Ice Climbing in New Brunswick 1/4 – Mt. Misery

I know it’s hard to feel any regret that winter’s on its way out with the weather we’ve been having. The snow is melting, I can see tulips waiting in the wings for that first really warm day to pop up through the soil. On the West Coast it’s been spring since long before the winter Olympics. But I want to take this last chance to show some photos from my new hobby: ice climbing.

I had the opportunity to get out with some great teachers and climbers at the very end of this year’s season, but it was just enough for me to get hooked, and to get some great photos (and a video which will be ready for the public very soon).

Jan 23, 2010 – Mt. Misery, NB

 

Mt. Misery

 

In January I had my introduction to the world of ice climbing.  We walked across the frozen Kennebecasis River to a place that goes by the (totally reassuring) name of Mount Misery.

 

Graham Waugh

 

I was told that ice climbing is usually very cold, and you have to ‘brave the elements’.  If these are the ‘elements,’ that’s fine by me.

 

ice

 

The ice forms where the rock would typically be very wet in the summer. 

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Ice Climbing in New Brunswick 2/4 – Truancy Falls

Feb 11, 2010 – Truancy Falls, NB

Truancy Falls

Graham told me about this pillar, and that I should really be there to film it when they climbed. Of course, I had no interest in climbing it myself. This was pretty advanced stuff, so I was happy to stay on the “ground.”

Ice Climbing in New Brunswick 3/4 – Ice Fest

Feb 20, 2010 – Ice Fest, Minister’s Face, NB

The day after our trip to Loch Alva, Graham and I once again crossed the Kennebecasis River to Minister’s Face for an annual ice climbing celebration, “Ice Fest.”  Ice Fest is a day of climbing followed by a slide show party where everyone shows their climbing photos from the previous year.  I showed my video about Ice Climbing in New Brunswick which will make its way to the web very soon.

As we got closer and closer to the cliffs on the other side, they never seemed to be getting any closer, just bigger and bigger the whole time.  On the left is an ATV, and if you click on the photo, you may be able to see a truck on the right hand side where the ice meets the rock.

Ice Fest

There were plenty of people around Minister’s Face so I knew if my turn would come, it wouldn’t be for a while, so I headed down

Ice Climbing in New Brunswick 4/4 – Parlee Brook

Feb 21, 2010 – Parlee Brook, NB

Parlee Brook, a true winter wonderland

We returned to Parlee Brook on February 21st, but this time to climb Parlee Brook proper.  Winter hangs on up in the hills here, and the snow clung to the branches like metal shavings to a magnet.

Parlee Brook

Taking Back Winter

Loch Alva

Feb 14-19, 2010

Paul Maybee

Graham Waugh

Winter: a great time to stay indoors.  Or so I thought.  For so many years, I have restricted my wilderness adventures to three seasons, but this year, I had a change of heart, or maybe I just changed my mind, and decided to go outside.

Day 1: Feb 14

So Graham Waugh and I planned a camping trip in the Loch Alva area which had intrigued both of us since our trip in to Turtle Mountain in May.  Looking out across the hills and lakes from Turtle Mountain, we wondered what other mysteries lay hidden in the green valleys and hills.

Robin Hood Lake

We quickly found a good rhythm walking with the sleds, and because of the well used snowmobile trail heading up the hill, Graham found it easier to go without snowshoes.

Mawhane Mountain Lunch

Winter travel is all about layers.  Once we got going on the trail, the layers come off, and as soon as we stopped for a bit of a lunch on Mawhane Mountain, they all go back on again.

Turtle Mountain

The wind has brushed all the snow from the top of Turtle Mountain.  It feels good to be back here, and I’m reminded of that wonderful trip with Graham and Ross in May.  It is especially exciting

Taking Back Winter – Part II

Day 4: Feb 17

snow water

The next day was to be another day of exploration. We woke up in the bog, and found ourselves right next to the Miner’s Trail. Graham had noticed it last night and mentioned it to me, but I said that of course, it was just a stream, followed by, “but I’ve been wrong before.” Here, Graham is melting snow for our drinking water for the day.

