Issue #12 - Ottawa Outdoors Magazine.pdf

Your guide to the local outdoor adventure scene

Winter camping ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR YOUR OVERNIGHT ADVENTURE SNOWSHOE TRAILS AROUND CALABOGIE ALPINE SKI SAFETY TELEMARK SKIING 101 WINTER RUNNING NORDIC SKI ROUTES FOR THE KESKINADA LOPPET WINTER 2005/06 0-61399-70437-5 03 03

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THE ABCs OF WINTER CAMPING EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO GET STARTED PG 40 FEATURES

Calabogie’s COOL 3 Snowshoe Tall Tree Trail to build a fire in 5 How winter

TELEMARKING 101 TURNING THE HILLS INTO A NEW KIND OF PLAYGROUND PG 16 COLUMNS

2 Publisher’s letter 8 Camping tips 11 The Book Nook 28 Gear Talk 30 Health & Fitness 34 Cool Gear section 36 Birdwatching 44 Urban Spice 51 The Green Pages 52 The Last Biscuit COVER PHOTO

Snowshoeing along the beautiful summit at Mont Tremblant.

(Photo by Station Mont Tremblant.)

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Alpine ski and snowboard safety tips

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Skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing at Le Massif

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Cold weather running: Don’t let the winter slow you down

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Nordic ski routes to prepare you for the Keskinada Loppet

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Adventure Boot Camp: improving health, fitness and state of mind

THE JOURNEY IS THE REWARD MOUNT EVEREST BID LED OTTAWA CLIMBER PEGGY FOSTER TO HER INNER SUMMIT PG 25

WINTER GEAR PG 34

PG 20 THE CANADA SKI MARATHON: SKIING INTO LASTING FRIENDSHIPS

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Our own winter wonderland.

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HHHH, THE FIRST SNOW.

Time to wax the skis, sharpen the blades, pull out the snowshoes, and prepare for Ottawa’s great outdoors. As Dave Brown we wrap up our fourth year of publication Publisher Editor-in-chief (and gear up for the fifth), we hope you’ve enjoyed reading these articles as much as we’ve enjoyed bringing them to you.

Remember also, you-the-reader can become you-the-writer by just putting your fingers to the keyboard and sending us an e-mail about an article you’d like to share. Whether it’s about a great snowshoeing trail, or any other topic you have in mind, let us know and we’ll get you started.

With that said, this issue has many articles written by readers such as you. Here are a few: on page 3, a destination piece about Calabogie’s Tall Tree Trail, a place to heighten your spiritual sensibilities. Then, get out your nordic gear and start training on the routes identified by the Keskinada Loppet organization. Next, if you’re thinking fitness, read about Ottawa’s own adventure boot camp and why women are joining.

And finally, imagine Mount Everest, as Ottawa’s own Peggy Foster reveals the road to her own internal summit on her way to the roof of the world.

Hit the slopes and blaze some trails.

“Hi! I ‘m relatively new to Ottawa, and I snapped up a copy of your magazine when I saw the cover story on four great cycling trails.

Thanks.”

Pam Alexander “I actually came across your magazine for the first time ever while I was on the treadmill at the gym and was so excited to find out all I can actually do in the Ottawa/Outaouais region. It’s a really great magazine, great work!

Danielle Godfrey “I just purchased a new two-year subscription online about two minutes ago. This is great and I look forward to receiving your magazine.”

Bruce Wolfgram “I read the article by Dr. Geoff the chiropractor [Spr/Sum’05]. It was really cool as it was along the lines of the ski lessons I teach.”

Christopher Lauzon

OTTAWA OUTDOORS WELCOMES NEW EDITOR

CONTRIBUTORS

It is with much enthusiasm that I welcome our new editor to the magazine. Roger Bird comes to Ottawa Outdoors with a lifetime of news editing and journalism teaching on top of obsessive interests in snowshoeing, hiking, skating and birding. He has worked for the Ottawa Citizen, the Globe and Mail, CBC television news and is on the editorial advisory committee of Canadian Geographic magazine. He is also an elected fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

“The match between Ottawa Outdoors and the interests of a whole bunch of our people here is wonderful,” he says. “I’m really happy to be part of this operation.” Welcome Roger.

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John Stanton—once a two-pack-a-day cigarette-smoking food executive— started a small running club in an effort to get fit and stay motivated.

He went on to launch and develop the Running Room, now North America’s largest chain of specialty running stores.

Stephanie Edwards has completed the marathon’s Coureur de Bois category six years in a row, enjoys scuba diving, and is an avid outdoor enthusiast.

Éric Brulotte is an all-outdoor sports lover you will most likely see on skis, riding his bike or running after a hot air balloon!

OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

Sarah Matthews grew up in a log home in Muskoka and is currently studying journalism in the Ryerson JRAD program. Although an avid traveler and photographer, she lives for summers in Algonquin Park and for paddling her canoe.

PUBLISHER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dave Brown MANAGING EDITOR Allen Macartney EDITOR Roger Bird DESIGN AND LAYOUT Terry Terrade, Dave Brown GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATORS Keith Milne CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Tim Yearington, Elaine Kenny, Chantal Macartney, Jo-Anne Mary Benson, Marc Plante, Dave Sampson, Stephanie Edwards, Heather Lane, Nicholas Lane, Sarah Matthews, John Stanton, Kathleen Wilker, Dr. Todd Norton, Nicola Cameron, Tony Beck, Julie St. Jean, Cathy Brown, Jenny Shields, Éric Brulotte, Brant Scott

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Tim Yearington, Allen Macartney, WP McElligott www.wpmcelligott.com, Canada Ski Patrol, Dave Sampson, RF Photos, Mike Beedell, Tony Beck, Keskinada Loppet, Julie St. Jean, National Capital Commission, Ottawa Boot Camp, Marathon Skating International

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES

Dave Brown Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Ottawa Outdoors Magazine is an independent publication published seasonally every four months.

E-mail: Advertising@OttawaOutdoors.ca Tel: 613-860-8687 / 888-228-2918 Fax: 613-860-8687

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Send your subscription info and cheque to the address below or visit www.OttawaOutdoors.ca Ottawa Outdoors Magazine 2706 Alta Vista Drive, Suite #107 Ottawa, ON K1V 7T4 Tel: 613-860-8687 Fax: 613-860-8687 E-mail: Info@OttawaOutdoors.ca Internet: www.OttawaOutdoors.ca

CONTRIBUTIONS

Ottawa Outdoors Magazine welcomes story and photo contributions. All photos should ideally be shot with colour slides or high resolution digital camera, but otherwise scanned at 300dpi resolution and burned onto a CD-ROM or e-mailed. No unsolicited contributions will be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Publisher may publish any and all communications with Ottawa Outdoors magazine, and may edit for clarity and style.

CANADIAN POSTMASTER: Return undeliverable covers to 2706 Alta Vista Drive, Suite #107, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1V 7T4. Return postage guaranteed.

Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index ISSN No. 1204-69556. © Copyright 2005.

All rights reserved. Reproduction of any materials published in Ottawa Outdoors Magazine is expressly forbidden without consent of the publisher unless otherwise agreed between partners.

Printed in Canada.

ARE YOU AN OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST WHO WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE? If you would like to submit articles or photos to Ottawa Outdoors magazine, please e-mail us: www.OttawaOutdoors.ca Editor@OttawaOutdoors.ca

The Tall Tree Trail Calabogie’s snowshoeing secret of the jingwakoki

BY TIM YEARINGTON PHOTOS BY TIM YEARINGTON TIMBER WOLVES PROWL here.

Cougars appear and disappear like ghosts. And sometimes, as the north wind paints your cheeks red, the very snowshoeing trail you’ve been following through the jingwakoki can vanish too.

In Ojibway, jingwakoki means pine forest. It’s a wilderness place where pines are akin to humans and are called the standing people, ancient ones, grandparents who will gladly talk to you and guide you upon your journey. If you care to listen.

Not far from Calabogie there is a jingwakoki that is home to more than just a ski hill. There’s a short but spectacular snowshoeing route known to locals as the Tall Tree Trail. This area long ago was covered in glaciers; then there were forests, forest fires and logging. But all in all it has grown back majestically.

The secret of this jingwakoki has always been about what’s really there, or rather about what’s really here. It’s about that, about one idea, a place called here.

Here is where the pileated woodpecker is still called the circle maker. Here is where the spirit of Pagwadjinini (the sasquatch or wild man) still roams the deepest parts of

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the jingwakoki, and shows us the truth about living wild and free. Here is where Mother Earth is still embodied as a turtle and the spirit of Father Sky soars as an eagle. Here is where the Tall Tree Trail still waves at you in the wind on the edge of a ridge. It’s here – right here – that’s far beyond a walk in the park and it’s here that contains way more than rabbit tracks in the snow.

To local residents, the Tall Tree Trail is sacred; it’s a pathway where Mother Earth merges harmoniously with Father Sky to create a here composed of rockhard reality.

The trail brings you to a narrow pond where a granite cliff towers into the sky.

It is here, atop this red rock face, where the true Tall Tree Trail becomes visible.

Like a native zig-zag design, a high horizon of pines lines its craggy horizon.

The best way to experience the trail is on snowshoes when wintergreen berries have turned red and juniper (or sky berries) have turned blue. Try one

of each, and keep an open mind to what you’ll see next.

