Breaking the Black Sheep Carbon on Winter Solstice....

Only 18 hours after a visit to the G3 headquarters in North Vancouver I found myself skinning up and ready to shred a much anticipated feather-lite pow weapon. I had the pleasure of riding the original and versatile Black Sheep for most of last season but Carbon now rules my world in all my toys winter and summer. Besides the weight advantage there's no comparison for the snappiness and overall ride characteristics these boards exhibit.

      
Saturday the clouds parted so we headed up to catch a killer sunrise and get an early start to the day. This season more than ever the sled is proving to be a valuable tool with the long approaches to find the deep stuff.  

The iconic Black Tusk and Mt. Garibaldi lit up the morning sky.  

We set an up-track to the alpine and milked it all day.  

Looking back towards home and Mt Tantalus.  

This was the first truly good run of the season. Ross tried hard to enjoy it....    

It was so good to be back on a long 168cm stick!

We ran into Paul and Andy half way through the day and enjoyed a lap together.

Cheers to December 21.... the shortest day of the year!

Over the next 24 hours the sky dropped another 25cms so we headed back on the Dec 23 to grab some more.... Our taxi gasped for air on the way up!  

The new snow warranted a look to see what the early December facets were up to. It was slightly touchy up there.        

Once again the weather cooperated....

Kurt Withers finally getting some goods....

The new G3 Black Sheep Carbon was in it's element!

Pray for snow!

The thinnest December I can Remember....

It's tough to remember a year in recent history when it was this thin just before Christmas. It's also tough to complain considering the amazing early starts we've had almost every other year. This is how it goes sometimes and our patience will be tested as we eagerly await the next big dump....

Mike and I drove well above 1000m meters on Dec 19 to check out what the snowpack was looking like. It was a beautiful day to spend just minutes from my front door in Squamish.

         

Late November turns....

Typically November in our part of the world equals some healthy dumps of snow but this one has been challenging. A week ago we were in this zone and it was certainly on the boney side. As we pulled away last Saturday a storm rolled in and helped the cause for around 48 hours. Late this week an unusual inversion threatened to take freezing levels up to 3500m so we rushed back to salvage a few north facing pockets where the deep still remained.

With the use of my VBAR chains we were able to park at the trailhead again....

Unlike last week-end there was no boot-pack and skins went on right out of the truck....

Mt Fee....

Others were in the area....

Ancient volcanos....

The bigness above the Squamish River valley....

We got some legitimate pow turns on our first lap!  

Juneau tried posing with each skier....

The late day light show began at 3:30 just in time for our final lap....

Pray for snow!

Roe Creek and Cypress Peak....

We woke Saturday morning with some mild headaches after our annual slideshow and keg evening in Squamish. Nevertheless we had to get out for some turns and keep the tradition alive. If there is such a thing as the opposite of an "alpine start" we accomplished it. Kurt, Danielle, Nevis and myself piled into Paul's truck and picked up Mike at the trailhead. Paul's scottish piloting skills got us through the deep snow and as far as the road could take us.

             
We spent the next couple of hours thrashing through the boot deep snow in the standard early season alder.

  
After an interesting boot-pack section we emerged into the "goods" and proceeded to the high ridge line.

Near the glacier we realized the summer had taken it's toll and there were some hungry looking slots that were best avoided this early season.  

We got a sweet view of the Vulcan's thumb on Pyroclastic peak's shoulder.  

Nevis got the lap dog cold feed treatment from Danielle.  

We proceeded to shred through the massive icefall and head home for some beverages as the weather came in hard. Bring on winter!