Visual Explorations :: Erik De Leon Productions

LATEST ALBUMS: Camel's Hump and Mt. Ethan Allen, Vermont | Red Rocks, Nevada

We arrived safe and sound in San Jose, Costa Rica late this afternoon. No delays, no lost baggage (crossing fingers) and so far everything is good! Will post more in the next few days...

Patagonia (Chile/Argentina)

So there hasn't been any entries on here since I left, mainly as I've been busy. I should be posting select albums of the trip when I get back. For now, here is a list of where these worn boots have been since we left on the 27th of December 2006!

Dec 28, 2006 Arrived by plane in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Dec 29, 2006 Left B.A. and arrived in El Calafate, in Argentinian Patagonia
Dec 30, 2006 El Calafate. We visited the Perito Moreno Glacier by boat.
Dec 31, 2006 Arrived by bus in El Chalten, Argentina.
Jan 01, 2007 Trekked to Campamento Agostini, near El Chalten to begin climbing.
Jan 02, 2007 Attempt on Cerro Solo from Campamento Agostini.
Jan 03, 2007 Trekked back to El Chalten. Arrived by bus the same day in El Calafate.
Jan 04, 2007 Crossed the Chilean border. Arrived by bus in Puerto Natales, Chile via the Cerro Castillo crossing.
Jan 05, 2007 Arrived at Las Torres camping to begin our trek in Torres del Paine National Park.
Jan 06-11, 2007 Torres del Paine trek (Circuito Completo). Arrived by bus back to Puerto Natales.
Jan 12, 2007 Puerto Natales rest day.
Jan 13, 2007 Crossed the Argentinian border. Arrived in El Calafate, Argentina. Left by plane from El Calafate and arrived in Bariloche, Argentina.
Jan 14, 2007 Bariloche. Rest day and making preparations for our climb to Cerro Tronador (the next 2 days, back on the 17th).

That's about it for now! Posting again soon.

Leaving for Patagonia

It's Christmas Eve and I'm sitting here enjoying a cold (alcoholic) beverage and feeling full from the river of food that descended upon us. I'm also busy crossing off items from my list of things to bring for my coming trip to Argentina.

I've been running around for the past week trying to make sure I haven't forgotten anything. I think at this point things are pretty much set and I'm happy; my bag (with all the stuff packed into it) is still fairly manageable. I wouldn't call it light.

2 days left!

Camel's Hump and Mt. Ethan Allen, Vermont

Only a few hours ago, I was trying my hardest to fully shake off the sleepiness that came from waking at 5:30 in the morning. Now the wind was the one shaking and pushing me, as I struggle on the summit of Camel's Hump. A few hours later, we would continue down from this summit to climb the other nearby peak, Mt. Ethan Allen.

Camel's Hump (1,244 m) is one of Vermont's highest mountains and is named for its distinctive shape. It is located adjacent to Mt. Ethan Allen (1,124 m) which makes hiking both on the same day very possible.

We had set out to hike here on a cold December day, expecting fairly bad weather conditions. Instead, we were greeted with clouds and short bursts of sunlight with very little ice on the way up. I look at this as part of the training for when Mart and I head off to Patagonia later this month. The hike itself was not difficult, nor technical. We tried to optimize time as best as we could, hiking the inclined 17 km in about 6.5 hours. Still more training to do obviously but a nice way to get started.

You can see the rest of the photos by clicking here.

The Open Road

My friends Tom and Lukasz are pretty well off on their south-west road trip in the States. I spoke to Tom and they were in New Mexico as of last night. Next up: Sin City! They were inspired by my climbing trip to Red Rocks to go and check it out for themselves.

After that, it's Cali for them, to go and see if Tom can make it out there as a stripper/male escort. Tom, if you're reading this, it's one thing to shake your ass in Toronto, but down there it's a whole other ball game.

Red Rocks, Nevada

Taking a flight to Las Vegas initially bring up images of slot machines, lights, poker tournaments and the like. Our recent trip to Las Vegas involved that (when in Vegas!) but mostly brought upon images of weird rock formations, cacti and plenty of awesome trad action. Oh and, in passing mention, a bit of work from the day job.

