Northern BC 2013/2014 Stoke, Conditions

[XXX-er]

The L-man also coined the term " Ski Gentleman "... becuz we live too well/ have too much money to be a Ski Bum


Yeah i think I'm with you AP but its easy to see where he gets it from ... the roll models are not always positive eh

[Angle Parking]

Time to debut the video series of skiing non snow wearing the patented Ghettowerx golden sport specific thong and gaiters.

In the name of everything that is good and holy, please don't.

And where is Gary BTW? Isn't he due to chime in on snowmobiles, pandemics, hut trips, male nudity etc.

[garyfromterrace]

Hey!!
What the fuck's going on you guys??!!!

Sleds

So, yeah the sledding question... Well you know in a way it was sleds that were one of the reasons for me moving up this way...

You see where I came from at Tod Mtn, the backcountry terrain is quite limited. Tod is basically a big pimple with the closest mountain range being the Trophies looking north, and the mountains around Revie visible in the far far off distance on the right day. Given this, the sledders used to get access around the back of Tod Peak and basically track everything out in the backcountry within about an hour. Needless to say, I nearly came to blows at least once and certainly yelled profanities at idiot sled heads on a number of occasions. It got downright depressing so I was stoked to discover that the environs around Terrace had soooooooo much ski terrain that throttle wanking sled heads weren't an issue, in fact sleds were critical tools in getting into more remote spots. I mean sure, there are sled heads that are idiots up here, god knows the Burnie area has seen its share of disgusting asshole sledneck behavior, but all in all the terrain is just so massive here, what's the big deal.

I also think that given some of the access challenges here, many a bc skier has a sled to help get to shit. I've got numerous rides and pulls to get into stuff over the years and though so far I've fought the urge to buy one, it's a consideration for sure. In fact the topic came up last night over dinner, when we had some friends over (social distance and hygene were paramount). Both Rob and I thought there was such a vast amount of terrain accesible from Shames, did we really need a sled... consensus was - not right now (like this year). Having said that, a dependable new 4 stroke Tundra perhaps costs split between 3 couples... would sure make Anderson Cabin, Glacier Peak, Tweener, Wesach etc pretty easy access.

Anyway, the sledding comminuty around Terrace includes lots of skiers now and they seem to impart some commendable qualities (lacking in the stereotypical dip shit from Airdrie), like snow science knowledge and courtesy to the sled community up here. Also, the sled skiers up here have rescued at least one dipshit sledder from death (random probe strike in slide debris hits buried idiot...) but I digress.

Pandemic

So what the fuck??!! OK, right off the bat there will be one good thing to come out of this (I truly and deeply hope) - the defeat of the Republican douchbags in power, including and especially the orange haired shit-gibbon in chief. Jesus, the ignorance down south is just breathtaking. I also hope that this latest shit show down there will prompt my stepson and his wife (and our 2 grandkids) to get the fuck out. I mean Boston is a fun city with some superfun attributes, but it's still in the states and that sucks (especially right now).

So this thing sucks horribly, but it really may have taken something this horrific to wake the American people up to the ineptness of Trump and the ass licking Republican fucktards that are his yes-men (which is all but a couple of them near as I can tell).

The biggest effect in my life right now is the social isolation, we're trying to do our part and so we're not seeing many folks at all, and when we do, all social distance precautions are taken. It's great to see some countries stopping this thing in its tracks, so that gives me hope that we can get in front of this, BC also seems to be doing OK. Again, I think it's the actions of the people thinking of the greater good that can help overcome this thing.

Hut trips

So I did get one last hut trip in this year to Anderson. It was interesting to say the least. Got a very small hour window to fly in, and luckily I made everyone be ready for 8am (even though our take off time was supposed to be mid morning), so we had everyone and all our gear at the hanger by 0830, we were in the air by 9 and the window closed around 0930. Then it snowed continously for 3 days, and was super windy so I was scared most of the time outside. Because of the over 1m of fresh snow, the only things skiable were steeper pitches and the wind made things sketchy. We did manage to ski everyday though, and drank like lushes while we ate like kings and smoked like opium den denziens. One pic TR:



Mrs GfT in action. Yep, it was deep. But hey, you guys know what it was like in early March right.... right Smithers guys.... oh, yeah um sorry

So the exit from the hut was an epic mission. Between a small navigational error, 1.3m of fresh snow, some deep snow ski ability issues... anyway we ended up taking about 9 hours to get out of Anderson. Oh well, it made the pizza and beers at BP all that much sweeter. But fuck...

Male nudity

You know, doesn't really bug me. I mean, hey it's just a body. Sort of like a piece of meat - yes there are good looking filet mignon, but there are also shitty looking blade steaks. A good cook can make both of them very tasty main dishes. Just as a good looking human can be cooked
into an acceptable meal for a cannibal, so can a very ugly large human. The point is, meat is good protein!

At the end of the day, clothes don't make the man! OK?!