The trail can be snowshoed in and out again in less than two hours from your vehicle, and the trail’s best use is as a gateway to deeper parts of the jingwakoki. Snow enables you to visit places difficult to reach in summer. There’s not much undergrowth, no leaves to block the view, no mud, no bugs. Ponds and swamps are easily crossed and are a great spot to be in the sun or build a campfire to roast those now-frozen wieners you brought along for your children and the kid that’s still inside you.

Traditional ash and rawhide snowshoes know their way through snow and through the jingwakoki as well. They are made of the very essence of the trees and animals you are there to experience.

And they’re quiet. They don’t yell out, Human coming! to the timber wolf you just missed around the bend.

Treat yourself to a winter adventure.

Make tracks to explore the deep snow

OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

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GETTING THERE WEAR WARM WINTER clothing and bring spare socks, hat, mitts and plenty of water.

Sunglasses on a bright day are a good idea. Bring a thermos of something hot to drink, as well as trail snacks. A camera, binoculars and field guides are handy. This route has a gentle roll, and is not rugged or extremely hilly. Ski poles will help if the snow is deep.

Take Highway 417 west beyond Arnprior to the intersection of Highway 508. Exit left and drive through Burnstown and Springtown until you get to Calabogie. Keep going west beyond the Highway 511 junction at Munford’s Gas. You’ll see the ski hill in the distance.

Continue past Calabogie Peaks Resort.

Zero your odometer at the ski hill parking lot and continue up the main road for three kilometres. As the road levels you will see a small rock cut on the left. It may be marked with an Inukshuk, or it may not. Park here.

The trail entrance is an old logging road that runs due south. Triangular yellow signs with “ttt” indicate the Tall Tree Trail that runs about 1.5 kilometres to the pond and the rock cliff. Follow your own tracks back, or return via the pond parallel to the trail. (This means bushwhacking from the end of the pond to meet the trail again.)

Be well on your way back before it gets dark, and carry a flashlight, headlamp and compass just in case. Avoid any water that may not be frozen solid, and stick to the shore of the pond. Don’t try to ascend the base of the cliff area on snowshoes. There are cavities in the fallen rock scree and around boulders, so you could be injured or stuck. Bears have been known to hibernate among these rocks too. This rock face is a sacred native site, so treat it with respect. All you bring in, bring out. Happy tracks!

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OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

of the Calabogie area. Bring along your sense of adventure like a wildlife lover brings along a field guide to animal tracks. Bring along something to feed the thirst and hunger of your body, but don’t worry about food for your spirit.

The jingwakoki itself will provide for that.

You’ll hear voices your ears cannot hear. You’ll see things your eyes cannot see. You’ll find treasures you weren’t even aware you were seeking. Come here and taste its reality. Absorb it like

snowflakes that land on your tongue and become a part of who you are.

Snow falls and snow blows. Trails come and trails go. But in the heart of the jingwakoki the Tall Tree Trail will always be here.

≈ Tim Yearington lives near Calabogie, Ont. His passion is to share his Objibwe spirit in his artwork, his writing or in time spent with others.

He guides snowshoeing adventures through the Adventure Centre at Calabogie Peaks Resort.

For more information call 752-2720 ext. 1705, or www3.sympatico.ca/yearington, or yearington@ sympatico.ca

Quest for fire PHOTO BY RF STOCK

How to build a fire in winter

BY CHANTAL MACARTNEY

BUILDING A FIRE. This is one of the most important skills to master when camping, especially in winter. Fire provides warmth and light. It can be used to cook food or to dry damp clothes. Here are some ideas to get your campfire started and keep it going, whatever the weather or season.

THE RIGHT SITE

The first step in preparing a fire is to locate a good site for it. There are some obvious places to avoid, especially those near trees or under low-hanging branches. You don’t want your fire to suddenly engulf an entire tree. Find a flat area at least six metres away from your tent (tent fabric is highly flammable and sparks are a hazard).

Windy locations can mean a fire that flares up and burns out of control.

If you have to, dig a fire pit or build a windbreak using rocks and green wood in summer, or blocks of snow or ice in winter. The fire pit should be surrounded with rocks or sand – anything that won’t catch fire. Clear away dry leaves and garbage. If they ignite and blow around, they could become a hazard.

Any fire in winter risks early extinction in wet snow. An old pot or frying pan used as a base will keep out most of the snow, giving you a nice dry fire that lasts.

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JUMPSTART YOUR FIRE

Pine cones are some of the best natural fire-starters available. You don’t have to buy them; they fall abundantly in summer and fall around the campsite.

What’s more, if you’re camping with young children you can enlist them as enthusiastic collectors. Even in winter, sometimes you’ll find freshly fallen pine cones lying in the snow. Try to collect 20 or 30. Once you have them, you’ll find that starting fires is a lot easier.

Why? Because they are full of highly flammable pine sap. Keep cones dry by storing them under a tarp or in the vestibule of your tent (though they retain most of their fire-starting qualities even when wet).

Another great fire starter is a cotton ball saturated in petroleum jelly (e.g.

Vaseline). Dip the ball in the jelly, and work it in with your fingers until there are no dry cotton areas left. It might take you up to three or four minutes. Film canisters are the perfect place to store the saturated balls. (You can fit about 25 of them into one canister.)

Try combining these two great ideas: pine cones and petroleum jelly-saturated cotton balls. Here’s how. Take a large pine cone and push a cotton ball fire starter into one of the “leaves.” Light the cotton fire-starter, and turn the cone upside down so the flames climb up into it.

Place it against a rock and place two or three other pine cone cotton ball combinations against it. Then slowly feed in the kindling. Don’t over-stack a struggling fire with too much kindling, or

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add large pieces of wood too soon. Let a confident flame build up, and slowly feed it.

KEEPING IT DRY

If it’s wet outside, look around for a wide, flat piece of wood to place over your struggling fire. Don’t put the wood too close to the flames, but let it act as a roof. It won’t burn because the rain keeps it damp enough to just smoke. I’ve kept a blazing fire going throughout an hour-long downpour using this method.

Store wood in a dry location, out of the way until you need it. A good place might be under your tarpaulin, or even in a large plastic bag.

PHOTO BY ALLEN MACARTNEY

WHICH WOOD IS BEST?

Fires built with softwood (e.g. pine, spruce, hemlock – anything with needles) will be hot and short-lived. Fires built with hardwood (anything with leaves) are slow-burning and produce long-lasting coals – perfect for cooking baked potatoes or roasted vegetables.

Simply wrap them in aluminum foil and put them in the coals for half an hour. Add a bit of sour cream and cheese, and you’ll have a new favourite camping dish – something that’s both highly nutritious and requires no clean-up.

If it’s available, peat moss is a great fuel to keep a fire going, but it’s awfully smoky.

Although there’s something romantic about preparing all your meals over an open fire, it’s much easier cooking on a propane or Coleman stove. Campfires can be unpredictable and lack consistent heat if it’s raining or blowing.

SAFETY POINTERS

Respect all fire bans. If the park says it’s too dangerous to light a fire, then don’t. Besides, breaking the rules can lead to an expensive fine.

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OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

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If you’re camping with children, lay down strict fire rules. Children shouldn’t light fires and only adults should handle the fire once it is lit. And don’t permit running or playing around the fire area.

Cutting down trees is against the law

in provincial or national parks unless it’s a matter of personal survival. So, never do it.

Few things can warm the heart during a camping trip like a fire.

Following these simple tips will ensure you have better, safer campfires.

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CAMPING TIPS FOR NOVICES AND EXPERTS

BY CHANTAL MACARTNEY

Winter basics you want to remember YOU’RE TIRED AND COLD. Darkness is approaching fast. It’s time to set up camp.

Looking around the forest, you notice a nice place to put your tent. There’s only one problem; PHOTO BY NATIONAL CAPITAL COMMISSION

not only is the snow knee-deep, but it’s wet too.

Here are some basics to remember before you’ve reached the end of your patience, and your camping trip becomes a horrible endurance test.

COMFORTS OF HOME

Although it’s almost always best to set up your tent on a thick, compressed bed of snow (it makes great insulation), sometimes in early winter you’ll have to set it up on bare, frozen ground, or on a thin snow covering. Avoid putting it up on lake ice. You’ll be much warmer tucking your tent in among trees that will offer some wind protection.

Whatever you do, carry a double thickness of closed-cell sleeping mat to provide an extra measure of comfort against the cold.

If the snow cover is thin, setting up a tent can be a challenge because the ground is frozen granite-hard. Instead of those metal or plastic tent pegs you used all summer, bring along some 15-cm long spikes. If you resent lugging heavy metal nails through the bush, look for things you can use around the campsite, like dead branches or logs. If there is lots of deadfall lying around (of course, never cut a live tree down), cut some the length of your tent, and lay it on the ground alongside your winter home.

Then, simply tie your guy lines to the branches. To keep branches from moving, weigh them down by placing rocks, ice or snow blocks on them. But don’t put branches directly on or against the tent fabric, which can tear easily.

Once your tent is up, make life easier around camp by tramping down

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OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

the snow. Walk around with snowshoes until you get the snow down to a level and firmness that will allow you to wear just boots.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

As the temperature drops, ice gets harder, but it can still appear stronger than it is. This is something to watch for when skiing or snowshoeing across a pond, lake or stream. Clear ice is strongest, while grey ice indicates water close to the surface. Don’t cross any open ice unless you’re sure that it is at least 7 cm thick – more if you’re wearing regular winter boots.

