4I-Q/s4032/20221126_132338.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfPu9wy2-O9Hflog2ygH3FqvC2b1FOiMUOvi9iOYNQus_VyKlQMlyeKB82oyrQwM7GnoGwE3sOuibLa3rWiBAzvSino9Uocmjkz546yKjycKLTOzsAe32gFQqPEcTEAk6r6czMBeeYuJD0qg6og9u7GpDOpzpbSzh-QUW3z6hv7wCMhKeVpfyP7_4I-Q/w480-h640/20221126_132338.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun in the sun!</td></tr></tbody></table>Between our trip to Sedona and bike packing on the Black Canyon Trail, we didn't have much time to explore the Phoenix riding scene. We were able to check out 3 different zones, each with different character and trails.<span><a name='more'></a></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Brown's Ranch</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u><br /></u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Brown's Ranch was a good place to spin the legs after a day of traveling and get warmed up for the week of riding we had in store. It was fast rolling with good flow and optional technical sections. Overall, the ranch is quite flat so you barely notice the climbs but there wasn't much in terms of descents on our loop from the Pima-Dynamite Parking lots. We covered lots of ground (32km over 3 hours) and had to race the setting sun to make sure we didn't get locked in at dusk. Highlight trails included Cholla Mountain Loop and Scorpion. The trails were well signed and trailforks has lots of recommended loops in the area to keep you busy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The parking lot closes at a different time each day depending on sunset and the park is closed after dark. We did learn later that you can still get out of the gate even if its closed as it has a sensor. A helpful tip for next time!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdkuiOL0IMjWTMAl5wJMS_T1JuaPFFbhGcxhsvgitVZ1XrrTwU0YXgTSBXrQ3du8CGtoskautp48eNGNrruP-RWBN38XRcQZ4SzNGVcF6v7qVHMNIphHuV6iw-T8x03sxlJR5TQe81stVeq5KTDKe-FwZxLDjlIt0gRG--bjkvjeXp-apUFQW2PPgsg/s4032/20221119_144037.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdkuiOL0IMjWTMAl5wJMS_T1JuaPFFbhGcxhsvgitVZ1XrrTwU0YXgTSBXrQ3du8CGtoskautp48eNGNrruP-RWBN38XRcQZ4SzNGVcF6v7qVHMNIphHuV6iw-T8x03sxlJR5TQe81stVeq5KTDKe-FwZxLDjlIt0gRG--bjkvjeXp-apUFQW2PPgsg/w480-h640/20221119_144037.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Browns Ranch<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eaMY7DjfTbG0INseSRZ-m1tPG7lg3o_AL3PIjYJiCfIz7B5WLL1ioKI6geSPun8TYOqLWI6VgoCJJFgpH3hc8pL_yBeTBJa0vnRtl7qOZqBU0SD3ZsOCf1FtJF2G59VnSROW6YfoKrImiQHapSVRl9q27QTDb1zKScsLzlZa6bWbdZ7GnbVXQqA82Q/s4032/20221119_151300.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8eaMY7DjfTbG0INseSRZ-m1tPG7lg3o_AL3PIjYJiCfIz7B5WLL1ioKI6geSPun8TYOqLWI6VgoCJJFgpH3hc8pL_yBeTBJa0vnRtl7qOZqBU0SD3ZsOCf1FtJF2G59VnSROW6YfoKrImiQHapSVRl9q27QTDb1zKScsLzlZa6bWbdZ7GnbVXQqA82Q/w640-h480/20221119_151300.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gentle climbs among the saguaros<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbwsOHu7bgASTTncRYebBlqufgN231ivcs6KnsKYjHNANuWLItiyFk7NEYi4F5Z7H-Q-pP133h_7U2c4RRbTNYLmnLRuVvwuhW1gclZuARlEkq5FfCVi2038kNCrEe_W0ZPUiQFoHfeBzvQF1xQu_bsmroKclhdGnWyTm3e_cbnKBkKjUnypXs_T7PA/s4032/20221119_151328.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbwsOHu7bgASTTncRYebBlqufgN231ivcs6KnsKYjHNANuWLItiyFk7NEYi4F5Z7H-Q-pP133h_7U2c4RRbTNYLmnLRuVvwuhW1gclZuARlEkq5FfCVi2038kNCrEe_W0ZPUiQFoHfeBzvQF1xQu_bsmroKclhdGnWyTm3e_cbnKBkKjUnypXs_T7PA/w640-h480/20221119_151328.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue skies and big smiles<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGQlyy0aEZPCHP4y1KOEpRlYVBWvJVONus5uUu8D6XaPkJ3qR4qKLnvvN6z0Esikq0Nc91NtMXH2sjtsEpbIuy8jqZgQx7ikoAEZqr2pPAB8kZrlY-vZkP9uTkfd8WprEQZ2cf7Jo69SkaWEfw2pZ2qcqHhu_XUOcxrboGGX8Cvbm71SSNFbWtMrjdw/s4032/PXL_20221119_231337027.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYGQlyy0aEZPCHP4y1KOEpRlYVBWvJVONus5uUu8D6XaPkJ3qR4qKLnvvN6z0Esikq0Nc91NtMXH2sjtsEpbIuy8jqZgQx7ikoAEZqr2pPAB8kZrlY-vZkP9uTkfd8WprEQZ2cf7Jo69SkaWEfw2pZ2qcqHhu_XUOcxrboGGX8Cvbm71SSNFbWtMrjdw/w640-h480/PXL_20221119_231337027.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rolling through the chollas<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxpSmjSKFn_1v1NxwH4hiEJpT_QF-rysA6yNy2gqMdVbvsHvegyjgq0dvFXjGh5xFXQ5HligyAYkCJQPG4biAuthK_jXX9j6WPVnEZuCiqwPw6cbWo_dS3s4EzGODMroF0aPTdUOr6n8iygh7lgEc6w1fGrQSc6V_zILBNKM3SEzUEPT63ap8ulMTiQ/s4032/20221119_151336.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxpSmjSKFn_1v1NxwH4hiEJpT_QF-rysA6yNy2gqMdVbvsHvegyjgq0dvFXjGh5xFXQ5HligyAYkCJQPG4biAuthK_jXX9j6WPVnEZuCiqwPw6cbWo_dS3s4EzGODMroF0aPTdUOr6n8iygh7lgEc6w1fGrQSc6V_zILBNKM3SEzUEPT63ap8ulMTiQ/w640-h480/20221119_151336.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Such cactus!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWaeJ4ESPHqCAOVOrWQtW1Ba8s-CfNDHHYbsmOWyWrum0uPzjFSdWy9jJAYUzhfxuhjQoDg7SYNP_-TadlI6hheuUFfhxLtoafoN80geGOweeBEpQQOR19pmFhb44MIgVu5r0aykkNrc9E6m-AAD88RX1qudkB95dLmgRYKS9SVodf-noBfdSwqyheg/s4032/20221119_161744.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWaeJ4ESPHqCAOVOrWQtW1Ba8s-CfNDHHYbsmOWyWrum0uPzjFSdWy9jJAYUzhfxuhjQoDg7SYNP_-TadlI6hheuUFfhxLtoafoN80geGOweeBEpQQOR19pmFhb44MIgVu5r0aykkNrc9E6m-AAD88RX1qudkB95dLmgRYKS9SVodf-noBfdSwqyheg/w480-h640/20221119_161744.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cathedral Rock<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgyHnFn8zjxox3ybOrYGOT62OiGNmxUgzEozQI4qPePQBl_oXGYsVSXu9C4fzaui7UiCf7dH2pcla-86ByoAFWIV7JGbSEfQ_Eg2vlNoQ06MlmjWN7j2vwO1gvxJB1qLS5Blh3GjaYjvIBcMXDAw2k70JNbxYJ9kc9hulOlBTDQBhQukaq2Z5iX2yrQ/s4032/20221119_162042.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgyHnFn8zjxox3ybOrYGOT62OiGNmxUgzEozQI4qPePQBl_oXGYsVSXu9C4fzaui7UiCf7dH2pcla-86ByoAFWIV7JGbSEfQ_Eg2vlNoQ06MlmjWN7j2vwO1gvxJB1qLS5Blh3GjaYjvIBcMXDAw2k70JNbxYJ9kc9hulOlBTDQBhQukaq2Z5iX2yrQ/w640-h480/20221119_162042.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the Steve<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrN66DQhsKcVIqAwNzFx0lmkzeISj0RA1VAab7DpKAGdRYY9_CfR8dS0Pj1GkDGqCPn71ne1_rkRU9JmMbjtSMsmgOxdCgN5RJE9SL1a1XRP3Ge1tXn0raNsuDRDVDsEJFKC4n0T0DrQp_uY92tNHFyLq9Jes4pmlBtYfh37mqAn8bFS6zwNJpSwXw6A/s4032/20221119_170702.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrN66DQhsKcVIqAwNzFx0lmkzeISj0RA1VAab7DpKAGdRYY9_CfR8dS0Pj1GkDGqCPn71ne1_rkRU9JmMbjtSMsmgOxdCgN5RJE9SL1a1XRP3Ge1tXn0raNsuDRDVDsEJFKC4n0T0DrQp_uY92tNHFyLq9Jes4pmlBtYfh37mqAn8bFS6zwNJpSwXw6A/w480-h640/20221119_170702.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Racing sunset back to the car park</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><b><br /></b></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><b><u>South Mountain (SoMo)</u></b></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><b><br /></b></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">South Mountain Preserve is rough and tougher than Brown's Ranch with lots of rock riding and optional lines. The mountain is very popular with hikers but they were very courteous to mountain bikers and you could always rely on an audience to cheer you through a tricky section.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We barely scratched the surface of SoMo and still have plenty of trails to explore. Some of the trails are more fun in a specific direction, so double check before you drop in! We had a great time linking together quick loops off the Pima Canyon climb before a technical out and back on National. The climbs were punchy and there was some steep descending that kept us on our toes. We also enjoyed a high speed rip down Javalina Canyon and got a bit lost once or twice.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCTr0sonJvl3N5OZqRO8IiNB5HYNOrQATZevD05CN0M7n2sc1OV3m8CPtlINrBD79ODxSnrr8uINNtKFycvRK7DKmPsPvAJ363zVpJeu3yvJuzw6r3TtXPdpcTn2XZSQWpRToz2Ce2mtZoU928CDdSQD8fs66dzuyPLeScIyTV2dva00ANBiYXDgJ2w/s4032/PXL_20221126_192514480.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCTr0sonJvl3N5OZqRO8IiNB5HYNOrQATZevD05CN0M7n2sc1OV3m8CPtlINrBD79ODxSnrr8uINNtKFycvRK7DKmPsPvAJ363zVpJeu3yvJuzw6r3TtXPdpcTn2XZSQWpRToz2Ce2mtZoU928CDdSQD8fs66dzuyPLeScIyTV2dva00ANBiYXDgJ2w/w480-h640/PXL_20221126_192514480.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up National so we can come back down<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5rY2msXkBSihTs--1NAgulJaa_RlRcBD313b0oA2OABtezgh1wJZP3zKVI68HD4oT6AREOSEmtRSR4FlLfsgtCJ8sC8mBOywe-PnOjVxlHyJww_8iPJTUV21jP2HZYlm1psvSGRModDtvb092gfSeRqMZifefbBfCxXKfavMMm843HrTS9mfYQvqDw/s4032/PXL_20221126_195558139.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5rY2msXkBSihTs--1NAgulJaa_RlRcBD313b0oA2OABtezgh1wJZP3zKVI68HD4oT6AREOSEmtRSR4FlLfsgtCJ8sC8mBOywe-PnOjVxlHyJww_8iPJTUV21jP2HZYlm1psvSGRModDtvb092gfSeRqMZifefbBfCxXKfavMMm843HrTS9mfYQvqDw/w480-h640/PXL_20221126_195558139.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shady snack break<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_I3SJGZ-n8PbWy9PtJvHJJSviQyQ3nJ2zodE-_q0bODaYU9JR9oGbOwN_dpNTHEG2Grty4Gthuwi_-ZJ-OSmt5uf6DO4EfNPh4ZFhGbPAEvVFBGzPJJRNRL3h_uwzGsySM2mO8Gg_ji-CrNqeChoxXY09_AWfziDxp1l9Q60p5Cvq1NrCGSe-tP_09w/s3280/PXL_20221126_202323091.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_I3SJGZ-n8PbWy9PtJvHJJSviQyQ3nJ2zodE-_q0bODaYU9JR9oGbOwN_dpNTHEG2Grty4Gthuwi_-ZJ-OSmt5uf6DO4EfNPh4ZFhGbPAEvVFBGzPJJRNRL3h_uwzGsySM2mO8Gg_ji-CrNqeChoxXY09_AWfziDxp1l9Q60p5Cvq1NrCGSe-tP_09w/w640-h480/PXL_20221126_202323091.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top of the pass<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxzqh8_9nhCpdGmcuPxL9gT0y-b5Jy4kZ2KiN99KVbMfpPe-tf_2ouoXKArjOaw6lwkblSq9nGy9KZlPvNoaaY_2mpV2QVQBBIQYcmnrB6mYAeDpmuijk33I93DQeHP3RJUZAi-3ZHxEt-nKfENzncUMKCLmSWlctjp2aBk5gOsOrhhUsn8LE3rxg3Q/s4032/20221126_132340.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxzqh8_9nhCpdGmcuPxL9gT0y-b5Jy4kZ2KiN99KVbMfpPe-tf_2ouoXKArjOaw6lwkblSq9nGy9KZlPvNoaaY_2mpV2QVQBBIQYcmnrB6mYAeDpmuijk33I93DQeHP3RJUZAi-3ZHxEt-nKfENzncUMKCLmSWlctjp2aBk5gOsOrhhUsn8LE3rxg3Q/w480-h640/20221126_132340.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Its all downhill from here<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIc3jvIxBIC-eZ-NCvH2czFqEEx3b-rPToqw0ly5WHT-lpR4hq4ilKqZu7WIk892tEw8tiYOzU8ozU-orwbYMtK5dfLMoMAkynBeAEBvMu_sepeYBfnKAg1yHFYjuuT7VYdOZpMVTyUjqY28lROsKWQYRAVXuIt_Hv12YJGIj0K7nk-YWLtlVM3bfLw/s4032/PXL_20221126_195235118.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGIc3jvIxBIC-eZ-NCvH2czFqEEx3b-rPToqw0ly5WHT-lpR4hq4ilKqZu7WIk892tEw8tiYOzU8ozU-orwbYMtK5dfLMoMAkynBeAEBvMu_sepeYBfnKAg1yHFYjuuT7VYdOZpMVTyUjqY28lROsKWQYRAVXuIt_Hv12YJGIj0K7nk-YWLtlVM3bfLw/w640-h480/PXL_20221126_195235118.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It goes (up and down!)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-p1MoSqA2RnHc4jZg-wmL4TD13k3oPjFZfKIVVayDBIuuptS_iU2dxgomALdBcBgwpt0TMDST-vqY2Wz4xLCv-Y8eOW57s8vaHnaKQBZWQClmnXsibEBGIevX5ZfGs_yIxifHtYyLGdFVw6ZvjXv--p67-6VK23OFOlrJUT3cCkzG7Dbe3cDSyY3IRw/s1920/20221126_133441%20-%20frame%20at%200m8s.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-p1MoSqA2RnHc4jZg-wmL4TD13k3oPjFZfKIVVayDBIuuptS_iU2dxgomALdBcBgwpt0TMDST-vqY2Wz4xLCv-Y8eOW57s8vaHnaKQBZWQClmnXsibEBGIevX5ZfGs_yIxifHtYyLGdFVw6ZvjXv--p67-6VK23OFOlrJUT3cCkzG7Dbe3cDSyY3IRw/w360-h640/20221126_133441%20-%20frame%20at%200m8s.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hardtail pride down the waterfall<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOoOKTJBZGjaurRwcmYZpDpQwW84_KBHthaGProLbJlmP25zG53M_X_Kht71QAd_36w7W90xqNPKfWkevqFsI4fxw4EMdz0763Un9pzM5xsmXFoMmljYjvY6-pN3YEZT02tCFnvJCy0T4vHy0DnSxHNDVHeZe5AGzAG6A7SkZQ3OxyRu5_n41PUiTLRQ/s4032/20221126_133514.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOoOKTJBZGjaurRwcmYZpDpQwW84_KBHthaGProLbJlmP25zG53M_X_Kht71QAd_36w7W90xqNPKfWkevqFsI4fxw4EMdz0763Un9pzM5xsmXFoMmljYjvY6-pN3YEZT02tCFnvJCy0T4vHy0DnSxHNDVHeZe5AGzAG6A7SkZQ3OxyRu5_n41PUiTLRQ/w640-h480/20221126_133514.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big bikes on little bike trails</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><b><br /></b></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><b><u>Hawes</u></b></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><b><br /></b></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Hawes trail system was my favourite because of the flowy climbs, fast, loose descents and epic views. This was also where we found the most mountain bikers, many of whom were pre-riding the trails for the upcoming enduro event. Red Mountain Rush was worth the climb and we will need to come back to ride double black Sunset Ridge and some of the jump trails like Big Sister.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPC6hWNtexnoYDH-e1qd3pon-HIlyo0hhbxk6XnZqBIZXmR65-6PdrZVkxyf0MT2xmX_SHyDBo1wV4HHOAuF41_OdXVFTQH6A4Hdp6KYabqTMbV3JC96y2bs0Rn0ws8IkFAJEXQb2_wNEITfMH86uKyQoxVw371WKSwkQiRS78JsATpYG0zhMKAkbfQ/s4032/PXL_20221127_175827090.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPC6hWNtexnoYDH-e1qd3pon-HIlyo0hhbxk6XnZqBIZXmR65-6PdrZVkxyf0MT2xmX_SHyDBo1wV4HHOAuF41_OdXVFTQH6A4Hdp6KYabqTMbV3JC96y2bs0Rn0ws8IkFAJEXQb2_wNEITfMH86uKyQoxVw371WKSwkQiRS78JsATpYG0zhMKAkbfQ/w640-h480/PXL_20221127_175827090.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L'Alpe d'Huez climb (Hawes version)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnLBzrgzagjTeKTUGr6Or2-qRAC4AWt5J5AyihwkOe7Y1zncjwhwfuKezqx58Ypxh74D37QizXFS-NisqbTDDY7YZW6ClENqTDJVQYEYf3WHAWylCdD1A-V4SZpk1kY66nLaRiJ8TZ-JgVSY88NFZhSMuycRTGxTYRdk7MTnq8kcr9IVIkads9qrixg/s4032/20221127_095444.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpnLBzrgzagjTeKTUGr6Or2-qRAC4AWt5J5AyihwkOe7Y1zncjwhwfuKezqx58Ypxh74D37QizXFS-NisqbTDDY7YZW6ClENqTDJVQYEYf3WHAWylCdD1A-V4SZpk1kY66nLaRiJ8TZ-JgVSY88NFZhSMuycRTGxTYRdk7MTnq8kcr9IVIkads9qrixg/w480-h640/20221127_095444.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Mountain gets all the glory when you are riding Hawes<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTYyv1D6kr223-MAdIlVZhANCowW6Z_7_ky_tLVqjRz-w6p5_VgC2LoCThELOO43SQ3cL7jYkjhesOQco6lmY_rUlCvTZ19FFgIEyZPQgvitd19aWYLjGsybE4u4nAJ57z2jhLPN4M38i3ZGqUEGO_tamewCYwAfNNLKOxE0w9cJZmptdQ70MBGlnag/s4032/20221127_111835.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibTYyv1D6kr223-MAdIlVZhANCowW6Z_7_ky_tLVqjRz-w6p5_VgC2LoCThELOO43SQ3cL7jYkjhesOQco6lmY_rUlCvTZ19FFgIEyZPQgvitd19aWYLjGsybE4u4nAJ57z2jhLPN4M38i3ZGqUEGO_tamewCYwAfNNLKOxE0w9cJZmptdQ70MBGlnag/w480-h640/20221127_111835.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This way to the top<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBPUHuxYFf1VRbO2oMljhoo5_TvRUW6xxxXfAq1ecYldK8TijtDSPSx0viTO5LQL3S4ASWxfOvwR0-dHSz0wQGf-nH3sraQtrwbTs3K4ZecEvCH2IBlcnrIcDdHXfToTQRds9TBlTu5eMeL7QLw3CPgPxk2sa1x7xlJ1pIu2HpDMmB59mseXAd860tA/s4032/PXL_20221127_182455826.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpBPUHuxYFf1VRbO2oMljhoo5_TvRUW6xxxXfAq1ecYldK8TijtDSPSx0viTO5LQL3S4ASWxfOvwR0-dHSz0wQGf-nH3sraQtrwbTs3K4ZecEvCH2IBlcnrIcDdHXfToTQRds9TBlTu5eMeL7QLw3CPgPxk2sa1x7xlJ1pIu2HpDMmB59mseXAd860tA/w640-h480/PXL_20221127_182455826.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the views<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaaesg3SbA6e5DeYkD_Y4GcvSR0L1_SKRTRHHHQkpjRxeaVBdVtKyzt7EE3YR3oEQN8iVKrlATuzsg37LJAP5I6wDnIARfrex8McezcZ0Zc0TTmCSl8G_8xODfRhW0lzEnCScgVxse5FqaGEMVRpYnpzXdBDBrVleN2XX-meCHxwwUQ5W6dBRbbUKwOQ/s4032/PXL_20221127_182810417.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaaesg3SbA6e5DeYkD_Y4GcvSR0L1_SKRTRHHHQkpjRxeaVBdVtKyzt7EE3YR3oEQN8iVKrlATuzsg37LJAP5I6wDnIARfrex8McezcZ0Zc0TTmCSl8G_8xODfRhW0lzEnCScgVxse5FqaGEMVRpYnpzXdBDBrVleN2XX-meCHxwwUQ5W6dBRbbUKwOQ/w640-h480/PXL_20221127_182810417.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to drop into Red Mountain Rush<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9V8lmP-LsFWcH6c9sQasITzibL_xPnIFA-jGgSfJ4H9vKd8moI-TrX6Ai886mPh-77V83SaNChDJNI9LVAZh-z7fQIMpr0UrXX_JHJ85PHgvLLaJBneZWHS6K5Qv0T7fyAjS50KNK2kVn6_8lI0ay3hAGGOEZCp3Dbl08aYVQoaT0JiJFZDOjVltweQ/s4032/20221127_113353.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9V8lmP-LsFWcH6c9sQasITzibL_xPnIFA-jGgSfJ4H9vKd8moI-TrX6Ai886mPh-77V83SaNChDJNI9LVAZh-z7fQIMpr0UrXX_JHJ85PHgvLLaJBneZWHS6K5Qv0T7fyAjS50KNK2kVn6_8lI0ay3hAGGOEZCp3Dbl08aYVQoaT0JiJFZDOjVltweQ/w480-h640/20221127_113353.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fast and loose<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNCXkLKWuh6XsTeXNpDO22u3LMkit0H2Nmu20SiXTGYmv3C2xUqh3hOrny7lwnmLFX2_4KcxPS5dlQCgZ3tjoUynVCRWNUrx3nQxV6o_k_NmD1_Bv9oEzr7UGJtfvYaCnTD_B13hKzswJmW-OcxSnb8hoi8E8mi--4yBJP3BCahAbYCgyz5d5ftf63Hw/s4032/20221127_114201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNCXkLKWuh6XsTeXNpDO22u3LMkit0H2Nmu20SiXTGYmv3C2xUqh3hOrny7lwnmLFX2_4KcxPS5dlQCgZ3tjoUynVCRWNUrx3nQxV6o_k_NmD1_Bv9oEzr7UGJtfvYaCnTD_B13hKzswJmW-OcxSnb8hoi8E8mi--4yBJP3BCahAbYCgyz5d5ftf63Hw/w640-h480/20221127_114201.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We found the flow<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-31359209558329390442022-12-01T21:43:00.004-08:002023-02-13T16:32:54.577-08:00Bikepacking the Black Canyon Trail (BCT)<p style="text-align: center;"><b><u> Black Canyon Trail Bike Packing<br /></u></b>Big Bug Trailhead to Carefree Highway (I 74)<br />125km/80miles<br />1500m Climb<br />2300m Descent<br />3 Days<br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-family: "Times New Roman"; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOGEFPtkT1MzSceXVTRUxh5QL4wk9gtOTJiAlaSrrRyvoQa7yqJ723tQ9qyaOAq-YD60wv25FoD2BszAxEbMN-MK3t0GZoOgweKu8J6xMtGfevfx0Odjh1ZNKsqeWzvzGpQ1xUB9e172ZDbj-_9HxKLLja2C9ocnlJumsD8vwsvNdSK-r0rIhSFNqWQ/s4032/PXL_20221119_231416978.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyOGEFPtkT1MzSceXVTRUxh5QL4wk9gtOTJiAlaSrrRyvoQa7yqJ723tQ9qyaOAq-YD60wv25FoD2BszAxEbMN-MK3t0GZoOgweKu8J6xMtGfevfx0Odjh1ZNKsqeWzvzGpQ1xUB9e172ZDbj-_9HxKLLja2C9ocnlJumsD8vwsvNdSK-r0rIhSFNqWQ/w640-h480/PXL_20221119_231416978.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div><span style="font-weight: normal;">"Adventure begins when plans end"</span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: center;">Two weeks before our second annual fall Utah bike trip, everything was falling apart. The extended forecast was calling for snow and sub-zero temperatures in Moab, Tyler had pneumonia and we were locked into the vacation dates by my new job. Flights were expensive, accommodations booked solid thanks to American Thanksgiving and we had mentally committed to a "dirt-bag cheap trip."</div><p></p><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">Mom and Dad to the rescue! They had escaped to Scottsdale, Arizona to avoid shoulder season in Canada and were willing to host us and Steve too. Plans started to take shape, and I made some last minute bookings for an Airbnb in Sedona. My parents agreed to loan us their car and new bike rack, in addition to help out with logistics for the airport pick up and drop off. The highlight of the trip was going to be three days of bike packing on the Black Canyon Trail. This 80 mile point-to-point IMBA Epic has been on our hit list ever since we pedaled a section with Simon and Ashley in 2015 and this was the perfect opportunity to make it happen.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Planning a last minute bike packing trip meant that we had to scramble to collect the necessary gear including racks, dry bags and bike bags for the plane. As we were all novice bike packers, it took some trial and error to figure out what gear was going to work. Fortunately we had friends with some gear that they were willing to loan (thanks Dustin!) and Kyle sniffed out some deals on Kijiji. With tools, bikes, and camping gear packed it was off to the airport for a early morning flight to Phoenix.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheknuMa0xBMeYE02HLKxdCqKiYP4L14k6HZm3eFhlduDipJEpHRAkAnamBEA5HVmOPRr13QoV2pLgmz_Vu9AasOO1CZhe-fIK6q6-s6-BXDVWa2WQAFF7QHF0XEzsl8sM1Ffu24JiK4PJNDW-Jgo9naOL7RpqUDkZzKI0m-mC1Lu-9uHvYSxs47Bn-ZQ/s4032/20221116_200938.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheknuMa0xBMeYE02HLKxdCqKiYP4L14k6HZm3eFhlduDipJEpHRAkAnamBEA5HVmOPRr13QoV2pLgmz_Vu9AasOO1CZhe-fIK6q6-s6-BXDVWa2WQAFF7QHF0XEzsl8sM1Ffu24JiK4PJNDW-Jgo9naOL7RpqUDkZzKI0m-mC1Lu-9uHvYSxs47Bn-ZQ/w480-h640/20221116_200938.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breaking down the bikes and packing it all in<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7t0hlG7BCm5iOn1pEGH1ZSxoBjtwqxrtzzXvwTLJBgMkiQfei1Gmx_xxnI-8PzlPhOpUqga_mjacZXML32au1nNDaX29WbXCOcNFdIS9H-MqWi91NM2R5cOIeFqkyHtLKlI_EyLFvdxbPEIaW0QTvdlHJ7wDA5VVUVbZlKi_FpR9Bk0MC6RmYrQXRA/s4032/20221117_194106.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl7t0hlG7BCm5iOn1pEGH1ZSxoBjtwqxrtzzXvwTLJBgMkiQfei1Gmx_xxnI-8PzlPhOpUqga_mjacZXML32au1nNDaX29WbXCOcNFdIS9H-MqWi91NM2R5cOIeFqkyHtLKlI_EyLFvdxbPEIaW0QTvdlHJ7wDA5VVUVbZlKi_FpR9Bk0MC6RmYrQXRA/w480-h640/20221117_194106.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gear for camping, riding and even climbing shoes just in case<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiDge3xT_ygZPmH3d5asEkLeK3ISjDllpZNxf7LGOyZQrKJCuH2wGzh6L80aFBls_dG6X7X0VZ74_hve2JnizKvHhX3hWSRBjsxk_UzkbHx6gnOGY-jdLptUMORb5KxMixbczfvuapnaoMFs0GPvMrX64CLCMT2dCjO_y8ve8XU0B5t8JmGyfKdDySQ/s4032/20221118_131910.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiDge3xT_ygZPmH3d5asEkLeK3ISjDllpZNxf7LGOyZQrKJCuH2wGzh6L80aFBls_dG6X7X0VZ74_hve2JnizKvHhX3hWSRBjsxk_UzkbHx6gnOGY-jdLptUMORb5KxMixbczfvuapnaoMFs0GPvMrX64CLCMT2dCjO_y8ve8XU0B5t8JmGyfKdDySQ/w480-h640/20221118_131910.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step 1: Build bikes in the Phoenix airport so we can get to my parents place<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLtgQpNmaETI9gXsbUAY-10BHKqYhXW1RNnWTIZx8vZA3e7CaHAFB7dWBaVQ136aoDH-pOv3vZj209G8s478iJaLVJR8lOSJeqwzglE4wv4NMx8lcbJYuN8lFNaJx0nELQotX_rZENwCIAYtKpRHDlKmpiiKP4WnJddQ9VfWSLoo1bkAMfKI7J5cXPQ/s4032/20221118_161200.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLtgQpNmaETI9gXsbUAY-10BHKqYhXW1RNnWTIZx8vZA3e7CaHAFB7dWBaVQ136aoDH-pOv3vZj209G8s478iJaLVJR8lOSJeqwzglE4wv4NMx8lcbJYuN8lFNaJx0nELQotX_rZENwCIAYtKpRHDlKmpiiKP4WnJddQ9VfWSLoo1bkAMfKI7J5cXPQ/w640-h480/20221118_161200.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Step 2: Chill out before our big ride<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b><u>Tips for Riding the BCT</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">1. <i>Start at the Big Bug Trailhead off Highway 169</i>. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Doing so skips the Osborne Springs Wash and Russian Well sections, 33km of the trail and 550m of climbing. All the information we found was that these two sections of trail are overgrown, rarely ridden and prickly. We didn't ride it and don't feel that we missed out.</div><div style="text-align: center;">2. <i>End the ride at the Emery-Henderson Trailhead and skip the Biscuit Flats</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Don't get fooled into thinking that you need to ride this to "ride the whole BCT" like we did. This section is dead flat, mostly down a hardpacked road and spits you out on the shoulder of the Carefree Highway which isn't near anything and is a sketchy spot to get picked up. It wasn't fun. It wasn't interesting. It detracted from the experience and made Kyle grumpy. Just don't do it.</div><div style="text-align: center;">3. <i>Camp at Bumblebee Ranch </i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Camping at the ranch on the 1st night was excellent. Not only was this the only place to fill up on water from the Big Bug Trailhead all the way to Black Canyon City, it was beautiful, there were lawn games, you could buy cheap beer, they have hot showers and everyone was super nice. Contact the ranch prior to arrival to let them know you are coming. $15 per tent.</div><div style="text-align: center;">4. <i>Concerning Water</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Other blogs suggest there are places to fill up your water along the route at various crossings of the Agua Friga. We did not find this to be the case and the only water we saw was just north of Black Canyon City on Day 2 (70km into the ride!). The water did not look appealing and we were happy that we were not relying on river crossings to fill up. We stayed in locations with water so we didn't need to carry water for camping or cooking (Bumblebee Ranch and in Black Canyon City) and carried 4-6L of H20 per day with us just to drink. This was in November and it was "cool" for this time of year (10-20<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">°</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">c</span></span>).</div><div style="text-align: center;">5.<i> The Trail</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">The trail was mostly single track with occasional double track sections. Steve and I rode our enduro bikes (Ibis Ripmo and Forbidden Dreadnought) and Kyle rode his Gnartail Hardtail. I appreciated having suspension. The trail wasn't very technical and did not have any steep sections but there were rough parts of the trail that were quite loose making pedaling difficult and with loaded down bikes. Overall, we were able to ride the majority of the trail with occasional times off the bike to push up loose sections. Route-finding was generally easy and we used a combination of trailforks and garmin maps to navigate.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZASOLjZARGvxmCesVqKuwuZu3v4p5QspgFzPIFOEWfvGzbYp4Hd0Wmu1uDUj72pWjCQXUou5GYSkMsNyXNgOgmxUD_IaWGVw3_zCHQrEKpu-5YcmRhRl5JXrwcG9EKB2GdMH7HujXKwSdefxVywOWTn9mG2t-P2vflcotpnZle_H5Gqts4oauZQerZw/s4032/20221122_123935.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZASOLjZARGvxmCesVqKuwuZu3v4p5QspgFzPIFOEWfvGzbYp4Hd0Wmu1uDUj72pWjCQXUou5GYSkMsNyXNgOgmxUD_IaWGVw3_zCHQrEKpu-5YcmRhRl5JXrwcG9EKB2GdMH7HujXKwSdefxVywOWTn9mG2t-P2vflcotpnZle_H5Gqts4oauZQerZw/w480-h640/20221122_123935.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cactus socks in their natural habitat</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Our Itinerary (distances/elevations estimated from Strava)</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Day 1:</u> Big Bug Trailhead to Bumblebee Ranch. 34km, 350m elevation, 4.5hrs</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Day 2:</u> Bumblebee Ranch to Black Canyon City. 35km, 650m elevation, 5.5hrs</div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Day 3:</u> Black Canyon City to Carefree Highway. 55km, 950m elevation, 8hrs</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9toLYB8JUragx_krh9c9cRXb_3ClFZ57cOuRyHQtzzguEq2lG-x9L67PuZeLxs2XU60DyEVQS46chzRKACIv_lXjy2eqW2oHGx8FUHYqQmqvnd35ZrSK98LV_xgjMn7Txb8r_oh-2QT3PpFB6r0G6fEG82or5HLLTObK7acfgR6CRT0WlzRRnNU3Ag/s4032/20221122_094955.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9toLYB8JUragx_krh9c9cRXb_3ClFZ57cOuRyHQtzzguEq2lG-x9L67PuZeLxs2XU60DyEVQS46chzRKACIv_lXjy2eqW2oHGx8FUHYqQmqvnd35ZrSK98LV_xgjMn7Txb8r_oh-2QT3PpFB6r0G6fEG82or5HLLTObK7acfgR6CRT0WlzRRnNU3Ag/w640-h480/20221122_094955.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to start on our 3 day trip</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><u>Day 1</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">My parents met us at the Big Bug Trailhead to pick up the car and send us off. We had just over 30km to travel and 700m to descend to Bumblebee Ranch where we planned to camp for the evening so we weren't in a rush. It was cold and windy in the parking lot as we adjusted our packs and triple checked that we had all our gear. The bikes felt heavy and awkward with the bags mounted and within minutes we had to stop and make adjustments. With everything tightened down properly, we were off across the high Sonoran Desert.</div></span><div><span style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAefi9FXtB4fmSqHoqoBgxnWuVe52305KtZCwCiemPDuRlCy2iB76qMurILt9EMNNzncYJKRZDzyqpvMw2o6Jjh6jqBV5e2Sxfos5jIJ5QRyOL0rBlPrwGormucO1tFDcR35wcJmp_z3ao3m5azbSHhsU_xZcDCgdGeqGAK72-VbJRfIXz9ubBBEKuCA/s4032/20221122_104111.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAefi9FXtB4fmSqHoqoBgxnWuVe52305KtZCwCiemPDuRlCy2iB76qMurILt9EMNNzncYJKRZDzyqpvMw2o6Jjh6jqBV5e2Sxfos5jIJ5QRyOL0rBlPrwGormucO1tFDcR35wcJmp_z3ao3m5azbSHhsU_xZcDCgdGeqGAK72-VbJRfIXz9ubBBEKuCA/w640-h480/20221122_104111.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding up and away from Spring Valley and into the desert</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJV_-kXl3CasCa1dr2EAfOZynQt8lADjUq1Xfemj4sWK9xKFtg9khgL6RgNq0jLORF3uzWXWLa6Y2_ztP5Xs9IRamhlR25QrlU8H8zjDX6Y54JvE8Adpy9I1pGvjk4xgH6KUpNqNxRzY3aUP45WnG2FIpqO8witA7SILYy-0vsNMI1rw6dTOEdAuOqWQ/s4032/PXL_20221122_184017505.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJV_-kXl3CasCa1dr2EAfOZynQt8lADjUq1Xfemj4sWK9xKFtg9khgL6RgNq0jLORF3uzWXWLa6Y2_ztP5Xs9IRamhlR25QrlU8H8zjDX6Y54JvE8Adpy9I1pGvjk4xgH6KUpNqNxRzY3aUP45WnG2FIpqO8witA7SILYy-0vsNMI1rw6dTOEdAuOqWQ/w640-h480/PXL_20221122_184017505.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch Break at an old windmill</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The morning consisted of a mix of single track and dirt double track. The BCT was pretty well marked with green stakes with BCT blazes. As we rode, the landscape started to change from low brush to cacti and deep valleys. After lunch with some cows, we left the roads behind and enjoyed a long flowy singletrack descent through saguaros and prickly pear to the valley bottom. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3MlRGnOI7pbdfwfNRNTpByzLifGGhr5UF0lxx-Oq-U5-7tLB-NZkqGGr43UffDZCc48QCe8_92Npr2IjpEsupDsoDnLVFw3mGCIMIGaoiS9CtX2lFIT2OncvSqtBEYtCjAtH1QvrD3qRO8fvwtXDoWSMHm0o1cpRaGWUNFzxB9_pvWgad0bulmS8Mg/s4032/20221122_120623.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP3MlRGnOI7pbdfwfNRNTpByzLifGGhr5UF0lxx-Oq-U5-7tLB-NZkqGGr43UffDZCc48QCe8_92Npr2IjpEsupDsoDnLVFw3mGCIMIGaoiS9CtX2lFIT2OncvSqtBEYtCjAtH1QvrD3qRO8fvwtXDoWSMHm0o1cpRaGWUNFzxB9_pvWgad0bulmS8Mg/w640-h480/20221122_120623.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trail markers we found at most intersections</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstTF0WrKafJXASDqPXo0QPwzoMeAT-R409qh2tga5KI9mOnQAJiqaqzvmIDuKVM9s32vUURvBJSLjS80IbtNE-wVWNNbIcwAbpxHplvlFF-KGZhp6lEgbjyG9ySOPuiAEtc_z8gqgqPZGZSmxYV12gwJbe4M5VAclrKqfFxLl58Oe_RslcjwWWIf06Q/s4032/PXL_20221122_174717155.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhstTF0WrKafJXASDqPXo0QPwzoMeAT-R409qh2tga5KI9mOnQAJiqaqzvmIDuKVM9s32vUURvBJSLjS80IbtNE-wVWNNbIcwAbpxHplvlFF-KGZhp6lEgbjyG9ySOPuiAEtc_z8gqgqPZGZSmxYV12gwJbe4M5VAclrKqfFxLl58Oe_RslcjwWWIf06Q/w640-h480/PXL_20221122_174717155.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading towards the canyon<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNMGtws-XJoRpNEk3q8K7DliTcW4l7itotO-QVmuVbTquMY7TkqGSkEfSO0RW2NTnyYxbvnT8e3hsut39lZtAVCQYzEI6_c76mNEyhu1SZigju0Pje5vd5N6dNZnTfFmkDjbKW0WUf-M_-i6IHIi5Ih8GGvd9zeXV74HnLswXsQ_vXoS_TopBnr6Kzg/s4032/PXL_20221122_185227581.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNMGtws-XJoRpNEk3q8K7DliTcW4l7itotO-QVmuVbTquMY7TkqGSkEfSO0RW2NTnyYxbvnT8e3hsut39lZtAVCQYzEI6_c76mNEyhu1SZigju0Pje5vd5N6dNZnTfFmkDjbKW0WUf-M_-i6IHIi5Ih8GGvd9zeXV74HnLswXsQ_vXoS_TopBnr6Kzg/w640-h480/PXL_20221122_185227581.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding double track along the rim<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKtz0X407RwqvJU0Cc6syg2hNke2lna-J0Edh4NHtTPBwtrpbFKPaTlucVKI4RvcYpu_NSThAZJ0TRKzwBMYsHmOhgN4hFi25awEfr3MNA335Cs4mKR9yrR9xHwBndLsk4Jw7aRhRZFuO9VWS60nIavg1OkmnI9kdWCEyMAfcZH-EmFNnjzkPD9s0fw/s4032/20221122_120406.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUKtz0X407RwqvJU0Cc6syg2hNke2lna-J0Edh4NHtTPBwtrpbFKPaTlucVKI4RvcYpu_NSThAZJ0TRKzwBMYsHmOhgN4hFi25awEfr3MNA335Cs4mKR9yrR9xHwBndLsk4Jw7aRhRZFuO9VWS60nIavg1OkmnI9kdWCEyMAfcZH-EmFNnjzkPD9s0fw/w480-h640/20221122_120406.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Desert vistas<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbglEgzvdD3xB2z_1e4TMq30OUP9Sm01LZ0hofx8caX2U2hGgK00WRBIDAzxmYn-xb4ivdZ1gLO-IiMVU1oz-CjCh9QYT8kift6VS1jASI_z0WXMEMuZWkpYmRslkPcR5PO56WqDjHtkuf6ly3-q-5ASJeDmFpAyRv_gscMKAWUz158iZUtlIJTcUdA/s4032/PXL_20221122_190301508.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUbglEgzvdD3xB2z_1e4TMq30OUP9Sm01LZ0hofx8caX2U2hGgK00WRBIDAzxmYn-xb4ivdZ1gLO-IiMVU1oz-CjCh9QYT8kift6VS1jASI_z0WXMEMuZWkpYmRslkPcR5PO56WqDjHtkuf6ly3-q-5ASJeDmFpAyRv_gscMKAWUz158iZUtlIJTcUdA/w640-h480/PXL_20221122_190301508.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steady descent all day</td></tr></tbody></table></span><span style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0q5TdXep7zHCsn1WmImGiqeF0YGeN8aB_44fvf-K5z1uiWIdL8yNwnm4EDtmMd51zaOnQZWi5lZVlss3dWwN9yDOZ1meQAnE8UJ3qEdGubV2ItG5N9T4NRIErEyIxmfZGFrcTSPaCwCA8lSKiQWGtkSzyWHdXeYvvD6ygY8daiqW_hfPLPfZM-q6Pg/s4032/PXL_20221122_192240461.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht0q5TdXep7zHCsn1WmImGiqeF0YGeN8aB_44fvf-K5z1uiWIdL8yNwnm4EDtmMd51zaOnQZWi5lZVlss3dWwN9yDOZ1meQAnE8UJ3qEdGubV2ItG5N9T4NRIErEyIxmfZGFrcTSPaCwCA8lSKiQWGtkSzyWHdXeYvvD6ygY8daiqW_hfPLPfZM-q6Pg/w640-h480/PXL_20221122_192240461.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finding the desert flow</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1yGUCncXyfLS-0pWHoIuReISVLZztG-6qk4cv8zqcEFaaIU8HjwRS20sH3-LfcucnAi2b0gEmcHjJW_cFDeLwjOHnDKJIpGyUoMgoHBA7HqwWb2yuI5i9IBIyQdDARNb5-0QAaZ5wxPaRIwmQTZt5sZKOqJhwR7K62rzyOxDGZ4dhp7FFBUmJMR9Qg/s4032/20221122_134214.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1yGUCncXyfLS-0pWHoIuReISVLZztG-6qk4cv8zqcEFaaIU8HjwRS20sH3-LfcucnAi2b0gEmcHjJW_cFDeLwjOHnDKJIpGyUoMgoHBA7HqwWb2yuI5i9IBIyQdDARNb5-0QAaZ5wxPaRIwmQTZt5sZKOqJhwR7K62rzyOxDGZ4dhp7FFBUmJMR9Qg/w480-h640/20221122_134214.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun swoopy trails</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGz-z1xS9s9NHp0TQDJ_kPEwS_L0rPESm5cmrqXcWfM1GR1a6qUuDKcr0rbKCu3adPbRVf_La_fn5iEmEuBKwtw-Dd_uhz4SKOfmbVCjfowbXVlkPpI1NDhBhL4ceKi6TVQOSzRUz5QahfinIni3rjeAOTOONRZDw1pgU_LXOUTAVtFq3LLwcecFN6xg/s4032/20221122_130415.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGz-z1xS9s9NHp0TQDJ_kPEwS_L0rPESm5cmrqXcWfM1GR1a6qUuDKcr0rbKCu3adPbRVf_La_fn5iEmEuBKwtw-Dd_uhz4SKOfmbVCjfowbXVlkPpI1NDhBhL4ceKi6TVQOSzRUz5QahfinIni3rjeAOTOONRZDw1pgU_LXOUTAVtFq3LLwcecFN6xg/w480-h640/20221122_130415.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah Kyle!</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After a leisurely day of mostly descending, we arrived at the Bumblebee Ranch around 3pm. This gave us plenty of time to set up our camp, rinse off the dust and play some lawn games. We had reserved our camping in advance, but we were the only campers that night and we had the pick of the grassy field. A family from Colorado was staying at the ranch for horseback riding, which meant that the bar was open which was an unexpected treat to be able to enjoy a cold beer after a day on the trails.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LWScVjt2KqIfHvPb9t7KU-UaRuh10AnjypTlK01oW824wocZCubh2X1PCvyd0hn9SmMi6K0kB5wiM2a2BJ-N0R70YDI63FzPZxoz_5Z5hq6zxvcxF9Zq3mkm1jyIphIYneZ761GxyeM110jtLFEQ5FLS4xrbvppVlmlrlNptB0Z4IzaSlH_NGrjHkA/s4032/PXL_20221122_213458341.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4LWScVjt2KqIfHvPb9t7KU-UaRuh10AnjypTlK01oW824wocZCubh2X1PCvyd0hn9SmMi6K0kB5wiM2a2BJ-N0R70YDI63FzPZxoz_5Z5hq6zxvcxF9Zq3mkm1jyIphIYneZ761GxyeM110jtLFEQ5FLS4xrbvppVlmlrlNptB0Z4IzaSlH_NGrjHkA/w480-h640/PXL_20221122_213458341.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to Bumblebee Ranch</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPFEIBHpEU3fQUENNScS1zovgvJSrm6p-TMBRObs9d_1DcLTlOw0QSf4AqiFYZafH8SU58_AzsPeM_aiv-uuLHdyTcCFsLf0fTfClh7D3G_7p-boSjUxEdxUyydhWZ0IPXYj6WUA6eRMFfS5bveQo7BV3CT8ji-PeWKYwyiJ529ta0QxDfvqv-hxHJA/s4032/20221122_155320.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPFEIBHpEU3fQUENNScS1zovgvJSrm6p-TMBRObs9d_1DcLTlOw0QSf4AqiFYZafH8SU58_AzsPeM_aiv-uuLHdyTcCFsLf0fTfClh7D3G_7p-boSjUxEdxUyydhWZ0IPXYj6WUA6eRMFfS5bveQo7BV3CT8ji-PeWKYwyiJ529ta0QxDfvqv-hxHJA/w640-h480/20221122_155320.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home for the evening</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Wz6yyxsOAyISaMwVRfEclwEogOfw2xitIom_MMDqFhYycJhAR8SiIs87_4k-2I0ENDBaWXhQK7PSjrLg6p6fGf-03ttOYqVU6njeMD4yZKpufY3jQdirEQjPzaXgO3XmbtXesWfrqTYgUW3y7_0hqoLpq9xgDlAmHcwORk5e25Zam7xyHEjQRo_QoQ/s4032/PXL_20221122_233817714.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Wz6yyxsOAyISaMwVRfEclwEogOfw2xitIom_MMDqFhYycJhAR8SiIs87_4k-2I0ENDBaWXhQK7PSjrLg6p6fGf-03ttOYqVU6njeMD4yZKpufY3jQdirEQjPzaXgO3XmbtXesWfrqTYgUW3y7_0hqoLpq9xgDlAmHcwORk5e25Zam7xyHEjQRo_QoQ/w640-h480/PXL_20221122_233817714.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arizona golden hour<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39DWAJbyQB8iZiNDKXrOfVre2B5y3DKmbM5fn3gDphfhA_QHD6yVr5Wnm0cV9Hh9vAB7OfUi1Kz6Gzj1uQUzxAhN8a6-v0PDB51de6UPSde-vzEPclG7gkK9-G0tm6L55BZmavCkp8A09hkO6QvtiwhAEYfI6qnQ40Vb4bHXAwgFtFjsAp4duDcZPeg/s4032/20221122_174407.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi39DWAJbyQB8iZiNDKXrOfVre2B5y3DKmbM5fn3gDphfhA_QHD6yVr5Wnm0cV9Hh9vAB7OfUi1Kz6Gzj1uQUzxAhN8a6-v0PDB51de6UPSde-vzEPclG7gkK9-G0tm6L55BZmavCkp8A09hkO6QvtiwhAEYfI6qnQ40Vb4bHXAwgFtFjsAp4duDcZPeg/w640-h480/20221122_174407.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bumbleebee Bar</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">As soon as the sun set, the temperature dropped. We took advantage of the heat lamps at the bar for a bit before returning to our camp for dinner. We could have joined the other group for a dinner of smokies and burgers (for $20pp) but we wanted to put a dent in our supplies and lighten the load for the following day. It gets dark early in November so we enjoyed the spectacular stars before and early bedtime. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RP93BaoDbZLmNLMpllPcNgkk60r9DrJPcv9MT8U6bt4_Ff87sxBpzKkC9_hHqD3ibBs0m6hTO1z_0Y14GVCVf60KPfMuR2WroyXueKMa54flrrBk6fbMo7C74eS1c9TfqBfZq2Gvm6Dde956F912Y5LFHFYcXtCCP5mGROuC5ID8UY3_PcJEUpyZQg/s4032/20221122_185227.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2RP93BaoDbZLmNLMpllPcNgkk60r9DrJPcv9MT8U6bt4_Ff87sxBpzKkC9_hHqD3ibBs0m6hTO1z_0Y14GVCVf60KPfMuR2WroyXueKMa54flrrBk6fbMo7C74eS1c9TfqBfZq2Gvm6Dde956F912Y5LFHFYcXtCCP5mGROuC5ID8UY3_PcJEUpyZQg/w480-h640/20221122_185227.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fueling up after a good day of riding</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"><b><u>Day 2</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">After a successful and efficient first day on the trail, we had a lazy start waiting for the sun to warm us up before getting back on the bikes. We loaded up on water from the Ranch before starting the climb out of the valley, heading south toward our next destination, Black Canyon City. We passed some hikers on the trail and Kyle had a close encounter with their vicious dog, but fortunately both Kyle and his bike escaped unscathed. After that, we didn't see any other people on the trail for the rest of the day. The desert continued to change, with increasing varieties of cacti and prickly bushes that scratched our arms and legs as we rode past.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvvLrCSgrk2nMRSgSjFF4ZrQ_8bqn3gzZUl58-OM2TX8_xjNv6MUnyIGrvhiS27XVJ2dpTqdlE9QIFcjYILRJOR0HdnvXy3Lsv4sTJqYgPaegjRPlQ4mOM85hI4Xk49k4OPixT2tjTF1_0tvGXJ9gx6ycbjuC7P4UuEUVqiv4c0IuX6tAzYCduu5rlA/s4032/PXL_20221123_181058227.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvvLrCSgrk2nMRSgSjFF4ZrQ_8bqn3gzZUl58-OM2TX8_xjNv6MUnyIGrvhiS27XVJ2dpTqdlE9QIFcjYILRJOR0HdnvXy3Lsv4sTJqYgPaegjRPlQ4mOM85hI4Xk49k4OPixT2tjTF1_0tvGXJ9gx6ycbjuC7P4UuEUVqiv4c0IuX6tAzYCduu5rlA/w640-h480/PXL_20221123_181058227.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climbing up from Bumblebee Ranch to start day 2</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvy9j1iSeFpa5sHgqLkLErZpM40UpCcG5Fey_oNt2dEIrp3O2w7bCKnJ9sZxG-MPPOnsOL0MeTUtMlWL8nZJazlquK5y9GmxmI_83yZIH8uOBy6yO2JR77bxHdxNmnc42NlpWjaRRRrPuTkt9_omOqCaYPL6ZpIAHoi93s4qWW-nvFK-8L1U8OO_OjPA/s4032/PXL_20221123_183858570.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvy9j1iSeFpa5sHgqLkLErZpM40UpCcG5Fey_oNt2dEIrp3O2w7bCKnJ9sZxG-MPPOnsOL0MeTUtMlWL8nZJazlquK5y9GmxmI_83yZIH8uOBy6yO2JR77bxHdxNmnc42NlpWjaRRRrPuTkt9_omOqCaYPL6ZpIAHoi93s4qWW-nvFK-8L1U8OO_OjPA/w640-h480/PXL_20221123_183858570.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocks and saguaros</td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JpgLOGNn-O9fQjFca3kgsmRAqB6lE8cIcVZNorIS2m9ZXNwKP8p4PY7l5quMleOQ-wk3PDBcT7L1yfwNi873JsbHBJi1fh96rH2ZOe04SSROTJwl-_hjVUPXNS4IXP_XcGQLmrXfI8ZQh5j6nxWshot4IlD2wxeueVau5zF5XMC9qUXlUrhxxWiZ4g/s4032/20221123_123327.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5JpgLOGNn-O9fQjFca3kgsmRAqB6lE8cIcVZNorIS2m9ZXNwKP8p4PY7l5quMleOQ-wk3PDBcT7L1yfwNi873JsbHBJi1fh96rH2ZOe04SSROTJwl-_hjVUPXNS4IXP_XcGQLmrXfI8ZQh5j6nxWshot4IlD2wxeueVau5zF5XMC9qUXlUrhxxWiZ4g/w640-h480/20221123_123327.