“If everything around you were in doubt, could you still trust yourself?” Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now The strongest relationship in my life has been with what I can only refer to as the conscious universe. Imagine feeling the earth’s pain, getting messages from the stars, or having a conversation with the moon. These things…
I know; the season’s all but over. All the more reason to make sure you’re on top of your ice axe maintenance, not to mention your hot tubbing style.
Unless you’ve just crawled out of a cave or come out from under a rock, you’ll know that it’s ice climbing season. If you’re in the market for some new tools, here’s my review of the Black Diamond Cobras.
Last week I went into the Outdoor Research website to review a selection of my favourite pieces, and I was struck with the realization of just how far women’s outdoor apparel lines have come. When I started ice climbing in the early nineties there was a dearth of women-specific clothing and gear on the market,…
Get out your crampons and sharpen those picks: I has teamed up with Mountain Sense to offer you ice climbing instruction and skiing packages in the West Kootenays and the Canadian Rockies. Our inaugural ice climbing clinic will be based out of Nelson, BC the weekend of January 22nd and 23rd, 2011. Whether you are…
Have you ever wondered how a great piece of gear is brought into being? For one week last month I was invited to participate in the Outdoor Research sales/ marketing/ product development retreat at Valhalla Mountain Touring right here on my home turf in the West Kootenays. Our guide for the week was Evan Stevens,…
Things are winding down in the tiny mountain town of Ouray, Colorado as the 2010 Ouray Ice Festival comes to a close. We had a fun weekend filled with clinics, demos, competitions, and climbing. Many people are walking away having accomplished their goals, including Will Gadd who finished his 24 hours of non-stop ice climbing…
I finally consulted with Freddie regarding the aforementioned scenario, and he told me that we are now venturing into the realm of “dirtbag mystique”. The Banff Book and Film Festivals went by in a blur. I didn’t manage to see any films, but I did manage to make it from one cocktail party to the…
I arrived two nights ago after my seven-hour drive from my home in the West Kootenays. I was worried about feeling distracted being in Banff; after all I spent two decades living and climbing here in the Canadian Rockies. But luckily my friends are busy and the ice is slow in coming in. I have…