Hail to the chief: Mount Sir Donald.
Just when my fling with skiing tree lines in the Kootenays showed first signs of fatigue (I started to miss the jagged peaks of the Alps), I stumbled into a new hot love affair: The big mountains of Roger’s Pass.
And while Vermont senator Bernie Sanders was crushing Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire, I had to do my best to keep up crushing powder lines with some skiers from said Northeast US State. These guys were no joke: While thoughtfully picking both ascent and descent lines in function of the conditions of the day, McConkey-esque professional trail builder Hardy managed to get us pretty aggressive pillow lines despite above average avalanche hazard. Not mention that he and his girlfriend Katryn were getting the best of me in the hiking segments as well.
Once again, his majesty Mount Sir Donald.
Hardy doing his McConkey thing. (Not sure he liked this – actually quite flattering – comparison, however both his great humor and skiing skills kind of imposed it.)
Steep pillow line on the Glacier Crest north face.
The Illecillewaet Glacier seen from Glacier Crest Creek.
Young’s Peak in fading cloud cover.
The classic signature line in the Asulcan valley: The beautiful colouir beautifully named ‘Forever Young’ looker’s right. Left, ‘The Ravens’.
Youngs Peak and the ‘Seven Steps of Heaven’ (left).
The ‘Cleaver'(?) and some pillow lines below.
The Abbott (I believe).
The Wheeler Hut, spacious and cosy for 24. Not to mention that one of them was North American alpinism legend Barry Blanchard, guiding a group of young Norwegians.
This is the longest and wildest my beard has ever been. Not that I was proud or would think it was particularly attractive… Think I don’t look happy? I just have such a hard time staring at the bright sky without blinking!
After months of surfing and 25,000m to 30,000m vertical gain in 17 days of ski touring, my body weighs now 109kg. When I left banking in June, it was 121kg.
The Gipsy Banker 