A few of our feathered friends from this year.

This years birding season!


Reflecting back on this year, I thought let's have look at some of this years birds that wandered into the crosshairs of the big lenses. One of spring's first birds is the Red winged blackbird, early morning squawker in the marsh. Shortly after that are their relatives the Yellow headed Blackbird which I still have not gotten an image of.

Then as soon as the flowers start to bloom the hummingbirds show up in mass. These birds go all over during the summer, countless times I have been hummed on at the tops of mountains far from any flowers at all. That is a rare sight. In the valleys the Calliope and Rufous are the main hummingbirds seen, however the Black Chinned Hummingbird do visit the Columbia Valley once in awhile, and it is on my list to capture.

I was able to catch the Sandhill Crane, which is local to BC/Alberta, and the Arctic in our summer.
These big birds are such a treat to see and even more so when they cross in front of the lens. There are lots of big birds in the Columbia Valley wetlands, and this area is a known haven for birders.

Another commonly seen, and my favourite the Wood Duck. One of the more colourful ducks in the pond and certainly easy to spot when in the open. A very lucky chance, while I was at the Alpine Clubs General Mountaineering Camp this summer, several of us including Jiri Novak a birder from Calgary, identified a Semi-palmated Sandpiper shown below. This bird would normally be in the Arctic Ocean areas, but a small number of them were in Battle Brook right beside our dining tent. I wasted no time in capturing this fellow as it waded the stream in front of us.

Marsh Wrens are also numerous in the Columbia Valley, but getting them on camera is a different story. With a large lens and being able to chase it in your viewfinder is key, albeit a crosseyed affair.

Then the Common House Sparrow below found lurking in the spruces and firs.

 

 

The Great Blue Heron which is found all over the place, including marshes, ponds and rivers. These birds are numerous and skittish. Near Golden a large rookery of GBH nests are watched for their arrival in the spring and finally for the departure in fall. As many as 35+ nests have been counted there.

 

Osprey are also numerous in the Columbia Valley, as one drives along Hwy 93. They nest on fake, old and dedicated power poles. It always impresses me that they have to nest near or on power poles, and in some cases on the huge hydro towers carrying 500 KV of power. That would be to much static for me.

 

Now as the leaves are all gone snow berries are abundant, Grosbeaks have found an autumn feast, holding them well into the winter snow. Stellar Jays have come down from the mountains, and can be heard off in the forest. Winter is quiet with only a few dwellers around, but when spring arrives once again, our feathered friends will arrive happily and ready for new season in the mountains.

Bighorns Sheep! Wow thats gotta hurt...

Jasper National Park

As late fall comes, it is getting colder and the snow that looms on the mountains is dropping lower and lower. Most of us head south or certainly indoors for warmth, but the Bighorn sheep and Elk are just warming up, so to speak. It is the rutting season for these big guys, jousting for dominance and impressing the girls with strength and maleness. That is not unlike most males in any species, however these guys really bang heads over the girls. I wanted to go and see them, and catch some of there reputed efforts of jousting.

With a little help from one of his buddies, possibly to be more aggressive, the three-some cracked heads.  There is a lot of pushing and kicking of under bellies. But in the end it is a show of who is who, with no apparent winner. These three repeatedly took turns provoking each other to butt heads all morning only to take a panting rest to look around, and then start over again. In the cold air, the sound of smashing horns echoed against the mountains above to announce that the rut is on.

The area I was in, had over 30 large Bighorn males. The group was spread out all over the hillside, allowing me and a few other photographers to wander around them, with no apparent threat. Females mingled about as if to say... boys keep playing, once you are done we are over here! A spectacle for anyone wanting to capture Bighorn's in action.

With the Bighorn Sheep doing there ritual, others in the area were also out and wandering around.
The Elk who has just finished the peak of their rut, were still bugling about, displaying their herd of female followers. Many large 5 and 6 point males were seen on the grassy plains of the Athabasca River. They seemed more elusive and certainly more aggressive to be near, but that can be the case with most wildlife.
On the cliffs above Hwy 93 many Mountain Goats can be found through binoculars, with an occasional one nearby for photos. As the snow lowers in elevation the Goats will follow the snow line down, and stay until it accumulates on the valley floor, and then trudge back to ridge levels for the winter. A risky time as predators will be around to hunt them and the others.
With the changing seasons, these animals can be seen in their new winter woolies, ready for the cold to come..

Hiking with Rog!