Remember that liquid fuels (e.g. white gas) freeze at a much lower temperature than water. This means they can be intensely cold, but remain liquid. (Freezing burns can be as serious as regular heat ones.) So don’t spill any fuel on your skin or on thin gloves where it can soak through.

If you’re using an ax, take extra precautions. It’s all too easy for a blade to slide or glance off frozen wood, and slice into a foot. And be careful where you put down saws, axes, and shovels.

You might end up losing them in the snow.

Avoid attracting animals by leaving food around camp. Follow the same storage procedures for your food as you would in summer. Hang your food at

least three metres above the ground, and don’t bring any of it into your tent – not even gorp (good old raisins and peanuts). Many animals hibernate throughout winter, but others (e.g. squirrels) wake up from their sleep many times and scavenge for snacks.

Warm, damp skin can get “welded” to icy metal in an instant. You learned this as a kid, so reinforce the lesson. If your skin does come in contact with cold metal and it sticks, pour on warm water – not hot! Just melt the film of ice, don’t scald your skin.

WARMTH IN SITE

Campers with the lightest-weight winter sleeping bags should be positioned in the middle of the tent or igloo, away from doors or other drafty areas.

Sandwiched between others, they’ll stay warm as long as they have good insulation under them.

A groundsheet under your tent keeps moisture and condensation out. Cut it a little smaller than the tent ahead of time, and tuck any visible parts underneath when setting up.

A nutritious snack (not sugar) before bed will help fuel your internal furnace.

You’ll have a better sleep with some food in you than if you go to bed hungry.

When you’re cold, you get hungry and grumpy more easily. And cooking takes what seems like an eternity in

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GETTING THE BITE OUT OF FROST

Frostbite (skin that appears discoloured, waxy or white) occurs when body tissue freezes. It’s easy to spot when on exposed skin surfaces.

Fingers, toes and the face are the most likely body parts to be affected. Common sense and constant attention will usually prevent it. As well as a white or waxy appearance, another symptom of frostbite includes a loss of feeling or sensation. If you discover frostbite, cover and warm the area with your hand.

Rubbing a frostbitten area – popular 30 years ago – only causes skin damage, so don’t do it.

A winter camping trip is the worst time to drink alcohol. Liquor, in any form, makes you feel warmer than your body actually is – a dangerous deception. Stay clear of alcohol on cold nights. Instead, keep hydrated with warm fluids and lots of water.

Layer your clothes and wear a hat. If you start getting chilled, take a break to warm up.

Winter camping is a different world than its summer equivalent, but taking precautions and using common sense can ensure fun and adventure, with an added northern dimension.

≈ Chantal Macartney has winter camped in a snow house, a tent, and a rustic and drafty Gatineau cabin.

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OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

Simon Yates

“Beyond the Void” Wednesday January 11

“...the man who cut the rope.”

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winter months. So, pre-cook at least some meals at home. This way, on cold evenings when you don’t feel like cooking for an hour or more, you’ll only have to warm up dinner.

Clothes worn all day are sweaty, and damp clothes take heat away from your body. Keep dry clothes in your sleeping bag for bedtime to keep you warm. These should include thick socks, mitts and a toque.

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THE BOOK NOOK

BY JO-ANNE MARY BENSON THE ADIRONDACKS,

BY T. MORRIS LONGSTRETH (BLACK DOME PRESS CORP./AMAZON.CA $16.82) ANY BOOK THAT can stand the test of time is one worth reading, and that is certainly the case with this title. In 1916, T. Morris Longstreth set out on a six-month backpacking expedition with a friend. The original idea involved just satisfying their love of the outdoors and adventure, with a chunk of wanderlust thrown in. Realizing there were no books about the Adirondacks, the pair committed themselves to a thorough exploration of much of the park and sharing their discoveries through writing a book.

This re-release of Longstreth’s original 1917 text allows readers to discover the Adirondacks within that time frame. This area has always had much to offer, and this old book provides an armchair scouting tour with Longstreth, which will add further delight to any visitor’s experience, with its description of the park in a simpler time.

To those who have frequented the park, it offers an historical perspective and commentary on well-known areas such as Cranberry Lake, Ausable Chasm, and Mount Jo. An added benefit includes lots of inviting information about less frequented locations.

You’ll notice occasional anachronistic phraseology as a reminder of the book’s origins – a style (and observations) very similar to Thoreau’s writing in the mid-l800s, but without the introspection. Travelling with only the aid of a horse to help pack their basic supplies and gear, the pair’s travelogue has chapters on flora, fauna and weather and is enhanced with insights about the Lake Placid Club – founded by renowned library organizer Melvil Dewey, and the anti-slavery work of John Brown.

Of particular interest are the statistics cited from the early l900s and the book’s modern-sounding attitudes on such themes as conservation, clear-cutting, and reforestation. As a result of early conservation measures, the park has doubled in size since Longstreth’s time.

This book is a gem. Don’t miss it.

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READING TIME WELL SPENT: Bicycling Magazine’s Training Techniques for Cyclists, edited by Ben Hewitt (Rodale Press, $13.95) v Cross-Country Skiing: Building Skills for Fun and Fitness, Steve Hindman (The Mountaineers Books, $24.95) v The Practical Encyclopedia of Yoga and Pilates, by Bel Gibbs (Lorenz Books, $51.99) v Hatha Yoga Illustrated, by Martin Kirk (Human Kinetics $19.95) v Lady Franklin’s Revenge: A True Story of Ambition, Obsession and the Remaking of Arctic History, by Ken McGoogan (Harper Collins, $36.95)

k for On tralcue yonder. b d l i w the

OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

11

Ski and snowboard safety is no accident

BY MARC PLANTE MOST PEOPLE PREFER to stay on top of their skis, kicking up powder, not chasing after them or sitting in the chalet nursing frostbite. The men and women in the blue and yellow jackets, members of the Canadian Ski Patrol, have the same idea in mind. They want you to have a great day on the hills.

These volunteers spend their time and energy promoting safe skiing and boarding. Of course, when things go wrong, they provide firstaid in the snow.

A good way to avoid an unexpected visit by Ski Patrol members might begin with reviewing basic elements of ski and snowboard safety:

} Be aware of other people on the hill. } Stay in control. } Maintain your equipment. } Ski or ride within your ability. } Warm up, stretch before heading out, because skiing can push your body hard.

Think of yourself as a driver and your skis or snowboard as the vehicle.

On the road, do you merge into oncoming traffic without looking over your shoulder? Do you go hell-bent for speed, ignoring road signs? Do you accelerate downhill until you lose control? Of course not, so don’t do it on the slopes. Just like driving a vehicle, alpine sports contain elements of speed, precision and decision-making. On the road, you don’t merge into oncoming traffic without checking, or park your car in the middle of the highway. You don’t blaze through red lights and stop signs.

If it makes no sense on the highway, it makes no sense on the hill.

GET INTO PRE-SEASON SHAPE

PHOTO BY CANADA SKI PATROL

Your most important piece of equipment is your body. Exercise and diet before the snow falls can make the winter months more enjoyable and safe – free of needless injuries. You’ll also feel better after a hard workout on skis.

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PHOTO BY WP MCELLIGOTT – WWW.WPMCELLIGOTT.COM (TAKEN AT MONT STE. MARIE)

Staying physically fit is simple, even if you’ve spent the summer by the pool sipping margaritas and munching nachos. Try running, swimming, and biking. All you need is 20 minutes of aerobic activity three times a week.

Or visit your local gym where trainers would be happy to set you up with a program designed for leg strength and stamina.

In most ski areas, long gone are the days of slow, fixed-grip lifts. Multipassenger gondolas and high-speed chairlifts mean more of your time is spent on the snow instead of standing in line. The quicker it takes to get to the top of the mountain, the more runs you’ll be able to take, and the more likely you’ll ski yourself into exhaustion. So be wise.

Recognize when it’s time for a rest.

MAINTAIN YOUR EQUIPMENT

Make sure your equipment is in top form. This means digging it out of the basement for a trip to the ski shop for a professional tune-up before your first ski trip. Get your edges sharpened, and have a ski technician fill in any gouges in your bases left over from last spring.

Check your binding settings; they should be adjusted to your weight and level of expertise. Both may have changed from last year! And above all, ensure that your boots and bindings fit you as well as each other. If you get your skis and boards in early to the technician, you’ll be ready when the snow flies. www.OttawaOutdoors.ca

Listen to the weather forecast before you leave. Dress in layers, preferably in fabrics that wick moisture away from the skin. Cotton is not one of these. Wear a hat. Your mother was right: you lose precious body heat from an uncovered head. Socks, good; too many socks, bad. Layering many pairs of socks may not keep your feet warmer if your boots don’t fit, and that means less circulation and warmth in those tender toes.

You may not be at the beach, but snow glare can still lead to sunburn, so use sunblock. At the other end of the firstaid spectrum is frostbite, so cover up on really cold days and protect your ears, nose, cheeks, fingers and toes. If you notice skin turning from rosy red to white and waxy splotches, go inside fast.

You’ve got frostbite! Warm up and cover up quickly. Never rub the affected area, as this can damage the skin. Instead, use your hand, firm but still, to warm it slowly.

