I read an upsetting article today in the Globe & Mail: Snowshoes create false confidence, rescue veteran says after man slides to his death.

….And on Saturday afternoon, a young man slid to his death while snowshoeing on Goat Mountain, near Grouse Mountain in Lynn Headwaters Regional Park.

The man, who was in his 20s and was accompanied by two other men, left the Grouse Mountain area and ventured into a closed area of the park, Mr. Jones said.

At the time of the accident, the man who was killed was trying to toss the end of a fixed rope to his snowshoeing partner, who was struggling on a steep part of the slope, Mr. Jones said.

The rope is in place as part of a summer hiking route.

In throwing the rope, the man lost his balance, and slid on snowshoes that provided no traction on the treacherous decline to the lake below.

He plummeted 400 metres to the lake.

… Read the full article here.

I saw Dave on the Club Fat Ass blog has a post about the news, and stressing the importance of knowing when to turn back and not get overwhelmed by the stoke of the moment. I wanted to re-iterate that message, and was reminded of this quote I’ve seen recently:

When going back makes sense, you are going ahead – Wendell Berry

Related Posts:
• Gear Review: Atlas 930 Snowshoes
• Elderly Man Found Dead Near Grouse Grind
• Featured Website: Grouse Park Sessions

Tags: Goat Mountain,North Shore Rescue,Snowshoeing
Categories: News, Safety
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I haven’t been very good about posting news to the site lately, but here’s two recent events.

There was another tragedy in Kicking Horse resort in Golden recently as two people were caught in an avalanche and killed.

CMP Sgt. Marko Shehovac said the skiers were killed while on an in-bounds black diamond course with two others.

“From witnesses it was determined that the avalanche was triggered by four skiers,” said Shehovac. “Two people were able to get out, two males are deceased.”

Three people were taken to hospital, where two were pronounced dead.

Police said the two men who escaped were not related to the deceased.

The avalanche was spotted right away, allowing search and rescue crews to respond almost immediately.

“Some people saw it happen and were able to report it to the ski hill,” Shehovac said.

The avalanche occurred at about 2:30 p.m. local time. The first skier was found shortly before 3:00 p.m., the second at 3:04 p.m.

Kicking Horse resort issued a statement saying their personnel assessed the situation and determined that the avalanche had taken place in a permanent avalanche closure, within the controlled recreation area of the resort.

It is the second tragedy for the resort in the last two weeks as Marie-Josee Fortin, 44, died after getting lost for more than a week while skiing in the backcountry.

On a local note, an injured snowshoer was helped during a joint rescue between Coquitlam and North Shore Rescue at Buntzen Lake.

The victim had been trekking with friends through a mountainous area above the lake at about 3:30 p.m., March 1, when he lost his footing on a steep snowfield and dislocated his knee. When it became apparent he could not walk out, the victim’s companions called for help.

You can read the report from the North Shore News, as well as an in-depth article on the Coquitlam SAR site from one of the subjects.

Related Posts:
• Another Death In Whistler, & Couple Couple Buried In Seymour Avalanche
• Search And Rescue Volunteers Consider Quitting Over Lawsuit
• 3 More Killed In BC Avalanches

Tags: Avalanche,Buntzen Lake,Coquitlam SAR,Kicking Horse,NSR,Skiing,Snowshoeing
Categories: News
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In recognition of the 1 year countdown to the 2010 Olympics, Grouse is celebrating in style. The resort will be open for 48 straight hours next weekend (Feb 13 – 15). I think it would be awesome to be shredding the mountain at 3am looking down on the city lights or taking a moonlight snowshoe trek. Hopefully we can get some more fresh snow by then too!

As a kick-off to the one year countdown to the world spotlight shining on Vancouver, Grouse Mountain will keep its winter operation open for more than 48 hours beginning Friday, February 13th and going all weekend long. The adrenaline rush of snow sports will not cease even in the wee hours of the morning!

For those who have ever wondered what it would be like to carve down a ski run as the sunrise frames the city in front of you, 48 Hours of Winter is the time to find out.

During this time all the regular activities you enjoy at Grouse will be open including snowboarding, skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, zip-trekking, and it will also coincide with the Yeti Snowshoe Racing Series.

Check the event page for details on exact hours for each activity / facilities.

Related Posts:
• Gearing Up For Winter Fun Pt. III
• Cypress Also Due To Open Tomorrow, Seymour At Anytime
• No-Fun-City At 1 Year Olympic Countdown?