Ian, Rebecca and I recently flew to Vegas to climb in Red Rock Canyon. This was my first time climbing in the area, and first time ever in Las Vegas (nevermind the state of Nevada). Red Rocks, located just a few miles west of Las Vegas, is a climber's paradise and rated by some as being in the top 5 climbing venues in the US.

After a few times climbing in Charlevoix, I noticed that the rock is definitely different here. Contrary to the way it feels, the rock is solid. Delicate-feeling rock flakes will hold your weight (and your falls, most certainly). Oxidation has occured over time giving it a look that, when viewed from a distance, make it seem like different type of rocks have been stacked one ontop of the other.

Rainfall, followed by an abrupt shower of snow flurries, happened in Montreal upon leaving. In Red Rocks however, the weather was perfect. Cool in the mornings and evenings, and blazingly hot during the daytime, it's no wonder Fall is the time most climbers pick to flock to the region.

For the whole visual shebang, click here.

Charlevoix Redux

More photos from another long climbing weekend in Charlevoix in early October!

The colors during this time was just amazing (and still probably is, as of this writing). It was my friend Randi's first time climbing in Parc des Grands Jardins so we did 2 classic easy multi-pitch routes in Trad: La Voie d'Evitement and Granuleuses.

The weather was sunny and hot; it was a sure thing we weren't the only ones that were going to show up. Lots of climbers from Quebec showed up so it paid to get up bright and early (and not hung-over!).

Click here to view the rest of the photos.

Charlevoix

Ian and Rebecca on l'Arrêtes, end of pitch 1

This long Labour Day weekend, Rebecca, Ian and I embarked upon a weekend of fun and climbing in Charlevoix, Quebec. The three of us haven't gone climbing since last winter, when we had a blast doing the Trap Dike, in the Adirondacks.

Rebecca is from Charlevoix and Ian has been here multiple times before. I'm the "Charlevoix Virgin", and they've set out to give me a tour of the routes here, in as much as they can pack into 2 days.

Ian and I met up with Rebecca in Baie St-Paul on late Friday afternoon. Together we drove to our camping in the Parc de Grands Jardins. We had dinner, and caught up on things before a good night's sleep in slightly, chillier-than-Montreal, weather.

Day 1, up early and feeling ready, we set out to climb in Le Dome. Our initially-planned climb, "Wet Dream", was already taken by the time we arrived. We decided to start with "l'Onglé" instead. I think we got the initial pitch confused but we ended up on the right climb in the last pitches. We then climbed "Granuleuse", another multi-pitch, before wrapping for the day.

Day 2, using Rebecca's home in Saint-Irenée as our starting point, we climbed in Les Palissades, near Saint-Siméon. There, we climbed "l'Arrêtes" (multi-pitch). At the top, we descended the via ferrata that eventually led into a trail back to the welcome centre.

Great food and wine awaited us at the end of each day. Also of note is the astounding view of the Saint-Laurence river from Rebecca's. We lucked out as everyone in Montreal had rainy weather all weekend long!

Click here to view the photos. Check back in a few days, more photos to come (as soon as Ian gives me a copy of his!). Check out Escalade Quebec for all his photos as well!

Zorzi Family Cottage

This weekend Mick, Micha, Rob and I spent the weekend at Rob's family's cottage out near Weir, Quebec. The scenery was calming, beautiful and remote. It kinda reminded me of Algonquin park (except for the loud Albertans water skiing until late into the night and early in the morning!).

Actually weekend for me was more like Friday and part of the day on Saturday; I ended up going to my friend Paul and Tahmina's wedding reception at Le Resto de Vieux Port on Saturday night where copious amounts of alcohol was consumed. Unfortunately (fortunately?) I don't have pictures of that night.

Enjoy the cottage pictures here.

Yahoo in Kamou

A few friends and I spent the weekend camping/climbing in Kamouraska, Quebec. It was my first time in Kamou after hearing many great things about it from friends who have visited multiple times.

The rock is solid with natural cracks and holes, crumbly at times and exposed to the sun almost at all times (except when it's cloudy or raining!). All the routes are sport and vary greatly in length.

It's located about 4 hours east of Montreal (via Hwy 20 East). Most of the climbers there were from Quebec City, which is only about an hour and a half away. A topo of the location can be downloaded for free at Dr Topo. Climb away!

