Fun day out with my old bud Kevin. We did alot of reminiscing about past experiences climbing the steep, technical face of Mount Yamnuska via a collage of different routes.  Temps in the high 20's C with a welcoming breeze to keep our 'out-of-shape' bodies cool :) Fun afternoon out in the mountains.

The famous Mount Yamnuska

Sweating like crazy!

View looking east towards Calgary.

The first step/crux of the traverse

Kev opting for the more exposed line!

Loving the fitness day!

Kevin on top of 'The Bowl' a famous climb up the face of Yam.

Side profile of steep south face

Kev fighting the vertigo above 'The Bowl'

Buttress above 'The Bowl'

Other hiker/scramblers

Kimmer coming across the via-ferreta installed for everyone's safety

It's not as exposed and scary as it looks family!

Lone hiker on our destination ridge

Chimney dropping down the south face

Kimmer? you been working out??!!



No I just had my belly sucked in there! :)



See...? There it is!

Dropping down onto the west end of Yam

Looking back on the terrain we already covered

300 mm zoom back to the via-ferreta from the summit proper

Native lodge on lake??? can't remember, but it is very pretty.



Calgary, waaaaaaaaaaay in the distance yonder east



Great scree run!

We bombed down this scree run in a matter of seconds! Fun :)

The Pumpkin pitch on 'Unnamed'

Woo hoo! Scree run ahead!!!

Kev and the dried up waterfall just before completing the loop.



Learing to kite in preparation of Vietnam!

Had a nice session with my 8M kite just east of Canmore this afternoon on my way back to Calgary. The following is the results :)

Nice place to launch

Mount Yamnuska in the background

Starting to get the control down; enough to pull out the camera for a self portrait!

Great learning curve tonight. A few scrapes and bruises but a wealth of knowledge came out of it. Fun times!



Estonia to see my gal :)

Had a really nice trip to visit Kärolin this August. I spent my birthday in the air but had a nice combo birthday party with Indra, Kärolin's youngest sister, once I arrived in Tallinn. Kärolin's mom Marina made a really nice meal, and Kärolin made a delicious cake!

The photos with comments to should fill you in on the rest of my trip.




Joseph, Kärolin's friend Liis' cat whom Kärolin was cat sitting for

 

Joseph really liked to test out his new teeth!

Rosin, Kärolin's cat

Downtown Tallinn with 'Old Town' Tallinn on the right

Pier walk

Sailing club and marina inside the pier

Typical, naturally forested cemetery

Family owned, multiple gravesite. More family can be buried on the same site every 30 years

Local soccer game

Buying blueberries at the market. Kärolin is very selective to buy from Estonian sellers if possible, and those who need the money most.

Indra gave me a Cornflower bouquet for my birthday, which is the national flower of Estonia

Enjoying the wonderful meal prepared by Marina

One of Kärolin's many artistic photos

Self portrait pre-adventure park session



Ready for an adventure!



Kärolin on the final zipline 


Our ferry over to Hiiumaa, the second largest island in Estonia



Lighthouse island enroute to Hiiumaa

Mainland coastline

Island coastline

Castle ruins being restored

Another from Kärolin's photographic eye



This church is still active



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A wild ride!

A little bit dizzy!

Peninsula walk

Famous Kõpu lighthouse on the island

Who let the dogs out?

Rainy self-portrait

Typical old style home with thatched roof

Old train station in Haapsalu

Very old steam engine

Old Castle in Haapsalu

A   t t e n TION!!

Checking email

Harvesting wheat

Kärolin's friend Kerli's home

Rosin's mother

Fish smoker

These little girls of Kerli's LOVED Kärolin!

Kärolin and Grandmom Hilma

Beach walk

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Leho, one of Kärolin and my Estonian friends

Valaste Falls, highest in Estonia at 26 meters

Firewater Hot tub knock off!

Kärolin's birthday gift to me

Still working on getting the mud stains out!

Catching some air; fun!

Kärolin did really well and loved it!

Beach walk at Vainupea

Our walk back to land was a little deeper then anticipated!

Our Chanterelle and Pine mushroom take

Blueberry picking

Mushroom chef