BE AWARE – SKI WITH CARE

PHOTO BY CANADA SKI PATROL

Control. To have it, you must be aware of your skill level, the terrain and the people around you. Get distracted, go too fast, lose your confidence, forget about where you are or what you’re doing, and you become a liability – to yourself and others.

Get to know the colour and shapes of signs on ski hills as well as you know traffic lights. A blue circle means a run designed for beginners; a green square indicates intermediate to advanced; black diamond (single, double) is for experts only. If you don’t have the skills, keep practising. Ski and ride within your ability. It’s not only foolish, but also dangerous to give in to scary challenges made by thoughtless friends.

Injuries can and do happen, but many are avoidable. Here are some reasons they occur: } Fatigue. Just before lunch and after 2 p.m. energy levels are low and skiers and snowboarders get tired. } Early season klutziness happens when skiers and snowboarders are out of practice. } Lousy weather. This can lead to low visibility and ice. Skiers and boarders lose control more easily when they encounter either. } Poor judgment. Like, “Hmm, this looks pretty steep. I think I’ll try it anyway.” } Speed and control. These are dangerous when they don’t go hand in hand, and especially when the slope is crowded and doesn’t match the skill level of those on it. } Lame gear. Improperly adjusted bindings or ill-fitting equipment increase the risk of injury.

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OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

So what should you do if you witness, find or are involved in an accident? } Prevent further injury (to yourself and others). Mark the site by crossing your skis uphill from the accident.

This is the universal signal for a skiing accident. It tells others to stay clear and signals the ski patrol that help is needed. If the injured person cannot be easily seen from above (such as the landing of a jump), send someone uphill to divert or slow the passing traffic. } Send someone for help. Notify the lift operator, a patroller or an employee – they can all get on the radio for help. } Clear the area. If people stop to help, thank them and let them know you have notified the patrol and ask them to move on down the hill. } Stay calm and stay with the injured person until help arrives. Do not move the injured person or give them anything to eat or drink, even if they ask. Do not remove skis, snowboards or boots. } Once the patrol arrives, they are in charge. But stand by – they may need some information about what happened, or possibly even your help.

Give a statement to the patrol once they are finished their rescue.

What’s the bottom line? Check your equipment before you leave. Then when you get to the hill, watch where you’re going, dress for the weather, and stop skiing if you don’t feel well. This will mean days full of perfect turns, kicking 180s, and avoiding pain or worse. Paying attention to these tips will guarantee (almost) a great season.

≈ Marc Plante is an Ottawa native who works for Health Canada. He is an avid downhill skier and member of the Canadian Ski Patrol.

www.OttawaOutdoors.ca

PHOTO BY CANADA SKI PATROL

DRESS APPROPRIATELY

Telemarking 101 Turning the hills into a new kind of playground

BY DAVE SAMPSON YOU’VE SEEN THEM on the slopes, knees bent, flying down the hill on weird-looking skis with floppy heels.

They call themselves tele-crashers or pinheads, free heelers, or hippies on sticks. They come in different flavours.

The “old school” maintains a dress code of leather boots and three-pin bindings, straight alpine skis, wool pants and jacket, toques with ear flaps topped with a tassel. And granola-filled pockets.

Their young urban professional companions prefer plastic, flexible boots, scientifically engineered hourglass-shaped parabolic skis tipped up both front and back, with releasable bindings and guided by lightweight telescoping poles. It’s all topped off with an injection-molded plastic helmet.

And let’s not forget the super-breathable waterproof synthetics.

What is going on with these people?

They’re telemark skiers, aficionados of a style of skiing that could turn the hills into a new kind of playground for you.

Telemark skiing is often described as “cross-country skiing downhill,” but it

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uses different gear and techniques from either, and is more than both.

It all started way back in 1868 when Sondre Auersen Norheim from the Telemarkland region of Norway adapted the stance he used to land from a ski jump to turn sharply while hurtling down a slope. His technique has come down to us as “telemark” — skiers performing not only turns but a graceful dance.

Want to try it? Get out of your chair, hang on to the magazine, and follow these directions.

Stand with your knees slightly bent, legs shoulder-width apart and your weight distributed evenly on both feet. Pretend you’re wearing skis. Step forward slightly with one foot, and drag the toes of your rear foot forward until they are 15 to 30 centimetres behind, and diagonal to, the heel of the forward foot. The rear leg balances on the ball of the foot with the heel in the air and knee bent in, while the front foot with heel down balances on the arch. Your front knee is bent at about 45 degrees. The Page 1

S E T Y O U R O W N PA C E

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somewhere between your chin and forehead.

Boots. Most resort skiers opt for the modern plastic boot, but some backcountry purists are still on the leathers. Unlike alpine boots, telemark boots are designed to flex at the toe, but are more rigid and supportive, protecting the ankle from injury and distributing the forces of the body throughout the skis. They’re also comfortable to walk in for short distances.

The bindings allow the free vertical movement of the heel. The toe is held in place with a steel toe piece or three metal pins (hence the term pinhead).

Tension comes from a spring at the toe or two spring-loaded cartridges attached to a cable clamped around the heel.

Poles are perhaps the simplest piece of gear to get. Go to an alpine ski shop.

Have them size you up. Then turn around and buy the same pole five to 10 centimetres shorter.

Now that we’re all geared up, let’s discover more about the sport. Telemark sounds demanding, but it’s not really. If you can climb a flight of stairs, you can probably learn to “tele.” And if you’re a downhill or cross-country skier you can learn quickly. There’s a payoff in health, in backcountry exploration, or just more time away from the office. The sport is highly addictive.

This is a moderate- to high-energy activity. The workout comes from a series of graceful (that’s the word on-

PHOTO BY WP MCELLIGOTT – WWW.WPMCELLIGOTT.COM (TAKEN AT CAMP FORTUNE)

resulting lower body position increases stability while turning and readies the legs to act as shock absorbers. Welcome to your first tele (pronounced TELL-EE) stance.

Stand like this for five minutes and feel the burn. And imagine the feeling of turning and sliding over fresh snow.

To add to the feeling, your back should be straight to keep the upper body balanced between both feet. Lift your chin parallel to the floor and look forward. Roll your shoulders back and hold your hands in front of the body as if you are carrying a case of beer. This means your shoulders will point square down the fall line. (If you were to drop a tennis ball at the top of the slope, the path it follows is the fall line.)

Because their heels are not attached to their skis, telemark skiers need to use this position to have a more stable stance than an alpine standing posture would offer them. If you move your weight too far forward, you get a face full of snow.

Too far back and you’ll find yourself sitting instead of skiing.

Thank you. You can sit down. Now you might wonder what kind of gear you need to achieve all this. For basics, all it takes is skis, boots, bindings and poles.

The skis can be the same length as an alpine ski (or slightly shorter), depending on their shape or curvature.

The more shape or curve, the shorter the ski can be. If the tail of the ski is placed on your toe, the tip might reach

PHOTO BY DAVE SAMPSON

18

After you’ve got the telemark stance under control, the next step involves learning a snowplow or wedge with your skis. By changing the pressure and angle of the skis, you can control your speed and ultimately stop being pulled down the fall line. This is good; it prevents terror. Even hard-core telemarkers rely on this technique from time to time.

Pressure applied to the ski on the outside of the turn determines direction.

If you want to turn left, shift 60 percent of your weight to the right ski. If you keep turning, you eventually face uphill and stop. So you always have the choice of how fast you move.

So what about the tele stance? Well after you make your first turn, but before you’re facing uphill, you’ll be traveling across the fall line instead of down the hill. This is where the stable position of the tele stance comes in. If you just completed a left-hand turn, the majority of your weight will be on the right-hand ski. Therefore, your right leg will be your forward-and-downhill ski. It has the flat heel and knee bent at 45 degrees.

Your left ski is uphill, slightly behind and freeing the heel. A simple pattern of wedge turn-to-tele stance-to-wedge-turn starts to emerge. Keep your chin up and hands forward.

As you progress in your skill of shifting your body weight, the wedge turn evolves into a parallel turn, where the telemark stance carves through the snow. As you prepare to enter a corner, start by standing tall, skis evenly spaced and side by side. The first part of the turn is a slow descent into a tele stance.

By the apex of the turn you are at your lowest point, your shoulders are pointing straight down the fall line and you start to stand up again. By the time you’re standing tall, it’s time to shift the weight, reposition the skis and start your next approach.

Chin up and hands forward, and don’t drop the beer.

After mastering the basics, you can follow many routes to reach telemark utopia. If racing is your style, there is

PHOTO BY DAVE SAMPSON

lookers use) movements that keep the heart pumping and muscles working. Try walking down the street doing a telemark stance on each stride. Your heart should be pumping just thinking about it.

The carefully executed moderate knee bends you may have seen on the slopes demand reaction from not only the legs, but every muscle the body uses to stabilize itself. By mid-season, expect to have bulked up your leg muscles, firmed your buttocks, and increased your cardiovascular endurance.

Learning to tele means slowing down for a bit. No more straight-lining the most advanced territory, hacking and slashing through the bumps, and throwing caution to the winds. Wait for the learning curve.

Telemark Ski Canada. These races include navigating race gates, sailing over dropoffs, and even uphill climbing.

