20 Questions
Describe your climbing background:
I was brought into the life of climbing through my father. Before I ever stepped a foot onto rock or ice my first memories of climbing came from the stories my dad and his mates would tell. More than anything, what drove me to towards climbing was the laughs and adventures that they would speak of. For me I just wanted to have those stories of my own. We climbed together occasionally together as I grew up, but it was always his philosophy to learn more from experience than hard line instruction and that was best served going out with buddies with similar drive and level. I still try to live by that mantra to this day. It didn’t help us being able to go out together when he was working during the times I was skipping school and hitting the crags…

Why climb ice?
It’s all about clean air, suffering and thuggery—take it or leave it.

Describe an ice/alpine climbing experience when things got out of hand:
There is nothing dramatic usually about things getting out of hand in the alpine. Usually I find it’s more the mind making an inane attempt to predict what the future—the shittier things look, the worse things seem to get. We affectionately call it a mind fuck.

What has ice/alpine climbing taught you?
Adventure, patience, fortitude, respect and friendship—everything that’s worth learning.

What are you up to when you’re not climbing?
I run a small startup company and provide System Administration for it. I have a B.S. in Computer Science and continue my readings on emergent computing. Hey, if a machine can do it for me why should I (I’m inherently lazy…) I also run overseas operations for an industrial guiding company. We take geophysical operations into places where they would not normally be able to go. We provide long line rescue support and a number of other cool things. Lately, I have been working in the Middle East. One of my favorite past times, just a like a good Canadian lad, is playing outdoor rink hockey.

Any training advice or suggestions?
I know it’s typical to say but the only real training for climbing is to actually do it. Focus on climbing environments that are as similar as possible to your goal. Type of rock, similar ice, similar climate (temps and conditions); more than anything this will build both your physical and mental fortitude for the real thing and best of all you will know what to expect when adversities arise.

Who or what inspires you?
One of the great things about living in Canmore is the community. Its not hard to push yourself or improve when you have a group of people around you that are pushing you with friendly competition or giving you a belay on that two-hour lead.

How do you see ice/alpine climbing evolving in the next five years?
The same as it always has. Faster, lighter, and harder, and of course being done more often in winter.

What do you think about the M13+ or WI8 grade?
It’s been a couple years since I’ve been focused on the high end M-climbing. I have stated it before, I think it is really difficult to quantify mixed climbs. They change so often, deliberately and by chance. For example, The Game is probably a full number grade easier than when it was first climbed. I have counted at least 4/5 new holds that make it substantially easier. It can go the other way as well, Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Cineplex is actually quite a bit harder now than when it was first done because the crack is widening out. It’s just too hard to put a number grade on something where difficulty has changed so drastically over short periods of time.

How does fear affect your climbing?
Fear is an emotion, it’s important, especially with alpine climbing and for me headpointing to always be objective about decisions I make. Every once in a while though when the “gut” really needs to say something I make sure I listen.

Care to comment on: heel spurs, leashes vs. leashless, falling on ice, impact of drytooling?
-Don’t fall on ice, ever.
-Leashes, leashless. Who gives a F#*k, focus on getting up the  fricken thing.
-Heel spurs? What ever inverts your pick…

Any near death experiences?
Too many...

Are you a fan of climbing history? Explain?
Yes, the history and stories of adventures is what has always motivated me, so that someday I can tell my own stories. To bad I keep forgetting them…

What are your future plans or goals in climbing?
Alpine, winter alpine. Simple as that.