Canada

Our first stop on our Canada road trip was Eureka, Montana to climb at Stone Hill above Lake Koocanusa. The hard quartzite rock provided excellent mixed sport and traditional climbing with excellent views of the lake. We were also pleasantly surprised with the camping (rated highest amongst all of the camp sites we have stayed in since April). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The entire leg of this trip was affected by bears. While running on a mountain trail near Eureka, we spotted a fresh grizzle footprint the size of my head – which I predicted would fit nicely in the bear’s mouth. Then, about an hour later Braden came swooshing around a corner on his mountain bike and saw a huge black bear meandering along the road. Finally, most trails that we took in Canada had signs that read, “Warning: Bear Feeding on Carcass in Area”. I wonder what the so-called carcass is?---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canada provided some amazing limestone climbing and mountain biking at Canmore and Revelstoke. Both places were beautiful with awesome mountain lakes. On the way back into the states, we travelled through Spokane, Washington to visit one of our dearest friends: Emilie Moreshead, aka, Miss Extreme 2009. She was such a gracious host and treated us spectacularly in Miss Extreme fashion with lots of powerful motorsports. Thanks to Emilie as well as Darren’s family for such a wonderful time.

Canada I

Braden rappelling above Lake Koocanusa.

The bore holes from the road-cut blasting created interesting hand holds.

Mountain biking with the bears.

Canada II

Bear-grass in bloom – an event that only occurs every seven years. It was beautiful and covered the hillside.

If you look really close, and use a bit of imagination, you will see a humongous and ferocious grizzle bear in the photo.

The perfect campsite: tree shaded, relatively flat to park the van, and creek in the background.

Photo is of an unpermitted water-diversion project. We don’t know who the offender is- just some random guy that got bored one day we presume.

Eeore buttress on the east flank of Mount Rumble where we climbed ‘True Grit’.

Climbing ‘True Grit’ above Grassi Lakes.

Topping out with Hi Ling Peak in the background.

Yamanaska. Need we say more.

Canada III

We happened upon the 24 hours of adrenaline mountain bike race in Canmore. The participants are true rock-stars. Photos were taken at hours 2 and 20 show a happy clean fresh-looking participant and a ragged dirty exhausted-looking survivor, respectively.

Biathlon air rifle training. Shooting guns and cross-country skiing is the perfect sport combination.

Climbing in Revelstoke, BC.

Pig on a Ferry.

Sadly, we forgot to take our camera with Emilie and Darren to the lake, so we had to pull an archive photo of Miss Extreme in her element at our wedding in 2005.