Recap of the Past 6 Months (Warning Stoke Overkill)

[Kyle Miller]

Well there is so many places that I could start this thread at but I decided to go with one of my favorite lines this entire season. A peak that goes by the name of Bandit in the "Middle of nowhere" North Cascades!

Yep that line goes and its called the Black Hole Couloir!

Photo by John Scurlock

Every time I tour with Ale Capone it is guaranteed to be a adventure!

Photo by Nicholas Cryder

4000 Vertical feet of straight fall line!

Photo by Scott McAllister

I had been waiting for this moment for years!

Photo by Scott McAllister

Early in the season I came up with a project to ride lines on the 10 highest Peaks in Washington which seemed overwhelming but with a full spring I felt it would be possible, that is until I got a email and great opportunity. Sweetgrass productions was filming a movie called Solitaire and they were wondering if I wanted to go to South America for two months. Without hesitation I said I would be honored. Little did I realize that I was heading down for the months of June and July (which were prime corn season in the PNW) so almost immediately after getting the message I was out in the middle of nowhere attempting these peaks during the months of April and May.

Mt. Fernow is number 8 at 9,249 feet. Completed on April 15th

Photo by John Scurlock

Bonanza Peak is number 6 at 9,511. Completed on April 17th

Photo by Lowell Skoog

Mt. Stuart is number is number 7 at 9,415. Completed on April 22nd

Photo by Don Bounty

Mt. Goode is number 9 at 9,200. Completed on May 1st

Photo by John Scurlock

Mt. Baker is number 4 at 10,781. Completed on May 9th

Photo by Jason Hummel

Mt. Shuksan is number 10 at 9,131. Completed on May 10th

Photo by Jason Hummel

Glacier Peak is number 5 at 10,520. Completed on May 19th

Photo by Kathy Chrestensen

Little Tahoma is number 3 at 11,138. Completed on May 24th

Photo by Jason Hummel

By the time that I said goodbye to the U.S. I had 8 out of the 10 peaks completed leaving both Rainier and Mt Adams for when I returned back to the states on July 22nd

[Kyle Miller]

Welcome to La Paz Bolivia at a altitude of 12,500 feet in the valley!


After a few days of acclimatizing we made our way out to Huayna Potosi. This giant 19,974 foot peak is a one hour drive from town. The graves are open so the spirits can roam freely!


The colossal giant in the distance!


I was fortunate to partner up with rock star Ski Mountaineer Kim Havell as well as TGR local and all around badass Jim Harris.


The landscape was like nothing I had ever seen. Looking out among a 15,000 foot plateau and La Paz in the canyon.


Conditions were bullet proof ice, which made for great climbing but not so great snowboarding.


Looking down among the Bolivian Andes and the Amazon Fainforest


This was the view from our basecamp where we stayed for 5 days.


Once arriving back to La Paz I noticed I had a toothache. It turned out that I needed to get a root canal which put me out for a full week. The whole time I was at the hotel I had this picture above my head to comfort me.


While I missed out on some amazing stuff I did get to witness the Gran Poder which is the party of the year in town. This parade lasted 16 hours.


A week later everyone was back and we were off to the next adventure in a small village town called Sajama named after the volcano in the backround which happens to be the highest peak in Bolivia at 21463


Our focus was the peak on the right Pomerape. The peak to the left is Parinacota.


The weirdest thing about these volcanoes was there was no streams. Instead of melting these glaciers were evaporating.


Our home for the next 4 days.


Climbing at 20,000 feet is brutal but the views are amazing. I was so beat this was the only photo I managed to take.


Night after night we would get amazing sunsets.


but before long it was time to say goodbye to everyone. Some people went back to the states, one went to Argentina


and I went to Lake Titicaca


According to Inca legend this area was the birthplace of the sun and the moon.


Looking down at Copacabana on the shores of Lake Titicaca

[Kyle Miller]

My next stop was Cuzco Peru. At one time this was the Inca capital.


but the Spanish came in and tore down the temples and made churches over them.


This was the Inca Sun Temple which was made out of gold but all that remains is the foundation.

Cuzco is now the Catholic capital of South America and I happened to be there on the day of Corpus Cristi otherwise known as the Walking of the Saints.


From there I took a train through what the Inca referred to as the Sacred Valley to a small town called Aguas Caliente.



Which was at the base of Machu Picchu


One can't help to be blown away by how they built on such steep mountains


and such AMAZING temples like the temple of the Three Windows


The Temple of the Sun


The Temple of the Moon


and the Temple of the Condor


While there I climbed the surrounding mountains. Here is a view from Hyanni Picchu


Machu Picchu mountain


and the Sun Gate. The switchbacks are the road that take buses by the thousands up everyday.


I quickly realized the better the stonework the more sacred the area was


My next stop was Ollantaytambo which was the final stronghold of the Incas versus the Spanish.


This was the only place where the Inca defeated the Spanish and saved Machu Picchu which was 20 miles downstream.


My last morning in Peru I watched the sunrise in Cuzco before boarding the plane.

[Kyle Miller]

I landed in Santiago Chile where I had a blast for three days watching the Copa Cup and drinking Pisco Sours with a bunch of rowdy Chileans. Good times!

Then I was off to Las Lenas Argentina to meet back up with my friends from Sweetgrass.


When I got there it hadn't snowed for weeks and the snowpack was nonexistent. Here is Las Lenas peak.


All the rumors are true, the El Marte Chair is Crazy!


but we made the most of it and hiked. Once in the highcountry we realized we were just at the foothills of the Andes.


