It Sounds Crazy

When I tell people that Doug and I are moving back to Australia, they jokingly ask if I have "climbed all the peaks around here," and, are somewhat stunned when I say "yes." While not strictly true - there are some peaks within a days drive that I haven't climbed, but, those are predominantly small inconsequential bumps - the statement is largely correct. There are a few lingering peaks that require multiple days of hard bushwacking to access or are inaccessible entirely due to road washouts. But, for all intents and purposes, I've done most of the peaks in my local area. I've also climbed most, if not all, the rock routes in my grade, and done more ski tours into more areas and traveled further than any other skier I know.

Some people are happy doing the same ski tours over and over again, and banging up the same peaks with metronomic regularity, but I am not. There is very little, if any, challenge in doing trips and tours that you know well, regardless of how bad the weather when you go out. Going to new places, working out how to get there - always a big issue in BC - working out which route will go, and, putting all the pieces together by doing the route is where the real challenges lie.

Lately, I've had a yen for the high country, but no stomach for all the driving required to get to a new area so I've been repeating a few trips. Being up in the mountains is always beautiful and gratifying, but, I gotta admit, the rewards are so much less when I've traveled the road before, even if it was eight years ago. 

On Mount Stanley, where I've been before