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canada climbing general

completely lacking in cougars

We parked in a parking lot in the middle of Canmore (well, not the exact middle perhaps, but it was certainly surrounded by houses, and there were lots of people out walking their dogs and that sort of thing) and started walking up Cougar Creek.

Cougar Creek

 

Partially frozen, the walking got interesting at times; there was some falling through to lower layers of frozen creek, hardly any cougar attacks, and lots of crossing back and forth across the creek.

And this would be why it’s nice to be the lightest one in the party

 

A side fork and a couple of hours later and we were at the base of Ghoster Coaster, a WI3 route that is about 150 metres long.

Climbing in a canyon

 

Unfortunately I don’t have a photo of the most interesting pitch, which was 50 metres of scrambling over driftwood that had been frozen into place. This was followed by a short ice pitch, then the top out, which was a fairly memorable bit of mixed ice/rock/dirt climbing.

Not the top out, though it gives you a good idea how windy it was in the canyon

 

After the rap down we walked out along the frozen creek by the light of the full moon, and still weren’t eaten by any cougars.

Categories
canada general

my deer christmas friend

 

Categories
canada general

bluetine

Poutine is a fantastic Canadian culinary invention. Hot chips (or fries) with gravy and cheese curds.

Bluetine is a slightly more alarming concept, but is also rather tasty.
 

 
Sweet potato fries, blue cheese sauce, curds and a demi-glace…. mmmm, curdalicious.

Categories
general

my thesis has been passed!

Largely minor (but apparently a few substantial) corrections to be made, but it’s passed!

*collapses with shock*

Categories
canada general snow

the snow in town, it just doesn’t go away

Since the start of December (or some time around then) the snow just hasn’t left the streets. Well, technically it’s left the streets. Unless you count the mushy brown stuff that looks distractingly like creamed butter and brown sugar. But it’s still everywhere else.
 

 
These photos were taken at the start of December, just before Banff Avenue re-opened (after months of roadworks). It was a perfect surface for skiing up and down on.
 

 
The Christmas lights are coming out all over town now. And suddenly all of those Christmas cards and images and song lyrics make a lot more sense. I’ll have my first white Christmas this year.
 

 
And when there’s enough snow on the roads, you can skate (ski skate that is) up the Tunnel Mountain road, and get this view of the Banff Springs Hotel at night, surrounding by snow covered trees.