Bro Valley (2024)

28/02/2023

I suffer from TFB…

The February Blues. They kick my ass every year. And every year it takes someone mentioning the February blues, or how lots of people struggle during the month of Feb, for me to realize what’s going on.
Every year there’s a massive build up to Christmas, the end of the year, and new years, then a massive come down from all the celebrations. You move back into daily life but the days are short, it’s usually cold and grey, and the bank account has taken a pounding from the holidays. It’s an extremely common time to feel down, so don’t feel bad if you do.
This year has been especially tough with the extreme lack of snow in the Rockies, and thus my usual outlet is not available. There are, however, so many other options, and so many practices to ensure you keep your optimal mental health. This March I’ll be putting all of those into practice and making mental health my priority.
Have you struggled with the February Blues?

05/02/2023

Before this trip, when I thought of Wyoming I thought of Yellowstone, canyons, and bison, but never of amazing skiing. Hitting Jackson Hole and Grand Targhee right after a storm that brought over 3ft of the good stuff was a hell of an experience, and changed my view of Wyoming for sure. Just about any resort would be good in those conditions, but these two were something else. Sitting on either side of the Teton Range, these spots deliver the views too.

I will say though, there’s still no place like the Canadian Rockies..

26/01/2023

After a 15 hour drive in search of snow, we were rewarded for our efforts. We woke up to a surprise 20cm overnight for our first day of our pow trip, and the boys were getting absolutely pitted in the flourishing conditions of Utah.
I’ve toured around the states quite a bit, and Utah is an easy favourite, although I’d only seen it in the summer. What an awesome place all year round.

01/10/2022

Dopamine…

Dopamine is a chemical released in our brain that makes us feel good. In our ancestral days it would push us to find water and food, to build things, and ultimately give us the drive to do things that are productive for our lives. Nowadays we’re constantly flooded with dopamine from social media, tv, music, and all the constantly flashing lights and screens in our faces every day. We’re never bored, which is not necessarily a good thing. Before, if you were bored you’d go out and find something to do, be it productive or not, you’d have to go out and find it. Now, everything is right in front of us, convenient, and as addictive as possible. With this, our attention spans are shrinking and our ability to do slower paced tasks, or sit down and work, is becoming more difficult, or at least more boring.
There are plenty of things in the world that will give you good, natural dopamine. But this app sure isn’t one of them.
For the month of October I’ll be doing a dopamine cleanse, which for me will mean deleting all social media apps, watching as little tv as possible, listening to music as little as possible, and overall using screens as little as possible (unless deemed productive to my life). This won’t be easy as I’m the type of person to have my tv on, my laptop on my lap, and scrolling through apps on my phone at the same time. I will be bored, and I hate being bored. My hope is that this boredom will drive creativity and productivity when the alternative is sitting in boredom. My goal is to read more, write more, create more, and be more present. Productivity is a major player in mental health, so if you’re struggling with productivity you may want to give a dopamine cleanse a go!
See you in November friends!

27/09/2022

A few beautiful mornings thanks to alpine starts..

When you plan to be in the mountains all day, you’re going to need to start early for a few reasons. The main one being, if your trek is going to be over 20kms and over 2,000m of elevation, you want to utilize as much daylight as possible. Climbing down a mountain and getting back to your car in the dark is never fun, so instead you start in the dark when the stoke is still high and you’ll be slowly getting more light as you go. The second is the sun, and more specifically avoiding the sun.. In spring and summer the sun changes things drastically, be it making the ice/snow more reactive, causing more rockfall, or simply causing faster dehydration. While you may get colder the higher you climb in elevation, a climb that gains 2,000m puts you 2km closer to the sun and increases the UV power, putting you at higher risk of burns or other sun issues.
And the final reason is demonstrated by these shots. An early start gives you an incredibly beautiful start to your day, and a sunrise scene from a vantage point along the way. I’m not normally a morning person, but the stoked of a big climb will get me up early, and scenes like this make it worth it. So here’s to many more alpine starts and beautiful adventures in the future!
1) Lake Louise from Victoria Glacier
2) Thompson Creek and David Thompson Valley from Mt Cline Trail
3) Mt Lefroy, Mt Victoria South, and the Death Trap
4) Kananskis skyline from Aster Lake

