Remembering Mike...

Early tomorrow I leave to join Ross and G on what's turned into 'sometimes spontaneous, sometimes planned' Mike Pollard Memorial Expedition. Work has been crazy lately and I've taken a bit of break before my mind goes on fire.

I think about Mike every day; there's things that make me laugh and things that make me cry. I have these crazy images of him that pop up from time to time, like when we were at a party once and he was pimpin' his way along like a hip hop star. Or today, when I heard Matthew Good's song 'Apparitions' and I remember the great day we had putting up a new aid route on the north pillar of Groat Bridge in that wonderful summer of 1999. Mike had been listening to that song, was feeling some personal angst, and named the route after it. I often think about him and the music we liked - some of it I can't listen to anymore; it's simply too painful, or it's lost its meaning...it Dopplers off in the distance away from me.  Every morning when I get up to make coffee, when I make rice and measure the water, or now when I develop negatives and measure developing chemicals (something I started doing nearly a year after he died), I think of Mike and his chemistry.

Here's a great shot of Mike on the right and G on the left, spring 1999, hanging out on my double portaledge as we practiced aid climbing, dreaming of being high on El Cap. I'd just finished recovering from a broken heel and was anxious to get out again. It was an incredible time.

Our last trip together, in February of 2010, was to the Wapta Icefields. I could only do part of it due to work, and had to satisfy myself with the Peyto-Bow section. Ross (here on the right) had to leave a day later, and G (back to camera) and Mike (left) pushed on to do the whole thing out to West Louise via Sherbrooke Lake.

The morning we left Peyto to head to Bow Hut, there was a pretty healthy white-out that came in. But we knew the general direction we were going, G did his usual GPS thing, and it was actually quite pleasant, almost dreamy skiing through the fog and frost. A couple of hours later we got to the Hut and made some lunch, had some of the usual funny chat about work, school, climbing, whatever. After that, I hugged my friends goodbye, wished them safe and well on their continued trip, and set out for a pleasant ski out by myself to Bow Lake and the highway.  I hugged Mike last that day. It was the last time I'd ever see him.

I miss you Mike.