18.12.2005
Few pictures from an ice climbing adventure in King's Creek, in Kananaskis. The day was very cold (minus 25 C), so the ice was not the best quality but it was fun anyway.
Andrzej
15.10.2005
I did another "classic" hike of the Rockies. The Berg Lake Trail, all the way to the Snowbird Pass, near Mount Robson Group (3954 m). 32 km one way, elevation gain 1650 meters. Beautiful views of Robson, Robson Glacier, and the mountains in Robson Group. The trail is in very good condition and (due to the limited number of permits issued) not overly crowded.
Andrzej
30.09.2005
Well, what to do with 9 days off in a row? Road trip, of course! We decided to drive to northern California for a few days, I've always wanted to drive the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway). Long drive but well worth the effort. After spending one night in Oregon we made our way to just north of San Francisco. Other than one night in a really nice motel by the beach (and crazy cheap!), we camped. We found a really nice campground right at the beach but, sadly, the northern California fog made it too chilly to stay there in a tent. It was gorgeous, and it would have been nice to have an RV, but we decided to move 30km inland, to a beautiful lake, where it was +30 and the campground was virtually empty - with the exception of some very aggressive chipmunks.
This part of California is just stunning, and the drive was amazing. Plus, we found a colourful roadside diner with the best breakfast we've ever had. All in all, we might need a vacation from our vacation, but it was a great trip.
Shona
10.09.2005
Few pictures from my latest rock climbing weekend. I did the North-West Ridge of Mount Blane (II 5.6) in Kananaskis, with Peter Smolik and Andrzej Slawinski. Nothing too extreme but lots of fun.
Andrzej
30.08.2005
Few pictures from our beautiful province of Alberta. I have a tendency to spend all my free time in the mountains (yay!) but, for a change, managed to take a couple of trips to the flat part of the province (wtf!). And yes, prairies can be photogenic as well, lol.
Andrzej
15.08.2005
I just got back from Kananaskis where I did a solo ascent of the West Ridge (III 5.5) of Mount Sir Douglas (3406 m). Two days of action with a night spent near the glacier. Crumbling rock made this rope-free climb very interesting and a little bit stressful. I don't think I would go there again, lol.
Andrzej
25.07.2005
I spent a few days in Wooley Creek, where I was supposed to try to climb Mount Wooley (3405 m) and Diadem Peak (3371 m). Unfortunately, the weather was not cooperative. It was actually really bad. Very strong wind and heavy rain, turning into snow at night. After two days and two nights of waiting for the weather to improve, I decided to go home. The biggest challenge was to cross the Sunwapta River, cold and deep after so many days of rain.
Andrzej
17.07.2005
Two more interesting hikes. First, I finally summited Mount Kidd (2958 m, 1400 m elevation gain) in Kananaskis. The scramble is very similar to Mount Rundle, relatively easy lower part and rather difficult upper part. The view of Kananaskis valley and surrounding ranges from the summit is amazing. The other hike was Six Glaciers Trail, near Lake Louise. The trail is comfortable and easy to navigate, but could be crowded on long weekends and holidays. The views of Mount Lefroy and Mount Victoria are absolutely spectacular.
Andrzej
02.06.2005
I ascended Mount Rundle last weekend (2949 m, elevation gain: 1570 m), a popular hike near Banff. The trail is easy to navigate and, due to its western exposure, free of snow relatively early in a season. Lower part is a comfortable path rising gently through forest, the upper section, on the other hand, is brutal. Hundreds of meters of steep climb on loose scree. Have fun.
Andrzej
05.04.2005
Our first trip to Cuba! We had heard so many people talk about how amazing Cuba is, we had to check it out for ourselves. And, nowadays, the deals are incredible. So, why not take advantage of the deals to get away from the cold, right?
We decided on a resort between Havana and Veradero, as our main goal was relaxation and enjoying some sun, sea, and sand. The resort was quite nice, other than the mosquitoes, with great food and very friendly staff. As was recommended, we took some nicer used clothing and assorted small items to give to people, and they seemed to genuinely appreciate them.
We arranged for a private tour to Havana for the day, which was really nice. If we go back, we'd love to spend more time there. We saw a few nice old cars, though not as many as we expected. Again, the people were super friendly. The children loved the pencils with Canadian flags, their happiness was really heartwarming to see. 2 weeks was a bit too long to hang out in a resort like that, especially considering how strong the drinks were, lol, but it's a really lovely place for a winter break, and I hope we get a chance to go again, one day.
Shona