20/09/2022

When you ascend a mountain pass and this is your first view of the rest of your trek..
There are so many incredible places in this park. With over 6,600 square kms of protected land, there is way more out there than the constructed and popular areas most visited by tourists. This valley was an absolute incredible experience and two full days without seeing a soul. Getting out that far into the wild without seeing anyone for so long is a pretty incredible experience. Next time you’re planning a trek, try digging a little outside the normal routes to find something less travelled. It will be worth it.

17/09/2022

The beautiful peaks of distant mountains..
There’s so much more on the top of mountains. The higher you go, the more you get. Viewing massive, distant peaks that may otherwise never be seen, imagining the first ascent- if there is one- and all the effort it took to achieve it, is something that always humbles me and brings me peace at the same time. It’s a massive world out there with tons to be inspired by. So here’s a shot that recently gave me those feelings on the top of Mt. Cline, the tallest mountain in David Thompson Country; a beautiful and often overlooked part of the Canadian Rockies.

12/09/2022

Some beautiful alpine lakes on the way to the summit of Mt Cline. Always a perk of getting up high is seeing all of these wildly coloured lakes that you’d otherwise never even know existed. The isolation and solitude of these lakes always makes it feel special to be able to lay witness to them.

10/09/2022

This view stole my heart..

Get it? See the heart? The lake is a heart…
Absolutely stunning views of Devon Lakes from Mt Willingdon. This summer gave me so much, and every year that passes in this beautiful spot I get more and more excited for the next. Constantly discovering new areas, activities, and passions in your own backyard is a pretty special feeling, and I can’t wait to see what I find next.

07/09/2022

Sentinel Pass may be my favourite view in the park. I can just never get over the epic scale of the valley and peaks beyond that ultimately surround moraine lake.

05/09/2022

September 2nd, 2022

Mt Willingdon:
3,380m (11,088ft) and
Crown (Willingdon South):
3,355m (11,007ft)

After a beautiful hike through the Siffleur Valley, partnered with my machine of a girlfriend, we reached our camp for the night. A 16km, 1000m gain, approach to camp at the base of my objectives was no easy task, but the never ending views of the first day of the mission has us pumped for more. The next morning we powered up the ridge of Willingdon for an enjoyable, albeit windy, summit of the first peak. Although the traverse to the second peak was rated PD+, along with some dicey conditions, my partner downclimbed and scrambled her way through her first mountaineering traverse in trail runners like an absolute champion. Once down to the col the second peak came easy as I bagged my 7th and 8th 11,000er in one day. Having my girlfriend and friends be a part of this journey, as well as meeting new people to join forces with along the way, has been such an awesome side benefit of trying to accomplish the goal in the first place. Can’t wait for more!

01/09/2022

Epic peaks, glowing glaciers, and beautiful blues.. what more could you ask for?

29/08/2022

Lake Louise alpine sunrise..

Couldn’t have asked for a better morning to start hiking in the dark. 3 hours of sleep, 1 hour of driving, and 2 hours of hiking to lock in a view like this. Like most good things in life, the initial start is hard but persevere and you’ll be rewarded.

27/08/2022

August 25th, 2022
Mount Victoria North Peak (6/58)
3,388m (11,115ft)