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Increasing number of prickly things as we make our way south</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqaRsZS-eFpcjijZca0SC3MoUwSX7HQXhj5ghPndjYrGAmd5UzSQGRSNbO-HkmK2SwQLhnUxiPWX5qsdYywoX1iaTuRoF5H4hgWvVJDFMQd-xVmVT_-qnN2Hky04mTL3oRpfv9Psaqv4hyNfO4-cMA5hELk5ZwNutfaPEtmN_UaCHd8SFsv_zPeBVVw/s4032/20221123_124034.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqaRsZS-eFpcjijZca0SC3MoUwSX7HQXhj5ghPndjYrGAmd5UzSQGRSNbO-HkmK2SwQLhnUxiPWX5qsdYywoX1iaTuRoF5H4hgWvVJDFMQd-xVmVT_-qnN2Hky04mTL3oRpfv9Psaqv4hyNfO4-cMA5hELk5ZwNutfaPEtmN_UaCHd8SFsv_zPeBVVw/w480-h640/20221123_124034.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great day for a ride<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The sections of trail on day 2 had more climbing, loose rock and less flow compared first day. It also felt like we were more remote, deep in the desert with nobody around. The views were awesome all day and we enjoyed soaking in the scenery. Although the riding wasn't super technical, it was slower than we had anticipated. Riding with loaded bikes certainly changes the way your bike handles, and the risk of falling into a cactus adds an extra element of danger! By the time we arrived in Rock Springs (the tiny town consisting of multiple pie shops just outside Black Canyon City) we were tired, sunburnt, and thirsty. I think we had all under-estimated the "easy" 35km day 2.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgux5K0rf4wPGOSUh7GI2PIy2cA0k7Rui3H1eQzrnAZ-dpSqdCuXWrWWLYNiLdwdNMHxwygs_jC94POoRfUkpR-mLGLB_sRYEJz87HSla2f8fgXZAecpc84GODmHhzUSgUdvMP_jWwLtpL5HCIiLR5grtvfLq3p6u_9UQG-y68X-Saazkb5onhJ_nE4WA/s4032/20221123_133247.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgux5K0rf4wPGOSUh7GI2PIy2cA0k7Rui3H1eQzrnAZ-dpSqdCuXWrWWLYNiLdwdNMHxwygs_jC94POoRfUkpR-mLGLB_sRYEJz87HSla2f8fgXZAecpc84GODmHhzUSgUdvMP_jWwLtpL5HCIiLR5grtvfLq3p6u_9UQG-y68X-Saazkb5onhJ_nE4WA/w480-h640/20221123_133247.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No water to be found in this river crossing</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWN8jpy9gJpGw2nH3IzZkcAy1mWKLdgXnkkVXsssTY_q3z5XzlPNDjRbv_5ylpfXp7dSoqhGRMDDg5e0RnDH-DODz-WXDDaIttvVcMHO4tTaGfAj2elVvvijtaFf9cQNwRryEi_j_GEsDA5xQsVdiGFvvlxi0fZ1u082Bn9RL4sfkU-VRjJ9h3jWjQSQ/s4032/PXL_20221123_203448662.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWN8jpy9gJpGw2nH3IzZkcAy1mWKLdgXnkkVXsssTY_q3z5XzlPNDjRbv_5ylpfXp7dSoqhGRMDDg5e0RnDH-DODz-WXDDaIttvVcMHO4tTaGfAj2elVvvijtaFf9cQNwRryEi_j_GEsDA5xQsVdiGFvvlxi0fZ1u082Bn9RL4sfkU-VRjJ9h3jWjQSQ/w640-h480/PXL_20221123_203448662.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying a moment in the shade<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1Z9RkXWA_ZTr-RqQ18tt--d8i2jLT8xrh0q-yHcTbVJoZwb0vpIm6wIsPXTTObHg_Dm-iDM469tBh9KTnEa-9renxtsVO-JV_NV3fX6ks176bV-nfodqsw5UFccyNOIEEQNf_lUWr6v8Fr0IIHHU-t2pIoM8dKn70i2VeyXmJvwSRQX42p3AAawuqQ/s4032/20221123_140010.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia1Z9RkXWA_ZTr-RqQ18tt--d8i2jLT8xrh0q-yHcTbVJoZwb0vpIm6wIsPXTTObHg_Dm-iDM469tBh9KTnEa-9renxtsVO-JV_NV3fX6ks176bV-nfodqsw5UFccyNOIEEQNf_lUWr6v8Fr0IIHHU-t2pIoM8dKn70i2VeyXmJvwSRQX42p3AAawuqQ/w480-h640/20221123_140010.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The desert version of a ladder bridge<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWas0ifblUZQMDw9VPb-l1XUaMUMQ-q1hZrhRufdsGpHGJ-0nbd4zbzMktm9ttgBKwhst5iqL7y4bF5tiLi1pGl147jY5AlGTWC40lJSXPrT2Ksn9OCFXr6r7oH2iOKx2a3NHitKB1K9Tq4XIxTHbPrheYmh7kFcTl0IMv1cFqBtNBB5DRJCZO3rshQ/s4032/20221123_141843.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVWas0ifblUZQMDw9VPb-l1XUaMUMQ-q1hZrhRufdsGpHGJ-0nbd4zbzMktm9ttgBKwhst5iqL7y4bF5tiLi1pGl147jY5AlGTWC40lJSXPrT2Ksn9OCFXr6r7oH2iOKx2a3NHitKB1K9Tq4XIxTHbPrheYmh7kFcTl0IMv1cFqBtNBB5DRJCZO3rshQ/w480-h640/20221123_141843.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loaded bike<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhji2amqP5fepmtxVlcGDJmIGLjcrEvYMpXM8tFinmRYRO8Yli2NN2qUlKB-Tx4FrKEt58_mCO-aOtNI2I6ddVYJYEB2zlQiS7m5P95x5KHxeyLuPR03FLXVlZhaQjw1ppws__AMhuW-VIbm8hDhi_wDXfxDQsF2njN2fhNT7NoR82NFtgPPX9ISbwWXw/s4032/20221123_152436.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhji2amqP5fepmtxVlcGDJmIGLjcrEvYMpXM8tFinmRYRO8Yli2NN2qUlKB-Tx4FrKEt58_mCO-aOtNI2I6ddVYJYEB2zlQiS7m5P95x5KHxeyLuPR03FLXVlZhaQjw1ppws__AMhuW-VIbm8hDhi_wDXfxDQsF2njN2fhNT7NoR82NFtgPPX9ISbwWXw/w480-h640/20221123_152436.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another climb</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQ5pRtaODPS1155xhtdn7JIAEiH4mNlOfWoZI4sEBMJ58Bb_IIHA6reaJFooqvm7XYl2o30JFCW1YB9pgdInADbd49Zhucr2Q5CTTqnclZ2wFLkhP190OqNqvC5nzH7EqPgPJc7AqrMmgA6xCXVvjh7NvBiJ9xk5p1JxNzRLAczRqPCK9aWkbfRD3zQ/s4032/PXL_20221123_210803150.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQ5pRtaODPS1155xhtdn7JIAEiH4mNlOfWoZI4sEBMJ58Bb_IIHA6reaJFooqvm7XYl2o30JFCW1YB9pgdInADbd49Zhucr2Q5CTTqnclZ2wFLkhP190OqNqvC5nzH7EqPgPJc7AqrMmgA6xCXVvjh7NvBiJ9xk5p1JxNzRLAczRqPCK9aWkbfRD3zQ/w640-h480/PXL_20221123_210803150.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Re-emerging into civilization<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When I initially started planning this trip, I envisioned camping in the desert each night. That plan went out the window as soon as Kyle found out that we could rent a small cabin at the campground in Black Canyon City. This was supposed to be his vacation after all! At first I was a bit sad that we wouldn't be roughing it, but was happy to fully embrace the bougie bike-packing after I realized how prickly the desert could be and that none of the creek crossings had any water. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The other benefit of staying in town was that we got to stop at the pie shop in Rock Springs, apparently a BCT must-do. This was a short detour off the BCT but very close to the campground. What we hadn't expected was that everyone and their dog would be picking up pies for American Thanksgiving. The parking lot was chaos, there was a huge line out the door for those who had pre-ordered and the only option was to buy a full pie as all the "by the slice" pie was gone. Typically they have lots of flavours available but we were saved the agony of having to pick as there was only mixed berry left. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8pnYrJk0QSfoHUz6y741fF_IKHGvWX26yheeKk4wpM2hfC_Qc-YIoD7rrMWVDmIFqpaWAOTHhB4IOY3gbmJVWEAfcY8DwZuGNsYxsIyAs8ppZT9WFSCPkx98Jev9ak7DeNv2_Qo2Lr3Ij2Ol7WlX_nzMKx5Al-E38vMO4FP3HmuibspXlrpZCJbuCA/s4032/20221123_155002.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc8pnYrJk0QSfoHUz6y741fF_IKHGvWX26yheeKk4wpM2hfC_Qc-YIoD7rrMWVDmIFqpaWAOTHhB4IOY3gbmJVWEAfcY8DwZuGNsYxsIyAs8ppZT9WFSCPkx98Jev9ak7DeNv2_Qo2Lr3Ij2Ol7WlX_nzMKx5Al-E38vMO4FP3HmuibspXlrpZCJbuCA/w480-h640/20221123_155002.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arriving at the pie shop</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvQxJ98Oxw5GBLhF906HOBXLFaZcLtVbI954QQ-uXF4at1gQwCDY67hzlUFWCnXd6DgYyiWJW7YdKxkFANA8DaRJekkhjmmggG_WbiPt0XqKB56ZhkhJlOJ-CtrMTNd8UW9ASlQUZaInTmkNUzZFw62tI89tE7WcmoBIX_eCQK5GCp9NQFXfDVDqITw/s4032/PXL_20221123_231750934.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvQxJ98Oxw5GBLhF906HOBXLFaZcLtVbI954QQ-uXF4at1gQwCDY67hzlUFWCnXd6DgYyiWJW7YdKxkFANA8DaRJekkhjmmggG_WbiPt0XqKB56ZhkhJlOJ-CtrMTNd8UW9ASlQUZaInTmkNUzZFw62tI89tE7WcmoBIX_eCQK5GCp9NQFXfDVDqITw/w640-h480/PXL_20221123_231750934.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dreadnought pie delivery</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Riding with the pie strapped to Steve's bars, we arrived at our home for the night. After some après pie, we ventured out in search of dinner and found Beni's Pizza. The portions were huge, the beer was cheap and it was everything we could have asked for after two solid days of riding.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUitHk120uqseQSIT6Vjp0BNkHtWye8leH0XCJqe19iEV0yGXqyqSMdeDIq-SYCf-oS-6IjIWjt4it4Hurw_Yazzes4yXsNygdMH7T515aAUXA6_HADaX_6tY_D_ElNfFimsqvQPXhB2iQmKouEl57FswDwlC45xBQZuNf8IHPw1Ln3Jycl_xI0hGjUg/s4032/PXL_20221123_233433840.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUitHk120uqseQSIT6Vjp0BNkHtWye8leH0XCJqe19iEV0yGXqyqSMdeDIq-SYCf-oS-6IjIWjt4it4Hurw_Yazzes4yXsNygdMH7T515aAUXA6_HADaX_6tY_D_ElNfFimsqvQPXhB2iQmKouEl57FswDwlC45xBQZuNf8IHPw1Ln3Jycl_xI0hGjUg/w640-h480/PXL_20221123_233433840.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pie makes an excellent post-ride snack</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgomLBbJlN1BPogInyYKIqQmNJo4yWdK6Vz1ZvuuEQTVueIs7UnuL2hgHuxFcFhyrHXXBWlS-CL8Pgac7R6PslhWC5VIw2-3ALtlVs2FmzLGcECG_hFZrqaBIVl-AHnes4UXK_jykSHXB6LPWK2uf79lJKb2T45juBVI_eZX1XwulNgJOI2l9Szld6KPA/s4032/20221123_182700.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgomLBbJlN1BPogInyYKIqQmNJo4yWdK6Vz1ZvuuEQTVueIs7UnuL2hgHuxFcFhyrHXXBWlS-CL8Pgac7R6PslhWC5VIw2-3ALtlVs2FmzLGcECG_hFZrqaBIVl-AHnes4UXK_jykSHXB6LPWK2uf79lJKb2T45juBVI_eZX1XwulNgJOI2l9Szld6KPA/w480-h640/20221123_182700.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's a big calzone!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlblbg9vHmBlbNK4DMU7UVl-JUClFDQrQUn9md04z2RfBOPNPLuD8NYnM4Suh-9P4tsG1M8kczN46usFLlt5eHKyQIKZN3Yye5_UXu2AKruZrfV5a13dLzX3P7a5JCNGlZkkcSunfmuR0JScakB9NWGGWqr7sGWH0GOQsmOCrnFR_I0hag3mGyo4TJA/s4032/20221124_070426.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlblbg9vHmBlbNK4DMU7UVl-JUClFDQrQUn9md04z2RfBOPNPLuD8NYnM4Suh-9P4tsG1M8kczN46usFLlt5eHKyQIKZN3Yye5_UXu2AKruZrfV5a13dLzX3P7a5JCNGlZkkcSunfmuR0JScakB9NWGGWqr7sGWH0GOQsmOCrnFR_I0hag3mGyo4TJA/w480-h640/20221124_070426.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle and bikes all tucked in</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><u><b>Day 3</b></u></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our final day was the biggest in both distance and elevation gain. With this in mind we rose early, but just as we were about to leave Steve started tinkering and ended up with a bent valve in his shock that wouldn't hold air. After an hour or so, they boys got it working thanks to a friendly RV guy with lots of tools, and Steve wasn't allowed to make any more adjustments to his suspension for the rest of the trip.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-1nLuu4A31HQMjU_t9_tU5pIBokI6Vki-w5kzJG-V2ZAA_bOSv-jLxpQfKevIn4C1MTGMON-hQAkr8qMfCC18nmSvLXsLoiLBiJbpGjfSSKfPSN_2rYoyDT1KvDQJ4SHkOqZRlSaf1T7N_Obw51a4sPlDUzb1H1KpaqHeSd99pHgd381vHX33sN3IBA/s4032/20221124_085918.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-1nLuu4A31HQMjU_t9_tU5pIBokI6Vki-w5kzJG-V2ZAA_bOSv-jLxpQfKevIn4C1MTGMON-hQAkr8qMfCC18nmSvLXsLoiLBiJbpGjfSSKfPSN_2rYoyDT1KvDQJ4SHkOqZRlSaf1T7N_Obw51a4sPlDUzb1H1KpaqHeSd99pHgd381vHX33sN3IBA/w480-h640/20221124_085918.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shouldn't have touched it</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8IL5nqLSDYbjqaOowrT6U6DkRzqHKqlg0P6sFYlOlnGD1-2HEkHrZ1XbbUwouGZtO5yTaMHs7drlrtSvqfLHsjwpQI22WRkUflj76uQo-qgEnHpXywGojnIX9x4r4DEzqmBvfBtCE5eyzve-PCv_5ObwznaUPwJ5TYdYMIilOFTqEv2w_c4ox_D_0A/s4032/20221124_094303.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf8IL5nqLSDYbjqaOowrT6U6DkRzqHKqlg0P6sFYlOlnGD1-2HEkHrZ1XbbUwouGZtO5yTaMHs7drlrtSvqfLHsjwpQI22WRkUflj76uQo-qgEnHpXywGojnIX9x4r4DEzqmBvfBtCE5eyzve-PCv_5ObwznaUPwJ5TYdYMIilOFTqEv2w_c4ox_D_0A/w480-h640/20221124_094303.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loaded up for our final day<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The riding started with a long climb out of Black Canyon City on the "Skyline" segment. I found this to be one of the best segments of the whole trail, with an enjoyable climb and amazing views at the top. We would have spent more time at the pass, but the wind was howling up there so we dropped into the decent right away.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zikJ9ddKuqZH4zNM5_ymPymsyOyyUk1F7KcfCZj79XIiCN2MA5R0grs6nbxhuiQydrmXNhscstjGMJp49KlIaKrXwnAn8s40G4VA62sB8KsvsffSpAvkMiksuq0bu3YdqYU3FF5d1RsTpJ6VMp8LaWVYXYdUuPKG_Hf5djhyiuOuZOdK9V14tJ0QGw/s4032/20221124_095524.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2zikJ9ddKuqZH4zNM5_ymPymsyOyyUk1F7KcfCZj79XIiCN2MA5R0grs6nbxhuiQydrmXNhscstjGMJp49KlIaKrXwnAn8s40G4VA62sB8KsvsffSpAvkMiksuq0bu3YdqYU3FF5d1RsTpJ6VMp8LaWVYXYdUuPKG_Hf5djhyiuOuZOdK9V14tJ0QGw/w640-h480/20221124_095524.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smiles to start our 3rd day on the trail</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8bbjT5TokLBhG7UKBupvT8WfP5a0EUOdkpVmnZA2pvE9H9CBSWlCkjoCN6mWZvg5gPBylcMxoc2TJldLUIxd3k4jLTJBr6vvMgk42x1_6jPLON_BymZOwhOm7BVU_6_9Bdw7eOcDJE8OLMJY3V_J9ZM9rRpZfYxcBS-ha3KJKuWoJafA6J1Vv2_PQw/s4032/20221124_100507.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK8bbjT5TokLBhG7UKBupvT8WfP5a0EUOdkpVmnZA2pvE9H9CBSWlCkjoCN6mWZvg5gPBylcMxoc2TJldLUIxd3k4jLTJBr6vvMgk42x1_6jPLON_BymZOwhOm7BVU_6_9Bdw7eOcDJE8OLMJY3V_J9ZM9rRpZfYxcBS-ha3KJKuWoJafA6J1Vv2_PQw/w640-h480/20221124_100507.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climbing the skyline section of trail</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After a fun descent, it was time to climb again. The theme of the day was endless up and down as we pedaled through the rolling hills towards Phoenix. When we hit the Williams Mesa and Table Mesa sections of trail, our pace slowed due to the loose rock. I guess the sections of trail further from trail-heads don't see as much love and maintenance.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNwzjtI2HizFu-HW4IKO1rjfzPxfEeWfTcxYzgm6IOqIH8yFGLKYHVbOqFNpRtbmR2SAE4Kv0PVz1uTNitTggiFMXi9ha9Z2_eCu0bB9Gf_3R0WYDFQ9xVljoJbgK9LqUaaOBxOg8kqcQCRWEZkzlyc1K0okYFtkusWBZWt9QDViSph-o6qgii69Rjg/s4032/PXL_20221124_221304365.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNwzjtI2HizFu-HW4IKO1rjfzPxfEeWfTcxYzgm6IOqIH8yFGLKYHVbOqFNpRtbmR2SAE4Kv0PVz1uTNitTggiFMXi9ha9Z2_eCu0bB9Gf_3R0WYDFQ9xVljoJbgK9LqUaaOBxOg8kqcQCRWEZkzlyc1K0okYFtkusWBZWt9QDViSph-o6qgii69Rjg/w480-h640/PXL_20221124_221304365.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another climb</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After our delayed start and some slogging through the morning, we were hoping to pick up the pace for the afternoon as the climbs mellowed out. We had a Thanksgiving Dinner and didn't want to be late! Unfortunately, the easier going came to an abrupt end when Kyle double flatted (maybe ran over a cactus or some barb-wire?). The boys to work fixing the flats as I helped by photographing and offering words of encouragement that were poorly received. From the massive RV's parked in the desert nearby, the smell of deep-frying turkeys wafted our way accompanied by the intermittent chatter of automatic weapons. Welcome to America!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZnetKl6DPWIO-xyr1mOFX87Zf4vEu7Zv2oioATxjSTijM8ym2mTttwPQIbnbUnlSTApwwuLF8LnvuxaBezLL6OgZc5NIDk6DHSUN0gvj2mFwnBF8gkHPyCfQxkeLT7KVxRdgnfLmSGygropRsAg5AEcCAp6nZPyxa6bVmRGDVHqatRKQ_X1hRB7MRw/s4032/20221124_134759.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHZnetKl6DPWIO-xyr1mOFX87Zf4vEu7Zv2oioATxjSTijM8ym2mTttwPQIbnbUnlSTApwwuLF8LnvuxaBezLL6OgZc5NIDk6DHSUN0gvj2mFwnBF8gkHPyCfQxkeLT7KVxRdgnfLmSGygropRsAg5AEcCAp6nZPyxa6bVmRGDVHqatRKQ_X1hRB7MRw/w640-h480/20221124_134759.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double flat on our mechanical day</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After minimal wildlife viewing on the first two days, day 3 was full of variety. We spotted lizards, tarantulas, javalinas and wild burros and Steve educated us on the local birds as we descended from the hills into the flats north of Phoenix. Both Kyle and Steve dealt with flat tires, but fortunately no other major mechanicals. By the time we hit the Emery-Henderson segment, we were happy to be on a slightly flowy blue trail that was mostly downhill as we were running late for our pick-up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQ0c0yaL-j-bZm9r4V3QWrBpbgXazw-5i6_V52Pk3hWfKAhORUkeqjhKZrpHC8BuN4AnfCq6jFYfCgtOCGU0P0LxfZuSKcQBPlS0MlNDoslDsPdmgucGue-WGMV6cba48BvjrQ2jHOloY1cSk1J7lQJS7b9iUmqvrdNbJB7M4liLgLY1yANK50sGcQQ/s4032/20221124_105559.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiQ0c0yaL-j-bZm9r4V3QWrBpbgXazw-5i6_V52Pk3hWfKAhORUkeqjhKZrpHC8BuN4AnfCq6jFYfCgtOCGU0P0LxfZuSKcQBPlS0MlNDoslDsPdmgucGue-WGMV6cba48BvjrQ2jHOloY1cSk1J7lQJS7b9iUmqvrdNbJB7M4liLgLY1yANK50sGcQQ/w480-h640/20221124_105559.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some local wildlife</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbG1JhlSuZadh5ScEwxqe2gVhdOgPDvmvZH-iYO6i6TIDSb-3iiZD9mJ7EwqX4FouTgTDaCULXK0GxYcNiEdx0JM9nqGcOOzyliwl5m8FqgmaIzHUTUwzxTOzyipCRJbAol8AOCQPtqthGkTp-gKt3j0mrLNPsUOBwbqdDA6V6Q5yGIEptNEm7dsjGNg/s4032/PXL_20221124_222835431.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbG1JhlSuZadh5ScEwxqe2gVhdOgPDvmvZH-iYO6i6TIDSb-3iiZD9mJ7EwqX4FouTgTDaCULXK0GxYcNiEdx0JM9nqGcOOzyliwl5m8FqgmaIzHUTUwzxTOzyipCRJbAol8AOCQPtqthGkTp-gKt3j0mrLNPsUOBwbqdDA6V6Q5yGIEptNEm7dsjGNg/w480-h640/PXL_20221124_222835431.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Cresting another long climb you could see the final leg of the ride stretching out ahead</div></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-nBvh6ughytWTBF5GTPdREryy1nJ8VtmimId2MppckHL3SFYOFSWsvK3m0AZBviRRRV2VC8a4btPxMIcQbOWiBElRn5DrDA4RlmzSbM2rpK7jf5vJM1Ab_cDf_Vf2Qr13RYULyxQJoDEy8dF2F1WIYMYvNffNHJPcQFyfhC91saF-08zKZEfE5vJwQ/s4032/PXL_20221124_225503467.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht-nBvh6ughytWTBF5GTPdREryy1nJ8VtmimId2MppckHL3SFYOFSWsvK3m0AZBviRRRV2VC8a4btPxMIcQbOWiBElRn5DrDA4RlmzSbM2rpK7jf5vJM1Ab_cDf_Vf2Qr13RYULyxQJoDEy8dF2F1WIYMYvNffNHJPcQFyfhC91saF-08zKZEfE5vJwQ/w640-h480/PXL_20221124_225503467.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun getting low as we hit the double track on Emery Henderson<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">By the time we hit the final section of the trail (Biscuit Flats), we were racing the sunset. As I mentioned earlier, it would be way nicer to finish the trail at the Emery Henderson Trailhead. Since Steve and I were too stubborn to have considered the ride complete without the flats, we still had about 10km to ride and it sucked. The uninspiring riding was mostly along double track or washboard road, with the occasional dry river bed to push through.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy58uefwHCR_zNPdQn_PzvRKSQRh_sMw1nAFH4dXSo54D7XA2bn2rVme53e4_fVBkV2ZiomDTjs1u8rww3Ji3tdRT0zHKo1A0cjQpNG-1iOIEjd5YcZ3VpJu6NUarhGat8xzfStOdAvplC2_era9BihZht54I0A1GjhChASRaUIPRRFQygbAi-fz6fag/s4032/20221124_165805.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy58uefwHCR_zNPdQn_PzvRKSQRh_sMw1nAFH4dXSo54D7XA2bn2rVme53e4_fVBkV2ZiomDTjs1u8rww3Ji3tdRT0zHKo1A0cjQpNG-1iOIEjd5YcZ3VpJu6NUarhGat8xzfStOdAvplC2_era9BihZht54I0A1GjhChASRaUIPRRFQygbAi-fz6fag/w480-h640/20221124_165805.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle refuses to look at me for a photo as we hit another slow section on final section of "trail"</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7OvDGP7tSia72jFyPHdciUoGl55mtNK0Nw2fRFwL5HPvoBiWjZgO9BFpXFComYkYhIYfcxRAPHpLkZLN5JCAu-8-BeXqvbCM3kc7e7bbZpxxRSIU5zEw1qFMW5XxDYh_nHW6qkjWRHP5rWuQgiqI83KoybRS1XEqnrCZdz36DgaLfeleyJ5pHrfyD4Q/s3280/PXL_20221125_000105460.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7OvDGP7tSia72jFyPHdciUoGl55mtNK0Nw2fRFwL5HPvoBiWjZgO9BFpXFComYkYhIYfcxRAPHpLkZLN5JCAu-8-BeXqvbCM3kc7e7bbZpxxRSIU5zEw1qFMW5XxDYh_nHW6qkjWRHP5rWuQgiqI83KoybRS1XEqnrCZdz36DgaLfeleyJ5pHrfyD4Q/w640-h480/PXL_20221125_000105460.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tired but happy<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJB-IXszBgO2efVFUNw_B1lp-Q4JwLRXwTDYU2W1TyzrdAZHBuPoVLlZ8ulVzONxFNsvXNdCweiR9zQ-_JKJXAdGozxlOIFH6fL-CNG7dQA31931W_51DwBn72bgbqskSQl9Xu4wpcyhBKqYx1PC6mrghLzcEd5-MFtPAopzpHo1YZXFk5H6Vvl73u1w/s4032/20221124_170723.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJB-IXszBgO2efVFUNw_B1lp-Q4JwLRXwTDYU2W1TyzrdAZHBuPoVLlZ8ulVzONxFNsvXNdCweiR9zQ-_JKJXAdGozxlOIFH6fL-CNG7dQA31931W_51DwBn72bgbqskSQl9Xu4wpcyhBKqYx1PC6mrghLzcEd5-MFtPAopzpHo1YZXFk5H6Vvl73u1w/w640-h480/20221124_170723.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wild burros at sunset</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">8 hours after we had left Black Canyon City, we had completed our three day, 125km ride through the Sonoran Desert. The final challenge was to find my mom who had come to pick us up. The trailhead parking lot on google maps did not exist so we got to ride down the highway a few minutes until we spotted her pulled over on the shoulder (another reason to end a the beautiful and safe Emery-Henderson Trailhead Parking Lot). We finished the ride in the daylight and got to celebrate our success with a Thanksgiving Feast with my parents neighbours!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmMz65i0jgTtDMFvdHN0RVO9RsLyXgSSoNPekUl7cou2p3IvA7eJa3qyLWchZ2_0NI9Eem6nG1_RFc1BhedGiV7Lilcs-GlqwXIxH8xOKTZGmlbEUzE8_mHw5C-TNCtbo9kbq_NqJl90Mvf9h_44ApkG8Aua7Zlvnu3_J-8i6ftV61GBZ8ox-Q-KiczA/s4000/20221124_170728.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmMz65i0jgTtDMFvdHN0RVO9RsLyXgSSoNPekUl7cou2p3IvA7eJa3qyLWchZ2_0NI9Eem6nG1_RFc1BhedGiV7Lilcs-GlqwXIxH8xOKTZGmlbEUzE8_mHw5C-TNCtbo9kbq_NqJl90Mvf9h_44ApkG8Aua7Zlvnu3_J-8i6ftV61GBZ8ox-Q-KiczA/w640-h480/20221124_170728.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The endless flats to the finish</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJc2Yd_iLMcPA6auBMOavLGjhhGef_yXKnpyZBzupCqdvZp6m-xXWMR3M2qpik-Gz4lmqu5IWsFApNL6hfgZEOwSC6UYnBIC3QXVIWKYGF-Xmxco2QjhyI6FZ-z8-Kb7ZuBbzaEU4i4CsajEy7XD4TGYv3ANVAMfWRQeUnhv4vzpGF0QB4hI1FIiZ7Uw/s4032/20221124_172601.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJc2Yd_iLMcPA6auBMOavLGjhhGef_yXKnpyZBzupCqdvZp6m-xXWMR3M2qpik-Gz4lmqu5IWsFApNL6hfgZEOwSC6UYnBIC3QXVIWKYGF-Xmxco2QjhyI6FZ-z8-Kb7ZuBbzaEU4i4CsajEy7XD4TGYv3ANVAMfWRQeUnhv4vzpGF0QB4hI1FIiZ7Uw/w640-h480/20221124_172601.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished!</td></tr></tbody></table></span></div>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-36916319674055203612022-12-01T13:23:00.000-08:002022-12-01T13:23:37.574-08:00A Taste of Sedona<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjkjQYte1pn9SceAWBWUiEFycZidf3dN4Wiy-2tdbidtcJmPknWCtwZUYV-esdgNXWxLmxv9mUVCVK5--yO6UYhXxh5urDVIRC1DWZguyOTexEpZz-s3X5TPin7CxUzw27PKj_HxKvuKTgDWUH9x4-nxOX-HBc4D86B9ewrL7vtzkW3wyOzscuq-8_A/s4000/20221121_115757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHjkjQYte1pn9SceAWBWUiEFycZidf3dN4Wiy-2tdbidtcJmPknWCtwZUYV-esdgNXWxLmxv9mUVCVK5--yO6UYhXxh5urDVIRC1DWZguyOTexEpZz-s3X5TPin7CxUzw27PKj_HxKvuKTgDWUH9x4-nxOX-HBc4D86B9ewrL7vtzkW3wyOzscuq-8_A/w640-h480/20221121_115757.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sedona; land of jeep tours and vortexes<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Sedona is a unique town in the high desert of central Arizona. About 2 hours north of Phoenix and 1300m in elevation, it sports significantly cooler temperatures than the lower Sonoran Desert, pine forests and magnificent red rock buttes and canyons. It is also home to natural "energy vortexes" which attracts lots of hippies looking to charge their crystals, but we were there to ride bikes. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It was a brief 2 day touchdown for Kyle, Steve and I before we set out bike packing on the Black Canyon Trail and we wanted to sample the best the area had to offer and warm up our legs, and try not to wreck ourselves (unsuccessfully) for the big days ahead.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75JwgLsYZw82lFG2w_t9rV7RdCmZNUXGHGfr517DQ-MY_aVUaT81gnIC1DD9zES8bea2h90YWC0XbEqvXs7ErUZ152eGJmeYVnlSkZYw3qEuFmqVCeuxvUTC2mdCbGsx2MnVLLDMcRL25gMPQ415M6ND1nwGV_OubQO-NuditpCQWd8HQex7v9bhJ5Q/s4032/20221120_104215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi75JwgLsYZw82lFG2w_t9rV7RdCmZNUXGHGfr517DQ-MY_aVUaT81gnIC1DD9zES8bea2h90YWC0XbEqvXs7ErUZ152eGJmeYVnlSkZYw3qEuFmqVCeuxvUTC2mdCbGsx2MnVLLDMcRL25gMPQ415M6ND1nwGV_OubQO-NuditpCQWd8HQex7v9bhJ5Q/w640-h480/20221120_104215.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve blending in with the red rocks of Sedona</td></tr></tbody></table></p><div style="text-align: center;">Kyle and I had visited Sedona in January 2015, but didn't really get a chance to explore because it snowed, turning the slickrock trails to slickmud so we were stoked to be back with dry rocks and warm daytime temperatures in the mid-teens (Celsius). With recommendations from Ashley, we set out to ride some of the best (hardest) trails in the area and promptly got our butts kicked by the relentless technical climb up Made in the Shade to Hiline. Trying to pace ourselves, we chose a 20km loop for our first day that included Made in the Shade (I recommend skipping this in favour of climbing Slim Shady), Hiline, Baldwin, Templeton and Slim Shady. Hiline is a highly rated double black and although nothing was super steep, the riding was slow and thoughtful with frequent punch climbs and lots of exposure.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVsw6ZlRxZnYVIr4RrJMpYZrLjsLqVWrKfkaupBccpOFpjujXNjg4Jo1SDH-tifoM9XgvYx_sEZnKSYqo384ccHK34xrKuNKZpasYKYM6SykH4ejfttBdZHZz0zt94i5kK_y8I_6qUTbKVOMd3ybV36DeF4y6sRHJ5Plwt_VcN1etbYw5dHjagtJOkQ/s4032/20221120_111546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVsw6ZlRxZnYVIr4RrJMpYZrLjsLqVWrKfkaupBccpOFpjujXNjg4Jo1SDH-tifoM9XgvYx_sEZnKSYqo384ccHK34xrKuNKZpasYKYM6SykH4ejfttBdZHZz0zt94i5kK_y8I_6qUTbKVOMd3ybV36DeF4y6sRHJ5Plwt_VcN1etbYw5dHjagtJOkQ/w480-h640/20221120_111546.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up to Hiline we go</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrN1X7on8co3tPoyRTF8rzm4dfk8XYZQJcBkLrsSeoxALUCIxkGlb9LmAH2Lt-J9CnTi-jdydPLYZNweYabH9Q9pMhOhgznRwFUZebLFZ2CsCG0WXTi21whOhspAlt-CTUY6AlFgUz76Vk6HEGrWl9ONZHjvqkWwquAWTsxeyvzxdKpmdr5no_J9Hm-g/s4032/20221120_111552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrN1X7on8co3tPoyRTF8rzm4dfk8XYZQJcBkLrsSeoxALUCIxkGlb9LmAH2Lt-J9CnTi-jdydPLYZNweYabH9Q9pMhOhgznRwFUZebLFZ2CsCG0WXTi21whOhspAlt-CTUY6AlFgUz76Vk6HEGrWl9ONZHjvqkWwquAWTsxeyvzxdKpmdr5no_J9Hm-g/w480-h640/20221120_111552.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Choosing all the double blacks. "Bikes and Horses not recommended"<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The views were spectacular and we stopped often to snap photos. Hiline was a bit frustrating and I had lots of dabs on the climb, but I think if I could ride it a few times, I could climb most of the trail. The long descent was great, and a highlight was ripping past a group scoping out a steep line and hearing them say "oh, that's how you ride it!" Kyle rocked it on his hardtail!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3E5E5lIPqBpfvnQYh5OHazJeR6avEnt5tYFA5VdR9Jzg469kLuBDn8Fmzwk-I3XcwU0DUdHqHH58Jyl6BsqphVBWhtenzY6f2FuNE91ZwCp9jaAH6L-jFCw0aPkVqemNlK38o6sQj9bow7DP3mU4m6hpaIiFkNZ3YHsKykjND1QSvDwVaE4vDU74p-w/s4032/PXL_20221120_185440468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3E5E5lIPqBpfvnQYh5OHazJeR6avEnt5tYFA5VdR9Jzg469kLuBDn8Fmzwk-I3XcwU0DUdHqHH58Jyl6BsqphVBWhtenzY6f2FuNE91ZwCp9jaAH6L-jFCw0aPkVqemNlK38o6sQj9bow7DP3mU4m6hpaIiFkNZ3YHsKykjND1QSvDwVaE4vDU74p-w/w480-h640/PXL_20221120_185440468.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch with a view (Photo: Steve)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwb60QJJrwBWohgDLG4-8bcZYyTAc7DO1ttrrG11RQ0uhUKhoeBJbYw_7kVDXGbbXwrRiXYXcG3I668_c_FKA1TQcytB15Ut6TpQoSAcGQimpH3KGY_u4G8f1PwP3eGo6CukTBcg2dHmg-2L3Pt0lqAzTAkne1Um-6-RfUTcJCtumWxNSmEgxSCDD7cA/s2944/20221120_121019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="2208" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwb60QJJrwBWohgDLG4-8bcZYyTAc7DO1ttrrG11RQ0uhUKhoeBJbYw_7kVDXGbbXwrRiXYXcG3I668_c_FKA1TQcytB15Ut6TpQoSAcGQimpH3KGY_u4G8f1PwP3eGo6CukTBcg2dHmg-2L3Pt0lqAzTAkne1Um-6-RfUTcJCtumWxNSmEgxSCDD7cA/w480-h640/20221120_121019.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">About to start the descent of Hiline towards Cathedral Rock<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzQ7i4BQK5YGuCjm7xuWwkpQs2JXqFMISJuV4QnhX-drnat3aTgDga99bnaqZ_K4Pf6hbQSsyOe1YVVnMebE9M6gSsZACThSqZwZ5wfAbopnFlkIDFUpL9jvichYRnqpQQwf0iaDT2eEcB0kEs60zjmnzzZ7A3GWLf99d8-o_yCRLuwVsMz4dYK_7mQ/s4032/20221120_122640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzQ7i4BQK5YGuCjm7xuWwkpQs2JXqFMISJuV4QnhX-drnat3aTgDga99bnaqZ_K4Pf6hbQSsyOe1YVVnMebE9M6gSsZACThSqZwZ5wfAbopnFlkIDFUpL9jvichYRnqpQQwf0iaDT2eEcB0kEs60zjmnzzZ7A3GWLf99d8-o_yCRLuwVsMz4dYK_7mQ/w480-h640/20221120_122640.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hardtail jank<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhx4lzlo_ND8MEtcS-Y9O9YoVbJDn2VRwLBZ-FcVTtJecKpVmoNBlLLpQwXsSEtXK381V3-PS83iHXkb_3qOR9gxS-PeVCDqrzY9lNTMjdzcV9VSqYTGD6ZICANyW3SAxBNqdNrTJgUB_UZAHNNvkdG5psoV1ZxQ_a_eiwVpVgFYBb6HYSTvyAtd434Q/s4032/20221120_124550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhx4lzlo_ND8MEtcS-Y9O9YoVbJDn2VRwLBZ-FcVTtJecKpVmoNBlLLpQwXsSEtXK381V3-PS83iHXkb_3qOR9gxS-PeVCDqrzY9lNTMjdzcV9VSqYTGD6ZICANyW3SAxBNqdNrTJgUB_UZAHNNvkdG5psoV1ZxQ_a_eiwVpVgFYBb6HYSTvyAtd434Q/w480-h640/20221120_124550.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Desert river and a bit of shade</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Once we got off Hiline, the black trails felt like a slickrock cruise back to the car. Although we only logged about 350m of climbing, we were pretty tired after the ride. Maybe we should have picked an easier warm up, but where's the fun in that?</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRkwqINe-bZugyPWA_QOH1957Y4Q2F2YV8Oc2xmbk0QOErLhZYyRjOI5MXmxbRnZQvK10R8QBQBO_WJLGPzNxSPZDuhKZgMwB51miia47Gn8_bluHwrnfihnCOxKf0-SEOtRZAtt4mNtO_YLdps1lQPDozpm_pWDtKTuwLiBCQkU5EYwR3Ynyx_boRw/s4032/PXL_20221120_195915866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRkwqINe-bZugyPWA_QOH1957Y4Q2F2YV8Oc2xmbk0QOErLhZYyRjOI5MXmxbRnZQvK10R8QBQBO_WJLGPzNxSPZDuhKZgMwB51miia47Gn8_bluHwrnfihnCOxKf0-SEOtRZAtt4mNtO_YLdps1lQPDozpm_pWDtKTuwLiBCQkU5EYwR3Ynyx_boRw/w640-h480/PXL_20221120_195915866.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A chance to chill on Templeton (Photo: Steve)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We stopped for a beer at Sedona Brewery, but would have been better off grabbing some cheap drinks from the grocery store and enjoying them in the hot tub at our Airbnb in West Sedona. I am glad my idea to random camp in the desert got vetoed, the temperature dropped quickly with the setting sun and there was frost on the trails in the mornings.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbFrHXCaqKI-OsRDERmn3a5860a7iytdHVqAZdPLPwW7s2wQ3UeeC-k2Z8AdnO7jzFrcWtHnBcLJvatrUVUQuUOYK47b7KQNFWkzGJuV-D8FS6KrIEJGWhRXeZTw-LgYr5z0l-a_MScEsgXxzB3CPg-J0glaHGXOr13Et2c8w-y6gnuW_-LVXGUNiJA/s4032/20221120_151718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbFrHXCaqKI-OsRDERmn3a5860a7iytdHVqAZdPLPwW7s2wQ3UeeC-k2Z8AdnO7jzFrcWtHnBcLJvatrUVUQuUOYK47b7KQNFWkzGJuV-D8FS6KrIEJGWhRXeZTw-LgYr5z0l-a_MScEsgXxzB3CPg-J0glaHGXOr13Et2c8w-y6gnuW_-LVXGUNiJA/w480-h640/20221120_151718.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sedona Brewery - home to the most expensive bitter beer in the world</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSbAtm6SOQtOyKcTfkSSQMYSvpCoXT8bFGJdvjGEUOfY_D9veo6PjCALNC6FC66DsN0pmJeekkfr74pWsCnFCz6dbn4ceeYeuTb8Uh_8HNLVU7gBoIGvy3ezMXezahVVMsTzZRABaPVYfvWfbMIJNENz0m-c2Hpx5XgikHkaZ9TevY6Qs9_fYUwVjXxQ/s4032/20221121_161658.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSbAtm6SOQtOyKcTfkSSQMYSvpCoXT8bFGJdvjGEUOfY_D9veo6PjCALNC6FC66DsN0pmJeekkfr74pWsCnFCz6dbn4ceeYeuTb8Uh_8HNLVU7gBoIGvy3ezMXezahVVMsTzZRABaPVYfvWfbMIJNENz0m-c2Hpx5XgikHkaZ9TevY6Qs9_fYUwVjXxQ/w480-h640/20221121_161658.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything in the desert is prickly!</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">For our second (and last) day in Sedona, we rode "All the Hogs", a 12km/300m elevation loop with an out and back to Submarine Rock and the White Line view point. These trails had lots more flow and we were able to make it through most of the double black technical sections dab-free. High on the Hog and Hog Heaven were really fun, and again the views were spectacular. We finished the ride with a fast descent on the downhill-only jump trail "Pigtail" before climbing up Pessary and Hogwash back to the parking lot.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYC6F1V80mdhyIHhgqUMGqVsrzbfSEvSZxt1xdQvjaPT08dHTjttcjyiTQLq39e9bAnjA-HrKwaFx-BZm71EuDT0YT9PpdAPQ4YiMMocOpGu2AJ6ilE-3eIP0VLUJyB7EJDOIMdFYigeOnGVkXgbo1rjxto4TtGGptG-ikWEDoiIfCcIcSJP9wEr_fg/s4032/20221121_104400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUYC6F1V80mdhyIHhgqUMGqVsrzbfSEvSZxt1xdQvjaPT08dHTjttcjyiTQLq39e9bAnjA-HrKwaFx-BZm71EuDT0YT9PpdAPQ4YiMMocOpGu2AJ6ilE-3eIP0VLUJyB7EJDOIMdFYigeOnGVkXgbo1rjxto4TtGGptG-ikWEDoiIfCcIcSJP9wEr_fg/w480-h640/20221121_104400.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love the red rocks</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNFwiwV2HXtHL2IySLDUYqxEXbXfK0_mNgfqrjxeBW84YdzSsQN2nScLliTmUxXswVaSit3crTBH8P6ZE00LrZ4OlM6YZnXUHqbc-xOdMnVwL9wMormKcy_iMzFThbXkl519iEygwyjSDt-qC-KhVKI7iaqb08ooWFVXRJn18jJFhanoHbJuzWqAWUQ/s4032/PXL_20221121_175817264.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNFwiwV2HXtHL2IySLDUYqxEXbXfK0_mNgfqrjxeBW84YdzSsQN2nScLliTmUxXswVaSit3crTBH8P6ZE00LrZ4OlM6YZnXUHqbc-xOdMnVwL9wMormKcy_iMzFThbXkl519iEygwyjSDt-qC-KhVKI7iaqb08ooWFVXRJn18jJFhanoHbJuzWqAWUQ/w640-h480/PXL_20221121_175817264.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring Submarine Rock (Photo: Steve)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRmHQKa8VslRHpoll0twSblLYY1C1E1TXCur7YWId2v8BPR4LwdiNTYAa97lXg8yeZbkKRgbAu6hVdr2g6CxHMuquSLFN_14LtxqQi1V7JNb3jv5lFq6Q2USHphhQDDq_zX2k6JmK_MDyQH4b6ookCPtIj6aXbCoLDvDosixjqr4-8UdArAzVjZ-ZLw/s4032/PXL_20221121_184045874.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQRmHQKa8VslRHpoll0twSblLYY1C1E1TXCur7YWId2v8BPR4LwdiNTYAa97lXg8yeZbkKRgbAu6hVdr2g6CxHMuquSLFN_14LtxqQi1V7JNb3jv5lFq6Q2USHphhQDDq_zX2k6JmK_MDyQH4b6ookCPtIj6aXbCoLDvDosixjqr4-8UdArAzVjZ-ZLw/w640-h480/PXL_20221121_184045874.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slickrock everywhere (Photo: Steve)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">The Submarine Rock was worth a detour for some fun slickrock riding and various slab lines to explore. As we were riding all over the rock, a number of jeep tours showed up. It was time to move on.</div></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbNePcEouce0LmB-6cKqSrKLyTrzqGs4lWgM4Z4w6Uqf-7z4eXzSqiZ969CAO4WVB-SznprsLk1j_x5W88DLEFFucrlHdyMv7siOYLnohQnBhgBFZf_kL_j9CqL7yfSp2orpCbo1lE0QD5s40Ji387Dk-kYBwqlDgePZnsyvTIx2kDsqlKlFjwO0x-A/s4032/PXL_20221121_180420294.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbNePcEouce0LmB-6cKqSrKLyTrzqGs4lWgM4Z4w6Uqf-7z4eXzSqiZ969CAO4WVB-SznprsLk1j_x5W88DLEFFucrlHdyMv7siOYLnohQnBhgBFZf_kL_j9CqL7yfSp2orpCbo1lE0QD5s40Ji387Dk-kYBwqlDgePZnsyvTIx2kDsqlKlFjwO0x-A/w640-h480/PXL_20221121_180420294.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vacation! (Photo: Steve) </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Another detour took us out on Broken Arrow to the White Line. I have watched videos of people riding the off-camber ledge and wasn't interested in trying it myself. It was cool staring up at it as we had a snack break but seeing the line in person solidified my resolve. A wrong move would end in a serious fall and likely death. Not worth it for me.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjha0kyOyLVTYHCVd8xHK-ES7MmUuyWPBqute7ue2692oQZIZoZGWPUXpNS6IF7Q-0XKOLHnr0RbeSfgTVfr9m7nouxt_qvDpwMVDLxoVz3dNp9l0RLnOIziJN_rKOW_5FUm7jqDo5ZHhpeJUJSTAPCiNoVG3unKjJcX__KwC3xpG7hUFLDU60ZPmMi2Q/s4000/20221121_115748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjha0kyOyLVTYHCVd8xHK-ES7MmUuyWPBqute7ue2692oQZIZoZGWPUXpNS6IF7Q-0XKOLHnr0RbeSfgTVfr9m7nouxt_qvDpwMVDLxoVz3dNp9l0RLnOIziJN_rKOW_5FUm7jqDo5ZHhpeJUJSTAPCiNoVG3unKjJcX__KwC3xpG7hUFLDU60ZPmMi2Q/w480-h640/20221121_115748.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding under the White Line</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ulTdt3RbbMAc-nG7fY2XvRR0vWlYz6V0nZnQW_lQM6dJCo3J84bPP1A92c6EUTMAEDNadPq9h6zF6UBi_PgiWDLmrKtQ-aX33_VMebEmxs6outZ0g-2JDsOMbnM_Ck--1V87TRk3jvuFpPh4CSVSRNlEwIHKPn52gvyyhsBeMRZWZCa58tdCAGpazA/s4032/PXL_20221121_185225470.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ulTdt3RbbMAc-nG7fY2XvRR0vWlYz6V0nZnQW_lQM6dJCo3J84bPP1A92c6EUTMAEDNadPq9h6zF6UBi_PgiWDLmrKtQ-aX33_VMebEmxs6outZ0g-2JDsOMbnM_Ck--1V87TRk3jvuFpPh4CSVSRNlEwIHKPn52gvyyhsBeMRZWZCa58tdCAGpazA/w640-h480/PXL_20221121_185225470.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Contemplating the White Line (Photo: Steve)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">After our "warm up" day, we were feeling more comfortable with the punchy technical riding of Sedona. If we had more time, I would have loved to check out Hangover and Llama trails. Next time!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXcwI_sZB5K2d41Xl5lEzoEhqObQV8hVJdGx40tE8AYtd4Igpg5HLtwKEGG8i7hgMdexJ_JOUbCYeKbsYmVJd7tdMZXblnRK1PWErM9HRcCnG1vNcvk7xUeruUKBdLE4eZZuIJwOjjsRVxqPpclYVnxWtx3f02zo0m45v3tuaq54jbi98YOZOS5q9dQ/s4032/20221121_121610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXcwI_sZB5K2d41Xl5lEzoEhqObQV8hVJdGx40tE8AYtd4Igpg5HLtwKEGG8i7hgMdexJ_JOUbCYeKbsYmVJd7tdMZXblnRK1PWErM9HRcCnG1vNcvk7xUeruUKBdLE4eZZuIJwOjjsRVxqPpclYVnxWtx3f02zo0m45v3tuaq54jbi98YOZOS5q9dQ/w640-h480/20221121_121610.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High on the Hog</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Temf62N12a7v4Q0M48vI_XsveDEfCq8cknqZjX7VIa1wxKfsIW5T1UFsVRuYcdk7_9RZ8WDMQ7SEHAr_Ckq6UZvfLpDcNs5xIXYr1xHeAJpawSPZkZPWBKwmqLiLhKEK86zG1-Ht_zSIEMh1f-89QY2FpeQofptYxeY3LuR2KJN2zF6AwpJg6XwWTA/s4032/20221121_122224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Temf62N12a7v4Q0M48vI_XsveDEfCq8cknqZjX7VIa1wxKfsIW5T1UFsVRuYcdk7_9RZ8WDMQ7SEHAr_Ckq6UZvfLpDcNs5xIXYr1xHeAJpawSPZkZPWBKwmqLiLhKEK86zG1-Ht_zSIEMh1f-89QY2FpeQofptYxeY3LuR2KJN2zF6AwpJg6XwWTA/w480-h640/20221121_122224.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steep slab</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUqLq_kAUP2dmqkThRhOP2PDTG8nVH09rrN-GnONjTxfig927AyUv36f3FHXx-7BVpqBmlJG5L270hGLiENs50Cbst5TMzPiUImVD8q25H7ds35aogbB3HYwbPmQTk1QIqR7MW9EWx0dA9XvbsfW_1sdV_bINjc8B6rsjQB1hwmxndrc7IzlJF1Rq4A/s3280/PXL_20221121_190508409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijUqLq_kAUP2dmqkThRhOP2PDTG8nVH09rrN-GnONjTxfig927AyUv36f3FHXx-7BVpqBmlJG5L270hGLiENs50Cbst5TMzPiUImVD8q25H7ds35aogbB3HYwbPmQTk1QIqR7MW9EWx0dA9XvbsfW_1sdV_bINjc8B6rsjQB1hwmxndrc7IzlJF1Rq4A/w640-h480/PXL_20221121_190508409.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Canadians in the desert (Photo: Steve)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nKzfQUr2rbPQ3kG_LzcwiSIcOdWIEdhUl0i-3t_lwSz4FsS2-0e29AqZSP5p2UDRlBbZJbp1K5soqbksxTMVlMrY3IN5jRFJSPUk09YB5BBrDlbBMLOi7TOvvzAxUWh7EHC5m9B32_21ARslu8HPWDRkxeVlwH1Ipvsepe6ewOY0VSvn0Jc-H5hd4A/s4032/PXL_20221121_191822150.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3nKzfQUr2rbPQ3kG_LzcwiSIcOdWIEdhUl0i-3t_lwSz4FsS2-0e29AqZSP5p2UDRlBbZJbp1K5soqbksxTMVlMrY3IN5jRFJSPUk09YB5BBrDlbBMLOi7TOvvzAxUWh7EHC5m9B32_21ARslu8HPWDRkxeVlwH1Ipvsepe6ewOY0VSvn0Jc-H5hd4A/w640-h480/PXL_20221121_191822150.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Punchy climbs (Photo: Steve)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdpSAfmljKsNTiu8C3sLhKWHBRo2UQJimN5CztsZ4FTfZCr9Ws2TY8buv2GhCKIreL5uoYJT9gz9cIDli36f49qXBTnPrGlsvV7cf3OFeFmt73wfaARj1GmAOworXodvL6GKDj8HmHIIr9oIV13I4Ikty_4gPTvVFtV7srXfjFkq-8RcsohrW_8wqSw/s4032/PXL_20221121_193759106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLdpSAfmljKsNTiu8C3sLhKWHBRo2UQJimN5CztsZ4FTfZCr9Ws2TY8buv2GhCKIreL5uoYJT9gz9cIDli36f49qXBTnPrGlsvV7cf3OFeFmt73wfaARj1GmAOworXodvL6GKDj8HmHIIr9oIV13I4Ikty_4gPTvVFtV7srXfjFkq-8RcsohrW_8wqSw/w480-h640/PXL_20221121_193759106.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hog Heaven (Photo: Steve)</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">The afternoon was spent checking out the crystal and souvenir shops in Upper Sedona. I got a similar vibe about the town as on my last visit. The trails and views are incredible, but the town itself is an expensive tourist trap. It was also very busy with terrible traffic causing congestion in the roundabouts, making it difficult to get anywhere. The tourists were arriving early for American Thanksgiving. At least we were able to find free parking! I was happy to be moving on and leaving the crowds behind, but felt like we only scratched the surface of the riding around Sedona. I guess we will just need to come back again.