Finally, I did get to HBM this season. Luckily it hadn't snowed for a while and it varied between hard pack, dust on crust, carvy styrofoam, ski top pow. Mr. Hallman was my guide for the day and it had been probably 5 years since I skied with him and probably 10 since I got to hang out a day with him. Got to ski a bunch of the stuff you guys had been working on for years, and I was suitably impressed - some awesome terrain. I was less impressed with the "glading" between foot loose and ptarmigan. Looked like a cut run to me, and it was too flat. Sorry boys, have to call fail on that one. Loved Angle Parking though, and Cold Smoke skied really well. We skied a couple more runs out that way and it was quite enjoyable. Thanks so much for the comp pass AP!! All in all a great day, and the missus got fitted by the young lad at Dave's shop and was as happy as she has ever been in a pair of ski boots! Winning!

Parting shot



Fuck yeah AP!!

[LHutz Esq]

That is fuckin’ IT!!!
When this over - we are having a conference, a confab, a seminar, a congress, a symposium a meet up, a social - we are getting together for a shit show of skiing and celebrating the fact of our respective existences! It is decided.

[XXX-er]

I've seen whole extended families shredding 7 sisters and having fun and besides ... we got paid to cut it

[swissiphic]

That is fuckin’ IT!!!
When this over - we are having a conference, a confab, a seminar, a congress, a symposium a meet up, a social - we are getting together for a shit show of skiing and celebrating the fact of our respective existences! It is decided.

Hey, if this thing settles down in the summer...any interest in a group meet at a gravel pit that is discrete? Bonfire, beers and gravel pit ski laps? Buddy and I are workin' on a prototype personal lift assist thingamabob that will negate the need to hike up the sand. Lift accessed summer sand, gravel and scree skiing is within reach; quick laps...if it's sunny, hot laps.

Any takers? Sand/gravel specific custom rockered rental skis provided; you'll have to trash yer own boots though.

[LHutz Esq]

I've seen whole extended families shredding 7 sisters and having fun and besides ... we got paid to cut it

Absolutely - it’s one of my ski club team’s favorites. I love it- it’s perfect for teaching them tree skiing techniques. I usually double em up and get each pair to pick an animal so they can hear their partner! Funniest thing to follow em down listening to an entire barnyard with a pair of pterodactyls thrown in.


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[LHutz Esq]

Hey, if this thing settles down in the summer...any interest in a group meet at a gravel pit that is discrete? Bonfire, beers and gravel pit ski laps? Buddy and I are workin' on a prototype personal lift assist thingamabob that will negate the need to hike up the sand. Lift accessed summer sand, gravel and scree skiing is within reach; quick laps...if it's sunny, hot laps.

Any takers? Sand/gravel specific custom rockered rental skis provided; you'll have to trash yer own boots though.

Sign me up!


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[garyfromterrace]

Absolutely - it’s one of my ski club team’s favorites. I love it- it’s perfect for teaching them tree skiing techniques. I usually double em up and get each pair to pick an animal so they can hear their partner! Funniest thing to follow em down listening to an entire barnyard with a pair of pterodactyls thrown in.


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Sure, may be fun for 4 yr olds. But, dude when the best skier on the mountain comes to town he needs the quadruple black mamba double overhead pow-gnar!! Fuck, now I want to air the cliff.
















Full disclosure: the above statement was full of inaccurate sarcastic hyperbole.

And, sign me up for Guido's gravel pit mini-summit. Al can mix drinks for us!

[XXX-er]

So if you made it out to 6-0 you would have seen those 2 new runs off the return traverse called Reality check 2/ reality check 3 those are steep on that side of the hill, we got to cut those runs after finishing 7 sisters and there was too much snow to get higher ... somewhat of a payoff for cutting the easy run

we also gladed snowbound

" White Fang " is new, comes in right at the Divergence of Chapmans & Ptarmagan, we cut the entrance & top 100meters but the rest was done with a feller buncher, its pretty narrow but a bit steeper and LONG

or " Bob's your uncle " further down Ptarmagan, Bob had started it yaRS ago when he was part owner but left it hidden so we openned it up, I asked the hill if we could name it "Bob's yer uncle" Bob is actualy LHutz Esq'rs father-in-law or as his daughters point out " Bob is my grandpa "

If you wana get paid you gotta listen to the man who is paying, so nothing gets cut without approval, with things as they are due to covid NO idea how the program will go ahead, Brian is back running an on hill carpentry/brushing program so ... might be full steam ahead ?

not sure if covid will let me get surgery/ heal/ be back running saw/ skiing next season or any fucking thing

[Angle Parking]

[XXX-er]

I never did get to see that sign before kacking my knee ... cool !

[Angle Parking]

Seven Sisters is awesome. Not many runs where the kiddos and the adults can have legit skiing fun (as opposed to just basking in the kid vibe on your every day groomer), Seven Sisters is one of those magic scenarios. I'm in for the festival of gravel as well. I even have a pair of skis perfect for that situation. Rock boots I am lacking however. Seems like the kinds thing you'd want rock boots....

[Angle Parking]

Little Simpson today.