We hiked day after day until sunset.


Once Ryland Bell got into town there was rumor of a huge storm coming in but wanting to stretch his feet we did some hiking for turns. Ryland is the man!


and then the snow arrived!


Almost three feet of it!


After that we skinned everywhere. Stoked that the snow dropped somewhat heavy to put down a solid base.


Finally pow turns in South America



The wind dictates everything in the Andes where one bowl could be 10 feet deep the next bowl has no snow.


Here Ryland bootpacks up a steep couloir with a part of Las Lenas in the background.


Our goal for the trip and my final day was focused on Cerro Martin one of the biggest peak in the area.


but the peaks beyond that went on forever.


This was final and by far the best run in South America


So I said goodbye and boarded a plane home to Seattle.

[Kyle Miller]

Where two days later I focused my attention on Mt. Adams Which is number 2 at 12,276 feet Compleated on July 24th

Photo by Jessie Rowe

Then Mt. Shasta via the Hotlum Wintum route.

Photo by Amar Andalkar

Luckily I was used to hanging out at 14,000 feet.

Photo by Amar Andalkar

Next was Rainier Which is number 1 at 14,410

Photo by Amar Andalkar

Which I summited on August 1st finally completing my Ten Highest Peaks project.

Photo by Amar Andalkar

Then a few days later I went back to Mt. Adams with Jason to celebrate him completing the goal as well.

Photo by Juya Ghanaie

On August 13th I took my final turns of the season off the summit of Mt. Baker.

Photo by Amar Andalkar

[Kyle Miller]

It was time to put the splitboard away and do some hiking during our traditional "Two Weeks of Summer"


I explored some areas on the north side of Mt Rainier


like Grand Park


and checked out different alpine terrain.


Trying to camp in areas where I would get a great view of the sunset. Looking down on Puget Sound.


Looking at Rainier and Spray Park in the foreground.


The Massive Willis Wall.


In total the hike was five days half of which I did solo and the other half with my friend Boot.

My next trip was a 10 hike with another good friend Skier Dan. We started off on the western edge of Glacier Peak Wilderness.


and passed familiar peaks like Sloan to the right and Kyes which Ale Capone and I had rode the previous year to the left.


Our first camp was Lake Byrne which since the floods of 2003 is only accessible via a 11 mile hike. Its September 1st and this lake is at 5,500 feet.


This was the only cloudy day of the trip but luckily Glacier Peaks west side came out for a few minutes.


This area is now abandoned and all of the bridges are gone. So we carefully made our way to the Pacific Crest Trail


Looking at the Northeast side of Glacier Peak


Heading into the Fire Creek Pass area there is some amazing and steep alpine terrain.


That night we camped up at Fire Creek Pass and watched the sun set to the west.


Mica Lake still frozen on September 3rd.


If the area wasn't so brutal and inaccessible there is amazing terrain out there.


and that terrain goes on forever.


If you ever have a chance you MUST check out Dolly Vista. Its one of the most scenic places I have ever been to.


Here Dan is crossing over Cloudy Pass which is the crest of the Cascades.


Welcome to Eastern Washington and the Lyman Lakes


We spent two nights in Stehekin (Thanks Keith) which is the coolest town in the world before saying goodbye. Here Dan is crossing Park Creek Pass.


After one sketch log cross and 23 miles of hiking down valley we were back to civilization.


Its been a amazing 6 months and I feel very fortunate to be in the situation I am in. I hope you enjoyed the adventure. and with that here is a sunset shot I took at Mt. Rainier on the night before my summit day.



Oh and I just got my September Turns putting me up at 107 consecutive months.


Photo by Amar Andalkar

A lot of these adventured were filmed for the upcoming Documentary from Crest productions Called Freerider



I would like to thank Jason Hummel,Scott McAllister, Don Bounty, Jessie Rowe, Amar Andalkar, Chris Gallardo, Ben Sturgenowski, Micheal Brown, Kathy Crestensen, Robert Crestensen, Nick Wagner, Kim Havell, Jim Harris, Everyone at Eddie Bauer/First Ascent, Chris Willis and Pacific Pile and Marine, Smith Optics, Will Ritter, The Karakorum Brothers, Pat at Bro Skiis, The Peeps at Venture, Burton, Voile, Chimera, Lib Tech, Intuition, Snowsurf and Smith Optics.

[Art Shirk]

So good!

[Nic.A]

wow wow wow. thanks for sharing that!

[regct]

Wow. That was awesome.

[_Aaron_]

So Fucking Good!

[dishwasher-dave]

I'm pretty sure the toothache artist is Oswaldo Guayasamín. He's rad.
(Tahoe folks might recognize his artwork up in the Divided Sky)

Nice shots. Way to get after it.

[Big Snowballs]

Well done. Great pics !!!

[mud]

bossawesome!

[Dhelihiker]

My god you are living a dream life, very cool

[bfree]

Wow. Don't think there's such a thing as "stoke overkill"!

[RiderX]

Amazing...

[avitas]

September Stoke........ACHIEVED

[hop]

Jugoso!!!!

[Dickeymotto]

[eleventyfive]

pretty.awesome.

[BCMtnHound]

Damn, Dickey beat me to it!

Mucho gracias for the amazing Sept stoke!

[cdlv]

[mrwaffles989]

Stoke going everywhere. FKNAwesome!!

[luffski]

Wow, thanks for giving me some ass kicking inspiration!

[The Gnarwhale]

The whole time I was at the hotel I had this picture above my head to comfort me.

I appreciate that you see the humor in that. Thanks for sharing your photos Kyle!