- Russia may add Canadian and Aussie dollar to its reserve currencies
- UBS predicted that the IMF will include the Canadian dollar in its reserve currencies as well

European companies with less European exposure; global companies.
CUK, TEVA, NVO, FMS

- Very large companies will be able to borrow 100 bp below
- FDIC can cover creditors costs up to 100%

Market Call: Global Equities
GE does not recommend as they do not have a lot of free cash flow; GE capital has attributed to a downgrade in the company
X? - look at those who are providing iron ore as they will be making the price instead of being price takers. Rarely does the dividend go up over time. Very risky. BHP Billoton provides iron ore and are therefore price setters. They are the quintessential commodities stock if you have one stock.
Banco Santender; STD;

Cameco. CCO - long life reserves; decent price; diversified in Uranium; copper, dividend likely safe. Decent price if you have a 3 to 5 year play.

TEF; 8.4% down 40% year to date; more than 40% are outside of Europe.
TIH; Toromont Industries; equipment company
BHP; long term hold; a lot of cash on the books;

Double dip?

- Fed programs on incentives (housing and appliances) will decrease retail numbers
- European problems
- Upside down mortgages people can't walk away (Fannie and Freddie punishing people)
- Baltic Dry Index off its high. 2547 today. Good interm leading indicator.
- Probably new highs on the unemployment rate.
- K Fine is bullish on retailers (best buy). Other guest is not as Bed Bath and Beyond was off and Nike was off.

-TU (Telus; 5% div yield)
- Defensive: PM (5%) div yield, VZ (7% div yield), TOT (6.5% div yield),
- FD, TOL, Loews,
- ADBE might have been oversold
-

George Carlin - best quote

You know what's interesting about assassination? Well, not only does it change those popularity polls in a big fucking hurry, but it's also interesting to notice who it is we assassinate. Ya ever notice who it is, got to think who it is we kill? It's always people who've told us to live together in harmony and try to love one another. Jesus, Gandhi, Lincoln, John Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, John Lennon – they all said, "Try to live together peacefully." Bam! Right in the fucking head! Apparently we're not ready for that. Yeah, that's difficult behavior for us. We're too busy thinking around, sitting around trying to think up ways to kill each other.

Stocks

NLY (REIT accidentally high yield) - Cramer

AAPL - Cramer
XOM - me
TOT - me
NAE - market call
CN RAIL
AGU
POT
TRP (4.5%) - increased div yield
CNQ (looking for entry point) - levered to oil more than gas; investing more on oil sands. Not really bullish on gas; ramping up horizon oil sands. get in at $35 perhaps.

SNC?? -
CGX.UN - concession spending up; 80% margin; 3D markets encourages concession spending. 50% payout ratio.

Market Call (Dean Orrico)

Market overview: Natural gas (contrarion view) he thinks it will go much higher; supply is so high though what is the catalyst? the headlines say there is a ton of gas; he doesn't think so as 13% of gas comes from shale; half of that in the Barnett Shale. Industrial activity much higher today than a year ago. He thinks EIA has overstated.

Drilling offshore costs will explode. Canada has second highest reserve level in the world. Onshore oil should be a great play relatively speaking.

Current top picks:
Nuvesta Energy (natural gas 28,000 boe/d 75% nat gas; at least half of that in the deep basin; good growth in production. Just announced divident; could increase the dividend. Mgmt owns 10% of the company

ARC Energy Trust - 55% gas today; acquiring Storm Energy. One of the first players in the Motney Shale formation. Convert to Corporation.

Bonavista; 7.8% are increasing their gas exposure. mgmt owns 15%; production growth should be very large.

Last top picks
Cdn Oil Sands Trust; oil weighted

Bonterra; oil weighted

6 to 12 months; $8 gas is the forecast for him. (spot was $5 at the time.)

Call ins :
Penn-West; Chinese are spending $300 million and getting 45% of the production; PennWest is getting 55% and not spending a penny. CIC can eventually may take over 100% in the future. INterest from China is growing by the day. Athabasca oil sands. Cutting distribution in half for dividends. So not a good income investment.

Boralex Power Income Fund - not keen on the power section bc very difficult to have accretive acquisitions. hydro assets are great. biomass of business has a lot of risk; biomass feedstock is down because of economy. Trustholders not really in a good situation.