North Vic has instantly become my favourite mountain to summit so far. For one, it’s an icon that stands beautifully over one of the most photographed lakes in the world, making it by default one of the most photographed peaks and glaciers in the world. And secondly, it was the most technically challenging and fun peaks I’ve ascended so far- it really had just about everything.
An alpine start, which meant a 2:45am alarm, got us to the glacier toe for sunrise- a reward in its own right as both the peaks above us, and the glacier under us, exploded with colour. Slowly ascending the glacier, we made it to the bergschrund, which aside from navigating the man-eating crevasses, would be our first challenge as it was not a small crack to cross. We found a spot open enough to actually climb inside, then found a route to climb up the mountain wall on the opposite side. This would land us in the infamous “black band” of rock- a steep, loose, ugly band of rock we would need to climb to get to the col. While quite exposed, and challenging at some points, this part was exhilarating in my opinion, although a full pack made it a little sketchy as this is a definite “no fall zone”. We reached the col, and all we had left was a leisurely walk across the ridge to the final challenge, and ultimately the crux of the route. A final ~10m rock step stood between us and the summit. We decided to use the rope and gear we lugged up “just in case” and climbed the step one by one, which was once again made sketchy by the packs on our back and the exposure below. But once through we were a small walk to the summit where we enjoyed views that did not disappoint one bit. Another 11,000er in the books, and another memory sealed as an incredible day in the mountains.

21/08/2022

Mt Temple: 3,544m (11,627ft)
August 19th, 2022

Temple is regarded as the easiest 11,000er to climb overall, with the crux of the mission being getting a spot at the Moraine Lake parking lot. While it may be true that it is the easiest (I joke about the parking lot being the crux), it is still a mountain that people die on every year, most likely because it is perceived as “easy for its size”. Temple is over 3,500m tall, making it the 11th tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. Because of its immense height and size, there is a short window to summit safely (unless you’re tackling it as a mountaineering or ice climbing objective) as its final couple km’s are above 3,000m, which is often above the freezing line, creating icy and dangerous conditions in exposed areas. People also temp fate walking on the glacier without proper footwear on crampons, which provides a quick, icy slide over the edge to a drop over 1,000m. So just because it’s “easy for how big it is”, it’s still no joke.
That being said, if you’re prepped for it, and get it on a good day, man oh man is this one a stunner. This was my second time on top, and having ridden the iconic couloir down its East face, Aemmer Couloir, it’s a mountain that I love more and more every time I’m on it. Can’t wait to experience more of the gnarly lines this bad boy has to provide this winter!

16/08/2022

Mt. Cline: 3,361m (11,027ft)
August 14, 2022 (4/58)

Another sleep in the car, another beautiful morning, and another giant crossed off the list.
Mount Cline is the tallest mountain in David Thompson Country, and the only 11,000er. It’s surrounded by gorgeous glaciated terrain, and mountains with wild purple and red tones I haven’t seen in Canada before. A long day out, made even longer when I put my camera down on a rock to take off a layer, only to walk a kilometre away from it before I noticed. Absolutely panicked I ran back, following my previous route on my watch. It took me an hour but I found it, then ran back to where I had left my partner.. killing almost an hour and a half of our day. After all was said and done, with all breaks and setbacks included, it was a 12.5 hour day over 28km and 2,375m of elevation gained.. and I enjoyed every bit of it.

13/08/2022

August 10th, 2022
Mt. Joffre : 3,433m (11,266ft)
Standing on the highest point in Kananaskis, Mt Joffre is the tallest mountain South of Mt Assiniboine in the Canadian Rockies. For how big it is, you really can’t see it until you’re essentially on the glacier at its base, as it’s so far back and tucked amongst the giants of K Country.
With a long, varied approach, beautiful lakes and waterfalls, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, adrenaline pumping free climbing, and super fun rappelling- this trek pretty much had it all. And at the end some of the most incredibly beautiful views I’ve seen in a while to make it all more than worth it for my third 11,000er of the year. A 40km, 2200m, 2 day trip that will stay with me for a good while! Can’t wait for the next one…

26/07/2022

The glow of the peaks at sunrise or sunset is always something that will stop me in my tracks. Such an awesome sight.
I’ve heard lots of people say we don’t get sunsets in the mountains. And while I suppose we don’t get the sun going down over the horizon with colourful skies every night like near the ocean, but I personally think this is way better.

