It started out like any good powder day. Fresh snow, good friends, strong legs. While the avalanche bulletin rated the risk as "considerable", things felt stable and the powder beckoned. There were about 10 or so people in the circle I was skiing with that morning...everyone was talking about head…
citizenclass
misadventures in amateur racing and freelance sports journalism
Blog posts in snow
Near Death Experiences
Posted February 20, 2012
Sunny Daze
Posted February 6, 2012
Hi loyal readers. I've been dealing with some personal issues lately, thus the silence. Don't worry, I am going to be OK, just trying to root out the causes of some nagging anxiety.
In the meantime, it was sunny on Saturday, and I took some photos. Enjoy!
This is the view looking North from t…
Holy ass slap Batman!
Posted January 22, 2012
Well. We HAVE had an interesting weekend. Up to Mt. Cain of course, and it was snowing, slushing and nasty the whole drive up. Saturday was the Cain Cup - the annual race to see who on the mountain is the fastest at skiing gates. The format is simple - there's a race down the lower face in the m…
Pretty Pictures
Posted January 16, 2012
No major stories from this past weekend, just some very nice photo's.
This is Mt. Cain. The tallest peak on the right of this photo that is. The zone below is locally known as the "East bowl".
This is Mt.Abel.
If you were to ask me to take a photo like this, I probably couldn't. I just point…
Bad decisions
Posted January 9, 2012
The Canadian Avalanche Association describes a Size 1 avalanche as relatively harmless to people with a mass of 10 tonnes, a run of 10 metres and a force of 10 kilopascals. The CAA describes a Size 2 avalanche as on that could "bury, injure or kill a person". Typically with a mass of 100 tonnes, a…
Satisfaction
Posted December 12, 2011
My favourite Vancouver Island ski hill, Mt. Cain, opened for the season this Saturday (December 10th, 2011). I swear that place is a bubble of happiness. I am satisfied because:
a. I helped get the upper tee-bar open by shovelling hard-packed snow onto bare patches Saturday morning (and was one…
In the News!
Posted December 3, 2011
SNOW!
Posted November 3, 2011
Like the title says - 7 inches in the parking lot at Mt. Cain when I got there today for a site meeting at 10 am!
The view on the drive up.
First tracks in the parking lot!
MOUNTAINS!
mmmmmmmmm...
pretty...
This is Roberts Lake - I've never actually stopped here before but I had to pee really …
Mt. Cain Work Party!
Posted September 18, 2011
Well - the ski season has officially started. At least that is how it feels to me. Tree and I loaded up ASD Machine with warm clothes, my chainsaw and other items and sundry and headed up to Cain for the annual work party weekend.
We arrived Friday, moved our stuff into Pete's cabin and the fun …
G3 Onyx Binding Review
Posted May 7, 2011
After a full season riding these binders, I can definitely and with authority say that they work and work well. From deep pow days to slushy spring afternoons to hard pack and gnarly lumpy snow, I mostly haven’t noticed the Onyx skiing down (its solid). However, there are some tricks you need to l…
Spring Powder
Posted April 22, 2011
Did a quick tour this morning and found, of all things, POWDER! Not bad for April 22nd!
The target, Mount Allan Brooks in Strathcona Park
Shot of the day - fresh turns on spring powder!
Quick video edit - we skied way more than we filmed today...
Parting shot, the view of Mount Albert Edw…
Transitions
Posted April 10, 2011
Spring. A time of transition. In the natural world, snow is beginning to melt, trees are starting to bud and as the days get longer, the weather is heating up.
For me, it means its almost time to hang up the skis and start riding bikes and climbing mountains. This weekend (and next weekend also…
Closing time...
Posted April 3, 2011
Dream Chute
Posted March 28, 2011
The title says it all. A line I have been sizing up ever since I read up on Mt Cain last year. Its the sort of line where if you watch someone ski it standing at the top, they go over, disappear from site and then only reappear at the bottom...
Dream Chute as seen from the top of the tee bar at M…
It was a dark and stormy night...
Posted March 22, 2011
Really - it was. At least until we drove past Sayward. Then, all of a sudden, the rain stopped and the road was dry and we made pretty good time up to Mount Cain. No getting stuck this week as I had my new chains (which are awesome).
Saturday dawned cloudy and snowy, but we were still able to…
Holy Snow Batman!
Posted March 13, 2011
Broken chains, para-sailers, epic hair and powder
Posted March 7, 2011
and no puking. But I do have a nasty cold. Here's how Mt Cain looked on Saturday...
Before that picture was shot, I had some minor difficulties on the drive up Friday night. For some unknown reason I thought it would be a good idea to pass the grader who was plowing the road. It might even ha…
Night Snow Shoe
Posted February 17, 2011
Tonight I started what I hope will become a regular and lasting practice - Thursday night adventures. For our first outing, we went snow shoeing. There's a full moon and some epic snow right now, and mostly clear skies - so it was pretty awesome. The beer tasted pretty damn good too! We even man…
Pole Whacking
Posted January 23, 2011
Alright. If you've been paying attention and done your homework, you will know exactly what the title of this post is referring to. If not, go back and read my A.S.D. post and do the assigned homework, then come back.
OK.
Done?
Good.
Now, this weekend Tree and I went back to Mt. Cain. There …
STOKED!
Posted January 9, 2011
Wow - I'm still stoked. I only skied three runs today, but I have to say I have probably never been more satisfied after a day of skiing. Run #1 - groomer from the top of Mount Cain to the bottom. Run #2 - we headed into the East Bowl and watched a group ski the Dream Chute, then headed down …
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