CODY SHIMIZU

A look into my life, a journal to look back on, a blog for others to see.

Early Season

After an amazing summer playing, exploring, and learning in the mountains I was looking forward to the winter season. Without any crazy early season dump early in the fall splitboarding season wasn’t in full swing until December. I managed to get out for a few early season tours in November but with a low snow pack it had me cautiously making my way around boulders ready to take chunks out of my board. Unfortunately, Steven succumbed to a boulder taking his skis out from under him snapping his tibia and fibula in the process. His positivity through it all amazes me and he is working on his rehab like crazy, making a really quick recovery!

Ice Climbing

Since getting ice climbing gear over the summer I’ve been really looking forward to giving it a try. I was trying to find some more experienced people to take me out but with how bad I am at making friends and schedules not aligning I couldn’t manage to get a hold of anyone. Once I got word that the Junkyards (an easy top rope accessible ice climbing area right by Canmore) was frozen I decided to set up a top rope and just learn by experimenting! After all those times googling “how to ice climb” and watching video’s on YouTube and stalking Will Gadd’s Instagram, it kinda paid off! Ice climbing is so much fun! The possibilities of knowing how to lead ice climbs was exciting, all the cool places, new views, different perspectives to see the mountains from only motivated me to get out ice climbing more. I did a lot of research on all of the top rope accessible ice climbing area’s and slowly ticked them off the list.

Wapta Icefield

After doing my crevasse rescue training at the beginning of the season I was really looking forward to getting out on a glacier for some adventures and quality turns. I made a few loose plans to make it onto the Wapta Icefields, first was over new years! Jason, Evelyn, and I had made plans to spend new years at Bow Hut! But unfortunately with some work stuff the plan fell through, but it was alright. Later, we had planned to go to the Wapta icefields with the Alpine Club of Canada Edmonton Section trip leader Rob. Unfortunately, some of the worst conditions of the year kept us off the icefields, actually it kept us off any real slope. We ended up skinning up Sunshine Ski Resort. With the season passing by with no luck so far on getting onto any glacier there was another plan set in motion to make it out with Bryan, but then once again terrible conditions got the best of us. Then finally the beginning of April was another plan to go onto the Wapta but this time a stupid global pandemic got in the way. 5 TIMES I got turned away!! Unbelievable, it’ll definitely be on the top of the to do list next year.

Mixed Climbing

I’m going to be honest, I didn’t really know what sport was about. My idea of mixed climbing was some crazy hardcore alpinists forced to climb past the ice and onto some rocks and that about the only time mixed climbing happened. But, when I was climbing at Haffner creek I noticed a bunch of bolts on the bare rock with obvious marks in the wall where people had scratched their tools and crampons onto. Jason and I moved our line over to the mixed line and gave it a go. Holy crap! Its was such an unreal feeling putting all of your weight on the 2mm tip of your ice tools and crampons. I managed to get on some really cool routes at Haffner, Bear Spirit, and even Grotto Canyon. It’s a weird mentality mixed climbing compared to ice climbing or rock climbing. Even though its not as bad to take a fall mixed climbing you still don’t really want to fall when you have crampons on your feet. I can’t wait until next year, during the shoulder season being able to try dry tooling and managing to lead some mixed lines. The satisfying feeling of pulling onto the ice is the coolest feeling in the world!

Rogers Pass

Its only a matter of time until the mystical legends of endless pow draw you into this magical land between Golden and Revelstoke. Since I heard of its prodigious powder I was waiting for an opportunity to make it out to Rogers Pass. I managed to make it out a few times to Rogers Pass this season. Every time, it lived up to its legendary status. Face shots all day long, you would just quickly brush speed off and next thing you know you are lost in a cloud of snow. Soo soft it doesn’t make you afraid of anything! Skiing anything that is tracked out is sometimes a nightmare trying to find patches of untouched snow with bumps ready to throw you off everywhere but in Rogers pass the snow is so soft it really didn’t make a difference. The terrain so grand yet a little scary to deal with I cant wait to take it further and explore the area more next year.

Grand Daddy Couloir There’s something about couloirs that draw my attention. There’s something to be said about a beautiful blank face of snow waiting for someone to put some turns onto the blank canvas. But, couloirs add character to the mountains, like deep scars they shape the mountains creating unique defining features. The excitement and nervousness that you feel standing on top of an insanely steep run, you know you don’t want to fall, the consequences dire, yet the walls towering over you the excitement that you feel. Making that first turn in the couloir was the moment of truth, completing the turn a wave of relief and excitement, its totally doable! Still being cautious being able to enjoy each turn! It’s a feeling to live for. I can’t wait until next season for more couloirs and amazing lines to ski. Now every time I drive by the Grand Daddy Couloir it reminds me of the feeling, getting me excited for next year of what’s to come.

Ice and Mixed Climbing on Lead

On the last ice climbing outing of the season, I felt ready. The last few times I’ve been out I felt really confident in my tools and foot placements, My mock leads felt really solid. Since it was still my first season of ice climbing, a part of me was wondering if I was just rushing it. Too eager jumping into leading ice too soon. But, looking beyond the fact I was feeling really confident, I trusted my swings and kicks, ice screw placements and techniques. I prepared myself mentally as best as possible and I was ready. I decided my first lead would be on the main waterfall ice at Haffner creek. I felt absolutely solid, every swing, every kick, didn’t get pumped at all. It was exhilarating, I was a little worried I might mentally get nervous, but nothing like that happened. It was an amazing feeling getting to the top, although I’ve done the climb numerous times on top rope it was an entirely different feeling getting on top on my first ice lead. The next day we went to Grotto Canyon to do Grotto Falls. There I decided to give Sketch and Sniff, a mixed line right beside the ice climb called Hers. Although I pretty much went draw to draw, it was an exhilarating feeling leading on a mixed line. The one thing was that this route only had a tiny bit of ice on top so I didn’t have to place any ice protection. Being able to lead ice, even easy ice opens up so many opportunities I can’t wait until next year!

End of the Season

Unfortunately, the season came to an end earlier then everyone had hoped for since the COVID-19 outbreak. I managed to get out for one last tour with my Jones Hovercraft that I picked up at the end of the season, soaking in the hot spring sun doing Surprise Pass in Lake Louise. As painful as it is with the season coming to a close early since I had so many plans for spring skiing season with long days and stable conditions for bigger objectives. Another attempt at the Wapta, some cool summits, and couloirs to ride I was really looking forward to the next few weeks. But, unfortunately that’s just how it goes sometimes. RIP winter 2019/2020, hopefully everyone stays safe and healthy and some cool shit to get done for next year.