Winter Wanderings

I recently purchased a pair of new-to-me touring skis, and my brand new Garmont Luster AT boots are in the mail! I'm very excited to try skiing again for the first time in nearly 15 years! In the mean time, I'm happily wearing in my snowshoes from Christmas last year. After a fulfilling Christmas dinner with friend's friday night, I got up early Saturday morning to make my way up Mt Seymour for the low morning sun. I couldn't believe how much snow there was and fresh snow too!! 

After that perfect little hike in a sparkling wonderland, I'm even more in love with winter. 

Get out there! 

Hampi Island

If this is a backpacker's paradise, it's unquestionably a rock climber's utopia. Hampi Island is the "other side of the river" from Hampi Bazaar. It's a quiet oasis surrounded by lush rice fields and a desert of boulders.

I stayed here for nearly two weeks. I made friends. I was totally at peace. 

But this is India, there are many more jewels to mine, and so I moved on.

The Great Wall Boulders

Rock climbing in Squamish, B.C. using the Squamish Select climbing guide to lead us to The Great Wall Boulders. 

Tanner- Shot with my Nikon D300, 17-55mm. Shot at 1/125, f/2.8, ISO 400, in the shade.

We set up camp that night at Cat Lake, just 15minutes north of The Chief. A great walk-in campground that circles the lake. Superb swimming, especially mid-late summer. 

I found that the use of creative angles was important to show the climber's position on the rock as well as how they used their limbs to hang on! Timing was also important when a challenging move was being attempted such as a dyno. It only lasts a moment and it's fun to capture the climber in mid motion. Plus, the shot looks cool whether the climber grabbed the hold or not.

For those looking to start climbing, or to keep in shape over the winter visit Vancouver's climbing gym: Cliffhanger