If you’re addicted to bumps and the glades, buy a helmet and join other telecrashers in the bush. Mogul fields are a favourite test of whether you’ve been eating your Wheaties. (Contrary to legend, moguls are not stored in freezers for the summer and strategically placed for the ski season. Mogul fields are created from the piles of snow that form from skiers turning. If it were not for grooming machines, every slope would be an obstacle course of Volkswagen Beetlesized bumps. Moguls form easily among scattered trees on runs called glades.)

FESTIVAL

DATE

LOCATION

INFORMATION

New England Telemark

Dec. 10 and 11

Jay Peak, Vt.

www.netelemark.com

New England Telemark

Jan. 21 and 22

Cannon Mountain, N.H.

www.netelemark.com

Rendezvous Telemark

Jan. 28 and 29

Le Massif, Que.

www.lemassif.com

Telefestival

Feb. 17, 18, 19

Mont Comi, Que.

www.mont-comi.qc.ca

New England Telemark

Feb. 25 and 26

Sunday River, Maine

www.netelemark.com

Telemarch

March 4

Mont Ste-Marie, Que.

www.montstemarie.com

North American Telemark Org.

March 11 and 12

Mad River Glenn, Vt.

www.telemarknato.com

OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

www.OttawaOutdoors.ca

If you get your reality checks while flying through the air on your board, check out freeheelers in your terrain park, and offer them the proper respect.

If you want to avoid the crowds, grab the winter camping gear, check out the backcountry lore and get hors piste. Free the heels, and the mind will follow.

Exploration off the beaten track is what has driven this sport for decades.

With the right gear, some practice and a few friends, a winter weekend can be turned into a mix of exploration, exhilaration and tranquility. The Gatineau and Laurentians offer plenty of moderate backcountry skiing with hidden slopes, camping and hut-tohut treks. Quebec’s Chic-Chocs and the northeastern United States offer advanced backcountry terrain.

If ski resorts are your style, you can spend almost every winter weekend exploring a new resort within easy reach of Ottawa. Close to home, telemark skiers gather at Camp Fortune for “twofor-one tele Tuesdays,” named after Fortune’s Tuesday night skiing deals.

Tuesdays or not, probably you’ll see a handful of telemarkers anywhere, sticking to groomed runs, hugging the treeline, playing in the glades, dropping chairlift corridors, battling the mogul field or displaying ballet-like grace on hard-packed corduroy. Maybe they know something you don’t.

Seeking out likeminded telemarkers will lead you to Freeheelers United – a club representing more than 100 telemark skiers, instructors and organizations. They work with retailers to host demonstration days where you can try tele gear for free. The club also offers lessons and clinics with certified instructors, publishes an e-newsletter with tips, tricks, articles, gear swaps, car pooling and the latest telemark activities in the region and beyond.

Visit www.freeheelers.net for more info.

Freeheelers United and Mountain Equipment Co-Op will be hosting the third annual Telemarch Fest, Saturday March 4, 2006 at Mont Ste-Marie (www.montstemarie.com). You can try the gear, and get an introduction lesson from an instructor. No festival would be complete without a draw for

www.OttawaOutdoors.ca

free swag and listening to tall tales of Telemark freedom.

≈ Dave Sampson graduated from the outdoor recreation department at Lakehead University and is now a photographer, geographer and telemark ski instructor. He has been a wilderness guide and instructor since 1995.

RETAILERS Mountain Equipment Co-op www.mec.ca 366 Richmond Rd. 613-729-2700 Kiwi Mikes www.thecyclery.ca/ 1073 Bank St. 613-730-2856

LOCAL LESSONS AND CLINICS Freeheelers United www.Freeheelers.net FreeheelersUnited@sympatico.ca

Take your

Peak.

The choice couldn’t have been much easier; ski fast or ski longer. Camp Fortune is only 15 minutes away from downtown Ottawa. And Mont Ste. Marie boasts the highest vertical in the region.

This season, take advantage of great skiing conditions, lessons, weekday and weekend packages and enjoy the premier skiing destinations in the area.

Canadian Association of Nordic Ski Instructors www.cansi.ca 4531 Southclark Place, Ottawa 613-822-1267

GEARING UP } If you’ve never attempted the sport, try before you buy. There will be demonstration days and a telemark festival around Ottawa this winter where you can try out gear with experts on hand. } Many people start with a well-used pair of alpine skis with a wood core and moderate rigidity. With a pair of tele bindings, your heels are free to move vertically. The flex patterns differ between bindings but generally the steeper the terrain the stiffer you want the flex. For heavy backcountry routes, softer springs are available.

www. campfortune.com

call (819) 827-1717

} Have a certified technician mount your skis. Then be kind to your feet. Spend money on comfortable, properly fitting boots, new or used.

} Remember that the best deals come at the end of the season. If you miss out, look for last year’s stock. Others pick off the best selection of new equipment quickly before the snow even falls, by watching the retail floor like hawks. But there’s lots of used gear out there on message and bulletin boards. Just ask any telemarker. If you’re nice, they’ll tell you where to find the used gear.

www. montstemarie.com

call (819) 467-5200

OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

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Skiing into lasting friendships

BY STEPHANIE EDWARDS IT WAS PITCH black at 5:30 a.m. as two friends and I stumbled off the bus to join hundreds of others with skis squeaking on the cold snow, jostling for position, trying to keep warm, waiting for the start. Then with a big yell we all started off, headlamps bobbing like Christmas lights down the trail.

We were just outside Lachute, Quebec, and this was our first Canadian Ski Marathon. Before the day was over I was both weary and exhilarated with this new chapter in a life of cross-country skiing and its tight friendships.

How did I get here? Well, it’s been a long trail. I learned to cross-country ski shortly after learning to walk. I spent winter days following my dad through the bush and fields behind our house, thrilled by the sound and feel of snow underfoot, the sense of glee that came with counting kilometres at the end of the outing. I was confident dad would get me through these adventures, with ski wax in one pocket and emergency rations in the other.

I refined my technique, and my love for the sport soared as I grew older. I joined a cross-country ski instruction

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OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

program for kids called the Jackrabbits, then a racing club at high school. I was a good skier, but not a great one. After a particularly crushing defeat during one race, my coach pulled me aside and put it all into perspective with the words, “Skiing is for life.” He meant, to relax and enjoy the sport.

Later, I chose a university with a dedicated cross-country ski team and joined up as soon as I arrived. Skiers from my team and other universities in southern Ontario became not only my training partners, but my social network.

We lived together, trained together, and travelled together for four years. So when it came time to leave university and enter the real world, we thought hard about how we would maintain our skiing and our friendships as we went off in separate directions.

It was then that we heard about the Canadian Ski Marathon (CSM), an event that was supposed to be challenging though non-competitive. After more than a decade of racing, that concept hardly made sense to me. But in the fall of 1998, without really knowing what we were getting into, two friends and I signed up.

This unusual event involves skiing any length of a 160-kilometre trail that runs from Gatineau to Lachute (or from Lachute to Gatineau – the direction reverses every year). The trail has 10 sections. Participants entering as “Tourers” pay $120 to ski any number of those sections. (A bus will transport them between sections if they want.) We opted for the more challenging “Coureur de Bois” (currently priced at $165), which required that we ski the entire distance over two days.

Accommodation on the Friday night before the event and the Saturday night in the middle of it varies from sheer luxury to spartan make-do. Some participants splurge for a night or two at the Fairmont Chateau Montebello, located at the half-way point ($425 for the weekend, including meals). Others opt for local bed-and-breakfasts or hotels. In an attempt to experience the marathon to the fullest, we stayed at the “dorm” – the floor of Polyvalente LouisJoseph Papineau high school. Waking up just after 4 a.m., we shuffled down to a bacon and eggs breakfast, decided what wax and food to carry, and boarded a school bus for the start line and those bobbing headlamps.

When the sun finally rose, I realized just how “cross-country” the marathon was. While most events like this involve trail loops in small areas of semimanicured, semi-wilderness, the CSM trail is entirely different.

Landowners let skiers pass over their property each year simply out of

PHOTO BY CANADA SKI MARATHON

The Canadian Ski Marathon

Greg Christie’s Ski Works

Kunstadt Sports

Pecco’s

Fresh Air Experience

148 Old Chelsea Road (819) 827-5340 1-800-345-4734 Chelsea, Quebec www.gregchristies.com

462 Hazeldean Road, Ottawa (613) 831-2059

86 Murray Street, Ottawa (613) 562-9602

1583 Bank Street, Ottawa (613) 260-0696 www.kunstadt.com

79 Rue Laval, Hull 771-8933 www.peccos.com

1291 Wellington Street (613) 729-3002 1-877-722-3002 Ottawa, Ontario www.freshairexp.com

goodwill and support for the event. A dedicated crew spends months preparing the trail, packing it once the snow flies and throughout the winter, ensuring well-groomed double tracks even when the weather gets hostile (the event has never been cancelled in its 40-year history).

The result is a trail that carves its way through picturesque countryside, farm fields, through woodlots, across frozen lakes and alongside rivers, doing whatever it needs to do to get from beginning to end. Checkpoints are a welcome sight with smiling volunteers serving up hot drinks, chocolate-covered peanuts, granola bars and soup.

Perhaps more impressive than the trail is the range of people on it.

