Another January in Blogville

I just realised that today is the 2 year anniversary of "ohtanninbound"! For some reason this not-even-remotely-auspicious day causes me to reflect on the past 2 years. Reminds me that 2 years ago I was in Iqaluit and hadn't even started the journey to medical school. One year ago I was in the thick of things, in prerequisite hell, with still another semester, an MCAT, and summer session yet to be completed. Thankfully that part of my existence is behind me. As my friend Kate told me last August--just write "2007-2008" and draw a giant line through it, it was a write off...don't think about it. Which for the most part was true. There was a lot of stress but there was still some great highlights like the trip to Europe, the small amount of time I actually got to spend in Revelstoke, the Valhallas hike, my road bike...

Today I slept waaaaay in. So much so that it makes me wonder "what the hell is wrong with me?" Every time I'd open my eyes I'd see the large snowflakes landing on the trees outside, finally after over a week without snow. It is one of my favorite sights, and it caused me to smile a little to myself and fall back asleep.

I continue to be in limbo while I wait for my place here in Mountain Town, dividing my time between the Stephen/Kara house and the Jerry/Francesca/Isabelle house. Working in two different ER departments, in two different health regions. One ER is the typical population with the usual woes found there: abdominal pain, drug seekers, chest pains, sore throats, and lots of elderly people admitted to the hospital stuck in the ED.

The other ER sees the casualties you'd expect find at the bottom of a mountain that has 20-30 000 people skiing/snowboarding on it during a busy day: crazy fractures, traumas, lacerations, head injuries, sore joints...and a smattering of the aforementioned presentations.

I move into my quaint little one bedroom in a couple of weeks. I cannot wait to officially unpack my duffel bag until September. 10 months of couch surfing is simply too long.

On the recreation front, the skiing this year has been...mediocre at best. The best snow so far was in Revelstoke after Christmas. So instead, I've been keeping myself busy by hanging around the climbing gym and attempting to boulder (I suck), getting back in to yoga (I was flexible once), and counting down the minutes on the elliptical (thank you meniscus that is keeping me from running). So it has been a bit frustrating. But I have to just keep reminding myself...the hardest part about sports is getting back into it. I just have to suck it up for the next 6 weeks or so and then I won't feel like the kid who gets picked last in gym class.

But as I write this, the snow continues to fall...so maybe...there is a ski season left to be salvaged after all.

Next week the letters for Canadian med school interviews come out...I start the mailbox vigil sometime mid Feb. I'll try and not think obsessively only about those letters. Cross your fingers for me...Calgary....Calgary....Calgary...

Sun Up My Nose

Have skis will travel.

We had a good chuckle over the fact that apparently the Swiss have figured out a way to get nature out of the gas pump!

Two days ago we were able to catch a ride with George and Andy to St.Bernard Pass for a nice day tour. The sun was unrelenting and there was quite a bit of activity all around us so we weren't able to ski the face that we had hoped.

It was a spectacular day, nonetheless.

John trying to pick his way through the crowds.

George ascending.

We stopped frequently to sunscreen up. Despite the fact that I put 30, 45, and 60 SPF all over myself several times, some was sweat off and in some places (like my armpits and inside my nose) I just didn't think to apply sunscreen. Yowza! I am paying the price. Yup, burned the inside of my nose and posterior axillae. Let me tell you how pleasant that is every time I blow my nose or put on a backpack/bra/shirt.

It really was this hot.

Not such a bad view for the lunch break.

Baggin' Peaks (almost) and Lunch in Italy

Today we rolled out of bed early in order to catch the 0700h train to Zurmatt.

Our plan was to attempt a summit called Breithorn (4164m). It was a wild morning as we took a giant gondola then regular sized lift to the highest point which was 3853m. Note sign at the top of the "Matterhorn Glacier Paradise Lift".

