April 12, 2026
~ submitted by Matthew Lettington
This workshop was one that refused to sit still on the calendar. With spring weather and snowpack in constant negotiation, we shifted dates a few times before finally landing on a window that looked promising—and in the end, it paid off.
We met in the morning and drove out to the 550 line, where we parked and began the day with an extended gear session. For about an hour, we focused on the foundations: different types of mountaineering boots, crampons, and ice axes. Everyone had a chance to dial in their setup, adjusting and fitting crampons carefully to ensure a secure match with their boots. It’s not the most glamorous part of mountaineering, but it’s one of the most important—and it set the tone for a thoughtful, skills-focused day.
From there, we started up the logging road. Snow coverage didn’t begin right away; the lower forest was mostly dirt and early spring ground. It wasn’t until around 1000 metres that we consistently found snow underfoot, and from that point on, conditions changed quickly.
Despite a forecast calling for overcast skies, the weather surprised us. The clouds held off just enough to let the sun break through now and then—enough, in fact, that I managed to pick up the early signs of a sunburn. More importantly, it stayed dry all day, which felt like a small victory given the uncertainty leading up to the trip.
Higher up, we found exactly what we needed for most of our objectives. The snow was deep, soft, and set on steep terrain—ideal for practicing movement skills. We spent a good amount of time working on kicking steps and self-belay techniques, using the forgiving snowpack to build confidence. The slope angle reached into the 45-degree range in places, giving everyone a safe but realistic environment to practice self-arrest in earnest.
The softness of the snow did limit one aspect of the day. It wasn’t firm enough to offer meaningful crampon practice, so rather than force it, we shifted focus to discussion—covering when and how to use crampons effectively, and what conditions to look for in real scenarios. It was a good reminder that good judgment is as important as good technique.
By late afternoon, we made our way back down, retracing our steps to the vehicles. The rain that had threatened all day never materialized, and we ended the trip dry, tired, and in good spirits.
A big thank you to everyone who came out. It was genuinely rewarding to see such strong interest and enthusiasm for developing these skills. Days like this—where people show up ready to learn, ask questions, and support each other—are what make these workshops worthwhile.