Click here for the rest of the pictures.

Lead Trad Part Deux

Updated photos from the second weekend of the Lead Trad Climbing workshop I followed earlier this summer. Part one can be found here.

During the second week, more concentration was placed on actual climbing (fun!), trusting our pros, revision again on relays and practical information on multi-pitch routes. Luc Desrochers is an excellent guide with a dizzying amount of information on climbing, just floating in his head.

More photos can be seen here.

Val-David, Quebec

I haven't been posting for awhile mainly because I've been busy catching up on stuff since my trip to South America 2 months ago. A little outdoor climbing was in order and really get more out of my summer.

In other news, my friend Ian is back from Pakistan after a gruelling 6 weeks with a team that was attempting a K2 summit. They were unsuccessful but they came back alive and Ian has some astonishing pictures on his site.

Ian and K2 Expedition 2006

I'm taking care of updating Ian Bergeron's website Escalade Quebec (www.escaladequebec.com) with information about his ongoing climbing expedition to K2 (8611 m) in Pakistan.

Presently he is in Urdukas and is 3 days away from K2's base camp. You can follow Ian's progress through his forum.

Climbing at Montagne d'Argent

This weekend I started weekend 1 of my Lead Trad Climbing course at Montagne d'Argent, not far from St-Sauver in Quebec, with the Montreal chapter of the Alpine Club of Canada (www.accmontreal.ca).

Weekend 1 was interesting in that we revised and covered relays and anchors, proper placement of rock protection and some actual trad climbing. All in all the material was pretty much a revision of stuff I've learned from various sources, but it was nice anyway to re-remember stuff I hadn't practised in a little while.

I'm looking forward to next weekend, to see what else we can learn, and to actually see some good climbing weather for once!

View photos from the first weekend of the course.

Bald Peak (925 m), Adirondacks

I went with the Alpine Club of Canada (http://www.accmontreal.ca/) for a short day hike this past Saturday up Bald Peak in the Adirondacks. This was a nice 4 hour trip, even with the rain and all, and is the longest hike I've done since coming back from South America last month.

In other news, Ian Bergeron of Escalade Quebec (http://www.escaladequebec.com) has arrived in Islamabad, Pakistan yesterday. They will be making their trek to K2's base camp very shortly. I should have more news to post soon as I'm taking over the moderating and posting on his website until his return. You can also follow the latest news from the expedition through their forums.

Machu Pichu and The Sacred Valley, Peru

The Inca city of Machu Pichu remained hidden in the jungle until its re-discovery in 1911 by archeologist Hiram Bingham. Today it's arguably the main reason people visit Peru.

The city of Machu Pichu (the actual ruins, more on this in a bit!) is best reached from Cusco. There are enough things to do in Cusco itself, but the train typically leaves from here. Some people also opt to take the train from Ollantaytambo, so they can visit that town and shorten the train ride. The train ride from Cusco to Ollantaytambo takes a bit of time because the train tracks were built to zigzag around the urban features.

The train then heads to the town of Aguas Calientes, which is sometimes called "the town of Machu Pichu". This is a bit confusing because the actual ruins is *technically* the town of Machu Pichu (approximately 1 1/2 h walk up from Aguas Calientes). From Aguas Calientes there are buses that leave for the ruins as early as 5:30 in the morning.

The ticket to the ruins now has to be pre-purchased in Aguas Calientes. This allows 1 full day of entry into the site, so the day better be nice!.

We arrived at Aguas around 11 in the morning, on a warm, sunny day. Luke and I wanted to go and hike to the ruins, but Tom and Marj wanted to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing. We ended up spending a day around town and relaxing in our hostel, which had a great view of the surroundings. Luke and I were secretly wishing for it not to rain the next day.

The next morning, it was immediately evident that a view of the sun rising over the ruins was unlikely. Fuck! We could make out bits and parts of the site, and sometimes the outline of Huayna Pichu (2667 m), the mountain that overlooks the ruins. We decided to walk through the site, through the fog.

Walking through the streets and touching the walls, you begin to understand and realize where you are: a city built by a civilization with the patience, the knowledge to build a city this immense, with wall patterns, laid in perfection like organic Lego blocks. Yet, no piece of modern machinery was used to cut these stones, to errect these structures.