Approximately 2,000 skiers participate each year, split evenly between skiers from Ottawa-Gatineau, Montreal, and New England. Participants range in age from five years old to 75, and their experience spans from novice to exOlympians. No gear snobbery here, where wool sweaters mix happily with Spandex and Gortex.

Although the marathon is not a race, it’s intense. Coureur du Bois participants must finish four out of five sections each day by 3 p.m. It dawned on my two friends and I that races were no preparation for such a long trek. We had to sprint the last 10 kilometres, giving it everything we had, which by that time wasn’t much. We dragged ourselves back to the dorm, exhausted, only to crawl out of our sleeping bags on Sunday morning, aching all over, to start the second day.

Undaunted, we have completed the CSM every year since. After completing the “silver” category (skiing the full distance with a five-kilogram pack), we graduated to “gold,” meaning that we ski the same distance with enough gear to sleep outside overnight. We arrive at gold camp each year to find fires started and a widening circle of friends gathered around them. It’s puffy time: puffy coats and puffy boots, and after an afternoon and evening of food, drink and a year’s catchup, we climb into puffy sleeping bags.

Mont Tremblant’s Finest Chalets Chalets and condos — ranging from one bedroom to five bedrooms. . . all different styles and price range.

• Located near Tremblant, Mt Blanc, and Gray Rocks.

• Snowmobile trails, cross country ski, tubing, and much more!

• Catering Contact Nicole Owen and John Usher for more information today!

1-866-282-6644 www.TremblantHoliday.com 22

OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

www.OttawaOutdoors.ca

Every October, just as the cycling season comes to a close, the registration package arrives in the mail and questions and challenges from marathon-obsessed friends start flying: Have you registered? Have you started training? What food are you bringing?

I bet my pack will weigh less than your pack! Phone calls and e-mails criss-cross until the second weekend in February, when we meet again on the start line.

This year our little group will be going for our fifth gold, but that’s not the end of the story. We can look forward to a lifetime of challenge in this sport, and an annual chance to spend time with old friends.

Hey! Isn’t that just what my coach told me? “Skiing is for life.”

≈ Stephanie Edwards has completed the marathon’s Coureur de Bois category six years in a row.

CANADIAN SKI MARATHON 40TH EDITION DATE: February 11 and 12, 2006.

LOCATION: Gatineau to Lachute with an overnight stop in Montebello.

DISTANCE: 160 kilometres divided into 10 sections. Ski as little as 15 kilometres or up to the full distance.

MINI-CSM: Ski one section of the trail, youth under 18 free.

SPECIAL FOR THE 40TH EDITION: Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello family fun day on Saturday, February 11. Kids can ski the hotel trails, swim and lunch at the hotel.

Register Online at www.csm-mcs.com and save $5.

www.OttawaOutdoors.ca

Forget the condos and hot tubs Skiing Le Massif a laugh-filled adventure for mom and teen

BY HEATHER LANE AND NICHOLAS LANE MARCH BREAK CAN boost parental anxiety, particularly if you have teenagers. That’s why last year I took my 13-year-old son for a full blast of snowboarding and skiing. The plan was simple. We would ski at Le Massif (an awesome site east of Quebec City), and then snowshoe into a cabin in the Sentier des Cap de Charlevoix – a provincial park five minutes from the ski hill.

No condos, hotels, hot tubs or snow babes in bikinis, Le Massif is privately owned, laid back, unpretentious.

Yes, snowshoeing for 1 1/2 hours after a full day of skiing is exhausting, but if you like to ski hard and sleep cheap, for $22 you get a somewhat drafty 10-person log cabin with a loft and a wood stove. If you are not in a big group, you may end up sharing your accommodation with other people.

Protocol is basic. Just throw down your sleeping mat, and stake out your territory on the loft floor.

The view from the Le Massif summit out over the St. Lawrence estuary, framed by the Laurentian Mountains, is so spectacular you will want to postpone your descent and pull out a camera. Skiable terrain spreads over 114 hectares, and 75 per cent of the runs are

groomed. The rest are left natural for powder days, and that potential is high, with about six metres of natural snowfall annually. Nicholas and I discovered the best powder runs were in the glades and underneath the main lift chair.

This is serious skiing. The vertical drop is 758 metres, so no wonder the Canadian national training centre for the women’s downhill is at Le Massif.

On the fun end of the spectrum, you’ll find a small park for snowboarders and freestyle skiers, which my son really enjoyed. For a former western ski bum like myself, Le Massif rekindled my passion, as Nicholas and I spent most of our time on the abundant black diamond and double black diamond runs.

CABIN FEVER

The skiing was great, but cabin life proved full of adventure too.

Our trip was intended to give Nicholas snowboarding experience on tougher terrain than our local ski hill, but the real challenges came from our nightly treks into the cabin on snowshoes. After one day of fierce wind gusts at the ski hill, snowshoeing in to our cabin meant breaking trail with snow up to your knees. All we could see dimly on our slow, laboured uphill trudge to the cabin was trees arching to the breaking point. At times during that seemingly endless hike against blasting wind, I feared for the safety of my child.

Frostbite is an ever-present danger in high winds, but we safely reached the warm cabin and gorged ourselves on a hearty supper.

The cabin provided lots of laughs, but zero comforts of home. The first

OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

23

GETTING THERE CAR Highway 138 east from Quebec City for an hour to a well-marked Le Massif sign indicating a right turn. Follow the mountain road and you are there.

FLY Daily, direct flights from Ottawa to Jean-Lesage International Airport at Quebec City. Rent a car, then follow the directions above.

BUS Directly from Montreal to Le Massif with L’Express du Massif, 514-990-5914 ACCOMMODATIONS Provincial Park, Sentier des Caps de Charlevoix, 418-823-1117 or 1-866-823-1117 www.sentierdescaps.com Petite-Rivière-Saint-François is 10 minutes from Le Massif and has B&Bs. Baie-Saint-Paul is 20 minutes away with B&Bs, hotels and motels. Tourism Quebec’s guidebook lists accommodations and activities in the Charlevoix region, 877-266-5687.

Le Massif 418-632-5205 or 877- LEMASSIF (yes, it has eight numbers) www.lemassif.com

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OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

Cold Weather Running Don’t let the Ottawa winters slow you down

BY JOHN STANTON IN THE CANADIAN High Arctic, instructors in a survival course tell air force pilots that there is one thing they must overcome to survive in a world where temperatures of –70ºC are not uncommon. It is the psychological fear of cold.

They also teach that the heart is an efficient heater and that pilots can function comfortably with a little help from proper clothing. Instructors note that in high mountain ranges, tiny organisms survive on rocks warmed by the sun while temperatures around them are well below zero. The organisms have their own microclimate.

We’re all somewhat larger organisms, but we too need to create a similar microclimate if we’re going to enjoy running in winter.

So many people ski and climb today that layering clothing is no secret. It’s just common sense. Wear polypropylene underwear next to your skin with a breathable outer, windproof suit made of a fabric such as Versatech, and you are in business. Another layer should be added IN BETWEEN THEM on very cold days. And there’s no doubt you’ll remember your mitts and tuque.

There’s a special joy in being the first footprints in the snow. The mental discipline that is often needed to get one foot out of the door when the snow is falling is exactly what comes in handy during the latter stages of a marathon. Get going!

SOME COLD WEATHER TIPS: } Adjust the intensity of your workout. It doesn’t matter whether you cover the same distance you might on a summer day. You are out running. Decide on a time rather than the number of kilometres. } Warm up properly and start at a comfortable pace before easing up into a tempo that is slower than your normal training pace. } Shorten your stride to improve your footing on icy roads. Many runners insert a handful of small drywall screws on the outsides of their soles to give them greater traction. } Carry coins or a cellphone so you can get help in an emergency. Perhaps carry the cab fare home. } Run into the wind and coast home with it at your back. } Run with a group if possible. } If you are going out by yourself, tell someone your route and estimate how long you will be out. Find a route that allows you to cut your run short and get help if you need it. } Remember up to 50 per cent of the body’s heat is lost through the head.

Wear a balaclava or tuque to keep you warm.

} In extreme temperatures, cover all exposed skin with clothing or petroleum jelly. If you are running with a partner, check each other’s face regularly for the white patches that mean frostbite. } Run facing the traffic and wear reflective gear. } Chapstick your lips, nose and ears. } Many a gentleman has found the hard way that it is best to protect future generations with a wind brief. } Keep your speed work for dry, indoor surfaces. } Seek a warm, dry place and medical attention if you suspect hypothermia.

It’s caused by a drop in the body’s core temperature and it’s dangerous.

Signs are incoherent, slurred speech, clumsy fingers and other signs of poor co-ordination. } We know of no runner who has frozen lungs in subzero weather, and we know some people who run outside when it is –40ºC. The air is warmed by the body before it enters the lungs. If you find breathing cold air uncomfortable, wear a face mask to help warm it. } Change into dry clothes as soon as you can after your run. ≈ John Stanton is the founder of the North American-wide Running Room and now new Walking Room stores.

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PHOTO BY RF STOCK

night I heard Nicholas screaming from somewhere in the pitch dark that he was locked in the outhouse. I was slow to rescue him because I was laughing so hard.

Nicholas was unimpressed. Later, his time to laugh at me came when I found an ingenious way to heat up my sleeping bag. Turning a pot upside down on the wood stove, I placed the bag on top until it became toasty-warm.