NAL - owns it; mid tier mid quailty trust; partnership with Manulife. Bit of a lift is exposure to Cardium oil play; horizontal and multi fracking play; probably over bought on that. Long term a great play. 2011 probably a modest cut. Maybe 10 to 20% cut post conversion.

Connacher Oil and Gas - Maybe a takeover target? heavy oil play; don't play it. but production is ramping up in the next 12 months. Long life exposure to oil go somewhere else for now. wait and see if they can grow to 20,000 barrels/d. Asia capital will likely not flow here.

Bird Construction - floating around 30 dollars. Don't really own it. smaller cap with exposure to a cyclical industry. A major player out west and well positioned to take advantge of it. but priced into the stock already. Not much upside in the trading place. Short positions come in at 31.00. upside is limited. not an income and growth. but income ok.

Daylight Resources - competitive distribution around the $10. Stock should perform pretty well. Exposure in the Cardium play. mainly gas with some oil exposure. maybe $15 target price.

180 billion proven oil reserves in the alberta oil sands; Suncor and Syncrude has majority of it.

AOS - octagon capital has it as a 60 cent target. tough play because capex intensive

Mullen Group - logistics player in this space for the Oil Sands. Haven't acquired any competitors. Oil field services company in Alberta and for the Oil sands. Good buy 3 to 4% income. 12.5 cents per share. Cyclical. Tends to rise in the fall and winter on a multi-year chart.

Technology stocks in Canada

RIM; he is bullish 11x P/E and 25% growth. so starting to become pretty cheap.
June 24th results from RIM

IDL - 5 cents; Imaging Dynamics; used to be a market darling; they need to increase sales; almost no information on the stock at this point.

ZED - 53 cents; not a lot of analytic insight; 65 and 75 cent target price

AAH - Aastra technologies; extremely lumpy; down 70% year over year; 65 cents are expected in earnings; 8x P/E; cheap; EPS all over the place.

CSCO - new product upgrade underway; cap ex spent on salesforce; new products on routing and switching; range bound trading; don't own yet

BCE - on the income portfolio; eps up 12% year over year. coming over 24% year on eps. no new market entrants. Neutral; things are improving. Income investor is a reasonable investment; growth not really there.


Top Picks
Net Debt = zero
ZL; Zarlink ; turning the business around; core business growing well; FCF 25 cents per share for last 4 quarters; 10x PE for march 2011; growth on medical side of business. Zarlink thinks it can double in the next 12 months. 30% growth. target is reasonable.

DSA (Dalsa); BMO is keen on Dalsa; provides chip to Nintendo; could estimate 20% upside to current estimate; 22% 1.13 to 2011. Having got out of camera company for the movie company

Wilan; they hold patents and license them out. broad array of patents. Bluetooth. 12 cents for 2010; almost to 23 cents to 2011.

Canadian REITs for 6/18/2010

KMP Killam Properties - likely to 9 dollars; good name; very good job; expanded into Ontario. Concern that they are buying apartments in London and Waterloo too expensive; but they think CMAC debt which is cheap; dividend is safe. Using windmills for power; safe long term investment; holds it personally and professionally. 6.5% yield

AX-UN.TO - Artis REIT; trying to expand; diminish the effect to the Calgary exposure. Still fighting the payout ratio. Little above what they are earning. Yield is very high. Almost 10% probably dangerous; they do own it. Something similar; Dundee has a high yield; similar scenario and a 100% payout ratio; bright mgmt; decent gamble.

H&R REIT; very flat; is there a chance that they will sell the Bow Valley project? No, they won't sell it; they made a big mistake; costs are under control; long term very profitable bond. 4% yield; they will increase from 50% to 70 to 80% on the payout ratio and will gradually increase it over time. Very low debt; very low payout ratio. When EnCana building is finished; refinance and is not a threat right now.

Past picks:

Cominar REIT

Stocks on the radar

STD - accidental high yielder; lots of restructuring.
S - good buy opp


MWE - 8% yield (midstream play)
TOT - 6% yield
XOM trading near Mar 09 lows
GE - 3% div yield; traded 40s before collapse; stuck in 15 to 16 range
WFT - 4% exposure to GOM
CRUS - chips in ipads, ipods, iphones
GS - cheap?? wait for Fin Reg
C - strangle; sell covered call; sell put at a price u r comfortable buying it at. Perfect for a dead market
Manulife - stick this in a tax free savings account; high dividend yield; discount to BV
AGU - downgraded because of lower potash prices
POT - upgraded.
DAY - daylight energy; 6% yield. Cardium exposure 2100/d
Trilogy - Gas weighted; 4.6% yield; 60% owned by Klay Riddell
NAE.UN (NAL) ; well capatilized; great land position; 9.9% yield (prolly under $10 good buy); fall of 2010 it converts from a divindend paying trust to a dividend paying corporation and may change the div yield at that point. Probably best to wait after the restructuring.
BNK - Bankers Petroleum - huge upside in foreign investment; leveraged to oil.

