Two weekends and two epic trips out to Squamish for some wandering in the woods, searching for pockets, jugs, flakes and cracks to jam my fingers and toes into. I am in love with this climbing thing. The peacefulness. The wilderness. The solitude (if you so seek it). The test of body and mind against something solid, unyielding and uncaring. I have left a few layers of skin and some blood too on the rocks, but the lessons learned have transcended the stones.

I am, of course, still taking photos through all this scamping around, and you can see the results here, in my “Hands on stone” set on my flickr site. It’s been an enjoyable challenge to try and capture the quick movements often under the dark forest canopy — it’s something else I’m still learning. Check back every so often, as I’m hoping to add more to the set if the weather cooperates.

Two years ago I spent my first significant time alone in the backcountry. I camped at Garibaldi Lake and spent five days hiking and exploring the area. I instantly fell in love with the place, learned plenty about backcountry camping and about myself too.

Although I hear more about Black Tusk when I mention Garibaldi Lake to others, the highlight of my mid-September trip was the view from Panorama Ridge — the other nearby hike.

Standing atop the ridge back in 2006, I snapped one of my favourite self portraits. It shows me grinning into the camera while my jacket hood is billowed by the wind. I am surrounded by mountains and glaciers all around, and below the shadows of clouds cover the beautiful turquoise blue lake. With the photo taken, I beat a hasty retreat down to escape the cold.

But not before vowing to come back one day.

Fast forward to the Thanksgiving long weekend.

After breaking trail in about eight inches of snow from Black Tusk Lake, following the footprints left by a wolf, I returned to Panorama Ridge.

There was a healthy layer of powdery snow, but no wind, allowing for a cool break up top.

Much had changed. I was older, wiser perhaps, and came better prepared. But I still had my camera, and had to take the obligatory mugshot.

Me on Panorama Ridge September 2006.

Me back on Panorama in October 2008.

Just so you don’t think I haven’t been shooting lately, I decided to set up a couple strobes and light up my newest friend: Mighty MUGG Luke Skywalker!

Since I ended up desk jockeying again, I figured I needed a companion beside the keyboard to coax on the writing. So Mighty MUGG Luke joined the rockin’ party at the NSO.

Him threatening to use his lightsaber on me is a mighty strong muse, I must say.

But he’s also a bit lonely, so if anyone stumbles across Mighty MUGG Han Solo, I’d appreciate the shout out. I, apparently, have to buy friends these days…

For those wondering about the lighting, I set up two stobes: one to the back and right of Mighty MUGG Luke and the other front and left with an old Irish Springs soap box over the flash head to create the narrow, directional light. The low-brow snoot also keeps my camera bag smelling nice, in case you’re wondering.

There hasn’t been too much adventurin’ of late since city life has all but taken over now that I’m back at work. It’s nice to be pulling in a paycheque again, and I’ve already got a couple bigger trip ideas I’m mulling over along with a few small trips over the next month or so. So stay tuned.

Some notable but not full-blog-entry worthy events over the last little while? There was a birthday camping trip at a hillbilly campsite somewhere north of Squamish with big bonfires, late night ATVin’ and early morning shotgun firin’. After that I led my first climb and climbed my first multi-pitch route in the Cheakamus Canyon. Then there was the epic half day of bouldering in the rain under the Stawamus Chief.

Otherwise life outside of work has mostly involved running, indoor climbing and learning to clip in and out of my new roadbike’s pedals (I’ve been dumped twice on the pavement).

If you’re just dying to read some more bloggy stuff, check out another blog I write for called Weekend Warriors. My first blog post is about a GPS I recently recieved.

I just spent a solid whack of time in the mountains, six full days out of the last eight hiking in Garibaldi Provincial Park. And I couldn’t be happier still feeling the burn in my legs.

It started last Sunday with a 30-plus kilometre day trip into the Diamond Head area. It was a splendid day hiking with Kelly and her cousin, and we enjoyed sunny breaks on the hike up, dramatic low clouds rolling in while at the top, a 30-minute hailstorm during lunch, and light rain on the way down.

After a day’s break, I headed back to Elfin Lakes for two nights, fitting in a 20 kilometre day trip that took me to the top of Opal Cone then Columnar Peak. I sat and experienced glacial melt, and hung out with a marmot while surrounded by a horizon full of mountains.

I returned home Thursday evening, and took Friday to rest, plan and repack.

Saturday morning, I met up with Kelly and we headed into another section of Garibaldi for a two day excursion. We hauled our gear up to Taylor Meadows to set up camp, then shouldered our day bags for the assault on Black Tusk. We reached the base of the “Jawa Sandcrawler” by mid afternoon.

But that wasn’t the end of the day.

