Happy New Years from Bishop. CA

We are coming up to another great New Years celebration in Bishop, CA. Last year the highlights were the drunk guy who was trying to fight everyone, the wax bombs that went off like a light, Alex Evans sticking his head down the toilet air duct, and finally, the girl who took her pants off by the fire.

This year there are a number of fellow squamish folk up here. Maysa and Kristian jsut got to town, Mike from the boulders is here, as well as Tim Clifford and his family and then George and Mina with their young one. Should be a pretty good time. I promised some pictures but I have been a little camera shy as of late. Either way, here are a couple of snow photos. No climbing pics! Sorry.

Snow Chain Required

So I have arrived in Bishop, California but this year the drive was not as forgiving as years past. The snow followed me all the way from Vancouver to Portland, and then began again at Mount Shasta and did not stop until the valley floor of Mono county. Snowtires just paid for themselves.

19 hours later, I arrived in the Pit to find myself still three inches deep in snow. The weather last night was bone chilling but warm weather is on the horizon. Climbed in the Happies today with no surprises. The old projects are still projects, the easier climbs still feel difficult. Hopefully tomorrow the Butters will be a little more forgiving

Crazy People

This video was stolen from my friend Evan's skateboarding blog. It features professional skater, Mark Gonzales, who is rumoured to be the first skateboarder to start skating handrails, along with Natas Kuapas, and the first skater to skate 'switch stance'. This video has nothing to do with climbing but I thought it was pretty hilarious.

Woes of Weather

Living in Vancouver, I often find myself waking up wondering what the weather is like in the boulders. Here is how it goes: Get up, check weathernetwork, check the weatheroffice, check the hourly precip rates through the National Weather Service, look at a few webcams, and finally, call a friend. At this point in time, I feel as though I have the weather in the boulders down to a science but my batting average in unpredicatable weather is still in the minors.

Yesterday, I woke up with this overzealous urge to climb in Squamish after it had snowed 30 centimeters in Vancouver. After calling a number of friends, it was obvious that I was going up alone. When I got to the boulders, the lower parking lot was a prestine glade of fresh snow with no tracks in or out. I knew I had made a mistake. Still unable to believe that my choice was fatal, I trotted into the boulders, brushes in hand, to find myself alone with a single lane of rabbit tracks. After the thrill of having the boulders to myself had subsided, I began to realise that the snow accumulation was too much for one man armed with three brushes and I gave up. As I dragged my feet back to the truck, I was greeted with the sun shining over Garabaldi. Although there was no climbing, the trip felt worth the effort. Dry up soon dear boulders. I will be back.