Northern BC 2013/2014 Stoke, Conditions

[Angle Parking]

I am finding myself longing for some sense of agency with regard to the passing of our friend Paul and the best I can come up is sifting through my phone and posting pictures here. Forgive me if it is getting annoying.

[LHutz Esq]

Nah man- I am enjoying it

[XXX-er]

looking good!

[XXX-er]

whatever it takes to come to terms, tell some stories if it helps, kinda what we did down at tatlow falls tell stories and drink beer, couple of the bro's left and then came back with more beer to hang out in a rainstorm

[LHutz Esq]

I tried to post a vid - but It’s on fb and that’s too technical for me to bring it over.

But Jan 18, 2016 on my feed if you care to look

My learned friend snaked my line and I have proof!

Rude.

[garyfromterrace]

You post that shit up AP! It's awesome, and who can appreciate a skiers exploits better that fellow skiers man. Thanks for sharing, I wish I knew Paul.

[Angle Parking]

I tried to post a vid - but It’s on fb and that’s too technical for me to bring it over.

But Jan 18, 2016 on my feed if you care to look

My learned friend snaked my line and I have proof!

Rude.

Rude indeed. It took a bit of scrolling but I found the vid. His long legs made him unmistakable out there. Good skier.

Gary, you are just an awesome guy.

[Angle Parking]

Well, having scanned all my pics these two are pretty much the last ones I have found that are worth posting. Paul is the tiny figure in both pics. Somehow the grandeur of the mountains dwarfing Paul seems like a fitting way to end my run of photos of him. Something about the ephemeral nature of our pursuits and lives in general. I don't know.

[abraham]

As a complete lurker the first post you had was a really touching tribute. I scrolled back up when I saw the name and I've gone back a few times to look at it.
And all your pictures, from start to finish, give me an appreciation for the time you spent together. Thanks for posting

[Angle Parking]

^^^ Thanks.

[XXX-er]

His long legs made him unmistakable out there. Good skier.

yeah he was fast up or down hill hard to keep up to, his job was flexible enough so he would show up on the hill any time of the week and so we did a lot of chair laps

[XXX-er]

from an artical in the local newspaper

" Backhouse’s family is encouraging people “to honour his memory in a way that celebrates what was important to him: skip out of work, head to the hills for some fun, and follow it up with a good bottle of wine shared with the people you love."

His wife worked for the same outfit and so the first time I ran into Paul riding lifts mid week on a " rescheduled " work day he told me the whole company was on the same computer program and she could see an icon on the screen ... indicating he wasn't at work

[powder_to_the_people]

Hi all, I only pop into this thread intermittently, but am always saddened to see the loss of someone that was dear to the mountain community, and to many of the members of this website. My thoughts are with you.

Given the circumstances, I hope that my message won't come across as opportunistic.

I bugged a bunch of you in September last year, about a ski (4FRNT Raven 190, with shift binding) that I had lost down the Henderson couloir, when I had come up to Smithers in April 2019. LHutz had been so kind as to go up for 2 (!) hikes to look for the ski, but unfortunately didn't get a clear look at the face because the Henderson couloir was already covered in snow.

I was wondering if any of you had actually been in that area since the snow melted this year? I would love to get that ski back; this setup was brand new and I had only had 2 days on it. I know it’s a bit of a long shot, but thought I’d ask (again). Would be happy to incentivise a potential search if that gives people motivation!

Show below is an earlier post of mine, where I described the trajectory of the ski.

Using contour maps, here's the best retracing of the itinerary I could do. In red, the uphill itinerary of the first day, up to the point where the ski was lost. In green, the trajectory of the ski (as best as we could make out on the day). In blue, the itinerary I followed on the following day, when we went looking for the ski. You'll see we hiked up the ridge for a little bit on the second day, to get a good look with binoculars at the skier's left side of the face (where the ski is presumed to have gone).

[Reformed]

I was out of town when I learned of Paul's passing. Like others here, I am struggling to come to terms with this loss. Paul was many things for many people. For me he was an instigator, motivator, pot-stirrer and above all else, a pleasure to spend time with. I didn't ski with Paul as much as I would have liked to and I didn't document all of the times that I did. The moments I was able to capture remind me of days well-spent and will motivate future exploits in the mountains. Thanks for the times Paul.

[garyfromterrace]

Thanks for posting those up my friend, and very sorry for you and the communities loss.