Still feeling energized, we descended down to Garibaldi Lake where school groups abounded, then returned to camp up at the meadows, hungry, sunned, and tired. We had scotch with dinner. Then some Fireball and hot water while stargazing.

Sunday we lounged at the lake before hiking out under the afternoon sun. But again, we were not done. We met up with some of Kelly’s friends at the Smoke Bluffs and capped off the day with a finger-crack climb. It was my first time climbing outside, and an amazing way to finish a week outdoors.

Kelly wonders if the hurtin' will be worth it. It was.

I am a hurt bag right now. But it was worth it.

It started Tuesday when I added more kilometres to my hiking boots with a trek up to Elfin Lakes with my overnight gear. I’d already been up during the Labour Day long weekend for a 30+ kilometre day hike to The Gargoyles, but now I was planning to stay a couple nights and fit in a day exploring a couple of the nearby peaks.

I hiked up in a light drizzle that convinced me to spend the night in the shelter instead of my tent. And despite the sounds of a critter shredding up a roll of toilet paper overnight, I slept pretty well in one of the just-too-short cots.

Morning arrived, with plenty of blue skies above. I got my gear together, ate breakfast and hit the trail early, following the path east towards Opal Cone.

Along the way I passed Ring Creek and got great sweeping views of Mount Garibaldi and The Gargoyles under the yellow morning light. It was simply breathtaking.

By 11 a.m. I’d scrambled my way up to Opal Cone. On the top I paused to watch the slow melt of Garibaldi Glacier, and even heard two distinct and distant cracks followed by echoing rumbling.

After a moment meditating, I got up and descended back to the shelter, practically stumbling the final kilometre. But some food and water, and an hour’s nap later, I was up again. The sun was shining and the afternoon still young.

I hiked up The Saddle then veered west along a worn and decaying trail towards Columnar Peak.

When the trail ended, I was standing on a stack of rocks the size of a small desk. From the top I could see Elfin Lakes as tiny reflective droplets standing out of the green. Mountain ranges surrounded me on the horizons. And toward the west, I could also see Squamish, the Stawamus Chief and Howe Sound.

For half an hour I shared the summit with a curious marmot. I shot the customary self portrait, then a panorama. Then it was back down towards the shelter where I enjoyed dinner and fond memories of the day.

With two weeks to go before the end of my epic six-month break, I’m taking off for some classic early September backpacking in the Coast Mountains.

On Sunday I trekked up to The Gargoyles with a couple friends on a brilliant 30-plus kilometre day hike in Garibaldi Provincial Park. We encountered sunshine and overcast skies, wind and fog, hail and rain. Wildlife encounters included whiskeyjacks, a marmot, deer and baby black bear (no mama bear sighting thankfully).

Now I’m headed back there with my overnight gear to poke around the trails, scramble up a few peaks, and meditate before the coming storm that work will be.

The last two weeks have been the most hectic of my six-month sabbatical, and it ended last night with a cake cutting between the newlyweds Dany and Anna Ayvazov.

It all started with last minute planning for my best friend’s stag that became a weekend of tomfoolery in Whistler. Then on Sunday, after two nights of drinking and little sleep, I drove back to Vancouver, slept for two hours then attended a dinner celebrating another friend’s wedding. There was much red wine and plenty of high-end Chinese food including shark fin soup.

This week opened with a recovery day, then a wedding rehearsal (more wine), suit rental pickup with refitting, more beers, more beers again, and the Ayvazov wedding.

As the best man, I didn’t bring my camera. But after the official wedding photographer left, and I’d drank my share of wine and champagne, taken a shot of vodka and sucked back a couple rum and cokes, I figured… what the heck.

I borrowed a friend’s D70, and fired off a few frames during the cake cutting. I’m pretty happy with the results.

The sign had two arrows pointing in different directions. Both in black marker, one pointed right and had the words Lynn Peak Viewpoint next to it, the other straight ahead with the words Actual Lynn Summit or something near that.

It’d be another 20 minutes hiking from viewpoint to summit.

From the viewpoint I could look down the Seymour Valley towards North Vancouver, the Second Narrows Bridge, Vancouver and all the way to Tsawwassen. So I figured the view from the top should be even better, maybe even with a view of Lynn Valley and Grouse Mountain to the west.

Twenty minutes later I hiked to the top of a little hump surrounded by tall trees. There was only one big flat rock and tree. There was pink marker tape around the tree and a strip of orange tape on the rock with one discouraging message: “ACTUAL LYNN PEAK (or close enough…)”

What wasn’t there? A view. So I had lunch down by the viewpoint instead.

After 81 days on the road neglecting my personal hygiene, it was time to clean up. I was hoping to go another month or so without shaving, but a pretty big event came up that required a slightly less grungy-looking me to show up at. So I set up the camera to shoot a frame every three seconds and pulled out a fresh razor.