There's no place like home!

Like the title states, there really is no place like home when you live in Pemberton (well, actually Mount Currie). Unfortunately I have been swamped with my endeavors around my imminent nursing career in Vancouver (awesome for a city), so this is a highlight of some of the awesome peaks I've climbed in the area, rather than an update of recent exploits. Lately it has been so good we haven't bothered with photos anyway, except Chris Ankeny, who I'll talk about soon. Eat your heart out! In order, there's Meagher, Meagher, Slalok (Mattier in the background)

Funny, while the Olympics create chaos a little bit down the road, I am looking forward to getting away for a bit in the mountains during my time off school. I'll be working with the lovely photographers of Arc'Teryx for a few days - who knows where we'll go - and then head down to The Big LePOWski in Utah at the end of the month! If you are in the area, definitely come check it out! The great folks at Arc'Teryx sponsor the event: it's all about getting the community of skiers and snowboarders together to share some powder, stories, beer, and laughs, not to mention ADVENTURE. Google it, or here's the link http://www.pitchengine.com/blackdiamondequipmentltd/black-diamond-welcomes-the-big-lepowski-to-north-america/4863/

Maybe we can teach each other a thing or two as well.

At any rate, I can't tell you how grateful I am that I live where I do...like, I bet you wanna know where these two pictures are from!!! ;) I can't really tell you over the internet...it's not secure.

I have to hand it to my amazing husband, Jack. No one amazes me more with his ability to sniff out mind-blowing lines, and gracefully flash them like nobody's business. I think I'm cool, and then I watch Jack. That's him in both of these pictures.

Ta-ta for now, hope you like the eye candy, hollar back if you have any thoughts...I'd love to hear from you! - Laura

New Years' Resolutions and my NEW blog

Hi everyone-

My first blog. Wow. Feels good, considering I am slow to adopt the ways of modern technology. The picture above was taken by the One-And-Only Chris Christie, a photographer located out of Squamish, BC (check it out: www.christie-images.com). I hope I'll be able to share more of his pics in the future. This is all about my pursuits in the winter...trying to accomplish all the lofty dreams I have of tagging peaks all around lower BC and particularly, Pemberton. Conjuring up crazy adventures in the pursuit of wild adventures and fun. Escape. Nourishment. Satisfaction. Yup, we've got some big plans for the next year...

...Jack, my wonderful husband and snowmobiling-skiing-builder-biker-Mexican casserole extradordinaire, wants to climb and ski Tantalus. Mount Tantalus is one of the most picturesque mountain tops, in the most breath-taking ranges in North America. It stares you down as you drive up to Whistler from Vancouver (no doubt it will amaze the masses that are coming this February for the Olympics). I'll keep you posted. We are also teaming up with good friend and mountaineer Jon Johnston and photographer Chris Christie, and putting together a trip to Argentina and Chile, to retrace the 1972 Alive! rescue mission in the Andes. Do you remember the famous plane that crashed on October 13, 1972, full of an Uruguayan Rugby Team? Two of the players, Nando Parrado, Roberto Canessa, trekked 12 days into Chile to get help and rescue that last 16 passengers of the wreck. Can you imagine surviving that? Wow. Anyway, we're still trying to find some funding - tough in today's market - and retrace their trek, while skiing some sweet lines along the way. It's been re-traced with snowshoes, but someone needs to ski it, and that is where we come in. I'll keep you posted.

Also on tap is some great peak bagging in BC this year, perhaps a trip up North. My goal for this blog is to share my missions, and spread the good word that is adventure and getting outside and pushing the envelope as far as possible for making use of the day!

I am still working on setting up this blog, but here are some sweet pictures of local exploits! Of course my hard drive recently, so I'm retrieving all my photos. It'll make you want to visit that area I affectionately call "Somewhere North of Pemberton!"

This is me with my superdog. his name is Dr. Jones, and if you want some quality affection, you can call Dr. Jones. Also known as Pinky, Slashie (for multiple reasons), bunnie, radster, Magnum, Ching-gach-guk, Mo, punkie, Little Dude, etc, etc)

Yeah, do you see that little peak/ridge in the back to the right? Yes, that is next on the list. Can anyone guess where this is? I'll give you my ultra-bomber Arc'Teryx long underwear that I wore for the past week if you can guess...you won't be disappointed, ha ha.

...The trouble is figuring out how to get there. It is not always so easy in BC, because you always start out so low, the relief is so HUMONGOUS. But stay tuned, I am determined.

On top of Mt Rohr, with the western side of Joffre in the back. Hmmm...I'll find some better pics to show the middle couloir Jack and I skied a couple of years ago, and maybe the Aussie Couloir as well, a classic, well-skied line for good times in the spring.