Category: Adventures

Set out for a weekend of highlining, mountaineering and snowboarding at Mountain Lake hut.

Half way down the logging road (5 / 10 kms) we encountered deep snow, which quickly haulted our progress. After breaking a set of chains on the tires, we decided to start walking the remaining 5km. After about 1 km of walking we found it much easier to use the snowboard as a sled and take turns pulling the gear rather than walking with it on our backs.

Along the way we had to cross several creeks but eventually one of them get the better of us. Wet and cold, we decided to setup camp for the night.

The following morning we assessed the avalanche risks ahead as now we were going to be crossing the north bowls at mid day rather than in the middle of the night as we had originally planned. Looking up and seeing large freshly formed overhanging cornices threatening the entire first bowl, just baking in the sun, we decided to abort mission and just relax for the day, eat the two days of food in one day, and then head out for a night downtown Vancouver.

Looking back at 2012, the first year a group of childhood friends from Ontario all found themselves living on Canada’a West coast.  Spending our weekends slowly exploring all that BC has to offer and filming as we went.

Starting the year off in true Canadian fashion, you could find us spending our days snowboarding fresh powder either up in Whistler or just in the backyard north shore mountains.

As spring approached we started to transition more into Climbing, being sure to jump back in the snow when we could.  Practicing our multi pitch trad climbing on the Squamish Chief apron, we put up ascents on many of the popular established routes as well as some muddy, mossy, not so popular routes.  Climbing the Squamish Chief, from parking lot to summit was a long, sometimes scary but amazing adventure and a goal we set and worked towards accomplishing.

After watching the “Sketchy Andy” video at the Reel Rock tour in May of 2012, Spencer really started pushing slacklining.  Slacklining and highlining soon became a common past time.  From setting up the line at the beach, to some first highlines over canyons in the north shore, more and more of what we did involved slacklining.

After having looked through all the videos we collected over one year, we decided to put it all together into get a year in review highlight reel.  While going through this footage, we began to talk about SlackLifeBC.

With big adventures and goals in the plans and our dreams, SlackLifeBC was formed to combine our efforts and share our adventures.  This video is the first SlackLifeBC highlight reel and can be called SlackLifeBC’s first video.

With dreams of longer and higher, we picked the longest and highest highline we knew about.  The Squamish Chief North Gully.  Having only been walked by a handful of people, this 100′ gap 800′ in the air across the North Gully is a burly highline that challenges even the best slackliners.

Taking the easy route up the back side trail with bags full of everything we needed are more.  Tensioning 1″ tubular webbing with a climbing rope for a backup off of 5 trees as a giant anchor on the one side, the line was up

After many attempts, including almost losing a pair of shoes, the gully won the battle… but not the war!  We will be back!

A group of 3 friends who grew up together in a small town in Ontario had all recently moved to Beautiful British Columbia.  After some indoor gym climbing and some limited outdoor sport climbing, equipped with a half rack we purchased the morning of the climb combined with a few used pieces purchased off of Craigslist, we left with the goal of climbing the Squamish Chief.

Getting up early, driving the 45 minutes from Vancouver to Squamish, we set our sights on a moderate route that will take us from the parking lot all the way up to Peak 1.   Following the classic “Diedre” apron route, followed by Boomstick crack and finishing on Squamish Buttress North face (Buttface)

Approaching the summit, with only the last pitches remaining, our arms tired and nerves running thin.  Looking back at my two belayers I could see the fatigue on their faces.   Pulling it together, we finished the last two pitches and found ourselves sitting on top.

Little did we realize this adventure would become the first of many and the start of what would become SlackLifeBC

On January 12th, a group of us hiked up the Stawamus Chief to Highline across the 100ft North Gully in Squamish, BC. It was -6 degrees celsius outside and out line broke on us twice where we had to pack up as the sun was running low on us.

January 20th, only two of us returned to try again. This time the temperature was on our side and our rigging system had improved. It was successful. Thank you to Alan Watts for his inspirational words. The adrenaline from this venture has no comparison.