The Pledge of the only True Saint of our time....

Time.... as he states is the only thing that you can not take back. It is the only true non-renewable resource for every living thing in this universe. The overall encompassing truth for all human beings that have ever existed is that everyone is born and everyone eventually dies. We cannot rewrite our own history. The pen is alive only at the present moment. You can only write your destiny now. If you've lived through your teenage years you can never take them back and relive them. If you're done with your twenties you can not take them back and rewrite them. If you are living through your thirties, every second you live you can not take back. So every second of existence then can be viewed as a gift. Since the first breath of life was not given to us by our own choice. There was no merit involved there, as life in all living things was a gift of something that we can not see. Even though we think we can plan for the future, we can not. Because the future is uncertain to us ....

...If every rich person that ever lived made up one compound of steel, and when all compounds added all up took the shape of a needle, it would came to pass that there would come into existence, a certain camel born in the dry wasteland of human moral emptiness that would eventually pass through the eye of this needle. ...

Who would ever begin to understand the greatness of your goodness? .... as who has ever in the history of humanity became one of the richest men to have ever lived and then gave all that wealth away back to humanity before he passed and not even thinking he has done a good deed? It is a blessing to live through the tail end of your existence and realize that there actually exists true goodness in a human being. Your existence in and of itself has given and continues to give hope to mine....


My Philanthropic Pledge
Warren Buffett



In 2006, I made a commitment to gradually give all of my Berkshire Hathaway stock to
philanthropic foundations. I couldn't be happier with that decision.
Now, Bill and Melinda Gates and I are asking hundreds of rich Americans to pledge at least 50%
of their wealth to charity. So I think it is fitting that I reiterate my intentions and explain the
thinking that lies behind them.
First, my pledge: More than 99% of my wealth will go to philanthropy during my lifetime or at
death. Measured by dollars, this commitment is large. In a comparative sense, though, many
individuals give more to others every day.
Millions of people who regularly contribute to churches, schools, and other organizations thereby
relinquish the use of funds that would otherwise benefit their own families. The dollars these
people drop into a collection plate or give to United Way mean forgone movies, dinners out, or
other personal pleasures. In contrast, my family and I will give up nothing we need or want by
fulfilling this 99% pledge.
Moreover, this pledge does not leave me contributing the most precious asset, which is time.
Many people, including -- I'm proud to say -- my three children, give extensively of their own
time and talents to help others. Gifts of this kind often prove far more valuable than money. A
struggling child, befriended and nurtured by a caring mentor, receives a gift whose value far
exceeds what can be bestowed by a check. My sister, Doris, extends significant person-to-person
help daily. I've done little of this.
What I can do, however, is to take a pile of Berkshire Hathaway stock certificates -- "claim
checks" that when converted to cash can command far-ranging resources -- and commit them to
benefit others who, through the luck of the draw, have received the short straws in life. To date
about 20% of my shares have been distributed (including shares given by my late wife, Susan
Buffett). I will continue to annually distribute about 4% of the shares I retain. At the latest, the
proceeds from all of my Berkshire shares will be expended for philanthropic purposes by 10
years after my estate is settled. Nothing will go to endowments; I want the money spent on
current needs.
This pledge will leave my lifestyle untouched and that of my children as well. They have already
received significant sums for their personal use and will receive more in the future. They live
comfortable and productive lives. And I will continue to live in a manner that gives me
everything that I could possibly want in life.

