Bonney Glacier

After our day up Connaught we decided to go somewhere that the wind may not have wrecked. So we headed up Loop brook and skied the morraine runs. The skiing was epic, so different from the previous day. Tommy,a photographer from Backcountry.com was up taking photos and I hoped we would get some in the Bonney.  It is such a magnificent place, we could get him some decent shots there.

We had some perfect powder, hero skiing, and occasionally we had some sun to accompany this great skiing. Needing my extra vert I pushed through a whiteout and we had one of the best runs of the year. Knowing it was so good we headed up again on Thursday and went deeper into the glacier for some great turns, a little whiteout and flat at times but really great. And then we headed up the climbers left glacier towards Mt-Clarke

This was a really exciting glacial up, with big junks of blue glacier all around us. Super fun and then a fun down, some where I had never been. Yet somewhere I will surely return.

All’s well otherwise, just sitting up in the comforts of CMH and enjoying some Heli assisted ski touring. More on that to come.

Avalanche Hazard high once again

Yup once again this season the avalanche hazard has hit high. Up to 40 cm of new snow has fallen over the last two days accompanied with wind. So touring up Connaught we noticed huge winddrifts, and deep wind slab. The new snow also came in warm so its heavy and has a slab like quality to it.

We played it safe but still managed to trigger 6 smaller avalanches, (don’t worry Mom these were expected!). So its definitely on the tipping point right now. But overall this load should be good as it has shocked the snowpack and once it settles it should “bridge” over the deeper instabilities and allow for some great spring skiing.

All is well otherwise, just trucking along around 535 right now and getting all sorts of future plans set up. Working on where to live and ski in SA, and also organizing the St-Elias trip. So lots to dream about and set up.

More on that later, time to ski.

511 051 ft

Yesterday I finished off the first quarter of this mission. It felt amazing, 500 000 done by March 24. Awesome.  And what was my next thought? “great now I can focus on a million!!!”

Its been amazing, excruciating,challenging. Its a challenge that is requiring all I have. Focus, commitment, complete dedication. I cannot imagine what will happen in the next three quarters but the first has been everything I could have wished for. 23 summits, endless skiing and the hardest thing I have ever done.

Looking forward to the rest.