Tags: 48 Hours,Grouse,Skiing,Snowboarding & Skiing,Snowshoeing,Yeti
Categories: Events
2 Comments »

Continuing on with the really weird weather we’ve been having this winter, the mountains are experiencing spring-like temperatures. On Friday I had a chance to go snowshoeing at Cypress and was sweating and shedding layers before even starting the trail. On Sunday I went up to Whistler for a day of snowboarding where temperatures were 10°C in the alpine (compared to much LOWER temperatures in the village). This string of warm weather is expected to continue for a least a few more days: “A strong ridge of high pressure will remain stalled over the south coast allowing sunny and warm conditions.” – from the Whistler forecast

While I enjoyed the warm weather, unlimited visibility, and snowboarding in just 1 layer and no toque, I hope this trend reverses so we can get some more fresh snow! One good thing about this warm spell is that it ‘may’ help to stabilize the snowpack and reduce the avalanche risk for the remainder of the season. As you can see from the picture below, some areas of Whistler / Blackcomb are still roped off.

It was so warm up top we ended up checking our jackets and toques, but didn’t go quite as far as Tawcan and his buddies went at Cypress. I also had the chance to ride the Peak 2 Peak for the first time, which was awesome. Its great to be able to ‘jump’ mountains in a matter of minutes! Also, the views of the village and valley were brilliant.

The best part of the spring-like weather was lunch on the patio with a pitcher of beer.

I don’t think I was the only one enjoying a ‘lazy’ day of snowboarding.

Related Posts:
• Whistler & Blackcomb Open This Week
• Grouse Mountain Opens Tomorrow + Peak 2 Peak Launch
• Low Snowpack In Whistler Could Pose Problems This Summer

Tags: Cypress,Peak 2 Peak,Skiing,Snowboarding & Skiing,Snowshoeing,Warm Weather,Whistler
Categories: Snowboarding & Skiing
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In part one I told you all about the ski & boarding lessons offered by our local mountains. Today I’m going to focus on snowshoeing at Seymour, Grouse and Cypress.

Cypress Mountain “offers 10 km of snowshoe trails running through pristine, sub-alpine meadows and snow-laden forests”. They have 3 guided tours:

• Hollyburn Meadows – A great introduction to snowshoeing. Trek through snowy mountain forests and meadows with a stop at historic Hollyburn Lodge for a hot drink. Experience the beauty of nature amidst the magic of winter.
• Starlite Adventure Tour – Enjoy a 3 hour snowshoe tour that includes a 2 hours snowshoe trek through the snowy mountain forests and meadows, snowshoe rentals, and a stop at the Historic Hollyburn Lodge where you will enjoy a selection of appetizers and canapés.
• Snowshoe Fondue Tour – This special tour combines spectacular terrain and great food in one adventure. Each tour includes a delicious fondue meal in the rustic ambience of historic Hollyburn Lodge. You’ll enjoy an easy snowshoe trek with your experienced, informative and entertaining guide through towering snowy mountain forests and sub-alpine meadows. A truly unique winter experience that is especially popular with groups.

Grouse Mountain “is a popular destination for snowshoeing; the Munday Alpine Snowshoe Park offers four groomed and marked trails ranging from 1 km to 3.5 km.” Grouse offers one tour (fondue), and 4 clinics:

• Beginner Snowshoe Clinics
• Ladies Only Clinics
• Race Prep Clinic
• Drop-in Nights

Seymour Mountain “has over 10 km of well marked and maintained trails at the Discovery Snowshoe Area. The network of trails leads through meadows and lakes surrounded by wildlife. Look for animal tracks en route”. Seymour offers the largest variety of snowshoeing programs. A few of the different ones to look at are:

• Full Moon or Big Moon Tour – Let our interprative guide and the moon’s radiance lead this two hour tour! A fun chance to get out on a full or big moon. Even on cloudy nights there are lots of things to see and do related to the moon and stars. Explore the moon and the star’s superstitions, myths and legends associated with the night sky.
• Silver Snowshoe Club – A perfect combination of fun, learning, fitness and social interaction for those 50 plus. Your own 50 plus guide will take you along gentle forested trails on a two hour journey to explore nature, the beauty of winter and the joys of meeting new friends.
• Baby & Me Snowshoeing – This invigorating snowshoe series is designed for parents and babies! (or expecting Mom’s with their caregiver’s consent). Enjoy a 90 minute guided snowshoe tour followed by tea and a social. Parents must be able to carry their babies for at least 1.5 hours and have their own comfortable carrier. Change tables available before and after snowshoeing. Includes interpretive guide, snowshoes, poles, trail pass, and an indoor light snack and hot tea afterwards.
• SnowFit Series – For those looking for a great workout, don’t miss out on SnowFit! This focused 90 minute power hike is geared for those comfortable on snowshoes who want to take it to the next level by incorporating a beginner to intermediate fitness routine within a group setting.

The choices are definitely there for snowshoeing in Vancouver, and if that’s not enough you always have plenty of great back country opportunities outside of Vancouver at places such as Elfin Lakes.

Related Posts:
• Gearing Up For Winter Fun Pt. III
• 48 Hours Of Winter At Grouse Mountain
• VACC Bike Commuter Skills

Tags: Cypress,Grouse,Seymour,Snowshoeing,winter fun
Categories: Snowshoeing
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