Glacier National Park, British Columbia

 I am just getting around to posting my hiking pictures since late August. The weather was good
back then,  prior to our deluge in the mountains in late August to mid September. Roger' Pass is
one of those places now which gets overlooked by the masses as they drive by.. Okanagan bound. I visited Abbott Ridge again, as it had been sometime since doing so. It has such spectacular views of the Sir Donald Range and into the Mt Dawson Massif.

The views were amazing,  and it was a rare day as the recent forest fire smoke has not overwhelmed the area yet.

 

 Glacier National Park has many sides to explore.  One area which does see more in the way of hikers is the Purcell side of the park. Here are a couple views looking into the Beaver River and the east sides of the ranges. The terrain is rolling ridges with meadows and deep valleys. There are great vistas to the Rockies, Purcells to the south and the Selkirks.

Looking into Connaught Creek where the highway goes to Rogers Pass and to the west towards Glacier Park.


Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park 

With the wet weather arriving in late August and September,  I only had a couple of chances to visit the larches of O'Hara. In my 2 attempts of getting there, the weather did apply a different style of hiking for me..looks like winter!

While fresh snow always has a special way of showing us that we are not in control, it also  gives a special beauty to the mountains. On my first trip they were not ready, and even late one could say. But there were hints of larch heaven, and I knew I had to try again.

O'Hara is spectacular in most any condition, and the second trip gave me a little more of the peak colors I had been waiting for,  but it was not for long.

 

The colors were showing up in the plants as. The highlight of fall can warm the heart.

The hiking was good in the snow, I just did not want winter so early. Things did end up getting better and we enjoyed some clear spells in late October. The mountains along with nature will always do what they need to do...and not what I want it to. With that said I still seem to be able to capture what I want..

Southern Battle Range climbing fun.

In the last week of July Suzanne Corno, Sonia Szombathy and myself decided it was time for a climbing trip in the Selkirks. So we did, we went remote and into the southern Battle Range. Laidlaw creek to be exact. We had an awesome chance to get placed by a helicopter versus a 3 day boggle of weeds and alder to get where we wanted.

 

  Reflection in small lake, looking at the south side of Mt Thomas in the Westfall Group. 

 

We spent a week exploring an area locally known as Caribou Basin which had no signs of caribou but had good signs of Grizzly Bears though. We camped in an awesome meadow with great views towards the jagged granite peaks of the Nemo Group. Thumb Spire was the most impressive to look at from camp. In the southern Battle Range the rock is not granite but a combination of dog turdite and quartzite which made for some scrambles.  Our first objective was War Drum peak which held a 20 gallon fuel drum near the top from Geological Surveys of the early 60's. It still was tightly sealed and located on the ridge crest keeping it out of the snow accumulations of the winter.  This was a reminder of how much exploration and prospecting covered the area many years before we got there. Not many folks get into this part of the range at all so we felt removed from the worldly comings and going- ons which was a main idea of this trip. A Get away!

Our second peak was Whiteout Peak located just north of War Drum and was very pleasant scrambling on quartzite.

Both peaks had awesome views to the south and west into Westfall river and the Badshot group in the southern Selkirk Range. After an easy day and with the pressure changing, we planned to make the big move and go south to Gyr mountain, which is the south most point of the Battle Range.

We headed out early passing amazing alpine flowers going over to the toe of the Gyr Glacier.  Goat tracks were everywhere but no animals to be seen in the south fork of Laidlaw Creek.

 
The glacier is seen from Battle Abbey and often has ski tracks on it from the CMH Bobbie Burns Heli-ski Lodge. We stomped up over the crevassed glacier for 1050m of elevation gain. Found a flag along the way and pegged the summit. Views were spectacular,  360 degree views of mountains and no hazy skies. As we soaked up the vistas we also devoured many spicy buffalo pepperonis that Sonja and Suzanne brought along for lunch. Lunch was a real treat that day as hungry we were, thirsty we became and motivated we had to be. By midday the thunderheads were billowing just above us. Like searching around for overdrive on the gear shifter we finally found additional speed and energy to get us down and then up and over the pass back to camp in the increasingly dark rumbling skis. Somehow when lightening and deluges of rain appear the ones radar, the distance on foot flies by. We made it back to camp several pounds lighter and a little more wet than our previous days.

Dinner and wine went down so well that night, we wanted more.....more...

 

The next day we explored around camp checking out the geology and

photographic possibilities above camp.

 On our last day we explored a rather nice looking exposed rock ridge just above the campsite on Unnamed mountain. Yet another morsal of interest to be checked out and sampled.