</div></span><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We spent our last night packing and re-packing our bags for 3 days of bike packing on the Black Canyon Trail, trying to pare our gear down to the bare minimum. As novice bike packers, it was shaping up to be a desert adventure with lots of unknowns. Stay tuned for the trip report.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMhzZ2qHSqmtwjZkUU4BBOg_uGYAnAygsRUrQiEoPfnIzhddt5MRVjg8JX12RMlG5AKBWqbsPgP-wLR1PIho7ZdDNwwsPVjQZuEfmHUiotJxrs4ZiDKpqB-e91X80sjzff9GkNnW6wPbK4fgSfCF8BsCNuEcAYnUhM5nbUDfnmVj9L1B_OLcmlIl8kg/s4032/20221122_094943.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMhzZ2qHSqmtwjZkUU4BBOg_uGYAnAygsRUrQiEoPfnIzhddt5MRVjg8JX12RMlG5AKBWqbsPgP-wLR1PIho7ZdDNwwsPVjQZuEfmHUiotJxrs4ZiDKpqB-e91X80sjzff9GkNnW6wPbK4fgSfCF8BsCNuEcAYnUhM5nbUDfnmVj9L1B_OLcmlIl8kg/w640-h480/20221122_094943.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The start of our BCT bike packing adventure</td></tr></tbody></table></span>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-91071037201614449472022-10-17T14:37:00.164-07:002023-03-22T11:55:39.843-07:00Tofino Thanksgiving<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TC8YebFDWubtx7zPWz_vnaTs1f10gh2WZgSMgYEr5rNdtBVlUCcMjhPhJIFxBoSkmBtCIQEjwMC9O-ZZZtO2UWkwlfZvXeXgHZyoUaur0sAQTQaoZysrP9-K6yWoHaN9U4mma81QG46K5A0GI4StwN1IWal3xw15LWgV0aIgR4luCDIsHXKDi-graw/s4032/20221008_191519.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0TC8YebFDWubtx7zPWz_vnaTs1f10gh2WZgSMgYEr5rNdtBVlUCcMjhPhJIFxBoSkmBtCIQEjwMC9O-ZZZtO2UWkwlfZvXeXgHZyoUaur0sAQTQaoZysrP9-K6yWoHaN9U4mma81QG46K5A0GI4StwN1IWal3xw15LWgV0aIgR4luCDIsHXKDi-graw/w640-h480/20221008_191519.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening session</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Mid-October is usually cold, dark and rainy which isn't very fun for biking or climbing and still to early for skiing. With that in mind, I had booked a trip to Tofino where it doesn't matter if its raining because you are planning to be cold and wet surfing anyways. Much to our surprise, the fall ended up being really warm and dry which meant unseasonably warm sunny beach days in October.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_7StGSTKu9kVk98ZcHzNEw2UadQJBssaDBFH68funB4iT60py6zF1az99w7W4_bnWSBDTfXBoBmPH73TQcnq41Xtjwk7fRR4kpX4mzJb01jU_MYKjo5bx0UhnCYxSVspfagofY53tfx1ows889iR6mowesA2LjghuKMIG-u4ahFyOeBnzjKp_xkkFQ/s4000/20221007_073742.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_7StGSTKu9kVk98ZcHzNEw2UadQJBssaDBFH68funB4iT60py6zF1az99w7W4_bnWSBDTfXBoBmPH73TQcnq41Xtjwk7fRR4kpX4mzJb01jU_MYKjo5bx0UhnCYxSVspfagofY53tfx1ows889iR6mowesA2LjghuKMIG-u4ahFyOeBnzjKp_xkkFQ/w640-h480/20221007_073742.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise from the ferry deck</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Angela and I had an early Thanksgiving dinner with Mom and Dad, then left Whistler early the next morning to catch the 6:30 ferry. Tristan slept over in Horseshoe Bay to skip the 4am wake up and we met him in the ferry line. Hayden was not answering his phone and we ended up leaving without him as he had missed the memo on a morning departure and thought we had reservations for the 6:30pm ferry. Fortunately he was able to get a walk on spot on the next ferry and Angela waited to pick him up in Nanaimo while Tristan and I grabbed groceries.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DpnxSEaJlgZDh--2lCGuOYEzA-nQMsfi5DjdyTkOm4T__u69aPNHGEJpTlAJC4_DiCDdt22xFYmj34QjB4VhhZyAB52UNlq1M7qbXzkg4WeEZTpVZ4vTES4oXtD6C6xT5lkF6QJ1JpdQnEX-WwS-k6-2WG4nVhXWV8CCVf3Grc0jYoJ7v4Kfj257IQ/s4032/20221007_131756.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2DpnxSEaJlgZDh--2lCGuOYEzA-nQMsfi5DjdyTkOm4T__u69aPNHGEJpTlAJC4_DiCDdt22xFYmj34QjB4VhhZyAB52UNlq1M7qbXzkg4WeEZTpVZ4vTES4oXtD6C6xT5lkF6QJ1JpdQnEX-WwS-k6-2WG4nVhXWV8CCVf3Grc0jYoJ7v4Kfj257IQ/w480-h640/20221007_131756.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picking up the boards</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">It was hot and sunny when we arrived in Tofino, very different from the typical fog and drizzle I had been expecting. We rented boards and wetsuits then set out for an afternoon of surfing at Long Beach. We spent most of the weekend surfing and hanging out on the beach in the sun. The waves were big enough to challenge me but not too crazy (I am pretty novice). I definitely noticed improvement after 5 surf sessions and some tips from Tristan.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp49vclGpO9kmtYM65yH02jXFOLxhoF_vINwWNXFmDAn4DIE-tvkBorW7ZA9sdP0m3NeYyM09A71slwR4fQ1NEF_uJIErckJh0zLPHK84EkPhDGb9x4iFIBcGqHPET7nT0ZMlUufHwaWUBpXfG_aezI-TcFEZTKFhdQHWn5z9g6O_ZVQKpPIg_gmAYAQ/s4032/20221009_150034.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp49vclGpO9kmtYM65yH02jXFOLxhoF_vINwWNXFmDAn4DIE-tvkBorW7ZA9sdP0m3NeYyM09A71slwR4fQ1NEF_uJIErckJh0zLPHK84EkPhDGb9x4iFIBcGqHPET7nT0ZMlUufHwaWUBpXfG_aezI-TcFEZTKFhdQHWn5z9g6O_ZVQKpPIg_gmAYAQ/w480-h640/20221009_150034.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drooling over new boards</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAidNrgNcSfQa2Uyf_YujBzLbIthkawz3p23liYHRfBTEhC0vnlKYGClkgB3NRmr4ZLaoCc3zfWlPw3xYfRCyPwnh9l7igWINTGocitzTplmfYfCm1zw4EpGMHlzG-_80PxwIy-C68n7M3bmkOywg9UOtgU9MoV79RXmvHZja3Srf8lFeWvkXS14kew/s4032/20221009_174156.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAidNrgNcSfQa2Uyf_YujBzLbIthkawz3p23liYHRfBTEhC0vnlKYGClkgB3NRmr4ZLaoCc3zfWlPw3xYfRCyPwnh9l7igWINTGocitzTplmfYfCm1zw4EpGMHlzG-_80PxwIy-C68n7M3bmkOywg9UOtgU9MoV79RXmvHZja3Srf8lFeWvkXS14kew/w640-h480/20221009_174156.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chesterman Beach afternoon session<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQ71--UkpBKQAIlQMiBDKTo7fFs59CHWW25HiexRrIp-NU6B1MjO3qf-439m3NCUEiHMKhsd9AwPp3RMaij2LHeHyKWFY5UEkII2n1bs5bEzrx7lP18SakOnKFrcOUK3tN4UjrwQNqmXZAlUEXIbNPdpXqlTzPpyniQrLor1hZQnIIq-_ebdtk3nbcg/s2944/20221009_181006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="2944" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFQ71--UkpBKQAIlQMiBDKTo7fFs59CHWW25HiexRrIp-NU6B1MjO3qf-439m3NCUEiHMKhsd9AwPp3RMaij2LHeHyKWFY5UEkII2n1bs5bEzrx7lP18SakOnKFrcOUK3tN4UjrwQNqmXZAlUEXIbNPdpXqlTzPpyniQrLor1hZQnIIq-_ebdtk3nbcg/w640-h480/20221009_181006.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to believe its October<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDonXOmySpnMAS8roIaO34mYcu1RLqaoovLBO1UKwDhyiSf02TJsCptliQRkc0ZVTHJl4098mga-ok4ZpnUCJhhzi1k6bky96VLiWdIgENINn9HLFmLMctMHXBAhufqJu-33iEfsS9pbSqvGXBdZb09-EDSuIPcPfIEBSkKOQnkSjKU9uFl65Y3skFw/s4032/20221009_180921.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDonXOmySpnMAS8roIaO34mYcu1RLqaoovLBO1UKwDhyiSf02TJsCptliQRkc0ZVTHJl4098mga-ok4ZpnUCJhhzi1k6bky96VLiWdIgENINn9HLFmLMctMHXBAhufqJu-33iEfsS9pbSqvGXBdZb09-EDSuIPcPfIEBSkKOQnkSjKU9uFl65Y3skFw/w640-h480/20221009_180921.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-surfing beach hang<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sTbwUacBtJj_RtBOchJd7_1NUtGs-_ywKVgZPNortj31h4maK1o6Ta-0UGjVow41Lr9VhKdKYblv3k-GpI-18X3n5Qy2wh70_bQ5S6lB1lIzUaX9TL7eY9ehXhDRBIOTuppZHGr1bDmtj0U4cFDX1rgBx_CzCDAxd6lMzapR7oYYgARt4VkIpttlWg/s4032/20221007_175833.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1sTbwUacBtJj_RtBOchJd7_1NUtGs-_ywKVgZPNortj31h4maK1o6Ta-0UGjVow41Lr9VhKdKYblv3k-GpI-18X3n5Qy2wh70_bQ5S6lB1lIzUaX9TL7eY9ehXhDRBIOTuppZHGr1bDmtj0U4cFDX1rgBx_CzCDAxd6lMzapR7oYYgARt4VkIpttlWg/w640-h480/20221007_175833.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views from the Airbnb</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7Fb0B8_DtRRRdr5KGvTNYCV3iP8kdX9KNZMSoBaBf2ciHs-1PfkkbBMVzShrMvUvXIoNvDO8qcKEweWj1RBeaega4mRUdwIZrWYSXDENOwPgyS7v6-T6xiFR9r15vLjGw-GC8ZUTieFlTb_-BwdJ2yPnJafJKj0KncOTbZIFYChyXX3XWfBPjuiwAw/s4032/20221008_190933.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ7Fb0B8_DtRRRdr5KGvTNYCV3iP8kdX9KNZMSoBaBf2ciHs-1PfkkbBMVzShrMvUvXIoNvDO8qcKEweWj1RBeaega4mRUdwIZrWYSXDENOwPgyS7v6-T6xiFR9r15vLjGw-GC8ZUTieFlTb_-BwdJ2yPnJafJKj0KncOTbZIFYChyXX3XWfBPjuiwAw/w640-h480/20221008_190933.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twilight magic<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5FqA3hMwNzXDsvj3_OLDqbRryEm1aam_TTKGfXp4B7K5iGXC0WLDYG2XbT7qv23EcNpY7WtA2_6IgAPonmuMqhTurwOODDexqOVeGebNeANutiFLQF62gQ65s4uAwejkSZLgGp6v0Sw95uWCbSE4Uf54p61A7-V6KExDWCBHEiNABanMZDxwW_pKhjw/s4032/20221009_184508.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5FqA3hMwNzXDsvj3_OLDqbRryEm1aam_TTKGfXp4B7K5iGXC0WLDYG2XbT7qv23EcNpY7WtA2_6IgAPonmuMqhTurwOODDexqOVeGebNeANutiFLQF62gQ65s4uAwejkSZLgGp6v0Sw95uWCbSE4Uf54p61A7-V6KExDWCBHEiNABanMZDxwW_pKhjw/w640-h480/20221009_184508.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another amazing sunset<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">After three days of sunshine, the clouds started to roll in and it got windy. Feeling tired, we opted to forgo surfing and instead do a bit of climbing before catching the ferry home. Angela and Hayden had a early reservation on the ferry to make it home for a "friends-giving" dinner but Tristan and I had neglected to book anything. We ended up cooking dinner in the ferry line as we waiting multiple sailings to return to the mainland. Note to self - book ferry reservations for long weekends!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8cfxyhvF_P4A18TuVJIxTLTWLDRY53nwfYJjYmOKchHu-h5ReCHEgRE2eysOfX5AdweNWa8uttC4ngwCLEg5np-VCp_CJRIR81dXPCLk9Ls7jaYk2tMev3WCTUiMBMM5KtIvo-xP5rmN5QCTHiYquS_5jSjxRrknPGr5SQ7Lh_ElisVbZVSNkdHis5g/s4032/20221010_095105.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8cfxyhvF_P4A18TuVJIxTLTWLDRY53nwfYJjYmOKchHu-h5ReCHEgRE2eysOfX5AdweNWa8uttC4ngwCLEg5np-VCp_CJRIR81dXPCLk9Ls7jaYk2tMev3WCTUiMBMM5KtIvo-xP5rmN5QCTHiYquS_5jSjxRrknPGr5SQ7Lh_ElisVbZVSNkdHis5g/w480-h640/20221010_095105.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moody Long Beach</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JSXKZe1CuWCqiW6JimdNdAz6cgzcPRCSsN_PDGtIS0mksJHrayfArSjEBxg2mKKxw9j3jEVUnRWSotYBZyqQZ820nvBU85N1opWu_ThMrZWEi-QSjAHW6c_RXb_SgVIMsMQhCEXkFu37ob1cZTYfNaVisUSoaHB5CGrAyRHcwbIwdIamIlldz1uYMQ/s4032/20221010_185556.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9JSXKZe1CuWCqiW6JimdNdAz6cgzcPRCSsN_PDGtIS0mksJHrayfArSjEBxg2mKKxw9j3jEVUnRWSotYBZyqQZ820nvBU85N1opWu_ThMrZWEi-QSjAHW6c_RXb_SgVIMsMQhCEXkFu37ob1cZTYfNaVisUSoaHB5CGrAyRHcwbIwdIamIlldz1uYMQ/w480-h640/20221010_185556.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tristan is stoked to show off his camping set up in the ferry line<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-78505168641164673952022-09-16T22:05:00.187-07:002022-10-24T14:51:03.433-07:00Mount Bourgeau/Harvey Pass<div style="text-align: center;">Distance: 21km</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elevation: 1130m</div><div style="text-align: center;">Time: 5hrs</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcx-5jVkut0-dR_nOWY6s9zO7UqMu_kbjRARpsd-P64rIDNM9NtV91T1DGfDSquZzPWs36Hhrk8jcMnEZPopYsBNB5LFaYargeayc4m_PYcBATb-ZKC4eS19waXp3P_1-oTgpIOeYCWCycDLkDUrWv_WyVyazVs9pEN0grK7CmtzfeZTgUZ3Ez-NA22g/s4032/20220916_143501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcx-5jVkut0-dR_nOWY6s9zO7UqMu_kbjRARpsd-P64rIDNM9NtV91T1DGfDSquZzPWs36Hhrk8jcMnEZPopYsBNB5LFaYargeayc4m_PYcBATb-ZKC4eS19waXp3P_1-oTgpIOeYCWCycDLkDUrWv_WyVyazVs9pEN0grK7CmtzfeZTgUZ3Ez-NA22g/w640-h480/20220916_143501.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bourgeau Lake below the summit of Mt. Bourgeau<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The hike to Harvey Pass starts in Banff National Park from the Bourgeau Trailhead (just west of the Sunshine Road). It is a grind up through the forest for the first 7.5km with minimal views, but once you reach the treeline at Bourgeau Lake you are rewarded with stunning panoramas and alpine lakes. The hike to Bourgeau on its own isn't be worth the effort, but once you start gaining elevation towards Harvey Pass, the views are spectacular.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YqKfspwXO3yCzkU-wS1255APcyR-5pI4-y2s8Xeu2bdt3iwxR81OPz0swm5uLn8QXDQ0DzMijaWzl0Jfn9jjFvPrPe2kSIj1Be3PYnCeIAcFLjjmg836SG8ygALKebQOobAOeUrugM0qHuyjV6FoNoWzBw8Ag0OKyphs7F5sbuurRP5rBmVrIdWvIg/s4032/20220916_120351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0YqKfspwXO3yCzkU-wS1255APcyR-5pI4-y2s8Xeu2bdt3iwxR81OPz0swm5uLn8QXDQ0DzMijaWzl0Jfn9jjFvPrPe2kSIj1Be3PYnCeIAcFLjjmg836SG8ygALKebQOobAOeUrugM0qHuyjV6FoNoWzBw8Ag0OKyphs7F5sbuurRP5rBmVrIdWvIg/w640-h480/20220916_120351.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking over the Bow Valley to Mt. Cory</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">I left Calgary late and didn't end up leaving the trailhead until 11:30. It was a gloomy day and I was worried it may rain. Since this was a last minute plan, I was hiking solo and was prepared to turn around if the weather decided to change.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yK2SKh6rso7Li5WEOKLrdqC9MDDy9Kf3yFI7B81I08vCvkob_TyiYNEGzXNJjpjj3vHqy2HtZJwUk6yod7Pn_aqI_l0JwCu_23kLeo2_LAkjlSrMiwj4PwQBLwlggz97wq91hmqXIYR3CUupNJAQ_Sknife1EGca3vxpvAiPRrlwkL4ssHqDaL1wHQ/s4032/20220916_120357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yK2SKh6rso7Li5WEOKLrdqC9MDDy9Kf3yFI7B81I08vCvkob_TyiYNEGzXNJjpjj3vHqy2HtZJwUk6yod7Pn_aqI_l0JwCu_23kLeo2_LAkjlSrMiwj4PwQBLwlggz97wq91hmqXIYR3CUupNJAQ_Sknife1EGca3vxpvAiPRrlwkL4ssHqDaL1wHQ/w480-h640/20220916_120357.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First glimpses of Mt. Bourgeau</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The trail climbs up through a dense forest, steadily gaining elevation up switchbacks, then contouring the NW flank of Mt. Bourgeau.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5X5ULjUN3caqjgTSu20FETePh2Y8i1uAFf7bgPZnlFlZa1Btbu07Zk02nSJV9LVh1ocDEvgXltMYYscxJgUv09SQiheUORkSSxwAkJP0rqO_JsvBiwHBdLNB-Hdr6oKAK-4efFj5epeJ_680yxdsbB0mYWyCiPR4M6Qm3pOb8yeiFm34zbQU8upJMiA/s4032/20220916_131215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5X5ULjUN3caqjgTSu20FETePh2Y8i1uAFf7bgPZnlFlZa1Btbu07Zk02nSJV9LVh1ocDEvgXltMYYscxJgUv09SQiheUORkSSxwAkJP0rqO_JsvBiwHBdLNB-Hdr6oKAK-4efFj5epeJ_680yxdsbB0mYWyCiPR4M6Qm3pOb8yeiFm34zbQU8upJMiA/w480-h640/20220916_131215.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fall colours</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">I had the trail to myself until I reached Bourgeau Lake. From here, the trail climbs a steep, rocky pitch to gain a cirque where there were two small lakes. From the cirque, the views opened up dramatically into the Mt. Brett amphitheater and down towards the Bow Valley.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7dSx_WE8EpgznNt35LVyW2wI_c5RXxf-EjQMhQlzDMsiJqLUgvQd0XkgIM4EiFKdTRWmLzImdERiTbQSZ6Lm4U8N6CH4f4guMigQkrRBGjIKRij11poa_SiXOFRViXdh4A2KJKakjxs2u7p2CzXOBhk6rYCVhfJxO6s6qPldnqgqrnAnMHvziIh9zA/s4032/20220916_133053.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG7dSx_WE8EpgznNt35LVyW2wI_c5RXxf-EjQMhQlzDMsiJqLUgvQd0XkgIM4EiFKdTRWmLzImdERiTbQSZ6Lm4U8N6CH4f4guMigQkrRBGjIKRij11poa_SiXOFRViXdh4A2KJKakjxs2u7p2CzXOBhk6rYCVhfJxO6s6qPldnqgqrnAnMHvziIh9zA/w640-h480/20220916_133053.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The second lake</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48JLbGCPe1RVcO7Psv4pxTyNe3hfsBh9HjjEotj2reznStH9frLVqQ_0RODUFj0sM6eBor9j-yys3AEWArLXkEZwoQFyaHoh17_pNuXm-4_0VdzyeFqnbZ_uhpkia3ZV9Ua4nb9TPsDfpsJ0mm--siJROhrXuN5B6XchZb0og5qX-6UMvVk6BFqikHg/s4032/20220916_142201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg48JLbGCPe1RVcO7Psv4pxTyNe3hfsBh9HjjEotj2reznStH9frLVqQ_0RODUFj0sM6eBor9j-yys3AEWArLXkEZwoQFyaHoh17_pNuXm-4_0VdzyeFqnbZ_uhpkia3ZV9Ua4nb9TPsDfpsJ0mm--siJROhrXuN5B6XchZb0og5qX-6UMvVk6BFqikHg/w640-h480/20220916_142201.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back to the third lake below Mt. Brett</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Following the well defined trail, I was able to reach Harvey Pass in 2 hours from the car.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht18FkvvnYtffGwJ3azbG4jmwCURJcHtBItbwz2yWAn7ypH7aprwkl3sK7eF5h9ITy3q2Sp020iK_g5_YPI9ZLFTxFux69hPowjSaKDjWeSifwqwfc1E_tJ-SG5Jkl_Fz3vJdN_NbXRYN1TFAarPhTlJ3DpeUW1zpUYWUQkINtj6ApZMivm-u92znUvQ/s4032/20220916_133659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht18FkvvnYtffGwJ3azbG4jmwCURJcHtBItbwz2yWAn7ypH7aprwkl3sK7eF5h9ITy3q2Sp020iK_g5_YPI9ZLFTxFux69hPowjSaKDjWeSifwqwfc1E_tJ-SG5Jkl_Fz3vJdN_NbXRYN1TFAarPhTlJ3DpeUW1zpUYWUQkINtj6ApZMivm-u92znUvQ/w480-h640/20220916_133659.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trail to Harvey Pass</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDvOXESG-L7crM1PdRiYJWiTVAzskBo95aAV3TMmhDpdFchJ-n9j0Urkvz1-a4xDxLA6PKdMLhICfEhD4IRDdKTXChH3XKUxyt0YQbZVrzY608D3oqgzeJNAh_6hvzW9NRIZ4wAZFkRWf4psy4WQV_hiHf4thmjdWSn5OC0BoLIanYj_IWc40fUjdQQ/s4000/20220916_134318.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCDvOXESG-L7crM1PdRiYJWiTVAzskBo95aAV3TMmhDpdFchJ-n9j0Urkvz1-a4xDxLA6PKdMLhICfEhD4IRDdKTXChH3XKUxyt0YQbZVrzY608D3oqgzeJNAh_6hvzW9NRIZ4wAZFkRWf4psy4WQV_hiHf4thmjdWSn5OC0BoLIanYj_IWc40fUjdQQ/w640-h480/20220916_134318.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final lake at the top of Harvey Pass<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5r8NO1PRSbtc3rPTqZmnyrA5dzeKrPVASmDCMnN988e6STLIPB_dYh_ngxIeHmdAHwNa85cBYene--75X-7RjYWF3RqjzGS8LCyhGnQUTIbwnZN7tjc9qymRDwv2PSWOGwxIRYQsmjPIUY2ARR7FOzhQb5ExP1tWlJgnhIdH6l_qzoe8ys-fOB-L1Q/s4032/20220916_134749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN5r8NO1PRSbtc3rPTqZmnyrA5dzeKrPVASmDCMnN988e6STLIPB_dYh_ngxIeHmdAHwNa85cBYene--75X-7RjYWF3RqjzGS8LCyhGnQUTIbwnZN7tjc9qymRDwv2PSWOGwxIRYQsmjPIUY2ARR7FOzhQb5ExP1tWlJgnhIdH6l_qzoe8ys-fOB-L1Q/w640-h480/20220916_134749.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking south to Sunshine Village from Harvey Pass<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">From Harvey Pass you can see to the Sunshine Village Ski Area and into Healy Pass, an area that I have ski toured in the past. The larches were just starting to change for the season and the sun poked out to illuminate the distant peaks. Now I had a decision to make. The summit of Mt. Bourgeau was covered in clouds but I wanted to get some better views. Taking the left fork of the trail towards Mt. Bourgeau and gaining 100m of elevation was worth the extra effort.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xjrzNhMB5WpJ8q9thzrRH3J-KgjyA5rsaMa1RD1aKq1OELSHjttItBF0h17Fo5npAUKwY5tgY6-PEgx8y_mKpM99UYNwiOloQlRNSvXXJt4nyFBgYxlEx6tfrTK8rSXKDdE1Tu0_dMr09_OGfsZ5paE_2_9BKNUS4vI0Uj4PwWmp8NxXAk1-qtRDEg/s4032/20220916_140529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6xjrzNhMB5WpJ8q9thzrRH3J-KgjyA5rsaMa1RD1aKq1OELSHjttItBF0h17Fo5npAUKwY5tgY6-PEgx8y_mKpM99UYNwiOloQlRNSvXXJt4nyFBgYxlEx6tfrTK8rSXKDdE1Tu0_dMr09_OGfsZ5paE_2_9BKNUS4vI0Uj4PwWmp8NxXAk1-qtRDEg/w480-h640/20220916_140529.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Summit trail</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVRINeLEvpCJthcD-RrbA61eXgXm6sNhRGkDn0q_rk9MJ1aScdcBVHzgBH9qWfGwRXHdbMv-fYD7bSHm8QQ8c4hwWczKIcaeOuG6lsHf1drgg75IjjjZQb-r3owift78o_x6fGlaUF3vhm0-4ZGQu6ehYZr1IXUyxzYckO8Vu5FQlmMmFaqZU4_eFKQ/s4000/20220916_140556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVRINeLEvpCJthcD-RrbA61eXgXm6sNhRGkDn0q_rk9MJ1aScdcBVHzgBH9qWfGwRXHdbMv-fYD7bSHm8QQ8c4hwWczKIcaeOuG6lsHf1drgg75IjjjZQb-r3owift78o_x6fGlaUF3vhm0-4ZGQu6ehYZr1IXUyxzYckO8Vu5FQlmMmFaqZU4_eFKQ/w640-h480/20220916_140556.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back down the valley at Mt. Brett<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Moving up the ridge, the wind picked up and the temperature dropped. Hikers returning from the summit looked really cold and they had been in a cloud with no views. I was nearing my turn-around time and although the summit looked close, I knew it was deceiving (and still 400m above me). I decided to head back down, satisfied with my effort. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0oSE_980pVajo8fMxKuNYYLoy4CdRI8wGz0hZfaV1bAX7BakRek79-AGNiyuslgETbrIgcCRUQzr2gae-yU4M2sychDnlRsNn03y1ANWQ41qwk45dRn-8-VOVn_febgWLpuka0vxzJCitkQjAnRnBP-nQOt3czRE8AhKmWVhpBAS29hcQ3CQCEWzOg/s2944/20220916_140626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="2208" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0oSE_980pVajo8fMxKuNYYLoy4CdRI8wGz0hZfaV1bAX7BakRek79-AGNiyuslgETbrIgcCRUQzr2gae-yU4M2sychDnlRsNn03y1ANWQ41qwk45dRn-8-VOVn_febgWLpuka0vxzJCitkQjAnRnBP-nQOt3czRE8AhKmWVhpBAS29hcQ3CQCEWzOg/w480-h640/20220916_140626.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High point for today</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Of course, as I started descending, the clouds started to break and the summit was bathed in sunshine. It made for amazing scenery as I made my way back down to the parking lot.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTKBBaYtpeTFBEPNUBCTsI4eHpUAiLEzsQMtHP001DmvUQzXLiC22VN_bAT59Qt9h1ESK-AkxT4W1n672clfZaP8UkK1JpAufnLWPmx6Qux7Gltlx0S4qBpF_FJET2unRB3n--y0qBErqGkodol3Lkdvsb4SixTKrnm25rOw1ke2NpcGBrMVmWMORyQ/s4032/20220916_141423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBTKBBaYtpeTFBEPNUBCTsI4eHpUAiLEzsQMtHP001DmvUQzXLiC22VN_bAT59Qt9h1ESK-AkxT4W1n672clfZaP8UkK1JpAufnLWPmx6Qux7Gltlx0S4qBpF_FJET2unRB3n--y0qBErqGkodol3Lkdvsb4SixTKrnm25rOw1ke2NpcGBrMVmWMORyQ/w640-h480/20220916_141423.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South facing slopes of Harvey Pass</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt59FLY8I03-Cv2TIqdq9uLJkxu8uFHT75M3qhy9cOSgnfMVbdmtaZEl4hYvYdMmlwyo7ypGcGdM1gAsli4ZyUzo52OlmqdCkpep6ToY8VXEpcE5wxMQkjoTecqi9Eng8Wcr9KOlnDtcRd-l0ievqxRhhbxGTmPfYorrZQR8l4mfynSXMJ0cP8z1lUYA/s4032/20220916_142047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt59FLY8I03-Cv2TIqdq9uLJkxu8uFHT75M3qhy9cOSgnfMVbdmtaZEl4hYvYdMmlwyo7ypGcGdM1gAsli4ZyUzo52OlmqdCkpep6ToY8VXEpcE5wxMQkjoTecqi9Eng8Wcr9KOlnDtcRd-l0ievqxRhhbxGTmPfYorrZQR8l4mfynSXMJ0cP8z1lUYA/w640-h480/20220916_142047.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some nicer weather on the way back down<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnqKsmiDDmbXIL1fQLlMoSVThA7eSh2srK8LJHlykPG_qb90GL_HjBYNeaR5DvZH5m9Tbb19bLRCHI0izlBmLmSSzM6-A5VTKv2rQRhp4UyTyMW6glGZBd_-wmukgPVDqJRmRjkbMBRcdfz1yil6crLEZoyMys3lyTnCRuGfr718KZuxxduKdDUi6CA/s4032/20220916_142452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnqKsmiDDmbXIL1fQLlMoSVThA7eSh2srK8LJHlykPG_qb90GL_HjBYNeaR5DvZH5m9Tbb19bLRCHI0izlBmLmSSzM6-A5VTKv2rQRhp4UyTyMW6glGZBd_-wmukgPVDqJRmRjkbMBRcdfz1yil6crLEZoyMys3lyTnCRuGfr718KZuxxduKdDUi6CA/w640-h480/20220916_142452.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful alpine day<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-55391671019521688232022-09-04T16:39:00.005-07:002022-09-04T16:58:32.547-07:00Grassi Knob Hike - Canmore<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Grassi Knob Loop</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Distance 9km</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elevation 795m</div><div style="text-align: center;">Time 3hrs</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2oCt9LxVqCYWIhjM6zC2RcBcTaWP9fl6ox9j_xWiGmpegZCPZijLgsfoXjMJcIrI1K5U73_7NLflL0r6OXAl031UqGREIr9J2AtjbFWvSsvzborVZVzh_XZBmXEE0OT5nAka3kXaXdqCiTrkaoWgeNsSw4u1wvbKe3J4nUi89r-5g6mjx7lGGEfPYDg/s4032/20220831_123010.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2oCt9LxVqCYWIhjM6zC2RcBcTaWP9fl6ox9j_xWiGmpegZCPZijLgsfoXjMJcIrI1K5U73_7NLflL0r6OXAl031UqGREIr9J2AtjbFWvSsvzborVZVzh_XZBmXEE0OT5nAka3kXaXdqCiTrkaoWgeNsSw4u1wvbKe3J4nUi89r-5g6mjx7lGGEfPYDg/w640-h480/20220831_123010.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grassi Knob summit shot</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a name='more'></a></span>There are so many hikes around Canmore it can be hard to choose. Most have spectacular views for minimal to moderate effort, beautiful lakes, or alpine ridges to wander. The Grassi Knob hike has none those. We picked this hike for a few attributes - it was close to Canmore, short, and none of us had done it (or even heard of it) before. It was also a loop, which is always nice. The hike was super steep up the West Ridge and we spent 99% of our time in the trees. We choose to descend the East Ridge, which was a slightly more gradual slope, and returned to the car along the Highline Trail. The whole outing took less than 3 hours and we were rewarded with a good workout and excellent views once we reached the summit. Overall, it worked well for Alanna and Cam who had a birthday massage booked in Banff in the morning and things to do that afternoon back in Red Deer, but it isn't a hike I need to repeat anytime soon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPf4mOBoydZ5-vZHlVDUMejPfkWChBOb8FqPNhW6zvHpaH4h7d68qnzSLb-kg72LEn3uI1L2NyN2_8z_FKoud6ZyrVzJepFArkdQQ25I5FnLXmZR0cBhP-tawsucZN03kurK4SxoGKCdWjJESAi34QJATHHHZ86Ic6NZ46V-Zy1NStlqdm7HMIyXUpHQ/s1302/Screenshot%202022-09-04%20171758.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="862" data-original-width="1302" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPf4mOBoydZ5-vZHlVDUMejPfkWChBOb8FqPNhW6zvHpaH4h7d68qnzSLb-kg72LEn3uI1L2NyN2_8z_FKoud6ZyrVzJepFArkdQQ25I5FnLXmZR0cBhP-tawsucZN03kurK4SxoGKCdWjJESAi34QJATHHHZ86Ic6NZ46V-Zy1NStlqdm7HMIyXUpHQ/w640-h424/Screenshot%202022-09-04%20171758.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">We parked our car in a neighbourhood at the top of Lawrence Grassi Ridge and Wilson Way. There was plenty of street parking by the Peaks of Grassi Park. Following the Highline Trail for 1.5 km leads you to a well marked fork. Follow the trail up towards Three Sisters Creek for about 100m. Immediately after the bridge, the trail starts up the West Ridge on your right</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIMzYV0vnE1mEH8D0OlwXIg270IKoy7F5syH47auOl90Y8C9MN1ryhVcrjMg-J1N_4Gx5Aml5iZe1KPQ9qeKBYz3vDdp6r_4arnhHbHNmOoF8kDp4Ot_6hT14DrhqzCTtrUEBvJT9Q5J8mCwOH5tYp389uYkaFhblJHz8ICu8HUllWOxpA_C6DbU7Tg/s4032/20220831_112034.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIMzYV0vnE1mEH8D0OlwXIg270IKoy7F5syH47auOl90Y8C9MN1ryhVcrjMg-J1N_4Gx5Aml5iZe1KPQ9qeKBYz3vDdp6r_4arnhHbHNmOoF8kDp4Ot_6hT14DrhqzCTtrUEBvJT9Q5J8mCwOH5tYp389uYkaFhblJHz8ICu8HUllWOxpA_C6DbU7Tg/w480-h640/20220831_112034.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Follow the Highline Trail to the bridge<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeQDaUOIpYVx1gdKxm1mrluN7EYsCbq_dRCXl_niVW2wKV_QRLZpnwzXsrhdGpvzI_dddLzHh-ZsfmcNzoUMjVe4LcbWx8t7lpQNGBNcrlQQQS3VtNryE9qn3F-d2YHtPm58YtlOCuU4hVDIxv15ozLwiq-hEQ1YlMiemNU7OTg1bZMUE2h5nI4xIZw/s4032/20220831_112115.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeQDaUOIpYVx1gdKxm1mrluN7EYsCbq_dRCXl_niVW2wKV_QRLZpnwzXsrhdGpvzI_dddLzHh-ZsfmcNzoUMjVe4LcbWx8t7lpQNGBNcrlQQQS3VtNryE9qn3F-d2YHtPm58YtlOCuU4hVDIxv15ozLwiq-hEQ1YlMiemNU7OTg1bZMUE2h5nI4xIZw/w480-h640/20220831_112115.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bridge about 100m after the fork on Highline<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYN-avPNsfIOvAJVCVeCQ_h3rijvSBXzkTLVosJfzsnxSnkRHr2dlKoqbZAr4rYJDVEw0f0KRSN7MH84G1h1zc2sXa-iErctek_oEd4aTU_-nl6spE0EDeqlKY6z8IUqjjdTB7Fq7w7TZYGgiCCtOCJB-sIbrD8qvm01W0cCmdPqbzJQ2TIJlzjnzRgQ/s4032/20220831_112257.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYN-avPNsfIOvAJVCVeCQ_h3rijvSBXzkTLVosJfzsnxSnkRHr2dlKoqbZAr4rYJDVEw0f0KRSN7MH84G1h1zc2sXa-iErctek_oEd4aTU_-nl6spE0EDeqlKY6z8IUqjjdTB7Fq7w7TZYGgiCCtOCJB-sIbrD8qvm01W0cCmdPqbzJQ2TIJlzjnzRgQ/w480-h640/20220831_112257.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steep trail starts immediately after the bridge<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The trail was obvious and we followed it up through the trees for about an hour. At one point there is a rocky view point overlooking the reservoir and Canmore, but it was occupied and Kona really wanted to play with the hikers dog (also named Kona!) so we kept moving.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4ZyI3Yq1Su3phRgck-KMXGDisC0ni8_P52m0Yn3eOpO0bXZRJPM_GOtunxrWCNwA2I7PoY6TfxTh70ZOGMkTW09C7Dt1HtaJ8Lc3bJCYePubSSDA6Ay_HdR-hMRpVU_km1UfWHicm-Eqh-L1Xj2i4jemgmqJqFXdVw2NUbdO-KzqcufCzhBfNEU7gA/s4032/20220831_112918.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4ZyI3Yq1Su3phRgck-KMXGDisC0ni8_P52m0Yn3eOpO0bXZRJPM_GOtunxrWCNwA2I7PoY6TfxTh70ZOGMkTW09C7Dt1HtaJ8Lc3bJCYePubSSDA6Ay_HdR-hMRpVU_km1UfWHicm-Eqh-L1Xj2i4jemgmqJqFXdVw2NUbdO-KzqcufCzhBfNEU7gA/w480-h640/20220831_112918.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unrelenting up<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">There is an option to dip into the gully for part of the uphill when water levels are low. We saw the fork on the right soon after starting up the trail but just stayed on the ridge which was the more obvious trail. It was steep but wasn't too difficult. The gully trail does join back up with the ridge trail about 1/3 of the way up the ridge and is apparently less steep but you have to walk through the creek bed.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsqwlqqAK56UAP36uMag_FWvj-XZ-d_X8d74OYi1uEIi0pLzb0bjBKS_cYA_ABGoreImZ8MnJfrUX5bkP7XXOrT7l1ZKqfrf4SOfSqDelaXwcfKZxLalV_J3WGopEyThKifVs40FTuvTTeBDEQAu8AHA3cYHBGICZW1GT5M2BrpqlBAzNY9u5wq07vQ/s4032/20220831_114414.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTsqwlqqAK56UAP36uMag_FWvj-XZ-d_X8d74OYi1uEIi0pLzb0bjBKS_cYA_ABGoreImZ8MnJfrUX5bkP7XXOrT7l1ZKqfrf4SOfSqDelaXwcfKZxLalV_J3WGopEyThKifVs40FTuvTTeBDEQAu8AHA3cYHBGICZW1GT5M2BrpqlBAzNY9u5wq07vQ/w480-h640/20220831_114414.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Kona waits for the slow humans<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Eventually the trees started to thin and we got some cool views of the Ships Prow and Miner's Gully. I was happy to be in the shade as it was already 28 degrees and we were all pouring sweat from the steady climb.</div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_OSykKAGgFLSzsz46in0PNw6SLQ7C2V2BZBz0TwkTuM4zF7ds6BQccI_eSZ1q-HBbZZYnFDHRqZ8Ur0LUSnCtMs2Bj15Eh80oEgDNN_T9AljjBEr-GH5R3EfGTT5AJOrvOHIb8ZGdcVaBfMHRsvM-3YY5oN7nBpbM6J7p_Vo60Tn7Sx4umePFkba9w/s4032/20220831_121756.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA_OSykKAGgFLSzsz46in0PNw6SLQ7C2V2BZBz0TwkTuM4zF7ds6BQccI_eSZ1q-HBbZZYnFDHRqZ8Ur0LUSnCtMs2Bj15Eh80oEgDNN_T9AljjBEr-GH5R3EfGTT5AJOrvOHIb8ZGdcVaBfMHRsvM-3YY5oN7nBpbM6J7p_Vo60Tn7Sx4umePFkba9w/w640-h480/20220831_121756.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miner's Gully views from the West Ridge Trail</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">The trail wrapped around the summit and joined up with the East Ridge trail just above the treeline. From here, it was a few rocky steps to the top.</div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUoA9qHiEF8PDq-7FtyZq6_ycUoWkXG5x8wwUuOc0WsDkbExPSpJxmpKRxxwLG5q7bYXJAEvbtGO7y9qmITPFOZbyjRxWUnFBj6ea3fkQxwNsc-oMwO0k7VI8iX6feDXe1BNMVAL3SyJ_5BHjPLYjWJC_sH1AZMGUIO_WEDf4akUivxo5w96CbW1Qig/s4032/20220831_122148.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMUoA9qHiEF8PDq-7FtyZq6_ycUoWkXG5x8wwUuOc0WsDkbExPSpJxmpKRxxwLG5q7bYXJAEvbtGO7y9qmITPFOZbyjRxWUnFBj6ea3fkQxwNsc-oMwO0k7VI8iX6feDXe1BNMVAL3SyJ_5BHjPLYjWJC_sH1AZMGUIO_WEDf4akUivxo5w96CbW1Qig/w480-h640/20220831_122148.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joining the east ridge trail for the final climb to the summit<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Surprisingly, there were 2 other people who had just arrived at the summit. We didn't linger long, just enough time to eat some cookies, snap a few photos and water the dog. From the little rocky pinnacle, you get excellent view of the Ship's Prow, Mt. Lawrence Grassi, the town of Canmore, and the Three Sisters. It is a full 360 degree view point. There was a lesser travelled trail that takes you to the base of the Ship's Prow if you feel so inclined.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqL99yhJkaDcIPnWrc6dxrJF8BHcF24D8bdMWxfxahQ6Nb5ks8s5acvz6JGVZL39OExVtaV_FZnMbDZEaoLtpHsFIKwfBj1BQ5UHWD1dHJ1TtF_vV9zSLjfSkON8vl4XaWa67Zy7fbiN5TftDjDXGHns3YsgnRB1Ue5QRCgKPUGqqBrRHZA-gDO0Tcmg/s4032/20220831_122919.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqL99yhJkaDcIPnWrc6dxrJF8BHcF24D8bdMWxfxahQ6Nb5ks8s5acvz6JGVZL39OExVtaV_FZnMbDZEaoLtpHsFIKwfBj1BQ5UHWD1dHJ1TtF_vV9zSLjfSkON8vl4XaWa67Zy7fbiN5TftDjDXGHns3YsgnRB1Ue5QRCgKPUGqqBrRHZA-gDO0Tcmg/w640-h480/20220831_122919.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ships Prow from Grassi Knob<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBExtyoTU-RJTB9J19P2iPJ2vsYZe-BI0ymhM0yFJ4OMow6FAd-4LTwMOtmRs9xbmpElt_LiZOM7RLntYkByo4x2t-RhbMH9TTI_kz98qhN2MyHcaYazz9nMfVtqIeveNzrOhXILvhsnbP3OjnAtAHfqJZ-Vqlt-0C_CUFdVA6elbE3lTwQq1Wj9Jgw/s4032/20220831_122928.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBExtyoTU-RJTB9J19P2iPJ2vsYZe-BI0ymhM0yFJ4OMow6FAd-4LTwMOtmRs9xbmpElt_LiZOM7RLntYkByo4x2t-RhbMH9TTI_kz98qhN2MyHcaYazz9nMfVtqIeveNzrOhXILvhsnbP3OjnAtAHfqJZ-Vqlt-0C_CUFdVA6elbE3lTwQq1Wj9Jgw/w640-h480/20220831_122928.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lawrence Grassi and Rundle<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdjgSoHRkXRhQV_ri6x9iupq4ItCwJRJpGOxl7q13EG7swsNI6FUkgeQxk7j8qxlNE3fAk45mYZJvkhRWbMrgYOokgG-sAw8ogW3DIXUhMkA7gk1RSntyUniwBa_7zxDgYQ1LKKy_4R5vki4Wn9j6NHjdzbU9cxBv45gwJrCyGetvYJRJa79cgiuOzQ/s4000/20220831_123210.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdjgSoHRkXRhQV_ri6x9iupq4ItCwJRJpGOxl7q13EG7swsNI6FUkgeQxk7j8qxlNE3fAk45mYZJvkhRWbMrgYOokgG-sAw8ogW3DIXUhMkA7gk1RSntyUniwBa_7zxDgYQ1LKKy_4R5vki4Wn9j6NHjdzbU9cxBv45gwJrCyGetvYJRJa79cgiuOzQ/w640-h480/20220831_123210.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Three Sisters and Highway 1 looking East<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We descended the East Ridge, which added 2 km onto the hike as we had to take the Highline Trail back across to the car. I liked that we made it into a loop and that the descent wasn't as steep as our up-trail had been. It was a very fun day up a lesser travelled hike close to Canmore, with a similar profile to the Grouse Grind (but no gondola and cafe at the top).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span><!--more--></span>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-29419596610177659092022-08-30T20:30:00.006-07:002022-09-04T17:27:21.754-07:00Helen Lake Hike - Icefields Parkway<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Helen Lake Hike</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Distance: 15km</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elevation: 550m (to the Headwall)</div><div style="text-align: center;">Time: 4hrs return</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVjFpv7EUi4fNeRtFGIw7JGr0nCD-uR6VMui1nT1H1CYyCUFOAyuu_ujGEx0qq3kUfEHcHgepSon8Rx1e_C1Y4ZKbO-XGln3-kNYzRjqhM_PBzPEw6wq9Ch_Dv8LpAn3cImpKnnl3eZRY0b96TUL2Kj2bgKzv8n7RZybc88YLH4V9U6L6hHlBdWCYjA/s4000/20220830_121953.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVjFpv7EUi4fNeRtFGIw7JGr0nCD-uR6VMui1nT1H1CYyCUFOAyuu_ujGEx0qq3kUfEHcHgepSon8Rx1e_C1Y4ZKbO-XGln3-kNYzRjqhM_PBzPEw6wq9Ch_Dv8LpAn3cImpKnnl3eZRY0b96TUL2Kj2bgKzv8n7RZybc88YLH4V9U6L6hHlBdWCYjA/w640-h480/20220830_121953.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kona takes in the view of Helen Lake from the headwall</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a name='more'></a></span>To celebrate Alanna's birthday I joined her, Cam and Kona for a hike to Lake Helen. It was my first time on this stunning hike, but shortly after we started Alanna realized they had done it before. Good thing it was worth doing twice! I had been up Helen Shoulder on skis, but the valley really comes alive with beautiful colours in the summer.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3zSNj6cG8K6j94f42IYS1qyn5y4ZGS4zwzc1ofl8fIRlvkoK86VrUfXULQH4ZbiVe6dXRVm-CpbjSud_lFRKlolUzkJbhYgWxLUyc2D6VuW6XsMvZGqV0CUAXzAY977zblwtxJOn7xPd5dSffiUDnTjNaTu4FGEAFYKOq0hkSnNU8Ej5ipH4zRMyiQ/s4032/20220830_110150.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib3zSNj6cG8K6j94f42IYS1qyn5y4ZGS4zwzc1ofl8fIRlvkoK86VrUfXULQH4ZbiVe6dXRVm-CpbjSud_lFRKlolUzkJbhYgWxLUyc2D6VuW6XsMvZGqV0CUAXzAY977zblwtxJOn7xPd5dSffiUDnTjNaTu4FGEAFYKOq0hkSnNU8Ej5ipH4zRMyiQ/w640-h480/20220830_110150.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dolomite from Helen Shoulder</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The hike starts from the Helen Lake parking lot, across the highway from the Crowfoot Glacier viewpoint. It's an easy trail to follow up through the forest to reach Helen Shoulder. The grade mellows out as you hit treeline and the views start to open up revealing Dolomite and Cirque Peak.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfjrNRvFc39MFgev9CMkqN4Wvo-z6NA7eszOwcFc0V67GIMNpOrLr-H2b3tKjWuGv4j7hY_JHNQxK4FHKD94_l4xPihPYmJy1LYrM40Q7Oe8718Fop_NWkdqYUPBEjZhi47xnEVayo6hKERiVyPRXqgHORrkDb5vA4XEXlj9P2XncMQ39qWVZIsOMuw/s4032/20220830_111852.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBfjrNRvFc39MFgev9CMkqN4Wvo-z6NA7eszOwcFc0V67GIMNpOrLr-H2b3tKjWuGv4j7hY_JHNQxK4FHKD94_l4xPihPYmJy1LYrM40Q7Oe8718Fop_NWkdqYUPBEjZhi47xnEVayo6hKERiVyPRXqgHORrkDb5vA4XEXlj9P2XncMQ39qWVZIsOMuw/w640-h480/20220830_111852.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Over the meadows towards Cirque Peak</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The trail winds through meadows which would be spectacular earlier in the year when wildflowers are in bloom.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZI_FiiH9Z5KEiS8ZIUmHbQtR0SOvUd7G6pQWVTvsVJrnlQB5hN3urpve1fAfKIxjqWvmIjl3mVUVoHMULd98rr3oSfOSb2kMMHm1xuH6ZHFa_jPSdgYydgEZYozh1wuRTsQHa2yz_F4u4t2qrIEatfqksS8Kyixm-v3MovSXEaXTiGbrcQf1XqYvPw/s4032/20220830_112257.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZI_FiiH9Z5KEiS8ZIUmHbQtR0SOvUd7G6pQWVTvsVJrnlQB5hN3urpve1fAfKIxjqWvmIjl3mVUVoHMULd98rr3oSfOSb2kMMHm1xuH6ZHFa_jPSdgYydgEZYozh1wuRTsQHa2yz_F4u4t2qrIEatfqksS8Kyixm-v3MovSXEaXTiGbrcQf1XqYvPw/w480-h640/20220830_112257.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cam crossing the creek before we reach the lake</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;">After 1.5hrs we arrived at Helen Lake, a good spot to stop for a snack. Up ahead, we could spot hikers on the scree slope up to Cirque Peak. The lake is 6km and 400m above the parking lot, but you should continue up another 150m elevation to the headwall for better views! The trail wraps around the lake then switch-backs up a steep slope. The marmots and pikas were very active and whistling loudly.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQl4c2IduJlUSUYMfRarm-9XB1ZV87muZr-E3LYMRX759flv5p2aaRVQHfCK_R8tINmG5bGmCXH0rFV-RPTCUNywDQZ-nZCeCkgBdKb5DUSarf36-ik4vkvO0zewiAP94JcpBa44O6oIzAVexs9_K735J1UouQJ2s6jveNf97P2Drc73JDF2Ary1AKw/s4032/20220830_113629.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTQl4c2IduJlUSUYMfRarm-9XB1ZV87muZr-E3LYMRX759flv5p2aaRVQHfCK_R8tINmG5bGmCXH0rFV-RPTCUNywDQZ-nZCeCkgBdKb5DUSarf36-ik4vkvO0zewiAP94JcpBa44O6oIzAVexs9_K735J1UouQJ2s6jveNf97P2Drc73JDF2Ary1AKw/w480-h640/20220830_113629.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Helen reflects Cirque Peak</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Once you make it up the headwall and into Dolomite Pass, there is an pretty alpine tarn and great views over Helen Lake and Dolomite. We kept climbing with plans to summit Cirque Peak.</div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ly0p_cXHABUWnWUGK2O6wV1VLE4ZmJjxG8QMSSfpMDnalwBIb5CPS6ehcmICsix3jlNhJswTQqHK902K2aNGa1hTjpA9ezF_DUDp3lD140Dnd03L5Q9lK8PyqLzIJnKjAEAaNmd7pJClZ_ThmNeXawkkxfPd4j5KASYOCu6V_1giEsH-wLHzbx35KA/s4000/20220830_125243.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ly0p_cXHABUWnWUGK2O6wV1VLE4ZmJjxG8QMSSfpMDnalwBIb5CPS6ehcmICsix3jlNhJswTQqHK902K2aNGa1hTjpA9ezF_DUDp3lD140Dnd03L5Q9lK8PyqLzIJnKjAEAaNmd7pJClZ_ThmNeXawkkxfPd4j5KASYOCu6V_1giEsH-wLHzbx35KA/w640-h480/20220830_125243.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tarn at the top of Dolomite Pass<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">As you follow the trail up through the rock bands, the route gets less obvious but is marked by lots of small cairns to follow. We ended up going too far left and followed a trail around the cliff band which was pretty cool but didn't get us up onto the scree as we had hoped. It was a simple scramble up the rock band but with the dog it was sketchy so we turned back to look for an easier way up.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGoAMidzmGBkLO7_LgCGUehpAx27vd4NgmeOfCoYiplRt97v-Xf2CDq_kK_w6WflnNgmKIYu3mKvEpUd1R4nOAUao5kknBubnKQdiUoZBHiB5s1mr1X6m8wtOhQFmSBg4993hg21PZncOMCV2Ssyufs-_PjKFZ40WOVK1HaRI5i2k4pGDAt3_G3EsOXA/s4032/20220830_122656.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGoAMidzmGBkLO7_LgCGUehpAx27vd4NgmeOfCoYiplRt97v-Xf2CDq_kK_w6WflnNgmKIYu3mKvEpUd1R4nOAUao5kknBubnKQdiUoZBHiB5s1mr1X6m8wtOhQFmSBg4993hg21PZncOMCV2Ssyufs-_PjKFZ40WOVK1HaRI5i2k4pGDAt3_G3EsOXA/w640-h480/20220830_122656.