[swissiphic]

Nice lookin' turns, there, A.P. How was the skiability of the snow? Schmooey shit, or, not so bad?

Been continuing with exploring via dairylandrz lately. Snow's gone to shit for skiing but has improved for the milk crate steppin'. The 40-60cms we got during the last storm kinda was a negative in the short term...it didn't have time to settle and consolidate before the heat hit it, so, basically there's a layer of really crappy schmoo that is ever so slowly decreasing in depth sitting on the underlying more solid surface. Skinning is pretty tough work, dh'ing from treeline to btl hasn't been all that fun...no clue about the alpine, don't have a sled for access, hard to get there without a little help from a little internal combustion engine'd friend ...with the dlndrz, still makin' little tweaks and repairs to them after every outing...this set is getting worn out, durability has proven to be an issue...fun product testing though, pushin' the plastic to the max.

Lots of BTL forest workouts and wanderings. These things really do open up a whole new world of adventure; they get a guy places that skis 'n' skins can't even fathom, boot packing just results in postholing up to the nutsack, and where snowshoes look at the terrain and just curl up into fearful, quivering little plastic balls of abject terror . It's been so fun and efficient that the dLndring has become an end in itself with internal mental rewards that are similar to but different than rock climbing and skiing...kinda a combo of feels from both...but different. I would have included snowshoeing into the 'feels' mix but...i've never had a fun outting on those things in my life...no fun, no feels...just work. The d.l.'s have their limitations and less than optimal operating conditions, of course. In particular, as discovered on yesterday's outing, downhilling in steep, deep, schmooey snow that's lost all internal cohesion isn't all that fun, but all in all, great little tools.

Latest venue of getting some cardio in, John Little Falls area, it's pretty nice.


objective; recon for future ski trips...will the route go?


the trotting/cantering section of low angle approach


first vis of route...looks like it goes nicely


John Little Falls proper


rest steppin' straight up the fall line. slope angle 35-40+ degrees


spectacular view of the Skeena Valley




past the big open glade and into the steep forest, super fun


Had to stop for a late afternoon lunch. Rack of Porcupine tail.



soooooo, the only part that sucked...minor suck but it sucked. On the home stretch, car in view across train tracks and highway, cider and ciggies waiting, mind lusting for a burst of cider sweetness and a that first hit off a smoke...stepped out of the bush fringing the train tracks and almost got smoked by a train...okay, not really cause it was about 300 meters away...but coasting to a stop....so fucking silent...had to wait for it to do it's thing, then walk 1/2 km to get around the front of it. Considered hopping over but didn't wanna fuck with the train. The cider and smokes were good. Pretty bad fail rate on this hike for getting 'trained' on the deproach back to car; 3 out of 4 times now...wtf?

[Angle Parking]

[XXX-er]

I'm guessing that's the ice cooler and it looks bullet proof

[danmelon]

Considered hopping over but didn't wanna fuck with the train. The cider and smokes were good. Pretty bad fail rate on this hike for getting 'trained' on the deproach back to car; 3 out of 4 times now...wtf?

That's a good call. They don't stop and start gradually, the cars tend to jerk to start, which is why people loose limbs climbing through 'stopped' of slow moving rail equipment.

[garyfromterrace]

Solid work man. I totally take back all that shit about the gladed run at HBM.


But seriously, nice line

[Angle Parking]

I'm guessing that's the ice cooler and it looks bullet proof

It's actually a mini putt line located at the bottom of the basin that the Ice Cooler exits into. So basically it is on the exact opposite side of the ridge from the Y Glades. You can only see it if you are standing directly in line with it. We were the first to ski it as far as i know, and i use the term 'ski' loosely as I only managed 3 turns down the whole thing. Rock hard, narrow and rather unnerving. Swissiphic would have liked it.



Beyond not wearing a helmet, my lack of gloves also proved to be a significant error as I tore the sh*t out of my Whippet hand.

[Angle Parking]

That's a good call. They don't stop and start gradually, the cars tend to jerk to start, which is why people loose limbs climbing through 'stopped' of slow moving rail equipment.

Very sound advice. My first ever 'real' job was as an office clerk in the Claims department of the St. Lawrence Division of CN in Montreal. Part of my job was opening the mail, including the accident reports. Holy sh*t the things I saw. Don't ever, ever f*ck with trains in any way, is a life mantra I came out of that job with. Horrific stuff.

[XXX-er]

Beyond not wearing a helmet, my lack of gloves also proved to be a significant error as I tore the sh*t out of my Whippet hand.

well at least you do seem to be fully clothed otherwise

[Angle Parking]

well at least you do seem to be fully clothed otherwise

I was going to take off my shirt but after comments I have this thread I decided I should probably keep it on.

[swissiphic]

Fair amount of snow at HBM for early May. I've been keeping a historical photo archive of may/june screenshots of this cam...it will be interesting to compare/contrast this year with other notable late meltout years like 2007 and 2012. 13, 14 were pretty good too.

[swissiphic]

hbm may 5, 2012


may 4, 2013


may 6, 2014