Enter the backcountry

It occured to me a few days ago that, for all the time I've spent on the mountains here in Whistler, with something like 6 weeks until the end of the season there's still plenty of this colossal ski area that I've left untouched. How convenient, then, that a colleague suggested we go on a rather large hike on our mutual day off, following a full 24 hours of solid snowfall. I admit to being a touch apprehensive as I've never explored the backcountry terrain before - my previous exploits have been firmly within the limits of the patrolled ski area, as walking a slope to ski down the other side, then walking back up it again seems like a lot of hard work.

In hindsight, I have no regrets - my first entry into Whistler's backcountry was quite simply epic, and the hard work was more than worth the rewards. At the end of our first stint, the views on offer were just breathtaking, and all the more so for being so utterly untouched by civilisation.

Later on the day this was what lay before us - a huge, cloud-like field of fluffy, unblemished snow, encircled by jagged peaks and ridges.

This last picture I include to prove I was actually there - my riding companions are Jack (in the middle) and Aron (to his left), with Sam behind the camera framing the shot beautifully. My thanks to all three for such a good day - and tolerating my whining about my legs hurting so much from all the hiking.