A short film by Stefan van Mourik and Aaron Butcher starring:
Spencer Seabrooke, Aaron Butcher, Xavier Psyche, Samuel Brière, Brent Plumley, Michelle Woodruff
Music by: Fever Ray – If I Had A Heart (Austin Speed dark garage remix)
To be continued…
Category: Adventures
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2013-11 Cypress Falls
Cypress Falls – Fun for everyone. From first timers to free soloers, there is something for everyone!
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Smith Rock Highline Festival
Packing up the truck with all the camping and highlining gear, we set off for the 2nd annual Smith Rock Highline Festival in Smith Rock Oregon.
Leaving Thursday after we finished work, we quickly started on our road trip. Making only one quick stop in Seattle for some last minute supplies we planned on driving straight to Smith Rock. At about 1am, having worked all day, we decided to pull into a rest stop, do a quick re-organization of gear and crash in the back of the truck.
The next morning, with only a short drive, not wasting any time, we quickly arrived, setup, packed up and started up to scope out the many lines already visible from camp. Spending the day walking the lines and learning the area, it was nice to get out before the weekend crowds arrived.
The second day we rigged ‘Where Swallows Fly”, a nice, long, exposed line. We also explored around some of the other lines rigged in the park such as the famous “Monkey Face” line. At the end of the day, almost like a dream, a line appeared from seemingly no where. With Canadian flag and red shackles, Spencer’s onsight full man in the setting sun made for a truly unreal ending to an unreal day.
After the sun set, we hiked down in the dark, beat from the long day in the sun and eagerly awaiting some much needed sleep. The next morning the magical line was gone, almost like it never happened.
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[/fusion_imageframe]Waking up Sunday morning, we hiked straight for “The Gift”. A beautiful line overlooking the camp ground. The blue skies and whispy clouds made for some epic photos.
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[/fusion_imageframe]Despite one of us having no voice and the other an impacted wisdom tooth, the weekend did not go exactly as planned but was still an amazing time. The lines were all beautiful and the people were extraordinary. We represented Canada both on the lines and in the camp. Can’t wait for next year although I am sure we will be back before then
video/picutres:
Featuring: Spencer Seabrooke
Music: Highlighter by Bocce
Filmed and Edited by Brent Plumley[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container] -
First Annual Assault On the Chief – Squamish Highline Festival
With a perfect weather forecast for the weekend, we decided to assault the gullies of the Squamish Chief. Heading up with a small team of slackers, we aimed to rig the lines on both the North and South gully. The weekend was such a success, and so the “Assault On the Chief” highline festival begun.
An amazing video, ending with an epic Free Solo, from our weekend long assault on the Squamish Chief North Gully. Setting up two +100′ lines including the never before repeated “Dean’s line” from the movie “The Man Who Can Fly”.
The weekend could not have gone better. Thanks to everyone who came out to make this weekend what it was. More people walked the North Gully highlines over this one weekend, than have ever walked it before.
Great company, great location, can’t wait for the next adventure!
Video by: Aaron Butcher
Music: Old Man Canyon – Phantoms & Friends
Photos by: Brent Plumley
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Cypress Peak Mountaineering
June 15 2013 – Great conditions made for an excellent ascent of Cypress Peak between Whistler and squamish BC. The logging road was in much better condition than we expected and had no problem driving to the end in a Ford Escape.
The hardest part of the day was 100m from the road when we had to cross the river. Finding a small damn we were able to jump across. Making quick time up easy snow we got a little of route and found ourselves on the edge of the glacier, which we quickly avoided not having packed any ropes.
More easy snow up and gaining the ridge(2h). The short ‘crux’ section was a little exposed but easy ledges with lots of variations make for easy scrambling (easier on the right). The crux could be bypassed by traversing the snow around right which is steep at points.
After the ‘crux’, easy snow and scrambling gained the summit (20min).
Descent was easy and fast, glissading almost right back to the truck(1h).
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Cypress Falls – A highline playground
We first found Cypress Falls park, located in West Vancouver when going for a nice Sunday hike. Originally we explored the canyon practicing our rope techniques and putting up some ascents of the un-documented sport routes that can be found throughout the canyon.
After starting to highline, with its easy access, deep canyons, high water falls and multiple bridges, Cypress Falls became a common weekend destination.
Starting with the upper falls, we set up several new highlines. “Fourst Timer” a 45′ line which saw four first highline attempts and was also Spencer’s first freesolo. Just above, rigged off of a tree and passing through the backseat of an abandoned car “Backseat Driver”, 65′ long is a nice step up.
Just down the canyon, as the water drops over an even higher waterfall, the canyon widens. Starting from inside a cave just above the falls, “Fly Catcher”, 100’+ line is a real beauty and was a big step up from the lines we had been rigging. Roughly the length of the Squamish Chief North Gully, this is were Spencer walked laps training for another battle with the gully.
We scoped a perfect beginner highline that would be about 45′ long, with sheer cliff on both sides. Returning with the drill and bolts to setup the new line, we were surprised to find there were already bolts on both sides buried under a small layer of dirt. Appropriately named “Finders Keepers”, this line was found and we are keeping it. It is a quite line well away from the ranging waterfalls.
Closer to the parking lot, just before you the first waterfall and lookout point, rigged off some big trees “Natural Mystic” was the first line setup in Cypress Falls but is also a classic that we return to often. 55′ long, this line has seen many first highline sends.
Not only has Cypress Falls been a place where we have trained our highline skills to take them out into the mountains, it is also a place where we push ourselves to overcome our fears. Using “Natural Mystic” as the main line, we setup our first highline rope swing.
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Crown Mountain FreeSolo
After watching “Sketchy Andy” video in the Reel Rock Tour, Spencer dreamed of walking a highline on the Camel, a beautiful gap easily visible from downtown Vancouver. Soon after having learned to walk a slackline, Spencer setup and walked the first highline of Crown Mountain Camel gap (Crown Mountain Camel Highline)
Just over one year later, we returned again to set up the Camel Highline. This time Spencer walked there and back Free Solo. A true culmination of his trainning over the past year. We have a sights set on many big objectives, and can’t wait for the next adventure!
Thanks to the swiss crew for the help and the great company!
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2013-06 Crown Mountain
Crown Mountain – The alpine in your back yard. Brent, Spencer and a group head up to Crown mountain to rig the Camel Highline. A small but exposed gap visible from downtown.
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Wedgemount Lake Hut
Brent, Spencer, Adam and Jonas head up to the Wedgemount Lake Hut near Whistler to attempt to establish an alpine highline on near by Rethel Mountain.
Getting trapped at camp for two days due to clouds, snow and avalanche conditions, we had to find other ways to pass the time — Lone line over the snow!
The last day, we managed to summit a smaller near by mountain before heading down. We will return again to finish what we sort of started.
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North Gully First Attempts
Returning to the North Gully, Spencer setups and a piece of tubular webbing with a rope backup and battles. No sends yet, but getting close. We will be back another day
