Tuesday, April 2, 2013

The agony of choice

It was Easter weekend... and spring has sprung in BC. This presents a dilemma as it's now possible to do just about all outdoor activities possible within a couple of hours of home. Kayakers are kayaking, skiiers are skiing, bikers biking, climbers climbing... etc. With the help of some beer and guidebook pondering we settled on a Pemberton to Vancouver car-traverse punctuated with biking, skiing, and more biking (in that order).
 
This is how important decisions are made.
First stop was Pemberton, for some very summer-like biking and a new trail map because yet again I left the old one at home. Luckily it seems that there are always new trails in Pemberton that weren't on my old map anyway. We also ran into a large group of hooligans from Steed Cycles, which is always fun.

Snow and dust in equal measure.
Next stop was Whistler for a jaunt around the Spearhead Traverse. I did this back in 2008, and many of the really unpleasant climbs proved to be just as unpleasant the second time around. It's not a bad place to be on a sunny spring day though. Apparently it's now possible to do the Spearhead in about three hours, but seeing as it's not got any shorter it still took us about nine. I'm really not sure how that three hour thing is even possible. I suspect jet-packs were involved.

What goes around.
Downhill on ice with climbing skins on is always a pleasure.
A navigational anomaly (mistake) led to a bit of a boot-pack.
Lina is small, compared with mountains.
After all of that exertion, we got to sleep in a bed on Saturday night in Squamish, before heading out for another sunny ride on Credit Line. My legs weren't exactly full of power after the Spearhead... but you can't beat some dry Squamish trails. Finally, we headed back to Vancouver in time for a sunset slackline in the park.
Nice sock/shoe combo
Re-entering "civilization" at Flute Bowl.