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wrapping around the rock bands looking for a break in the cliffs for the dog</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4hg_VmwPCL-Q_GSil2x12rdFXzT72QoTJeWqfzUb0wCmV0cfW4ybz_Xt-ibf7toYNmgBs7mUjX4cVpthr6bt0yVPWYdy0X5TJQICx7R2786-4nlley9YPcxTzxVXgenv88JN76QYHFDRtwYBFQBoFFeGtlqbgYzw_TdJDheF5mQzWHdrSr749uY67A/s4032/20220830_122008.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt4hg_VmwPCL-Q_GSil2x12rdFXzT72QoTJeWqfzUb0wCmV0cfW4ybz_Xt-ibf7toYNmgBs7mUjX4cVpthr6bt0yVPWYdy0X5TJQICx7R2786-4nlley9YPcxTzxVXgenv88JN76QYHFDRtwYBFQBoFFeGtlqbgYzw_TdJDheF5mQzWHdrSr749uY67A/w640-h480/20220830_122008.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wapta Icefield in the distance<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Back on the main trail, it was looking promising but we encountered another short step of rock that prevented us from going any further with the dog. Further up the ridge, the going gets easier but we made a decision to turn around here to avoid any issues with Kona. It was also a perfect stop to pop open Alanna's birthday champagne!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oao3HjIcCmSXFwHudae7I1uVYjGvTe9c6LJOxh5M7TosOTTTtmWAJ3OqlUDhGrt9yb6aAWRkh1YZWg3ULyl3NYts3Yb-g-BBY_xQlIKPqa8H5sLGm9HXZ7em6nEs_nQsnjK-lIs1nyzkAbVQOSBXiOKigRTJtn1xjwfPDPPE0D0J3-ueDqjb6TgEpg/s4000/20220830_125237.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1oao3HjIcCmSXFwHudae7I1uVYjGvTe9c6LJOxh5M7TosOTTTtmWAJ3OqlUDhGrt9yb6aAWRkh1YZWg3ULyl3NYts3Yb-g-BBY_xQlIKPqa8H5sLGm9HXZ7em6nEs_nQsnjK-lIs1nyzkAbVQOSBXiOKigRTJtn1xjwfPDPPE0D0J3-ueDqjb6TgEpg/w640-h480/20220830_125237.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming down from our high point for the day</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeM217GnZ3z6GxsQeZtibKsKNTVINy4Knc67TgwdjD-25Vj5n3g4jq2Ys4YbVcFp4oYO2ioJQ5EymgEd1Z05dC0ltijifkjQ3s5fR9gZQxAE3VRwVsnRN6Yvp085nasqmbl7CUKSaRHTG1d21yTC9yHsSjAA6ndPl3TsvC8UkTGvWt3KMK3abzKh9vQ/s4032/20220830_125514.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDeM217GnZ3z6GxsQeZtibKsKNTVINy4Knc67TgwdjD-25Vj5n3g4jq2Ys4YbVcFp4oYO2ioJQ5EymgEd1Z05dC0ltijifkjQ3s5fR9gZQxAE3VRwVsnRN6Yvp085nasqmbl7CUKSaRHTG1d21yTC9yHsSjAA6ndPl3TsvC8UkTGvWt3KMK3abzKh9vQ/w480-h640/20220830_125514.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday girl celebrates with some champagne</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Continuing up to the summit of Cirque Peak is an easy scramble with a total elevation gain of 1100m. Apparently you can get some excellent views of Bow Lake and the Wapta Icefield from the summit, but we were pretty happy with our vistas and glimpse of the Wapta from the headwall.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUx1SWgdbbc8EN68t2zF7B2FSKJ2d1WA_WEcVCZeSU1Y4dwHrjH1yZhh6CfnXhhU8NzbBjZdcNqGlE3IUIW3vwXkJiZPMAvDqvlKArTvrS1sGXzru67EAebh4myKKKy_VSOX_rK9bHqhcVeJltn7vdCU08Z-7XW0r6ScrHLkI_K_OlGnvAveU6Gegsg/s4032/20220830_111953.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUx1SWgdbbc8EN68t2zF7B2FSKJ2d1WA_WEcVCZeSU1Y4dwHrjH1yZhh6CfnXhhU8NzbBjZdcNqGlE3IUIW3vwXkJiZPMAvDqvlKArTvrS1sGXzru67EAebh4myKKKy_VSOX_rK9bHqhcVeJltn7vdCU08Z-7XW0r6ScrHLkI_K_OlGnvAveU6Gegsg/w640-h480/20220830_111953.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back down the valley past Dolomite</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacfDfbhrfNRu_rp3fqUxf_Dv_F02fC-CNJ-x3WSE0j30HipU2poLS1wutFJI0CwiXdr8HfgZ-jBoVq6YwQ9uPfRIkqk94mrN7LDIhNXfNZdF-MScG5ZFjHl7IvxAaLPGIsSxPVmO7iRenTZxehRsH3qTfxFwrSFzRt1z4kzcYxo-HCcNEYeycqEJX-g/s4032/20220830_142140.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacfDfbhrfNRu_rp3fqUxf_Dv_F02fC-CNJ-x3WSE0j30HipU2poLS1wutFJI0CwiXdr8HfgZ-jBoVq6YwQ9uPfRIkqk94mrN7LDIhNXfNZdF-MScG5ZFjHl7IvxAaLPGIsSxPVmO7iRenTZxehRsH3qTfxFwrSFzRt1z4kzcYxo-HCcNEYeycqEJX-g/w640-h480/20220830_142140.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bow Lake and Crowfoot Glacier</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sU1sYmf3jB56rXZkDQv6EGl_0fWaFldwSEUVDPreaDnwQm-ptp_oHbsxLT3hj4Pkp6EkMQ0JjP6Uao7IQmfZd0zMNGCfccYNuO7BfyvphSuFQWeK98WLG89j6SGnCGrh6HEP20KCvYc585VEos-d2NY-vXSjWXwhEa_Fm2ggB5BoDKuKvYOKt0qLAA/s2944/20220831_101245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="2944" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sU1sYmf3jB56rXZkDQv6EGl_0fWaFldwSEUVDPreaDnwQm-ptp_oHbsxLT3hj4Pkp6EkMQ0JjP6Uao7IQmfZd0zMNGCfccYNuO7BfyvphSuFQWeK98WLG89j6SGnCGrh6HEP20KCvYc585VEos-d2NY-vXSjWXwhEa_Fm2ggB5BoDKuKvYOKt0qLAA/w640-h480/20220831_101245.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snuggles with a tired dog<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><br />Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-68065944018198522132022-08-26T16:05:00.003-07:002022-09-04T16:58:56.612-07:00Kicking Horse and Terminator Ridge<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCdGHyfYfbcie2Yll5Y11gfI1iMPyGjh4tg9m3g_p34MKJMHqedHs5vfT0v9gtD-VM4x-EwQLf6aFt6TLHvhKBrLamd-KENqtbHqNXok958PxNV_zHzMxq2c8To4BrGA539NTjrAKPjhW4YHdObTHjTCkTZHP6HlNLG9TZ5taLI-p8N1giBcsdWkyOA/s4032/20220813_111731.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCdGHyfYfbcie2Yll5Y11gfI1iMPyGjh4tg9m3g_p34MKJMHqedHs5vfT0v9gtD-VM4x-EwQLf6aFt6TLHvhKBrLamd-KENqtbHqNXok958PxNV_zHzMxq2c8To4BrGA539NTjrAKPjhW4YHdObTHjTCkTZHP6HlNLG9TZ5taLI-p8N1giBcsdWkyOA/w640-h480/20220813_111731.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle scoping out freeride lines at the top of Kicking Horse<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">The trails at Kicking Horse Bike Park in Golden, BC are steep, rough and endless. We spent 2 days riding the hill with Peter and Kristina enjoying gondola accessed downhill trails. Sadly our first day was cut short by thunderstorms, but that didn't stop us from having an epic alpine weekend.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1jK2w0qM1kXeIHnn8FIlrwCPtLMOqGqHo9XQtG2eeuatFpmhg1h5Oitg9yADGC3vi9X6DKq8XGgtfjHZaPPg9XfPdQX-BNmx4tUu6mgCJZY0-6J6nh_aEPswxNMG4F6Cs9lVUYwnyGOgGfqeQkr0QT6rzmR8KUcgfPS8cN36ReDkqLcTWvMqUv96nQ/s4032/20220814_105904.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1jK2w0qM1kXeIHnn8FIlrwCPtLMOqGqHo9XQtG2eeuatFpmhg1h5Oitg9yADGC3vi9X6DKq8XGgtfjHZaPPg9XfPdQX-BNmx4tUu6mgCJZY0-6J6nh_aEPswxNMG4F6Cs9lVUYwnyGOgGfqeQkr0QT6rzmR8KUcgfPS8cN36ReDkqLcTWvMqUv96nQ/w480-h640/20220814_105904.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gondola accessed fun<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Day one was a (mostly) full day in the bike part. We hit a few trails before a storm rolled in around 1:30, closing the hill for the rest of the day. You really need to hustle to get your money's worth. The bike park is only open from 10am - 3:30pm and a lap takes close to an hour. We learned that if you do more than 2 runs, you don't qualify for a rain check, so it was an expensive 3 laps. We cut our losses and enjoyed an afternoon beer on the Whitetooth Brewery Patio.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujLwOntmzqs52HQDr10D3nYPhvJHIHdvRtjAIejCYqdwq9HaD7JUXvQ4n9Wt20_lmx9Pp-wPkgcFauK09HmCAQg4wpo6KsFvZLsFuIrglnGpzqUS83A15Y_w2zmiIGXhvvz0hoA-BaBeNZNEGU72a6NnHkXcD85MQ4okj9nAGDgTWYsBpoLyli_UD5w/s4032/20220814_111516.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujLwOntmzqs52HQDr10D3nYPhvJHIHdvRtjAIejCYqdwq9HaD7JUXvQ4n9Wt20_lmx9Pp-wPkgcFauK09HmCAQg4wpo6KsFvZLsFuIrglnGpzqUS83A15Y_w2zmiIGXhvvz0hoA-BaBeNZNEGU72a6NnHkXcD85MQ4okj9nAGDgTWYsBpoLyli_UD5w/w480-h640/20220814_111516.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alpine berms<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoKaAgH7Klhz5L3oiEg1J58-xiegkSpiKuZ5iCrzwiJt5o2vih-QTca1cUuIPuB1NH9AiGJdqY6pLPQPNc6ycT1HkPngCOUy8N3DRjAlTj9E6NjK7MyW35q0f3stDd7WvGsrFPgOrSObIbow37P1S22OOwkyCmjIZ4hGMizHCVTul33GC-BVtSAeohg/s4032/20220813_114011.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjoKaAgH7Klhz5L3oiEg1J58-xiegkSpiKuZ5iCrzwiJt5o2vih-QTca1cUuIPuB1NH9AiGJdqY6pLPQPNc6ycT1HkPngCOUy8N3DRjAlTj9E6NjK7MyW35q0f3stDd7WvGsrFPgOrSObIbow37P1S22OOwkyCmjIZ4hGMizHCVTul33GC-BVtSAeohg/w480-h640/20220813_114011.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The warm up slab on Rock and Roll<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8AmyVOtVpLnCaJUS1leRJiHuiSQlACtpA-GHMc_z9tYjnSqCOH-XGokcHd5hO-NmzncwbprPBH212Q4sIlJc00nZiI2EDfGdQg6LuYiYkmbO7-dLOHIBtuSGn6YLQQQno9xEskhTsQjV_YkRyNm7qwfMNjwe7ubUdEHy7Uo2tcuY-bJ0kT086UGD4w/s4032/20220813_134249%5B23887%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8AmyVOtVpLnCaJUS1leRJiHuiSQlACtpA-GHMc_z9tYjnSqCOH-XGokcHd5hO-NmzncwbprPBH212Q4sIlJc00nZiI2EDfGdQg6LuYiYkmbO7-dLOHIBtuSGn6YLQQQno9xEskhTsQjV_YkRyNm7qwfMNjwe7ubUdEHy7Uo2tcuY-bJ0kT086UGD4w/w480-h640/20220813_134249%5B23887%5D.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ripping down before the storm<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUR2C7BIk561gGtZStb8WNv8CoLrOqPo2U4PxpvS8ZlpzvSzVK55aWHQU50YyvfFe0nO396Bk2hmOjD3GeOTYMiO5qNJdp0bHQRP_QVd5kwE6vrALhv4VuqP1BLsP1PIwzXz1RYX51dpum9-icE7mcLpzRSo4prF3nJtiuTY3XBoImNLwvU_48M4JolA/s4032/20220813_134306.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUR2C7BIk561gGtZStb8WNv8CoLrOqPo2U4PxpvS8ZlpzvSzVK55aWHQU50YyvfFe0nO396Bk2hmOjD3GeOTYMiO5qNJdp0bHQRP_QVd5kwE6vrALhv4VuqP1BLsP1PIwzXz1RYX51dpum9-icE7mcLpzRSo4prF3nJtiuTY3XBoImNLwvU_48M4JolA/w480-h640/20220813_134306.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great views from the upper trails<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFK9BhQ7To3o4w4NT6fvnGUmYyyyowzd043im3BcJ3NXSEdPBdncNhhcHvbJArTUOejxzlkUuCO9YnbDcv6LCxSu7H4Sb_oSAUBhf3RTGLStKVWKmWCtaeFHOk-bKpeFtsQsyLal6J55I35DKwXGri2C2Bi_qsgKm9RrhQd6K3-eDRVLFKPLMwXyFEQ/s4032/20220814_114743.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiFK9BhQ7To3o4w4NT6fvnGUmYyyyowzd043im3BcJ3NXSEdPBdncNhhcHvbJArTUOejxzlkUuCO9YnbDcv6LCxSu7H4Sb_oSAUBhf3RTGLStKVWKmWCtaeFHOk-bKpeFtsQsyLal6J55I35DKwXGri2C2Bi_qsgKm9RrhQd6K3-eDRVLFKPLMwXyFEQ/w480-h640/20220814_114743.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stick Rock<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>On Sunday morning, we loaded the Kicking Horse gondola once again. Our plan the previous day had been to end the day in the park with Terminator Ridge. Not a sanctioned bike park trail, the trail follows a hiking trail up and over Terminator 1 through 4 before dropping down the ridgeline to the top of LSD in the Moonraker trail system. The 17km ride finishes after 1400m of descent at the bottom of Canyon Creek Trail in Nicholson.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqUQSimFu_JNsRH5FIf8Pq5Uxm2OBT0pmzlRVuvCnnECsoX9ZNUTpfYsZTDydEoezMliHvusNPbXnPk2bw3S78BKPlUJ5gqojpi8mgMhQknrZOu-q2oh3G80wRPnV5aCy7kBuxzBJRbNGMoS-hhYYba7oYn7WNi24oGpsLkv8j7tskSusbNDIWm1pIQ/s4032/20220814_160414.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipqUQSimFu_JNsRH5FIf8Pq5Uxm2OBT0pmzlRVuvCnnECsoX9ZNUTpfYsZTDydEoezMliHvusNPbXnPk2bw3S78BKPlUJ5gqojpi8mgMhQknrZOu-q2oh3G80wRPnV5aCy7kBuxzBJRbNGMoS-hhYYba7oYn7WNi24oGpsLkv8j7tskSusbNDIWm1pIQ/w480-h640/20220814_160414.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Canyon Creek<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The long ridge would have been a terrible place to be during a thunder storm so we were grateful to have clear skies and a second chance on Sunday. Kyle and Peter had dropped a car at the bottom on Saturday so we were all set to give it a go. Instead of trying to squeeze in a full day of bike park before riding the trail, we instead opted for enduro (2 ride) passes to get up the gondola. This allowed us to have a bike park warm up lap before setting out for our alpine adventure. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIGUQRLwZOOKsTg2oUFtU0QqbFw68ymWDuKhIrRvJkb-3LBpM0WdTqlxv8vvVgJ60mIbPzI8MpM4CYYLa7zIZZ9JAhMi1bPK7y6fnOhat1bVJpk6d7LIKPGX5prhEjrlTCnOEsj1x8kzssqkVUOEBn9K7a_gKve3ETGx7Ltue5onY6VZMoJuPAsAcMQ/s4032/20220814_124855.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIGUQRLwZOOKsTg2oUFtU0QqbFw68ymWDuKhIrRvJkb-3LBpM0WdTqlxv8vvVgJ60mIbPzI8MpM4CYYLa7zIZZ9JAhMi1bPK7y6fnOhat1bVJpk6d7LIKPGX5prhEjrlTCnOEsj1x8kzssqkVUOEBn9K7a_gKve3ETGx7Ltue5onY6VZMoJuPAsAcMQ/w640-h480/20220814_124855.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving the resort behind<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkhZWlDszNuDtwrdpX1xwZddd4xPpbZ10uDoeVQ1QLlRjfzRO2tRPRkN4h-NeHwEgl85fCHLmbTOHwP4nFF-oFclb7XEZT3fDw_0taJC8i82L0wP9nFMPknkYbNfZiYJDbAHV5dvBBENjv1C0PrNuc69g3ZAbXQDFj-o57lmWUcqtCdz5Ln22W4tjRg/s4032/20220814_130353.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGkhZWlDszNuDtwrdpX1xwZddd4xPpbZ10uDoeVQ1QLlRjfzRO2tRPRkN4h-NeHwEgl85fCHLmbTOHwP4nFF-oFclb7XEZT3fDw_0taJC8i82L0wP9nFMPknkYbNfZiYJDbAHV5dvBBENjv1C0PrNuc69g3ZAbXQDFj-o57lmWUcqtCdz5Ln22W4tjRg/w480-h640/20220814_130353.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up the switchbacks<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9iTjr1i8gfnoYDigU6HlAj-sJRziUP76LRaQqb0cAjp0BHopauSO-4JbZ6qDZVWd9vRxKw_fOtZQxe0hZhEBkJSkgL2yuu_R6TGUet1FQ5dLgMkPeeBYIboZbNLf8rtJFLUfXp2cLodFL567AXqtQ09QzT5PWrRAiIpq8-5m3i9dbxJk5aD0hHK5cQ/s2048/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-08-25%20at%204.49.10%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY9iTjr1i8gfnoYDigU6HlAj-sJRziUP76LRaQqb0cAjp0BHopauSO-4JbZ6qDZVWd9vRxKw_fOtZQxe0hZhEBkJSkgL2yuu_R6TGUet1FQ5dLgMkPeeBYIboZbNLf8rtJFLUfXp2cLodFL567AXqtQ09QzT5PWrRAiIpq8-5m3i9dbxJk5aD0hHK5cQ/w480-h640/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-08-25%20at%204.49.10%20PM.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hike-a-bike<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLeugKPAgEd64pJwAdRTiT72ggeZ9DkTFN3c-U_sboeZQGTEkIdMoEkOf13H4PJzTD6KK6W7EhNFkMf2AjLUf3-IxRygM46aIs0fLLLfl-EqNhz2JgmM2vl-KbfT_vvl83sy3qRPsC34ZvlzW9vjzUqt49rUhG7zKmQbwqkidwu4r2hKtq3gIWOMgyQ/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-08-25%20at%208.48.27%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisLeugKPAgEd64pJwAdRTiT72ggeZ9DkTFN3c-U_sboeZQGTEkIdMoEkOf13H4PJzTD6KK6W7EhNFkMf2AjLUf3-IxRygM46aIs0fLLLfl-EqNhz2JgmM2vl-KbfT_vvl83sy3qRPsC34ZvlzW9vjzUqt49rUhG7zKmQbwqkidwu4r2hKtq3gIWOMgyQ/w640-h360/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-08-25%20at%208.48.27%20PM.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost at the top of T2</td></tr></tbody></table>The high point of the ridge is T2. From there you can see the trail following the ridge off into the distance and great views down the Columbia Valley. The trail started with a steep descent followed by a techy climb to reach T3 and T4.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIz6ynziRS1G2I0cI-KiPijsZlHpRAXiiv2FHb1Mo8QNfLRdeMdVpGQ6oZk4Pv-id-vCJmrB3uO5Cdk5WRlDUT8Rc5o1II4C62U3G0bH9TMjQwX44Dg5s_hbnT3gbCkYMAzlpJnHIv1qpA1iND0NyS2goPhLCe2qbX5D20LU9tyTzTUJsa2ZpRxImMw/s4000/20220814_131444.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJIz6ynziRS1G2I0cI-KiPijsZlHpRAXiiv2FHb1Mo8QNfLRdeMdVpGQ6oZk4Pv-id-vCJmrB3uO5Cdk5WRlDUT8Rc5o1II4C62U3G0bH9TMjQwX44Dg5s_hbnT3gbCkYMAzlpJnHIv1qpA1iND0NyS2goPhLCe2qbX5D20LU9tyTzTUJsa2ZpRxImMw/w640-h480/20220814_131444.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking time is over, now lets ride!</td></tr></tbody></table></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PbvCzcB2h30lOLmyXqdxSj3t6FS9uhz0Sim-MkTAfKlqqRLZmNaugdA2RUd9qJYQ0pBZTCOo9v_i_P9namp-zbjKneqKSjAIXGEsc9UZ2MQaRuyMRyKiOmBfnB0xHGM_KZmHgEKk5JrM7N3djf_V_BZxfo_1Ayp3W5H8HQWQmksspCaHLFKZz2dIyw/s4032/20220814_131557.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9PbvCzcB2h30lOLmyXqdxSj3t6FS9uhz0Sim-MkTAfKlqqRLZmNaugdA2RUd9qJYQ0pBZTCOo9v_i_P9namp-zbjKneqKSjAIXGEsc9UZ2MQaRuyMRyKiOmBfnB0xHGM_KZmHgEKk5JrM7N3djf_V_BZxfo_1Ayp3W5H8HQWQmksspCaHLFKZz2dIyw/w480-h640/20220814_131557.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A long way down<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfTO7Kz13kIy9Rd42MDzHbURGbFMtoA2ee-h3RAd8AHCPOR0MTI8TNdBA7pBCgSCFOpnFx-oI3Nuy4baPB8UtHf_e7n-h_uQTscDPUaEGtPBpHZZVK2VKNqOxEs5nJlec68PMXUsvkqfLFW3p0lreZKZ-UzC490O_TmrGs8CjwtqwI9XADUddm0gG1w/s4032/20220814_131800.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfTO7Kz13kIy9Rd42MDzHbURGbFMtoA2ee-h3RAd8AHCPOR0MTI8TNdBA7pBCgSCFOpnFx-oI3Nuy4baPB8UtHf_e7n-h_uQTscDPUaEGtPBpHZZVK2VKNqOxEs5nJlec68PMXUsvkqfLFW3p0lreZKZ-UzC490O_TmrGs8CjwtqwI9XADUddm0gG1w/w640-h480/20220814_131800.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terminator Ridge and the Columbia Valley<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUn9_uSLwAcml4umQ2gC9sIv-ksR0qg0zXjGckhRBmeBG5xBdaxP5REzVKGEbIudNCXTNgbhGDgRDglpKJYGlcZE-xWMK31tOfqTo5LuS25mzSYa0_Qbkq71DTgFgfRbbEKAGB91b9zsSSBdslENoSQGYSnmnLH4s9lsMvT1x9R2hnNFpwB4f56xazQ/s4032/20220814_135404(0).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUn9_uSLwAcml4umQ2gC9sIv-ksR0qg0zXjGckhRBmeBG5xBdaxP5REzVKGEbIudNCXTNgbhGDgRDglpKJYGlcZE-xWMK31tOfqTo5LuS25mzSYa0_Qbkq71DTgFgfRbbEKAGB91b9zsSSBdslENoSQGYSnmnLH4s9lsMvT1x9R2hnNFpwB4f56xazQ/w480-h640/20220814_135404(0).jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alpine Choss<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9_4VAslboxcrZ4yvS1vwBApjzRD4TDycZxBsCz8ebMwP6Zghxz1fIc14SMZQXzL4NZglVYfE5YZeFm367xnu6VVusPUgHT4w8rLNk03C4DTPKLGQmqwSMcdYv8XNLt8Rb5mjbPb8a7NKgco15aEqhg3y8IP6e5lVQ30gupUksayRdMCEvhUHIAI9lg/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-08-25%20at%208.48.43%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9_4VAslboxcrZ4yvS1vwBApjzRD4TDycZxBsCz8ebMwP6Zghxz1fIc14SMZQXzL4NZglVYfE5YZeFm367xnu6VVusPUgHT4w8rLNk03C4DTPKLGQmqwSMcdYv8XNLt8Rb5mjbPb8a7NKgco15aEqhg3y8IP6e5lVQ30gupUksayRdMCEvhUHIAI9lg/w360-h640/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-08-25%20at%208.48.43%20PM.jpeg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dropping in!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVl68SaMOHMXewoFsblwOAoDPHiBbm_G9sAdeIPFuBtQy4Gx-Eq72GO7IkIQwg18koMIdzl88SeiK6tVXWrCZKe3rYfERCXNRLAUUGH7KiollyfJWIxFiIbG2J4m6mRu1CFZ-VcYdhGuWh4X8RbBgOQIZiim-T2L19vKF5BeK07XPiHkLk2xcyqmPXA/s4032/20220814_135344.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiVl68SaMOHMXewoFsblwOAoDPHiBbm_G9sAdeIPFuBtQy4Gx-Eq72GO7IkIQwg18koMIdzl88SeiK6tVXWrCZKe3rYfERCXNRLAUUGH7KiollyfJWIxFiIbG2J4m6mRu1CFZ-VcYdhGuWh4X8RbBgOQIZiim-T2L19vKF5BeK07XPiHkLk2xcyqmPXA/w480-h640/20220814_135344.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loose and technical<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">The trail was dry, rocky and exposed. It was the kind of riding that required all your focus with lots of sharp rocks looking to puncture tires. As much as I wanted to take in the scenery, I had to pay attention. As we descended, the trail mellowed out and we started to find more flow.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmDXODRinLIrcUQLtFVBieiLv0B0rjEi-mCrnBJv5OTDj6gl8vDgGB9FgCd94SAiBZYUcm0StXvVh4gVpWzjx4CPmrT9ONKV01F9zHANc1HO0Rn1SCfd0FugLNExLFblIop9I-DNtE5Q5JB47SYqfwzarqKFCdNtwt65I2g6uyORg24f575eIWJrThw/s4032/20220814_141802.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAmDXODRinLIrcUQLtFVBieiLv0B0rjEi-mCrnBJv5OTDj6gl8vDgGB9FgCd94SAiBZYUcm0StXvVh4gVpWzjx4CPmrT9ONKV01F9zHANc1HO0Rn1SCfd0FugLNExLFblIop9I-DNtE5Q5JB47SYqfwzarqKFCdNtwt65I2g6uyORg24f575eIWJrThw/w480-h640/20220814_141802.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving the alpine and finding some flow</td></tr></tbody></table></span><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">Suddenly disaster struck. I hadn't checked by brake pads before the ride but knew that they were getting low. I have Magura MT7's which have a really interesting feature of pushing the pistons out when the pads are too low, locking the brakes and making it extremely difficult to remove the pads. The last time this had happened was on a ride in Pemberton and we had broke one of the pistons trying to fix the issue. Now we were up high on an alpine ride without cell service and I couldn't spin my front wheel. I managed to get the wheel off to try and adjust the pistons, but then couldn't get it back on because of the position of the pistons. With bike parts in tow, I jogged down the trail to catch up to the group so we could come up with a solution together. Seeing me carrying my wheel in one hand and my bike under my arm in the other fortunately cheered up Kristina who had been having a rough time, but Kyle was justifiably frustrated that I had neglected to change my pads. It didn't help that the bugs had found him and were already feasting. A few minutes later it was Kyle to the rescue and we were back on the trail with functional brakes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVlQYcg-Sns7c8akGW4Rx_aUKjpBHutiwnjKbPmrPwyumcFUdUC1QF4GKZvChIEiLtEfYBgs05z7t6GYVqkpebSlqbZIc5CGZYgBfhnDRlEtpMHciFXhanj-RSLlsJ_eKQb5eqQ0nzTGI-0_VUtmVBwf9h1TSfW0bEAfsmXz28uAfs0nHpoH_FECNoQ/s1600/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-08-25%20at%208.49.52%20PM%20(1).jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHVlQYcg-Sns7c8akGW4Rx_aUKjpBHutiwnjKbPmrPwyumcFUdUC1QF4GKZvChIEiLtEfYBgs05z7t6GYVqkpebSlqbZIc5CGZYgBfhnDRlEtpMHciFXhanj-RSLlsJ_eKQb5eqQ0nzTGI-0_VUtmVBwf9h1TSfW0bEAfsmXz28uAfs0nHpoH_FECNoQ/w360-h640/WhatsApp%20Image%202022-08-25%20at%208.49.52%20PM%20(1).jpeg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Protecting Kyle from the bugs as he fixes my brakes<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div></span><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-27584882331439598992022-08-02T16:10:00.191-07:002023-02-14T20:19:01.372-08:00Retallack<div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwF0Swp0_MwDP1CZmWLDhsBPQ5t3GJtVaWgvQXmoAD4HAMFMGu9swFF7twlNXx-FC1Cjc_mehsLQZWEx_NNx_OK5VEaCf1Atj_ZFP96mTVJfXiorDJERjn7_eSO5aqRoCHdH8CwzBDqGDi0qCgYS21P5PB8_e18mmEBclGvwqPEtvywTIDd3E1VQFdSg/s1024/IMG-20220730-WA0005.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwF0Swp0_MwDP1CZmWLDhsBPQ5t3GJtVaWgvQXmoAD4HAMFMGu9swFF7twlNXx-FC1Cjc_mehsLQZWEx_NNx_OK5VEaCf1Atj_ZFP96mTVJfXiorDJERjn7_eSO5aqRoCHdH8CwzBDqGDi0qCgYS21P5PB8_e18mmEBclGvwqPEtvywTIDd3E1VQFdSg/w640-h480/IMG-20220730-WA0005.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The whole crew (Photo: Jon)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">What do you get when you combine 12 friends, a fridge full of Kokanee, repurposed military vehicles, helicopters and epic single track deep in the Kootaneys? An unforgettable birthday party at Retallack!</div><span><a name='more'></a><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;">To celebrated Jay's big birthday, the crew headed out to New Denver for a long weekend bike party at the infamous Retallack Lodge. Spirits were high as we made the early ferry and warmed up with some shuttle laps at Mt. Abriel. After all getting heat stroke, we hopped in the lake to cool off before hitting the road to Retallack.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0bs-DG1IsnmPWisz3yoV0lIfX6bFzRgNPAlehjSu1z8WX8TBtFEqw8GaUxiFNSXOsjdTnpQyCLqQuvFmbVAErqK_zPbM1voDwTgQp0JtKAFVGE2McJWOBWAtIe0cZ7w7CCHmaTv-W6pit1XXvBfDyjwdI4wuYn76J_YJ4EtBVIFN4IjxgU5kaEmNGA/s2048/IMG-20220728-WA0005.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0bs-DG1IsnmPWisz3yoV0lIfX6bFzRgNPAlehjSu1z8WX8TBtFEqw8GaUxiFNSXOsjdTnpQyCLqQuvFmbVAErqK_zPbM1voDwTgQp0JtKAFVGE2McJWOBWAtIe0cZ7w7CCHmaTv-W6pit1XXvBfDyjwdI4wuYn76J_YJ4EtBVIFN4IjxgU5kaEmNGA/w640-h480/IMG-20220728-WA0005.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting the weekend out on the Whitetooth Patio (Photo: Kristina)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJAgXqLJlz-_J0_IjLBpXd69XaC3IW2iOYOiPKIKkT-hgm3y7mLvlor7TEb4TzW9IeguBsPCPZvmaD6cFwqY03_WoOexAPUzH5tEfg48y45yY14EGF1YBsE3wtfhEqUkH0yj2uec2eqmIbX6Cp1PZXzQj2Cf2YNDR_TGUiyX5o0ixS1t6hhADz6MOHA/s4032/20220729_092035.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUJAgXqLJlz-_J0_IjLBpXd69XaC3IW2iOYOiPKIKkT-hgm3y7mLvlor7TEb4TzW9IeguBsPCPZvmaD6cFwqY03_WoOexAPUzH5tEfg48y45yY14EGF1YBsE3wtfhEqUkH0yj2uec2eqmIbX6Cp1PZXzQj2Cf2YNDR_TGUiyX5o0ixS1t6hhADz6MOHA/w480-h640/20220729_092035.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arrow Lakes Ferry<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4-IMXVxsjL-nraQcvEiseSKpkgTpRy4CsnVhVUVN57I21eWzxRxP6hwMO1B11oP0Uq_9xLg4dd0eoHSzOtfpQj2oJ0FpLs8tygD-W6MgqvgcdlVR5liyTBQUD1QA6BaSAsbEeaCjBBjmhRZwQZg410VBIMBJfsSJPs4gKvfyqj77Y5sSpMxAPvhh1w/s1227/abriel%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1227" data-original-width="1057" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx4-IMXVxsjL-nraQcvEiseSKpkgTpRy4CsnVhVUVN57I21eWzxRxP6hwMO1B11oP0Uq_9xLg4dd0eoHSzOtfpQj2oJ0FpLs8tygD-W6MgqvgcdlVR5liyTBQUD1QA6BaSAsbEeaCjBBjmhRZwQZg410VBIMBJfsSJPs4gKvfyqj77Y5sSpMxAPvhh1w/w552-h640/abriel%20(2).jpg" width="552" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Abriel airtime<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggiYBpdKIlWY_FatxcjSdz2qtja-OwYVm8vtg9UtYHPoy74EgHdGwv4PiXqmkWORG-NRTNQGJu2nQMdh2ZG4nd29MtngjLTn0v8peKXRPTSZsoBIrmkbMIOLhffpANBjEOSpcAgvN4Q0VNCEoM6FlR_WtCtNbPZvvYxrGjmZhyjGU7oWiCWhQnQ1b52A/s4032/20220729_155918.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggiYBpdKIlWY_FatxcjSdz2qtja-OwYVm8vtg9UtYHPoy74EgHdGwv4PiXqmkWORG-NRTNQGJu2nQMdh2ZG4nd29MtngjLTn0v8peKXRPTSZsoBIrmkbMIOLhffpANBjEOSpcAgvN4Q0VNCEoM6FlR_WtCtNbPZvvYxrGjmZhyjGU7oWiCWhQnQ1b52A/w480-h640/20220729_155918.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post shuttle meal en-route to Retallack<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Upon our arrival, we were greeted by our amazing guides and the lodge staff. We were the only group booked in for the weekend so we had the whole place to ourselves! The lodge was amazing with a great deck, lawn, hot tub and swimming hole for some post-ride ice baths. It also had a full disc golf course (with glow discs and fairy lights for night time play) and a huge living room with games. House rules dictated that most games had to be played with a beer in hand and shotguns were a common occurrence for rule infractions. The highlight was the neglin table where some of us were more coordinated than others, and suffered the consequences the following morning.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0SO5EqaZ_o7yUD6zsYBKDC7zy2Z0_Qhlgxi7NuLwPGmthlkePiSXpy-IA65C5CwnsmreduKT816ucDvQFlTlSmZeia9xG73dUuFFQqfFIVNBxcp1tauLpytaTNbaU1q7Ql9YXKlnLDTTiw62ODPVoTBCZAe3ItGaxAz7xxgEnQqtKSAXswJFzGQSSg/s1024/IMG-20220730-WA0014.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0SO5EqaZ_o7yUD6zsYBKDC7zy2Z0_Qhlgxi7NuLwPGmthlkePiSXpy-IA65C5CwnsmreduKT816ucDvQFlTlSmZeia9xG73dUuFFQqfFIVNBxcp1tauLpytaTNbaU1q7Ql9YXKlnLDTTiw62ODPVoTBCZAe3ItGaxAz7xxgEnQqtKSAXswJFzGQSSg/w640-h480/IMG-20220730-WA0014.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-ride patio beers (Photo: Kristina)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPRPVqsPAozudcQAF3YU93L14KzWW7qi76CQGTD1KRcNsrF8_TftLmC-T4cUuNamExzEKr1i05zzPrG0HxHjV9qvMkh7cPj96XgMLjDiN1oelIc7veLUYfNaG_6jnHCTafKsi3XdS-JSapEKcl94eV3K_o1NqgI6ZN9gZ3dQ5xpyJxyaum6vCxYoKzw/s1600/IMG-20220730-WA0000.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="720" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPRPVqsPAozudcQAF3YU93L14KzWW7qi76CQGTD1KRcNsrF8_TftLmC-T4cUuNamExzEKr1i05zzPrG0HxHjV9qvMkh7cPj96XgMLjDiN1oelIc7veLUYfNaG_6jnHCTafKsi3XdS-JSapEKcl94eV3K_o1NqgI6ZN9gZ3dQ5xpyJxyaum6vCxYoKzw/w288-h640/IMG-20220730-WA0000.jpg" width="288" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another shotgun for Rob (Photo: Kyle)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Fueled by a gourmet breakfast and iced coffee, we piled into the massive truck for shuttle laps on Retallack's private trails. With tunes pumping, stoke was high as we bounced our way up the steep roads. Flowy single track, berms and jumps were the name of the game. Our awesome guides gave us the tour as we ticked off the classic trails before hitting the steeps and sneaky lines.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTGvrksJH69OHBLf8EorHO-ByYZOA4e9jKCPBnFZ8RlUiXY5LeF_tVUbqk5z3MmadgTkMBX_4IVIe3oLIywM3NcHHbid8TIWCoHKnMdKaB-qd4F5cZhfhgT9AYdhAr7_PIVAG5IZ39RLq-yC8Ut72y-OTS3l40TtDQFIpnEn9_4Xb--M75CRI2UnLOg/s4032/20220730_104930.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOTGvrksJH69OHBLf8EorHO-ByYZOA4e9jKCPBnFZ8RlUiXY5LeF_tVUbqk5z3MmadgTkMBX_4IVIe3oLIywM3NcHHbid8TIWCoHKnMdKaB-qd4F5cZhfhgT9AYdhAr7_PIVAG5IZ39RLq-yC8Ut72y-OTS3l40TtDQFIpnEn9_4Xb--M75CRI2UnLOg/w640-h480/20220730_104930.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to shred</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6xiqv7XAM9Ub9_m89WKY2taFQRazFK2fmxcF6DnnAjj8R1GQixwe8ph2lY8ULVJIV0xgOFwjLzF5_MpnPD-s0JYaJ7PUP7zr-MZ3cgRZWMH2N-Pd8BKO1Y4KuFeO8nw-lfS-4-WBf4h0TQHMStysqnihltGmFNNOpK61tgdUSe8RfRn_2LB127hXoQ/s4032/20220730_122935.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho6xiqv7XAM9Ub9_m89WKY2taFQRazFK2fmxcF6DnnAjj8R1GQixwe8ph2lY8ULVJIV0xgOFwjLzF5_MpnPD-s0JYaJ7PUP7zr-MZ3cgRZWMH2N-Pd8BKO1Y4KuFeO8nw-lfS-4-WBf4h0TQHMStysqnihltGmFNNOpK61tgdUSe8RfRn_2LB127hXoQ/w640-h480/20220730_122935.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another lap<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Day 2 was a special day with a heli drop on Texas Peak. Everyone made it through the chute unscathed and we spent the morning ripping alpine trails under a bluebird sky.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOT72DeIjoRSGe5vV8QOBLi2_l-MTRG6nwyzzPkJp6WgyaGjsGoLxK1WhBtdY5-l2H63Ri4xDrHGqnVuBX3ue3fwOtAlf5VCzrAuBHtDlMTrDzx_WWbu7zQyKFgU5NiumtK6iBENBnpi-bGOVfrhgdxtKfGY1YBHMFA4qkevGwNr8A1HJ5oYzptkNweQ/s1920/20220731_103700_Moment.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOT72DeIjoRSGe5vV8QOBLi2_l-MTRG6nwyzzPkJp6WgyaGjsGoLxK1WhBtdY5-l2H63Ri4xDrHGqnVuBX3ue3fwOtAlf5VCzrAuBHtDlMTrDzx_WWbu7zQyKFgU5NiumtK6iBENBnpi-bGOVfrhgdxtKfGY1YBHMFA4qkevGwNr8A1HJ5oYzptkNweQ/w360-h640/20220731_103700_Moment.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lift off for Texas Peak</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFoBvIw_c52-y-zR_WkLAburHiozBb3iTEdbNfo5KQMaV8VnEPw7Xu0TmHqSdobB8ySlCAKNfiHiZtasXgux_guJQcLO8cedDVDtxACZp8BqIlTUutBlBW3eHY5zSP4lb8CaCyBo6JTu1k9cauqBCO45XzUIShLlXRxpbSgygzdxqFl8Q9wu0CBW9uQ/s3648/20220731_104729.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFoBvIw_c52-y-zR_WkLAburHiozBb3iTEdbNfo5KQMaV8VnEPw7Xu0TmHqSdobB8ySlCAKNfiHiZtasXgux_guJQcLO8cedDVDtxACZp8BqIlTUutBlBW3eHY5zSP4lb8CaCyBo6JTu1k9cauqBCO45XzUIShLlXRxpbSgygzdxqFl8Q9wu0CBW9uQ/w640-h480/20220731_104729.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks for letting us join your birthday party Jay!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1bgfHX10PT4w555VfAGWH8adHDQ3G-012iNCGnrpWH3CrGuMre217kfd4LewkVJp6sqVbTGrtpSazvRl6RbIEprivJ1mzTmp_Cj9RKIViXhOJ-cLgajP1THdDzKgOg7tlnmyylSlkT7ZmPnSbladrv_EZg8YkzwEF_s43caN5mLRGugLYqF01nNRFw/s4032/20220731_110215.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD1bgfHX10PT4w555VfAGWH8adHDQ3G-012iNCGnrpWH3CrGuMre217kfd4LewkVJp6sqVbTGrtpSazvRl6RbIEprivJ1mzTmp_Cj9RKIViXhOJ-cLgajP1THdDzKgOg7tlnmyylSlkT7ZmPnSbladrv_EZg8YkzwEF_s43caN5mLRGugLYqF01nNRFw/w480-h640/20220731_110215.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unloading bikes<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzH6ufgT6aJ8wnv2lagGjfaxZYbJJakkzgAcmkuYePY9rwGeCA9uLy694SH05wSYcqquQHhUGUHPSNQ0NJOuMLxtZHbA55dT-c9BKN1SYJqlrYyb8yZcaSQ6n2wzaEgv2XUTznH-yMj_mj_UyRIo6iPeaoJ_FIrVBJhtMIUXCwTeo253RyEDQ-nuUdQ/s4032/20220731_105302.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzH6ufgT6aJ8wnv2lagGjfaxZYbJJakkzgAcmkuYePY9rwGeCA9uLy694SH05wSYcqquQHhUGUHPSNQ0NJOuMLxtZHbA55dT-c9BKN1SYJqlrYyb8yZcaSQ6n2wzaEgv2XUTznH-yMj_mj_UyRIo6iPeaoJ_FIrVBJhtMIUXCwTeo253RyEDQ-nuUdQ/w480-h640/20220731_105302.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helicopters are cool<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6LuYlN9NOesLGdfykG2tet3EQsmcUT_4fsuo2raylDfRY8mnNS8iFTfhzRSr-C-flUlef2pwEtt7Mrxl_zVK46_yqOkDT_zVo9QPfZ27vQRrhTwuWP9lJh1DuRQoflWp4R2Zc485zlKwKiZsqutajpMkzWfKYEPpY2KVkSnthM782buu7zRY8C7DIw/s4032/20220731_111542.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI6LuYlN9NOesLGdfykG2tet3EQsmcUT_4fsuo2raylDfRY8mnNS8iFTfhzRSr-C-flUlef2pwEtt7Mrxl_zVK46_yqOkDT_zVo9QPfZ27vQRrhTwuWP9lJh1DuRQoflWp4R2Zc485zlKwKiZsqutajpMkzWfKYEPpY2KVkSnthM782buu7zRY8C7DIw/w480-h640/20220731_111542.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top of Texas, ready to drop<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhooyDwPY-3IEWQev_H1fucpIRF8zPRdox_Hwp046hUVsEgepcGTh9qI5ZetBbm_-LkldiT2QFp_Vzm8naZHA7s6EmqNrHQ7iAOm1toJiAQYcr7BJooMPSWgBgwp54haBu91mx1zqL8MpxrpknPLUNPaDX0RqM7zEoLhJR7AG0izy94i4qfJvqL7XZylA/s4032/20220731_111944.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhooyDwPY-3IEWQev_H1fucpIRF8zPRdox_Hwp046hUVsEgepcGTh9qI5ZetBbm_-LkldiT2QFp_Vzm8naZHA7s6EmqNrHQ7iAOm1toJiAQYcr7BJooMPSWgBgwp54haBu91mx1zqL8MpxrpknPLUNPaDX0RqM7zEoLhJR7AG0izy94i4qfJvqL7XZylA/w480-h640/20220731_111944.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rob dropping in off the top of Texas Peak<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_1nfQh7fpEP58gtwsLS1IifgQwmvj-WiXp5jlHXQVNJNMlDU69yiJX6QouGpMcke3OYACRioo-jMN0n204MhBXr_nvlZWpCuy7Wiiul5vBIBEN4iIwfSXDV7EaDFXIjDjB5tHdGyHNdJhCLfGRMJY70pt9LStvUzT1jPj7Kvuk8KYynXZbALg3LCiA/s2048/IMG-20220731-WA0020.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_1nfQh7fpEP58gtwsLS1IifgQwmvj-WiXp5jlHXQVNJNMlDU69yiJX6QouGpMcke3OYACRioo-jMN0n204MhBXr_nvlZWpCuy7Wiiul5vBIBEN4iIwfSXDV7EaDFXIjDjB5tHdGyHNdJhCLfGRMJY70pt9LStvUzT1jPj7Kvuk8KYynXZbALg3LCiA/w480-h640/IMG-20220731-WA0020.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chute (Photo: Kyle)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsKBxKMbyqUj3hJQaSDfQbBCRgKs4RHtmHuZtuxiXgtSSf-s1NA0i3KpyV7D-nrKKTKX-VXf7vrUlr8DOkK9xaWnQfBoeveRYVvXUCCz1SaWCsJ7PH8ev8-qZy5z9FW1-UOI3gPLBHJY_Ij56NVrx55R_cfQJ0Q1d7kZHNLcqod-xi4n-AmGFPpjXfA/s4032/20220731_114934.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpsKBxKMbyqUj3hJQaSDfQbBCRgKs4RHtmHuZtuxiXgtSSf-s1NA0i3KpyV7D-nrKKTKX-VXf7vrUlr8DOkK9xaWnQfBoeveRYVvXUCCz1SaWCsJ7PH8ev8-qZy5z9FW1-UOI3gPLBHJY_Ij56NVrx55R_cfQJ0Q1d7kZHNLcqod-xi4n-AmGFPpjXfA/w480-h640/20220731_114934.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alpine fun<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPz1Yhb-rOJeNlmgfiqYtRDIqZjntdT2rN-8ppxe03J1rPASvkRsp69J_3BWtZrIAmKYSaT_P7OEqMh7dHaxw-dE29KRglCVKVtHqj2ushz8y7qXzuo7GnwomMrFhGr13AihDNW9uH82G37oawU2IxdtfUT41_pWZQ459j-rH6AYnN7UtUYy3GEIy_Q/s1600/IMG-20220731-WA0032.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGPz1Yhb-rOJeNlmgfiqYtRDIqZjntdT2rN-8ppxe03J1rPASvkRsp69J_3BWtZrIAmKYSaT_P7OEqMh7dHaxw-dE29KRglCVKVtHqj2ushz8y7qXzuo7GnwomMrFhGr13AihDNW9uH82G37oawU2IxdtfUT41_pWZQ459j-rH6AYnN7UtUYy3GEIy_Q/w640-h480/IMG-20220731-WA0032.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Kristina<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">After 3 full days of riding, delicious meals, dance music and maybe a few too many Kokanees, the dream trip came to an end. What a magical way to spend a weekend with an awesome group of friends! Happy Birthday Jay!</div>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-4764556168694164982022-06-29T16:12:00.367-07:002022-09-04T16:59:17.089-07:00North Shore Triple Crown MTB<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4m8rGFi1wbdWu4QFq4OAO0C6S7UAOBHhYrGWok20HNUdByHzKKZvEP0QlkRuWEANl_54tj9kPv7gan5-aXhR8AXUFW5ruWN8mkee8CoB1C5-1zVOaCF_QJEiVjLrpDuOm5rjh8ewzmRC0Pd4nbryikMoC85NiChOObasvX-T1qMjMg2qGi5Q6kbVxw/s1918/Screenshot%202022-09-02%20111854.png" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1078" data-original-width="1918" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4m8rGFi1wbdWu4QFq4OAO0C6S7UAOBHhYrGWok20HNUdByHzKKZvEP0QlkRuWEANl_54tj9kPv7gan5-aXhR8AXUFW5ruWN8mkee8CoB1C5-1zVOaCF_QJEiVjLrpDuOm5rjh8ewzmRC0Pd4nbryikMoC85NiChOObasvX-T1qMjMg2qGi5Q6kbVxw/w640-h360/Screenshot%202022-09-02%20111854.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Distance: 73km</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elevation: 2543m</div><div style="text-align: center;">Time: 10:01<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">I love it when friends get excited about a challenge. Last winter, we watched the <a href="https://www.mahalomydude.com/blogs/news/can-we-complete-the-north-shore-triple-crown-part-1" target="_blank">"North Shore Triple Crown"</a> video posted by Mahalo My Dude. The two part video was ridiculous. They started too late, wasted time, and suffered their way up and down all 3 north shore mountains to finish in the dark completely destroyed. It looked horrible and made me want to do it so badly. Rob was also inspired, Kyle was skeptical. All spring Rob and I talked about the route, getting ourselves stoked for the challenge on our upcoming trip to Whistler. We dragged other friends into the plan too. "Sounds like a terrible idea, lets do it!" seemed to be the general consensus. At one point, we had a group of 10 ready to ride the 70km link up of Seymour, Fromme and Cypress! Sadly, the forecast was calling for a scorching hot day and cooler heads prevailed as we opted to shuttle and wait for better weather to attempt the already difficult ride.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">That day came a few days later with cool temperatures and the classic North Shore drizzle in the forecast. Back to just me and Rob, it was actually going to happen. We left Whistler at 5am to park the truck at Glen Eagles near Horseshoe Bay. To avoid a long vehicle recovery at the end of the ride, we took a taxi to Deep Cove to start the ride. It was one of the longest days of the year and we had plenty of daylight to accomplish our task.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRW1993Zk1vzDfRlOA8U5nNsXr1CZJhVqQ9FvvEOSRWUJhJbF36KuRkS2ywi1TZPi-g3skITcXwdVAOMNpql0TbApGfWoJjtwtDf80bdD_Zi-tm63AYAcRHG2AY9qOk4tOC2nwY_mXkXdfJHdTHk1OdOGMLBVaiBweR5O38Go5rs7iw9xd18pTbMJiVQ/s4032/20220629_074037.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRW1993Zk1vzDfRlOA8U5nNsXr1CZJhVqQ9FvvEOSRWUJhJbF36KuRkS2ywi1TZPi-g3skITcXwdVAOMNpql0TbApGfWoJjtwtDf80bdD_Zi-tm63AYAcRHG2AY9qOk4tOC2nwY_mXkXdfJHdTHk1OdOGMLBVaiBweR5O38Go5rs7iw9xd18pTbMJiVQ/w640-h480/20220629_074037.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loading up for a taxi shuttle to Deep Cove</td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">Prior to starting the first climb up from Deep Cove to Mt. Seymour, we stopped at Honey's Donuts for a coffee and treat. It just seemed like the right thing to do.</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQtEFsaxujS1voJq7kT1QzSNTl7rCr-LlNndo19tWBUIUQQKULYuKDedG-X7_csdn0wyODbl6erqdBtj8UO_4DvY3WU9duEIopAu_XNHpqJsu7Tvdg2xFGkkUJ4E03OOni2FcJMNHBGwgcnUrvtaA1mFTkGTxTdAWuY_-KkrL4woXDydoEuqWFtkalw/s3024/20220629_074819.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixQtEFsaxujS1voJq7kT1QzSNTl7rCr-LlNndo19tWBUIUQQKULYuKDedG-X7_csdn0wyODbl6erqdBtj8UO_4DvY3WU9duEIopAu_XNHpqJsu7Tvdg2xFGkkUJ4E03OOni2FcJMNHBGwgcnUrvtaA1mFTkGTxTdAWuY_-KkrL4woXDydoEuqWFtkalw/w480-h640/20220629_074819.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First stop - Honey's Donuts</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">After a sugar rush, we cruised down to the waterfront and started the timer. It was just after 7am and we had a long way to go.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZm8NiJzCQg2r3vmY-lHt0YYHOJyoH-nlRmXPaFNl-AjiSOXnrdbKDfupLtACCn_6RSedaIefNj-yBCN70CK5Zbh1VD95w_WD-8fBma_UddP0Q6gaEbsUUf0gY2E9Bc7joeipI0ZI3Ct11r7ggtu4aFN-xj636yL4lKpZGN8kywTuUasNEd3m3DeIbjw/s3024/20220629_080149.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZm8NiJzCQg2r3vmY-lHt0YYHOJyoH-nlRmXPaFNl-AjiSOXnrdbKDfupLtACCn_6RSedaIefNj-yBCN70CK5Zbh1VD95w_WD-8fBma_UddP0Q6gaEbsUUf0gY2E9Bc7joeipI0ZI3Ct11r7ggtu4aFN-xj636yL4lKpZGN8kywTuUasNEd3m3DeIbjw/w480-h640/20220629_080149.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Early morning start from Deep Cove</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKiy-a6lj3WKW3k_wLDtkIXaaoaeAk-cF7_NrD_HLhXboJ1WmKk0hWrSz2M9bVLo4yzsPrUFn3vleiE__P95Qkx2d8HXiI5oZ0hwCjXbJlLYMpJRxtSmyJ9iuSLiNvYEikh02Y4wl0ZjvaRkcJWzb-gbhsPDUgDy7bKTOWiqZIL6wFFL_lXTXWSUczg/s2208/20220629_080208.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="1656" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAKiy-a6lj3WKW3k_wLDtkIXaaoaeAk-cF7_NrD_HLhXboJ1WmKk0hWrSz2M9bVLo4yzsPrUFn3vleiE__P95Qkx2d8HXiI5oZ0hwCjXbJlLYMpJRxtSmyJ9iuSLiNvYEikh02Y4wl0ZjvaRkcJWzb-gbhsPDUgDy7bKTOWiqZIL6wFFL_lXTXWSUczg/w480-h640/20220629_080208.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for a big day<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The route starts with a steep climb out of Deep Cove to Mt. Seymour Parkway, then turns up Mt Seymour Road to continue the climb. It was cool, misty and quiet. We made good time up to CBC, the highest legal trail on Seymour about 850m above sea level.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-I_hDRchjc82W8IiUj4xiFQQ_OguDvmnYX1wHaCytfrtAORm4rsE-3Hw04X3LMizNbL6I-45rwjRqxbh89mSMasSwvvBotvrc5L2pfhrIVcAuLqsqATb406euTMJUHeLyXlQ18aWoGeQNZa5CxUhAucNtVHMVHpyD3zArmSZEhhChiTU6_Hp9nUl9w/s3024/20220629_093600.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ-I_hDRchjc82W8IiUj4xiFQQ_OguDvmnYX1wHaCytfrtAORm4rsE-3Hw04X3LMizNbL6I-45rwjRqxbh89mSMasSwvvBotvrc5L2pfhrIVcAuLqsqATb406euTMJUHeLyXlQ18aWoGeQNZa5CxUhAucNtVHMVHpyD3zArmSZEhhChiTU6_Hp9nUl9w/w480-h640/20220629_093600.