Mountain biking the South Chilcotin Mountain Range, BC for five days (2021)
Day 1: Loading the float plane with bikes, gear and humans to start our 5 day bike-packing trip through the South Chilcotin Mountains in BC.
Day 1: Float plane leaving us on our own at Warner Lake. The morning mist over the lake was absolutely stunning.
Day 1: Hike-a-biking the second to last slope to Warner Pass. Little did we know this would be a walk in the park compared to Day 3.
Day 3: The veteran and indefatigable Phil enjoying the view and patiently waiting for the rest of us near Powell Pass on Day 3.
Day 4: The 2021 Chilcotin crew the morning after the epic Day 3 semi-recovered and ready for another epic day.
Day 4: Approaching Elbow Pass after another long yet welcomed bikeable climb after spending most of Day 3's climbs hike-a-biking.
Summiting Wedge Mountain near Whistler, BC (2021)
Approaching the summit of Wedge mountain, Whistler, BC on belay with my friend Mike ready to jump to the opposite side of this knife-edge ridge if I were to fall. The temperatures were unseasonably warm this day and we started too late in the early morning to attempt a safe climb up the Northeast ridge to the summit. Live to climb another day. (Photo: Mike Lee)
Me and my buddy Zach on the summit of Wedge mountain, Whistler, BC in 2021. Going earlier in the season this time, we were able to boot pack up the Northwest couloir shown in the photo on the right and, after this harrowing experience, easily gained the summit. The reward was one of the most intense and exciting ski runs down the Northwest couloir we've ever experienced. Persistence is key, whether summiting mountains, conducting research or tackling climate change.
Summiting Cayoosh Mountain and learning a lesson in Million Dollar couloir (2017)
Cayoosh summit looking South towards Pemberton valley. Mt. Matier and Joffre group on the left and Mt. Cassiope and Mt. Saxifrage on the right.
Stan and I getting ready to ride off the summit of Cayoosh. Photo by Ben Adams.
The black dot just below the sun-shadow line on the right side of the bowl below the photographer's position is me waiting for Stan and Ben to drop in. Photo by Ben Adams.
Stan and I regrouping near the exit of Million Dollar couloir. I narrowly avoided a deadly fall arising from a combination of two factors: an issue with my gear and, more importantly, my mistake of ignoring the warning signs of recent avalanche activity that left the couloir as a sheet of ice. My heaviest moment backcountry skiing and a hard lesson learned. Photo by Ben Adams.
Ben giving Million Dollar couloir the rock horns. Despite my heavy moment, we were stoked to have slayed this beast in some of the hardest conditions possible. Most importantly, we live to ski it another day. Photo by Ben Adams.