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Summer
Mont Blanc
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Best around Cortina
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Best around Cortina
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Ice Climbing

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Fall Newsletter:

Canmore, Nov. 25, 2004

Dear Friends and Clients:

As usual this time of year, winter has a firm grip on the Canadian Rockies. Rogers Pass reports 4 feet of settled snow at tree line and the ice climbs around Banff and Canmore are in great early season shape!

Summer was busier than ever for OnTop with the whole Wilz family spending three months in Europe again. We have been seeing a big increase in demand for our trips in the Eastern Alps and the Dolomites last year, while our "classic" itineraries in the Western Alps, like the "Haute Route Trek" and the Monte Rosa Peaks Traverse" are still very popular. The inaugural Stubai Hut Trek in the Austrian Alps was a huge success and we are already thinking of a similar itinerary in a different range in Austria for 2005.
Jorg also spent the first two weeks of October climbing with some of our regulars on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees and rediscovered the area (first visit after 20 years) for our rock climbing programs: An abundance of rock, great scenery, friendly people, lots of sunshine, excellent value….need we say more?

In regards to value: In spite of the continuing decline of the US$ versus both the CD$ and the Euro, we will continue to quote our prices for trips in Europe in US$. We managed to keep our prices relatively stable, which you will notice if you compare them to last year. For our trips in Canada, which we quote in CD$, we did not increase prices and guiding fees at all for 2005.

This winter is looking very busy. Jorg continues to work as a heli-ski guide for CMH in Revelstoke, B.C. with a reduced schedule in order to run more of our own programs. We will also be doing two hut trips in B.C. with helicopter access this winter. While the Battle Abbey trip is fully booked, we have a couple of spots left for the trip to Kokanee Glacier Cabin at the end of April. We have also managed to obtain commercial permits with Banff, Jasper, Glacier, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks in our corporate name, which will make it easier for us to run and expand our business here on the Canadian side.

Keep an eye on our web site in the next months. We will be adding a number of new itineraries, some in Europe and quite a few in Canada for next summer!

On the personal side, we unfortunately lost our dog Biscuit last year around Christmas time to a mysterious neuro-muscular disease. Those who know Heather will not be surprised to hear that we have in the meantime adopted a new stray dog: Luna Blue, a husky / border collie-mix and apple of the eye of the ever growing Max (now almost two-and-half).

We are looking forward to seeing you again in the mountains, hopefully in 2005! Happy trails,

Jorg & Heather Wilz

Max after he goten a hold of Papa's shaving foam can. just good he had enough sense to try it out in the tub........	Luna Blue - our latest addition to the family on its way to Lady Macdonald above Canmore.
Max with his new Lederhosen at the "Spielplatz" in Switzerland	Heather in front of the Nuernberger Hut during our Stubai Hut trek in the Austrian Alps.

Video Clips:
Here are a couple of fun video clips of Max. The files are large, hence it takes a while to download. Don't bother, unless you have a fast internet connection!

Max cooking mushrooms (25 Mbites)
Max with his new "Kugelbahn" part 1 (25 Mbites)
Max with his new "Kugelbahn" part 2 (30 Mbites)

Prior Newsletters:
Newsletter @ April 9, 2004
Newsletter @ November 21, 2002
Newsletter @ October 2001
Newsletter @ February 2001
Newsletter @ December 2000

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