Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Trip Report - East End of Rundle

Before we get to the pictures, I thought I would start with a lesson in budgeting, by some jackass who can't read (aka ME).  

This past weekend was a liquidation sale for an outdoor gear shop, so we made our way down to join the fray.  We parked on the street, and loaded the meter until it said 'max time reached' (which was odd because it was barely one hour).  We grabbed lunch, and overstayed my paid parking time by 20 mins, but by the time I realized this, the parking patrol gang was driving away, chortling with joy at my expense.  So then I figured, better save at least 40 bucks on the liquidation sale to offset the parking fine.  Luckily, we saved something closer to 160 bucks, so clear WIN, right?   

When we emerged from the chaos of the makeshift liquidation centre, my car was nowhere to be found... because apparently, if I had read the sign a little ways up the street, it clearly stated "No parking between 15:30 - 18:00." So while we saved 160 bucks on various items we'll need for Kilimanjaro next year, the parking ticket, tow, impound fees, and frustration cost me closer to 190.   Moral of the story:  read the signs before parking.   

Anyways, on with the photos.  We took a couple visitors out on a hike up the East End of Rundle this past weekend.  It was a good time, even though Anita and I have done this scramble a handful of times now.  

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-1

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-2

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-3

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-4

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-5

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-6

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-7

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-8

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-9

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-10

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-11

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-12
Summit Brew: Tool Shed's Star Cheek IPA

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-13

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-14

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-15

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-16

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-17

Scrambles - East End Of Rundle - June 2017-18

Monday, June 19, 2017

Trip Report - Windtower

After our failed summit bid last Sunday, we were bound and determined to bag a peak this weekend. So despite the four seasons we experienced (sun, cloud, rain, and snow) on our way up, we summited Windtower in just over 3 hours for our fifth peak this season. While at the top, the wind howled ceaselessly. I don't know why I expected anything different, considering WIND is in the mountain's name. Think how much more awesome these self fulfilling name prophecies would be if they'd called this Calmtower or Beertower instead.

Aside from the weather, this was largely just a straight forward hike, with few difficulties other than the exertion of trudging up 1000m of elevation over about 6km. I say straight forward, but it still gave Anita quite the bruise when she wasn't paying attention (see last photo).

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Summit of Windtower, looking over the sheer cliffs down the Northeast face.

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Scrambles - Windtower-2

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Snow and rain all around us.

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Scrambles - Windtower-5
Summit Beer: Unity Brew 2016.

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Pano of the west view.

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Looking North towards Rimwall and the Three Sisters peaks.

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The snows rolled in when we were on the summit.

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Despite the howling wind and snow, we spent an hour at the summit, hiding out behind this windbreak.

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Mt. Lougheed to the South.

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Of course there's snow. Because it's only June.

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Nice treat on our descent back along Westwind Pass: spotting a few bighorn sheep.

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Weekend battle scars: Anita's bruise courtesy of a tree branch. George's cut courtesy of the mall (seriously...)

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Trip Report - Little Lougheed

It doesn't happen often, but occasionally, we head out for a scramble but don't bag the peak. It seems wrong to label today a failure, when we still had an awesome hike crowned by spectacular enough views, but failing to summit Little Lougheed still feels disappointing.

From the get go, things didn't feel right. Waking up with a slight hangover, arriving to more snow than expected, thinking we were off trail, doubling back to try bushwhacking for an hour through knee deep snow, deciding that that didn't seem the right way either, and then finding a stupidly steep boulder field further up the trail that we finally gave up on... sigh.

Scrambles - Little Lougheed, June 2017-1
Them views!

Scrambles - Little Lougheed, June 2017-2

Scrambles - Little Lougheed, June 2017-7
This boulder field would ultimately be where we'd give up and turn around.

Scrambles - Little Lougheed, June 2017-8
#steep

Scrambles - Little Lougheed, June 2017-9
The awesome looking massif of Mt. Sparrowhawk.

Scrambles - Little Lougheed, June 2017-3
Spencer Creek, at the start of this hike, is so beautiful.

Scrambles - Little Lougheed, June 2017-4

Monday, June 5, 2017

Dispatches from the Field: Seattle Edition, April 2017

After four straight weekends of scrambles in the Rockies, we didn't get out for a hike this past weekend. I was getting the shakes from summit withdrawal...

So rather than post more photos from our recent mountain adventures, here are another selection from our trip to Seattle over the Easter long weekend. Oysters, beer, oysters, scenic views, more oysters, graffiti, and Lenin. A very short, but very fun getaway.

Seattle - April 2017-12

Seattle - April 2017-7
Seattle Skyline from the top of the Space Needle. Click to see it large.

Seattle - April 2017-2
View from Deception Pass Bridge.

Seattle - April 2017-5
Underneath Deception Pass Bridge.

Seattle - April 2017-3
Some hipsters shooting Fuji FP Instant film through an old Polaroid Land camera.

Seattle - April 2017-4
Barnacles on the rocky beach of Deception Pass.

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Anita enjoying every last spoonful of clam chowder from Ivar's Seafood Bar.

Seattle - April 2017-8
Selection of oysters from Shaker + Spear.

Seattle - April 2017-9

Seattle - April 2017-10

Seattle - April 2017-11
Night time lights and reflections at Pike Place Market.

Seattle - April 2017-13
Happy Hour at The Walrus and The Carpenter.

Seattle - April 2017-14
A most amazing Spot Prawn Crudo, from The Walrus and The Carpenter. Seriously, you need to eat this.

Seattle - April 2017-15
Another selection of oysters.

Seattle - April 2017-16
Oysters Casbarian from Blue Acre Seafood.

Seattle - April 2017-17
The unexpected Lenin statue in the Fremont district.

Seattle - April 2017-18

Seattle - April 2017-19

Seattle - April 2017-20
Oysters from Taylor's Shellfish Oyster Bar.

Seattle - April 2017-21
Geoduck (pronounced 'gooey duck') ceviche from Taylor's.

Seattle - April 2017-22
Seattle Public Library.

Seattle - April 2017-23
One last selection of oysters from Elliot's Oyster House, just before we headed to the airport.

Seattle - April 2017-24
The bar at Elliot's Oyster House.

Seattle - April 2017-1
And what trip to the Pacific Northwest is complete without same craft beer samples.