The walls in Cusco that imitate these Inca walls pale in comparison. In the movie "The Motorcycle Diaries", there is a scene where a Peruvian kid points and identifies an Inca-built wall, and subsequently points to a wall built by the Spanish. The boy proceeds to identify these walls as built by the "Inca-pables".

View the photos of Machu Pichu and The Sacred Valley.

La Paz, Bolivia

The drive into La Paz reminds me a lot of the trip into Lima, Peru; The level of poverty its people are living in is eye-opening. This is in contrast to a few areas of the city where people enjoy a life similar to that in North America.

The highest capital in the world (at 3640 m!), La Paz itself is a sight to behold. Nestled in a valley, you'd have to blink and take a second look: a seemingly endless sea of homes in an adobe brown color, covering every possible spot from the ground to the hillside.

Check out a few of the pictures from La Paz!

Uros, Amantani and Taquile Islands, Peru

The Uros people have lived for centuries on floating islands on Lake Titicaca, bordering Peru and Bolivia. These islands, made of Totora reed that is commonly found on the lake, range in size but are frequently big enough to house a family of four people. The locals are very resourceful in their use of this reed, layered about 3m deep and built to keep the inhabitants of these islands afloat. These islands take approximately 3 months to build and last for 30 years or more. It's like living on a floating deck, but one you can anchor and move anywhere on the lake!

Lukasz and I also spent a night on the island of Amantani. Four hours by boat from the port of Puno, Amantani is home to about 3,000 Quechua-speaking people. There are no hotels on Amantani; We stayed with a local family and were given the chance to see how they live on a daily basis. They are a self-sufficient people, relying on agriculture and fishing. The people of Amantani are new to the tourism phenomenon; They have only been working with the tourist industry of Peru for 5 years.

Taquile island, on the other hand, has been engaging in tourism for at least 3 decades and it shows. Shops abound, there are a few restaurants (there are none on Amantani) and a selection of places to sleep. Still, it's worth a visit and a good launching point to visit Amantani if you are not sleeping there directly.

Click here to see the rest of the pictures.

(More) Quito, Ecuador

I just found a whole bunch of pics from Quito taken with my DSLR. It's funny (well, for me anyway!) to see some of these now as these were probably the first shots that I took on this whole trip!

Hope you enjoy!

Back in Montreal!

I'm back in Montreal this morning after 6 weeks of romping around in South America. I should be catching up on posting photos and text from the rest of the trip; I've written a bunch of stuff but just haven't had a computer to post it on!

I hope to see/talk to all of you soon! For now, check out the updated albums on my Flickr account (left column)!

Trip update (from La Paz, Bolivia)

We made it to Bolivia yesterday by passing through the Peruvian-Bolivian border town of Kasani and straight to Copacabana, Bolivia. We got some hiking done yesterday by walking the 17km hike from Yampupata (near Isla del Sol) back to Copacabana.

Today, we are in La Paz, Bolivia after a 4 hour bus ride through some pretty nice scenery. La Paz is a sight to behold. It is literally breathtaking; At 3640m high, it is the highest capital in the world. Combined with hilly roads, it's harder to walk to the nearest panaderia than it is in, say, Montreal.

Tomorrow, we head off for a day of mountain biking on the "worlds most dangerous road". Hopefully it won't live up to its name! More photos soon!

Trip update (from Puno, Peru)

We arrived late last night (11 PM) in the town of Puno, on the shore of Lake Titicaca, and the main jumping point (in this region) to Bolivia. We should be crossing over to Bolivia on Sunday morning, as the Bolivian border is not open 24 hours (it closes after 6 PM, according to some agencies).

Today we are going to explore the ruins some 35 km away from Puno, and tomorrow we are taking a boat to one of the "floating" islands: huge artificial reed rafts where the Los Uros people have lived for centuries! More pics soon!

Condors and the Cañon del Colca, Peru

We had the great pleasure of seeing the majestic andean condor up close. So close that it seems you can reach out and grab them (or them grab you; these birds are huge!). From Cabanaconde (3,287 m), there are buses that go to the Cruz del Condor, a viewing area overlooking the Cañon del Colca, where the condors are known to flock to every morning before the day's search for food.