 The rock was good, Sonja and I climbed while Suzanne soaked up the major views of the whole area.

It was a most fitting last day to experience the mountains of the Southern Battle Range with two awesome friends, good food and wine and great memories of what our wilderness mountains areas mean to our natural heritage and our chance to explore them.

Roger.

ACC General Mountaineering Camp in Battle Brook

The GMC as it is known in the mountain community is the longest standing mountaineering camp of any alpine club in the world. The camp started in 1906 and has been the icon of the Alpine Club of Canada for 104 years. That is some wicked history there!

This years camp was located in a new area for the GMC which is astounding considering new locations still come up even after all these years. Battle Brook is a branch of the Imcomapluex River that drains the south west sides of Mts Purity, Wheeler and Grand and then flowing by the Battle Range, Mts Butters, Moby Dick and Proteus and out to the upper Arrow Lake of the Columbia River. Glacier National Park boundry is located all above Battle Brook camp at the Thor-Odin Glaciers.

What a spectacular spot. At around 6000'/1900m the climbs are long but not difficult to the vistas of the Southern Selkirk mountains. A cold and wet spring held the snow longer than expected which made for some good snow conditions.
The weather was thick on the the 1st day and stayed for 2 more after that as well, making another GMC first for delayed start by 2.5 days.

Once at the camp everyone was climbing with great energy seeing what we could. In the alpine we accumulated up to 1meter of snow during the days we could not fly.
This made for winter type mountaineering..

I have had the pleasure of guiding at the GMC for 12 years now and every year the camp is an amazing collection of people of all levels and skills, which come to enjoy the remote mountains of Canada and be in a rustic camp atmosphere. Just so much fun...

The climbing is the key interest, we explore the area and find the routes that will be laid out for the camp's duration. So much to see.

Climbs that were done at the GMC for the first weeks were in the Van Horne Group. They were Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Purity, Vestal and Kilpatrick.

Fresh grizzly tracks at 3000m on a glacier in the Van Horne area on Alpha peak.
Bears often wander around on the glaciers by themselves and have been known to fall into crevasses and get themselves out, with crampons like that, I would think he could too!

The GMC was an awesome experience for all that have an interest in the mountains and climbing... try it out!
Brad Harrison: Camp Manager at large,
Ron Andrew: Camp Manager Week 1.
Doug Hogg: Camp Manager Week 2.
Guides Week 1: Conrad Janzen, Roger Laurilla, and Lilla Molnar
Guides Week 2: Roger Laurilla, Peter Amann,  and Tim Haggarty
Amateur Leaders Week 1: Cam Roe, Felix Camire, and Doug Hogg,
Amateur Leaders Week 2: Dan Doll, Jeff Bullock, and Steve McCubbery
Camp Coordinator Week 1: Edie Shackleton
Camp Coordinator Week 2: Brenda Critchley

 A semipalmated sandpiper, a visitor who should be in the Arctic for the summer but stayed at the GMC.

Finally got the Finns to the Abbey!

My heritage, Laurila is Finnish. My Grandfather was one of 14 kids in his family that was based in a central Finnish town named Lapua. 2 years ago I went to Finland for the first time with my Uncle Ray, my fathers brother from Sicamous BC. While on that trip I met so many of my relatives I could not see straight. We ate, drank and enjoy Johannus which is a major Solstice event of the year.  The farming countryside of Lapua appears to be flat and heavily forested, and it was a very special trip to be able to see from where my roots originate.


It was on that trip I extended an offer to my second cousins Jari, Kirsii and her husband Aki to come to Canada and do a special mountain trip with me.
In March of this year they decided to make that trip, and the plans were put down for a trip to the Central Selkirks.
On July 19th we flew from Golden into the Abbey and the flight included Jari, Kirsii, Aki, Ray and his daughter Corinne who is my cousin.
For Aki and Corinne who had not been in a helicopter before it was a thrill just to see the mountains in such endless vistas.
Once at the Abbey we quickly brought out the"mackarra" (sausage), potatoes and salad. It was my chance to get back at them for the numerous buffets I had to attend in Finland two years prior! My plan was hold them captive and feed them to no end...
But with the hiking and scrambling I think they burnt more off than added, so my plan failed to fatten the Finns.
Over the next 4 days we hiked over to the Fay-away Gazebo, Crowsnest Gazebo, Schooner Pass and Hubbards Roost. Each having exceptional views of Houston and Butters Creeks.