So we were prepared for our day of 'mountaineering light'.
Equipment we had:
2 sets of crampons
2 axes
our transceivers
rope
harnesses
extra clothes
water
skins
shovels
probes
food
compass
swiss army knife
helmet
ice screws
slings
beaners
maps

Equipment we used:
visa
Above is a shot of the peak we had hoped to do. However, when we got off the lift it was complete white out conditions and lovely winds whipping along. Quite desolate, barely anyone around, and only a narrow piste ahead. We had no idea where the cat track went, nor could we even see which direction the peak was. I was having palpitations at this point (from either too much coffee, fear, or from the 3000+ altitude gain I am not sure). John pointed out a 7 year old girl skiing by. I watched her hot pink poles disappear into the swirling snow. I was still unconvinced of our likelihood of survival if we went any further.
It was then that a 60 year old man with a neon green and pink one-piece whizzed by. I decided he was to be our beacon of safety. The guy's only gear was his pair of circa 1984 Ray Bans and his rear entry boots. He didn't look intent on bagging any peaks so we followed.
A short ride over the crest of the hill and we arrived here, the restaurant on the Italian side of the range.

"I love the Italian backcountry."
There I am enjoying a brie and proscuitto melt at 3700m. I had to resist the urge to splurge on a bottle of Veuve Clicquot. Europeans are so civilized!
What, I ask you, is at the top of Sir Donald?
Well, I haven't been there but I doubt there is a hot Italian woman making delicious espresso at the summit.

It was interesting to note the physiological changes that occur at that elevation. John had had a few minutes of disorientation, and I noticed that even just sitting there drinking my espresso, I had to keep taking these large gulps of air. Crazy! I've never been up that high before. So we got within 300m of our intended summit. Lets not do the math at where the lift went to...

Voici John in front of the Matterhorn. Or as he puts it "doing the Matterhorn". Just after saying "I feel kind of lightheaded and dizzy but I don't think it is the altitude".

Here's your's truly, excited to see the Italian restaurant below. Enjoying the amazing vistas too!

The top of the line where we unloaded. Note hole in the mountain.

All in all we had a great day. Fun spring skiing, delicious food, and no death or dismemberment involved. More to follow tomorrow.

Chamonix Me

Happy to be alive after the scary wind whipped decent.

Today several of us went to Chamonix, France to ski the Vallee Blanche and part of the Mer de Glace. The ascent was pretty easy as we took the large gondola which carries upwards of 40 people to the top, at 3800m. From there it is a sketchy descent to the area where we dropped in, so steep that I was hanging on to the ropes with all my might, hoping my skis wouldn't go flying down the backside of the mountain (or worse yet, I go backside down the backside of the mountain).
Henkka, Paive, Ilkka, and John

The area where everyone gets their gear on...note how harnesses, ropes, axes, helmets, are de rigeur.

If you enlarge this one you can see the floating gondolas which are in operation only in the summer. This is to keep the tourists to a minimum in the winter when the conditions are more dangerous and variable due to the hidden crevasses all along the glacier.

This peak reminded me a bit of Black Tusk in Whistler.

John and I were both pretty paranoid about the crevasses so we roped up for one section. It certainly was a new challenge skiing along towing John behind me. Our other party did have an incident with a crevasse but all turned out ok, Miku fell in but was able to get himself out with his crampons and ax.

This was were we stopped for lunch part one.

The vistas were spectacular but I have to say that being crammed in gondolas and trains at each section was tedious. Though I suppose that it affords some altitudes which would be challenging to achieve on one's own steam.

Miku and Henkka enjoying a well earned beer. John and I enjoying a beer our lazy-gondola -riding-no-couloir-skiing-asses didn't earn.

My first Swiss Fondue. Mmmmmm....yes that is a giant pot of cheese.

Spring is Springing

The last few days have certainly felt like spring. I have been having deja vu from last fall when I'd wake up in the sweltering heat due to the fact that my completely windowed south facing wall gets barraged by the sun from the second it pops over the horizon.