Some material things make my life more enjoyable; many, however, would not. I like having an
expensive private plane, but owning a half-dozen homes would be a burden. Too often, a vast
collection of possessions ends up possessing its owner. The asset I most value, aside from health,
is interesting, diverse, and long-standing friends.
My wealth has come from a combination of living in America, some lucky genes, and compound
interest. Both my children and I won what I call the ovarian lottery. (For starters, the odds
against my 1930 birth taking place in the U.S. were at least 30 to 1. My being male and white
also removed huge obstacles that a majority of Americans then faced.)
My luck was accentuated by my living in a market system that sometimes produces distorted
results, though overall it serves our country well. I've worked in an economy that rewards
someone who saves the lives of others on a battlefield with a medal, rewards a great teacher with
thank-you notes from parents, but rewards those who can detect the mispricing of securities with
sums reaching into the billions. In short, fate's distribution of long straws is wildly capricious.
The reaction of my family and me to our extraordinary good fortune is not guilt, but rather
gratitude. Were we to use more than 1% of my claim checks on ourselves, neither our happiness
nor our well-being would be enhanced. In contrast, that remaining 99% can have a huge effect on
the health and welfare of others. That reality sets an obvious course for me and my family: Keep
all we can conceivably need and distribute the rest to society, for its needs. My pledge starts us
down that course.

Highest Mountains in Bolivia

• Nevado Sajama (6,542 m)
• Illimani (6,438 m)
• Ancohuma (6,427 m)
• Illampú (6,368 m)
• Parinacota (6,330 m)
• Pomerape (6,240 m)
• Aucanquilcha (6,200 m)
• Chearoco (6,127 m)
  
• Huayna Potosi (6,088 m)
• Chachacomani (6,074 m)
• Pico del Norte (6,070 m)
• Guallatiri (6,060 m)
• Acotango (6,050 m)
• Tacora(5,998 m)
• Mururata (5,868 m)
• Gigante Grande (5,748 m)
• Machu Sochi Conchi (5,679 m)
• Condoriri (5,648 m)

Tips for Slab Climbing from Climbing Magazine

Tech Tip - Technique - HEELS OF STEEL BY FITZ CAHALL

http://www.climbing.com/print/techtips/tech_tip_-_technique_-_heels_of_steel/
6 keys to master-class slab climbing CLIMBERS

TYPICALLY FALL INTO TWO CAMPS when it comes to slabs. Some gag at the connotation of meat-grating, nipple-raking falls. But others say friction climbing is our most elegant discipline, a communion of mental grit and technical grace that rewards brains and finesse, not mindless brawn. “I love, love, love slab climbing,” says Beth Rodden, whose slab sends include Yosemite’s Lurking Fear (VI 5.13c; FFA with Tommy Caldwell) and Squamish’s Grand Wall (IV 5.13). “Technical climbing is so engaging. You have to fi gure out ways to stand on your feet and move your body with more than just pure strength . . . maybe it’s also because my arms are so twiggy.” Watching a skilled slab climber waltz up holdless granite is like watching a magic trick — you know a simple method unlocks what should be impossible, but it’s still daunting to dissect how this happens. These six tips, gleaned from the world’s best, will have you calmly padding upward. But first, put on a shirt — your nipples will thank you.

“Butt out. Heels down.”
This mantra reminds you to “assume the position,” drawing your posterior away from the wall to align your center of gravity over your feet. Thus aligned, slightly drop your heels, engaging the ball of your foot and maximizing the shoe-surface-torock ratio. Gravity and rubber will do the rest. Remember those protractors from eighthgrade geometry? Well, neither do I, but think about it like this: your center of gravity (core), which you control with your hips and rump, should align with gravity’s pull. Rock angle shifts a bit; gravity stays constant. So if a slab’s angle lessens, your butt should move away from the stone. If a slab becomes more vertical, you’d likewise pull in your hips. I know — mind-blowing. We just passed eighth-grade geometry.

Don’t Dither Mentally.
“Finding a [mental] rhythm helps a ton,” says Rodden. Lurking Fear’s crux — 130 feet of sustained 5.13 slab divided by a sidewise dyno — necessitated steady, focussed, upward fl ow. “Rhythm not only helps with general movement, but with maintaining head space,” she adds. When holds begin to resemble potato chips or even disappear, our instinct is to get gripped — to tense our muscles, tighten our diaphragms, and slow to a crawl. “There is a huge anxiety associated with slab climbing,” says slab ace Justen Sjong. “It’s best to keep moving.” So save thoughts like ‘How am I attached?’ for the campfire, not the sharp end.

