When climbers go to the trouble of packing up a rope, rack and gear for an alpine climb, hike in, reach the route, and then decide not to climb it for whatever reason, one way of justifying the effort is calling it a recon. This trip was definitely a recon – certainly not a failure.[…]
Sunday morning I got up exceptionally early and headed off in the dark to the Garibaldi Lake Trailhead North of Squamish. We met our friend Ed there at 6:30 and continued on to the Chekamus Lake Trailhead near Whistler. The Rubble Creek Classic – organized by the Escape Route – is a 23km point to point[…]
Many athletes and coaches use the term lactate threshold. Sometimes it is used in reference to a particular workout intensity and sometimes to testing but many times the meaning is unclear. What is lactate and the lactate threshold? We are able to live and exercise because our bodies are incredibly efficient at taking food and[…]
For the 2011-2012 season, the Black Diamond Drift was my go-to ski. Training at Elfin Lakes, steep chutes at Blackcomb, skimo races in the rockies and powder days on the Duffy Lake Road, I used them for everything. A light and fat option from BD’s Efficiency Series (and bigger brother to the Aspect ski) the[…]
Last weekend I got the chance to tag along on the first day of the Canadian Society of Mountain Medicine, Diploma in Mountain Medicine Course in Whistler BC. The course is put on by a group of physicians, medics, SAR techs, and UIAA guides to train personnel in mountain medicine techniques. A majority of the[…]
The t6 is Suunto’s premier training heart rate monitor and has been on the market for several years. Thanks to its compact size, the t6 doesn’t even look all that different from a basic sports watch compared to most bulky heart rate monitors, but when paired with its heart rate strap, it becomes a valuable[…]
We have had a mix of things going on lately, with moving, the semester starting, and Sarah’s new job, we haven’t been getting after it as big as usual but we have still gotten out plenty here and there. Sarah got in her first lead climb at a crag called Area 44. She sent the[…]
Three weeks ago, Stano and I set out to do the Semi-Alcoholic Traverse. This is a high alpine ridge run from Brandywine Mountain to Cypress Mountain. Aparently the proper Alcoholic Traverse finishes at Brew rather than Cypress Mountain but we decided Cypress was a better finish on a more logical route and with a better[…]