The noticeably longer days and mild temps here in K-town have given me a bit of hope...soon winter, ergo winter semester, will be over. I've been running a fair bit to keep the insomnia and SAD syndrome at bay. Running has been my treat/healthy procrastination activity. I can't believe I just put the words "running" and "treat" in the same sentence---usually the pair would have been more in the context of "I am running to buy a treat". But really, lost toe nails, tight IT bands, gouges in neighboring toes from adjacent nails, shin splints, medial tibial stress, be DAMNED! At least I can sleep at night and I am lessening the number of "underground parking lot" moments as I like to call them. I ran about 100kms last month and my goal is 120kms this month. We'll see.

I recently discovered a fun blog called The Long Road to Medical School which to most people would be a major bore I am sure. But I had to laugh when I saw the name. It certainly would be a more appropriate name for my blog than "ohtanninbound". When I made this blog last January I was really getting into wine (I mean in an educational sort of way not in a high functioning alcoholic sort of way). And at the time I envisioned this blog as a way for me to keep a journal of things I was learning about wine and tastings, food I'd discovered or made, maybe throw the odd cheese or beer tasting in there. Yeah, not so much. I think the only mentions of alcohol so far on the blog have been "I got drunk last night" or "I am not drinking on this cleanse".

The 'Long Road' blog has been good for me though, because obviously I can relate to that statement. And I enjoy her humor and insight. Plus it gives me a little extra reminder of what I am doing all this for...I'll feel like quitting physics so I'll go to her page and read about how she got to assist in the OR that day, or about how she knew her stuff on rounds, or whatever and it makes me go, yeah, I want to be here. I want to do this.

It was tough yesterday though I will admit. It was a gorgeous 7 degrees and I couldn't help but think that I enjoyed last Saturdays views

only slightly more than this Saturday's views...

Sigh. Hoop #238985 here I come.
Back at it, from the well sweat/teared on desk of A. Blackbear.

School Schmool

Well well well, how much reading did I do over "reading week"?

Other than avalanche reports and weather forecasts, not much. I can't help the guilty feeling that is hanging about in the back of my mind over the fact that I had planned all sorts of reviewing, reading ahead, and prepping for the last push to the end of the term. And it all went down the drain. Well actually my good intentions didn't go down the drain, they just went up the mountain.

After a great day with Verena et al, and a great day with Anna, my friend Craig from Kelowna came up for a visit. It may have had something to do with the emails I was sending regarding the quality of the powder and the blueness of the skies in Rogers Pass. We skied Connaught Basin with Troy and Jenna (who was encouraged by Troy's frequent "C'mon MANITOBA!" shouts as we skinned up).

It was beauty out so after not too long we were stripping down and sunscreening-up.

Connaught Basin

Though the weather was welcoming, the tire sized boulder that rolled past us made Craig and I slightly unnerved. Plus the baking rocks to climbers right just seemed to loom in a way we weren't comfortable with. So we only skinned up another couple hundred meters from where the above pic was taken.

Part way down the Basin.

The next day we were 'advised' by a certain Parks Canada employee to give Ross Slide Path a go. It is a permit area that is blasted regularly so we felt a bit more comfortable skiing there. The treed uptrack was a bit gnarly in spots but we were entertained nonetheless by things like John's hairdo, witnessing Craig getting 'familiar' with a pine tree, and me pulling some sweet gazelle-like moves whilst kick turning.

The before shot, once we found the right uptrack...

Our lunch spot, with a pic of John wishing he was at home, reading his book...

The final push to where we dropped in, so nice to get out of the trees and enjoy the views.

Can you spot John patiently waiting for me to get my skins off?

John choosing his line while I say a few Hail Mary's.

At the bottom, in one piece.

As always, John and I attempt to emulate Lord and Lady Black.

Life is Good

Anna and I had one of those perfect days at Rogers Pass yesterday. Bluebird skies, great snacks, good conversation, fluffy snow, warm sunshine. It rocked. We went to the "toe" of Pearly Rock and did two mellow loops and enjoyed a picnic lunch in the sun.

