Rainier has been one of those mountains that's eluded me over the past few spring summer volcano seasons. It was always weather or altitude or something that we couldnt control that would shut us down. This week-end however it would happen! I watched the weather all week before hand and decided on Thursday it would be a go. Danielle, Jordin and Tobin were keen to get up there as well as none of them had ever summited either. So after an exciting traffic bout with the border and I-5, 10 hours later we found ourselves at the White River trailhead. Realizing this would probably be a race from the summit Tobin prepared his secret wax formula. 

The annual Baker trip was well over due this year due to week-end after week-end of clouds and Cascade thunder and lightning storms. I've been up there enough times to know that blue bird is the only way to go. The Friday night mission turned out to be an epic 19 hour trip when a number of interesting factors came into play. We left the truck at 12:30pm on Friday night and skinned up the road to the Helliotrope trailhead. As soon as we entered the forest Mike's headlight decided to fail. With the pine needle snow covered forest floor we got severly lost following numerous trails from other climbers in the same situation.

With the the clear weather and good alpine temps over the past week I'd been itching to get a spring epic in. On Friday Matt suggested the classic Mt. Currie to Wedge traverse. I'd always heard good things about this trip and couldnt think of a better way to end the month of May. Fully aware that we needed a super early start to beat the daily melt, Matt convinced the freindly people at Blackcomb Helicopters to meet us at the Whistler heli port at 5:30 am. After a Vancouver departure of 3:30am we soon found ourselves on the summit of Mt Currie at 6:15 am. The first descent down Currie's south face was a little firm from the previous nights freeze. 

     Danielle gets some May turns on Cloudburst.

Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/patmulrooney/sets/72157605343477433/

     There's still some snow in the mountains!

Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/patmulrooney/sets/72157605316269115/

     Dave Hill drops in.

     Danielle and Dave on the uptrack.

The Coast Range keeps gettin deeper and the Easter long week-end was no exception. The area we were in recieved around 60cms over the previous few days and had blown in to approx 1 meter on some slopes. 

     Danielle finds some Spring pow.

Another sweet week-end north of Pemberton in a new area. The snow above 2000m was perfect. It keeps getting deeper! Pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/patmulrooney/sets/72157604141202062/ 

We managed to squeeze in a few more days of pow under blue skies last week-end. A new area was found with limitless possibilities. North facing terrain everywhere should be well preserved for weeks to come.

Danielle on her way down Ochsenkopf to Zurs.

During a perfectly good drinking trip to Europe in January, Danielle and I decided to throw some Austrian Alp pow into the mix. So after a couple weeks in the Czech Republic and Ireland we rented a car and headed for the hills. I seem to have horse shoes up my arse everytime we go to St. Anton. During what I would call not one of their best seasons it started puking within 12 hours of us arriving there!