Miner's Trail

Yup, that’s definitely the Miner’s Trail.

To earn our breakfast, we scurried up the Miner’s Trail a short distance and climbed a tree to get a nice view.

Patapedia, Kedgwick and the Mighty Restigouche

Patapedia River

(Kedgwick and the Restigouche too!)

May 21-25, 2009

The Patapedia Crew

We started out in Fredericton with a crew of six.  We loaded up the trailer with our packs and canoes in the hot spring sun and headed North.  We drove for four  hours to a campsite in Kedgwick where we stopped for the night by the river.

Patapedia River Sunrise

In the morning we got up and headed literally around the corner to where our journey began: André Arpin’s place – Canoe Restigouche.  There we met our skilled guide, Roland.  We got back in the truck and drove on the back roads now for another hour and a half.  The road itself was in good shape, but the recent wind storm had knocked down many trees that bullied us to one side of the road or the other.

Road Less Traveled

Patapedia River Part II (The Kedgwick River)

Patapedia (Continued)

On to the Kedgwick River

Once we got back to Arpin’s we rendezvoused with Kathleen and Patrick who would be joining us for the Kedgwick portion of the trip.  We reloaded te trailer with four canoes and all of our gear and all seven of us piled into the Land Cruiser and once again, hit the dusty trails.

Reload

Roland's Fluffy Companions

Close Quarters

Our put in site on the Kedgwick River was at the Kedgwick Forks, where there was a spacious loading area.

Turtle Mountain

Turtle Mountain

Turtle Mountain

May 16, 2009

Paul Maybee

Ross Curtner

Graham Waugh

Setting Out

We set out for Turtle Mountain at around 10:30 am by the side of the highway.  We have a vague idea of where we were going and the directions are patchy at best.  I am with my good friend Graham Waugh of Local Motion and his friend, and my new friend Ross Curtner.

Through the Gate

We embark up the dirt road, that could easily have been driven, but we wanted to know how far it was to walk the whole way.  Also, this trip was about getting out and enjoying the weather, not sitting in a truck until we got to some place.  You miss out on a lot of the benefit of doing something like this if you drive the whole way.

Robin Hood Lake Camp

A short distance up the road we came to a few houses with nearly a dozen trucks parked in the driveways.  We met a man coming up the road who was

Trip update and new developments

Hello again!

I figured a new post was in order as it is taking longer than expected to put together the story of the Boundary Rock Expedition earlier in the month.  As far as you knew, I went off in search of Boundary Rock, and never returned.  This post will not be about the trip, but will serve more as an appetiser, a promise that it is on it’s way and maybe a bit of a diversion to buy me more time to finish the photo essay detailing the trip.

In the past few weeks much has happened here.  Since the trip, I have moved to Fredericton, New Brunswick and am settling in here nicely.  The public library is displaying photography of New Brunswick waterfalls which has inspired me to do some more exploring.  The difference here is that it’s all new to me.  I know Fredericton well, but the surrounding area is still uncharted territory.  So, I became inspired by this display and found the lovely blog:  Waterfalls of New Brunswick.  I have spent the last week or so exploring the region, mostly searching for these waterfalls and hiking through the outskirts of Fredericton and the beauty of it amazes me.  This being said, I would like to expand the focus of this blog to the maritime provinces, as I am no longer a resident of Nova Scotia (although in my heart it will always be home) and now I will begin to explore some places that are new to me.

Now, you’ve probably come to this site to see some photos, and certainly not to hear me babble on…  so let’s cut to the chase, shall we?

Retired Row Boat

A boat, left alongside a river near Port Elgin, NB, fades away into the long grass.

Abandoned NB - In the Shadow

Driving along the road from Shediac to the Confederation Bridge and on to Charlottetown there are an incredible number of abandoned houses.  I was here picking up my sister from University, so I didn’t have all day to explore, but I did manage to stop and get