As rad as Whistler is it can fell like a prison at times. Cut off from the real world in a constant whirlwind of routine, work-ride-sleep-ride-work-drink-try and ride hungover-sleep...you get the picture. This routine needs to broken every so often to be able to have a peaceful existance in the bubble that is Whistler, So a few weeks ago it was time to break free!! A few good friends and myself rented a mini-van and set off in the wee hours of the morning to hit Mt. Seymour (North Vancouver) and Mt. Baker ( Washington, USA). None of us had ever riden either mountain so everything was to be a new experience, first stop Mt. Seymour.
Mt. Seymour is tiny! after coming from Whistler most mountains seems small but the two 2 seater chairlifts that is Mt. Seymour is by far the smallest mountain I've ever riden . Don't let it's size fool you though,it's a really fun hill,like anything it's what you make of it I guess? We found a cool cat track gap, some side hits to grease some grassers over and the park was really fun.They had just landed Nike 6.0 has a sponsor so they have built a couple of gnarly features replicating some of the most famous spots from vids. We sessioned the "red ledge" untill sunset taking a few snaps here and there then caught the chair back up top to watch the sunsetting over Vancouver.,AMAZING! that alone made the day,we we're lucky enough to score a clear day and has the sun retired from its hard day at work so did we. Back down to Van for a massive feed of thai and a some rest before heading out to Mt. Baker in the morning.
Another 5am alarm wake up call and a tired eyed drive to the U.S. border. No dramas except for trying to smuggle in a few illegal citrus immigrants which quickly got handed over to the authorities, A hour or so later we were lacing up about to check spot two. I had no real idea about Mt. Baker except for it's infamous "Baker road gap", which we couldn't really see, I knew they got a heap of snow but that was it. A storm front had dropped a nice 10-15cm overnight so most of the mountain was shredable.We got a couple of good lines under the main chairline first, the terrain was sooooo sick!! It's like mini backcountry steez, small drops through trees,natural spines, windlips and steep all the way down. I wish we had just a bit more snow cause it was still abit hard underneath but still super fun. The banked slalom course was something different,hooking through each corner untill it all got too much and getting bucked out of a turn, everyone was having a killer time. We rode every chair and attacked about every notable line we knew about, It had been a while since I had riden all day so by the end of the day i was exhausted!!! Time to make our way homeward bound but a U.S. trip wouldnt be complete without a stop for a burger in a greasy backwards pub. After injesting my heart attack in a bun and one too many beers I was out like a light and before I knew it back in the comfort of the Whistler bubble.
Mt. Seymour is tiny! after coming from Whistler most mountains seems small but the two 2 seater chairlifts that is Mt. Seymour is by far the smallest mountain I've ever riden . Don't let it's size fool you though,it's a really fun hill,like anything it's what you make of it I guess? We found a cool cat track gap, some side hits to grease some grassers over and the park was really fun.They had just landed Nike 6.0 has a sponsor so they have built a couple of gnarly features replicating some of the most famous spots from vids. We sessioned the "red ledge" untill sunset taking a few snaps here and there then caught the chair back up top to watch the sunsetting over Vancouver.,AMAZING! that alone made the day,we we're lucky enough to score a clear day and has the sun retired from its hard day at work so did we. Back down to Van for a massive feed of thai and a some rest before heading out to Mt. Baker in the morning.
Another 5am alarm wake up call and a tired eyed drive to the U.S. border. No dramas except for trying to smuggle in a few illegal citrus immigrants which quickly got handed over to the authorities, A hour or so later we were lacing up about to check spot two. I had no real idea about Mt. Baker except for it's infamous "Baker road gap", which we couldn't really see, I knew they got a heap of snow but that was it. A storm front had dropped a nice 10-15cm overnight so most of the mountain was shredable.We got a couple of good lines under the main chairline first, the terrain was sooooo sick!! It's like mini backcountry steez, small drops through trees,natural spines, windlips and steep all the way down. I wish we had just a bit more snow cause it was still abit hard underneath but still super fun. The banked slalom course was something different,hooking through each corner untill it all got too much and getting bucked out of a turn, everyone was having a killer time. We rode every chair and attacked about every notable line we knew about, It had been a while since I had riden all day so by the end of the day i was exhausted!!! Time to make our way homeward bound but a U.S. trip wouldnt be complete without a stop for a burger in a greasy backwards pub. After injesting my heart attack in a bun and one too many beers I was out like a light and before I knew it back in the comfort of the Whistler bubble.
It was fun to ride with no agenda, normally when I go up I have a certain place to go or a particular trick to try but here it was just about hanging with friends and exploring somewhere new. I think Rick put it the best, as Poss inquired into the condition of the line rick had just taken he got this as a response "It's just snowboarding man!", hahaha, He left out the part about the overlaying trees,exposed jaggered rock and lack of snow covering such rock but who cares Poss took it on anyway and everybody got a good laugh afterwards....sometimes it's the shit parts that are fun...it's not all back10's and knee deep pow that puts a smile on my face. The trip was the spark I needed to get stoked on straight up riding again, the bubble was burst and now I'm ready for my next stint inside.
Thanks to the crew for a fun trip: Rick,Bec,Poss,Linda and Aiden.
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