The Cañon del Colca is twice as deep as the Grand Canyon and is the second deepest canyon in the world (next to Cañon Cotahuasi, which is also nearby). The trek down to the canyon takes approximately 2 1/2 hours with a 5 hour climb back up.

Both attractions are best done from Cabanaconde, where the descent into the Cañon del Colca can be done directly, and where the Cruz del Condor is 30 mins away.

Click here to see the photos from the Cruz del Condor, and the photos from the Cañon del Colca.

Arequipa, Peru

We arrived in Arequipa this morning and have already spent a good part of today seeing the main part of town and the surrounding areas.

Arequipa reminds me of Cuenca in Ecuador. It's a quiet town that is the launching point to climb Volcan Misti and Chichani. The main area is also preserved, with cobblestone roads and architecture made from Sillar, a volcanic rock common in these areas.

Arequipeños are also a friendly people, proud of their city and ready to put it infront of Lima as Peru's prime city.

Tomorrow we leave for Cabanaconde (about 5 hrs by bus) to descend down to the Cañon del Colca, the 2nd deepest canyon in the world.

Lima, Peru

After a 20 hr bus ride (on mostly desert scenery), Lima at first doesn't seem all that impressive. Comparative to Manila, it's dirty, overcrowded and the traffic is pretty chaotic.

However, underneath the grime there are a couple of shining examples that make Lima worth it. The old center of Lima is fairly impressive, with its Plaza de Armas, cathedrals and catacombs. The district of Miraflores offers some nice waves and beautiful views of the coast. Also, don't miss the catacombs!

Huaquillas-Tumbes border crossing

Arriving in Peru from Ecuador through the Huaquillas-Tumbes crossing is a bit of a workout!

The border-crossing procedure is pretty interesting. Your bus stops upon entering Huaquillas, which is on the Ecuadorian side to allow you to "leave" the country by getting your exit stamp from Ecuador. You then continue to the city's terminal (remember, this is on a normal passenger bus) where you are flocked-to by money changers (and where we got $20 USD worth in fake Peruvian Soles!) and taxi drivers that wish to take you to Tumbes on the Peruvian side.

Take into account that at this point you have left Ecuador (at least on paper). You then cross a bridge that wishes you a good trip and welcomes you into Peru. However, you aren't officially stamped-in yet, as the immigration office is a taxi-ride away (about 4 km)!

We got a combined ride where the guy takes us to the Peruvian immigration office, waits for us, and then takes us to the Peruvian town of Tumbes which is another 45 mins from the immigration office, for about $4 USD total for 4 people.

The actual Peruvian immigration office is an old, run-down building, with street vendors and half-naked children running around inside. There are no computers. Only a guy that stamps your passport, and hands you a tourist card. Our bags are not marked, checked or anything.

After all this, an 18 hr ride to Lima is in order as there is not much to see in Tumbes. A cold beer would also be good but because there are elections this weekend, they stopped selling alcohol in all stores and bars. Now maybe if we did that in Quebec, next election will see an increase in voter turnout!

Las Cajas, Ecuador

Finally got the chance to post photos of our hike in El Cajas National Park, in Cuenca, Ecuador.

Las Cajas normally can be covered in a 3 day hike, with plenty of potential lake-side camp sites. There is an old inca road that runs through the length of the park, as well as ancient inca "walls" (which we didn't get to see, as they are on the other side of the park). The views are beautiful with peaks and valleys, as well as cattle, llamas and other wildlife roaming the land.

Trip update (from Lima, Peru)

After a whirlwind trip from town to town (Cuenca, Guayaquil, Huaquillas, Tumbes), we are finally in Lima, Peru (since yesterday). The border crossing from Ecuador-Peru is another story worthy of its own post, with side plots involving fake Soles (the currency in Peru).

We are leaving for Arequipa, Peru late tomorrow (another 16 hours by bus) and slowly making our way to La Paz, Bolivia (hopefully). We've decided to leave the hike through the Inca Trail for last, as the weather might be better. The weather is already tons better than it was in Quito, only 2 weeks ago. Lima has a nice beach with some eager surfers taking to the waves!