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool and damp climb up Mt. Seymour</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Feeling energetic, we dropped the tire pressure and started descending. This wasn't going to be too hard.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVzdqLWvOAv6R_fGLVSYJm79vJ-8UyXv6R0JQjlr5Y-yQ5ZgPgLfKN0YoB-n4KccH9UWUvB5FQGTGamgUJ6aJdipj3oOaiaGcQzlK4IN1XpFxoUdnFbixquOP1lT4F8HRxPt5WaMn4RKGmc8MTqgqf-jDUBx3WQeMS8VSESnKDowXxyHoVy4VRStPDw/s3024/20220629_094925.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVzdqLWvOAv6R_fGLVSYJm79vJ-8UyXv6R0JQjlr5Y-yQ5ZgPgLfKN0YoB-n4KccH9UWUvB5FQGTGamgUJ6aJdipj3oOaiaGcQzlK4IN1XpFxoUdnFbixquOP1lT4F8HRxPt5WaMn4RKGmc8MTqgqf-jDUBx3WQeMS8VSESnKDowXxyHoVy4VRStPDw/w480-h640/20220629_094925.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First climb done, time to drop in</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">After CBC, we rode TNT/Cabin Trail to Cambodia before linking up with Bottletop to the bottom. It was a wet and slippery descent to the Seymour River but lots of fun for Rob's first ride on Mt. Seymour. Three hours into the ride we had completed our first of three mountains and felt great.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDT2LiE3V6V8b6ZDHKua_eRB4iXDpuW79aZGlAseNqabxJyJVrBkbCgNw7RCjTaSHZnuGIYkuecnPMoPOs2SYz3xkwDcrenDbRa_4MetnRd-z0JAFrmA4chD1_YEush1JvDgtIyP8X5KXOvov1s3BSNyF-v27Xx9Jys-IaOALWB9vIQNUJvapHRz1i1A/s3024/20220629_100436.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDT2LiE3V6V8b6ZDHKua_eRB4iXDpuW79aZGlAseNqabxJyJVrBkbCgNw7RCjTaSHZnuGIYkuecnPMoPOs2SYz3xkwDcrenDbRa_4MetnRd-z0JAFrmA4chD1_YEush1JvDgtIyP8X5KXOvov1s3BSNyF-v27Xx9Jys-IaOALWB9vIQNUJvapHRz1i1A/w480-h640/20220629_100436.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classic shore</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtO_XgWZXfV_s2jTdmmnxBxgmubI3ivKzEIaWorwsMOfIZiHvhx0gSI3raOvywQRBrKO2fsC2Cw79ES7Qkbp78pIbqpCHHDmztxJT7KpcV8QtIKPChRHMrSd7XJ9hALuI-nOYvQeFxxjFeJp1Q_8TcL51x_mgvZuDAiy8f2J_qgY2kskMtnle9v98k3Q/s3024/20220629_100701.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtO_XgWZXfV_s2jTdmmnxBxgmubI3ivKzEIaWorwsMOfIZiHvhx0gSI3raOvywQRBrKO2fsC2Cw79ES7Qkbp78pIbqpCHHDmztxJT7KpcV8QtIKPChRHMrSd7XJ9hALuI-nOYvQeFxxjFeJp1Q_8TcL51x_mgvZuDAiy8f2J_qgY2kskMtnle9v98k3Q/w480-h640/20220629_100701.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big trees and ladder bridges<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We crossed the river and followed the Twin Bridges trail up to Lynn Canyon. It had been years since I had been through that area and brought back a flood of memories of coaching Flow Camps a decade ago. Next stop on the itinerary was the End of the Line. It was too early for lunch, but we grabbed some snacks and espresso to fuel up for the punishing climb up Mountain Highway to Fromme.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pGmNjrT3ohBKI6wMcU0WIRElCBgphhtx3qNtf5oCJRTplzHs8kv3EgQXqq1VxLYHsZTwEmtVpKUaxAXL1Us5DY64-tbCuPTY5LCQpCvsGcs3TsESXKooaf5PD_O5nUt3zbjMzFSPuJ54mF8fFrC1YDoEDESXdx6oJQ4aRVhe0vRqSf12bXUn08RRlw/s3024/20220629_111814.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0pGmNjrT3ohBKI6wMcU0WIRElCBgphhtx3qNtf5oCJRTplzHs8kv3EgQXqq1VxLYHsZTwEmtVpKUaxAXL1Us5DY64-tbCuPTY5LCQpCvsGcs3TsESXKooaf5PD_O5nUt3zbjMzFSPuJ54mF8fFrC1YDoEDESXdx6oJQ4aRVhe0vRqSf12bXUn08RRlw/w480-h640/20220629_111814.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time for a break at End of the Line</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tcHk2c_On7Cpux63XifPm2UA-d6HsS-dacC6wJTxKZIcjUKBmjwXh-HJxld2ux2l66ZEgbZdEA3myg4Ao2gq2zLK4Q6sHbvcxAY26H6Um3WOSR-gRySvgOStWkiy4NSfcXujWjXmzJzArzCsOkMVipztO1KlT8dIxxKpVWjIm4mZ6g9UP3YvcpHvEg/s3024/20220629_111819.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4tcHk2c_On7Cpux63XifPm2UA-d6HsS-dacC6wJTxKZIcjUKBmjwXh-HJxld2ux2l66ZEgbZdEA3myg4Ao2gq2zLK4Q6sHbvcxAY26H6Um3WOSR-gRySvgOStWkiy4NSfcXujWjXmzJzArzCsOkMVipztO1KlT8dIxxKpVWjIm4mZ6g9UP3YvcpHvEg/w480-h640/20220629_111819.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the espresso<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Mountain Highway is steep. After already climbing over 900m, our legs started to feel the burn. We also started seeing some other riders after having Seymour to ourselves. Being competitive, we made sure we didn't get passed on the way up. When we arrived at the top of 7th Secret, the hours in the saddle had started to take their toll, but the bugs were too bad to stop for long. We dropped into the old-school rock cobbled trail trying to rattle the lactic acid out of our legs.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ag8mEdgkX4O7zbrkDxjUt0RmtoqLQ8rcUJLGuO97GORNXWg9aQdl1uQoPkZxIYqmYPW6fGVV0c2YMQNPXIhzD0UdxSmwsYbStn-HScS7jAQDXzJCE9pnLPqnCXN7rpYsPywoDN2aU74UM33bIi3dQ-Tpb-nqTFOVleU5o7in_H2ozUNtbaNqO3AGHg/s3024/20220629_123838.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ag8mEdgkX4O7zbrkDxjUt0RmtoqLQ8rcUJLGuO97GORNXWg9aQdl1uQoPkZxIYqmYPW6fGVV0c2YMQNPXIhzD0UdxSmwsYbStn-HScS7jAQDXzJCE9pnLPqnCXN7rpYsPywoDN2aU74UM33bIi3dQ-Tpb-nqTFOVleU5o7in_H2ozUNtbaNqO3AGHg/w480-h640/20220629_123838.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhat delirious at the top of Fromme</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">In hindsight, we should have ridden something fun like Expresso or Ladies Only to Digger, but to try and minimize the climb up Braemar and Londsdale, we rode back up the 6th switchback to Executioner. I'm sorry but that trail is not very fun, especially when you are tired and zoned out. We survived the rough descent, only to get lost in a neighbourhood park below the powerlines and had to backtrack up the hill. Finally we popped out on a recognizable street and got to rip through my old neighbourhood down Montroyal Boulevard to the Cleveland Dam.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-M2ibKMM5UykqbqUKy7jptlpc-VzOcB9pzp4uiMZ2pAIrJx6bQhZhLuJIDRcwP3IGXXfXh25WaxhpiQ1au_IZHxVqh6NQuCpesJ0mNIZssBoV_kWThD34cIXrEAKqsWmk7SXZfoaocIb8vkDdmb2y18WZzw0O3qWbzXd-mz0O1xwyKEu8Y-wPRLy1Ew/s3024/20220629_140840.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-M2ibKMM5UykqbqUKy7jptlpc-VzOcB9pzp4uiMZ2pAIrJx6bQhZhLuJIDRcwP3IGXXfXh25WaxhpiQ1au_IZHxVqh6NQuCpesJ0mNIZssBoV_kWThD34cIXrEAKqsWmk7SXZfoaocIb8vkDdmb2y18WZzw0O3qWbzXd-mz0O1xwyKEu8Y-wPRLy1Ew/w480-h640/20220629_140840.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too tired to eat, one mountain to go</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcpXLIkxgq0cvihH6HHYAnOA6fv3bziuER9cNnImjPUyNCLPhIRD5jpoX9u7JtE9nt0eUv_CLy8paXLF02DV1kr8ylBpWomU71J9Ki_98glpvfTmRVkdTUrO9gq1xVTz6Bg0CeTGi9RuuSkPMCMkysOr2jABFvyosbLu0D0CX15RaNGRsdV_Rf0VfGA/s3024/20220629_141335.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcpXLIkxgq0cvihH6HHYAnOA6fv3bziuER9cNnImjPUyNCLPhIRD5jpoX9u7JtE9nt0eUv_CLy8paXLF02DV1kr8ylBpWomU71J9Ki_98glpvfTmRVkdTUrO9gq1xVTz6Bg0CeTGi9RuuSkPMCMkysOr2jABFvyosbLu0D0CX15RaNGRsdV_Rf0VfGA/w480-h640/20220629_141335.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moody Capilano Lake<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We were six hours and 40km into the ride and had completed 2 mountains. The final 700m climb up to the top of Cypress isn't as steep, but it is long. Our rest on the grass overlooking Capilano Lake was the low point for Rob due to some shammy issues that he described as "rocks in my shammy." I didn't inquire further. After a water refill, snacks and a bunch of shot blocks, we were ready to start our final climb, zig-zagging through the British Properties to a short hike-a-bike up the Stupid Grouse trail which brought us to the 2nd switchback on the Cypress Bowl Road, just above the lookout.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGPOpYmquHCDhBW5jEmpkOPwxzX_O-SdwgXRr4VZxoMsiQibu8u_zde2yzzPgTcbPaG4iMzzzStdwclyxxMHdTAmSsQw3Dnb2zLlsPPeTRXMEedWX3KoPUgzpTRKSLpnBUUmsciRnahXjVKrrKQRHCaEIay8AO1OXvBKxK8tDRjlXUbKUimK806U2iA/s3024/20220629_145840.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOGPOpYmquHCDhBW5jEmpkOPwxzX_O-SdwgXRr4VZxoMsiQibu8u_zde2yzzPgTcbPaG4iMzzzStdwclyxxMHdTAmSsQw3Dnb2zLlsPPeTRXMEedWX3KoPUgzpTRKSLpnBUUmsciRnahXjVKrrKQRHCaEIay8AO1OXvBKxK8tDRjlXUbKUimK806U2iA/w480-h640/20220629_145840.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mega mansion views in British Properties</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFzwLlybDOYAbOgYlY2Uk5zBlsRWvDnIwirRTPcCAOyDqMLTGJ0ubGfBpQzjlnYCQiPzT4RwODIGDYXtHBdfDsSmlucxfzAg2mI1W3j7fCLLze0NyUCoxMAeHBIG16q5P22D5PsITiy8oVRfVu6JYDVr_ByDMOligJZUT_-PEpvklfqfqGtDRv8oD1Q/s3024/20220629_151653.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYFzwLlybDOYAbOgYlY2Uk5zBlsRWvDnIwirRTPcCAOyDqMLTGJ0ubGfBpQzjlnYCQiPzT4RwODIGDYXtHBdfDsSmlucxfzAg2mI1W3j7fCLLze0NyUCoxMAeHBIG16q5P22D5PsITiy8oVRfVu6JYDVr_ByDMOligJZUT_-PEpvklfqfqGtDRv8oD1Q/w480-h640/20220629_151653.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Are you sure this is fun?<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">It was a quiet ride up Cypress Bowl Road as we both dug deep to keep pedaling. I was starting to hallucinate animals in the forest and fun colours in my vision. But as we climbed, we got a new surge of energy, riding a high that comes from a full day of exertion. We passed the trailhead for Blind Skier, the highest legal trail on Cypress, and with barely a thought both decided to carry on to the top. What's another 200m at this point anyways?</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEn8aoh0y0WxsuyzmPorhFzkIfXnGXVHAMP0aGtFdjP6Aom5laBdsaoAaFg7oEZBlBw8TOHOwWTrnjcdhMEaPdN8-CE-e75HLNEqJpMsj31GDD7n-zU7eGLJ7c_-vaBNvqxG6_nNu8y3Oznf36ZHd954MvnYg1XunlpRMxex2ZoVgUHOrMeyLlF70iA/s3024/20220629_160739.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEn8aoh0y0WxsuyzmPorhFzkIfXnGXVHAMP0aGtFdjP6Aom5laBdsaoAaFg7oEZBlBw8TOHOwWTrnjcdhMEaPdN8-CE-e75HLNEqJpMsj31GDD7n-zU7eGLJ7c_-vaBNvqxG6_nNu8y3Oznf36ZHd954MvnYg1XunlpRMxex2ZoVgUHOrMeyLlF70iA/w480-h640/20220629_160739.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearing the top of Cypress, and getting some of the only views of the day</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIz_CIUvjoCdgSGeWZoVLGO0gJOGr9IWZH8jY7Ru8Zkcd7nQoC0R_qCM2Nbdj1GHygZhWq0KYsO6ns99RmEDqVCpnkkmfYe76r0SvgLpahDbKHpqndH4Klvy5sGdnrh4BjqykTMg3dnRSdkqOhh1tQhWBm2KNvHyakgZ5W0CGovV1uCJmGVTeWrv-2w/s3024/20220629_160154.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIz_CIUvjoCdgSGeWZoVLGO0gJOGr9IWZH8jY7Ru8Zkcd7nQoC0R_qCM2Nbdj1GHygZhWq0KYsO6ns99RmEDqVCpnkkmfYe76r0SvgLpahDbKHpqndH4Klvy5sGdnrh4BjqykTMg3dnRSdkqOhh1tQhWBm2KNvHyakgZ5W0CGovV1uCJmGVTeWrv-2w/w480-h640/20220629_160154.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost there!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifc_aqfDM1asaIrqAgHXeucEp-MZqMnhkQpIFE7WqY9k7sCei23WPcLvRRdRnyr8ZHx7HsMQAGrTw9Awy7OvxEd2uwxhV09Is377mnz45rZuuPS1FjBJWw2YYGGHNtUKNFPBJWvoMiMc8wX9LjgcAT2QgZTVxRn9AMlzjwwarMXmvjSAGbXOVQCCUgyw/s3024/20220629_161855.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifc_aqfDM1asaIrqAgHXeucEp-MZqMnhkQpIFE7WqY9k7sCei23WPcLvRRdRnyr8ZHx7HsMQAGrTw9Awy7OvxEd2uwxhV09Is377mnz45rZuuPS1FjBJWw2YYGGHNtUKNFPBJWvoMiMc8wX9LjgcAT2QgZTVxRn9AMlzjwwarMXmvjSAGbXOVQCCUgyw/w480-h640/20220629_161855.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final mountain climbed!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">It felt so good to reach the top of Cypress, knowing that it was all downhill to Horseshoe Bay. The ride most definitely wasn't over yet, as we had almost 1000m of descending on technical steep trails to go, but it felt like we the hardest part was behind us. Just over 8 hours in, we had a final snack then got ready to ride. We didn't rush and enjoyed the trails.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziQGzV5BL66hLOTpHdKPDar68FnKr5b3av2jMjDvkNkZgbhlMaH2FBfI99o0Yi0izABbL-OiqOhutcM2bwFNZ1BqKhtrVBOppzFrVG0JDJlDQ7NBlPxraQDFtZJKXxFrh_psMofmQARwNQDmeEXswj0WZee9egIsJoLuiLGt5p7m_ZDTaWe9id2Ex3A/s1920/20220629_170614_Moment.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjziQGzV5BL66hLOTpHdKPDar68FnKr5b3av2jMjDvkNkZgbhlMaH2FBfI99o0Yi0izABbL-OiqOhutcM2bwFNZ1BqKhtrVBOppzFrVG0JDJlDQ7NBlPxraQDFtZJKXxFrh_psMofmQARwNQDmeEXswj0WZee9egIsJoLuiLGt5p7m_ZDTaWe9id2Ex3A/w360-h640/20220629_170614_Moment.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cypress steeps<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8rhjMeYHQo41OmOmagxhibcVIhRrF7Zq_0I4VnfhXDOziUAY2mVJZB3PshMp896gOiKWfpC-D912HuFuHJAFp-Ry5mqzsyFE4dIpnxTMIpzxzAP2-1UhaTJsSI5Du4oGOSbmh2vw5ljZ7jWfSp2wk24g1NPcy22niRMC7hW6jy9ZmUbh_Wz2-W2f9Q/s1920/20220629_171625_Moment.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS8rhjMeYHQo41OmOmagxhibcVIhRrF7Zq_0I4VnfhXDOziUAY2mVJZB3PshMp896gOiKWfpC-D912HuFuHJAFp-Ry5mqzsyFE4dIpnxTMIpzxzAP2-1UhaTJsSI5Du4oGOSbmh2vw5ljZ7jWfSp2wk24g1NPcy22niRMC7hW6jy9ZmUbh_Wz2-W2f9Q/w360-h640/20220629_171625_Moment.jpg" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">9 hours in, still sending<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">It was a long descent and took 1.5hrs to arrive in Horseshoe Bay, but we both made it with smiles on our faces, no injuries or mechanicals. We also didn't get passed by any other riders the entire day (bonus points?). Cracking a beer on the Horseshoe Bay dock, 73km from where we had started that morning was a great feeling. Thanks to Rob for being so stoked on this crazy idea, I hope your butt has healed.</div></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjOLWEYktFF-O_qfHngGJTZmjdiBngSq6ykE8zkSiIFuzBG5iTqMWLhkeajTli5fzcxPbmr5FL8ZVMYVUe42E00W1bI1ZBXBRfbi5HRYCFsLdRztmoszI8PznAscC73oDv1kbefHOG1XCeOagRfwzOEtFk9WCwDP0pQ1XpNH2N2lxPDdtE5Y4P1X1mw/s3648/20220629_180059.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjOLWEYktFF-O_qfHngGJTZmjdiBngSq6ykE8zkSiIFuzBG5iTqMWLhkeajTli5fzcxPbmr5FL8ZVMYVUe42E00W1bI1ZBXBRfbi5HRYCFsLdRztmoszI8PznAscC73oDv1kbefHOG1XCeOagRfwzOEtFk9WCwDP0pQ1XpNH2N2lxPDdtE5Y4P1X1mw/w640-h480/20220629_180059.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy to be in Horseshoe bay</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><u>Afterword:</u></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Since we completed this challenge, Rob has informed me of a Mahalo My Dude video, the Quadruple Crown which adds Eagle Mountain and a water taxi ride to the already huge triple crown... </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It sounds like a bad idea.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Let's do it!</div>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-24394642005122349652022-06-23T19:00:00.000-07:002023-03-22T13:04:36.797-07:00Coast Gravity Park<div style="text-align: center;">Coast Gravity Park is a small bike park on the Sunshine Coast designed by the Coastal Crew. We took a day trip from Whistler to check it out and had a great time! After riding steep, tech gnar in Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton, it was nice to get on some smooth jump trails that we could casually lap all day. The park had enough progression to let us work our way up to some of the bigger jumps as we figured out the speed through the day. The vibes were excellent too and we got to hang out with a fun crew of stoked riders from all over BC.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUS0etMK0C-GAyLyDm7w29f8Q2vbXieJskvs6ImVAV_b1oYep8GJkfJmfMYBHxh_kn8Wmb7E6QdVDsVeKz8tzvnxwubQi79fQijxxZXz9GULAOu6uAxb-6U7csfcmMcJm_HEzK0nIJJ5SrDkVQnbpzBdSZtpztoKUr0H1Epi_JINoSXlDjQS6knYA5Ng/s4032/20220623_162452.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUS0etMK0C-GAyLyDm7w29f8Q2vbXieJskvs6ImVAV_b1oYep8GJkfJmfMYBHxh_kn8Wmb7E6QdVDsVeKz8tzvnxwubQi79fQijxxZXz9GULAOu6uAxb-6U7csfcmMcJm_HEzK0nIJJ5SrDkVQnbpzBdSZtpztoKUr0H1Epi_JINoSXlDjQS6knYA5Ng/w640-h480/20220623_162452.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to Coast Gravity Park!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span><a name='more'></a></span>We left Whistler early to catch the Langdale Ferry from Horseshoe Bay so we would be at Coast Gravity Park in time for opening. As it usually goes with ferries, we just missed our sailing after picking the slowest ticket lane possible. We briefly considered just bailing and heading up to Squamish to ride for the day but our car was trapped in the ferry line so that wasn't even an option. We cut our losses, grabbed some breakfast and enjoyed the beautiful morning from the beach while we waited for the next boat.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2b6lAtmVisJxATU9XBjqU_C-yN5U45UUZwMRihmdBH8uLYJT-P0IE40fLmc9hTInlVZyr44eepBfhO-bMf1wppImfkv2UZLlJcUBO0C97puNTwWEeprhRitscAw7lCkjOGjaVfZQGSKok70QgueQYCqbohCvRhVRGqMUL-dJGf2s4hx0zb326e99rEw/s4032/20220623_083630.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2b6lAtmVisJxATU9XBjqU_C-yN5U45UUZwMRihmdBH8uLYJT-P0IE40fLmc9hTInlVZyr44eepBfhO-bMf1wppImfkv2UZLlJcUBO0C97puNTwWEeprhRitscAw7lCkjOGjaVfZQGSKok70QgueQYCqbohCvRhVRGqMUL-dJGf2s4hx0zb326e99rEw/w480-h640/20220623_083630.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for the ferry</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfhg7STRSQnzhrII-h8qTzp7WdSRBivLAncLdeaxO6de0OFDigcsBOlHadhqMfdFoCWwQ7Wzcv6yvtipNqzmJsZqkfmNaKx4Z43mAfurDiR_b0hGw8YdL4SPENCioTDl5dIo9w0p5zLWT_xuwHQ_KhcXL9-hY0VseLodulyTufST1Q78SQYnw2M83Og/s4032/20220623_102804.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfhg7STRSQnzhrII-h8qTzp7WdSRBivLAncLdeaxO6de0OFDigcsBOlHadhqMfdFoCWwQ7Wzcv6yvtipNqzmJsZqkfmNaKx4Z43mAfurDiR_b0hGw8YdL4SPENCioTDl5dIo9w0p5zLWT_xuwHQ_KhcXL9-hY0VseLodulyTufST1Q78SQYnw2M83Og/w640-h480/20220623_102804.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally on our way!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">By the time we arrived on the Sunshine Coast, it was 11am (park opens at 10am). Luckily it wasn't busy in the Bike Park so we were able to maximize our laps for the rest of the day by not taking any breaks between laps. The park is accessed by a shuttle van and trailer that drops you at the top of most of the trails. There was a climb trail up to Dynamite Panther but we were in the mood for descending and skipped that one. I think we rode all the other trails at least once just to check them out, but spent most of our time on the black jump trails.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0NgYaufPCcpDFsQbtqWI_mTk8TFrxiZccwBXgQvnsQizvXbix0Wmtohm7VFWDmB_3c8Vf_Au719HjO3o5ibaaqs8z_RduxgZJmByX_fKgBw94PGINdj_8yUTkwhKCkl347-cago2y5eg0EgzLHAX2CQNh_mu13s2QUXH46rL3XFlY0uIUKPCfNbeXQ/s4032/20220623_114737.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP0NgYaufPCcpDFsQbtqWI_mTk8TFrxiZccwBXgQvnsQizvXbix0Wmtohm7VFWDmB_3c8Vf_Au719HjO3o5ibaaqs8z_RduxgZJmByX_fKgBw94PGINdj_8yUTkwhKCkl347-cago2y5eg0EgzLHAX2CQNh_mu13s2QUXH46rL3XFlY0uIUKPCfNbeXQ/w480-h640/20220623_114737.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The trail map</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALbeLgg0EgbqkBT6-QyrW_wDU6bNH0SQafA2z11Zp5rkLLsl2APhOIyhZN1sJUcJsSIGHd448FiymMcTd5dXIVg-sWSf6kDUsLu6mBTQnnyIv97dn2z-Jqlq2nnzJh5TpAHDVvngQxEIqeTRK4WwpFWSk4QsfVuq0LHfArPXrs8Dq15H0LDIxGGZp2A/s4032/20220623_133234.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALbeLgg0EgbqkBT6-QyrW_wDU6bNH0SQafA2z11Zp5rkLLsl2APhOIyhZN1sJUcJsSIGHd448FiymMcTd5dXIVg-sWSf6kDUsLu6mBTQnnyIv97dn2z-Jqlq2nnzJh5TpAHDVvngQxEIqeTRK4WwpFWSk4QsfVuq0LHfArPXrs8Dq15H0LDIxGGZp2A/w640-h480/20220623_133234.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shuttle truck all loaded up</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkisIR7vadxVlUhdN5P8lyIWs1DDTMmU07ZK0kXANGiijXa0r5-_V6rri_qIsZeUUSqDcMF5qDJJIOv5qrJw5Tydf0Fh8aG-pc3uaQmFadh8heyueS8XnK0lSjK4DY97GPCGCGYVHjNKA29YSTij2I1o6TW5K9Ulhjvyq49Y9599sAoJn8JTBxfsYKnQ/s4032/20220623_151545.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkisIR7vadxVlUhdN5P8lyIWs1DDTMmU07ZK0kXANGiijXa0r5-_V6rri_qIsZeUUSqDcMF5qDJJIOv5qrJw5Tydf0Fh8aG-pc3uaQmFadh8heyueS8XnK0lSjK4DY97GPCGCGYVHjNKA29YSTij2I1o6TW5K9Ulhjvyq49Y9599sAoJn8JTBxfsYKnQ/w640-h480/20220623_151545.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laser cat ready to rip<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The laps were fast and we beat the shuttle down to the bottom each time. This gave us a chance to chat with the other riders and hang out in the shade at the bottom. Riding on a weekday was awesome. There were no lines! We never waited more than about 5 mins for the next shuttle and got to know pretty much everyone else riding that day. By the time we loaded for the last lap at 4pm we felt we had got our money's worth of fast, fun jump lines despite the late start.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkcUFCKA2MD9RtrUi9WQ-olA6UW-XbMf9WefQBuX916tkLVJI0iRVsVwApv1QGO7Z2hmgWvyE5AWk4woyIFn3XG-xxcQdjHYBv6UmqNzblHEvQfoG2DoPsA_HsdsY-zY6Vc-FHMD5_oERadnd2MMT4GoGflKxesthbtDp19_Nyph77AQZ5eCWIZekIg/s1521/20220623_144047%20-%20frame%20at%200m9s%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1521" data-original-width="1072" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPkcUFCKA2MD9RtrUi9WQ-olA6UW-XbMf9WefQBuX916tkLVJI0iRVsVwApv1QGO7Z2hmgWvyE5AWk4woyIFn3XG-xxcQdjHYBv6UmqNzblHEvQfoG2DoPsA_HsdsY-zY6Vc-FHMD5_oERadnd2MMT4GoGflKxesthbtDp19_Nyph77AQZ5eCWIZekIg/w452-h640/20220623_144047%20-%20frame%20at%200m9s%20(2).jpg" width="452" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle finding his flow<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQOUCi-rTv2HZlm5WaXGdnPer0-jlO1Z76BWdp-huMeqrcSALCcrY3jqoens0nexEywVfr_Rj1DBYCfK4-RTxlENSE29iQKTjCdlybTUuWhwQCEj-kC9bZqtzKBcDjJYQZPOUaJqsphu1kDppEVPZbwAVovoumV-pqLqELfz8ZEPHqYXeAg_kfNNLlg/s1557/20220623_144358%20-%20frame%20at%200m2s%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1557" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqQOUCi-rTv2HZlm5WaXGdnPer0-jlO1Z76BWdp-huMeqrcSALCcrY3jqoens0nexEywVfr_Rj1DBYCfK4-RTxlENSE29iQKTjCdlybTUuWhwQCEj-kC9bZqtzKBcDjJYQZPOUaJqsphu1kDppEVPZbwAVovoumV-pqLqELfz8ZEPHqYXeAg_kfNNLlg/w444-h640/20220623_144358%20-%20frame%20at%200m2s%20(2).jpg" width="444" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We tried most of the stunts</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGz6HgUL1ubrn7Z08ci1otPfn3q0MSz3g5m4HCOk-puXSRCpylaeZj6wMlt1mDGhbMHn7R8fYQiiWnWvnHk7vJ1aZ-IsI1PQLvFBOCEjoA2kiFCUp6bElnLlzecuCJ2EYyw0c7cvXH8hBlGupJW7scGJsDjeprLgArgiU0pFm1_dMfe-dZrHFzvvE0Q/s4032/20220623_121904.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfGz6HgUL1ubrn7Z08ci1otPfn3q0MSz3g5m4HCOk-puXSRCpylaeZj6wMlt1mDGhbMHn7R8fYQiiWnWvnHk7vJ1aZ-IsI1PQLvFBOCEjoA2kiFCUp6bElnLlzecuCJ2EYyw0c7cvXH8hBlGupJW7scGJsDjeprLgArgiU0pFm1_dMfe-dZrHFzvvE0Q/w480-h640/20220623_121904.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another lap!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsErEH6vCVish4u4oPD3na2LpTmMSkLWY69-ZOB8GQuntXXSl1BHDhQipccvSPD9aFrXp4r_BapS4OQab25biPKLEgO111FKIYpKGgDT8E3gWuiNj3r89ZATZsyuwbH78_UA3LbaH693VwgJEs_eU14iXYwSnzx-hVK2qt6LcBk7X7oQYP8rQWO-0eEg/s1581/20220623_144047%20-%20frame%20at%200m8s%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1581" data-original-width="1058" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsErEH6vCVish4u4oPD3na2LpTmMSkLWY69-ZOB8GQuntXXSl1BHDhQipccvSPD9aFrXp4r_BapS4OQab25biPKLEgO111FKIYpKGgDT8E3gWuiNj3r89ZATZsyuwbH78_UA3LbaH693VwgJEs_eU14iXYwSnzx-hVK2qt6LcBk7X7oQYP8rQWO-0eEg/w428-h640/20220623_144047%20-%20frame%20at%200m8s%20(2).jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take off!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJclXryXDs-04-aDseytCG5AM5z8x6vQ5e-olKpkhSPPTEamblSbgPzx5DJVpUoLs0A56evkJ67Mx8fc166FnjFtF-DZxdkSrPbfvGUatYWEYGAfXV2Q7BYTlcGnX2Cm99T6eZZU4tHWy__A6EkdqE21l7FZdKY676VxLU3dWZKC3lpGiRDo0GxaGasg/s1736/20220623_145945%20-%20frame%20at%200m4s%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1736" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJclXryXDs-04-aDseytCG5AM5z8x6vQ5e-olKpkhSPPTEamblSbgPzx5DJVpUoLs0A56evkJ67Mx8fc166FnjFtF-DZxdkSrPbfvGUatYWEYGAfXV2Q7BYTlcGnX2Cm99T6eZZU4tHWy__A6EkdqE21l7FZdKY676VxLU3dWZKC3lpGiRDo0GxaGasg/w398-h640/20220623_145945%20-%20frame%20at%200m4s%20(3).jpg" width="398" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So smooth</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Feeling sunburnt, dusty and tired we made our way back to Sechelt for some refreshments before catching the afternoon ferry home. You can't go wrong with cold beers, fresh crab and oysters at Smitty's after a great day of riding on the Sunshine Coast.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNa0G99fx5eifp9MDBHE5NqAbA8JgXdYVyeAAppBbkwBQzDBA3Njr8VudkFFeifnHaqzK1XhaMlph2flBbxNoMw7VpvNd-OnLzfbIUIjNlzvTekuMrhSgkPHQFDK5hg4XplCg0Jj9B8jk-km00gI9OUPt9dNUeygIUgrhb1Btx7MyGOuT2E-vsHja7w/s4032/20220623_173115.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNa0G99fx5eifp9MDBHE5NqAbA8JgXdYVyeAAppBbkwBQzDBA3Njr8VudkFFeifnHaqzK1XhaMlph2flBbxNoMw7VpvNd-OnLzfbIUIjNlzvTekuMrhSgkPHQFDK5hg4XplCg0Jj9B8jk-km00gI9OUPt9dNUeygIUgrhb1Btx7MyGOuT2E-vsHja7w/w480-h640/20220623_173115.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post ride seafood feast</td></tr></tbody></table>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-30537327538692057992022-03-01T11:55:00.001-08:002023-03-22T12:11:20.526-07:00Powder Cowboy<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY--4WGLGSKOHUHPYZotKcvO1JHCKqRLBVnjwNq76fMaQQZMSd_AdFGAGZ8kYMsf7EmgqQ2_-FEl9mB0PBS3FlkBSHc6B6SLbQ3CAoiBAFccrao04DUdPdWCd_DdhrhUflKECkIrl1RGUeSm51OPqYhH8RNHJeaQ0YDrv34wws7bxHipTTGBX0K5LRGg/s4032/20220226_155747.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY--4WGLGSKOHUHPYZotKcvO1JHCKqRLBVnjwNq76fMaQQZMSd_AdFGAGZ8kYMsf7EmgqQ2_-FEl9mB0PBS3FlkBSHc6B6SLbQ3CAoiBAFccrao04DUdPdWCd_DdhrhUflKECkIrl1RGUeSm51OPqYhH8RNHJeaQ0YDrv34wws7bxHipTTGBX0K5LRGg/w640-h480/20220226_155747.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunshine and sleds</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The return to Powder Cowboy after a year off due to covid was a welcome reunion of friends from all over BC and Alberta. We descended on the Little Sand Cabin with sleds, beers, Heather's baking and a whole lot of stoke to get out touring with the best crew around.<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkj3Au7ax_QzyYet_WZP7hpFa4pHElHn_eV9wMuRT-YgKWcGXub8-v07bvzVCRfJplsfMR98Tbr3gg1-07pbdyp2ru7PHDJ2W3NhFfpBczccy89UfcHdXYJKUnIiJDbiGhdrTBkiOyy6Wx6hNL9fFLRkST8qNJpvONx8EyK9tHKOqoV-q5ku3fQ2kkZg/s4032/20220225_163420.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkj3Au7ax_QzyYet_WZP7hpFa4pHElHn_eV9wMuRT-YgKWcGXub8-v07bvzVCRfJplsfMR98Tbr3gg1-07pbdyp2ru7PHDJ2W3NhFfpBczccy89UfcHdXYJKUnIiJDbiGhdrTBkiOyy6Wx6hNL9fFLRkST8qNJpvONx8EyK9tHKOqoV-q5ku3fQ2kkZg/w480-h640/20220225_163420.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rob and Andrew ready to drop in</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ski conditions were average, but stoke was high. With more sleds than previous years, it was a quick shuttle to get all the gear up to the cabin before we got out for an afternoon tour. We did a few laps on Cabin Side before returning to the hut for a big meal and fire.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj_tF_MJPe7Vcb2KAo6en97plSul40gkSdsCUz64xhpYGkMxzi8wepsnc0d9SQKLcSrbHdpmQ4oTaJ08LShfNOqtjuX2TbXSh9BUdCFityPHr1ka6yJon3cgak5Utir7IlEyV6iDR2DhZCZjL3bK8A5TZcPlTuj_2l0-WJNbHOsMSU2hVAxyD75fiqBA/s4032/20220226_113414.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj_tF_MJPe7Vcb2KAo6en97plSul40gkSdsCUz64xhpYGkMxzi8wepsnc0d9SQKLcSrbHdpmQ4oTaJ08LShfNOqtjuX2TbXSh9BUdCFityPHr1ka6yJon3cgak5Utir7IlEyV6iDR2DhZCZjL3bK8A5TZcPlTuj_2l0-WJNbHOsMSU2hVAxyD75fiqBA/w640-h480/20220226_113414.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The best crew!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6RWyeSwSwX7zzqUl8dMjjkDMPuLa6e0T9zaVmSkoRDJlrzSzmoPwDuFAE_zvIBdUKpALSx_tyIGGds-KYVwQQFRQE_9--Y3LATB7bi62zYT9ZPzklPhELYt3H92QbhhKq2_YaHfgMAXWB30fTXCxV23WqEYEfcv8zPvL6afSR5h3O5ym37N2KPf1Zg/s4032/20220226_114652.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6RWyeSwSwX7zzqUl8dMjjkDMPuLa6e0T9zaVmSkoRDJlrzSzmoPwDuFAE_zvIBdUKpALSx_tyIGGds-KYVwQQFRQE_9--Y3LATB7bi62zYT9ZPzklPhELYt3H92QbhhKq2_YaHfgMAXWB30fTXCxV23WqEYEfcv8zPvL6afSR5h3O5ym37N2KPf1Zg/w640-h480/20220226_114652.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So stoked<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQnc_6ynEXp2zKzQi5qt8pY_--uSkkWoF8FWDTCCTqpUnWUrOJUjjKnoSGKOI8eLX0eRZzTMhdaDiQ01GfN1ptdiR6u76Dw2pzqdPUCeUPY6DG1KFwvupyuJ6SntB4RfLM18dZ7BS_fSnxn0qJ3IxYRJEP6Yrz9HPn9zPyI-W8dCUgbfgXBELQCWNpw/s4032/20220225_183332.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQnc_6ynEXp2zKzQi5qt8pY_--uSkkWoF8FWDTCCTqpUnWUrOJUjjKnoSGKOI8eLX0eRZzTMhdaDiQ01GfN1ptdiR6u76Dw2pzqdPUCeUPY6DG1KFwvupyuJ6SntB4RfLM18dZ7BS_fSnxn0qJ3IxYRJEP6Yrz9HPn9zPyI-W8dCUgbfgXBELQCWNpw/w480-h640/20220225_183332.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready for an evening bonfire<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQbVcWg87mkG44PRLLg7OK3CKQAFgmrUeaQ4jdu2HZEMWQdL5PWnJsPedtIyqAIkRIJ_XfNnwll-YguaF28kRGAF2mhquiOuYaAde1c6ZGUlnke7iE89wuW7nEA78eN2DedgCOxe_XjoLBKY7KEQDllNccWYfp_ePLr5sBRqEZAUM8Xmn9Qg1ekrZPg/s4032/20220226_204026.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQbVcWg87mkG44PRLLg7OK3CKQAFgmrUeaQ4jdu2HZEMWQdL5PWnJsPedtIyqAIkRIJ_XfNnwll-YguaF28kRGAF2mhquiOuYaAde1c6ZGUlnke7iE89wuW7nEA78eN2DedgCOxe_XjoLBKY7KEQDllNccWYfp_ePLr5sBRqEZAUM8Xmn9Qg1ekrZPg/w640-h480/20220226_204026.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening shenanigans<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The next morning we woke to sunny skies and took full advantage, exploring the tree skiing around the hut. We found some fresh tracks and fun lines with amazing views of the area.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqiZwwmxa1byoTDEGxVVkndbWPNNFCQ8ygnvQOtnvAfwBI5CiGbvVkFV58Kw2atqQGIS8G9-M3JrTDHvl3w8TrpNgu3qcEqTpFyjEwjUpWRGVLB8dA9OKLPEz063jIsfALF0E0yyxDIuuL5JYOibX00dKkhYV4ygjfnNCfGYBmzojt7Z5Ibv7T0_0Eg/s4032/20220226_132850.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivqiZwwmxa1byoTDEGxVVkndbWPNNFCQ8ygnvQOtnvAfwBI5CiGbvVkFV58Kw2atqQGIS8G9-M3JrTDHvl3w8TrpNgu3qcEqTpFyjEwjUpWRGVLB8dA9OKLPEz063jIsfALF0E0yyxDIuuL5JYOibX00dKkhYV4ygjfnNCfGYBmzojt7Z5Ibv7T0_0Eg/w480-h640/20220226_132850.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sending it</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwDSuhXsRIDOC0hL3h6OJnMWoLQESKt2JijEkAXbSmyG2Jc1ftlTbPt_sAdi_zAyCztpvA7QeS3BjDGq3oEA6nnn5rGlxUgqU79bQcNG2wLYok-UnWLguyRo-F2Ju7vIp8TNRhrd2YQL35YLs7uJLS-zuiCV5JMOxZgDVRSCA6pD5NjPTzEPhQUWjhQ/s4032/20220226_141050.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwDSuhXsRIDOC0hL3h6OJnMWoLQESKt2JijEkAXbSmyG2Jc1ftlTbPt_sAdi_zAyCztpvA7QeS3BjDGq3oEA6nnn5rGlxUgqU79bQcNG2wLYok-UnWLguyRo-F2Ju7vIp8TNRhrd2YQL35YLs7uJLS-zuiCV5JMOxZgDVRSCA6pD5NjPTzEPhQUWjhQ/w640-h480/20220226_141050.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scoping out the big lines<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppUm4wc31PGgRNCppPngDXSIfEkudeF3Z_jCerGmy9Nrea0R0K6Vp7GPyH91uW9m-QvEHRZNFjg0nd22XpTCq3ttoycPr9hULSRYXlZPQnKgXHB18Vles07yEkNKWOIitDRCsYJj-pucNcQUtaXxWs7VM0USIXvJ5WHaOyd4Cj94w91Vn1eunagyQnA/s4032/20220226_145437.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppUm4wc31PGgRNCppPngDXSIfEkudeF3Z_jCerGmy9Nrea0R0K6Vp7GPyH91uW9m-QvEHRZNFjg0nd22XpTCq3ttoycPr9hULSRYXlZPQnKgXHB18Vles07yEkNKWOIitDRCsYJj-pucNcQUtaXxWs7VM0USIXvJ5WHaOyd4Cj94w91Vn1eunagyQnA/w640-h480/20220226_145437.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Road crew fixing up the sled road for some evening sled laps<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2UKB8YXyfKsghTGBokyeg_FX3hAzl6aBHBu6z3aXWQ9v6erzBcEuzgYkdTtWOpvcPuaBGtkM8Yj4x_HIJILvSzvUKktil9ThTg19J6EEKvluGen6Vnt0Nvf1vY5Tqo7NA8r-vyTcWRFa-9rITU2Y9GOPgicKJcMOzNBSA0OeFxt_xGO1kmJWKx9DDA/s4032/20220226_153440.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2UKB8YXyfKsghTGBokyeg_FX3hAzl6aBHBu6z3aXWQ9v6erzBcEuzgYkdTtWOpvcPuaBGtkM8Yj4x_HIJILvSzvUKktil9ThTg19J6EEKvluGen6Vnt0Nvf1vY5Tqo7NA8r-vyTcWRFa-9rITU2Y9GOPgicKJcMOzNBSA0OeFxt_xGO1kmJWKx9DDA/w480-h640/20220226_153440.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To the top!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2UKB8YXyfKsghTGBokyeg_FX3hAzl6aBHBu6z3aXWQ9v6erzBcEuzgYkdTtWOpvcPuaBGtkM8Yj4x_HIJILvSzvUKktil9ThTg19J6EEKvluGen6Vnt0Nvf1vY5Tqo7NA8r-vyTcWRFa-9rITU2Y9GOPgicKJcMOzNBSA0OeFxt_xGO1kmJWKx9DDA/s4032/20220226_153440.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2UKB8YXyfKsghTGBokyeg_FX3hAzl6aBHBu6z3aXWQ9v6erzBcEuzgYkdTtWOpvcPuaBGtkM8Yj4x_HIJILvSzvUKktil9ThTg19J6EEKvluGen6Vnt0Nvf1vY5Tqo7NA8r-vyTcWRFa-9rITU2Y9GOPgicKJcMOzNBSA0OeFxt_xGO1kmJWKx9DDA/w480-h640/20220226_153440.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To the top!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_kp7xdn0eSHR_c_hLG6PZB0pj5cF2XrguMeiilWjHeOQtzUtNHkF5C19OhQe-g8ZrIP4NXw03ViZeG2y_M2Y9nyO99Z0R52Wlrw93E_eqSX8aIY5kQDi3WcnNmYIerqU1IgVt2sC74TIJduW9zDhvgYM6AKsIE02iS4lffMZVOLESxh4mO91pvQlrA/s4032/20220226_161350.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_kp7xdn0eSHR_c_hLG6PZB0pj5cF2XrguMeiilWjHeOQtzUtNHkF5C19OhQe-g8ZrIP4NXw03ViZeG2y_M2Y9nyO99Z0R52Wlrw93E_eqSX8aIY5kQDi3WcnNmYIerqU1IgVt2sC74TIJduW9zDhvgYM6AKsIE02iS4lffMZVOLESxh4mO91pvQlrA/w640-h480/20220226_161350.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David in his happy place</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">An overnight rain event and nasty crust caused us to pull the pin early and return to Fernie where we spent a day skiing surprisingly good powder in the rain at the ski hill. You never know what you are going to get!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsSZf78504QpXMiZ5RuZv4CMXOoQ8Z00wYEQ61b1xF7GJgOyJn2fuFJYP91qQ2WtdkvKfmsXnwzWl5c3fzkHd-VrFbgYraAW26qOlybCUxZZNcl9gibF9xYScr9o_DZsgh2--ylMXTn0-oYbnjZpG9F-s9fZJ4g0Rqatnef2USn_dM2_rXBf4HwXoGg/s4032/20220226_210641.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMsSZf78504QpXMiZ5RuZv4CMXOoQ8Z00wYEQ61b1xF7GJgOyJn2fuFJYP91qQ2WtdkvKfmsXnwzWl5c3fzkHd-VrFbgYraAW26qOlybCUxZZNcl9gibF9xYScr9o_DZsgh2--ylMXTn0-oYbnjZpG9F-s9fZJ4g0Rqatnef2USn_dM2_rXBf4HwXoGg/w640-h480/20220226_210641.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starry night at the hut</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-59229308601009941562022-02-07T21:00:00.000-08:002022-02-15T12:58:42.983-08:00Begbie Shoulder (112 Chute)<div style="text-align: center;">Distance: 12km</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elevation: 1400m<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjv6nUbmaGavFDVnsDm8hUPilb5Y-9aV0Xarn63dKwoAjX_LZ-keQIdYRyUH3AFwiqeuD4RnSGylQHdi3usIhmJAegI79i7qNptdzeA4bKP9LK_ftODRHrNg29nW9yv7cuJLfGGOAW3C6W6Mw6wiQO6TMZsdGkLm4Uo0xpLXz3qY8OKix1qqh4eH_qlYA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjv6nUbmaGavFDVnsDm8hUPilb5Y-9aV0Xarn63dKwoAjX_LZ-keQIdYRyUH3AFwiqeuD4RnSGylQHdi3usIhmJAegI79i7qNptdzeA4bKP9LK_ftODRHrNg29nW9yv7cuJLfGGOAW3C6W6Mw6wiQO6TMZsdGkLm4Uo0xpLXz3qY8OKix1qqh4eH_qlYA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peter drops into 112 Chute as Kristina and Sabina look on</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;">Our fourth and final day with ACMG guide Sabina started with a plan to ski some yoyo laps in the Bonney Trees. Much to our surprise after no new snow, all the winter restricted areas in the pass were closed for the day, likely due to rapid warming and another storm system expected that afternoon. This was the third time in four days that the WRA's had been closed and we had started to run out of options. Despite frequently visiting Revelstoke to ski the resort, all of my ski touring in the area had been centred around Roger's Pass so when Sabina suggested a tour up to Begbie Shoulder I was excited to check out a new zone. Maybe we should have questioned her a bit more about what the day would look like as we were exhausted from three huge days in the pass. But then Kristina may have never learned what it felt like to be "really tired".<span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3z8yuS4LeMVwKMMcuwRwKuRk0whd3Ezyiifh-W76EVuLe4yGx-B607DlO6MBK3e1w1n5iWWP9um4dKSCf9BMOQVj7DYuQDsXT-BbpPXzuNNQD_vjCmBtxZNWkVtffHUj8ek-VcI6rBtUDrNS5NSZpRj1fTTenKBX7ik6fWssgWK5aLtoWJ0_Ng8O_ww=s1540" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1540" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3z8yuS4LeMVwKMMcuwRwKuRk0whd3Ezyiifh-W76EVuLe4yGx-B607DlO6MBK3e1w1n5iWWP9um4dKSCf9BMOQVj7DYuQDsXT-BbpPXzuNNQD_vjCmBtxZNWkVtffHUj8ek-VcI6rBtUDrNS5NSZpRj1fTTenKBX7ik6fWssgWK5aLtoWJ0_Ng8O_ww=w640-h364" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our trail overlaid on Google Earth image of the ridge<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;">The trailhead is a logging road 19km south of town on Highway 23S (Mulvehill FSR). The approach starts up the road for about 200m before dipping into the trees on the right to cut off a switchback. After rejoining the road, we followed it again briefly before cutting another switchback through the trees. After crossing the road a second time we started up a drainage, exiting to climbers right as it started to get steeper. From here, the going gets challenging with a steep climb through an overgrown cut block. <a href="https://beyondourpeak.com/begbie-shoulder-skiing-revelstoke-classic/" target="_blank">Beyond Our Peak</a> blog has an excellent photo of the route in winter.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNV0vtpnKlfLGrgYBRkGCKEArM2iNX05FsU8l6vBRyc0oAWaDyxupyVjFKt_0MfrQoMV-IK_D-OtjlCG4PlaBg4TOob1gHRtWEn7JpqffggcFkJyJUu4Q8UsKgRiZINGzCkHJ1We7Ph7YUPK3Ghg76uorR9GSfCar7cmGErUAVXBea18pRXzfbrmSGig=s1198" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1198" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNV0vtpnKlfLGrgYBRkGCKEArM2iNX05FsU8l6vBRyc0oAWaDyxupyVjFKt_0MfrQoMV-IK_D-OtjlCG4PlaBg4TOob1gHRtWEn7JpqffggcFkJyJUu4Q8UsKgRiZINGzCkHJ1We7Ph7YUPK3Ghg76uorR9GSfCar7cmGErUAVXBea18pRXzfbrmSGig=w640-h446" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our GPS track (red) with road (orange)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZ9awZLUFPQ9_Oh_HBInf65lFa4SDXxrKLqR9YMhopG1wCoT-zdwimF4uloePl5wqcJu0Y2LYoZsBRlIAXg4t9k5wYYk1Px83yjCaRlFwZC_pbK7be7M5fNUfsbJv8zbF2Hz99BsohHnhjhFkQEsTL2Qjup0VoVxOdXt09kxABEZ_dVxeeGuBE-ItSLw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZ9awZLUFPQ9_Oh_HBInf65lFa4SDXxrKLqR9YMhopG1wCoT-zdwimF4uloePl5wqcJu0Y2LYoZsBRlIAXg4t9k5wYYk1Px83yjCaRlFwZC_pbK7be7M5fNUfsbJv8zbF2Hz99BsohHnhjhFkQEsTL2Qjup0VoVxOdXt09kxABEZ_dVxeeGuBE-ItSLw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steep trail up through the cut block</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">It was a quiet death march up the cut block. Everyone was tired from our big days over the weekend and we were all fighting our own mental battles to keep the legs moving. At 1050m, we hit a skid road that lead us out of the cut block and we entered a beautiful old growth forest.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_FBdubB7UE2hUjkne7tdAVnM27pe0lOE8lEsEqR5D_Ie8xJmHpI98y-YRBTXz2nf1n8yAX_x6JjaEg8jxRCxmsjjNqaA87mKr_53Ut2TNBCCBXZk2fbWWZi7Hpjkvy-SfHsBO2Xsj6vU40qfF8-mFG_owrHYdYbCTvFYsdjY-RN2yXEW5YLkMg4rsKA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_FBdubB7UE2hUjkne7tdAVnM27pe0lOE8lEsEqR5D_Ie8xJmHpI98y-YRBTXz2nf1n8yAX_x6JjaEg8jxRCxmsjjNqaA87mKr_53Ut2TNBCCBXZk2fbWWZi7Hpjkvy-SfHsBO2Xsj6vU40qfF8-mFG_owrHYdYbCTvFYsdjY-RN2yXEW5YLkMg4rsKA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old man's beard and a well spaced forest</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiD87FngzKdarGt6KaSCZqKVfPSjjcgaPvLuWQRhDV1tV3E2sgs5riD1pb874bCtOkOLLn3fXnDrlJ84bv3M9C8nRwhBNcQ81w2QyW1dzrGv3lmHmxw50lCpbQDSumEU5Dzwo_kIVRka02ya0FmpZ4qn3HUO2gf9rWv194DJ0HOgsUina-3qIScyw7Onw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiD87FngzKdarGt6KaSCZqKVfPSjjcgaPvLuWQRhDV1tV3E2sgs5riD1pb874bCtOkOLLn3fXnDrlJ84bv3M9C8nRwhBNcQ81w2QyW1dzrGv3lmHmxw50lCpbQDSumEU5Dzwo_kIVRka02ya0FmpZ4qn3HUO2gf9rWv194DJ0HOgsUina-3qIScyw7Onw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sun makes an appearance</td></tr></tbody></table>It was still slow going up the steep ridge, and we stopped often to rest. Overnight the temperature had been climbing and it showed. The snow was full of huge tree bombs and everything was crusty.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBsJrzdUT5GfxBpoxjShabaTwALyINHaOTOONrQX02hYXE0TmGUl4K7EWrtXCTehKM5zm0dxTBg-atkhnq8UQNfsR0e95Mp8Wi3lEzZsPqdqTZHZXM3AqYntgFUZBAw-bny4KPGy7V3AA4fSBO0Nz3sN7U1IhCp6-VmpP_0GYvAMRumth-CjsjbB9w4g=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBsJrzdUT5GfxBpoxjShabaTwALyINHaOTOONrQX02hYXE0TmGUl4K7EWrtXCTehKM5zm0dxTBg-atkhnq8UQNfsR0e95Mp8Wi3lEzZsPqdqTZHZXM3AqYntgFUZBAw-bny4KPGy7V3AA4fSBO0Nz3sN7U1IhCp6-VmpP_0GYvAMRumth-CjsjbB9w4g=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearing the top of the ride</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We finally topped out on the ridge and were hit by a blast of warm wind. Tucking into the trees, we transitioned and ate lunch, happy the long climb was over. From Begbie Shoulder you can see across the valley to Mt. Cartier and the RMR Ski Resort. To the west, you have views of Mulvehill Valley and Mulvehill Glacier.