Photos by skinner

Lone climber on "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" (GBU), South Ghost.

Kevin Watson covered in Spin Drift on the crux pillar of Wully Gully

Kyle Watson coming over one of the many steps during an ascent of "Valley of the Sun".

Kevin Watson covered in spin drift on the crux pillar of Wully Gully during extremely heavy snowfall.

My 14 year old son on the descent in winds that were gusting to 139 kmh

Kyle Watson wondering where he is going to land as he raps down to a tiny ice shelf on the edge of the creek below.

Matt Yager of Australia resorts to dry tooling as he makes his way over to what is left of Bighorn Falls in our attempt to catch some of the late season ice. (I had trailed the blue rope laying on the rocks behind me as I lead with the intent of hanging it directly over the water so the 2nd & 3rd could just pendulum across the wall over the water. As it turned out it would have been a good idea because the 3rd did in fact end up in the water.)

With the water flowing freely at the base of what was left of Bighorn Falls, the only way to get there was to traverse across the wall directly above a deep pool of water.

Looking tho the SW from Deadmans Flats at "The Prow" and the East Face.

This little geographically-insignificant unnamed mountain was my very first summit many years ago. Because of the extremely high avalanche hazard everywhere, we chose this objective for the day. Although my son had been climbing for three years, he had never stood on top of a mountain. Just below the summit is an old abandon shack that used to house radio repeater equipment. Resembling an outhouse in size and shape it was a tight squeeze for the two of us but a welcome break from the wind and dropping temperature. While looking at all the names written on the wall I mentioned that "my name must be in here somewhere". My son turned his head to look and right in front of his nose was my name written twice from two different dates. We added our names and the date right below my original entries. I took a photo of the names on the wall and we raced down the ridge finally bushwhacking our way back to the jeep by head lamp as two approaching storm fronts collided right on top of us. That night while unloading the photos from my camera we noticed the dates on the wall. My first summit.. had become my sons first summit, exactly 30 years to the day.. of my last entry on the wall. (insert twilight zone music here)

Alpine Summit 06

Dramatically rising over 5,000 ft above both the Mistaya River it's a formidable climbing challenge. The easiest route requires a 25 km hike up the Howse River and then a climb up a glacier on the west side of the peak. The northeast buttress was ascended in 1967 by Don Vockeroth, Lloyd MacKay, and Ken Baker. It has a grade of V 5.8 A0 and at its time was the most difficult route in the Rockies. The east face hosts the 1999 Barry Blanchard, Steve House, Scott Backes, route "M-16" five days and rated VI, A2, WI 7+.

First Snow. Time to pack up the rock gear and sharpen up the ice tools.

A herd of Elk grazing below Mount Yamnuska.

October Sunsets are awesome, what more can I say.

An artistic attempt, either that or an Arc'Teryx promo.

Getting ready to make supper on a nice ledge with a great view of the Howe Sound at dusk.

The faint image of my belayer, who is quite comfortably laid back on a ledge and not actually performing a miraculous display of levitation is not really on Crescent Crack, but there is no option for exploratory climbing. We were just messing around at night (obviously), trying to link up some small cracks we had noticed during the day. It was pretty much all aid except for one move over a buldge (and into the black void) that I wasn't really up to by headlamp anyways.

Looking towards The Chief from from the Upper Malamute Trail just before sunset.

Mount Athabasca Approach over blackend summer ice as a result of the relentless wind depositing fine moriane on the glacier, in your eyes, ears, nose, and even your mouth. However.. you can wash the black grit down with a couple of cheeseburgers and a coke at the Saskatchewan River Crossing for a mere $27.00

You know there some photo's that just don't warrant 40 characters. Since the climber is in the title, the phoptgrapher is me, and the suggestion of a route decription, is in the... umm "Route Description".

It's not a great shot, in fact it's not even good shot as far as photo's go, but.. I was in the right place at the right time and thought it was pretty kewl how it lined up perfectly over the Lusk Creek bridge. It was a pretty neat way to enter Sibbald Trail after hours of driving in the rain.