[Angle Parking]

Thanks for the pics reformed. Enjoyed those.

powder_to_the_people;

Did not make it into Henderson this summer powder. Have not heard of anyone finding anything in there either. Also, no worries about changing the reflective and sad flow of the thread.. I hate to speak for Paul but I am certain he would want us to get focused back on mountain pursuits.

And speaking of mountain pursuits, Hudson Bay Mountain released their pandemic protocol for the upcoming season. The salient points are that we will be asked to sign in at lifts for contact tracing purposes (kind ofd like some restaurants ask you to do), masks will be worn in the lodge and at lift lines, and that's about it. Our hill is not busy so a reservation system would not have been a big deal but I'm happy no such system is in pace fo now anyway.

Take care everyone.

[Schemeboat]

Hey Northern Fam - I just heard of your loss. I am so sorry. Big love from your southern bc family. Your tight and incredible community will without a doubt be stronger and head further into the wilds with one of your brothers riding on ahead. Some contemporary words that get thrown around down around here: "...Real bad boys move in silence."

This is one of the first years I haven't made it out past PG since I can remember... Although time has no meaning now anyways. Soon enough, I hope.

Take care my friends. + Shred on Paul +

[Schemeboat]

Attachment 337256

Cool.

[Schemeboat]

Hi Northern BC - My friend's dog (also my dog's brother) has gone walkabout/missing up in Kispiox.

Answers to "Jimmy," 23kg, very friendly, last seen 1pm September 7 on Swan Valley Road in the Kispiox Valley. We think he might have hopped in a stranger's vehicle. $1500 reward for info leading to his return.

[XXX-er]

I don't know if any TGR types live in kispo, I see kispo folks posting a lot on FB

[Angle Parking]

Hi Northern BC - My friend's dog (also my dog's brother) has gone walkabout/missing up in Kispiox.

Answers to "Jimmy," 23kg, very friendly, last seen 1pm September 7 on Swan Valley Road in the Kispiox Valley. We think he might have hopped in a stranger's vehicle. $1500 reward for info leading to his return.

Pic?

[XXX-er]

10 cm on the ground in town and 40 on the hill is an early start

[LHutz Esq]

Hey folks - a request for some assistance.

I have been asked to help Paul’s family in dealing with some of his gear- I know gear-swap jong- but I hope to avoid shipping etc. I think amoung us we could deliver along the hwy16 corridor.

I had hoped to just ski swap all of it - but I haven’t heard of any swaps this year, so you folks are my best bet. If you know of anyone looking for gear please send ‘em all my way. All proceeds go to Paul’s family- so feel free to price check but I am going to obviously try to get the best price I can. I am going to go the fb marketplace/VarageSale route as well but thought I’d try here first to limit my time in that hell

Dynafit tlt 6 - 27.5(I think) - $350



Lotus 120 pure - g3, mounted around 310bsl with g3 skins -$1000

Volkl bmt 95 -186 cm volkl skins Solomon binders- $900



Black crows Corvus 188 atomic sth16 binding- $600



Nordic’s enforcer with look dual WTR- $700


Dead bird procline ar carbon - 27/27.5 -$500




Tecnica Mach 1- 26.5 - $400



Dynafit - some repairs done -27- $300





Vole charger 181 - rock skis $250



I’ll post some better pics and conditions when I have a moment - there is also a couple furniture grade skis (heads and moment)

Any assistance on this project is greatly appreciated.

Thanks all

Edit - one more:

2007 Artic cat m8 5400km with pelican skimmer and two diy ski racks (price pending but feel free to make an offer and I’ll pass it along)

[XXX-er]

Is there I ski swap this year, I also wondered, I havent heard of one yet but given the crowd that shows up it would defy covid conventions, maybe try posting on FB ?

I remember all that gear and it was all good stuff

[LHutz Esq]

Ya - I was told pg wasn’t going to have one. I haven’t heard anything about Smithers, but seeing as I got two kids in the program so have volunteered the last 5-6 years running - you would think I’d have heard.

If anyone knows about Terrace please let me know!

Don’t think a Covid swap is a great idea in any event.

I will do fb when I get a bit of time to take better pics and what not. Thought I’d try here because I don’t need to explain to anyone why it’s more expensive than the “new stuff I can get at sport-chek”.

It’s kind of weird going over it. Odd questions like - how’d such a powerful skier have such skinny calves! And this is a very interesting use of duct tape. I did a buckle replacement on the white dynafits- he had the buckle but never got round to replacing the broken ones- which was wired and bodged in the most creative bush fix I’ve seen in a while. Wonder what the story behind that one was...