Unfortunately, it tipped off and onto the top of the stove. With a gaping burn hole in the cloth and the contents all over the floor, only duct tape saved the day.

On our last night in the cabin, we were greeted by four adults and six small children – a result of overbooking. The provincial park authorities provided us with a free snowmobile ride to another cabin, but we arrived in the cold dark with no paper to start the fire. We tried the small, damp guest book. No dice. What to do? We could choose from two alternatives: a book Nicholas had bought with his own money (but had already read), or my coffee filters. Nicholas ranted that it was a crime against humanity to burn books, but at -24 degrees F that thick, dry book seemed like the best choice. In my world, dark, freshly ground French roast coffee is a morning necessity. I won.

Actually, looking at the whole adventure, we both won. If you’re looking for a great winter get-away, try Le Massif.

The journey is the reward Mount Everest bid led Ottawa climber to her inner summit

BY SARAH MATTHEWS

Peggy Foster North Column Mount Everest June 2005 1

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HREE HUNDRED METRES from the top of the world, Peggy Foster knew her energy reserves weren’t enough to get her down the mountain alive. At 45, Foster was attempting Mount Everest for the second time – the final peak in her odyssey to become the first Canadian woman to summit the highest mountain in each continent.

Turning away from her goal brought her an enriched perspective on the whole of her life’s journey.

Foster’s decision to turn back was guided by her deep understanding of safety. “The theory is to have 25 per cent of your energy left when you are

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on the summit so you can get down safely. Most climbers who die will die while descending Mount Everest, having calculated incorrectly the life force they have left to get down the mountain.”

Everest is the highest peak in the world at 8,848 metres, its summit separating Nepal and Tibet in the Himalayas.

The sheer size, harsh climate and lack of oxygen makes Everest one of the greatest challenges to physical endurance and mental strength. The ascent which covers the north side, which Foster followed in her second attempt, is a harsher, longer, more technical and less travelled terrain than the south, which she had attempted in May 2003. But at 1,150 metres from her goal, she was forced to turn around because her Russian-made breathing apparatus failed to form a proper seal around her mouth, restricting the flow of oxygen into her body.

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In order to summit Everest, climbers must spend months acclimatizing to its harsh environment. Foster had been on the mountain for her second try for more than two months before she reached Camp 4 at 8,300 metres – the final resting point before the summit. In this world, the wind can rip a tent to shreds, exposing climbers to a wind chill below –100°C. More than 120 bodies remain on the mountain, a reminder of its brutal force.

On June 4, 2005, at 11:30 p.m., a small trail of headlamp beams bobbed along the north side, upwards through a mix of rock and snow as Foster and her team of 20 climbers began their attempt over rocky, unstable ground.

The climbers had to do basic rock climbing in the dark at altitude, with an oxygen mask and goggles strapped to their face while carrying a 16-kilogram pack.

That night, in what they call “the death zone” (everything above 7,500 metres), Foster made the decision to turn around.

“The veil between life and death is so thin up there, the only thing you have to trust is your gut.” In her journal two days later she wrote, “I didn’t have the resources to descend safely from the summit – yes, a mere 300 metres from the highest peak in the world.”

Confident in her decision, Foster gave up her mountaineering goal and

chose to “summit” her own life instead.

Born in Desbarats, a small town outside of Sault St. Marie, Foster spent much of her childhood playing in the woods with her three brothers and their friends. She moved to Ottawa at the age of eight when her father became a member of Parliament. Her parents encouraged an equality among their children that helped Foster overcome the intimidation of the world of extreme sports.

Athletics was always central. “I started by doing triathlons and marathons in the ’80s, then went on to the iron man distance triathlons,” including the world championship in Hawaii. Next came ultra-running, a sport encompassing any race longer than the 26.2 miles that make up a marathon.

Foster’s “grand-daddy” event in this sport was the Western States 100, a race that covers 160 kilometres over terrain with enough ups and downs to accumulate more than 12,000 metres of height.

Foster placed second in her age category, and fifth overall.

Foster began climbing in the 1990s in the Canadian Rockies; it seemed a natural progression from ultra-running. Over the years she made it to the top of six mountains in the seven-summit odyssey – Aconcagua, Elbrus, Kilimanjaro, McKinley, Vinson and Kosciusko.

Like many athletes, Foster climbs mountains to escape the long reach of the contemporary world. “There are no cellphones, no Internet – just you, the mountain and your team.”

On her journey up Everest, Foster trod on some of the same paths as Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first people to reach its summit. Hillary’s remark that, “It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves,” matches Foster’s perspective. Despite turning back, Foster left with exactly what she needed.

Her eyes laughed as she explained, “It sounds so lame to say that, but the jour-

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ney was truly the most extraordinary part of the experience.”

She recalled the expedition “as a microcosm of life, in which one experiences the extreme highs – joy, laughter, pure bliss – down to the plunging depths, sorrow, pain, lack of faith, and immobility.”

Foster left Everest feeling complete and linked to the rest of humanity.

“People climb Everest every day of their lives, in relationships, in education, in terminal illnesses.” Such “mountains” aren’t defined by an isolated moment.

“The summit doesn’t define who I am as a person,” but the journey can play a part.

Her attitude fits perfectly with her new role as head of outdoor education at Rosseau Lake College, a private school in the Muskoka lake country. Headmaster Joseph Seagram said, “What blew me away most about Foster, was how closely her persona reflects the school’s mission of challenging students to be best of self. There would only be a handful of people who could be rejected twice from a mountain and come away from the experience comfortable with the achievement.”

Although she left the mountain without the seven-summit title, her mission had evolved, and she came to realize that the summit “is secondary to what the experience itself offered me.”

≈ Sarah Matthews is an avid outdoor enthusiast who looks forward to her next adventure.

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PHOTOS EXPLAINED 1 Climbing the lower part of the North Col of Everest – Tibet 2 North Col camp 1 – 7,000 metres, 22,400 ft.

3 Base camp North side of Everest – wearing my favourite expedition hat!

4 Visiting a school built and fully financially supported by Himalayan Experience – our expedition leader; a mother and her son who have come to welcome us to their community school.

5 Denali (Mount McKinley) at a place called ‘The Edge of the Earth’ at 5,000 metres, 14,700 ft.

6 Sitting at the top of Australia!

7 Climbing the North Col of Everest – North side of Everest, Tibet.

8 Khumbu Icefall , South side of Everest crossing one of 66 ladders.

9 Climbing through the ice fog on Vinson Massif Antarctica – establishing a new route to the highest point of Antarctica.

10 Climbing from camp 2 on north side of Everest enroute to camp 3 @ 7,400 metres (23,680 ft.)

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GEAR TALK

BY KATHLEEN WILKER

1. WHAT’S SO SMART ABOUT SMARTWOOL SOCKS?

Made of wool from New Zealand’s merino sheep, SmartWool fibres are longer and softer than other types of wool. So the socks itch less. SmartWool is different from ordinary wool because it has already been shrunk; it’s safe to put these socks in the dryer. Because merino sheep are exposed to extreme temperatures, their wool keeps you both warm in the winter and cool in the summer. How? By not holding on to moisture. Moisture-free socks and feet mean fewer blisters.

And then there’s smell.

Karen Fitzgibbons (Trailhead’s retail manager), says odour, or lack of it, is one of the reasons people choose SmartWool over synthetics. Although synthetic fabrics are lightweight and can wick moisture away from your skin, when they get wet and warm up they sometimes stink. And the wicking potential of synthetic fabrics in socks is limited because they just remove moisture from your feet and transfer it to your shoe lining, so that over time your feet may get wet and uncomfortable.

SmartWool traps moisture in hollow fibres full of microscopic air pockets.

Your body heat turns it into vapour, which can evaporate, so both your feet and your shoe linings stay dry. The result is happy, comfortable feet all year round.

Does this sound impressive? SmartWool socks have been so popular that the company now makes long underwear and winter accessories.

2. WHEN IS IT TIME TO CHANGE MY RUNNING SHOES?

Generally, quality running shoes will perform well for 500 to 800 kilometres, depending on your weight, heal strike and running surface. After taking you that distance, the shoe’s cushioning and stability starts to break down and your bones and joints begin taking the full shock of each step. It’s difficult to detect this deterioration visually since mesh uppers often look great long after the shoe is finished, so it’s a good idea to record the distance you’ve gone. One sign of wear includes less spring in your step. When you start experiencing

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sudden discomforts like knee pain, you’ve waited too long to retire old shoes.

Nicholas Eden-Walker of the Bank Street Running Room suggests trying on a new pair if you suspect your old runners are worn out. Then, if switching back to your old pair feels like sinking into the ground, it’s time for something new. Eden-Walker also notes that because running shoes are made with high-tech gels and cushioning, they have a shelf life of two years. After that, the gel and foam start to dry up and can’t compress and release at the same rate.

So if you’re buying last year’s model at a discount, you may not be saving as much as you thought. A two-year-old pair of shoes, straight from the box, has 1/10th the kilometres in it that a brand new pair will provide.

Snow, rain, salt and slush corrode your shoes. So make sure you wipe the grime off after those harsh winter runs, and let your shoes dry out gradually.

Putting them directly on a heating vent will fry their cushioning.

