Temperatures are falling, rain be a comin' and soon, the snow will be flying. It's these months of the year when flip flops and summer short-shorts get relegated to the back…
Bears are curious creatures. Depicted in children's books as warm and cuddly mammals with oh-so-cute ears, it's no surprise that when people spot Ursus americanus (American black bear) their first…
When driving around looking for a particular street address, do you find yourself watching the smartphone screen instead of the number on the houses? With the trusty Google Maps app (or…
There is much debate - among hikers and guides alike – on whether or not to use trekking poles over long-distances. The question is, are trekking poles worth the investment? When I spent my first summer in the Whistler area a few years ago I started hiking weekly, sometimes daily, to explore the surrounding mountains and trails. I noticed that trekking poles seemed to be increasing in popularity, and to see if it was more than just another equipment trend, I turned to research. When I spent my first summer in the Whistler area a few years ago I started hiking weekly, sometimes daily, to explore the surrounding mountains and trails. I noticed that trekking poles seemed to be increasing in popularity, and to see if it was more than just another equipment trend, I turned to research.
We're big fans of hiking here in the Sea to Sky Corridor. After all, how else does one access the best of the outdoors? One Sunday, September 13, Mountain Skills Academy & Adventures is teaming up with the Sea to Sky Gondola, MEC, Adventure Smart and The North Face for the second annual HikeFest, a day to celebrate all things hiking and the activities on offer at this beautiful location in Squamish.
It's that time of year again. The Old Farmer's Almanac has released its 2016 edition, with all the associated predictions of snowfall for the upcoming winter. Online ski media has of course begun to jump on the bandwagon with click bait article titles touting – around six months in advance - how great a winter we can expect. And they're saying this could be a pretty darn good year for snow. If you're not familiar with the Old Farmer's Almanac, it's believed to be America's longest running publication providing farmers with helpful planting charts for their crops since 1792 through a secret formula of solar science, climatology and meteorology, securely housed in a black box in Dublin, New Hampshire. The periodical has amassed a significant following in North America not so much from its weather prediction, but from its witty and humorous writing style, as well as inclusions of light-hearted content such as recipes and garden guides.
What’s the most important piece of equipment in your sport? The six inches between your ears. Regardless of your sport, the mind is the most important piece of equipment you will ever take with you. After spending months of time trying to improve your skills by focusing on physical, technical and tactical skills, that improvement can plateau. Improving your mental preparation can go a long way with helping progress psychologically in areas that don't come naturally.. Goal setting After setting a long-term goal, break it down into smaller short-term, performance goals related to a specific technical or tactical element and focus on one of those goals each time when heading out to train. This prevents becoming overwhelmed by your training schedule and lets you acknowledge each small success along the way.
Rain has returned to the Sea to Sky this week, sorely needed for wildfires still burning in the region and giving the soil on hiking and mountain bike trails a chance to replenish its moisture. While it has been an unseasonably hot dry summer – an anomaly that seems to be becoming an annual trend her in British Columbia – outdoor folk of the Pacific Northwest know full well that rain can often arrive unannounced and linger for longer than expected. Thankfully technology has us covered in the form of waterproof breathable fabrics. And there's one household name that has dominated this corner of the outdoor apparel market for decades – Gore-Tex. Invented in 1969 after Bob Gore experimented by quickly stretching a piece of polytetrofluoroethylene (PTFE), a material that was being used for electrical cable housing. The result was an extremely thin film – now termed “membrane” - with billions of microscopic pores, impervious to water but large enough to let sweat vapour through. Sandwich the expanded PTFE between a nylon outer shell and and durable backing (to avoid dirt and sweat to clogging the tiny pores) and you have the 3-ply Pro Shell jacket sold by dozens of apparel companies. Those jackets all feature the prominent GORE-TEX stamp on the garment and a large diamond shaped hang tag that explains the benefits of the technology. - namely being able to keep you dry from the elements while still allowing the garment to breathe effectively.
Stepping off the grid into remote locations - away from cell phone signal - is a large part of what makes the experiencing the wilderness experience so special. With smart phones now firmly integrated into our lives and constantly keeping us connected, stepping out of cell phone coverage can give us a sense of freedom, with no one bothering us about work, gossip or pressing social engagements. But despite parties being adequately prepared, accidents can happen in the backcountry. The old school method of letting next-of-kin know your departure point and expected return - while still an important part of trip planning - will only let Search and Rescue (SAR) organizations extrapolate your location in the event of a catastrophe. The good thing is, the technology that keeps us so connected is helping make backcountry travel safer.
I can always count on two things when I guide Blackcomb Buttress; happy guests and me saying, "Man I love my job”! It brings me back to my Cham’ days where I guided for many summers. Why is it a Chamonix like experience? It’s all about ease of access, quality granite and quality climbing. First off you kill an otherwise grueling approach and knee wrecker de-proach by taking the Whistler Blackcomb lifts and alpine shuttle bus, something I never take for granted! Next comes a beautiful approach through rolling alpine meadows. The pristine ever clear emerald waters of the little tarn reflect Blackcomb Peak, looming above. A curious Hoary Marmot stands up on it’s rock and whistles the town’s namesake.