*young_gun* (my son) who just turned 13 looks for an easier way while bushwhacking across the slopes at the base of the west end of MacGillivray Slabs. This was our third trip to the area in 3-weeks where we had been completing 3 new routes. Working on 2 new routes simultaneously takes a lot of work and gear, as you can see from his over-stuffed haul bag which weighed only 15 lbs. less then him. It's actually my plan to train him to carry heavy loads so when I get older he can carry everything while I stroll behind with a little day pack, *g*

Even though I carry 2 spare tires, it wasn't enough this time. On the bright side, we did get to meet Ranger Richard who stopped by to offer assistance, which turned into a half hour conversation about climbing and his sons' crazy bouldering antics.

Every weekend we pack and head out climbing. Every weekend it rains, we get soaked and bail, come home, dry out the gear, re-pack and do it all over again. One day it will stop raining, and we'll be there!

Yes it's a roll of TP, but not for what you think. We had all picked up and passed around the same cold. It was very annoying having to blow your nose every 10 minutes while on the rocks. I just like the picture, obviously not for it's technical merits.

This is what a Metolius TCU looks like after spending part of a summer, fall, winter, and spring hanging off of a Mountain in the Canadian Rockies.

A shot of us doing nothing, but.. it shows you what the rock is like here. The bluff at Bearspaw are soft sandstone that is almost impossible to protect, but the features and friction that it offers allow one to perform some gravity defying moves.

This is the veiw from the dam looking west across the water towards the cove where the bluffs are located.

This shot is looking towards the north end of the cliffs. To the left (out of the picture) is where the main and tallest sections of sandstone cliffs are located. As you can see there is just tons of caves, pockets, and overhangs. Some of these overhangs have ridiculous handholds that are just in the right places and couldn't be more suited for climbing

This is an outcrop on the west side of the Sibbald Meadows Pond (Day Use Area). Although well hidden they are only 2 minutes from the road and are described in the "Kananaskis Obscure" guide as area "A" - -[ http://www.tabvar.org/Kan_obs.pdf ]- - We weren't actually climbing this day, just checking them out on our way through as you can tell from the footwear.----- Match (in his flip-flops) and young_gun (in his canvas high-tops) pulling on the moss that had filled in most of the cracks after an unusually wet spring.

We had caught a glimpse of these through the trees thinking we were making some great discovery, only to find out later that they had been not only climbed but were and still are listed in the "Kananaskis Obscure" guide - http://www.tabvar.org/Kan_obs.pdf

This is one ot the bouldering areas along Sibbald Trail. These areas and some of the routes are breifly described in the "Kananaskis Obscure" guide under the "Sibbald Corners" section- http://www.tabvar.org/Kan_obs.pdf

looking west down Sibbald Trail toward Highway 40 (Kananaskis Highway

young_gun jugging over the overhang of "Das Route" at 5-mile Rappel. Low quality snap shot, but I still like it because he looks like he is levitating (and the fact that he was only 11 at the time).

Myself up top and Ryan below sending me up stuff as I replace some old bolts that were put in in the 70's. It had been raining for a week and was wet, slimy, and super slippery.

Mitch going over the overhang with me on top.. no idea what I am doing though.

This is 5-mile Rappel as seen from the approach. It is also what is referred to as "D" in the "Kananaskis Obscure Guide" http://www.tabvar.org/Kan_obs.pdf

The rock here is not typical of Alberta limestone. Being very solid and smooth in texture, it resembles quartzite even in color.

young_gun topping out at 450' The top gets a little steeper each time we go as it continues to fatten up.

skinner steps out from belay station and onto main fall on the F.A.

This is the main fall, the approach trail turns left from here to a nice protected belay station with (2) anchor bolts and (1) directional bolt.

Main crack system for two routes starts just above this small brake in the lower slab. "Outside" to the right, "Ryans Belt" to the left.

Kyle checking us out at the climbers self registration near the trailhead after a day on "Suicide Wall".

Taken on the approach trail just as the sun was coming up one fall morning.