They loved it... "dis is no Finland...no many trees up here" Jari said after arriving at the Roost!
 

Mt Butters reflected from the small pond above the hut in early morning.












Looking across to Polaris, Mounts, Beaver and Duncan over Butters Creek.





Battle Abbey with a view towards Moby Dick and the divide of the Selkirk's at Butters Creek.

Cocktails on the deck with 3 Finnish Finns and "3 Canadian Finns"



It was awesome to finally have family at the Abbey. It was great that they came to come Canada to see what our mountains are all about.

Thank you Jari, Kirsii, Aki, Corinne and Ray!

Trekking in Peru

Las montanas de Peru son muy hermosas! 

This is the season for trekking in Peru, while the weather and conditions back in Canada during late May and June is often wet and muddy, the conditions in the Cordillera's Blanca and Huayhuash are prime. The mountains still have a dusting of fresh snow on them from the rainy season which has just finished, and even though it feels like spring the winter season is just about to happen.
The trip getting to Huaraz involves a 8 hour bus ride over dry coastal plains around Lima, and then to higher mountain elevations.
This year the rain was substantial causing huge floods in the Macchu Picchu area, and less in the north.
The roads and trails were effected by wet weather, and as the dry season of winter approaches everyone is glad to see nicer days.

This is also the time of year where we see a large amount of climbers and trekkers arriving in Peru for adventures of all kinds. Many of the peaks in the Cordillera range reach 6100m/20000' or higher. Huascaran is the highest peak in Peru at just under 6800m/22200'. It can be found just down the Rio Santa valley from Huaraz, and is spectacular to say the least!

The trekking in Peru offers a cultural twist as well. The Campesinos who inhabit the mountains are characters in their own rite. They often relying on horse or foot travel from the highlands to the busier towns and cities that are scattered throughout the valleys of the Cordilleras.

We started off with 4 acclimatization hikes to adjust to the altitude around Huaraz, before venturing off to the Huayhuash.
Our group this year was Colleene Clark-Peterson and Karen Squires from Canmore, Jean Woeller from Calgary in Canada,  Graham (Weeg) Matthews from Weaverville, California and Graham Vickowski from Springfield Mass in the U.S.A.



The altitude creates a noticeable change from what we are used to in North America, and headaches along with shortness of breath are common feelings while getting used to these elevations. After a week or 10 days everyone is feeling some what normal again. But you certainly could not break into a sprint of 100m/300'... and not feel knackered.

 As we leave for the Cordillera Huayhuash, we are all ready to go exploring, hopefully seeing many parts of this area.
The days vary between short and longer based on where we can camp. And the local villages have designated sites. Range country is everywhere you look. Horses, cows, sheep and chickens provide fantastic free range meat which in turn supplies the larger centers of Peru.

        Graham (Weeg) Matthews with Nevado Yerupaja behind him.

The mountains of the Huayhuash are famous for being difficult to climb. Yerupaja is Peru's 2nd highest at 6617m/21709'. What made our trip even more exciting was the fact that Weeg's father Graham Sr. was on the climbing expedition that made the first ascent of Yerupaja in 1950. Plus another friend and guide Lloyd Gallagher, made the second ascent of Yerupaja in 1966. So all this information sure made for a close to home feeling while on our trek.
And another famous attachment to the area was Joe Simpson's epic survival story of climbing on Siula Grand. This famous story has made one of mountaineering's most gripping stories.

The trek took us 14 days to complete, as we did numerous side trips for views and photography. A well know and local family by the name of the Bedon's took care of our gear and camp logistics for the entire trek. Salchay, Klaus, Binder and Riccardo are all family members who have been trekking around these peaks. Salchay's father started porting and providing local guides to hikers starting in the 60's.

The views of these peaks and highlands were absolutely stunning as we cover the 200km of our trek.
This is a haven for photographer's with multi-colored peaks, jagged formations and lakes galore.

After the trip Graham Vickowski and I did carried on for another 5 days. We trekked into the Cordillera Blanca, and ended up in the Quebrada Ishinca. Along the way we climbed a couple of peaks that was also very good. Oddly I was now re-visiting peaks I had climbed in 1984 and 1996. The changes in the glaciers was the biggest shock, as they are receding at an alarming rate.

My month in Peru was a treat, and this trek is a must do. My friend Val Pitkethly who co-authored "Trekking and Climbing in the Andes" and who has been a key contact in Peru, is quoted as saying that " The Huayhuash is the best trek in South America". And I would have to agree!

Gracias!
Roger