I've visited the South American Explorers office here in Lima and can only really be compared to a bank (of travel information). They have books from Rough Guide, Footprint and Lonely Planet for almost every country in South America, as well as topo maps for hiking, trip reports, backpacker facilities (free coffee, storage, etc) and city binders containing climbing & trekking information, among other things. The membership is available through their website at www.saexplorers.org.

Pictures coming soon!

Baños, Ecuador

After a 2 hour bus ride from Otavalo to Quito, and another 4 hour bus ride from Quito to here, we are finally in the town of Baños, Ecuador.

Baños is in a valley overlooking the recently re-activated volcano Tungurahua. Steam constantly emits from its hole and it has been closed since 1999 to climbers because of the renewed activity.

After being chased by barking dogs, almost mauled by a bull, stuck in a thunderstorm at 4000+m nearing dusk, the biggest threat is still human. On a bus, it's good to be cautious. Here's the scenario: A group of 4 people, switching seats to block you in, with the one sitting beside you sticking a newspaper in your face to block your view. In addition, asking you constant questions about your itinerary.

Nothing happened but in this situation it's best to change seats :)

In other news, a state of emergency has recently been declared in Cotopaxi, Canar, Chimborazo, Imbabura and parts of Pinchincha (Cayambe and Tabacundo). Whether this is because of the strikes by the indigenous, or something else entirely, remains to be seen. More information as it comes.

Otavalo, Ecuador

We have been in the town of Otavalo, about 2 hours north of Quito for the 2nd day now.

Otavalo, which is known for its Saturday market filled with great art and crafts from the local indigenous population, is also close to Laguna Cuicocha. This is a large crater-lake within an ecological reserve. The hike around it takes about 3.5-4 hours and goes up to about 3100m in altitude.

This is a nice, quiet town, known for its bohemian atmosphere and friendly locals.

Tomorrow we leave for the town of Banos, and then hopefully to the town of Cuenca to plan our 3-day trek into Parque Nacional Cajas.

Click here to view the set.

Cotopaxi, Ecuador

This morning at around 1h30, we started to climb and attempt to summit Volcan Cotopaxi (5,897m) in Ecuador.

It was actually a pretty straightforward climb, with some fairly large crevases (which I only really spotted on the way down, in the daylight). The normal ascent time is 6 hours.

I felt pretty well acclimatized, and slept well at the refuge before waking up at midnight. I also didn't feel the altitude as much as I did at the refuge at Iliniza Norte.

Unfortunately we didn't reach the crater summit. When it rains in Quito, it snows in Cotopaxi! And it was raining hard for 2 days straight in Quito beforehand.

In the end, we had the option to go as far as we can. At 5,650m Lukasz felt very ill from the altitude and decided to turn back. I'll definitely attempt this again, but maybe in the dry season!

Click here to see the album!

Quito, Ecuador

I've finally had some time to post some of the miscellaneous city photos from in and around Quito, Ecuador.

Quito sits at an altitude of 2820m, making it a good place to start acclimatizing for climbs to the high peaks surrounding it.

It is logically divided up into the New City and the Old City, which is a world heritage protected site by UNESCO.

Included also are photos of the Ciudad Mitad del Mundo, which contains the building marking the 0 degree equatorial line (I know, but we had nothing to do that day!).

Enjoy the photos!

Iliniza Norte, El Chaupi, Ecuador

As promised, here are the photos from our climb of Iliniza Norte, near the town of El Chaupi, Ecuador.

Iliniza Norte normally does not have snow cover but it did when we climbed it. On the ascent, an Ecuadorian (I think) team was descending after a failed climb because of snow cover on the Paso de Muerte (the Pass of Death).

I'll edit this and post more details later. Meanwhile enjoy this album!

Cerro Corazon, Ecuador

I arrived fine in Quito, Ecuador on the 20th of March, about 30 minutes behind schedule.

I didn't notice a big change with the higher altitude (Quito is at about 2800m above sea level) and still haven't noticed much of a difference. I guess that will change as we do our climbs.

More on the arrival later (backwards, I know :)

Yesterday, Lukasz and I arranged for a guide for Cotopaxi, and got more information on Illiniza and the other peaks around Quito. Apparently 6 climbers died last week from an avalanche in Antisana so I guess we won't be going there.

