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.

Words by: Brent Hillier   Photos by: Brent Hillier

Did you know that any guest of Whistler/Blackcomb can take a free avalanche awareness tour? This year I have the pleasure of being a part of this very cool program, and this past weekend all of the guides met for a day of skiing and training on Blackcomb.

Words by: Brent Hillier   Photos by: Brent Hillier & Eli Relke


The early season continues! With a new set of wheels, Eli and I decided to go find winter... again.

On December 11th we set out for another mis-adventure to the Elfin Lake area.

Words by: Brent Hillier   Photos by: Brent Hillier & Eli Relke

With first snowfall back in September it seemed like we were going to have a quick start to the 2013/14 Winter. That unfortunately, had not been the case, the first ski trip of the season was full of early season pit falls. (Bushy Kickturns, Coreshots and Broken Promises)

Trip number two was was underway and we had set our sights on a much easier approach. None of us were in the mood for a repeat of our Duffy trip.

Eli Relke, Fraser Pike and myself (left to right) make our way up from the Diamond Head parking lot to Elfin Lakes.

Words by: Brent Hillier   Photos by: Brent Hillier, Eli Relke & James Dahmer

Words by: Brent Hillier   Photos by: Brent Hillier & Eli Relke

With just the right amount of gear (we hoped) Eli and I set off for Part 2 of our mountain bike adventure of 2013. The plan was to start in Lions Bay and "ride" up towards the Howe Sound Crest Trail. Our goal was to access the ridge between Unnecessary Mountain and the West Lion where we would spend the night. The next morning we would begin our decent towards the Cypress Ski Area and finally to West Vancouver via the Cypress bike network.

I had managed to hook Eli on the plan pretty early. The planning stages meant the usual pre-trip stop at the North Vancouver MEC. Both of us had at different times worked there. As a result, every shopping trip proves to take five times longer than expected, as we catch up with friends and former co-workers. This visit was no different but each time we explained what we were preparing for, we would receive puzzled looks and confused inquiries. I could see Eli was starting to question my plan but I assured him that if everyone thought it was a good idea then it wouldn't really be an adventure.

Words by: Brent Hillier   Photos by: Brent Hillier & Eli Relke

Eli Relke and I had set our sights on a big trip for the season, or perhaps a more accurate way of describing it is that I had convinced him it was a good idea. Never the less we decided to get our feet wet with another trip first. So we headed to where many mountain bikers had gone before, the Elfin Lake Hut. Situated in Garibaldi Provincial Park at 1470m, the upper most parking lot is at 950m, which in the winter makes it a very manageable ski tour. In order to give ourselves more of a ride we decided to start our adventure from the city of Squamish at 40m above sea level. We began our climb at about 8:30 and worked our way through some of Squamish's expanded climbing only trail network. At the top of the new climb we hike-a-biked up Cakewalk and saved some time by cutting out a switchback on the road. After a quick lunch we were back to climbing up the road towards the upper parking lot. From there the climb to Red Heathers was slightly more difficult then in the winter with skis. Something both Eli and myself had exclusively only done in that area.

Words by: Brent Hillier   Photos by: Brent Hillier

The concept came while drinking coffee one day at my favourite little spot in Lynn Valley. The End of the Line Cafe has always been a sanctuary from the rain and cold on those wet and miserable North Shore. The type of wet day that by the end of August I’ve come to realize I not only don’t mind but start to miss. While drinking my coffee and letting my mind wander I realized the North Shore was lacking in elevation. Something that when I first moved here 8 years ago I never would have thought. Especially if you asked me that while I was panting at the third switchback on Mountain Hwy.