Barry Blanchard Episode 5: The Silver Lining and M-16

Episode #5: The Silver Lining on Mt Saskatchewan, 1998, and M-16 on the Northeast Face of Howse Peak, 1999 1998, most of my alpine climbing partners had started families, moved on from alpinism, or moved away. Steve House was the next generation, a man whose desire, drive and ability would lead him to become one of the very best alpinists in history. I got to tie in with Steve for the first time on the Emperor Face of Mt Robson in 1997 when, along with Joe Josephson, we made my second attempt there in winter. The next year was to see us return in April, but given a meagre forecast of one day of good weather we hightailed it south to the Columbia Icefield and a striking unclimbed gully line on the northernmost wall of Mt Saskatchewan. Twenty hours after leaving my truck we returned having put up The Silver Lining and Jo-Jo and I had witnessed how well Steve climbed. The next year, 1999, the Emperor Face wasn't in the weather cards again so Steve, Scott Backes and I headed to the mythical ice lines that drape Howse Peak with banners of silver. A storm, a new route climbed in horrendous conditions, an avalanche that broke my leg and got me rescued from the face via a helicopter long line just in time for the large fortieth birthday party my wife had arranged. Twenty years down the road came the tragic loss of Hansjörg Auer, David Lama and Jess Roskelley. This episode is dedicated to those three men