23/07/2022

Wld flr szn 🤘🏼
There’s something about wildflowers that is really cool. Nobody planted them, they’re in the most wild locations, and will be a burst of colour in otherwise mundane and tough terrain. One of the many little things you can appreciate way up high on a hike.

21/07/2022

I’ve seen so many peaks in Kananaskis under different light, but this is up there with my favourites.
Hermione Peak, Mount Warspite, and a little bit of Mount Invincible (dope names) being beautifully showcased by the falling sun behind them.
Being up in the mountains during sunrise or sunset is such an amazing experience. It just seems to get better and better, until it’s gone, and the day or night continues on like always, whether you’re there to experience it or not. Feeling lucky to have grabbed this beautiful scene and experienced it for myself.

18/07/2022

This is one of my favourite photos I’ve taken. It doesn’t tell a story of an adventure- I went out that night solo with the intent of shooting astro- but getting all of this in one frame was something I was really proud of. The boathouse, the calm waters, and the perfect timing of the Milky Way exploding vertically from behind Mt Victoria, were things I couldn’t align if I tried. This shot is my reminder that not everything has to be epic, sometimes it’s just right time, right place. But you need to put yourself out there to be any place at the right time, and you can’t expect it. Get out and enjoy life, and things will happen. .

12/07/2022

The rolling hills and insanely beautiful peaks of Kananaskis 🤌🏼🤌🏼
If there’s one positive to come from all the rain in June, it’s how lush all the greens of the mountains and foothills are.

08/05/2022

Getting up at 3 to drive a couple hours to tour in the dark, cold dawn as heavy wet snow wakes you up isn’t exactly most peoples ideal morning. You’re sweating, breathing heavy, all while trying to stay alert. You haven’t talked to your partner in about an hour, it’s just you and your thoughts- some of which may be, “why the hell am I doing this again?” Then you finally gain a ridge and some views, and you finally unleash the “Wow” you were hoping for. It’s moments like these you crave and chase. It’s moments like these that do wonders for your mental health, as all the hard work pays off in more ways than one.
Coming across a cave like this along your journey is always humbling. You see it, approach it, take it all in but leave it be. It’s ice that has been there for thousands of years and you’re only experiencing a brief moment of its lifetime. It reminds you how small you really are in the universe and puts things in perspective. And then you move on, back to the heavy breathing, sweating, and working hard for that next moment. And it’s always worth it.

02/05/2022

Yesterday’s trip up to the Wapta Icefield was great in its own way, even though we didn’t complete what we set out to do, which was to traverse the entire thing ending up in Yoho.
We had slogged through annoyingly breakable crust and heavy wet snow for almost 4 hours when the sun finally came out. But it didn’t last long, and once further on the icefield we were socked in again. The snow was great for riding, but tough and slow for touring. So a little under halfway, at Bow Hut, we decided to cut our losses and head down to Bow Lake. Still a 26km traverse from Peyto Lake to Bow Lake, there were things that were impossible not to enjoy, like the beautiful imagery presented by the clouds moving in and out of the mountains. Sometimes you never know what you’re going to get, and even when things don’t go as planned there will be something to enjoy out there.

20/04/2022

The descent..
After enjoying the summit for a brief while, keeping in mind the sun beating down on the snow, we made our way back across the ridge. Again, enjoying the relaxed hike across the summit flats, we climbed down the summit block back to our boards. A short traverse to the icefield side of Androlumbia and it was finally time to transition to the fun part of the tour. Snapping our boards back together, we enjoyed some bumpy, chattery, cracked concrete style snow. After rattling my brain numb for a few minutes we finally reached the icefield, the snow softened, and it was go time (see photo 2).
Now that it was daytime, navigating the massive cracks and holes was much easier, not to mention we had safe tracks to follow. We blasted through the icefall and crevasses all the way to the glacier toe, passing our massive objective overhead to our right, and were greeted by tourists visiting the glacier asking “where the hell did you come from?” The last 1.5km walk back to the car with boards on our back was hell, but looking back at our lines through the icefield and glacier was a view I’ll never forget.

