This past weekend was fantastic but we needed to be creative in order to find some safe places to backcountry ski as the avalanche risks were fairly high in many different areas of the southwest. Due to the past weather and the recent high snowfalls instabilities in the snow pack were causing avalanches to slide more easily. In the end, after many emails and discussions my plan was to snowshoe run with Kim and Tim early Saturday morning at Mt Seymour and then make it home for my pick up to head to Red Heather/Pauls’ Ridge with Kala and friends.
On Sunday I would head to Mt Zoa with some more backcountry friends for a new and different place to experience.
Let me start off with telling everyone that snowshoe running is harder than it looks…It seems fairly simple and easy at first but after 2 km I was zonked, done, breathing heavy while gasping for air…and I thought I was fit!!!! Hehe needless to say Kim and Tim kicked my butt…but the positive in all this…there is much room for improvement…never a bad thing!
Paul’s Ridge
We managed to make it to the beginning of the trail at about noon. We were taking up Geraldine and Dave (there first day in the backcountry) for a cruisy day out in the alpine.
The weather, day and snow turned out to be better than expected and we managed to sneak in a run up on the ridge. All in all a relaxing day out in the Squamish area alpine.
Mt Zoa
Sunny Sunday!!!! We had a fairly large group heading up to Mt Zoa Sunday..We arrived at the parking area to a packed parking lot. A little worrisome but shrugged it off and headed up.
On our way up to the summit the sun came out and stayed out for the rest of the afternoon. It was a nice change from clouds and rain. We did encounter some sledders (my first experience backcountry with sledders…all I can say is they are damn loud!
As we skinned up and through the trees they were no longer in our way and a soft sound in the distance…We dug some pits and shredded some gnar… We chose the safest aspects of the mountain when considering potential slides!
We made it down through the trees and the choppy bits without a problem. Went to Home restaurant for some homecooked meals and headed back home! Another fantastic day in the backcountry…
Live, love, laugh,…DREAM!
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