Don’t Dither Physically.
We often divide pitches into sections, viewing rests as islands of safety. Drop this approach with slabs, where your only goal should be the belay. (Say you were in a hurry to get home from work. Sure, you’d pause at red lights, but would you linger at the greens?) Clip the bolt, place a piece, pause briefl y to scan, but when you’ve fi nished your business, move steadily (don’t rush!) and breathe regularly, avoiding the dreaded sweaty palms or sewing-machine leg that comes with stalling. (As you ooze with nervous perspiration, your calves tire, fingers slide, and feet slosh, making that crux even more difficult.)

Your Hands = Feet
Think of your hands as suction cups on the smooth underbelly of fear. Sometimes you’re better off palming the rock than crimping down, which can pull your butt toward the wall. Stick to the mantra. The Scottish hardman Dave MacLeod, who last winter dispatched the 150-foot slab Walk of Life (5.13 or 5.14 R/X, depending on whom you ask), at North Devon, UK, suggests you use your thumbs — not palms — to press down on holds. MacLeod’s tip comes in handy when you’re forced to highstep or hand-foot match. Imagine cocking a revolver — your thumb becomes a hook that holds you in.

Enlarge Don’t Overreach.
As runouts grow, it can be tempting to stretch for handholds. Patience, young grasshopper. By overextending, you bring your center of gravity closer to the wall, decreasing rubber-to-rock contact. Instead, resume “the position,” and then make small, calculated hand and foot movements. Also, avoid undue highstepping — bigger moves lead to herky-jerky movements that destabilize your core, precipitating foot slips. “It’s not like a boulder problem or physical route,” adds Rodden. “You can’t try so hard that you’re violent. Instead, be determined but calm,“ saving the dynamic climbing for boulderers.

Avoid the Pump . . . in Your Calves.
Slab climbing can be a tiring, tedious affair. MacLeod seeks to rest his feet. “When you reach better [foot]holds, rest your feet by standing on your heels,” he says. Look for scoops or rails. If you find a single, big-enough-for-onefoot foothold, you can methodically switch feet, stretching or even shaking out the unweighted appendage like it’s a forearm. To increase his writing stamina, Climbing contributor Fitz Cahall likes to type minimum sets of 5,000 words while wearing wrist weights.

Highest Peaks in Ecuador to Attempt

CHIMBORAZO Elevation 20,703 ft (6,310 m)

Located 93 miles (150 km) south/southwest of Quito, this is the highest peak in Ecuador and the point on the Earth's surface closest to the sun due to the Earth's equatorial bulge.

Chimborazo has five summits, the Whymper 20,703 ft (6,310 m), Veintimilla 20,562 ft (6,267 m), Northern 20,342 ft (6,200 m), Polytechnic 18,045 ft (5,500 m) and Nicolas Martinez 18,045 ft (5,500 m).

The standard routes are the Veintimilla and Whymper routes from the refuge on the western side of the mountains. Only 4 expeditions have reached all 5 summits. Chimborazo is a difficult climb due to its elevation and should only be attempted by climbers with experience. An ice ax, crampons and rope are required. The Hermanos Carrel Refugio is at 15,750 ft (4,800 m) near the end of the road. There are 8 bunk beds with mattresses and 1 private room for 2 cooking facilities, running water, electricity and a toilet.

Summit attempts begin between 12 midnight and 1am. It is 8 - 9 hours from the refugio to the summit and another 4 hours to descend the mountain. The best weather is in December and between June to September.

COTOPAXI Elevation 19,348 ft (5,897 m)

One of the world's most perfectly shaped volcanoes, and the second highest peak in Ecuador. It last erupted in 1877 and it is currently emitting gas. From the summit, all of the other major peaks of Ecuador can be seen. Cotoxpaxi’s Jose-Ribas Refugio offers climbers 30 beds with mattresses, a kitchen and water.

Cotopaxi is one of our most popular climbs a summit attempt begins from the refugio around 1am and takes 5 to 8 hours. It is important to check snow conditions before setting out. An Ice Ax, Rope and Crampons are required.

Wilhelm Reiss and Angel Escobar made the first accent in 1872 on a southwestern face route. Today the standard route climbs Cotopaxi from the north. The best weather is in December and January though there is also very good weather between July and September. Conditions on Cotopaxi allow for year round climbing of the peak.

Cotopaxi National Park is the most popular National Park on the Ecuadorian Mainland. For more information please refer to our Cotopaxi page.

ANTISANA Elevation 18,715 ft (5,704 m)

Due to its position on the edge of the Andes above the Amazon Basin, this rarely climbed peak offers a technical challenge due to its many crevasses and bad weather. The large number of crevasses that opened during the 1997-1998 season has made the main summit route unusable.

