
Free Drop Off to the Bow Valley and Calgary
By Kieran Crimeen
A couple of weeks back Joel got a heads up from one Andrew Wexler aka The Best Skier On The Mountain that he should check out Commonwealth Couloir. This was a line I’d put on my ‘never even consider’ list so I was apprehensive to say the least. Still, Joel has a winning smile and it’s hard to say no to the guy so we went up for a look.
We were stymied at the first cliff band by snow, rock, spindrift and a general lack of ability. Retreat was the only option but the fires in the Temple of Stoke had been, well, stoked.
By Kieran Crimeen
A high pressure system poked its nose in on the tail end of some snow so the weekend looked like a great time to head up to the Columbia Icefields area and have another go at the Skyladder.
After agreeing to leave Canmore at some stupid hour (1.45 for those interested) I went to sleep fidgeting nervously because a) it’s an intimidating route and b) the Backcountry Alpha aka Peter Knight would be in attendance. We howled up the Parkway, nearly losing a wheel that wasn’t bolted on properly and got underway at 4.30. I crushed the approach, dropping Joel and Peter for at least 20 seconds before they caught up and had me puffing to keep them in sight.
"My skins were glopping so bad, I was carrying the entire skintrack uphill."
Spring. Powder in the morning, corn in the afternoon. Leaving before dawn for long epic missions for those lines we think of all winter. Skin failure problems and glopping, which varies greatly depending on brands.