It’s time to put faces to many of the names you’ve seen on here who have submitted trip reports and other comments over the years. I’ve collected a large album of photos which I’m displaying in the gallery below. The 86 photos only account for about 5% of the total, so I’m missing a lot of important people. If anyone wants their photo added to the gallery, email it to me.
I’d like to give special mention to Steve Riggs and Alf Skrastins for their reports during this blog’s infancy in the winter of 2008-09. Their comments gave me much-needed encouragement.
In the beginning…
I posted this in April 2009 after my first winter of blogging:
Chuck’s favourite way of being photographed
“It’s been a lot of fun blogging about skiing this past winter, and I thoroughly enjoyed the excellent comments, reports, and photos which were sent in. I am pleasantly surprised at the interest which this blog received: it has been viewed 16,463 times since I started it in November!”
Winter of 2008-2009: 16,463 readers
Winter of 2020-2021: 1.7 million readers and counting
One of the things I’m happiest about is that people like Chuck did not have to toil in obscurity. Can you imagine not having access to Chuck’s(and many others) amazing reports and photos? My blog statistics show that Chuck’s name has been referenced 1906 times in the comments. That counts his comments and the times that someone has responded to his comments.
Trip Reporters Apr 4, 2021
Oh man, Steve Riggs/aka-bigsteve has been out there since the dawn of the internets –dispensing enthralling trip reports, words of wisdom and encouragement plus veiled hints of secret stashes on various platforms.
Long ago upon discovering that internet ski forums and blogs were a thing I took the plunge and began posting my first tentative TRs on a now long lost backcountry skiers’ forum. Steve’s positive response to those posts inspired me to continue taking photos and composing descriptions of various ski-related triumphs and failures.
So yeah, I blame him for everything!
Thanks Bob for all the photos, I just met a handful of reporters over the years but recognize some faces from brief encounters. I was hoping to see a photo of MAAD, but he’s or she’s like the « Arlésienne » as we say ion French.
Good to put faces to the names of regular posters from over the years. Looks like it was Steve Riggs I was chatting with at Patterson/Elk junction Saturday evening.
Started on Whiskey Jack on Saturday morn on pure ice but on Tyrwhitt the lurching began from shade to sun. Saw Moose & Wolverine tracks. We were warned about the huge spruce across Elk Pass Trail on the descent so no speed record this time.
10mins from arriving at the top of Blueberry as I was herringboning, the toe bar on my ski boots completely detached from my boot. My brother & I tried using tape & paracord to rig up the toe bar to the boot but no success. My brother had to leave but I continued to the top, stayed for an hour in the sun & light wind. A helicopter flew by below me & looks like a brief touch down at Rawson then it went to the Rawson parking lot…perhaps a rescue? I hiked back (on the side of the tracks) with my skis on my pack to Elk Pass parking lot. I’m lucky my gear failure didn’t happen off tracksetting on a longer trip. Saw a Boreal Chickadee & Steller’s Jay along the way. I was very appreciative to hitch a ride (with masks on) back to my vehicle at Boulton campground with a friendly couple I met up on Blueberry.
The top of Blueberry was great compared to the previous Sunday when I skied from 4:30pm-8:45pm to Blueberry Hill breaking trail in up to 25cms of snow over tracksetting during the big storm. On the drive, the visibility was the worst I’ve ever had in all these years doing adventures & couldn’t see a thing on Hwy40 north of Nakiska turn off so I made it to Lorette Ponds lot & hung out for an hour until the snow eased up & I continued on. I was kind of looking forward to spending the night out there. 3.5 hour total (including stop @ Lorette) to get back to Calgary.
Dan Z, that wasn’t me that you talked to. I have to admit that instead of skiing, I spent Saturday afternoon on two wheels, riding dry trails in shorts on Nose Hill. The crocus are popping, a sign that at least for me, ski season is slowly winding down.
https://steveriggs.smugmug.com/SkiPix2021/i-2Xc8crP/A
And I’ve told this story before: it was Alf who got me started on Ski Here! by sending me an e-mail saying “have you seen this new blog, it looks interesting”…
Bob, the contributors may be the lifeblood, but you have been the heart (and soul) that has been vital to making this such a success!
Ha, I have horrible facial recognition.
Good idea about biking where it’s dry already. I’m looking forward to mtn biking once snow melts & trails dry up in foothills & front ranges. Though with all the recent snow will likely continue BC XC & AT skiing….though been hiking/scrambling last couple wknds as well as skiing….that time of year.
This larger than you blog (not an easy feat) was an expertly curated and entertaining read over the past 10+ years. I’ll miss contributing, reading and scheming by it …but will still hear the mountains calling regardless. See ya out there Bob!