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The Past Two Years of my Life
Introduction
My name is Kyle Miller and I am a full time ski bum, averaging over 100 days and riding 9 months a year for the past 10 years (and 95 consecutive months of earning turns). Over the years I have gotten deeper and deeper into the backcountry. What started as the occasional bootpack in the sidecountry has now become week long expeditions deep in remote parts of the Cascades and Olympic Mountains. This TR is a combination of my past two years. Enjoy. The 08/09 Season. During the lift serviced season I roamed around my local stomping ground in and around Crystal Mountain located 70 miles south of Seattle. http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...l/DSC07152.jpg Only 10 miles east of Mt Rainier,Crystal Mountain has some of the best Backcountry out of all the resorts in Washington state. http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/v...l/DSC07185.jpg Occasionally heading North to the Snoqualmie Pass backcountry The famous Slot Couloir http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...t/IMG_1295.jpg and Kaleteen Peak http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...gontail/20.jpg Before long the resorts were closed and we were in the spring touring season. http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...l/DSC07574.jpg pushing deeper and deeper into the backcountry, tagging lines in the middle of Nowhere. http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...9178f7b6_b.jpg |
The Early Morning Couloir on The North Sister.
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...IMG_0343_3.jpg and the Prouty Glacier Headwall on The South Sister. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...23IMG_2699.jpg In total I rode off 25 Seperate Volcanos http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...37IMG_2422.jpg and rode almost everyday until all the snow had melted in late July http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...n/DSC_7877.jpg Beaten and exhausted I took a much needed break for the next 3 months http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s...s/DSC_6717.jpg Within a week of the first snowfall we were literally neck deep in the 09/10 Season http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...821_282980.jpg and taking advantage of my splitboard on opening day at Crystal Mountain. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...l/DSC08766.jpg By December the snowfall slowed down and we climbed a few rather Isolated Peaks Middle Chiwaukum Peak http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...1/DSC_8898.jpg and took in the scenery of Mt Rainier National Park http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...CometFalls.jpg Van Trump Park http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...ller411/12.jpg |
With snow conditions faring better in Canada for the month of January,Jason Hummel and myself decided to head up north.
http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...a/DSC_9964.jpg Exploring Glaciers in British Columbia. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...a/DSC_0008.jpg Before heading into the Canadian Rockies. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...DSC_0825-1.jpg and tagging a few peaks along the way http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...DSC_0854-1.jpg I was amazed by how the glaciers hung to the Massive rock walls. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...DSC_1014-1.jpg but before long it was time to say goodbye to Canada and head back home. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...t/DSC_1726.jpg In febuary I worked on my climbing skills. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...32bd5b38_o.jpg and riding untracked slopes both in the resort http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...010/Scott1.jpg backcountry http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...d87029_o-1.jpg |
Testing my riding skills on glaciers.
http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...Nisqually2.jpg and steep chutes. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...0/DSC_1715.jpg By March I was ready to go out and tackle bigger more remote peaks. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...0/100_1036.jpg Working on my glacier travel skills. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...iller411/6.jpg Crossing a few hurles along the way. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...iller411/3.jpg But the payout was well worth it North face of the North Twin Sister http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...0/100_0983.jpg The CJ Couloir on Johonasburg http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...h%2010/CJ4.jpg and the North face of Mt. Buckner http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...1/Buckner2.jpg In April I was feeling strong and focusing on going the distance in the Stevens Pass area The Big Chiwaukum. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...er411/13-1.jpg Slayed by my friend Ale Capone. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...ller411/16.jpg |
and explored lines within the Monte Cristos
http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...ller411/20.jpg Tackling lines in the unknown. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...ller411/25.jpg By now I felt rather good about my balancing skills http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...ller411/31.jpg In early May the PNW was nailed with a Late season snow storm. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...r411/Rock1.jpg and ran up some gnarly lines. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...11/Stuart1.jpg managing to get my final face shots of the season http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...11/Stuart2.jpg Getting intamate with Mt Shuksan http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...1/100_1705.jpg both on the north side. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...1/100_1785.jpg and the south side. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...1/Shuksan3.jpg and all over the Cascade Pass area Sahale http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...11/Sahale1.jpg |
Eldorado
http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...r411/Eldo3.jpg The Dorado Needle http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...r411/Eldo2.jpg and Klawatti http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...er411/Eldo.jpg even with all that touring there was still so much to be explored. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...11/Sahale2.jpg In June the days were long and the tours were longer Like Dome Peak. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...ler411/6-1.jpg Seven Fingered Jack. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...iller411/1.jpg Cardinial Mountain. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...ler411/1-1.jpg Abernathy Peak. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...1/100_1946.jpg and Mt Robinson. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...1/100_1957.jpg |
This July was by far the most grueling month with two back to back tours with over 120 miles traveled in 14 days and almost 50,000 vert.
The First being the Alpine Lakes Traverse http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...1/100_1976.jpg Tagging lines like Chickamen http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...1/100_2025.jpg and Overcoat http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...1/100_2008.jpg In one of the most scenic areas in Washington http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...1/100_1973.jpg Followed by the Bailey Range traverse http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...1/100_2029.jpg and the tagging of Olympus's 3 summits becoming the first snowboarder to complete this traverse. http://i565.photobucket.com/albums/s...1/100_2030.jpg I hope you enjoyed this pic heavy trip report and I look forward to posting on your forum this upcoming season. Kyle Miller |
:eek: stunning. i'm incredibly jealous.
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all i can say is... amazing.
thanks for posting these awesome pics. |
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