Good route finding skills are required. Poor access can make just getting to base camp a challenge. The ascent requires glacier and rock climbing skills and experience with crevasses. Full climbing gear is recommended. The best weather is from December to January. An entry permit is required and can be obtained in Quito.

ALTAR Elevation 17,452 ft (5,319 m)

It doesn't matter where you view it from, this ancient and probably extinct volcano is the most impressive in Ecuador's Andes. The fifth highest, it is the most technical of all the mountains in Ecuador. Known as "Capac Urcu" in Quichua for “Sublime Mountain” it was renamed "Altar" by the Spanish due to the majesty of the mountain.

Hiking up to the crater is a spectacular walk including Andes forests, waterfalls and Collanes Valley. The stunning view from the crater includes Chimborazo in the background. There are 9 summits, which form the highest points on the crater. The normal routes are from the outside. The best weather is from December to May but it is often rainy.

The Variant or Arista del Calvario is the most popular route now. To reach the summit includes a class 4 rock climb, traversing the glacier, and an 80° climb over rock and ice climb, before reaching an ice wall and the last difficult rock section near the summit. From the Italian camp the ascent takes 12 hours depending on conditions. The trail can be very muddy and rubber boots and full climbing gear is recommended.

ILLINIZA SOUTH Elevation 17,268 ft (5263 m)

A technical 4-hour snow and ice climb to challenge even the most experienced climber. The steep snow slopes, crevasses, and the 50-60º ice wall are rewarded at the summit with a spectacular view across the Avenue of the Volcanoes to Cotopaxi less than 19 miles (30 km) away. Whymper team member’s Jean and Luis Carrel first climbed the peak in 1880. The best weather can be found from June to January. Full climbing gear is needed.

SANGAY Elevation 17,160 ft (5,230 m)

The most photographed of Ecuador's peaks and the most active volcano in the world with activity every 10 minutes. To reach the volcano you first have to hike for 3 days. The climbing itself is pretty straightforward but because of the ever-present risk of an eruption this is the most dangerous peak in Ecuador and helmets are required. The best weather is between December and April.

ILLINIZA NORTH Elevation 17,061 ft (5,200 m)

Twenty years ago this was a glacial peak. In the early accounts of this mountain the climbers describe a technical ascent over heavy glaciers. Today the glaciers have completely disappeared, however in the first half of the year this peak still receives a covering of snow. While this mountain can be summitted in 2-4 hours it is a very long day if you are departing and returning to Quito. It is worth doing this extinct volcano over 2 days, spending a night in the refugio located in the saddle between the 2 peaks at 15,585 ft (4,750 m) The refugio has 12 bunks and cooking facilities and fills quickly.

The attack on Illiniza North's summit at begins at dawn and involves a trek along a knife-edge ridge, on a well-marked trail. In a couple of places it is necessary to leave the ridge to go around boulders, and it is advisable to have some protection including ropes, harness, and hard hats. In the first half of the year there can be a snow covering on the ridge and peak snow gear can be needed, including crampons and ice axe. A compass and map are suggested for the descent.

PICHINCHA Elevation 15,695 ft (4,784 m)

Pichincha Volcano is made up of 3 peaks the 3rd peak Guagua Pichincha 15,695ft (4784m) is the active crater. This volcano stands over Quito and has a long history of eruptions. From the edge of the paramo the hike to the summit takes about 4-hours. To reach the top there is a 7ft (2m) scramble, but no equipment is needed. From the summit we have an excellent view of Quito below us, and the "Avenue of Volcanoes" to the south. Guagua is particularly prone to clouding in and sudden storms.

CORAZON Elevation 15,710 ft (4,700 m)

Climbing this extinct volcano can be a long day from Quito. The climb begins in the inter-Andean valley hiking through fields and pastures at 9,187 ft (2,800 m). As you reach higher elevations the trail passes through the wind blown paramo. The final ascent is a scramble up a large rock band to the summit. It is worth having hard hats, but a rope is usually not needed.

Workout

Absolution
Breathe
30 min of lifting

Workout and Hike

Worked out in the morning on the Eliptical for 40 minutes and then Revs for 45 min.

