Tantalus Range Mountaineering: Mount Dione, Mount Serratus
Just returned from a 3 day trip in the Tantalus range mountaineering (Jim Haberl hut) teaching a course. Conditions are pretty excellent right now but changing rapidly with the very hot temperatures!
Of interest we climbed Mount Dione SE face and Mount Serratus North face.
Mount Gimli South Ridge
The Mount Gimli SW ridge is straight up world class. 5.9 steep, juggy climbing on perfect interesting rock. Pretty crazy really how with such a good route there is really no one in the area! …except lots of friendly goats!.
Mount Garibaldi NE Face – Trip Report July 4th
On Friday the birthday of America our guest from Chicago snuck in an Ascent of Mount Garibaldi via the NE face. Our original plan was to climb it in our normal fashion of 2 days. One day to the cam on the moraines just past brohm ridge and the second day climbing the peak and returning home. The weather forecast kept looking worse and worse for our summit days so we opted for an early start and going for the peak in one day before the weather came.
Grand Wall Squamish Rock Climb 5.11a
What a beautiful day out on the grand wall in Squamish. The classic line up the wall goes at 5.11a with the 2 bolt ladders. Was fun to snap some photos of Kinley Aitken on Perry’s Layback. Squamish is such a great place to climb, with seemingly endless multipitch climbs only 5 minuets from the…
My dog Suzie Summits Sky Pilot Mountain
After lunch my loyal dog Suzie and I headed out to climb Sky Pilot Mountain. We left the truck at about 1:30 after driving up the access road. This takes longer than just going up the Gondola. We were on the Summit of Sky Pilot by about 430. Suzie did great on the scrambling 4th class pitches and the last headwall to the summit. Glad she was good with the sit and stay commands. Round trip we were about 5 hours total. What a great way to take the dog for a hike! Dogaineering at it’s finest! The top of Sky Pilot has fantastic views!
University Wall the “Shadow” and Roman Chimneys 5.12d – Trip Report
What a great day out on one of my favourite routes on the planet! University wall in Squamish. It was a battle but a pleasure to get to climb the University Wall in Squamish with my good friend Josh Lavigne. Other than the typical early season wet spots of the cracks it was a perfect day out. Finishing with the Roman Chimneys makes for one of the best classic long days of multi Squamish has to offer.
Sky Pilot Climb
At just over 2000m, Sky Pilot presents a great introduction to the alpine right near Squamish. Sky Pilot and the Stadium Glacier are reached using a combination of hiking and mountain biking, so experience with both are essential.
Mount Tricouni – North Ridge
The Mount Tricouni North Ridge is one of the most quickest and best alpine rock routes the Coast Mountains have to offer. This classic coastal mountaineering objective is a striking exposed rock ridge with difficulties up to 5.4 lead to an air summit looking over in the both the Squamish and Whistler valleys. The trip starts with a 4×4 journey almost right into the alpine. An 1-2 hours approach across the north glacier sees us on the ridge proper. A absolute must do for an one looking for a 1 day alpine hit.
Pointe Lachenal, Haruld e Maud 5.10 – Chamonix Rock Climbing
Rock climbing at almost 4000m high above broken expansive glaciers… in early June. Ill take it! Chamonix is really just unbelievable when it come to the access potential. A 1 hours walk from the Aiguille du midi life you have a life times worth of epic alpine rock climbing. From 5 to way to many pitchs. Yesterday I teamed up with American mountain guide Danny Ulhmann and bad ass alpine steep skier Gulia Monego to climb the Pointe Lachenal
Mt Habrich – Summit Trip May 31, 2014
What a fun day out on Mt Habrich! Looks like we may have been the first to summit Mt Habrich this season. There is still lots of early season snow around on the approach and some of the ledges on the west face. We acceded the south face mostly following the route Life on Earth at 5.10c.
What is Backcountry Skiing?
Do you have a craving to ski on ungroomed, all-natural snow in some of the most beautiful wilderness mountains' have to offer? If your answer is yes, then backcountry skiing can provide the adventure you're looking for.
Backcountry skiing generally occurs in sparsely populated areas outside designated ski resorts - truly making it an adventure. Human power is frequently the means of access and ascent, but some adventures may require helicopters and ski lifts may be used so long as the land accessed is backcountry.
Types of Backcountry Skiing
According to Wikipedia, backcountry skiing can include:
- Frontcountry: off-trail within ski area boundaries where ski lifts and emergency services are close at hand.
- Slackcountry: terrain outside of the ski area boundary that is accessed from a lift without having to use skins or bootpack. Usually this also includes area with access back to the lift as well. For purists, this could also include where people use a car as a shuttle.
- Sidecountry: terrain outside marked ski area boundaries yet accessible via ski lift. Typically sidecountry requires the skier to hike, skin, or climb within ski area boundaries to reach or return from the sidecountry area, or both.
- Backcountry: skiing in remote areas not within ski area boundaries. Ski patrol, marked ski runs, grooming, snowmaking, and ski lifts are absent.
Want to Try Backcountry Skiing?
Give Altus Mountain Guides a call to start your adventure today +1.604.848.8543
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Altus mountain guides is a group of motivated professionals dedicated to providing our clients with outstanding quality in the mountains with safe adventurous trips. From our base in Squamish and Whistler BC we provide you access to the most amazing mountain experiences the West Coast has to offer. Our exciting itineraries showcase the Coast Range but reach beyond to the interior ranges of the Selkirkʼs and Purcellʼs and onto the Rockies. We also offer trips internationally from the historic and classic European Alps to the windswept wilds of Patagonia.