Zoa Peak Loop: Not The Default Trip
Driving out of Vancouver, we had yet to decide where we’d be skiing that day, despite over thirty emails that had gone back and forth between us the previous week. The weather was unseasonably warm and rainy, so we weren’t expecting good snow. Our original plan was my suggestion to climb some an esoteric peak in Manning, Mount Forddred (I liked the name). This was shot down after a short discussion, due to the low snow conditions. Our backup plan was also discarded when we drove past it and again noticed a lack of snow on the approach. We were left with our default trip, Zoa Peak. Don’t get me…
Vancouver Island: The Quiet Before the Storm
Another year was about to start, and this time we didn’t have plans to travel too far. We are excited about this upcoming year since in less than two months we are expecting a new addition to our little family. At the same time we are aware that life is going to change and quiet times may be a bit more difficult to have, at least for awhile. Our good friends from Vancouver Island, Jan and Warrick, were away for the holidays and generously offered us the use of their house. It was perfect, since they live in a rural area, by the river and it’s always quiet there. We…
Vernon and Kamloops: Winter Wonderland of the Interior
Finding somewhere to go over the Christmas break is always a challenge. Everyone is on vacation at the same time and therefore flights and everything related to traveling is more expensive. Things get even more complicated in the third trimester of a pregnancy since we wanted to avoid flights, long drives and downhill skiing is out of the picture for now. So we decided to stay ‘close to home’ this time. Then Tal, Gili’s brother, said he was coming for a visit, which is always nice. Since Tal was keen on doing some skiing, an activity he doesn’t get to do often due to living in Israel, and the local…
Red Heather: How to Avoid Becoming Jaded
Over time we become jaded: the same old activities only continue to excite us if we make an effort to view them with a fresh eye. This is hard, since by nature we seem to be sensitive to changing stimulation but not constant stimulation. Just like in the oh-so-overplayed Passenger song Let Her Go: “Only know you’ve been high when you’re feeling low Only hate the road when you’re missin’ home Only know you love her when you let her go” That’s one good reason to introduce your friends to a new activity – they will hopefully be excited and super stoked from something that you have already started taking…
Hanging Lake: Hike-skiing, Ski-hiking, or Hskiing?
In the Coast Mountains, it’s not often that early season skiing starts at the end of December. This year, just like last year, is a late starting snow season. Somehow, during the years we have lived in Vancouver, almost every snow year is “out of the ordinary”, unusual or atypical in some way. Perhaps it’s global warming causing the weather to be more variable. Either way, we take what we can get. I picked up Doris, Avery, Matt and Mary. When we left Vancouver it was raining hard, and apparently continued raining for much of the day. We drove up the Sea to Sky, placing empty bets on when we…