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj96y89R3OW03jIc5FWqcM1H8ijnZomKv-smUAQBQwRCWtF8BT5LIaqWJQ09hO3H3J8R0_Llm2EwvyZscRj7qwiflEGWWlUEd_b36BsJZGsn7lDxTZvOPflOp7-oZ11Xj3TVs0DgmbIIDnomdRtuUURO7tG6a0RtbiRS-3wpFJS6XOUOsMdIZPccM0VwQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj96y89R3OW03jIc5FWqcM1H8ijnZomKv-smUAQBQwRCWtF8BT5LIaqWJQ09hO3H3J8R0_Llm2EwvyZscRj7qwiflEGWWlUEd_b36BsJZGsn7lDxTZvOPflOp7-oZ11Xj3TVs0DgmbIIDnomdRtuUURO7tG6a0RtbiRS-3wpFJS6XOUOsMdIZPccM0VwQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle looking forward to dropping into 112 Chute.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">From the shoulder there are a few options for ski lines. The first chute is 112 Chute, and there are a few other chutes farther down the ridge. The other option would be to ski back down the forest beside the skin track which, on a pow day, would probably make for some excellent tree skiing. We dropped into 112 Chute. One group had already skied it that morning but there were plenty of tracks left for us.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnZ6QRF-zTjaTqKlkg-24Dmr1Mkxw0ND0KWbOlANP3qFFYhgksT4XcSKoVWd2o9HcTVvRR3M57XdTt40RLUXXYUpRQypx0LBNQh0DS45iycifoQMkDniqeSfGMgCBTKF7szaXRTzOYMgYBBKYDOGvQH8t4uGGT9pNGDlMQpku7AlQUrnMLlpALp3KiFA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnZ6QRF-zTjaTqKlkg-24Dmr1Mkxw0ND0KWbOlANP3qFFYhgksT4XcSKoVWd2o9HcTVvRR3M57XdTt40RLUXXYUpRQypx0LBNQh0DS45iycifoQMkDniqeSfGMgCBTKF7szaXRTzOYMgYBBKYDOGvQH8t4uGGT9pNGDlMQpku7AlQUrnMLlpALp3KiFA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching Kyle test the slope</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was...grabby. The warming and wind had turned the snow into a big slab and despite being at 1900m, there was no powder to be found. We tentatively made our way down one at a time. As we got lower, the snow actually got better and felt more like spring skiing. We found some decent snow in the trees to the side of the slide path where it hadn't been as impacted by the wind and sun.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAts-w5oOsX_5cKChiwnhPCAJ9G4SMXkdmYIkPetUmiFSEyBwKz98Uh8BXesXqRzTZbmyTtpBBHfrsIRKeA2pFFSvIOZ0rxFfQL-2vTIyuAaB8492VnC-jg_aLwt8vlDrXNSyU4iGuxmwxMbNEKkFM9DTDDdZyKxiDF_00iFA0QsNpaWcgdKgAkgRaKQ=s2048" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjAts-w5oOsX_5cKChiwnhPCAJ9G4SMXkdmYIkPetUmiFSEyBwKz98Uh8BXesXqRzTZbmyTtpBBHfrsIRKeA2pFFSvIOZ0rxFfQL-2vTIyuAaB8492VnC-jg_aLwt8vlDrXNSyU4iGuxmwxMbNEKkFM9DTDDdZyKxiDF_00iFA0QsNpaWcgdKgAkgRaKQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back up from below 112 Chute</td></tr></tbody></table>We navigated through some tight trees, looking for the most open paths down. The heavy snow was tiring for our already tired legs. We avoided the bushy drainage and skied a cut block instead, opting to ski out the last few kilometres down the road rather than thrash our way through the bushes.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5hJ2GduQ815Fg3rny4o7GDhD03Ba7BluEiKW9SH-9v28qhJfiMEuMoYWtq3IuHoo6gqprsxGelM0nehXMuwz1ofzEYzEJT1qooMyb5s5_gxJz_L9IK1FVmkTEi3EUtGKn_v6a4Lp9Bedz2jnt18xNCMjxnLqIGJvvaPmPWz0eZHDEx5zIifUQ17v0jg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj5hJ2GduQ815Fg3rny4o7GDhD03Ba7BluEiKW9SH-9v28qhJfiMEuMoYWtq3IuHoo6gqprsxGelM0nehXMuwz1ofzEYzEJT1qooMyb5s5_gxJz_L9IK1FVmkTEi3EUtGKn_v6a4Lp9Bedz2jnt18xNCMjxnLqIGJvvaPmPWz0eZHDEx5zIifUQ17v0jg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peter finds a pillow at the bottom of the cut block</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mentally and physically exhausted, we had a team debrief at the cars that turned into a backcountry therapy session. Tears were shed and hugs were shared after an epic 4 days of stormy pow skiing, whiteouts, committing lines, bluebird glacier travel and ski touring adventures with Sabina. It was a weekend of team bonding and new experiences that I am so grateful to have shared with my friends. The final obstacle was driving back to Calgary, but somehow the roads were in good shape for once. Upon arrival home, we dumped our gear and collapsed into bed. It felt like I could sleep for a week.</div>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-88062899957324972292022-02-06T21:21:00.197-08:002023-02-15T17:04:29.008-08:00Lily Glacier to Dome Col Traverse<div style="text-align: center;">Sunday morning came early but was kickstarted with a coffee at La Baguette. As we drove up to the pass, the clouds started to break and we got our first views of the trip after all the storms. After dropping a car at the Illecillewaet parking, we double checked our glacier gear and started up Loop Brook towards the Elephants Trunk. It was going to be a big day climbing up the Lily Glacier to the Dome Col and the weather couldn't have been better.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhknjEhHs2wM2muAT91XjI1SAkH9xskURV1tfeKjSWTJvZM7fDsqZkqUR3SaO7lKxAJBOKpprCHMeXf-N1QgWwYCiYSkbH7WQPCTES7kCVYivE680aEjN9WCC-Pm3q5gMMJd_gu8z2WLLhXmi655Q-RYv40uQI2P9_OONVPHxw4uyyySXFWQgDjmeNhw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhknjEhHs2wM2muAT91XjI1SAkH9xskURV1tfeKjSWTJvZM7fDsqZkqUR3SaO7lKxAJBOKpprCHMeXf-N1QgWwYCiYSkbH7WQPCTES7kCVYivE680aEjN9WCC-Pm3q5gMMJd_gu8z2WLLhXmi655Q-RYv40uQI2P9_OONVPHxw4uyyySXFWQgDjmeNhw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working our way up the creek from Loop Brook<span><a name='more'></a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The up and over route is a 1500m climb from Loop Brook to the Dome Col via the Lily Glacier. Once at the Col, you descend into the Asulkan drainage down the Dome Glacier. Depending on the conditions you can make your way down to the mousetrap (skiers right) or head left and finish in an avalanche path near Mushroom People. That exit does have some waterfalls and cliffs at the bottom so you do need to watch where you are going. The whole route is about 18 km and took us just over 7 hours to complete. It was an excellent objective for a sunny day in the pass.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7MJEqAROVIC2wL11OXf1_v4X7e2zMKTm7CYU_KWzdM3G7fBANqPCk1Saz_qoANXmxVeb8ZgSo3tivp6P_URugDzzt7bUEzaLtLkO2GpH3HKCG5YK4NYlKAqBv0VTfXZGbgKk4la7xxnNkkYDULtCNLcpbl0FkZ7HkCPr5f_x63tOaqjOaXT483U49VA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg7MJEqAROVIC2wL11OXf1_v4X7e2zMKTm7CYU_KWzdM3G7fBANqPCk1Saz_qoANXmxVeb8ZgSo3tivp6P_URugDzzt7bUEzaLtLkO2GpH3HKCG5YK4NYlKAqBv0VTfXZGbgKk4la7xxnNkkYDULtCNLcpbl0FkZ7HkCPr5f_x63tOaqjOaXT483U49VA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kristina out in front with Mt. Swanzy ahead<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We followed a broken skin track up the brook. It was a pleasant temperature in the valley but we could see the wind howling at the ridge tops. From the top of the Elephants Trunk, we had amazing views of Mt. Ross and its couloirs, as well as views across the highway to Cheops, Balu Pass, Video Peak and beyond.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlf64dBqt0uBPufTswpa-9JB6FbuSH_M3vZZjHg3PrXWeq6Ykj4nTTS2I56BGo1y5iY7b76jQTqVPI8nBqx5gMcqWAzNMvrDHQR_-Q0mAdwcKDF5zg-Xo6A4_UT12TNaLn4grfIGjaYdvrnr4RynGIDD2eMrrTxkvZ7IUygv61FOD6J6X_HMRMM0IUiA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlf64dBqt0uBPufTswpa-9JB6FbuSH_M3vZZjHg3PrXWeq6Ykj4nTTS2I56BGo1y5iY7b76jQTqVPI8nBqx5gMcqWAzNMvrDHQR_-Q0mAdwcKDF5zg-Xo6A4_UT12TNaLn4grfIGjaYdvrnr4RynGIDD2eMrrTxkvZ7IUygv61FOD6J6X_HMRMM0IUiA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up the Elephant's Trunk</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8YB98QNtFpe6vSLLbUjiXtWWdI3lmhTFBT_NQg4pFacDtBO_cmonn2l8PJRBd_0IUgEBz1g4DIfNNmLGIJEOnkvsl7FrZ6ap9rD3ZN2U17CO5Vxap0ODtbM2riMiBJoE_JKPZ5l2Q7WV4x8PcqHZtYqVF_jjdqu7J7PPcSSJV-ObvMh3zvKbWO2QLSg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8YB98QNtFpe6vSLLbUjiXtWWdI3lmhTFBT_NQg4pFacDtBO_cmonn2l8PJRBd_0IUgEBz1g4DIfNNmLGIJEOnkvsl7FrZ6ap9rD3ZN2U17CO5Vxap0ODtbM2riMiBJoE_JKPZ5l2Q7WV4x8PcqHZtYqVF_jjdqu7J7PPcSSJV-ObvMh3zvKbWO2QLSg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snack break<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLH2EHy8lM212qxBsko-sRaeGhBM9l67YaECWj1ddUSSvMbMCEVJqxqYv-u8wGjvoK8UoG83k1hKMrZ0xxvaxyp6zbQ5Ad7XIfxiGzKQuLmWsz6LMXpSYkJGM-RiZWaWFO2mt0FNrnvQZzQGwoqMhPEIzro77bCwpiGBRf5I8PEUwRLsiNmn1fTHlFpw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLH2EHy8lM212qxBsko-sRaeGhBM9l67YaECWj1ddUSSvMbMCEVJqxqYv-u8wGjvoK8UoG83k1hKMrZ0xxvaxyp6zbQ5Ad7XIfxiGzKQuLmWsz6LMXpSYkJGM-RiZWaWFO2mt0FNrnvQZzQGwoqMhPEIzro77bCwpiGBRf5I8PEUwRLsiNmn1fTHlFpw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spectacular Mt. Ross<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We trended left towards Mt. Swanzy as other tracks broke right headed for Bonney Trees and Bonney Moraines. As we left the trees, we got our first view of The Dome far above us at the back of the bowl.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiV4ab0itSsP4R-sxYG7IsHT2WsDl0nuPTH0eZA6nl6UY-iK2HbaIJbJylAS4RGQzEqg4u_fLXdoyVJwBM48XapZ27ZkjupVnYQrJDhdm5bjrBibhuQqbU5jS14dZ8VRoMfVY-Jeq_UZ6jRxUsLXRdw2sx5hIE-o20vKiYtf7p0SvG06BqHshFRmEXZvw=s2048" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiV4ab0itSsP4R-sxYG7IsHT2WsDl0nuPTH0eZA6nl6UY-iK2HbaIJbJylAS4RGQzEqg4u_fLXdoyVJwBM48XapZ27ZkjupVnYQrJDhdm5bjrBibhuQqbU5jS14dZ8VRoMfVY-Jeq_UZ6jRxUsLXRdw2sx5hIE-o20vKiYtf7p0SvG06BqHshFRmEXZvw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breaking out of the trees below Bonney Glacier</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8Hp6MbmZhgDLBzO1kjeDj-xvsL3BWhTkA1sUBQOqN3kKPgqJ08KdH6msKxjLLWmmAgh6Ypf_4fyQy6SnwHpZne_31RUR9f37FSyK3cPQSH-4-65OfAFd7FyNxGpx5uFr1Y1RD2SOqzVrSE8I5SfN6CSFS2BvFSdKRmYoZe5rzvKwRS3Zxnl7nOMUAYw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8Hp6MbmZhgDLBzO1kjeDj-xvsL3BWhTkA1sUBQOqN3kKPgqJ08KdH6msKxjLLWmmAgh6Ypf_4fyQy6SnwHpZne_31RUR9f37FSyK3cPQSH-4-65OfAFd7FyNxGpx5uFr1Y1RD2SOqzVrSE8I5SfN6CSFS2BvFSdKRmYoZe5rzvKwRS3Zxnl7nOMUAYw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corona over Mt. Swanzy with the Bonney Glacier to the right and Mt. Clark above</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">A party of 2 ahead of us was breaking trail and we were stoked just plod along in their tracks. We crossed over onto the moraine and started to climb.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaRui7Iv_Sowv3EcCENJyqLIRqqXSiV_568LkB_U47XR71gxhTbVjAxsA2U1xYlX4AVWoT_Zx_f25EgVTnfmSFES1sa8HS8MR0GXXh3_s8KxJd8TSzr6VCDCEhwVi9GsveGkvRYoAPJTdFgiUlp4Y9JUVVoYw04KyhuAl47Or-TqVKVgmKMs4NpGclUA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaRui7Iv_Sowv3EcCENJyqLIRqqXSiV_568LkB_U47XR71gxhTbVjAxsA2U1xYlX4AVWoT_Zx_f25EgVTnfmSFES1sa8HS8MR0GXXh3_s8KxJd8TSzr6VCDCEhwVi9GsveGkvRYoAPJTdFgiUlp4Y9JUVVoYw04KyhuAl47Or-TqVKVgmKMs4NpGclUA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading up the lower moraine with good views to the couloir on Ross across the valley</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEMYD8ySdZQQZqEFXdxFD35NScUzucW2XjLPJhQ1B9Hwdn7WOX04kozwAJi32Vi52CfiPcoKmBRpa9ztiqlVZwWZRvmPGrxi6NqFa-1KfkisZcPS8sBeRItyMOL4G7LG1rnCnasMrtfmNLrm1WRPcnXSIB4z1F9AHE5sYSW5VAKhyCKal4CRtKrWRL2w=s2048" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEMYD8ySdZQQZqEFXdxFD35NScUzucW2XjLPJhQ1B9Hwdn7WOX04kozwAJi32Vi52CfiPcoKmBRpa9ztiqlVZwWZRvmPGrxi6NqFa-1KfkisZcPS8sBeRItyMOL4G7LG1rnCnasMrtfmNLrm1WRPcnXSIB4z1F9AHE5sYSW5VAKhyCKal4CRtKrWRL2w=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Following the moraines up and left toward the Lily Glacier (Dome on the left)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">As we worked our way up towards the toe of the Lily Glacier, we finally caught up with the other party, another guided group. The guide was setting an excellent skin track and moving quick. We ended up following them all the way up to the Dome Col and didn't have to break trail once. We skied up the toe of the glacier unroped due to the overhead hazard. We had probed >3m of snow on the glacier, but there were some crevasses open on the lookers left side that we avoided. Once we made it past a hanging cornice, we roped up for the final climb up to the Dome Col. At this point, we had been traveling for almost 5 hrs and had gained most of our elevation.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsKHaTzdd8wWueHn5LotWcj7Q1rr8O-89tWyOGyZ2JemIhisq9qMxIhnJ7MdWIfZiHJGtjFViiyFEwDUDLy7bwLxw8uHpe2yhACLUXYxK1vU2rhEUEgVNx2-pqWBGhvnRAAzi3NRU06dn2Ys2aueWiNaYul5z-jORPzSkxv01pu7vB5rlVqrfr7J0uYg=s1024" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgsKHaTzdd8wWueHn5LotWcj7Q1rr8O-89tWyOGyZ2JemIhisq9qMxIhnJ7MdWIfZiHJGtjFViiyFEwDUDLy7bwLxw8uHpe2yhACLUXYxK1vU2rhEUEgVNx2-pqWBGhvnRAAzi3NRU06dn2Ys2aueWiNaYul5z-jORPzSkxv01pu7vB5rlVqrfr7J0uYg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching the toe of the Lily Glacier</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOt2Tqs6R2atx0prd4Z_y1aun7sSayVxaN1E0tNjS1IYBofKUeKIolgkIBbp9NQHRzzMdZvwfoymDGDyeYQOt_XYwqJes8BGiYqdDQpRc7SejLfIzr6sXdQMcCkDg4-87q5QNQNNVDASJ7j1M22RGgrRDX5B062Q6oZstNnF2zd3XeP4UAOUlRVl4zFg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiOt2Tqs6R2atx0prd4Z_y1aun7sSayVxaN1E0tNjS1IYBofKUeKIolgkIBbp9NQHRzzMdZvwfoymDGDyeYQOt_XYwqJes8BGiYqdDQpRc7SejLfIzr6sXdQMcCkDg4-87q5QNQNNVDASJ7j1M22RGgrRDX5B062Q6oZstNnF2zd3XeP4UAOUlRVl4zFg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How far we have come already!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpwIt-bLgi14rcRLChfmZWgLgHDlZa-4H_P-1ni2NXCOrmaaHoC6p1IfMIb1KkRSAaCHXFUStJC-vWS4Vk8ceBztqvCzSDx71mKvtLnx2jbUqIt9C75pMNpgUHBWiwr28yKKRQ6yecBzwrpZyZlNxMBbQbmcejyIBdffbZXFJcfFaRaSRvJLem6hwGvQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpwIt-bLgi14rcRLChfmZWgLgHDlZa-4H_P-1ni2NXCOrmaaHoC6p1IfMIb1KkRSAaCHXFUStJC-vWS4Vk8ceBztqvCzSDx71mKvtLnx2jbUqIt9C75pMNpgUHBWiwr28yKKRQ6yecBzwrpZyZlNxMBbQbmcejyIBdffbZXFJcfFaRaSRvJLem6hwGvQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Onward and upward<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVbeZ5P8HER_GbCjyCWDWubxOIoU6YLhGNU6vSyDFeOxm-GCfCRRzcZwy5AmaHbBXej8bLMVlVWaE3vyDTn5PHgQSiNAAEaTeFPJpItiTJYxijiS6K9Z-TOfJEDCwwbuXHa1JhnWtkad-sxTivSWIvIKt0XdPugIZO8nw5dCZac1Dee-vmPwUocSKdcg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVbeZ5P8HER_GbCjyCWDWubxOIoU6YLhGNU6vSyDFeOxm-GCfCRRzcZwy5AmaHbBXej8bLMVlVWaE3vyDTn5PHgQSiNAAEaTeFPJpItiTJYxijiS6K9Z-TOfJEDCwwbuXHa1JhnWtkad-sxTivSWIvIKt0XdPugIZO8nw5dCZac1Dee-vmPwUocSKdcg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long slog up the glacier</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPe5bf-HuwCa_NgEoiUKYgY2m6n0dPBqMRSgcdDzWgKilegvuGNR0ld7o-Jke2eXWxSYFHUNA4_0J60CWuJncwbS9d7nTtJ2jti8OcT4in8bswqFjqJk2AFm33kTy39XjZX4uruUH_5QlL1bpkNLk6PQMtYXnizJMe2WS8TsLDK4wQlFGHmVDgF0cZ1Q=s1024" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjPe5bf-HuwCa_NgEoiUKYgY2m6n0dPBqMRSgcdDzWgKilegvuGNR0ld7o-Jke2eXWxSYFHUNA4_0J60CWuJncwbS9d7nTtJ2jti8OcT4in8bswqFjqJk2AFm33kTy39XjZX4uruUH_5QlL1bpkNLk6PQMtYXnizJMe2WS8TsLDK4wQlFGHmVDgF0cZ1Q=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt. Swanzy and the Lily Col<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We stopped for a lunch break below The Rampart. The views were stunning and it was warm in the sun. The snow up the Lily Glacier had been wind scoured and firm. We hoped that the snow on the Dome Glacier side of the col would be better skiing. From our lunch spot, we could see the Lily Col and over towards the Swanzy Glacier, and area of Roger's Pass I had never seen before.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFPpj23nvZJzUVAiPMdlJsEUP0iIs1NE9zOt8acC62ekVwjEd8REINW46vQbNUg2m6XrWM3dg7pjpqX87frutRVMy_9TJIkIBJMdmneJjPiDMaXTxoxiV8ZKTEnSxZQw9cSvP_87RhzY6EsxmxlcEtoZU50k0ryHwKJdERWb1rQ4ORBBPDtpX0oUhjvg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFPpj23nvZJzUVAiPMdlJsEUP0iIs1NE9zOt8acC62ekVwjEd8REINW46vQbNUg2m6XrWM3dg7pjpqX87frutRVMy_9TJIkIBJMdmneJjPiDMaXTxoxiV8ZKTEnSxZQw9cSvP_87RhzY6EsxmxlcEtoZU50k0ryHwKJdERWb1rQ4ORBBPDtpX0oUhjvg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle has happy feet again</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTA4xrNZ04M4IeTXIVwEG9SGaz1icz0GrHGFLtdA4rn6ZUu4O4EHXZlWjGCk0cQeLZ-HsM54v1wMPbzsn-xyHPZxRequju_XVlUpVf_cOINrfgKyZr8MatRmII8gidBuKwb3CffZM_5VUHbT1bSpMtl3i5wLsuAQKU9HWuYkgufbM9EQNdrxEjaFO0bg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhTA4xrNZ04M4IeTXIVwEG9SGaz1icz0GrHGFLtdA4rn6ZUu4O4EHXZlWjGCk0cQeLZ-HsM54v1wMPbzsn-xyHPZxRequju_XVlUpVf_cOINrfgKyZr8MatRmII8gidBuKwb3CffZM_5VUHbT1bSpMtl3i5wLsuAQKU9HWuYkgufbM9EQNdrxEjaFO0bg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down the Lily Col<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The final climb to the Dome Col followed a wind scoop to a short but steep boot pack between The Rampart and The Dome.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWTAFwH0EdKll6TePh4SCw-nZPiRhxERvDdozCgiIpWAZbGXmY7BYEZpSbS73Nag9d4hIHIBMMKe5WXHJtNVaxdF7teezIXeKRwbgwAJ-F3EXGh-X5dVESVZwHTccN40fOBl5RbR4FQIg5yFuAt4-Nlqx2HnuymUr4ZMTcXhBK4rLVNMAr5IFyte4xqw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWTAFwH0EdKll6TePh4SCw-nZPiRhxERvDdozCgiIpWAZbGXmY7BYEZpSbS73Nag9d4hIHIBMMKe5WXHJtNVaxdF7teezIXeKRwbgwAJ-F3EXGh-X5dVESVZwHTccN40fOBl5RbR4FQIg5yFuAt4-Nlqx2HnuymUr4ZMTcXhBK4rLVNMAr5IFyte4xqw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final push to Dome Col</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhumNdce-smlC9xkK9k424L4Li_x2vG7hgwoHH1fDsGak2KuhvhEWTYhd02hHE055KSYitYFAiRNgHAjrJrHBAgq6NjKbSXLFt-lpRPVaqeXbNOCoAR6QDRTItx1-eVZOmJ388qehJDsYOdE6wQhK5qdQb0iKwtU_JAk2E9hq999rICUkbxCnTzybvZtQ=s1024" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhumNdce-smlC9xkK9k424L4Li_x2vG7hgwoHH1fDsGak2KuhvhEWTYhd02hHE055KSYitYFAiRNgHAjrJrHBAgq6NjKbSXLFt-lpRPVaqeXbNOCoAR6QDRTItx1-eVZOmJ388qehJDsYOdE6wQhK5qdQb0iKwtU_JAk2E9hq999rICUkbxCnTzybvZtQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Into the wind scoop<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwRdlJmW6Cnnj0ib1sdXd5d7Nw4wkzjRfQihVm_RjByHen3NQ3MpHvr_PbjhMNgfevZF1NWDzg6aExNRRkiW2CcousDn6O8TslmTUQu0KKwASudXYExn90Pb53RlVBieshUSGpTxLlkEstR41So9SouHDu94fjwN26Byb1PeFEjdZKB2gBt2N1FU_JkQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwRdlJmW6Cnnj0ib1sdXd5d7Nw4wkzjRfQihVm_RjByHen3NQ3MpHvr_PbjhMNgfevZF1NWDzg6aExNRRkiW2CcousDn6O8TslmTUQu0KKwASudXYExn90Pb53RlVBieshUSGpTxLlkEstR41So9SouHDu94fjwN26Byb1PeFEjdZKB2gBt2N1FU_JkQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dome Col bootpack<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBP6EEjR_tltuPI-O3HaTY6gvI7O5PmxnFN57asT93-vU3POXa-TxrSBE5_ke0Deea_24yqek21cpFs5i59I__q17Z2Y93DGiBS5CwivJBn6BVnHQzt6c7cY8OOvn9frtVmmfaURi9_iwIbkLhH1C1n2PMadg3OXwEv1BU7TcuYQl_i_kRYsO7Wm9kOg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBP6EEjR_tltuPI-O3HaTY6gvI7O5PmxnFN57asT93-vU3POXa-TxrSBE5_ke0Deea_24yqek21cpFs5i59I__q17Z2Y93DGiBS5CwivJBn6BVnHQzt6c7cY8OOvn9frtVmmfaURi9_iwIbkLhH1C1n2PMadg3OXwEv1BU7TcuYQl_i_kRYsO7Wm9kOg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On our way up</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlNgNKXl_0v9WW2RZUCuGpN6Tawwf--bi_fXku59H-tO4Oi_1cyk8iXGPtz_jYB1PVwJDV0VQundEU0tvVrWguqGV7qtQ0k2ePfuRo0z1OKrR9FArGR9-DPuUKuk_1rDz4vFbgwwoXpc6KePvqiWCiAwJNDQK0NBE8rYA1bEeF6BuYVUXxycLJsjQ-ng=s1024" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjlNgNKXl_0v9WW2RZUCuGpN6Tawwf--bi_fXku59H-tO4Oi_1cyk8iXGPtz_jYB1PVwJDV0VQundEU0tvVrWguqGV7qtQ0k2ePfuRo0z1OKrR9FArGR9-DPuUKuk_1rDz4vFbgwwoXpc6KePvqiWCiAwJNDQK0NBE8rYA1bEeF6BuYVUXxycLJsjQ-ng=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost there</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We climbed up into the sun and were greeted by a few other parties who had skied up from the Dome Glacier side. Some of them were dropping in to ski the Lily Glacier (despite our warnings of bad snow), but most were heading back down towards the Dome Glacier and Asulkan Drainage. From the col, we had views across the valley of our line from the previous day (Lookout Col and The Ravens) as well as unobstructed views of Youngs Peak and Mt. Sir Donald. It was beautiful. It had taken us 5.5 hrs to reach the col, traveling at a steady but comfortable pace. We had lots of time to take in the views before starting our descent.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMnmNy4rM7uz2YGIQOZPhohCn-oMA6PyBrmZrn9JBHN-ESQW4w4klkALDWk2ckjKZ2Sxu1B26pWkn5d6K5eIsDu6eRwH2TI0gan376a5qfORIOXViBtK6hmYbVvYBPhbmw2jfe-GDhFDPDm2hsGvIadXBecby9377joZ-8l13nvTmqH-hry46eXtU9Ww=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMnmNy4rM7uz2YGIQOZPhohCn-oMA6PyBrmZrn9JBHN-ESQW4w4klkALDWk2ckjKZ2Sxu1B26pWkn5d6K5eIsDu6eRwH2TI0gan376a5qfORIOXViBtK6hmYbVvYBPhbmw2jfe-GDhFDPDm2hsGvIadXBecby9377joZ-8l13nvTmqH-hry46eXtU9Ww=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Top of the pass. It's all down from here!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgu_SMNzBezn7mjYu_RsyGWOvyaJpE33mKNX93KxP-LKV-wa5HdJg04PTCabwGXsIqIn3yadNVnf3H0P9_LoyWp4eyFu50xYf6icMFK8CTEeKwM0G2JhczcDQGnHm26lxVgimxiu3SRS3iHXsFpFxURwFdZAa0l4R925cCgXPVmJCcz1jxxdLE6g8SxIQ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgu_SMNzBezn7mjYu_RsyGWOvyaJpE33mKNX93KxP-LKV-wa5HdJg04PTCabwGXsIqIn3yadNVnf3H0P9_LoyWp4eyFu50xYf6icMFK8CTEeKwM0G2JhczcDQGnHm26lxVgimxiu3SRS3iHXsFpFxURwFdZAa0l4R925cCgXPVmJCcz1jxxdLE6g8SxIQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views across to Lookout Mountain and Sir Donald with our tracks from yesterday in Lookout Col<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Kyle dropped in first down the Dome Glacier. The snow wasn't as deep as it had been the day before but it was still great skiing down the open slopes. We had a long descent back to the valley, broken up into multiple sections through the fresh powder.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnCDRL1g-hhZ4BP2z88p2EVyw7nm0dihP7GAyjinth0VF7sCgP0ESzxndEiHXB4DlxW2RZs-NE5AEAnzoVFbDkBWDLbC7jg-SAkqG5gVg7qplWc3bM-8m5axuPB822_e04luSDdDxWY9oOAdhrU6r44wg8OxXggev8isQ_pe62afOBkFid5a-jZGWF-w=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnCDRL1g-hhZ4BP2z88p2EVyw7nm0dihP7GAyjinth0VF7sCgP0ESzxndEiHXB4DlxW2RZs-NE5AEAnzoVFbDkBWDLbC7jg-SAkqG5gVg7qplWc3bM-8m5axuPB822_e04luSDdDxWY9oOAdhrU6r44wg8OxXggev8isQ_pe62afOBkFid5a-jZGWF-w=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making turns down the Dome Glacier</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhojfdvi37bxdRBqjTNJVDOWsIps60iRVR7SRwcAVSR2p2RZaIDqoYZZkomr_KFkV73zOgG_HM16Yw2snYkkhiElgHzdW34TZF0KzikqCcvzZy_iXZ4wosDUj5jHNtW6FQDxw0Yg6wwojKoyb66Jpj6VDATI9DaBo_YUEs86coHZKf8fuB2oaYIYAoRtQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhojfdvi37bxdRBqjTNJVDOWsIps60iRVR7SRwcAVSR2p2RZaIDqoYZZkomr_KFkV73zOgG_HM16Yw2snYkkhiElgHzdW34TZF0KzikqCcvzZy_iXZ4wosDUj5jHNtW6FQDxw0Yg6wwojKoyb66Jpj6VDATI9DaBo_YUEs86coHZKf8fuB2oaYIYAoRtQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good day for photos<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifw28k3G261OVq8JQkX4vPurkEJKvHs3t07j7Hr7kdmiWe-Cp98YtTlIXi4x3nzgDdUbtT-_nKoTFOsh8eaSUMjyjKD0JkF8SJS3UhXDFdsL02LzhrTW8e9S7UoQBSMOID71U6pVa9SdMAngNBXD4DwaFDpcpxVKM_iQwJP8s-eDYTEIozW1iyr-it0Q=s1346" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1346" data-original-width="1078" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifw28k3G261OVq8JQkX4vPurkEJKvHs3t07j7Hr7kdmiWe-Cp98YtTlIXi4x3nzgDdUbtT-_nKoTFOsh8eaSUMjyjKD0JkF8SJS3UhXDFdsL02LzhrTW8e9S7UoQBSMOID71U6pVa9SdMAngNBXD4DwaFDpcpxVKM_iQwJP8s-eDYTEIozW1iyr-it0Q=w512-h640" width="512" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Powder farming<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHJw7tZPAAkBAWdPN4yIhHLabf1XfLIQZh0VCUXValmx2k_rVOIMeAiEPgc76bamGFlkQjenYPnHeee3BP1JOV7--mS8IW-PKfwvC5YNkcmDB-9Ve0mmPW_GvRbJseBS6hOTlHdr_QaA2Db-pW2gnstmIeMWQPVWRxtI1H9MEy-3zywDtxKa_mp0qFVA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHJw7tZPAAkBAWdPN4yIhHLabf1XfLIQZh0VCUXValmx2k_rVOIMeAiEPgc76bamGFlkQjenYPnHeee3BP1JOV7--mS8IW-PKfwvC5YNkcmDB-9Ve0mmPW_GvRbJseBS6hOTlHdr_QaA2Db-pW2gnstmIeMWQPVWRxtI1H9MEy-3zywDtxKa_mp0qFVA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy days!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table>As we descended, other ski lines came into view, including the Forever Young Couloir on Youngs Peak.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqcBiiqk7lwi8japePYy96qLoCRfM24YC7Y8RiqjWzG7K3tH72y5EIGl0AFnon81zn56Wswgk4TS9LNKUGuXJ4v4xnH6idaJBhmoYqrychFhvGRBHEMWwoZjWREnrDKATenDhq3G9urPZMYvdLIWcosK0OkQfN4Zxam74m2cdG_7LN-8MZGGXtoRhr6Q=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqcBiiqk7lwi8japePYy96qLoCRfM24YC7Y8RiqjWzG7K3tH72y5EIGl0AFnon81zn56Wswgk4TS9LNKUGuXJ4v4xnH6idaJBhmoYqrychFhvGRBHEMWwoZjWREnrDKATenDhq3G9urPZMYvdLIWcosK0OkQfN4Zxam74m2cdG_7LN-8MZGGXtoRhr6Q=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forever Young and Young's Peak</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Back at the car, we were exhausted but so happy to have completed this big day out. We gorged on nachos and pizza at the Village Idiot in Revelstoke before a soak in the hot tub to soothe our aching legs. What an amazing day!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJ19OVQ7LxvOD6malSxioRoigvFMRDzdGwMqvddALD_ARgOdz2NRrmwOBjdjZFhg_1m4sJ6ebsmVRbDmXBfCOEAtFoGwhO7LV6gXjUdUxNa-qjPjEBaIqn5PQc5uwkJHqJIoN87lEOmWn_VX7xg9EkFdAvfJMb9uEmIkvIqF3pzDqOu1L5oAbUFgyqfw=s3840" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="2160" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJ19OVQ7LxvOD6malSxioRoigvFMRDzdGwMqvddALD_ARgOdz2NRrmwOBjdjZFhg_1m4sJ6ebsmVRbDmXBfCOEAtFoGwhO7LV6gXjUdUxNa-qjPjEBaIqn5PQc5uwkJHqJIoN87lEOmWn_VX7xg9EkFdAvfJMb9uEmIkvIqF3pzDqOu1L5oAbUFgyqfw=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for our well deserved pizza</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-87325406658700902182022-02-05T20:34:00.000-08:002023-02-15T17:04:29.008-08:00Lookout Col and the Ravens - Rogers Pass<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9ZD0DWtpKYXSC2h-szEbDO8X6v3n1gXgRv7vcmcR65kdYiB9WaaXOPRXQQpQyVownCeRS0bB4rFG4ZUQVK6m0A-hC-BTU13hd81cPxcJkpj3xdXGEWABUUw_1hsuHPw104_IfZEB1pwqJyri8B3HvE7WYaKiIqMObs1a7EPQCcQog1odiuPhtNgPCyw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9ZD0DWtpKYXSC2h-szEbDO8X6v3n1gXgRv7vcmcR65kdYiB9WaaXOPRXQQpQyVownCeRS0bB4rFG4ZUQVK6m0A-hC-BTU13hd81cPxcJkpj3xdXGEWABUUw_1hsuHPw104_IfZEB1pwqJyri8B3HvE7WYaKiIqMObs1a7EPQCcQog1odiuPhtNgPCyw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down at our tracks on Lookout Col and the Ravens from the Dome Glacier</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Day 2 of our guided long weekend began with an early wake up to even more fresh snow in Revelstoke. After cleaning our cars, we met Sabina at La Baguette to discuss possible route options for the day. Once again, the winter restricted areas in the pass were closed leaving us limited options. We settled on a route up to Lookout Col via the Illecillewaet Glacier in hopes that it would not be as busy as some of the other non-restricted zones near the visitor centre or up the Asulkan Valley. <span><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Anticipating a busy Saturday in the pass, we hit the road in hopes of snagging a parking spot at the limited Illecillewaet Valley Parking lot. We arrived just in time to land spots for us and Sabina, then watched lots of cars get stuck trying to turn around in the deep snow. It was snowing heavily as we left the parking lot but the skin track up towards the Illecillewaet was broken for us initially.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisNIcYEgPz0aeyj3Nj8bEPE2_mEayrOgcQXwwWaDO9XBEEfOPnNovvdVFLN9QMfwy_reUBjC82UsJS8vJiCT0TPXrl1xbs-Qnj7kJFWZpXAQI3Co7RO3-FX2d44oDuj0k4Jg-BsgioWHSqGLAHt8IBJaL_mBu040NGXf3TtyiNSRhC2Hvh39lrpoxGLQ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisNIcYEgPz0aeyj3Nj8bEPE2_mEayrOgcQXwwWaDO9XBEEfOPnNovvdVFLN9QMfwy_reUBjC82UsJS8vJiCT0TPXrl1xbs-Qnj7kJFWZpXAQI3Co7RO3-FX2d44oDuj0k4Jg-BsgioWHSqGLAHt8IBJaL_mBu040NGXf3TtyiNSRhC2Hvh39lrpoxGLQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading up towards the Illecillewaet Glacier</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Eventually, the broken trail veered left towards Mt. Sir Donald and we followed a skin track from the day before. Although it was covered in 20 cm of fresh snow, it was easier than breaking a new trail. We started to climb steadily out of the creek into the alpine, navigating broken terrain through the moraines. The clouds kept shifting and swirling and we caught brief glimpses of skiers on the slopes below Sir Donald and the stunning peaks above. Then as quickly as they cleared, the clouds rolled back in enveloping us once more in a shroud of grey.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuraNV2KyaJBWbbBngcm7HTJNI5O2dx1AYce-DIKXj5VQ-vteLhIxbVKCIs9VehvyWxbkfNUnTFLbR3XggKVX3C8cfxN1Hrs-nWCQJ5D_5L_vstvb3NzWVzmfMYqVMWTCyE5nIFBNOBeheOkFSTXeoGKe_gGKRueKnOSLC2VHVBQPXMYqBxSaYU_Q0JQ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuraNV2KyaJBWbbBngcm7HTJNI5O2dx1AYce-DIKXj5VQ-vteLhIxbVKCIs9VehvyWxbkfNUnTFLbR3XggKVX3C8cfxN1Hrs-nWCQJ5D_5L_vstvb3NzWVzmfMYqVMWTCyE5nIFBNOBeheOkFSTXeoGKe_gGKRueKnOSLC2VHVBQPXMYqBxSaYU_Q0JQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up into the fog with Glacier Crest to the right and Lookout Peak obscured by clouds</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgf-FWRWV1ZEow-boEdLQH7ORhqioGwGCk25WM5f3qcOnmqu6zwVC-8PrQQQjl5eT5s2zooWnyB6v38xpL0gVMnElyy9DZlKoIEVV56j5cg4ROEP-l4WJL3w8y4VyoPyVmmBrgQjRojBRbta05ZHjGKnlcKuTz2d7lTHe9sfyKm-k9guh4ody00sJCXHg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgf-FWRWV1ZEow-boEdLQH7ORhqioGwGCk25WM5f3qcOnmqu6zwVC-8PrQQQjl5eT5s2zooWnyB6v38xpL0gVMnElyy9DZlKoIEVV56j5cg4ROEP-l4WJL3w8y4VyoPyVmmBrgQjRojBRbta05ZHjGKnlcKuTz2d7lTHe9sfyKm-k9guh4ody00sJCXHg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climbing up into the clouds</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdBdkhmKut4LVYuMbkjMIM-YchQyfzT2mgmYkVO8QTcI-t2wbClvsANjwIkCv_kjbs0xa5TtLut4S76KrMmmms9eroTFk3v8PQ0c_b8b_iqkUZYH2k7ZZxXtE8BJPx9OpVXIzToqnK-oQEWpUMmAr0q4A_jNiOSFFxtnLDscaAZ_Rqpo89h7nlKjC2eA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdBdkhmKut4LVYuMbkjMIM-YchQyfzT2mgmYkVO8QTcI-t2wbClvsANjwIkCv_kjbs0xa5TtLut4S76KrMmmms9eroTFk3v8PQ0c_b8b_iqkUZYH2k7ZZxXtE8BJPx9OpVXIzToqnK-oQEWpUMmAr0q4A_jNiOSFFxtnLDscaAZ_Rqpo89h7nlKjC2eA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moments of clarity<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8sWSKRP3COV-I-JpIvkkLLTA6pvQAPt3Nvqf8BWXWsNraxJnipBOVMRf9L0j6lJcKKHfcBIXun-giq-PEVoQNonydCW2h7lmBsK9mmsFnggflKq0TwEzk5L-ORpY7d4dmQENz5LZBlDTcXGJoNidzY0zsvivMElNLmXlS66rF3rhBj7AhLLl8JzQ4Pg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8sWSKRP3COV-I-JpIvkkLLTA6pvQAPt3Nvqf8BWXWsNraxJnipBOVMRf9L0j6lJcKKHfcBIXun-giq-PEVoQNonydCW2h7lmBsK9mmsFnggflKq0TwEzk5L-ORpY7d4dmQENz5LZBlDTcXGJoNidzY0zsvivMElNLmXlS66rF3rhBj7AhLLl8JzQ4Pg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back to Glacier Crest<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">It got harder and harder to stay on the old skin track. Squinting into the flat light it was easy to mistake a shadow for the faint depression and end up knee deep in fresh snow. Peter forged on ahead as we shouted occasional words of encouragement when we weren't lost in our own thoughts. Without any wind, it was eerily quiet. All we could hear was the slithering of skins on snow as we pushed upward towards the col we knew was there but couldn't see.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhANmmhdGzJR1R81M_dW6ABESYvNP_We4ZBDk-l1QXAEFMKrt4lO3tV9zZPUaEQJlbMGentAVw5jf8pgicq1lLCQ4rU4OzPUdQZ_QhCcnJOmdEGdjCvyj6QfRYQAHpuzkoEYJUl27Leep2JurCzhxoI98_unqTczP21K2DGMdT3p2EM0riGnHwlu7vqig=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhANmmhdGzJR1R81M_dW6ABESYvNP_We4ZBDk-l1QXAEFMKrt4lO3tV9zZPUaEQJlbMGentAVw5jf8pgicq1lLCQ4rU4OzPUdQZ_QhCcnJOmdEGdjCvyj6QfRYQAHpuzkoEYJUl27Leep2JurCzhxoI98_unqTczP21K2DGMdT3p2EM0riGnHwlu7vqig=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sun briefly breaks through revealing a large slope above us</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhv5NIjMglvQABXmJLQvQ3gUIXxI_bgzi8sdy0bzILVm-c1MnUCiorvG7WPQwkA7KpWxDRY9Td8yDe8qVTNDhZwIs_ba9xEt3VlS5WrMW3VteQTjuhz9vb4LzoWR3b5GqGzgC2xrzN_7rNwrRwGlLEEBlkLETBuE7FAmuzTcZ2iNTAW0T3ICA_HZO7LCw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhv5NIjMglvQABXmJLQvQ3gUIXxI_bgzi8sdy0bzILVm-c1MnUCiorvG7WPQwkA7KpWxDRY9Td8yDe8qVTNDhZwIs_ba9xEt3VlS5WrMW3VteQTjuhz9vb4LzoWR3b5GqGzgC2xrzN_7rNwrRwGlLEEBlkLETBuE7FAmuzTcZ2iNTAW0T3ICA_HZO7LCw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alone in the white</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Without Sabina's knowledge of the terrain, we would have turned around. It was disorienting to be in such complex terrain without any landmarks and even Sabina started to wonder if we were heading in the right direction. Intermittently a gust of wind would blow the clouds just enough to give us a quick glance at what was around us but it never lasted long. Finally, we reached the bottom of a steep slope. The GPS showed we were so close to the col, but Sabina warned us that there were avalanche slopes above that we wanted to avoid. We took a long break and willed the clouds to clear...</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7OAP7Fh0UrydqtUscF_6wtZO6xyegVlrHX-XXFbUDSSng3WRoQ2jwwTEaXdwVOW8tslB9UTLFb3ILFyBcZ97IYA-3yIhT3tTNv0ndOp1Au92flqDTp9Cx7_Yvrveeo59Hhx14naOi5VHXLoNjHLIrTuar3Tl6BJjWIPl6T6QBLg2vudbedmjnKSpK7w=s3648" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7OAP7Fh0UrydqtUscF_6wtZO6xyegVlrHX-XXFbUDSSng3WRoQ2jwwTEaXdwVOW8tslB9UTLFb3ILFyBcZ97IYA-3yIhT3tTNv0ndOp1Au92flqDTp9Cx7_Yvrveeo59Hhx14naOi5VHXLoNjHLIrTuar3Tl6BJjWIPl6T6QBLg2vudbedmjnKSpK7w=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for a break in the weather to start the final push</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Just as we were considering skiing back down the moraines in the whiteout (a task nobody was particularly keen about), the clouds broke and the col appeared. Time to move!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqjIeqiOJYJdGXMbUlFznVKomQQCajQ2Atm3Rc_UFWZjCJKEU39GLCv-jEUFO6vXkVl_tSraAsJF-l-67uMxhNiBumXgoVEEoXte3jobBl2a7voQFOeAvoq-2zRc2zR1hOS44QC0i1qPX61cpBv1r-8HnAaGgbrpGpNZ5Ueh6jUKU9-zZGzAqiMSbSsg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqjIeqiOJYJdGXMbUlFznVKomQQCajQ2Atm3Rc_UFWZjCJKEU39GLCv-jEUFO6vXkVl_tSraAsJF-l-67uMxhNiBumXgoVEEoXte3jobBl2a7voQFOeAvoq-2zRc2zR1hOS44QC0i1qPX61cpBv1r-8HnAaGgbrpGpNZ5Ueh6jUKU9-zZGzAqiMSbSsg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sabina leads the final push to the Lookout Col</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkKB2UZh1pVgKOuCWUA_DcT9mK_NB7tJMcxfOXXp4a-I3kYwl-mgm88HCNTosSfSlv5Q0h4qmzUTms2pUr5Sn_12GxjiGiDOQJmdFedKGTy07bgLoQf4ZheuIInHKbJ0qUyc9xXlQ3yaocBhujWJLIpwQFVg0nMOGMFceIYn1YIDjUMvNRC8bP86S2yA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkKB2UZh1pVgKOuCWUA_DcT9mK_NB7tJMcxfOXXp4a-I3kYwl-mgm88HCNTosSfSlv5Q0h4qmzUTms2pUr5Sn_12GxjiGiDOQJmdFedKGTy07bgLoQf4ZheuIInHKbJ0qUyc9xXlQ3yaocBhujWJLIpwQFVg0nMOGMFceIYn1YIDjUMvNRC8bP86S2yA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made it to the top of Lookout Col with views of the Lookout couloirs across the valley on the right<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The snow was changing fast as the warm sun peaked out of the clouds and our window of visibility could close at any second. We made a quick decision to drop in, sending Peter first with the radio. The run was steep and deep, and well worth the effort.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4bSo0VoDC3RlHFShPbkYGKFoxmo7tU5MP9tNRm4lAsfCsxHHW_tvsJyQI3RN13QbXWjHyvIU7ZIKl5xl0W7q27eyfY_7cqYcTSBCWXoPuY4igXEX7K0q47VubV7vvCjDGPzR2yMzpqjU6Gj_ALkLqZONKveZ074Ty0v5VPQhQZi2eefbhAvoFlN21UQ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4bSo0VoDC3RlHFShPbkYGKFoxmo7tU5MP9tNRm4lAsfCsxHHW_tvsJyQI3RN13QbXWjHyvIU7ZIKl5xl0W7q27eyfY_7cqYcTSBCWXoPuY4igXEX7K0q47VubV7vvCjDGPzR2yMzpqjU6Gj_ALkLqZONKveZ074Ty0v5VPQhQZi2eefbhAvoFlN21UQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gearing up to drop into the Lookout Col line</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikPaQOM_Imld9JBOGzca0UNwx2uajdQJ-lYXg-dOxv_xDQWaIj7Gozm0-nvr08OGzlSrQGB9VTflDsXqtdRRfgAceQwiIjzpUPnCyQcXPIuDWVOo_N1uOo7mn3EAl3bNBN6zT73aO5YG5fIz8ow6yRATvfJMdGJzqnH-TgjPcoguHCMd2eFT-AwPHO8w=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikPaQOM_Imld9JBOGzca0UNwx2uajdQJ-lYXg-dOxv_xDQWaIj7Gozm0-nvr08OGzlSrQGB9VTflDsXqtdRRfgAceQwiIjzpUPnCyQcXPIuDWVOo_N1uOo7mn3EAl3bNBN6zT73aO5YG5fIz8ow6yRATvfJMdGJzqnH-TgjPcoguHCMd2eFT-AwPHO8w=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peter gets his well deserved first tracks after breaking trail for the majority of the day</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We skied one at a time then pushed our way across the flats to the safety of the trees on the other side of the valley. After a stressful morning of whiteout navigation and a committing line, we were finally able to relax. We threw on the skins and leisurely followed a skin track around the shoulder so we could drop into the Ravens, a fun run down to the Asulkan drainage and the Mousetrap.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgkEzyjMrZ712l-IFb_Dshe4LQThFcAcfZaQfXrA0zNM4E_gDnj0VcM4ul0E0NcrZDyIh6INmp_ddypdGoVOxyBvvCPAm_Stk0YOvROBRrsYp8zagWNJT-LxQQtU1p2Hz6rP7EqGtJdM7ZD7VnHEgWc-j6x5Bb9-IG5gBv0hf_ZYNwgyeMrXTNW_HgyQ=s1149" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1149" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgkEzyjMrZ712l-IFb_Dshe4LQThFcAcfZaQfXrA0zNM4E_gDnj0VcM4ul0E0NcrZDyIh6INmp_ddypdGoVOxyBvvCPAm_Stk0YOvROBRrsYp8zagWNJT-LxQQtU1p2Hz6rP7EqGtJdM7ZD7VnHEgWc-j6x5Bb9-IG5gBv0hf_ZYNwgyeMrXTNW_HgyQ=w640-h404" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Panorama of the Lookout Col and The Ravens from the Winter Terrain Atlas (Parks Canada Photo)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhktwaLnnTUMH1JQmXa9j3hOOZJR7oMiabT36YuA3JGA6yidLD09FbP6oclQgC8DirkPpbOIbZPVD6NNql7ryZGyGwuRiYzU9f18lbbkgXI40gT1VDQfrb-vjbRYPShVpiqO9hVeaNtEwSHTwsmlUs_tPvUIToFeijYdyzeIRTWmoCjlIhUhFynrRtgYA=s894" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="894" data-original-width="503" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhktwaLnnTUMH1JQmXa9j3hOOZJR7oMiabT36YuA3JGA6yidLD09FbP6oclQgC8DirkPpbOIbZPVD6NNql7ryZGyGwuRiYzU9f18lbbkgXI40gT1VDQfrb-vjbRYPShVpiqO9hVeaNtEwSHTwsmlUs_tPvUIToFeijYdyzeIRTWmoCjlIhUhFynrRtgYA=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More deep turns down the Ravens</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmhTdc8LVVzCh-0pHSeFDTQ767Fh9RxMVbnpZpZP4I9pqO9EPs6sA0VJ8_rZnFirCi0ztk0ho6nnZSTM04HpPeeN8V4s7pCsDrYJ-GA5ct3ZWni2XWrnADXBGwTQMzBupRxNgAMlfR2KP4GwQVp4VtrtvaIKyyuEaYYMvgpbPuit8h6sJsx6lws3mSag=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmhTdc8LVVzCh-0pHSeFDTQ767Fh9RxMVbnpZpZP4I9pqO9EPs6sA0VJ8_rZnFirCi0ztk0ho6nnZSTM04HpPeeN8V4s7pCsDrYJ-GA5ct3ZWni2XWrnADXBGwTQMzBupRxNgAMlfR2KP4GwQVp4VtrtvaIKyyuEaYYMvgpbPuit8h6sJsx6lws3mSag=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fun day out!</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Although our day was only 1200m of elevation gain, the route finding had been exhausting. We only did one run in the Ravens before skiing back down the Asulkan drainage to the car. After 2 big days of powder skiing, sunshine was in the forecast and we had plans to tackle the Lily-Dome Traverse next. We spent the evening route planning at Mt. Begbie brewery and stretching sore muscles in the hot tub before another early bedtime. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuIeB67mx6k6tI-DF19hd819lnkKpmn4GtFPkUunn1mguhSi5I9aaOnpsG4wlduOhc7SkGq8EjMJTK4OQm4FxjAFD3gE5djYCrkzkPMMx4qVgOJsNvkYE8lpJqCSKKo1B8hlwyBhs3ZRlfwbydCclX1I8lKzIcU9aqsWXbDnBgE1b7txJnt4fchZnUUw=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuIeB67mx6k6tI-DF19hd819lnkKpmn4GtFPkUunn1mguhSi5I9aaOnpsG4wlduOhc7SkGq8EjMJTK4OQm4FxjAFD3gE5djYCrkzkPMMx4qVgOJsNvkYE8lpJqCSKKo1B8hlwyBhs3ZRlfwbydCclX1I8lKzIcU9aqsWXbDnBgE1b7txJnt4fchZnUUw=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So stoked!</td></tr></tbody></table>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-91826767732865923062022-02-04T18:33:00.000-08:002023-02-15T17:04:29.008-08:00Teddy Bear Trees<div style="text-align: center;">Kyle, Peter, Kristina and I spent 4 days skiing in Rogers Pass and the Revelstoke area with Sabina Wodak, and ACMG guide who spends most of her time skiing the pass. Conditions were all time and we ticked off a some epic objectives while learning lots of new backcountry skills.