Today (March 22) Lukasz and I decided to go and help our acclimatization by trekking/climbing El Corazon. The weather was cloudy off the bat, with moments of sun.

As we got up (closer to about 3500-4000m) rain started to pour and we could hear thunder to the north. We bolted out of there as fast as you can say Corazon.

So I guess we got our butts kicked, but it's a good try for our acclimatization. A full climb of El Corazon is estimated at about 5-7 hrs.

Tomorrow we catch a bus to get to the refuge between 2 volcanoes, Illiniza Norte and Illiniza Sur. We'll try our luck (hopefully good weather too!) with Illiniza Norte on Friday morning.

Wish us luck!!!

Just a note: There is still a strike with the indigenous people and the government so movement to get outside of Quito is still quite hard at the moment. Also, the internet in Quito is easily accessible but very slow!

All packed!

I think I've let go of as much stuff as I can (damn, I can't get another pair of shoes in there!) to get my pack as light as possible.

I've hiked 2 nights in a row with it: Saturday for about 6-7 Km, tonight for about 3 Km. It's pretty manageable.

And no, I've decided not to bring the weight scale! See you all in Quito!

Road Blocks to Quito

A few hitches in and around Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Free-trade protesters (against the trade talks with the United States) have established blockades around the capital, preventing land travel.

More information here.

Tom and Marjorie are making their way up the coast to hopefully be able to join me when I fly into Quito. The government are holding talks now so hopefully all will be resolved soon.

Testing out my new camera

After breaking my ultra-compact Pentax Optio S while climbing, I wanted a new compact/semi-compact camera that can take a few bumps, and won't break my already bad back.

After looking at a few choices, I wanted the Olympus 720SW but it wasn't going to be available before I leave for vacation, and the quality of other Olympus cameras (especially the noise) seemed dubious.

After reading a few reviews, and Ian's recommendation, I got the Canon A620. It takes normal and rechargable AAs, it's got swivel LCD, and it's got quite a few manual features. Hopefully it lasts through this trip!

Mt. Colden via the Trap Dike, The Adirondacks

A few weeks ago Ian and I started talking about the possibility to climb the Trap Dike before I leave for South America.

It would be good training for both of us, as well as the possibility of it being a fun time.

Our loosely planned climb of Mt. Colden in the Adirondacks High Peaks region came together this past Saturday. Ian, Rebecca and I had a late start at 10h00 and reached Lake Colden at 13h00. From there, we climbed the Trap Dike and the slab and reached the top of Mt. Colden around 17h00.

The ice was still surprisingly good on the slab, even with all the traffic and the sun. We made our descent in headlamps and reached the trail entrance by 20h00.

All in all, a great day and we all came out of it exhausted but with big smiles.

Click here to view the day's photos.

Thanks to Ian for some of his kick-ass photos. He has a lot of other nice photos of that day at EscaladeQuebec.com (in the right-hand column).

Les deux Morons Zinzon (The two Zinzon Morons)

The short clip I filmed with Ian from EscaladeQuebec.com is now online! Check out the image in the right sidebar in the link above.

A bit of climber humour and a new take on an old Quebecois classic!

And speaking of the devil...

My friends have arrived in Guayaquil, Ecuador and Tom is just snapping away with his camera, with no worry for theft, his own safety and the safety of the Ecuadorian people (from the gaze of his Fuji SLR; there's just something about it that makes you feel soo dirty!).

Check out the first batch of his pics!

Return of Les Contreforts!

Spent the day filming my friend Ian's funny film short/music clip in Les Contreforts. Watch out for the preview on his website Escalade Quebec. Pierre-Luc also got a chance to take some excellent climbing shots of the whole ordeal.

I wished I had brought my photo kit also, but after carrying a tripod and a video kit up 60 meters, plus my climbing gear, I would think twice now (although I would still have probably done it!).

Check out the (crappy) pics from my video camera here.

Mountaineering in Les Contreforts, Notre-Dame de la Merci

This weekend's alpine exercise to get Lukas up-to-date on essential mountain techniques and rescue went pretty well. For one, we're both alive; we also got to experience Les Contreforts (off Aut.347, near Saint-Côme, Québec) for the first time.