Shots taken by and edited by .valley

18/04/2022

Mt. Andromeda: 11,320ft (3450m)
April 16, 2022

After waiting what felt like weeks for a weather window (it was 10 days), were finally able to knock Mt Andromeda off my list of 11,000ers on Saturday.
With only 3 hours of restless sleep in the car, our trip started out as a beautifully calm, moonlit, borderline romantic, walk to the glacier toe. Once on the glacier we threw our skis and ropes on, and guided by the light of our headlamps, the moon, and our hearts, we make good pace towards the first icefall. As the sun came up, it cast a light on the realization of how big and wild this glacier really was. Icefall the size of houses, crevasses the size of Olympic swimming pools, and blues more vibrant than seemed possible. The next 2-3 hours were spent traversing the icefield in blistering cold temps, which meant not stopping for food or water, taking a toll on our energy levels and pace. Once we rounded the massive unnamed peak (Androlumbia) it was time to boot pack to the false summit. A task that wasn’t too harsh, until we realized it was the first of like 4 false summits, and there was still about 2km to the true summit. After a nice chill “walk” across the top of Andromeda, we reached the final crux; the ridge walk. With avalanche danger rolling off into the abyss on our right, and overhanging cornices to our left, it was a slow and stressful walk setting the boot pack. For me anyways… Nick politely asked if I wanted to switch out the lead and took over breaking trail with zero fear. The guys a freak I tell ya. Once we made it across it was just a short walk to the true summit, which rewarded us with absolutely spectacular views. It was done, I had knocked off number two of my long list of summits over 11,000ft, and man am I glad we waited for the perfect day.
But we were really only halfway done. Getting up is part one, making it home safe is the real goal.
Part 2 to come…

15/04/2022

Don’t move.. it’s right behind you..
A massive Mount Whyte creeps behind as we waited for the clouds to part and our visibility to return. Spoiler alert: it never did.

10/04/2022

Sometimes the weather rolls in and out like the tides. Sometimes you get the views, sometimes you get vertigo. These two shots were taken within minutes of each other.
White outs can be scary, and thinking your standing still but looking down at your feet only to see you’re moving is a wild feeling. Getting up is one thing, but getting down and home is the name of the game.

07/04/2022

Mt. Hector: 11,135 ft (3394 m)
April 6, 2022

Yesterday, and I summited Mt Hector, thus starting my journey to climb all peaks over 11,000 ft in the Canadian Rockies (58 total).
Climbing all CR 11,000ers will take years, but the mental health benefit I’ve already received from having such a large goal that requires me to be in great shape is incredible. Mountains don’t care who you are, where you’re from, or any sort of orientation you declare yourself, they’ll kill you all the same if you’re not prepared both mentally and physically. The absolutely incredible feeling standing on top of these beasts is what drives me to accomplish this goal, but it’s the danger that pushes me to train harder and learn more. These mountains are always on my mind, as I see them every day, and those thoughts get me in the gym, on the trail, or in the books, which in turn makes my mental health flourish.
I can’t wait for all the experiences this journey brings, both positive and tough.

04/04/2022

Mt Temple was my first 11,000er and a climb that changed a lot of things. The effort and technicality, while a lot less than other 11,000ers, was such an awesome experience, all while being rewarded with some of the most incredible views I’ve ever seen. It was the mountain that introduced me to the Canadian Rockies 11,000ers, a list I now intend to pursue, but at that point I never thought would be realistic. What a wild few years it’s been. Skiing this epic line on Mt Temple was a really awesome experience to say the least. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for the next couple years 🤘🏼

30/03/2022

Aemmer Couloir, one of the “50 Classic Ski Descents of North America.” One of 12 in Canada, and only 2 in Alberta, it’s an incredible line all around. The steepness, aesthetics, and the fact that you can see the line in all its epicness from the highway as it splits one of the most iconic mountains in the Bow Valley, made this one a must-do. Conditions lined up great for my crew and I to cross this off the list and have some incredible memories to share.

Bro Valley