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYkwcDIEdQvGI_qjGf5TduXCRz5DJuMhbLt7n91qy_kNt5eqbKfcweETSeTgyHTkSWy5XHdY-kwd0pKv2GCBY0mY3QJAgRgR0-9T_FLl5NnVY_EeYklJAu0d_98jEavbY-Yn3sj3UJoxym6UX5oCNpy-2pDNT0KLUCe5xMWtQoObA58t772AsQW82BLg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYkwcDIEdQvGI_qjGf5TduXCRz5DJuMhbLt7n91qy_kNt5eqbKfcweETSeTgyHTkSWy5XHdY-kwd0pKv2GCBY0mY3QJAgRgR0-9T_FLl5NnVY_EeYklJAu0d_98jEavbY-Yn3sj3UJoxym6UX5oCNpy-2pDNT0KLUCe5xMWtQoObA58t772AsQW82BLg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading up Connaught Creek from the Visitor Centre<span><a name='more'></a></span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;">Day 1 started with heavy snow and bad roads. All the winter restricted areas were closed so we had limited options on where to ski. Although we had all been there before, the decision was to ski Teddy Bear Trees, a classic storm day zone. Sabina was stuck in traffic so we started up without her. She did eventually catch us as we were getting ready to drop into our first line.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg26Ti0mNLo7-W54c8PdyTCXBf9cJhnWIOOpdj6ZtSCxf-V8RqqJJadVKRn1Gbn85bg_5s9FF7KFrv9gh7C6JFa8046HfwZXfBL1dFWqHBrLJ1iTrZKhPam3YfnmpSHt1RwOxQZrwo976YwmBrFGCR2X1OQEWRMy5lmloJVmOvb0ksxbBGw24GD5mepxg=s3648" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg26Ti0mNLo7-W54c8PdyTCXBf9cJhnWIOOpdj6ZtSCxf-V8RqqJJadVKRn1Gbn85bg_5s9FF7KFrv9gh7C6JFa8046HfwZXfBL1dFWqHBrLJ1iTrZKhPam3YfnmpSHt1RwOxQZrwo976YwmBrFGCR2X1OQEWRMy5lmloJVmOvb0ksxbBGw24GD5mepxg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Snowing heavily and we are stoked!</td></tr></tbody></table></div><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"> The snow was deep and light through the Teddy Bear Trees. The 80 cm of storm snow felt bottomless and we had a blast ripping through the steep glades. Rogers Pass always seems to deliver.</div></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizJYNuWvxoic6lV7ZD2gM7n6v2qDiGQOkN7sa_vQmP10jT0OWvIZRbRuk3I-daxq9R5TDAV_nyvx_rXJ1CyQn02aQdbJSF7KEzaW9X7PhCpWKcGXF9LR9cjLqE73Iei4PqTLABNYsmwrSb560i5_XPuIO3tjj3vuzTvioE9QHSqnM9C4CQGd1AnHkaOQ=s1570" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1570" data-original-width="883" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEizJYNuWvxoic6lV7ZD2gM7n6v2qDiGQOkN7sa_vQmP10jT0OWvIZRbRuk3I-daxq9R5TDAV_nyvx_rXJ1CyQn02aQdbJSF7KEzaW9X7PhCpWKcGXF9LR9cjLqE73Iei4PqTLABNYsmwrSb560i5_XPuIO3tjj3vuzTvioE9QHSqnM9C4CQGd1AnHkaOQ=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle coming up for air between face shots</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwxnBuEoWq51KlBsxZxr5n5syzN84iI4uWCPj1ZcoL28KHt_9x3oe_93c8QXzWL8yn7s25RaZX_O1AMlo7y3ClS1sgUUSWvBJyXcykN6URa4IUgGcidVyJ4QPjuqUfl25MoCgI9sKwkwEGl1Hgttgqx4rJvgUauzoVUBmLi4frvP9sqkM-aI-NOIMddA=s1920" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwxnBuEoWq51KlBsxZxr5n5syzN84iI4uWCPj1ZcoL28KHt_9x3oe_93c8QXzWL8yn7s25RaZX_O1AMlo7y3ClS1sgUUSWvBJyXcykN6URa4IUgGcidVyJ4QPjuqUfl25MoCgI9sKwkwEGl1Hgttgqx4rJvgUauzoVUBmLi4frvP9sqkM-aI-NOIMddA=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kristina dropping into another zone of deep pow<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxFJ0SilIUC_pF2-CDU5VWdM2jMVqbskxa6rlp0xr6uW5a24MXPQLKdYybjMy-OpUnpD4r3NgVL6-zj10ib9qommIBpft42u-6Yxg24RHoiHT5u1QRC3ILymlIYDGk2IorOfUufekYX37IZbbMnk_9XlkjXk6xjNFPzYTlVSxUbOmiIjYRIymR20v22w=s1920" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: right;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxFJ0SilIUC_pF2-CDU5VWdM2jMVqbskxa6rlp0xr6uW5a24MXPQLKdYybjMy-OpUnpD4r3NgVL6-zj10ib9qommIBpft42u-6Yxg24RHoiHT5u1QRC3ILymlIYDGk2IorOfUufekYX37IZbbMnk_9XlkjXk6xjNFPzYTlVSxUbOmiIjYRIymR20v22w=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kind of day dreams are made of</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0dOaFLjwJ41VT_PW8-Tcz7F7j4FTfkFG0EXp18_8aKQAnnaujQpqDVNbO4AvnZVH5ywXWKOuDlE5Fr26-9O2Eovmut6VTUYuvCj-oVIPqoZ_snuoaJUFwGwa6xK0LwFucUQWbkIDGx9Qp5SO2G6VsKGOtfNpnf24D4GZKkC-prECBjZIh6a438YQWLw=s1920" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0dOaFLjwJ41VT_PW8-Tcz7F7j4FTfkFG0EXp18_8aKQAnnaujQpqDVNbO4AvnZVH5ywXWKOuDlE5Fr26-9O2Eovmut6VTUYuvCj-oVIPqoZ_snuoaJUFwGwa6xK0LwFucUQWbkIDGx9Qp5SO2G6VsKGOtfNpnf24D4GZKkC-prECBjZIh6a438YQWLw=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peter finds a stash</td></tr></tbody></table>We spent the whole day shredding the zone. After 3 big laps in the trees we rode out to the parking lot. It had been super quiet all day likely due to the poor roads, considerable avalanche danger and the fact it was a Friday. It had snowed about 15cm through the day and wasn't showing any signs of slowing.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVxWli9pkVJvjjjWDnRV2AbNIBgT-TlyS3uEC3tcpep3nqwQ9j4SqAEVaicPiOd2KS3sEbOaXn7YP_Swj1XXLAjJbjJPpwIteyUxbBP2BY_FsSsKqXb46ePV-lZ0szxuLsOcWtfEFwOAbRAxQc66tYEhVFHr5ZGkVfjJticPRSuLjK1XbqlNRYQNJYgg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiVxWli9pkVJvjjjWDnRV2AbNIBgT-TlyS3uEC3tcpep3nqwQ9j4SqAEVaicPiOd2KS3sEbOaXn7YP_Swj1XXLAjJbjJPpwIteyUxbBP2BY_FsSsKqXb46ePV-lZ0szxuLsOcWtfEFwOAbRAxQc66tYEhVFHr5ZGkVfjJticPRSuLjK1XbqlNRYQNJYgg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One more lap!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-_gNYfzFb0dFT3G0mjS46HD3El9ZsDIWd6_HX0SkDCwSsmPajr2mICpbJF6tDKQjUgapIyS8o8vSH1D41hT8fSe_N3rFWUe8HtMsFccOlq0RZA8i1a5AWl0L9YOWxfXHRiusxQN6lsWHAl4Y0oUrD6miAszrNhRhwuxk-jawQs07e6SLFpRx2aDq_Yg=s1920" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-_gNYfzFb0dFT3G0mjS46HD3El9ZsDIWd6_HX0SkDCwSsmPajr2mICpbJF6tDKQjUgapIyS8o8vSH1D41hT8fSe_N3rFWUe8HtMsFccOlq0RZA8i1a5AWl0L9YOWxfXHRiusxQN6lsWHAl4Y0oUrD6miAszrNhRhwuxk-jawQs07e6SLFpRx2aDq_Yg=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trench town</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjolPwInXiJOR9tnlvGjJM3HwiTbM0dilh1l-E4apqIk0v3h3QinecQyl93YI07yUGe_YnVl9i36fRmxkIwkiwCQf85TnjU6tlhKXG6NI40aLIE1PvRGph-9oJFiad7xhYUwrmVRd4aL9PKrb1JaKKvstEnXVm0bqBxqFYZzfgVSGONZuYfFR0XRdPdtg=s1594" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1594" data-original-width="896" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjolPwInXiJOR9tnlvGjJM3HwiTbM0dilh1l-E4apqIk0v3h3QinecQyl93YI07yUGe_YnVl9i36fRmxkIwkiwCQf85TnjU6tlhKXG6NI40aLIE1PvRGph-9oJFiad7xhYUwrmVRd4aL9PKrb1JaKKvstEnXVm0bqBxqFYZzfgVSGONZuYfFR0XRdPdtg=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Storm days are the best days<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWwHTIskRCm8PrMC8YE_kxE8bBGlvELYlyxX8mKQN7zIiYYToPVKSFlKotZZKCl8lHBSo20TXUgShXed2zyVC1qbLRXFHOZTcUHN3cBznyKI0_BUxZUFBtFVTUSCKJL6EKyTnq76-4YaJ3lj5eXsvCSbGbARyk9b0I_cKoTTda10PtUlXBDkQiHwSAsw=s1920" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWwHTIskRCm8PrMC8YE_kxE8bBGlvELYlyxX8mKQN7zIiYYToPVKSFlKotZZKCl8lHBSo20TXUgShXed2zyVC1qbLRXFHOZTcUHN3cBznyKI0_BUxZUFBtFVTUSCKJL6EKyTnq76-4YaJ3lj5eXsvCSbGbARyk9b0I_cKoTTda10PtUlXBDkQiHwSAsw=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowman Kyle<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Back at the car we had a debrief of the day. If our first day in the pass was any indication, it was going to be an epic weekend! The roads sucked heading down to Revelstoke and it took almost 2 hours to reach the hotel. We dumped our gear then hit up Big Eddy Pub for some delicious burgers before an early bedtime. Sabina had big plans for us in the days to come.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju0bleo4ruwNY-lkIGJ-C6rcRdHmH4N5VqBqfF2m5IeU9yWkj-VLP3bb2R5zP_HGgo3_y72ywaxcquy22rrXL_XRGNNN0RGWAQDxqMmO3k4BDwhcEVpGMHHRav0-FvQYavNX1txlSzGNwnzlAKj1RZaR51RV8fgex2nB-GwTjk6xlRofxJvtUV-vpi-w=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEju0bleo4ruwNY-lkIGJ-C6rcRdHmH4N5VqBqfF2m5IeU9yWkj-VLP3bb2R5zP_HGgo3_y72ywaxcquy22rrXL_XRGNNN0RGWAQDxqMmO3k4BDwhcEVpGMHHRav0-FvQYavNX1txlSzGNwnzlAKj1RZaR51RV8fgex2nB-GwTjk6xlRofxJvtUV-vpi-w=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back at the car after a full day of tree skiing</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-70456391039929398512022-01-09T14:44:00.009-08:002022-03-21T13:39:06.479-07:00Valhalla Cat Skiing<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCO8IK3jEsyREdux_MG_ZKBcaYpJd4hl2iECrWropyBAGmDOF3BJUUITk14um940wVo4FR4vBn27qxUxy4biL4vzW9y_mEdCZKs6y-nMlH_evVhqHouQYzdSqnFKLpMHaSBzDZ1ifG9b3ycibebmRb6Yt883BjvBk2brRZB0YT8ikk8EWn9WITQxyNIQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCO8IK3jEsyREdux_MG_ZKBcaYpJd4hl2iECrWropyBAGmDOF3BJUUITk14um940wVo4FR4vBn27qxUxy4biL4vzW9y_mEdCZKs6y-nMlH_evVhqHouQYzdSqnFKLpMHaSBzDZ1ifG9b3ycibebmRb6Yt883BjvBk2brRZB0YT8ikk8EWn9WITQxyNIQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First lap, can't wait</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">After 2 years of eager anticipation, the Valhalla Catski trip out of Nelson, BC was finally a reality. It was delayed by COVID last year, but despite the 5th wave and omicron over Christmas 2021, it was all systems go for the trip at the start of January. Kyle and I had a rough start to the trip with a 7hr drive from Fernie to Nelson. It has snowed heavily on Thursday night and Kootenay Pass was closed for avi control forcing us to take the ferry, but we did finally make it with time to ski a half day at Whitewater.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZPu4UOA0h7wQ5uTNVPMWknqQYmpb_ZpJqsFDgV9MKc_lUH7pxCBR7Wei6k5Iy-LcKOfLSuDHGUVFhnNHsp4qJwROHLRYKBfbICyg-sXtT5zXMjEb4IUa1_HdwwgGEc4naMpcCI17zC77cXKzvKM2wk3-Zx_ercwZ2FHw3g1w1nPiGLUyzjzQJXFTKEA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZPu4UOA0h7wQ5uTNVPMWknqQYmpb_ZpJqsFDgV9MKc_lUH7pxCBR7Wei6k5Iy-LcKOfLSuDHGUVFhnNHsp4qJwROHLRYKBfbICyg-sXtT5zXMjEb4IUa1_HdwwgGEc4naMpcCI17zC77cXKzvKM2wk3-Zx_ercwZ2FHw3g1w1nPiGLUyzjzQJXFTKEA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Waiting for the Kootenay Ferry<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilY94elbOeHKqmaY03mgSKY86yKKX6SHUDcDIO3e7Uemdl08Tn_niDxrUajP4rdceylFAvEZb3bQdYZ4TNigQrGxJEePSv0gwljglvfQvaHxlJKYJTdziRj7vFPZa31_eJSKKVp-zwVwiAFcLVKe_cPRAmfmgPCTf2BgZhA5Qg91KAf09OWsf3HS-o-A=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilY94elbOeHKqmaY03mgSKY86yKKX6SHUDcDIO3e7Uemdl08Tn_niDxrUajP4rdceylFAvEZb3bQdYZ4TNigQrGxJEePSv0gwljglvfQvaHxlJKYJTdziRj7vFPZa31_eJSKKVp-zwVwiAFcLVKe_cPRAmfmgPCTf2BgZhA5Qg91KAf09OWsf3HS-o-A=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feels like Japan<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;">We rolled into Whitewater at noon. The ski hill had been on standby due to a medical incident but had only just re-opened for the afternoon. We crushed out a few deep laps to warm up our legs for the next day.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipcs4x5Quv7tED1WL5ALq7T9iEsJVh-IvQf9RlkrmNGvE733ibZR34EQAVP1kMWDqcVHOMykDI66XUtBaHe2En3Ou8dX_gKuBPWf9hDNhPrXebLQvy2t4fThzyBuhFxLHbAggEmIsFCri1wXEJl5_iBv61FiSc2_BfzodOr3o2y69opT7lLD7PhlHA_w=s2944" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="2208" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipcs4x5Quv7tED1WL5ALq7T9iEsJVh-IvQf9RlkrmNGvE733ibZR34EQAVP1kMWDqcVHOMykDI66XUtBaHe2En3Ou8dX_gKuBPWf9hDNhPrXebLQvy2t4fThzyBuhFxLHbAggEmIsFCri1wXEJl5_iBv61FiSc2_BfzodOr3o2y69opT7lLD7PhlHA_w=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warming up at Whitewater</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We met the crew in the Valhalla parking lot before dawn and loaded into the cat. It was a bluebird skies with plenty of fresh snow in the last week. Sadly, there had a very brief freezing rain episode the night before, leaving a breakable crust at all elevations. This made for exciting skiing and lots of crashes, but the snow underneath was deep and fluffy and we still had a great time.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilKA47HfmOsF8tjtZ8EN5mj3-fdNTXRngx73153sw7hSKsvZG7o0UT7wHYjCK8mUXdEN14_sscpAgGnXrU1fnbOa0XjDpwpYYdLhFj6ZcBzPlwc3UqOg1_INOOC9OMq4rctTNAtsh47-j8Yj-5RnC-3dzuYrLZUPHIcNEstUdIWc05oe0utjyRV3LEHQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEilKA47HfmOsF8tjtZ8EN5mj3-fdNTXRngx73153sw7hSKsvZG7o0UT7wHYjCK8mUXdEN14_sscpAgGnXrU1fnbOa0XjDpwpYYdLhFj6ZcBzPlwc3UqOg1_INOOC9OMq4rctTNAtsh47-j8Yj-5RnC-3dzuYrLZUPHIcNEstUdIWc05oe0utjyRV3LEHQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loading up for our first lap</td></tr></tbody></table></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxI3JiRb-Fuw9gSpIofnI72qOxOLY8R5jHZLxVN2kkAukttU_UAToWfvYi1EAPD80qp9IngsuhGhxjj_01nJ1j4xZ4DMOaxEWNWlLS8xuh2d4vxTbNuah-HfPTSkLnzZT6nweBPvBAFE_WNi44NIycnrJJ-Ri40i5OFtYrOr5j3dsMJ8WkWLucb5-tbw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxI3JiRb-Fuw9gSpIofnI72qOxOLY8R5jHZLxVN2kkAukttU_UAToWfvYi1EAPD80qp9IngsuhGhxjj_01nJ1j4xZ4DMOaxEWNWlLS8xuh2d4vxTbNuah-HfPTSkLnzZT6nweBPvBAFE_WNi44NIycnrJJ-Ri40i5OFtYrOr5j3dsMJ8WkWLucb5-tbw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More laps!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our guides were awesome and after a warm up lap they started taking us into more interesting zones with lots of fun hits, trying to find areas where the crust wasn't as bad. The Valhalla terrain is steep and we skied chutes, trees and pillows.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8EGOl_8Zd_D1JYvAan2j886iGPgaEry0O6-zX-bkSAq1OlMZrc3HFUjk-06EC-dFYJ_Nqpd3wp-ioF3SdNbAj2vF1O9w1eDQ46I7VU3Y_Fot_swkRKRP8-BkXeVTZIeae3zrT4gAZkBlQwjla-ZxTFsKxpbHzlKSmuJ5U4ibq4J_m4mfbMeii-I-yHg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8EGOl_8Zd_D1JYvAan2j886iGPgaEry0O6-zX-bkSAq1OlMZrc3HFUjk-06EC-dFYJ_Nqpd3wp-ioF3SdNbAj2vF1O9w1eDQ46I7VU3Y_Fot_swkRKRP8-BkXeVTZIeae3zrT4gAZkBlQwjla-ZxTFsKxpbHzlKSmuJ5U4ibq4J_m4mfbMeii-I-yHg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farming!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNU3__d81E7qcgHlEkM5ZvplriGzMyqTX39WnCXrb-5OxsfdYE0uelcjyw1BkkQl0YzwO17_sO_PghNiZbvfDdcVJqqlzYL2fhf7Bifr2N-jk7rJbVH0jqHD4tL8A2uzVp6cXphmaEoVqTZaWiM8qAK81FcBuTORxRndvf-hm87qasEs73vyYZaSrnQw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNU3__d81E7qcgHlEkM5ZvplriGzMyqTX39WnCXrb-5OxsfdYE0uelcjyw1BkkQl0YzwO17_sO_PghNiZbvfDdcVJqqlzYL2fhf7Bifr2N-jk7rJbVH0jqHD4tL8A2uzVp6cXphmaEoVqTZaWiM8qAK81FcBuTORxRndvf-hm87qasEs73vyYZaSrnQw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Challenging crust but forgiving pow<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNJ9BNvOGZp87EXKFCDySQf3DYTwiKHRXLoVTlzu4UYJJgUGR3uIsEw0WTWRjzXKzQOsAlsrtEv2YscyWSox21u_w8KZT3HG7OksISHiVDm50llv0mr0dNBBGqwVuxfhrbAfHz8M40Yux43gGRYlouofoJlYLEPVMMgPSonGrCsbjbAksPsoIudXFrbw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNJ9BNvOGZp87EXKFCDySQf3DYTwiKHRXLoVTlzu4UYJJgUGR3uIsEw0WTWRjzXKzQOsAlsrtEv2YscyWSox21u_w8KZT3HG7OksISHiVDm50llv0mr0dNBBGqwVuxfhrbAfHz8M40Yux43gGRYlouofoJlYLEPVMMgPSonGrCsbjbAksPsoIudXFrbw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"If you go rogue you go rogue"<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our crew was stoked and we skied as hard as we could until the end of the day. What a cool trip!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaUykAkYAwb1Z6YFc09Q1IsFEtDYuZA10JgTjx7Fa8mW1n-KXweXDGbMZ05T3TKA_BDcTKj0Bw2Kmo9CFyFGcgnQa0OI_PkQTR741-5kmTVqX4K9XFHdOJUKtA2j-glmHie4Xti1_uEukxIR6HGMb29FPWMhg9t48MUFKDcKmfMlN-4psljBjcevXL8w=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaUykAkYAwb1Z6YFc09Q1IsFEtDYuZA10JgTjx7Fa8mW1n-KXweXDGbMZ05T3TKA_BDcTKj0Bw2Kmo9CFyFGcgnQa0OI_PkQTR741-5kmTVqX4K9XFHdOJUKtA2j-glmHie4Xti1_uEukxIR6HGMb29FPWMhg9t48MUFKDcKmfMlN-4psljBjcevXL8w=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ridgetop glow<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6brMF__N7do4c8bFgJorh9oojPd43bGWhT-zoqxxNmf6hrFKsvklYIxYq0M3HdRANpIq3bh-k3L21GEiO0fRwjRIOs_cinj6MvCiHiry5Z1Nk1aMj7ZR9JLGazBouVo5yrjVq6yBRraL80BkxYXnYg7MRreWh7DNkWySBxXgl42ZoyjiD1B7S75pL9Q=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6brMF__N7do4c8bFgJorh9oojPd43bGWhT-zoqxxNmf6hrFKsvklYIxYq0M3HdRANpIq3bh-k3L21GEiO0fRwjRIOs_cinj6MvCiHiry5Z1Nk1aMj7ZR9JLGazBouVo5yrjVq6yBRraL80BkxYXnYg7MRreWh7DNkWySBxXgl42ZoyjiD1B7S75pL9Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to drop in for some afternoon gnar<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiK1dCzhk0jIzKyUZYLTQ78raasX2mS6snEf_FRo7qbgwHgey889r-LzY6mMDkRMVgs-CL7LzpfAopvKGr2HCnd3hFmV62mxg4K_pff_1gwx1Er0NzJeh7blp_cGFbIYkFS2mzNDeyZhpLJrSUOONohDHHOjBElXOIGkN3qDSO6yvl_ZAgsOK37ZSzR8w=s4000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiK1dCzhk0jIzKyUZYLTQ78raasX2mS6snEf_FRo7qbgwHgey889r-LzY6mMDkRMVgs-CL7LzpfAopvKGr2HCnd3hFmV62mxg4K_pff_1gwx1Er0NzJeh7blp_cGFbIYkFS2mzNDeyZhpLJrSUOONohDHHOjBElXOIGkN3qDSO6yvl_ZAgsOK37ZSzR8w=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good times with good friends<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span><!--more--></span><span><!--more--></span>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-89270407197681543792021-12-06T13:42:00.353-08:002022-01-03T14:58:46.895-08:00McMurdo Hut - Early Season Ski Touring<div style="text-align: center;"><div>Heading out to McMurdo this year, it was either going to be all time deep pow or absolutely horrendous due to a recent rain event up to 2200m days before. What we encountered were some of the most challenging and terrible backcountry conditions I have ever skied, a disastrously messy hummus explosion and we almost ended up spending a night in the car in Kicking Horse Canyon. Despite the struggles, we had an excellent weekend with our new friends, ate lots of gourmet cheese and got to escape reality for a few days.</div><div>"10/10 would recommend"</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgZFQA8K9wwf8jKbC4-8tGGNdPzkxV1ZfakRmDyAj3_CzIFEaVPM86HZydosfGGLjQAFe7C66jyHHahvaAIe216q5r3IwyOIxOviVtQZqsJwxHqUOc6vIl8g7xZkPsqvR5nbC7-BezaEDVKxnupLVCp0pFSXMyld1sMTeS5Q_rjYOLHn2r_qK3cb4vjw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgZFQA8K9wwf8jKbC4-8tGGNdPzkxV1ZfakRmDyAj3_CzIFEaVPM86HZydosfGGLjQAFe7C66jyHHahvaAIe216q5r3IwyOIxOviVtQZqsJwxHqUOc6vIl8g7xZkPsqvR5nbC7-BezaEDVKxnupLVCp0pFSXMyld1sMTeS5Q_rjYOLHn2r_qK3cb4vjw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deceptive pillows - look fluffy, all crust<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span><a name='more'></a></span>Early December is always a gamble when booking ski trips and you never know what you are going to get. Winter came late this year with warm sunny days in the Rockies that extended into November. When it did start to snow however, it dumped. As the coast got hammered by atmospheric rivers, the mountains received huge amounts of snow. The forecast was estimating metres of snow in the alpine despite rising freezing levels. Days before our trip, the rain from the coast found its way across the province followed by a drop in temperature down to -15. A big wet avalanche cycle came through and we crossed our fingers in hopes that the snow at McMurdo would be epic, or at least skiable. We threw a few extra beers in our packs just in case.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaDf5XDzTPpdpI1EtEw6NxWTM4qM74LJGnMd6SlcSaUkDm2ehyYASLs6C9KDBNA6Db5Mbs3EdDcwgBkgGwwPvcNqKsqpOQrI33hcjtaqaJKM7crPkubezZxnDjT4FzMWu5ecSEfMCcjVGJIs25J6fpPb9PXd82LIOS96Q0HIXU0OhIZ40ldS_aG9-yjw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaDf5XDzTPpdpI1EtEw6NxWTM4qM74LJGnMd6SlcSaUkDm2ehyYASLs6C9KDBNA6Db5Mbs3EdDcwgBkgGwwPvcNqKsqpOQrI33hcjtaqaJKM7crPkubezZxnDjT4FzMWu5ecSEfMCcjVGJIs25J6fpPb9PXd82LIOS96Q0HIXU0OhIZ40ldS_aG9-yjw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First major blizzard of the year, excellent night for a drive</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">The first obstacle was getting to Golden. Construction through Kicking Horse Canyon (Highway 1 East of Golden) has been ongoing for the last year with closures lasting 6 weeks at a time re-routing traffic through Radium. The detour adds an extra hour at minimum. Fortunately for us, the canyon had opened earlier in the week, but was still closed overnight from 10pm-7am daily. We left immediately after work to give ourselves lots of time to get through the canyon before the closure (typically less than 3hrs drive from Calgary). The roads were seriously icy and we passed numerous vehicles in the ditch or littered across the highway between Canmore and Banff. Driving slowly was the only option, especially as visibility dropped to nothing with blowing snow. Only a few kilometers from the canyon traffic stopped dead. When the highway finally opened, we crawled up a hill passing crashed semis everywhere. Driving slowly to avoid the same fate, we overtook a few very slow trucks and were waved through into the construction zone by a worker who flipped a sign to "road closed" immediately after we passed. Kyle and I looked at each other in disbelief. Everyone behind us was stopped for the night and we miraculously made it to Golden after 4.5 harrowing hours of driving.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The next morning we met up with Taylor and Dina and drove up to the staging area together. It hadn't been groomed for the season and we had to park a few kilometres back from where we could drive to last year. It was a cold and rough 35km sled up to the hut, with one uneventful creek crossing. There was lots of snow at the hut, but the dense rain crust did not bode well for skiing.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTcrxNyVqM5EdZeStgish0aR1l48SE9f0MlQ6jd02VqWvA6OVfLztxhw3MKDN_gJxm0qoCwkFyHk1E4jDUDGlOpxCFf9U8jWpv9eIy1VgpXf0Q2EhMTPuy-hOIVOYFSosxYbNWQ7bY_eN_QbG_s3vNnTBgoE7Vcx6b8hJCjMv1j57B5i1BEaOao-r0lw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTcrxNyVqM5EdZeStgish0aR1l48SE9f0MlQ6jd02VqWvA6OVfLztxhw3MKDN_gJxm0qoCwkFyHk1E4jDUDGlOpxCFf9U8jWpv9eIy1VgpXf0Q2EhMTPuy-hOIVOYFSosxYbNWQ7bY_eN_QbG_s3vNnTBgoE7Vcx6b8hJCjMv1j57B5i1BEaOao-r0lw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breaking trail and ice en-route to McMurdo Hut</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgAX4f--zxLGlLYu9NwzK-FSNSAh1w3CWhrx4g1RaXUenYzD5e16JslclhQFBqFsMxi6tWL_VbS_vV_YgRj7c3fkSlWfOANgf_Iai1ZuaS1HUNSmRmYq94I3AL66VZohlJRe0pNJPW6MSAQCQo88xWq7al7dGVrRYH68fK5DGQ9QkcSjQgclbWH1ihow=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgAX4f--zxLGlLYu9NwzK-FSNSAh1w3CWhrx4g1RaXUenYzD5e16JslclhQFBqFsMxi6tWL_VbS_vV_YgRj7c3fkSlWfOANgf_Iai1ZuaS1HUNSmRmYq94I3AL66VZohlJRe0pNJPW6MSAQCQo88xWq7al7dGVrRYH68fK5DGQ9QkcSjQgclbWH1ihow=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of snow at the hut<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We got the wood stove roaring and warmed up after the cold ride. Catastrophe struck when I discovered that our hummus had exploded in the food bin, covering everything in a greasy film. The clean-up was unpleasant to say the least. After unpacking, we went out for an afternoon tour to check out the conditions. We sadly discovered that the rain had affected the snow far above the hut and it wasn't until we had ascended 400m before we found any fresh snow.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4lEEMFygSzLKLo60VC87hgz-emHd0ptPhoWqj22NnemktRxO9MN4UimtSPtkIRie9F4Xt_22KwxRiSC6ORmRW5Jq-QBKu022UHSEHKBJ9emWzQu_8fzBanvER6o0LlO4CZ6ASeOsaJCPhoudrMARffYd5E9o56UxXAW4jUIiQGtzmE2or78jywlz5bw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4lEEMFygSzLKLo60VC87hgz-emHd0ptPhoWqj22NnemktRxO9MN4UimtSPtkIRie9F4Xt_22KwxRiSC6ORmRW5Jq-QBKu022UHSEHKBJ9emWzQu_8fzBanvER6o0LlO4CZ6ASeOsaJCPhoudrMARffYd5E9o56UxXAW4jUIiQGtzmE2or78jywlz5bw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening alpine glow on Silent Pass</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7me_-mQ0mWylvRTpNAwW-91FxMqaKA6dOuP_aCIgep4GBp1fBbztDAck4Em389HtS8YlKLw8rqUrQhycsvaeqmVSCWD1jJI85uhvKEYJY6WVQXVOaI4jd1da79PGWRwojr72d0689ITZd8QubWx5n1mDTuwh0J0BPgjLOELQfq0_afvOBOu6BuI5A-w=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh7me_-mQ0mWylvRTpNAwW-91FxMqaKA6dOuP_aCIgep4GBp1fBbztDAck4Em389HtS8YlKLw8rqUrQhycsvaeqmVSCWD1jJI85uhvKEYJY6WVQXVOaI4jd1da79PGWRwojr72d0689ITZd8QubWx5n1mDTuwh0J0BPgjLOELQfq0_afvOBOu6BuI5A-w=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Transition time<br />The few turns we made above the rain crust were fun, but definitely not the blower pow we had hoped for. It was survival skiing back down to the hut, which challenged our early-season legs. It was a stiff crust that made turning nearly impossible and was some of the worst conditions I have ever encountered. Luckily we had prepared for this possibility and had delicious meals and drinks packed.<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwvicoBQyHUl3rZ2EJige-K4vgxWpU395sVcTyoY89OGs5UII8ADRnW1xE67swh6PSP1r7dDO8PmRl3UGnHf-0ndy2jCMus1hDrusdCHipopsoDWi-EE2er-TWKyRw0m5-hEXoJApDnfdsGiihaomX-Xb19YH2c3ViOiAoWTKhe29dG92MIbn956fgPA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwvicoBQyHUl3rZ2EJige-K4vgxWpU395sVcTyoY89OGs5UII8ADRnW1xE67swh6PSP1r7dDO8PmRl3UGnHf-0ndy2jCMus1hDrusdCHipopsoDWi-EE2er-TWKyRw0m5-hEXoJApDnfdsGiihaomX-Xb19YH2c3ViOiAoWTKhe29dG92MIbn956fgPA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home away from home<br />With horrible skiing in the trees, we planned on a longer tour up to the ridge top on Saturday where we could lap the fresh snow in the alpine bowl. The weather had other plans though. As we broke trail above the trees we entered a grey world without contrast and cold, biting wind. Without visibility to navigate we opted for a few shorter laps just above tree-line. We were able to find some fun turns and scope out the terrain for next time before navigating back down the sketchy crust of doom to the hut. We returned to discover that my food bag had been raided by hungry birds. They pecked a huge hole in the side and got away with the butter and some sausage. After the hummus fiasco this felt like an evil joke. Fortunately we were able to salvage most of the food and keep it away from hungry scavengers for the rest of the trip, although we did see a big pine marten lurking outside the window that evening.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhExRfybOa5DIEt0uhAxnhTmrpnDjCcP-_-we2oFueFOLtnOqTNs4rxmjGaNlg-5EBwZ0bFsX4O60X54-vW6Ny_4eceyTmk3XGX_KwMneB-z2yAistG2npXHE0SvVyY9pKv5XLun9pxgFfWlaq_-ic0CGfVPIUREbQ8ozneScpbvZmgy5aF12Cr3ftzqA=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhExRfybOa5DIEt0uhAxnhTmrpnDjCcP-_-we2oFueFOLtnOqTNs4rxmjGaNlg-5EBwZ0bFsX4O60X54-vW6Ny_4eceyTmk3XGX_KwMneB-z2yAistG2npXHE0SvVyY9pKv5XLun9pxgFfWlaq_-ic0CGfVPIUREbQ8ozneScpbvZmgy5aF12Cr3ftzqA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Socking in just as we get to the alpine<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidpS_u8mGkNLjOkBetfzv0r0CE_jboDjrfGZO3otJOaksErfsZKK0zWz3QOs1TrCzKfzEdCAq45uTI8iSP0ijEi2sHAPpJ6j82GLyKW95-fauW7P3CHhA_YJQuUtiU0fbE4jTR34wjI66GOUnnyYjlMwTNHxl_ummXAn5sbAJovzdA-Pl9XSfvJ4hizQ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidpS_u8mGkNLjOkBetfzv0r0CE_jboDjrfGZO3otJOaksErfsZKK0zWz3QOs1TrCzKfzEdCAq45uTI8iSP0ijEi2sHAPpJ6j82GLyKW95-fauW7P3CHhA_YJQuUtiU0fbE4jTR34wjI66GOUnnyYjlMwTNHxl_ummXAn5sbAJovzdA-Pl9XSfvJ4hizQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree-line laps<br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">We made up for the subpar skiing and food thievery with a night of games and conversation in the warmth of the cozy hut.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixVIoZaDJvi0iIMUBJYPX-5_G7927x07FTAti3SI-ecUH_dloVmmtijP-yDF6uQMCsHbAClQn8NPvBYdE0nQPrNaLthMBSv-prgyEqgEDZkeR6ERrVSAfmTQyqjhBbqc0WwXI3XSoSXfzVTuZVpRRsxYPM04yrn1szpVYAFtkmQLbr9gWlCGuhY6SXkQ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixVIoZaDJvi0iIMUBJYPX-5_G7927x07FTAti3SI-ecUH_dloVmmtijP-yDF6uQMCsHbAClQn8NPvBYdE0nQPrNaLthMBSv-prgyEqgEDZkeR6ERrVSAfmTQyqjhBbqc0WwXI3XSoSXfzVTuZVpRRsxYPM04yrn1szpVYAFtkmQLbr9gWlCGuhY6SXkQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Modern art</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Not wanting to risk our knees any further, we hit the sled trail early Sunday morning. Despite the conditions it had been a super fun weekend. I know we will be back to McMurdo soon.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8keY_STqDQTJyEAfLIoihZNd2H_MtNeaDZU4eYjJqArGfYcgArHB2UxGLB0u9dyc4U-57qtU4ENCv-ad_NUHBuBGjAG8Qe3axP2FxZlTrdnvZYeLyZ55huvuJOjLfTbI7JrijyXhtpaszb6D57qFAebHR3lvP29CY0o73e_A5LfQk0D4Nbb8yI-oafg=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8keY_STqDQTJyEAfLIoihZNd2H_MtNeaDZU4eYjJqArGfYcgArHB2UxGLB0u9dyc4U-57qtU4ENCv-ad_NUHBuBGjAG8Qe3axP2FxZlTrdnvZYeLyZ55huvuJOjLfTbI7JrijyXhtpaszb6D57qFAebHR3lvP29CY0o73e_A5LfQk0D4Nbb8yI-oafg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packed up and ready to go</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4055963656170848194.post-30487665571551275192021-11-22T13:37:00.000-08:002022-03-21T13:38:40.247-07:00Southwest Utah Mountain Biking - St. George, Hurricane and Virgin<div style="text-align: center;">Utah is famous for its epic slick rock, mesa-top mountain bike trails and desert towers. When we started planning a riding trip to Utah this fall everyone assumed we were heading to Moab, the winter mountain bike mecca for Canadians looking to escape the snow. Most people had never heard of St. George, and were surprised to hear that it neighbours the town of Virgin, home to Red Bull Rampage. Southern Utah is a mountain bike destination in it's own right and is worth a visit for those looking for fun, technical desert riding.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjxJ6rLv2e8C-ZRPS08Xbytaie1Fwjr6YbLEOZuTBVg0UK61t7UW5y-nkBeeUFCRPPDMhHua-fvMzEaZ-zzaNueoPns-jWlftGkzGpMg5TX5kgEoyajlqKVAUu-gZz74cOhDX0OGSTUa-wuQ9clmBKU-c_4WU3doOvjk_KcojL15dn7p9DAWxcRK_6WQ=s4000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjxJ6rLv2e8C-ZRPS08Xbytaie1Fwjr6YbLEOZuTBVg0UK61t7UW5y-nkBeeUFCRPPDMhHua-fvMzEaZ-zzaNueoPns-jWlftGkzGpMg5TX5kgEoyajlqKVAUu-gZz74cOhDX0OGSTUa-wuQ9clmBKU-c_4WU3doOvjk_KcojL15dn7p9DAWxcRK_6WQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding rock slabs on Gooseberry Mesa</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><span><a name='more'></a></span>After 1700km of driving, we arrived in the town of St. George, the biggest town in Washington Country, Utah. Here we warmed up with some of the classic single track and got used to the punchy, technical trails. After three days in St. George, we then moved our base camp to Hurricane for the rest of the trip. Within a 30 min driving radius, we were able to access trails in Hurricane, La Verkin, Virgin and Grafton. This is where we found the most fun and interesting trails, and I would suggest Hurricane over St. George as a mountain bike destination. Having a car with decent clearance was very helpful to access the trailheads, some of which were at the top of mesas and required some minor 4x4 driving. On our "rest days," we hiked in <a href="https://jennykstrong.blogspot.com/2021/11/one-day-in-zion-national-park-angels.html" target="_blank">Zion National Park</a> (30 mins away) and rented a side-by-side for a day out in Sand Hollow State Park.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkBzoxYAJ93bedAyUFE34xI8sXXTFf5K4UAlk_x1gO-mw3xb6s5UY0wbS9WGbegqS4zZl58xredfUkH_QorHj74Xez1iGl1L2gMMHcABMuHh1OH74d8yx_41TEtmIBrz0QtKbSNWbSUtZaYnoS8DoUVrIzBSYkB5tVXKOaja4V7z0traFbW-ICKcfp5Q=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhkBzoxYAJ93bedAyUFE34xI8sXXTFf5K4UAlk_x1gO-mw3xb6s5UY0wbS9WGbegqS4zZl58xredfUkH_QorHj74Xez1iGl1L2gMMHcABMuHh1OH74d8yx_41TEtmIBrz0QtKbSNWbSUtZaYnoS8DoUVrIzBSYkB5tVXKOaja4V7z0traFbW-ICKcfp5Q=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to America<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>St. George</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Although we spent little time in the town, we did enjoy a visit to the new cocktail bar "Spiritual" with some reformed Mormons that we had met out on the trails. Apparently the liquor laws are easing in Utah and you can now buy 5% beer at the grocery stores. St. George offers a number of restaurants, grocery stores and is home to Red Rock Bike Shop. The staff at the bike shop were happy to share their local knowledge and give us some recommendations about their trails.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NquUki_4D-HtTCuqPbxQUKW94SVXM2KCoozVGA4rWmAfJwROxrI9bEcKchB9gX-s3vHXM86i6thpMcs8VD14MxtsRA58iyoQACsFrNLKrmt2cVh5SRbq5mm7ipg6_Sf3TFXN0JNMOOZyGR0R6Arsozk11nHCPlDaAuxdQsyByZRw7oF4pVJZB58QrQ/s1281/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20141308.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="607" data-original-width="1281" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2NquUki_4D-HtTCuqPbxQUKW94SVXM2KCoozVGA4rWmAfJwROxrI9bEcKchB9gX-s3vHXM86i6thpMcs8VD14MxtsRA58iyoQACsFrNLKrmt2cVh5SRbq5mm7ipg6_Sf3TFXN0JNMOOZyGR0R6Arsozk11nHCPlDaAuxdQsyByZRw7oF4pVJZB58QrQ/w640-h304/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20141308.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zones we rode<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Trails</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Zen <b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Barrel Roll and Suicidal Tendencies <span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">🟦 / </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Church Rocks <span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">🟦 / </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>Gooseberry Mesa <span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">🟦 / </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div><div>Hurricane Rim <span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">🟦</span></div><div>Grafton Mesa <b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥ / </b><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div><div>Flying Monkey <b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div><div>Nephi's Twist <b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div><div>Guacamole <span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">🟦 / </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMFnvYSsw_2Gr3p9zjjwP7O9h3w59-lT-x0qpx-g19OmHBx9mHQTCstNwHnDamFYs_vim6ISbl38RTQqYfDlXjvvrwT8X8qAkev3FcaUaMUc0cV-b7ko9Rin16QXcvI-2doA_Y8AHdYN0Y27t1VUSYjpxl_GaP6QxksPG_y6SyAcCAjXUPW08qW2vy9A=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgMFnvYSsw_2Gr3p9zjjwP7O9h3w59-lT-x0qpx-g19OmHBx9mHQTCstNwHnDamFYs_vim6ISbl38RTQqYfDlXjvvrwT8X8qAkev3FcaUaMUc0cV-b7ko9Rin16QXcvI-2doA_Y8AHdYN0Y27t1VUSYjpxl_GaP6QxksPG_y6SyAcCAjXUPW08qW2vy9A=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charcuterie and cocktails at Spiritual, St. George<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><b>Zen </b><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Distance 10km</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elevation 240m</div><div style="text-align: center;">Time 1h30m</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiArcwwzeNlkSvXXEwWnyhJ64ad42OjnbfXIQk8KwvAJlBO30JGtwJE5oxZBgYlE7PFGmp4esCPZrT1_QuW5HhxtdpU2oez46yzoyIj2LesvzD3UysahhB8NSxe9mLTPlOvXjhTqPqV7Ta0cH-xOTgmDsFdm8rncdgQQd1iIpZaogStIYr126d7HG2_mw/s1033/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20141951.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="1033" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiArcwwzeNlkSvXXEwWnyhJ64ad42OjnbfXIQk8KwvAJlBO30JGtwJE5oxZBgYlE7PFGmp4esCPZrT1_QuW5HhxtdpU2oez46yzoyIj2LesvzD3UysahhB8NSxe9mLTPlOvXjhTqPqV7Ta0cH-xOTgmDsFdm8rncdgQQd1iIpZaogStIYr126d7HG2_mw/w640-h318/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20141951.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Our first ride in St. George was Zen Trail, a 10 km loop starting from the Green Valley Parking lot. We rode this trail counter-clockwise which gives a longer descent on the technical trail. It was a good warmup for the riding to come with lots of punchy up and down sections. The trail tops out at the top of a mesa with views over the Bearclaw Poppy trail. The descent was broken up by some short climbs which made it feel longer than 240m. We made some friends who shared their local beers with us in the parking lot!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVNxhJy4bS5sKGj24bX1j8ufGjgrCtLP17h_ibvHh5S9sVLRJMbjuSgJZTYHOxAEMzMtDpBIKApAfjanvF6W-D3zYup2bWvc86lg5ZAMbB8hFZ_Vo4BkfmfudhvuS8zI7TgNn5s4CvA11sI91MGIVrdBrU_Y7UsgwK51qO3jEv9lobl8kUC9A28_2YTQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVNxhJy4bS5sKGj24bX1j8ufGjgrCtLP17h_ibvHh5S9sVLRJMbjuSgJZTYHOxAEMzMtDpBIKApAfjanvF6W-D3zYup2bWvc86lg5ZAMbB8hFZ_Vo4BkfmfudhvuS8zI7TgNn5s4CvA11sI91MGIVrdBrU_Y7UsgwK51qO3jEv9lobl8kUC9A28_2YTQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climbing up to Zen</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfW0dxNU8Dup_UMp9gjSwA78cHBc7N-3raE0tcSWeJV7DxGjlFm96TLaaW_faK3vWeKeRhOdkFlZcx3GA_Et58NcbRtQccx10kr8uM_HIok1TK7Pt1MYmUsmHqLYsvvQkCmdCniyUzOVllsCAzjfmKSNvMTxchidCBtJYqtAI6VDIqImMnoyxMPBqWjA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhfW0dxNU8Dup_UMp9gjSwA78cHBc7N-3raE0tcSWeJV7DxGjlFm96TLaaW_faK3vWeKeRhOdkFlZcx3GA_Et58NcbRtQccx10kr8uM_HIok1TK7Pt1MYmUsmHqLYsvvQkCmdCniyUzOVllsCAzjfmKSNvMTxchidCBtJYqtAI6VDIqImMnoyxMPBqWjA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle shows off his technical skills<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisYKHm65NbxRo-RDsToBe89AFxw5FmZKMlQtMzK5nBH2WIyiK-qslAGxp6GcnRIYeCwhH5t4AQW_ZD_HNJfgUpqNOt4z8BqAuYJMCAZEChlvr5UTcfRSHCXw07gjSXg9U969SU4-KYvjP2MhJiRsNF84kV-mP-TQ7R1lK1NYN6VoAX7OGPtUSMDICYyQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEisYKHm65NbxRo-RDsToBe89AFxw5FmZKMlQtMzK5nBH2WIyiK-qslAGxp6GcnRIYeCwhH5t4AQW_ZD_HNJfgUpqNOt4z8BqAuYJMCAZEChlvr5UTcfRSHCXw07gjSXg9U969SU4-KYvjP2MhJiRsNF84kV-mP-TQ7R1lK1NYN6VoAX7OGPtUSMDICYyQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First post-ride desert beer of the trip<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Barrel Roll and Suicidal Tendencies </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">🟦 / </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Distance 24 km</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elevation 483m</div><div style="text-align: center;">Time 3hrs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuQSjK0TRSuZk2zOCIa9P1lu8WyYIjPJQp1FTDryk9Iu7MVFLpyJGKyfimi9q7kwl6ZVpCgKJlOjkTYBCJXXPGW2lX7T9aR_tZTNl-B_S0vyV5YyMGQxexx-DMSDT2eqFTgjcNGNqu3TMRruV6tQnLFvjHA9gyfoZfw0RmQdwWNyDFrtTGEnfNgiDaA/s1041/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20141951.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="1041" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLuQSjK0TRSuZk2zOCIa9P1lu8WyYIjPJQp1FTDryk9Iu7MVFLpyJGKyfimi9q7kwl6ZVpCgKJlOjkTYBCJXXPGW2lX7T9aR_tZTNl-B_S0vyV5YyMGQxexx-DMSDT2eqFTgjcNGNqu3TMRruV6tQnLFvjHA9gyfoZfw0RmQdwWNyDFrtTGEnfNgiDaA/w640-h316/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20141951.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This link-up started from Santa Clara and took us up to the top of a mesa. We started Barrel Roll (not to be confused with a nearby trail called Barrel) in a clockwise direction before turning onto Sidewinder to access Suicidal Tendencies. The blue sections of trail were more flowy and the black sections were technical with lots of short rock features. The trails were well signed and easy to follow. We had awesome views from the mesa.