Needle Peak in Summer - August 24

Due to lots of paragliding (and parawaiting), we haven't done much hiking all summer. Finally the forecast was so bad for the valley that I could convince Pete to leave the wing in the car for one day.


Needle is the highest point to the right



Sampling berries on the way up.


Pete scrambling up the summit block. Flatiron Mt in the back.


On Needle summit. Yak Peak right above my head




You can see the front of dark clouds approaching but we were lucky and got off the granit slaps before it started raining.

Tatshenshini - August 4 to 12 (13..14..)

Still haven't managed to sort through the pictures. This is the problem with memory cards getting so cheap now. And with taking several cameras on the trip.

But the report and pictures will be up as soon as the rain starts to fall on the Westcoast. (And before it turns to fluffy pow.)

Visitors from Germany: June 30 to July 14

Wow – halfway through the summer already!
The first half went by way too fast and has been very very busy.

My parents visited from Germany for the first two weeks in July. We got to do lots of hikes in and near Vancouver. First we wandered up the snowy slopes of Mt Seymour ski area to Brockton Point – watched even a few die-hard skiers and snowboarders!



Still lots of snow in the mountains - even for Canada!


A few days later we found an amazing patch of yellow glacier lilies just below Mt. Cheam.




My parents even came and watched us paragliding at Bridal Fall on the other side of the Cheam ridge – and as added bonus I finally got some pictures of myself in the air!


That's me in the air at Bridal (photo H. Schwab)


Kiting at Steveston (photo H. Schwab)


During the second week we spent a couple of nights at Tyax Resort in the South Chilcotins and explored a rough trail to Ault Lake. Rather impressive signs of bear activity everywhere – judging by the size it must have come from grizzlys!


By the way, this is PADDY, my new ride


My mum was much more happy back at the car and greatly enjoyed fields of orchids, lupins and indian paintbrush by the side of the road.




Jill and Robin (Pete's parents) came over from the Island for a family reunion and a Howe Sound cruise with circumnavigation of Anvil Island and seal rock visit.






But just like at home, my parents couldn’t sit still and spent every spare minute working on our garden – it has never looked that nice before!

Spius Creek: June 29, 2008

Nice to be on Spius Creek again, this time at a pretty low level. The good thing about the lower level was a much more leisurely pace and lots of time to enjoy the canyon scenery. The bad thing was that the run took 5 hrs vs a short and sweet 3.5 hrs last time. Last year with levels on the high side more focus was needed for the whitewater and I didn’t appreciate the amazing scenery quite as much. “Turbine” was the exception – it was a lot gnarlier at this low level and was portaged by half of the group.

Spius flows into the Nicola west of Merritt. The run is about 20k through an inaccessible canyon. More info can be found in my book....

Post from last years run.