Tom, Mayi and Lukie-boy are leaving later this week meaning this is the last time I'm gonna get to see any of them until I land in Quito, Ecuador.

I feel good knowing that Luke and I are (probably) not gonna kill each other (not intentionally, anyway). Now if I can just get a patch for that hole I made in my pants with my crampons!

Indoor beach volleyball

Beach volleyball in the middle of winter? No, I guess you can't get a tan!

Check out the photos here.

You can also check out Tommy's photos of the same night here.

Climbing at Lake Willoughby

Saturday blessed us with sun, warm(-ish) weather and more than a dozen enthusiastic climbers, ready to tackle the ice.

It's been awhile since I haven't crossed the border by car, and for the most part, you should:

Never say you have drugs (on you)
Never say you're going to the 'states without a reason

and as Fred explained:
Never say you work in a lab that has free access to, among other things, anthrax and/or ask the customs person to mail an envelope for you

Luckily, none of the above was actually said infront of the customs officer; otherwise, these pictures from the day might never have been taken.

The actual conditions were excellent. Four ropes were installed, thanks to Fred, Peter and François. Everyone (I think) got 2 climbs each and everyone came home fine, with big grins on their faces.

Thanks to Frédéric Benz for organizing this outing with Le Club Alpin du Canada Chapître de Montréal. Trap Dyke soon?

View the entire album here.

Mountaineering on Mont Barrière

Crossing a frozen lake on our way for mountaineering day 2

Cold winds, snow, wet socks. A weekend of mountaineering is not exactly the most comfortable way of spending your 2 days of rest and relaxation. For some of us it's a necessity (preparing for a bigger climb, for example); For others it's a way of living.

For me, I'm preparing for a bigger climb, hopefully of Volcán Cotopaxi in Ecuador this March. Another part of what brings me back are the views and the peaceful mountain. There is something about it that brings clarity to my thoughts and my feelings, to my identity.

Okay so it sounds poetic (or pathetic, you be the judge!), but poets have been inspired by war, peace, love and religion. Beauty is just another reason. Enjoy these pictures from this weekend.

And now for something completely different...

Mike goes in to work, sits at his desk quietly and performs the work required by his position. Mike brings his lunch in and, from time-to-time, ventures with his co-workers for lunch. Mike finishes his duties at work and leaves to return home to his loving girlfriend, Wendy.

Mike also bajas from time to time. With his family car. In the snow. Outside of his work.

Let's hope Wendy won't see these pictures.

A needle in the arm

Tom and Marj have started their cocktail of shots para el viaje en america del sur. They've received typhoid, cold, rabies and everything else other than the shots that they ACTUALLY need. I heard they were also actually trying to acquire methadone, which I have failed to confirm whether they succeeded or not.

Click here to view Tom's photos of the ordeal.

Climbing on Mont St-Hilaire

Climbing today was good! It's only my 2nd time ice climbing and it's great to have my friend Ian of Escalade Quebec with me to show me a few pointers. It was also great to meet his girlfriend Rebecca and his friend Norman and Norman's friend, Ginette.

When ice climbing, I found myself using a lot of the techniques I use for indoor and rock, and it doesn't work at all on ice (surprise, surprise!).

It was also surprisingly warm today (4°C !) and the water was running down some of the columns. However, the past few days have been in the minus digits and there was no direct sunlight on our wall.

All in all, a good day to be outside, even for winter!

Click here to view the entire album.

Rendez-vous de la montagne 2006

The first ever Rendez-vous de la montagne, organized by Chinook Aventure and Escalade Quebec, took place last weekend, Jan 21.

Click here to view the photos on Chinook Aventure's website!

South America here we come!

My friends and I are slowly preparing ourselves, planning for our trip to South America. As you can see from the photo, Tom is obviously discussing the merits of travelling nekkid vs clothed. If you know Tom at all, travelling naked obviously won out. He can be very convincing.

So in March, we will all be travelling naked to Ecuador by plane. I'll be flying solo to Quito where I'll meet up with the rest of the team and begin our descent, eventually heading into Peru and possibly Chile.

At the same time, check out Mayi's blog on our trip at ni de aqui ni de alla. Adios!

Toronto Family Weekend