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6LH-Ttjm199kf-fW4LJacKher_x5q2p23drmGzkZ42Vp5PvCWR_3kGx5tbNKMcuniCjSYv9YSmOKGwWOzn_XABozUGjvqPM3yyprlkmJxvv0z8GfDJYzdqgk_HXBGGCNnM0-TQTPRT4TB7Hi5k53i-XSSUgEWqQ0a7Fv4ulLsZ972Kgp-qkVfAu61QQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6LH-Ttjm199kf-fW4LJacKher_x5q2p23drmGzkZ42Vp5PvCWR_3kGx5tbNKMcuniCjSYv9YSmOKGwWOzn_XABozUGjvqPM3yyprlkmJxvv0z8GfDJYzdqgk_HXBGGCNnM0-TQTPRT4TB7Hi5k53i-XSSUgEWqQ0a7Fv4ulLsZ972Kgp-qkVfAu61QQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barrel Roll single track</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjX6vLOAKbUeOZ7CzuET9jIFZi9gqTPVu3Q9JsSE3_QHrAZzDlfWADjOwNdoYf05S5yeCHML0ZDRBGC6CCLmqIOs88JPGoCQQ6hOT5qHRUsW-7HfccL4X1_AU257ymnJh34dJgzIFNyx3I4PyooToZtUeZ4U1g3zYVSNlZ2y7Wz4UxlfQQb0uwlLjxrOA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjX6vLOAKbUeOZ7CzuET9jIFZi9gqTPVu3Q9JsSE3_QHrAZzDlfWADjOwNdoYf05S5yeCHML0ZDRBGC6CCLmqIOs88JPGoCQQ6hOT5qHRUsW-7HfccL4X1_AU257ymnJh34dJgzIFNyx3I4PyooToZtUeZ4U1g3zYVSNlZ2y7Wz4UxlfQQb0uwlLjxrOA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viewpoint on the climb</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0ZWHvRBbXJMuTmzZRL8gKlDIb7YXbdurjLOkF6jZKOCpyGdeK8NLOz8Ra-VKBvq4gU5vRLpVk8uAAnqzFFlvewMyHiWzUVJORAxoQwZezUTxFbgQkQSFGXVsSOQo4Kk_VOMYVMnTJJv4KdWT0dn9-XhoHze5DDiKzkewnX4xszbSTLFeP_L2MI4iiUw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0ZWHvRBbXJMuTmzZRL8gKlDIb7YXbdurjLOkF6jZKOCpyGdeK8NLOz8Ra-VKBvq4gU5vRLpVk8uAAnqzFFlvewMyHiWzUVJORAxoQwZezUTxFbgQkQSFGXVsSOQo4Kk_VOMYVMnTJJv4KdWT0dn9-XhoHze5DDiKzkewnX4xszbSTLFeP_L2MI4iiUw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mesa-top lunch break<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHxHV02ArgtZB4DXEDA8oJUW4uUsnZTN0ESPdTYT4RYE8OYUsk-o2fHvqNJrr_ZTsF5UlpCiJ_J0wfsCeWrW5wNFtL_73vpMpkuNaKr2zFqhyGotNe5B_GPbwvh6-K7die_RZX7OHQ9YUQIT-_gKom6ewE2bzCS2qx0DpoxaC-g9vRnWNhezO0abljmA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHxHV02ArgtZB4DXEDA8oJUW4uUsnZTN0ESPdTYT4RYE8OYUsk-o2fHvqNJrr_ZTsF5UlpCiJ_J0wfsCeWrW5wNFtL_73vpMpkuNaKr2zFqhyGotNe5B_GPbwvh6-K7die_RZX7OHQ9YUQIT-_gKom6ewE2bzCS2qx0DpoxaC-g9vRnWNhezO0abljmA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very different landscape than home<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3P34_DsxhdlI6HzzAuNdoDSv3FK9b1G0f1Qg31xAFpzB1nKmUNhJ9vZuHIC3lROlUCOhfgh_GwEO4p6EIkxEjOlVN01st4kvjpoZ0Ue0sFvz8FARDxuPGK0eyRDbIyMysYMXPIoM1xsgIhV8WD7SHf3mGhoX3M-VWFYcO2vvtUwl7LnztvjjUVVe2Mw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3P34_DsxhdlI6HzzAuNdoDSv3FK9b1G0f1Qg31xAFpzB1nKmUNhJ9vZuHIC3lROlUCOhfgh_GwEO4p6EIkxEjOlVN01st4kvjpoZ0Ue0sFvz8FARDxuPGK0eyRDbIyMysYMXPIoM1xsgIhV8WD7SHf3mGhoX3M-VWFYcO2vvtUwl7LnztvjjUVVe2Mw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a><br />Good signage at every intersection</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy3v3PVnKGXsojN4MXvn3pf6n6eLYOHVSfEA5YGycC679U3gny5uo0r02L6w2sdtGNz9dy91oQP4w4Rjn_n4OOTviFnyalBdYgUwBW_q2_i2Ce4DJZ7zr2S2cSrJGVx7nEu-Ofs5pDF97KpFR0NVQeORNkscu2AaMJBATqa501oM5XkAEvKgV772Idlw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiy3v3PVnKGXsojN4MXvn3pf6n6eLYOHVSfEA5YGycC679U3gny5uo0r02L6w2sdtGNz9dy91oQP4w4Rjn_n4OOTviFnyalBdYgUwBW_q2_i2Ce4DJZ7zr2S2cSrJGVx7nEu-Ofs5pDF97KpFR0NVQeORNkscu2AaMJBATqa501oM5XkAEvKgV772Idlw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Descending Suicidal Tendencies with views of St. George<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivDgZGdk7YeoeyQmzLKv1sesDy7Dbnk-cZDyw5WzAAHSXbXLGGeWt85iSdvj0FzpFEo7VGuWWG532FkIAEACmUohivyIZ2J5PJqXM5sQJRA8jrXZkGz-7xzgKdVt92GK748pp0pMx7IbimP1Gc-h_lYeyMhBOurMLWT8JIOM-TTD9bCTJPnPvklkHHhA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivDgZGdk7YeoeyQmzLKv1sesDy7Dbnk-cZDyw5WzAAHSXbXLGGeWt85iSdvj0FzpFEo7VGuWWG532FkIAEACmUohivyIZ2J5PJqXM5sQJRA8jrXZkGz-7xzgKdVt92GK748pp0pMx7IbimP1Gc-h_lYeyMhBOurMLWT8JIOM-TTD9bCTJPnPvklkHHhA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocky side-hill<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcx-G-CvRJlfKx5sqkyQObCnOth9czPnyUDYiMHERFGMtrCelKo-CRUXPEx3aXyk4D34VlZ-sZduI1g_RElTkXKzTtjwfCDDOKrqqtDw65cFB-pVHUSJ6AZI9bDuVytedPmK4uIOSnPDk9Vbkx5GfJjj4KyRuB3IyXw7ky5XgbbW1CyLNdemcXo-d4_A=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcx-G-CvRJlfKx5sqkyQObCnOth9czPnyUDYiMHERFGMtrCelKo-CRUXPEx3aXyk4D34VlZ-sZduI1g_RElTkXKzTtjwfCDDOKrqqtDw65cFB-pVHUSJ6AZI9bDuVytedPmK4uIOSnPDk9Vbkx5GfJjj4KyRuB3IyXw7ky5XgbbW1CyLNdemcXo-d4_A=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool rocks<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLW3QNBnxTM5rZT34qoA3Zhw-SlWyfnHw_rC6bQVPbMeU9htuP7m_6n-XDE76zO0TLGWv5fQT8tRxeH1PySt529-cwJtdDjNYaPdpvxPHJqo-vmhyY9rcbdhlZB1C0qxhqFRnDpNnhOv_q3LIc2huW1ihG9vO7Xdh0AfBsuurJWpmaO3OXWUkQhE_BUg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgLW3QNBnxTM5rZT34qoA3Zhw-SlWyfnHw_rC6bQVPbMeU9htuP7m_6n-XDE76zO0TLGWv5fQT8tRxeH1PySt529-cwJtdDjNYaPdpvxPHJqo-vmhyY9rcbdhlZB1C0qxhqFRnDpNnhOv_q3LIc2huW1ihG9vO7Xdh0AfBsuurJWpmaO3OXWUkQhE_BUg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-ride donuts in the shade<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Church Rocks </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">🟦 / </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Distance 13.5km</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elevation 215m</div><div style="text-align: center;">Time 1h45m</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHMwMmUxxN0BKojPHgp_QZAddduaBx_EiL0rb0tzrZNUtCJ02RcUvy0mJlPnP8-7lOkezKaZphHHlD4i-PekqZIw78k_lAhCHQmpqDHXA8jJdA2hciPDASjuoCacvYpEX_RRr6mSrgZ1X1diaR7t9XkCIO2nN3arte1zGelFTHpr0NYUbxHih0ORv6A/s1032/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20142255.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="1032" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWHMwMmUxxN0BKojPHgp_QZAddduaBx_EiL0rb0tzrZNUtCJ02RcUvy0mJlPnP8-7lOkezKaZphHHlD4i-PekqZIw78k_lAhCHQmpqDHXA8jJdA2hciPDASjuoCacvYpEX_RRr6mSrgZ1X1diaR7t9XkCIO2nN3arte1zGelFTHpr0NYUbxHih0ORv6A/w640-h318/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20142255.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">We woke up early Sunday morning for church. Well... the mountain bike version. This was a really fun trail that was mostly rock slab. There were a few alternative lines and optional features that we sessioned. You need to pay attention to spot the faint lines on the sandstone. We also rode Dino Cliffs to finish off the loop.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJYImLyeTOe6HbIEvy1mIwpvuATypeY61VJ_r1QXgxs2Rpnd2b0Ief1j42UYm0BrVUKYIgLYvcrY2Ll1wPa5ywv3AQv3MpHHCfbAGHhNpliT1ce4OrWScXb_NhhqHl4OJG3KYzOnZmkK4p2mOW5ks5v3_7C9erCJ5jZl-Wg58KEDwNtwdSfYUSpZwqrA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJYImLyeTOe6HbIEvy1mIwpvuATypeY61VJ_r1QXgxs2Rpnd2b0Ief1j42UYm0BrVUKYIgLYvcrY2Ll1wPa5ywv3AQv3MpHHCfbAGHhNpliT1ce4OrWScXb_NhhqHl4OJG3KYzOnZmkK4p2mOW5ks5v3_7C9erCJ5jZl-Wg58KEDwNtwdSfYUSpZwqrA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Optional slab line</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1zRf5gHpJ3iZir2-frtXibRQfqY-1NWiukl8SIKG9eGJvCNfJrQW1iGgTT3qVHOsWQp8vU9Cfj-6hYeNSp8MhxZ6W4b2f63icEJbYxs8PErubebMNdU9zKlYeXdsqqSYIRyMIAtPRdOO73S6OgBSJ4DhR4TasmOVN0z6C_HNNCC4Pwu4vFD5PO-P3-g=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh1zRf5gHpJ3iZir2-frtXibRQfqY-1NWiukl8SIKG9eGJvCNfJrQW1iGgTT3qVHOsWQp8vU9Cfj-6hYeNSp8MhxZ6W4b2f63icEJbYxs8PErubebMNdU9zKlYeXdsqqSYIRyMIAtPRdOO73S6OgBSJ4DhR4TasmOVN0z6C_HNNCC4Pwu4vFD5PO-P3-g=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandstone trail<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjbGipLQb4nJ50c8kGw1R_l6RWuXNe7Te8sAu4ftWuf5aRp0BF8wwukFXi9eCx_iX_JR98bGLOX0oavSJzrqK9Mev8rCPi1oUCiJToHEFsCW5hlgmDONw1nzZceDThZHIHNt4nyq1y3rB1oSqwyO0Lo8dGUvHVOnqPhuXDn1XcY-SqvrJhOtuacMUd7Q=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgjbGipLQb4nJ50c8kGw1R_l6RWuXNe7Te8sAu4ftWuf5aRp0BF8wwukFXi9eCx_iX_JR98bGLOX0oavSJzrqK9Mev8rCPi1oUCiJToHEFsCW5hlgmDONw1nzZceDThZHIHNt4nyq1y3rB1oSqwyO0Lo8dGUvHVOnqPhuXDn1XcY-SqvrJhOtuacMUd7Q=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another alternate line through the rocks<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b><u>Hurricane</u></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">We spent the majority of our trip based in Hurricane. We were able to find cheap accommodation at "My Place" where we had a kitchenette and access to the outdoor hot tub. They seemed fine with mountain bikers and we were able to store our bikes in the room. We cooked most of our meals in the room, but also frequented River Rock Roasting Company for early morning to-go coffee and breakfast on the way to the trails and sunset post-ride patio beers. We also spent some time at Over the Edge Sports, the local bike shop. Despite trying to organize a shuttle day in advance, we never heard back from the local companies organizing shuttles so we were on our own. Fortunately many of the big rides are loops!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrEvQ4EKRHGhAhqqT0qRLTHmr5ORlN64vkmyhbaETRjJ-9vu-bdrXQwLeRcyWQVyHkKlyQSaQ88yqEhhDcZ4TaQPAqp5UKJqgPQZAPDfoC1l9qjkOFaoF9L9zqm4sflLpi1wW6acDQKXd-8YbDOpy8-0O4pa74y762aISFFC8IJo9o7RKlkxhcRBw3uA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrEvQ4EKRHGhAhqqT0qRLTHmr5ORlN64vkmyhbaETRjJ-9vu-bdrXQwLeRcyWQVyHkKlyQSaQ88yqEhhDcZ4TaQPAqp5UKJqgPQZAPDfoC1l9qjkOFaoF9L9zqm4sflLpi1wW6acDQKXd-8YbDOpy8-0O4pa74y762aISFFC8IJo9o7RKlkxhcRBw3uA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Home for the week - My Place Hurricane</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKeIHcyub80uNI1eCFit0VAbhg0vElD1pQqDeN2xz04nNvXhacMkWDv6yVOewkGRt3_IA-Fj8z07xTFn6sn_Ae3PLjXJrXQ2N_WYqAKfhS_XChi65IiWw0VpEb5kTh6UT5mHOcnl2TvdksVaEJcy1JdgDmi7FkX_wuBr1JrnhP3JAr2vT9rBKK3yX5Dg/s4032/20211118_164033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKeIHcyub80uNI1eCFit0VAbhg0vElD1pQqDeN2xz04nNvXhacMkWDv6yVOewkGRt3_IA-Fj8z07xTFn6sn_Ae3PLjXJrXQ2N_WYqAKfhS_XChi65IiWw0VpEb5kTh6UT5mHOcnl2TvdksVaEJcy1JdgDmi7FkX_wuBr1JrnhP3JAr2vT9rBKK3yX5Dg/w480-h640/20211118_164033.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">River Rock Roasting Co. Our favourite patio in Utah<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Red Bull Rampage Site</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">We spent an afternoon exploring one of the original Red Bull Rampage sites which was visible from Kolob Terrace Road north of Virgin. The stunts look so much bigger in real life!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEib56gg4xNuhwBegIxaiXodC25SLa6MjQ_GYUw2iHQcWig0w1J4hr5kD21YEG5aIpNPSzNgwwHLEGsG8kg_JVJ2mlVenq8dOKc_Wlm5ssMGaczfUqem0N1OwgKnAnMo9-7mBHZMuOqkVoatOuT0gKcFRJmKh-zvOieMau5oeSVzuSVZpVJjuerJSg1YVQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEib56gg4xNuhwBegIxaiXodC25SLa6MjQ_GYUw2iHQcWig0w1J4hr5kD21YEG5aIpNPSzNgwwHLEGsG8kg_JVJ2mlVenq8dOKc_Wlm5ssMGaczfUqem0N1OwgKnAnMo9-7mBHZMuOqkVoatOuT0gKcFRJmKh-zvOieMau5oeSVzuSVZpVJjuerJSg1YVQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lining up one of the stunts</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd9mU9x-ZuhAXHdTarjlaRlgRTc_bQbUV6c8VCVJsXtzvNqfnp2C_f6Oi57eF0IJZM0SBr1Zzh6BryMc3nWRvUQzQq0nBSfCd1cDUzRrnX-XjyCLYf8YiV8HuHAT2p9FwaKq6aPbau_OJ0VcV7L5AQSxZOtIsg1rjLq9JqzPly8Y-aUQz4h5p5ZZ-BzA=s4000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgd9mU9x-ZuhAXHdTarjlaRlgRTc_bQbUV6c8VCVJsXtzvNqfnp2C_f6Oi57eF0IJZM0SBr1Zzh6BryMc3nWRvUQzQq0nBSfCd1cDUzRrnX-XjyCLYf8YiV8HuHAT2p9FwaKq6aPbau_OJ0VcV7L5AQSxZOtIsg1rjLq9JqzPly8Y-aUQz4h5p5ZZ-BzA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocks mark the take-off</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuLdKOYKzaS3gs76PmzjKRmLHkhWBimDqnVoUGbJyE-_AXPr-fwdFfdF5l7sVLXOByWFN0T4PTDAqtLvs61gfJcYEvxVmrO7dAXFsQQKlUyQyFjjeoVh6UFhkCBw1lds3wP4wdKdOEyglxgAObXTZiCplcD8XnxQvYyBJHJsJOdor727weuMY4f4nz-w=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuLdKOYKzaS3gs76PmzjKRmLHkhWBimDqnVoUGbJyE-_AXPr-fwdFfdF5l7sVLXOByWFN0T4PTDAqtLvs61gfJcYEvxVmrO7dAXFsQQKlUyQyFjjeoVh6UFhkCBw1lds3wP4wdKdOEyglxgAObXTZiCplcD8XnxQvYyBJHJsJOdor727weuMY4f4nz-w=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jumps everywhere!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Gooseberry Mesa </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">🟦 / </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Distance 26.3km</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elevation 289m</div><div style="text-align: center;">Time 4hrs</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVcY6ABdEgwWFZhcftcod5SKOhVcBZoXmgoUp-nn7FMZtjg0w0gomC61AurkcoxT6E6afJELGl4YpXrEwDCDGsmuDG4kvPufX9pzq_KJ5sFBiOFnoS0vZuoNCPm8YHuRJUHHnqcaKjdl8rtRLQhMd4S07oPpd2fqnBDlsikKlyv5DHO0PU24SgXmp9g/s1029/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20142400.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="1029" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwVcY6ABdEgwWFZhcftcod5SKOhVcBZoXmgoUp-nn7FMZtjg0w0gomC61AurkcoxT6E6afJELGl4YpXrEwDCDGsmuDG4kvPufX9pzq_KJ5sFBiOFnoS0vZuoNCPm8YHuRJUHHnqcaKjdl8rtRLQhMd4S07oPpd2fqnBDlsikKlyv5DHO0PU24SgXmp9g/w640-h322/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20142400.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">This was my favourite trail of the whole trip, and the most exhausting 300m of elevation I have every done. We managed to ride most of the trails on the mesa by riding a big counter-clockwise loop including Practice Loop, Bowls and Ledges, North Rim, Yellow Trail, Gooseberry Point and South Rim. We also added on Hidden Trail as an out and back and it was absolutely worth the effort! This trail had lots of technical sections as well as amazing views as you worked your way along the mesa rim. It was a full body workout. The trails were marked by signs at intersections but you had to watch for white circles painted on the rock to find the line. Sometimes it was easy to get turned around and end up heading back in reverse direction! The access to the trail was from Apple Valley and involved a long section of dirt road and washboard. There were lots of people camping up on Gooseberry Mesa too!</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWEyovPw5xxedMomECaXvlrRth50I9LGjJub2A4K8PWnBaog1rj6PkdFwSSiDO-RT0KjCTriHg4WhBZvd46zkM11xhpLxmTBDwA7bJpkwqadRwgJKNmaEty9D84CqXqhMSBhIHoXYagY-i18gQBDJMh1SXu80V4RB4ewL9jvK8gAmfcMUMRz7q19gzyw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWEyovPw5xxedMomECaXvlrRth50I9LGjJub2A4K8PWnBaog1rj6PkdFwSSiDO-RT0KjCTriHg4WhBZvd46zkM11xhpLxmTBDwA7bJpkwqadRwgJKNmaEty9D84CqXqhMSBhIHoXYagY-i18gQBDJMh1SXu80V4RB4ewL9jvK8gAmfcMUMRz7q19gzyw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A fine selection of local flora</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSLRkI9o2rmXAaWaWWkVmPpl6qEMlN_J3LtvuJUNvUcD9QffEQkGGEFarS3nar_Yec3lyWRgU3oyIq4h52Kj7q36cW0lM3TK0rXwe2P0_Ho8xEDA0-Wo7034wrnmYmhvZ7Izglo7bVpTIbC7hp_ZnLcJTrJ9bUHpsJ4OeyIKk7euvTEtFYDUevQ5VzAA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSLRkI9o2rmXAaWaWWkVmPpl6qEMlN_J3LtvuJUNvUcD9QffEQkGGEFarS3nar_Yec3lyWRgU3oyIq4h52Kj7q36cW0lM3TK0rXwe2P0_Ho8xEDA0-Wo7034wrnmYmhvZ7Izglo7bVpTIbC7hp_ZnLcJTrJ9bUHpsJ4OeyIKk7euvTEtFYDUevQ5VzAA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">North Rim of Gooseberry Mesa<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBKcs8XLOlqU7OHxQ9F4T0OwFS6GAvu9J1g6VRYKJLkp4fpidNz1cN6poszeFAbJZ7cTh7H-6EIajshVX1gZSej9IsIXo1PogG_5NFpCIZqNn-EgvtV-n-gYn8lojhI1CcyG7iYZqgf97_Y4CeaGMx7lefmMZgBqdNufLG8W1Fo_BV_tJnLSPkHPOrJg=s3648" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBKcs8XLOlqU7OHxQ9F4T0OwFS6GAvu9J1g6VRYKJLkp4fpidNz1cN6poszeFAbJZ7cTh7H-6EIajshVX1gZSej9IsIXo1PogG_5NFpCIZqNn-EgvtV-n-gYn8lojhI1CcyG7iYZqgf97_Y4CeaGMx7lefmMZgBqdNufLG8W1Fo_BV_tJnLSPkHPOrJg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfect day for a ride<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxUPPyaOuTufIWn3Ltg8F2HW9QLwrflOxf7pyY3oseMUa3Avwh8mt2FUwT_7rM43eZrm0AqPGvMHc2AvWQh_AFrVCHDAhxmy7-4PT1CpR-1Pu0rYxQxQrvXXk167uW8nGeRBRl3fYK2sOdMhN9menv4NKsio9u6zwM5kryIVGnOLDOag1dmEXAZIfCbQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxUPPyaOuTufIWn3Ltg8F2HW9QLwrflOxf7pyY3oseMUa3Avwh8mt2FUwT_7rM43eZrm0AqPGvMHc2AvWQh_AFrVCHDAhxmy7-4PT1CpR-1Pu0rYxQxQrvXXk167uW8nGeRBRl3fYK2sOdMhN9menv4NKsio9u6zwM5kryIVGnOLDOag1dmEXAZIfCbQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High up on Gooseberry Mesa<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzioDpdeLz1-ccGG1z6M0VExqsVdr1EnBr1f1yC7d8CSmmPrLwIufN8bv2L5PogOaCJZAysJCUstmHVTosPX--bMFOsBPRi5FV1YQu3I5-RY1nw89joEB5PYyv284kufIWC-oXbam9ZcAu9jcNYEDvboi0geHg4znTKKKGEtHSeHyI7SbYQ3RSSf6fMg=s4000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzioDpdeLz1-ccGG1z6M0VExqsVdr1EnBr1f1yC7d8CSmmPrLwIufN8bv2L5PogOaCJZAysJCUstmHVTosPX--bMFOsBPRi5FV1YQu3I5-RY1nw89joEB5PYyv284kufIWC-oXbam9ZcAu9jcNYEDvboi0geHg4znTKKKGEtHSeHyI7SbYQ3RSSf6fMg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gooseberry Point<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWep7mZfnlNtqHbP8rFLX1P61QN9l4piB5wz2xEJdRZMAnvOTOr5_Od26olPLmUdnK6rNbbnpMX9d-6YQRG9-Yd-wDPvMg16USmQM0poUQSbxZCE6G6q4BSA3OmIuLklZhUy3fyfXpLTzSWGKSBpom3OM4-lcRcDZyRwGimhxA7agtIzYRKUl_UewXkg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWep7mZfnlNtqHbP8rFLX1P61QN9l4piB5wz2xEJdRZMAnvOTOr5_Od26olPLmUdnK6rNbbnpMX9d-6YQRG9-Yd-wDPvMg16USmQM0poUQSbxZCE6G6q4BSA3OmIuLklZhUy3fyfXpLTzSWGKSBpom3OM4-lcRcDZyRwGimhxA7agtIzYRKUl_UewXkg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking off the South Rim<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_w9l7il5Bcl7CqPpjpgDCSzXeU4TvSWJo6YJymVekM-Pcxh9kzcC59gm4GEIad61Lygo7nRxWWxjrVu9IlABHuSGMViTyePWuNfGYTzm1B_pNVmf1tqhMYwCBTji-B7fKzQ8H6yqZPKQw_J-ngFMEebUFWPsrVX3vWMFNdv-uTunMI7svJOFKj3eYmw=s4000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_w9l7il5Bcl7CqPpjpgDCSzXeU4TvSWJo6YJymVekM-Pcxh9kzcC59gm4GEIad61Lygo7nRxWWxjrVu9IlABHuSGMViTyePWuNfGYTzm1B_pNVmf1tqhMYwCBTji-B7fKzQ8H6yqZPKQw_J-ngFMEebUFWPsrVX3vWMFNdv-uTunMI7svJOFKj3eYmw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock slabs on the South Rim<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0IxvjLs8abl9kpsZJXCSR7gO3rYTRmRglL6iergPJnUvn2Bp-_SsFLyAARSo0wlBdhSykEG1_-55GvPSqXTGVE076dmpI3K8vaItxpGIgjgjVaZNr7RjgAIQfsbxu-Iax_4n41XDJYwjF8yAzcQ8y-aNgxK4bu-6Y4gZNKB0zKU_53iVMCOxV_NO4pg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0IxvjLs8abl9kpsZJXCSR7gO3rYTRmRglL6iergPJnUvn2Bp-_SsFLyAARSo0wlBdhSykEG1_-55GvPSqXTGVE076dmpI3K8vaItxpGIgjgjVaZNr7RjgAIQfsbxu-Iax_4n41XDJYwjF8yAzcQ8y-aNgxK4bu-6Y4gZNKB0zKU_53iVMCOxV_NO4pg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The edge of the world<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPIbR3p4miFkkt9jSB1AJj6DGzyqGG_RV2TAxxja_6yelA7z3Spqe34_vEH2rke6TMiDL_avXQy170cLXDTZUf7iz_9yXVa6hJLSlKAQUyD5IDjc9tQcpE2sEGtOKF1UUdB9enkOiFI4HHJaY6hqB5u-QxQ6gg3y7IhmjGKCGv15H2UBSRfFJc6sRysg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPIbR3p4miFkkt9jSB1AJj6DGzyqGG_RV2TAxxja_6yelA7z3Spqe34_vEH2rke6TMiDL_avXQy170cLXDTZUf7iz_9yXVa6hJLSlKAQUyD5IDjc9tQcpE2sEGtOKF1UUdB9enkOiFI4HHJaY6hqB5u-QxQ6gg3y7IhmjGKCGv15H2UBSRfFJc6sRysg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up and over the rocks on the mesa<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhYEc4zr66FrCTZpIAr3G5WUb5YZ9g_Ish6ue-pYFGZFgvjaESOqDtHyWti0fV5pETvW00CVEViuRJDg1xiJKwMcKW1N34BZOCTeTKHwUyGljigsB4VScpLb4hTev-Ngz4hhkdTCGzhKip383kflfeWBZHFpWlzO5UGJ-2mhlzqSoa7wEGQN8dr1yGKA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhhYEc4zr66FrCTZpIAr3G5WUb5YZ9g_Ish6ue-pYFGZFgvjaESOqDtHyWti0fV5pETvW00CVEViuRJDg1xiJKwMcKW1N34BZOCTeTKHwUyGljigsB4VScpLb4hTev-Ngz4hhkdTCGzhKip383kflfeWBZHFpWlzO5UGJ-2mhlzqSoa7wEGQN8dr1yGKA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More rocks around every corner<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_4WWhg6G5sBSTcEGWgYDCY-8OP4mvKnHwbMfDbZz9i2qwL4ZrgNdQKB6OsvJZG21aEGmJokxhTTxb001QLQHqBejEC5i4zNmrMvypusq-a9CneANrVT-qXWgczCw4hnMnDiAeINEjuUCHzxulkLUix4efZY-9bfdDA2vEtULkvs3kIaHkMpMsbxNMwQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_4WWhg6G5sBSTcEGWgYDCY-8OP4mvKnHwbMfDbZz9i2qwL4ZrgNdQKB6OsvJZG21aEGmJokxhTTxb001QLQHqBejEC5i4zNmrMvypusq-a9CneANrVT-qXWgczCw4hnMnDiAeINEjuUCHzxulkLUix4efZY-9bfdDA2vEtULkvs3kIaHkMpMsbxNMwQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Follow the white dots on the rock<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Hurricane Rim (IMBA Epic) </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">🟦</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Distance 40.9km</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Elevation 560m</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Time 4h20m</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJQEV6X77EMudpDF5_266fxYLM1P3M4yR0YKhngN8R_0irxZbPjVrDXzoMd4JbhhoUO4328-1p4dOGS4NcyRFHMjQy8xhfIySGtcUyMJR27IuTCwfElOlQila8TkjMkVt4BSEIaNlHUEQcjecO1ToScL4VQskRv9uyzgyBKjfeZ-E-3gYKqA6exdPCw/s1032/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20142454.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="1032" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJQEV6X77EMudpDF5_266fxYLM1P3M4yR0YKhngN8R_0irxZbPjVrDXzoMd4JbhhoUO4328-1p4dOGS4NcyRFHMjQy8xhfIySGtcUyMJR27IuTCwfElOlQila8TkjMkVt4BSEIaNlHUEQcjecO1ToScL4VQskRv9uyzgyBKjfeZ-E-3gYKqA6exdPCw/w640-h310/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20142454.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was our longest ride, but ended up being the least technical. The IMBA Epic route around Hurricane Rim was more of a cross country single track ride and was a nice break from the very physical riding that we had been doing. We rode the loop counter clockwise and finished on Jem, a pedally single track descent.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4_byC784SHPEbhhyJTG3YgOGwfxjSqBjIGWp9FfBX1GQol-Nk8VbyGQS4R5kQVnLGFHXUCJ4VMNWWUZRHnl_gc8-WysKOnLUNmquis15XMOLd1bDl9wqbqjoXXGEpLxzH-RC8ODnB5NePb7koQwRYlmGdtZ89Buciv6YoyWpFh6kHIpnqEzdocPxZ0g=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4_byC784SHPEbhhyJTG3YgOGwfxjSqBjIGWp9FfBX1GQol-Nk8VbyGQS4R5kQVnLGFHXUCJ4VMNWWUZRHnl_gc8-WysKOnLUNmquis15XMOLd1bDl9wqbqjoXXGEpLxzH-RC8ODnB5NePb7koQwRYlmGdtZ89Buciv6YoyWpFh6kHIpnqEzdocPxZ0g=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up and down on Hurricane Rim</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidDZ4s0EJ2K43fjO0KntkOVdtafArjId23yooDeMVxzLm6SMfAn-rbH2FIddeLr1SX2qqKiffw_LzO6OMkHwJR2OC_vP0xuZ42na82TyxwMKztFlcbIZILhGGQcXj0c0EpWz4CVdSDaWu_1lsKigVRLL-LWhRCAa-lI10sZhiZsXmqQ4blo2ipdbTtVw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidDZ4s0EJ2K43fjO0KntkOVdtafArjId23yooDeMVxzLm6SMfAn-rbH2FIddeLr1SX2qqKiffw_LzO6OMkHwJR2OC_vP0xuZ42na82TyxwMKztFlcbIZILhGGQcXj0c0EpWz4CVdSDaWu_1lsKigVRLL-LWhRCAa-lI10sZhiZsXmqQ4blo2ipdbTtVw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smooth single track, a nice change from sandstone punch climbs<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1DfMCN3BUSyWR3Sw13E5omtk5FOKtH3-TD4LZs1HCL6BE2ePMW-vJTDn3ohSFn9rTFunoa8F98DtDcGqps6ztO-qz_gTk4PqOG9UusxVz3KoedT4gIdQ82ld8MueOLPBYPUEqHKhnbU21LzhhetfzBNFXTU-fsd1U4DecXRjx3gyX4jfC8DvQaVTBBw=s4000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1DfMCN3BUSyWR3Sw13E5omtk5FOKtH3-TD4LZs1HCL6BE2ePMW-vJTDn3ohSFn9rTFunoa8F98DtDcGqps6ztO-qz_gTk4PqOG9UusxVz3KoedT4gIdQ82ld8MueOLPBYPUEqHKhnbU21LzhhetfzBNFXTU-fsd1U4DecXRjx3gyX4jfC8DvQaVTBBw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Desert views<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjFMZukIT4whDYuIlr6LZ6HDiUSoqHvghqR1JL_OZb1ncDHyDQQ_3FZ4tJ3psYSZKqD5cixxqUx2EczpgmvgB90vI8YlDxRq_f1WFfUWp_OeKrwKEtg6SxA1vIyF3H9sRqqBphRJgLCO9tZ6xBqsuOPMdDHLSctQS-ItVqiBbnxSNo9BWTtsZbbT5zeQ=s3648" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="3648" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjFMZukIT4whDYuIlr6LZ6HDiUSoqHvghqR1JL_OZb1ncDHyDQQ_3FZ4tJ3psYSZKqD5cixxqUx2EczpgmvgB90vI8YlDxRq_f1WFfUWp_OeKrwKEtg6SxA1vIyF3H9sRqqBphRJgLCO9tZ6xBqsuOPMdDHLSctQS-ItVqiBbnxSNo9BWTtsZbbT5zeQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down at the Virgin River<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEim7BQYbrxnQNbsSBpOGi4pNOU995XvIxCazvmp0lrWoGkJuZqAogcZua_ploSzsJf4_8yNWXrmxESCCXh6YjnKYq_O_c1pBTIupx5hNrBBLZvlZd-GsALyWdO8f5uZI3_a6x82wTiWGi8foSt0QMZ4JqrfCAjZc_JfVl_m6ZNzMl-bOAPiDnI-Ke_XPw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEim7BQYbrxnQNbsSBpOGi4pNOU995XvIxCazvmp0lrWoGkJuZqAogcZua_ploSzsJf4_8yNWXrmxESCCXh6YjnKYq_O_c1pBTIupx5hNrBBLZvlZd-GsALyWdO8f5uZI3_a6x82wTiWGi8foSt0QMZ4JqrfCAjZc_JfVl_m6ZNzMl-bOAPiDnI-Ke_XPw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The one challenging corner on the trail<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4rWlBABq6P9UJCoijPgLpBNkA72i1pEuNUGSydJq7_5hd5DsNTQINZp0Wr1okas0UWiyEEiZkVbQT07_0HsfsOM9ZoUPtpo1SVUZR6Puj5syCouVSBeUir8-GjX-bg6gXqf4Dk_6UNzcQRTcZcXEPKY0iKDjrZcdWL1RA7OORpZn7GFPPafk-OvnfYg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4rWlBABq6P9UJCoijPgLpBNkA72i1pEuNUGSydJq7_5hd5DsNTQINZp0Wr1okas0UWiyEEiZkVbQT07_0HsfsOM9ZoUPtpo1SVUZR6Puj5syCouVSBeUir8-GjX-bg6gXqf4Dk_6UNzcQRTcZcXEPKY0iKDjrZcdWL1RA7OORpZn7GFPPafk-OvnfYg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Short, fast descent<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg849DOTnhJTrCsI1y4wkFp0MQt3dbGre5Y4g-v7SPYep36Zi8HX_wRL4WG1S3wnCoiNBpWcGTBKq-PAmbo7WhJLKh-C0CPe6PJBe0Pn34zOQRXHA5UXoLpTagKjFw90Yw_xt4M9sxY4obBL6DqN5cVga94NOcL5XkEjISv-bdOeMf8PYVSaRNsq871nQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg849DOTnhJTrCsI1y4wkFp0MQt3dbGre5Y4g-v7SPYep36Zi8HX_wRL4WG1S3wnCoiNBpWcGTBKq-PAmbo7WhJLKh-C0CPe6PJBe0Pn34zOQRXHA5UXoLpTagKjFw90Yw_xt4M9sxY4obBL6DqN5cVga94NOcL5XkEjISv-bdOeMf8PYVSaRNsq871nQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dusty and happy back at the car<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Grafton Mesa </b><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥/</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Distance 16.5km</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elevation 435m</div><div style="text-align: center;">Time 2h10m</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-bveNiCvyJQC28-oBtGQOIH5oQHiMQazggAHnaeI3g8GcpcJGN8bJNtRtyqcKmnnNcNEUxQwzrdfLM1OGp2WjyuisYwROTJetQqb_6aQBo3Dh1QZZ6Mv3cFADhZHmM6rHl8zZgfWU6ZpWw5bz45_MWdui4_rqQcMRfbX_Wj09ARCiLelEyXdw5T6lA/s1036/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20142537.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="1036" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje-bveNiCvyJQC28-oBtGQOIH5oQHiMQazggAHnaeI3g8GcpcJGN8bJNtRtyqcKmnnNcNEUxQwzrdfLM1OGp2WjyuisYwROTJetQqb_6aQBo3Dh1QZZ6Mv3cFADhZHmM6rHl8zZgfWU6ZpWw5bz45_MWdui4_rqQcMRfbX_Wj09ARCiLelEyXdw5T6lA/w640-h316/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20142537.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Grafton Mesa had some really cool trails and a longer descent trail than we had ridden so far. The climb from the parking lot was a steep dirt road that gained elevation quickly. Once we were up on the mesa, we rode Show Me the Money, More Money and Grafton Mesa DH. These trails were our first double blacks of the trip and were super fun. The DH trail was steep and loose and a bit exciting too.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHkBcvsB226qQ_5XsbFcxh06rl2F2y5Y905jVf_lWLbll7J9T4Lmb5Ery-ncsR2ivJHU35IrZnefxDrvaTum6Pr7Yqvx9KNzlk_LxYEemdskT-lOjxVmdvbIvLH5z33adavY6qAorcqi08S1iCZQNsGewcJ76BGRQKob0g3b0fKRhLAt-VjFcwGRITqw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHkBcvsB226qQ_5XsbFcxh06rl2F2y5Y905jVf_lWLbll7J9T4Lmb5Ery-ncsR2ivJHU35IrZnefxDrvaTum6Pr7Yqvx9KNzlk_LxYEemdskT-lOjxVmdvbIvLH5z33adavY6qAorcqi08S1iCZQNsGewcJ76BGRQKob0g3b0fKRhLAt-VjFcwGRITqw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up the road to Grafton Mesa</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF_eEXxTnYThDgkKKg6C5aJ_5GiK9m0flDr7VO8haM-bhqtcpt3s3IYOhmdLOogTfdwCc8pxho7MH6GFZZoOGsJIe_GRZhOPTGPfK0DWhcU97_1ZvoAZ-6kNmrymnLt4mn3nx24SrnSauMNJqA01YcobGoaGzJ_G5NrjROolYhkDeLmUsHAo1J0gg_ig=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF_eEXxTnYThDgkKKg6C5aJ_5GiK9m0flDr7VO8haM-bhqtcpt3s3IYOhmdLOogTfdwCc8pxho7MH6GFZZoOGsJIe_GRZhOPTGPfK0DWhcU97_1ZvoAZ-6kNmrymnLt4mn3nx24SrnSauMNJqA01YcobGoaGzJ_G5NrjROolYhkDeLmUsHAo1J0gg_ig=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long steep climb<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgN4z74d80H0UXRcyCF6qtYDFi6QETTaxgBcanm2a2EfKoBB5tBrvzgWNzR0J9xuPAvoGPj-eSq9gD0YH7YpkQGnfEGjHjYHyXCTNGLmRUrkHHnV6AFFpc8JYlsRaemON_qQTR-IAAdEQvdlQTMWA5VCd6OZYipuakAAHN9CSBnW7eAVAB142G3GCdKlw=s1920" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgN4z74d80H0UXRcyCF6qtYDFi6QETTaxgBcanm2a2EfKoBB5tBrvzgWNzR0J9xuPAvoGPj-eSq9gD0YH7YpkQGnfEGjHjYHyXCTNGLmRUrkHHnV6AFFpc8JYlsRaemON_qQTR-IAAdEQvdlQTMWA5VCd6OZYipuakAAHN9CSBnW7eAVAB142G3GCdKlw=w360-h640" width="360" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Short section of gnar on "Show Me the Money"<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieNWL6C6OhfAhV7rh-dATBxiQYHNzMtY4wk6x_GLbA5IryBCoq4AmpIy6vkzkHztcECaAWE-8XED_IglFpPbk2z6zwxH3T_2IErTQ2_2JnyKSdcUaYfAxVk2r1ycvKuH141afL5kV9F6zMTHXiuejc2ls2oCaoJx6sZh2jNGs9lPh2f06ksAzd6Foucw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieNWL6C6OhfAhV7rh-dATBxiQYHNzMtY4wk6x_GLbA5IryBCoq4AmpIy6vkzkHztcECaAWE-8XED_IglFpPbk2z6zwxH3T_2IErTQ2_2JnyKSdcUaYfAxVk2r1ycvKuH141afL5kV9F6zMTHXiuejc2ls2oCaoJx6sZh2jNGs9lPh2f06ksAzd6Foucw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle dropping into Grafton Mesa DH<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSLRNoQiZ7pRLntR_m_W8mipdXjO38Y_UkTbSUStpHtJ_NS3kV61cZa3ouA2Ev0aW-W-Iv-tREOEmr8BeSJ59AUPTpV56dRbVolUPBfhj7KTFSi4UY_lCQ3O9JuzRDFe5AEsW7EW81SP1a312x7IUFsntAjdwW_OACPxQjDJgk7k7BNg8v-QEnNrrVNg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSLRNoQiZ7pRLntR_m_W8mipdXjO38Y_UkTbSUStpHtJ_NS3kV61cZa3ouA2Ev0aW-W-Iv-tREOEmr8BeSJ59AUPTpV56dRbVolUPBfhj7KTFSi4UY_lCQ3O9JuzRDFe5AEsW7EW81SP1a312x7IUFsntAjdwW_OACPxQjDJgk7k7BNg8v-QEnNrrVNg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grafton Mesa DH<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6_EWp-p2fIO2QDrxgut6tNdKTG0Mp6yMGYXBzQMsOe_eWmCyzPEq9r_SL56fLAaDh8mDT1NfeAOB7i_b0UatqGDl_GUZsHP0sz0J3x-rITxo8dxywfK9RJwcsxMayQE2nJYGMEolv1IxL-qndXLP8yc6JLELvZuGHnoWqlFtuPpLNNnsfYl3Zz4ncVQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6_EWp-p2fIO2QDrxgut6tNdKTG0Mp6yMGYXBzQMsOe_eWmCyzPEq9r_SL56fLAaDh8mDT1NfeAOB7i_b0UatqGDl_GUZsHP0sz0J3x-rITxo8dxywfK9RJwcsxMayQE2nJYGMEolv1IxL-qndXLP8yc6JLELvZuGHnoWqlFtuPpLNNnsfYl3Zz4ncVQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fast side hill single track<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlOCOvpjMpfqolNexr7VnNV36_tgBhxr8oa9az5Pr7d4DXutyzKHI9UypSjvNul6QobncUVSJ7UoK6cggtPYa5onUv0QEJCPzrZia7xtLRdPFfInIYOqCI94q4ENkPETjDAKWCEis_-r7gGEZYAymN_-JptZr10KdMQ3HYj3V6ZhYTiEMcfpBCXiLBA/s4032/20211119_122411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlOCOvpjMpfqolNexr7VnNV36_tgBhxr8oa9az5Pr7d4DXutyzKHI9UypSjvNul6QobncUVSJ7UoK6cggtPYa5onUv0QEJCPzrZia7xtLRdPFfInIYOqCI94q4ENkPETjDAKWCEis_-r7gGEZYAymN_-JptZr10KdMQ3HYj3V6ZhYTiEMcfpBCXiLBA/w640-h480/20211119_122411.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The road gap at the bottom of Grafton Mesa<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Flying Monkey </b><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Distance 5.2km</div><div style="text-align: center;">Descent 346m</div><div style="text-align: center;">Time 30min</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimplP8Gfc1iGRdnG5hXgC9mEk9FgvJKiWTayHp1l9q9D4en-xrluJkssKX1JL5lxbYHEuZV-jh5GADrH9hnvsAlQ-__cGEyE5rABRMC-Auz-7tjQtE-j2_Q597lHm6-vx7AzlKYkzk1CCUqPugol2phjiAXmZOhGyQqPSo_LBhPOaQQEuIf4StSPqF_Q/s1033/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20142623.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="1033" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimplP8Gfc1iGRdnG5hXgC9mEk9FgvJKiWTayHp1l9q9D4en-xrluJkssKX1JL5lxbYHEuZV-jh5GADrH9hnvsAlQ-__cGEyE5rABRMC-Auz-7tjQtE-j2_Q597lHm6-vx7AzlKYkzk1CCUqPugol2phjiAXmZOhGyQqPSo_LBhPOaQQEuIf4StSPqF_Q/w640-h318/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20142623.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Since we didn't have anyone to shuttle with, Kyle and I both rode this trail solo. The shuttle road was paved and built right into the cliff. The trail was steep and exposed. I walked a few sections that probably wouldn't have been super difficult, but had serious consequences if you fell. There were other trails that dropped off the side down crazy spines that reminded me of the Rampage site.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGx7W-k7x1V3T0mKQuwFbz1kNZgm09EYozxR2m1UIy588jzd_RcxVUby_K85zioXtYBZzTvFXgzwNZk5oMPXyPV6HgNw4vjSxX5oKxRwpVVCXu-cjh-tw1Wto5Erm-SKerepETdciOQGjKxn02iY1_-I9Mc4L6r5cKhgPfBvyq2kH7wo0483p_2C-1KQ=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjGx7W-k7x1V3T0mKQuwFbz1kNZgm09EYozxR2m1UIy588jzd_RcxVUby_K85zioXtYBZzTvFXgzwNZk5oMPXyPV6HgNw4vjSxX5oKxRwpVVCXu-cjh-tw1Wto5Erm-SKerepETdciOQGjKxn02iY1_-I9Mc4L6r5cKhgPfBvyq2kH7wo0483p_2C-1KQ=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out the drop in for King Kong</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Guacamole </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">🟦/</span><b style="background-color: white; color: #202124; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">⬥</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Distance 19.3km</div><div style="text-align: center;">Elevation 166m</div><div style="text-align: center;">Time 2h25m</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhnrX0bGI4nSS3Ue408E3SuxX9rgVsEAeNxwBH32-OrkdCyJV6Xrmq6MgTWIhSStVsmTT-JiJlU_REdoehxlESHGNEu7k-ptrzrEPwjjWoVLYi2qCz7iCVmQ0kjm6h27MORF9dZNlYnQ_HWf1SaU-IjHPydz3I3SO6q0IioHXH-yAF_vQIKk0q6YC_w/s1038/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20142705.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="1038" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNhnrX0bGI4nSS3Ue408E3SuxX9rgVsEAeNxwBH32-OrkdCyJV6Xrmq6MgTWIhSStVsmTT-JiJlU_REdoehxlESHGNEu7k-ptrzrEPwjjWoVLYi2qCz7iCVmQ0kjm6h27MORF9dZNlYnQ_HWf1SaU-IjHPydz3I3SO6q0IioHXH-yAF_vQIKk0q6YC_w/w640-h314/Screenshot%202022-03-21%20142705.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Our final ride before the long drive back to Canada. We started this one at sunrise and it took quite a while to warm up. The trail intersections were marked with either old buckets or rocks wrapped in chicken wire. We rode the trailforks "Best of Guacamole" route to include Margarita, Guacamole, Lime with a Twist, Holy Guacamole and Salt on the Rim. It was a fun trail with lots of rock riding but also some flow.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNoAChc2w6aiS4Ru3nc8lDjAGyXu5HolrxJGVipS3W6uTbgLzvZjmMEtssrVByS_kIwXYZINmJAIbGGhtnRiYWujOS-IL37HSIRCR18On9SqJqkYcRooecj0JhhiOw2CK_yps6jfp9-oG4tUiR2mX1G2sL-uuuMLO7Q7jlT1EdSROlzyOhWvL6slu90g=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNoAChc2w6aiS4Ru3nc8lDjAGyXu5HolrxJGVipS3W6uTbgLzvZjmMEtssrVByS_kIwXYZINmJAIbGGhtnRiYWujOS-IL37HSIRCR18On9SqJqkYcRooecj0JhhiOw2CK_yps6jfp9-oG4tUiR2mX1G2sL-uuuMLO7Q7jlT1EdSROlzyOhWvL6slu90g=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trailside bike inspection after a sudden unexpected OTB</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGyKR9gS8H5pIxpwzPrMl3qfbOth8m3kBWzXd1QCkdN5XYN-yZ3Dc2d3rAoAuxNh9tAYHbo2SyigRz0WFtXlIx5DWF6G6rEgx8qa1nauUeX4nfT9q9jnT8lgg2adCcM5OoU6MYWZ5og0uAbSuSX-25pxv0AMvxE8V2XC-UPrkWmV2mzOS9Am0WkAmmyw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGyKR9gS8H5pIxpwzPrMl3qfbOth8m3kBWzXd1QCkdN5XYN-yZ3Dc2d3rAoAuxNh9tAYHbo2SyigRz0WFtXlIx5DWF6G6rEgx8qa1nauUeX4nfT9q9jnT8lgg2adCcM5OoU6MYWZ5og0uAbSuSX-25pxv0AMvxE8V2XC-UPrkWmV2mzOS9Am0WkAmmyw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views of Zion National Park with morning light<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-1fyRvuEvT7pdTQzDDAApah8tKeZM5Km09kK9MCEuIIY8ywCK2K0fKVv3Juzns4f61dHQgsBD2I3NvgztKxAXkJGZpwcZSRjMFr4nZT0-2DjQxyBw4t_CN9aZZINlJl9XigYQ4bq9HHRPGFa2563Qt5jCRhsV1d3hxi8gJSVswfom4pcPCrJRviyhmg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-1fyRvuEvT7pdTQzDDAApah8tKeZM5Km09kK9MCEuIIY8ywCK2K0fKVv3Juzns4f61dHQgsBD2I3NvgztKxAXkJGZpwcZSRjMFr4nZT0-2DjQxyBw4t_CN9aZZINlJl9XigYQ4bq9HHRPGFa2563Qt5jCRhsV1d3hxi8gJSVswfom4pcPCrJRviyhmg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Optional features<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6WwjSKdLxxnnBPHW9Ijbqma2Uj_1Vn1oeDbWlfId3lpwWo672D4VJPdj5h2kRrKZSGHP5d4wmSUeDGOf28d1SwRP_NioNsHSPL5iLa-WJpgrTSkHuNBrgmOwuS7YGozsr3bPqPJpkA-sAy7m2Wz7p92g7H-tHquLXnx7fCBLQlx7Iw8RX86VMnsVJng=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6WwjSKdLxxnnBPHW9Ijbqma2Uj_1Vn1oeDbWlfId3lpwWo672D4VJPdj5h2kRrKZSGHP5d4wmSUeDGOf28d1SwRP_NioNsHSPL5iLa-WJpgrTSkHuNBrgmOwuS7YGozsr3bPqPJpkA-sAy7m2Wz7p92g7H-tHquLXnx7fCBLQlx7Iw8RX86VMnsVJng=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to follow the trail was hard sometimes<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqMgZJKXQ28OzFcR5Cqk46a_1q_Ei3oYaSQIfc1QMcqwef2n3ZFKpfLKEcYNzA9ZTtV6qiEyo1eg3Ergw1g-MmtuZeaJd_MM9i8ggrdmv4rWTWojbBnBVtvhpDev50ibH6SHAjUE-IiNTQjBevDUwXAMR_L1axi10fxTeSHof_1kkqU0JXtVCkzK6kRw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgqMgZJKXQ28OzFcR5Cqk46a_1q_Ei3oYaSQIfc1QMcqwef2n3ZFKpfLKEcYNzA9ZTtV6qiEyo1eg3Ergw1g-MmtuZeaJd_MM9i8ggrdmv4rWTWojbBnBVtvhpDev50ibH6SHAjUE-IiNTQjBevDUwXAMR_L1axi10fxTeSHof_1kkqU0JXtVCkzK6kRw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "lake"<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Lamb's Knoll</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">An afternoon outing to Lamb's Knoll was a fun rest activity. We hiked up to the top then rappelled down a 2 pitch route through a chimney back to the bottom.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNqxhweOuTrfqDc0IySWiQEcl2-CEpyfsXbkpCNsJ3aXWIJL58UqRB7P9QxQUO17tWdto_qFgh3_SAAn7ZGsj33AealWf5huDEuBHEJkYxDqHaWVUVcB8AJ3mmDA15CNaUXvgNiMEtQIN6NXhU39fp6-8YlFhepN59qSAv86pgGIQNzULL6D4l_bW2Jg=s4000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjNqxhweOuTrfqDc0IySWiQEcl2-CEpyfsXbkpCNsJ3aXWIJL58UqRB7P9QxQUO17tWdto_qFgh3_SAAn7ZGsj33AealWf5huDEuBHEJkYxDqHaWVUVcB8AJ3mmDA15CNaUXvgNiMEtQIN6NXhU39fp6-8YlFhepN59qSAv86pgGIQNzULL6D4l_bW2Jg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring the top of Lamb's Knoll. Can you spot me?</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBJmadsbvixUc5rg8ss2XGESb9ir6dp_pz-ZlU0ZUgV_ctYKKK2sPMICFVLZLabGjomk1R5WEC-r5q8qfCsTJIb8ISdOmZc_oBlpUOxICJ6btNORW_b31rznTSZKEavw6PtKc9Hqu5Gb4s8LoByUNiJL9wSK9Z5xUAjmfHz6WE63XKgHVXGtPfjvi3FA=s3648" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2736" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBJmadsbvixUc5rg8ss2XGESb9ir6dp_pz-ZlU0ZUgV_ctYKKK2sPMICFVLZLabGjomk1R5WEC-r5q8qfCsTJIb8ISdOmZc_oBlpUOxICJ6btNORW_b31rznTSZKEavw6PtKc9Hqu5Gb4s8LoByUNiJL9wSK9Z5xUAjmfHz6WE63XKgHVXGtPfjvi3FA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying a sunny afternoon</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifUmXayBV0cOalBt95ElH5uxekk6CKTaalIQkcCZ8wB63_p-DBUCoY88t50oCNb4Zn_6xYGi4e-Rv4rDp-vhzqiEh_9yo-wPrHsv0oegGC62sckRWPYsFTPCsR7UYTz9DGC0H_cjH2A-L3jhuGylYrz38u11hCiPRefp5SoFzgP-bYR1OzM_XlZI9udA=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifUmXayBV0cOalBt95ElH5uxekk6CKTaalIQkcCZ8wB63_p-DBUCoY88t50oCNb4Zn_6xYGi4e-Rv4rDp-vhzqiEh_9yo-wPrHsv0oegGC62sckRWPYsFTPCsR7UYTz9DGC0H_cjH2A-L3jhuGylYrz38u11hCiPRefp5SoFzgP-bYR1OzM_XlZI9udA=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On rappell!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikhpW4wkKirun_w0W7X-OZC2AvMBz6uIvJbzcwWah4EOHANI1qmu4FDj-KB1GMYKQQ_-heZu6LNon1F11f7UsJBgIdfDhm06fjIFRQ4iPf90YDXvt3Fve9T-2VnW11Xyy4ZrNacotzyJexL0XFDDEamZfq-uD9VGaqNQjHCO26Buw3I6_la-FTK0jmSw=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikhpW4wkKirun_w0W7X-OZC2AvMBz6uIvJbzcwWah4EOHANI1qmu4FDj-KB1GMYKQQ_-heZu6LNon1F11f7UsJBgIdfDhm06fjIFRQ4iPf90YDXvt3Fve9T-2VnW11Xyy4ZrNacotzyJexL0XFDDEamZfq-uD9VGaqNQjHCO26Buw3I6_la-FTK0jmSw=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I hope this goes!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcCK-hPoaeM5LKDbWuNaZhTkChwe5GOrvjSGM8OgWnUa91CpREAqNT1zdi0_YAJC0xZbmCVAXQ5JnX3zxB2-ne_anAhAXHKPI0QJZ8_jl-zXif5SgyB-VxzOTTW79Ui62gbxdvqmhPi9tiC88GoJKT2Jw2hIiPQrSOghmdJL_4626H_3LxjX4x4Ra8Og=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhcCK-hPoaeM5LKDbWuNaZhTkChwe5GOrvjSGM8OgWnUa91CpREAqNT1zdi0_YAJC0xZbmCVAXQ5JnX3zxB2-ne_anAhAXHKPI0QJZ8_jl-zXif5SgyB-VxzOTTW79Ui62gbxdvqmhPi9tiC88GoJKT2Jw2hIiPQrSOghmdJL_4626H_3LxjX4x4Ra8Og=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset at Lamb's Knoll</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Sand Hollow State Park</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hurricane is probably better known for its off-roading and rock crawling than its mountain biking. We rented a side-by-side for the day and explored Sand Hollow State Park. It was super fun ripping around on the dunes and through the rock formations!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWSXGK4YX2CsQF6Zb6K-H8SaZVQETMk1z6SMyT33f_yCs7BZq59_HiH4UzOefjH6Ojs2gvz9g8V7Sjqjf3ofMp8fGmAn1p8rGcWV46Qmp3DRXBpiRLRLTgVeikpkWW5QcV1wXQ4sgxft8rqIfqPf0dDI7rPSg8MZrbI7zNqBmfwtafkMLlm5K0gNJxZg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWSXGK4YX2CsQF6Zb6K-H8SaZVQETMk1z6SMyT33f_yCs7BZq59_HiH4UzOefjH6Ojs2gvz9g8V7Sjqjf3ofMp8fGmAn1p8rGcWV46Qmp3DRXBpiRLRLTgVeikpkWW5QcV1wXQ4sgxft8rqIfqPf0dDI7rPSg8MZrbI7zNqBmfwtafkMLlm5K0gNJxZg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out for a rip</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVTcV9wopQGuzrLfvXw5Ce0GxnMQSIbEZB26qPANSZsDOX4-MmygYZvIXh-r9jc8bFtzhD07b_JcuaxGysed59aaMbt2tVwBsIAaoyjoH1l-t3-N9v4drZRTaAeKHleaJ2KoqQtuK71MWRj0069PqGeoWwUT4m_BSVvmTr6vN1GlZyhzcQCK3hNtE9ig=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVTcV9wopQGuzrLfvXw5Ce0GxnMQSIbEZB26qPANSZsDOX4-MmygYZvIXh-r9jc8bFtzhD07b_JcuaxGysed59aaMbt2tVwBsIAaoyjoH1l-t3-N9v4drZRTaAeKHleaJ2KoqQtuK71MWRj0069PqGeoWwUT4m_BSVvmTr6vN1GlZyhzcQCK3hNtE9ig=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyle takes the challenging line<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9TUS95D0qkshmMZKQzBcF2wbhc0XqcQrlLvESWFGieVcKHsg1zOdP2-D_maNwLHzBKQ1K6Fmh8w2mxylZm_0aosm9Amx9mmFrb3IA6P5mbKdPHgWA7i-4RVIJNpobnzf_-hHKiXu73RWU9yxnPkNCcGf7LnmfVWSl0GrNslwMUGRW4wJ0H3ruIUUTLg=s2944" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2944" data-original-width="2208" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9TUS95D0qkshmMZKQzBcF2wbhc0XqcQrlLvESWFGieVcKHsg1zOdP2-D_maNwLHzBKQ1K6Fmh8w2mxylZm_0aosm9Amx9mmFrb3IA6P5mbKdPHgWA7i-4RVIJNpobnzf_-hHKiXu73RWU9yxnPkNCcGf7LnmfVWSl0GrNslwMUGRW4wJ0H3ruIUUTLg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red necking in Utah<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPEIG53qLNtwANwK11hxAgZGC0Z1tpDZhBZZXNI_IeaeYyGv2wRI4ftCiRU7YbUE2fBfMyMisAM7C6StVOWkk4ojgXaSnuF6mUBhncZEOlxF8tqShCcN6-zOM4cFBaz4P35URjnxH7ISbnVZlXSQcnrvxRm0KoMD8ySE9pEoifelTYk8OLrO8EEHHLXg=s4032" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPEIG53qLNtwANwK11hxAgZGC0Z1tpDZhBZZXNI_IeaeYyGv2wRI4ftCiRU7YbUE2fBfMyMisAM7C6StVOWkk4ojgXaSnuF6mUBhncZEOlxF8tqShCcN6-zOM4cFBaz4P35URjnxH7ISbnVZlXSQcnrvxRm0KoMD8ySE9pEoifelTYk8OLrO8EEHHLXg=w480-h640" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dunes!</td></tr></tbody></table></div>Jenny Stronghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18434108369002674981noreply@blogger.com0