Brent Hillier
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Avalanche Skills Training on Whistler/Blackcomb

2/26/2014

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Words by Brent Hillier   Photos by Brent Hillier & John Kearns

Whistler is great in a lot of ways, one theme that reoccurs in my life is the benefit of learning new things on the slopes of Whistler/Blackcomb. Whether it's skiing or mountain biking I've never left the Resort without some additional skills. It's no surprise that an AST course in Whistler always delivers a fantastic learning experience. One Saturday I headed up with my friend John and introduced him to backcountry skiing, with a private AST 1.
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After the Drought: When Fools Rush In

2/19/2014

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Words by: Brent Hillier   Photos by: Brent Hillier & James Dahmer


I
n my article A Winter of Learning, I explained this years unique problem of a Persistent Weak Layer at the bottom of our snowpack which was buried at the end of November. Up until a Melt Freeze cycle and subsequent cold snap, this layer had continued to produced avalanches. On the coast we were dealing with a major snowpack instability, one we were managing by staying out of steep and rocky terrain. It's meant a winter, not only lacking in snow, but lacking in the ability to branch off into steep, challenging terrain.

The crust that developed during the end of January did do the job of bridging the weak layer at the bottom of our snowpack. No avalanches have been reported on that layer since. My prediction of surface faceting did take shape, what it didn't do was completely deteriorate the melt-freeze crust. So our basal layer, although still producing results in Deep Tap Tests, is now unlikely to be skier triggered.

What I did see taking shape on January 29th, as I hiked into the Keith's Hut, was some very substantial surface hoar development. Shortly after we experienced some extremely cold temperatures in the -20°C range, causing faceting. Our next avalanche problem was beginning to take shape.
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Surface Hoar on the approach to the Keith's Hut on January 29, 2014

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Dawn Patrol: Mount Seymour

2/13/2014

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Words by: Brent Hillier   Photos by: Brent Hillier, Eli Relke & Cam Thorpe


With the cold snap last week I was left with few options for skiing, even fewer options locally here on the North Shore.
Dawn Patrol: To go ski or bike at an unpleasantly, perhaps even unnaturally early hour.
We loaded the Brento Wagon with four bros and gear and chugged our way up Mount Seymour at 6am. The plan was to ski up the resort for sunrise, and down the groomed trail. No pow, means no reason to go anywhere else; especially out of bounds.
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Good Morning Vancouver! 06:00; What's the O stand for? Oh my god it's early! And oh my god it's cold!
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She may not be fast, and she may not be pretty, but the Brento Wagon gets the job done.

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Is It Early or Just Really Late?

2/10/2014

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Word by: Brent Hillier   Photos by: Brent Hillier & Kelli Sherbinin

This past week I got together with the Endless Biking team for a fun lap in our backyard. It was Darren's birthday, it was sunny and the trails were prime. What other reasons do you need? Darren, Kelli, Eli and myself grabbed some bikes and went for a pedal, but the question was on my mind: With winter still not arriving this year, is this the latest bike season or the earliest? Will winter arrive or has it already gone?
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Darren cruising along the Baden Powell after a hot lap down Expresso.

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A Winter of Learning

2/4/2014

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Words by: Brent Hillier   Photos by: Brent Hillier, Norma Ibarra & Tim Gage


When I first started my career in the Avalanche Industry my mandate was to use every opportunity as a learning experience. While patrolling on Mount Seymour, I would create my own avalanche bulletin the night before my shift. During my day on the mountain I would prove or disprove my predictions on what the snowpack would do and what the CAC Bulletin might say. Only after I had gathered all of my own beta and made my own stability assessments, would I review the days CAC Bulletin and critique my accuracy.
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    Brent Hillier

    Stories, Pictures and Video of all my adventures, on skis and bike.

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