Met up with A, H and O to hike Nihahi Ridge afterwards. Waited near the Little Elbow River Recreation Area (near forgetmenot pond parking for about 30 minutes). Then headed to the junction where the intersection was and finally met them about 2:30 pm. We started the hike at 3:30 pm and got back to Calgary around 9 pm.

Beautiful Century

Headed up Beautiful Century on Nanny Goat with the ACC on Saturday. Ken organized the trip and had Sera and myself as the participants for the climb. I was definitely lucky to have been able to join as I was near a computer when the notification came up on email.

We met at Lady of Assumption at 7:20 am. I was actually the last to arrive after grabbing a subway sandwich and getting gas; as i woke up 30 minutes early i was able to cook breakfast and do those 2 additional chores before meeting up which is extremely rare for me. Ken and I carpooled as Sera was staying the night in the Bow River Campground for the weekend. We got to the parking area around 8:30 ish and then started the hike towards the base of the climb. When we reached a large rock drainage we realized we missed the turnoff towards Nanny Goat and then started ascending the drainage where we quickly met up with the path that leads to BC. When we arrived we decided that Sera would second and I would take the third. Ken used a system that he learned from Sarah during the Alpine efficiency course where he clips an extra non-locker to a draw the feed the second rope through. (The main leading rope would go to the lower biner and then the second backup rope that would be connected to the 3rd climber would be clipped to the middle biner. I ended up leading pitch 3 which was a 5.7 climb and then the 6th pitch which was a 5.8 climb. They definitely didn't feel like they were rated that since there was a few roofs especially on the 5.8 climb. Essentially consistent to the other ratings i've experienced so far on that wall. Was great that Ken brought his walkie talkies so that we could talk very easily between the parties on top and on the bottom. We kept with the system that the lead had one and the last climber had one. I'll have to pick up a pair from Costco at some point and make sure they are AA.

The first 2 pitches were quite long and definitely the first 2 bolts on the first pitch were the crux of that pitch. The second pitch which was supposed to be the crux of the climb (5.10a) had an awkward start going to the right and then trusting your feet for a friction-y inverted move to a higher hold.
The 3rd pitch which i lead had 6 bolts which required some friction climbing felt more difficult than 5.7 but i managed through it.
The 4th pitch a 5.9, ended up being quite zigzagging.
Pitch 6 was 5.8 but felt like a 5.10. There were 2 roofs but the crux of the pitch was in the beginning of the climb.
Pitch 7 was relatively straight forward. We decided to put the second rope in the pack and tie off the middle to the leader with 2 independent lines going to each climber. The middle tied off using an overhand on a bite followed through both gear loops on the harness and then through the overhand knot tied with another overhand. This was able to be done because the pitch was meters and we were using a 70 meter rope. Would be quicker this way since there's less rope management.
We ended up doing the walkoff instead of rappelling and was the same descent as Kid Goat down the waterfall. Some scrambling down scree. There is a 15 ft downclimb on some easier 5th class slab; which can be done without a rope in dry conditions.
Got back to the car around 8 pm.

Great climb!

Twilight Zone (Kid Goat)

Ian organized a multi-pitch climb on Kid Goat in conjunction with the 2010 Rock Review with the ACC. The weather the day before was raining and the forecast had been 30% chance of precipitation. I met Nicole at the Kananaskis casino at 11:30 am and we car pooled from there to the parking area for Kid Goat. She had the printout of the directions which were in text. When we hit the first gravel road we turned right and then headed too far towards Goat Slabs. Ian called us when we were about 30 minutes down that pathway when he realized that we were on the incorrect path. We turned around when we realized this and then started going back towards the landfill. When we got back we found the correct path only for a while when we took another incorrect path too early which led us to a sport climbing area which was more lower in elevation and west of the actual multipitch climbs on Kid Goat. When we realized this we were both comfortable to scramble to the base towards where Ian was (at the bottom of Grey Waves). We finally met up and then headed towards the Twilight Zone. Since there were a number of climbers on the wall that weekend probably due to the Rock Review, we headed to the climb quite quickly. We decided that i would second and Nicole would follow. This was because it would be easier to give her beta from up above on hand holds that might be available but weren't obvious. The route was all trad and had only a couple of bolts and pitons on the route. Although there were bolted belays for the climb. It took us a few hours to reach the top and only drizzled on us very briefly. Another day of luck when the initial weather forecast was much worse than actually realized. We descended down the Waterfall (gully) between Kid Goat and Nanny goat rather then rap the route.