chris volkart mountain life: The ups and downs of mountain life.

I have not been entirely faithful to my blog as of late. I suppose a few things led to this though none of them are necessarily valid excuses. I will explain.

Since my last post in chronological order:

-1 month of school

Well I really didn't get out climbing at all during this month. I had three intense courses and the best I was able to manage was swimming during the week. I suppose this is the sacrifice one has to make in order to better oneself! I had an accounting course, a business course and a marketing class. Although most people would probably find these courses easy, I have difficulty with math so accounting was a lot of work to get through. I also have a hard time sitting in a classroom listening to a teacher lecture which frustrates me as this is an outdoor themed program yet they don't take the majority of the students learning styles into account when they give us classroom courses. I really feel that the TRU adventure studies department has a great opportunity to make their classroom courses geared towards their students and teach to the learning styles of their students, however, perhaps out of laziness, we just sit and listen to people lecture which I'm sure most of the class only is able to absorb about 30% of what is said. Oh well I suppose that's how the university system works!!!

-1 and a half months in Nordegg

I left early December, Nordegg bound, but ended up stuck in the food court of Banff for a week which wasn't great but wasn't bad as it gave me an opportunity to sit and finish my final projects for my classes. Finally, however, I was able to find a ride out to Nordegg! I spent the rest of the month and half of January working around COE, visiting my family and of course....ICE CLIMBING!!!!!!! Though I wasn't able to get as many days out as I would have like to have (This is an impossible goal to achieve, there are never enough days!) I got a tonne of climbing in and climbed some really amazing routes! The worst thing about it however was that my camera battery died on the 3rd day out so I was not able to snap many photos!! (I apologize) I also tried to get some ski touring in but technical difficulties sent us home for some more ice!

On my last 2 days in Nordegg I had the opportunity do do 2 days of ice climbing practicum work under guide Brent Peters. We had a great group and two great days despite -25 weather....The downside is that I suffered full depth frost bite on both my big toes...

-Another half month of classroom

Well its was back to school after an amazing time in Nordegg. This time around we have SAR management, a certification course for becoming a Search and Rescue manager. Its quite interesting but not necessarily relevant to what I want to do in my future. We did an instructional skills workshop which is also a certification course and was really great! We learned valuable teaching skills which everyone seemed to appreciate and get a lot out of. Our final class is legal liabilities which is interesting and a bit frightening...lesson number 1...don't get out of bed! Classes finish in about 2 weeks and then...FREEDOM!!! I only have two more field courses and then I'm done university!!!

-A failed ski trip

Last Saturday I left on a helicopter deep into the backcountry near Blue River, BC for a week of ski touring! Unfortunately my frostbite bit me hard on the first morning and the guides decided to evacuate me...It was pretty tough to swallow as I was really looking forward to this course and we were camped out in an absolutely gorgeous area. But I've been back in Kamloops coming up with a plan for my spring climbing season! I saw a doctor and she said my toes were healing up fine and and I just need to be aware of re freezing them. Despite my toes I did manage to get out for a short ice climb yesterday at the local ice location and I may go for a little climb today as well...Mostly I've just been swimming to keep my body busy!

-Recovery time

Well we shall see how quickly my toes heal. I may head back to the Rockies next month to get some late season ice in...Only on warm days! And then at the end of march I will be heading down to Penticton and then back to Kamloops for my final 2 rope rescue courses! Well here are the few photos I managed to get from the last little while! I will try to make the next few months a little more exciting!

PHOTOS!!!!!