Yam Scramble

I would like to post more often, but I seem to have hit a short dry spell when it comes to adventures. But on the Sunday of the long weekend I did do something fun. Just north of the trans-canada right when you hit the mountains is a fin-like high ridge called Mt. Yamnuska. This peak dries out fast and catches little last season snow, so when it's a sunny day on the first long weekend of summer (or almost-summer) it's packed. Luckily it wasn't so crowded that we didn't need the trail - there were just enough people to find ahead and behind on the upper scrable to keep you going in the right direction.

The first photo is me posing where the trees end and where a rock chute is the first obstacle of the scramble. We met up with more than a dozen hikers turning back to go down to the parking lot. I went with my co-worker Jenna and her brother's friend Stacey, both from Ontario and it was nice to have some like-minded people beside me. By Ontario standards the scramble is high and steep! We were heading to the peak from the east side, and about halfway up there is 'the crux'. There is a short section of a very small ledge and a cable bolted into the face of a section of cliff. I did a quick glance at the bottom of the face to judge the sucess of those who had gone before me - haha. As it was all clear below, and I could see a dozen people or so on the slopes ahead, I figured classically, If they could do it So could I. Being the first time I had done something like this and feeling very unsafe (pining for a quickdraw hanging from so many hikers packs) I took my time and many deep breaths later I was around the corner and on 'safe' rock. Lucky for me my partners were also scramble novices and were freaked out by the cable as much as I was! Somethings are just hard to learn in Ontario... After we all made it around there was no going back and we took our time using all 5 climbing limbs - 2 hands, 2 feet, 1 bum - to get down another rock chute, across a loose scree slope, and up to the peak.

The second photo posted is on the way down with the face up to the left (where we were) and the parking lot off to the right (where we were going). We walked along the talus slope there and just off the photo, down the trail, you just pick a spot and turn to face downhill. I've heared it called 'scree skiing', but what you essentially do is make little rock slides under your feet and ride them like a very dusty escalator. You have to keep a lot of space between people and call ahead whenever you start to send a large rock towards your friend in front of you, but the run down was long and fast and FUN!

After having such a great time, I went straight to MEC and finally bought some good collapsable poles for my next adventure. Unfortunately this past weekend was raining non-stop and next weekend I'm heading to Tumbler Ridge. I'm hoping to get to the mountains on Saturday if the field schedule doesn't change and the weather is passable. That said, I am not without my excitement. Tomorrow I am heading to the Canmore Nordic Center with the SpinSisters and am still trying to remember to hold my speed while on the mtb. I'm going to try to ride a few more of the stream crossings in the coulee beside my house tonight for practice. All in all though, May was a quiet month.

Books and Bikes

After beautiful weather last week in Calgary (and the obligatory freezing day on the weekend) the buds are busting out today. I'm sad that we don't yet have a backyard to lounge in; it's still just a pile of dirt. Luckily though the empty lots beside us were preped for sod last week, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll have a good sun-lounging/book-reading spot soon.
On the book front, I'm reading Mordecai Richler's St. Urbain's Horseman on the bus these days. I can't believe it was written in the mid-sixties. I'd like to say not much has changed in Canadian literature, but I think it may be heading a bit downhill. Although I may change my tune after I finish the book, I would currently place St. Urbain's Horseman well before many of the latest G.G. award winners. Then again, I have always liked the cranky/awkward men characters and authors (see previous posts) so maybe it's all just my personal preference. Whatever it is, it's an excellent redeemer to follow the Nick Hornby.
On the activity front, I'm finding it very difficult to get into running up these hills. In Winnipeg, I ran along the river. In Guelph, I ran a few hills next to the river, but pretty much along the river. Last year in Calgary, I ran along the Elbow River, hitting one small hill every now and then. Now - up down, up down, up down! Whew! And living at the top of a hill doesn't help. But I have promised myself new running shoes if I can keep up with a good running schedule for a month, and hopefully by then I will be laughing. Also, the mountain bike club I rode with last year starts up this week and I am nervous but happy to try it all again. But I do have an excellent shiny new helmet!