After I slid backwards, slow motion style, into the tree well Anna took over the trail making part of the excursion. The new bib pants paid for themselves already, kept me nice and dry despite the 'face shots' which were in fact, ass-over-tea-kettle-shots...though I did find pine needles in my underwear and bra at the end of the day...not sure how they made their way there...

Anna patiently letting me take her photo before dropping in...I asked if she wasn't afraid of losing her sunnies in the snow--only then realising that Anna probably hasn't wiped out since 1995. Not everyone goes halfway down the fall line on their ass like you do Sullivan...

These guys poached our line while we were snacking....that's what you get for making most of the sweet uptrack I suppose...well I suppose there were still a few acres of freshies to be had...

Woot! So I can stay upright after all!

Sullivan Eats It

I like how my ski comes over the top of my head. Style points baby, style points...

NOW I get it!!

We were lying in bed yesterday morning when the phone rang...for a moment I thought that staying warm and under the covers was definitely a better idea than hauling myself out of bed to go skiing...but Verena is just so damn enthusiastic it is contagious. Besides, the sun was shining, powder was waiting, and I promised myself I would go skiing as many days as I could over reading week.

Thus ensued the usual "find the neck warmer make coffee eat breakfast pack skins make lunch try to get out the door while John sits with the car running in the middle of the street to go skiing" routine.

It was already a gong show because we ran out of milk and anything that would be suitable for a picnic lunch so we had oatmeal with whip cream for breakfast and John attempted to smuggle the figs for chicken marbella into his pack, along with some crystallized ginger and dried cranberries. The best thing about skinning up a mountain is knowing that at some point you get to stop, put on a warm coat, and eat delicious things before getting back to the grind. I knew that a handful of dried cranberries would not be an anticipated snack to look forward to, so we decided to stop at Tim Ho's and get some breakfast sandwiches to pack for our lunch.

So I ordered two regular breakfast bagel sandwiches and one without meat, all on whole grain bagels. A simple enough order, one would think...

Much to my chagrin they made us a blueberry bagel with sausage and egg, and as I discovered about 2000ft up McPherson, a cinnamon raisin, sausage and egg bagel for lunch. BLECHHHHHHHHHH! I was so hungry I didn't care. Well, I cared enough to curse a blue streak about IQ levels and passive aggressive tendencies of Tim Ho's employees.


So we carried on. It was a challenging uptrack as kick turns are not (sorry--were not) my strong point. I like to listen to my ipod whenever doing anything physical that invokes shortness of breath and lactic acid occupying my thighs. I find a little White Stripes really gets me through the tough times...so it was not so bad trailing behind the speedy gonzales triple action of Verena, Corey and Simone. Then though a break in the trees I saw this little slope of heaven...and suddenly the shin rubbing no basket on my ski pole reality seemed to melt away into the excitement of knowing that some sweeeeeeet turns were headed our way.

We had skied at the resort yesterday, but the lift lines were atrocious, and the heavily chopped up snow had been only mildly enjoyable...it was obvious now that the advantage of the "flying couch" up the mountain was far outweighed by the fact that at the Fingers we only saw 4 other people (our friends) and got fresh tracks ALL day for the small price of a few thousand calories.


The people waiting in line at RMR are too small to see, but you can see the only 'lines' we dealt with all day...SUCKAHS!!




So the down bits...well lets just say it was the best day of skiing I have ever had in my entire life. The snow was phenomenal...I finally got the groove of powder skiing figured out, and we had beautiful sun and great company all day. Pure entertainment also with John and Corey bushwacking...John's butt looks so cute when it is high-centered in a throng of alder! Everyone was on fire, rippin' through the pow and all you could hear was shrieks of laughter and woots! the entire way down.



We finished it off with some delicious beer a la James, right from the source at Verena's place, then ate our faces off at Spaghetti Night in Canada at Marney and Pat's. We were home by 8 and sleeping by 10. Sigh. A perfect day here in the Interior of Paradise.