FAYE 5.9 168m (550’). F.A. August 1st 2005, Kevin Watson, Mitch Roberts.
Approach: As for Kahl Crack or Morning Side. The shortest approach is from the small break in the rock-cut on Highway #1 eastbound. Alternatively, you can park and the South East end of the “Lac des Arc’s” overpass and follow a very well defined but abandon access road which gently climbs up the slope to the base of Kahl Crack.
From rock-cut on Highway #1. A steep but short trail climbs from the highway and joins the “Historic Trail”. This wide trail (formerly access road) switches back four times before arriving at the “tunnel” which is basically the start of Kahl Crack. From the tunnel entrance area, follow a well-defined trail westward along the base of the cliffs. Just before this nice gravel pathway drops down into a smaller game trail, there is a rather wide, flat area that defines the start of Morning side. Follow the main game trail until you arrive at a rock cairn, approximately 275 meters (300 yards). Follow game trail upwards to base of second rock-band. Head back left (east) following game trail, climbing slightly until arriving at base of groove. Approximately 123 meters (135 yards). There is a bolt located just under the small overhang on the left (east), which marks the first belay and will keep you out of the line of fire from rock-fall.
*Note: alternatively you could climb the lower slab to the base of the main groove. Recommended gear would be; machete, weed eater, and a chainsaw.
Start up groove which cuts right (west) diagonally to treed ledge. This first section is loose but protected by (3) bolts. You can optionally lead past this ledge, but rope drag from bushes makes this difficult higher up. (2 bolts located at this ledged for belay/rap.)
From treed ledge follow groove straight up (nice layback feature) until groove widens into slabby section. Climb trending right (west) until reaching another groove that leads to large ledge with excellent belay/rap trees. Be careful where sitting on this ledge, which we referred to as "Home of the Anal Attack Ants".
Walk right (west) on ledge to the last large trees where obvious corner leads to small treed ledge. From this ledge bolts are visible directly above. (3 bolts) which take you to small prominent crack with large holds to gain small ledge. (crux).
Follow small diagonal (right) corner to very large ledge with excellent belay/rap trees. Follow ledge right (west) 100’+ crossing base of prominent exit gully (exposed). It is recommended to belay across this traverse, although not technically difficult, the narrow and loose ledges make the ramifications of slipping here all too obvious.
Although the prominent crack on the left (east) and chimney above appear to be the obvious exit, climb the pillar-like feature on the right (west) side of gully, traversing slightly right (west) as you go. Continue up slope to large belay/rap tree.
Descent: is via the route.
It is possible to rappel from the upper game trail (start of climb) *almost* to the base of lower slab. A single 50m rope doubled around one of the lower trees to the west will land you about 15-20 feet above the trail. A small amount of bushwhacking to gain the main trail substantially cuts down the return trip.
[LIST] [b]Recommended Gear [/b] =Ropes= (2) -50m ropes =Slings= (8) 8-10 draws (2) -Long slings (4) -Medium (4) -Short =Pitons= (3) -KB's (1) -Med bugaboo (1) -Shallow angle (1) -Med angle (1) -Baby angle (2) -#5 lost arrows =Cams= #00 to #10 would be helpful but you could get by with #2 to #6 =Wires= (1) Set of small wired stoppers [/LIST]

*match* ascending a fixed rope on the second morning while we were putting up an F.A, This was after returning to camp the night before for the drill to eliminate a couple 40-50 foot runouts.

Rc.com’r “young_gun” bouldering at Frank Slide, located in Alberta, Canada. Frank Slide is a boulder’s playground, a 1.5 mile square field of limestone boulders of every size, shape, and description. On April 29, 1903, a 5000’ wide, 500 feet thick, 1,400 feet high, section of Turtle Mountain came thundering down sleeping town of Frank. A minute and a half later it was all over leaving and estimated 100 million tons of limestone laying on the valley floor.

*match* - traversing on Mount McGillivray.

An overhang that I have had my eye on for years. I should have waited until it was good and dry instead of attempting it on the first non-rainy day following over a month of record rain. It was too wet, and slimy. Oh well.. "I'll be back".