We deliver more than expected Great staff Great prices Great selection

3. HOW DO I CLEAN MY SUNGLASSES WITHOUT RUINING THE PROTECTIVE COATING?

When you need quick solutions, Robin Glenney of Mountain Equipment Co-op’s optics department recommends microfibre glasses cases or microfibre Opti-Wipes. At $1.50 and $4 a pop, they won’t break your budget and won’t ruin your sunglasses. For a cleaner lens, use a specially formulated liquid cleaner which will remove oil as well as dirt. These cleaners are water-based, so if you need to use them in sub-zero temperatures, keep the glasses close to your body to warm them as much as possible.

At home, a rinse with Sunlight soap, gently applied with clean fingers and rinsed off in hot water, will give you a thorough clean. Whatever you do, resist the urge to give your sunglasses a quick polish with a tissue, a paper towel or the back of your T-shirt. You may not notice at first, but over time these occasionally put tiny scratches on the lenses. Over three or four years, this can lead to permanently smudgy sunglasses.

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HEALTH/FITNESS

Eating away at your pain

BY DR. TODD NORTON AND NICOLA CAMERON

STIFF MUSCLES? MASSAGE therapy. Stiff joints? Pop a pill.

Inflammation? Pop a different pill.

Many people treat their injuries and illnesses as if they are caused by one element and treatable by another – usually some kind of drug. This kind of thinking doesn’t work when people face symptoms seemingly not caused by anything, or worse, caused by many interacting factors.

“One-cause-one-effect” treatment fails.

Many health professionals, however, recognize how substances in our food and air can affect the “many-causesmany-effects” system that is the human body, creating inflammation that may lead to pain, stiffness and fatigue.

Acute inflammation is a bodily response to a sprain or strain, a cut or a burn. You get swelling, pain, redness and tenderness in the injured location.

Chronic inflammation can involve a deeper metabolic shift in the body’s immune-messaging molecules, making the inflammation constant. That’s what happens in arthritis, atherosclerosis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, fibromyalgia, Crohn’s disease and colitis.

But active people, world class athletes and recreational athletes often share this common thread of a physiology “tilted” towards chronic inflammation. They end up with prolonged pain and soreness after exercise, fatigue, poor recovery time, recurrent colds and flu, and an increased susceptibility to injuries.

Natalie, for example, a 37-yearold competitive runner from Ottawa, enjoyed cycling, hiking, and other outdoor activities until recently.

However, last spring she’d been getting more than her fair share of pain and stiffness in her muscles and joints.

She wore out faster and stayed worn out longer than many of her training partners. “I was on the same training

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program as the rest in my group, but seemed to have a lot more pain and stiffness than anyone else. I became afraid of exercise.”

Then there’s Fred, an active 52-year-old who relished in-line skating, cross-country skiing, and mountain biking. Then he began, like Natalie, to notice unusual and frustrating pain and stiffness, sometimes lasting for days following exercise. He even hurt after doing simple tasks around the house. It perplexed him; his active friends weren’t hurting. “I thought age was just catching up to me at first and I should just slow down, but lots of friends who were older than I didn’t seem to have any problems.”

Fred and Natalie both instinctively examined only their activities to uncover a cause for their symptoms.

Neither expanded their field of vision to include their entire physiology – and beyond that, their environment.

Pain and stiffness can indeed be caused by physical activity, but they can be aggravated by a physiological disposition to inflammation.

Chronic inflammation can be triggered by workplace chemicals, air pollutants, pesticides, and heavy metals like lead and mercury, which can end up in our food. Then there’s the more “natural” allergens like poison ivy, pollens and moulds. For some people, what you eat is what can trigger inflammation leading to pain

and symptoms. Examples include some grains, peanuts, dairy products or yeast.

People with diabetes and blood sugar problems can have an inflammatory kickback, as can anyone suffering stress, or bad luck from their genetic heritage.

While environmental toxins and allergens you encounter while going to work and breathing are unavoidable, paying attention to your food is easy.

If you are dealing with chronic lowgrade complaints, think about whether the foods you eat (coupled with the state of your digestive system) may be contributing to chronic inflammation.

How this happens is not always obvious and is fairly common.

Here’s how it works with food. One of the largest barriers between external environmental threats and your body is across the lining of your intestines,

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the hurting, foods can be systematically removed for a period of time, and then re-introduced to see if they cause the symptoms. A quicker approach is a food allergy test with a health professional to identify what’s eating you because of what you are eating.

If seeing a nutritional coach is not possible, here are some guidelines: } Avoid or minimize foods that tend to produce inflammation. They include processed foods; refined carbohydrates (like sugar and white flour products); poor quality oils (like cotton seed oil, peanut oil, margarine and shortening); cured meats; fast foods and other highfat or high-sugar foods; caffeine and alcohol. } Avoid known allergens like wheat, dairy, peanuts, citrus, corn, soy, etc. } Go organic and seek out those lean sources of protein, and oils from olives, fish, butter, flax, avocado, raw seeds and nuts. Eat slow-release carbohydrates like beans, peas, lentils, brown rice and millet; organic fruits, vegetables and fresh herbs; plain, naturally fermented yogurt, miso, and

sauerkraut.

Other ways to ensure fitness include: } A good breakfast (whole grain cereals and breads, yogurt, nuts, eggs, and vegetables) sets the blood sugar tone for the day, lessens fatigue and flattens out those energy ups and downs. } Good timing. Eating meals on a regular schedule improves energy and blood sugar control, lowers bad cholesterol, and burns more energy.

Eating next to nothing for breakfast and lunch, followed by gorging at dinner can wear you out and make you fat. } A balanced diet. Too many animal products slow down digestion and can lead to the toxin production that can trigger inflammation.

Chronic inflammation has many complicated causes, so if these self-help ideas don’t solve it, a naturopath or nutritionally oriented, regulated health professional can help identify the pain sources, and the best way to control them. ≈ Dr. Todd Norton, a chiropractor with an interest in clinical nutrition, has been practising in Ottawa for 12 years. You can contact him at 521-5355 or www.holisticclinic.ca.

PHOTO BY RF PHOTO

which contain more that 50 per cent of your body’s immune cells. Spread out your small intestine and you get a surface area as large as a tennis court – that’s a lot of room for trouble, as those immune cells confront certain proteins, chemicals and parasites in food.

Chemical messenger molecules released from the gut can activate other immune cells in the liver, joints and other tissues, triggering inflammation at these sites.

The resulting grief can take many forms. In the gut, it can be excess bloating and gas; in the joints, pain and stiffness. It doesn’t stop there. Fatigue, headaches, more colds and flu, muscle aches, poor recovery after exercise, and susceptibility to recurrent injuries can be part of the picture, and people often accept them as “normal.” Unlike severe and often immediate anaphylactic-type reactions (think peanuts or bee stings), these gut reactions may be delayed for 24 to 36 hours. What you ate yesterday may be making you ache today.

That delay means it’s hard to figure out which foods might be putting you off stride. To figure out what’s doing

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COOLGEAR

FISCHER AMC 76 $899 (MSR $1199.00) This All Mountain Cross wide carving ski for prepared slopes on- and off-piste action (50%/50%). With its innovative B-Magic design this 3D AirCarbon Titanium chassis will be an eye-catcher on any slope. The perfectly integrated Railflex2 ski plate binding system transfers energy instantaneously. The ideally matched MX7 boot makes this a serious contender in all situations.

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SALOMON EQUIPE SKATE SKI $499 (MSR $629.00) This brand new ski sports some new features unique to Salomon. These include carbon fibre powered camber plate; new Ptex G5 Zeolit base; perfectly flat race tuned base; javelin skating sidecut; with a core of aerolite honeycomb. The cool thing is that the entire Subaru cross-country team switched exclusively to the Salomon ski and claim it’s the fastest ski they’ve used to date.

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MEC NORTHERN LITE JACKET $110 The staff at MEC say this new jacket provides moderate warmth for any number of backcountry pursuits. With a wind, water, and tear resistant nylon shell and warm yet lightweight Primaloft insulation, it’s an excellent choice for threeseason use. It’s also roomy enough to wear over a sweater for extra warmth and the below-the-hip cut and close-fitting collar will keep out drafts, too. Other features include two hand-warmer pockets, a zippered inside pocket that doubles as a stuff sack for the jacket.

Available in both men’s and women’s styles.

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NORDIC SKATES $125 With a page from the Swedes, this latest outdoor invention allows you to skate like you’ve never done before. Just affix these blades to your nordic ski boots (binding required) and you get a skate that is more comfortable; has plenty of ankle support and interior padding; has curved tips (like skis) so they easily handle bumpy, rough, snow-covered ice better than others skates (canal, rivers) because the unique blade allows you to glide on top of the ice, instead of digging in like hockey skates and thus you can skate twice as far – or twice as fast – for the same amount of effort.

Nordic Skates are suitable for ages 7 to 76. They’re for all the people who thought they’d never skate again because it wasn’t fun last time.

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COOLGEAR

BLUNDSTONE CHUNK 2 $180 Foot heaven. The new and radically comfortable Blundstone Chunk 2. More cushioned. More snug-fitting. For your first pair or your fifth, Chunk 2 is where you want your soles to go.

Available in brown and black.

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NIKON D70S DSLR KIT $1449.95 It’s all about the memories, and what better way to capture them. If you’re going to treat yourself with one purchase this winter, this should be it. “The best gets better”, they say and the D70 starts faster, shoots faster, processes faster, buffers more images and displays faster than any comparable DSLR on the market today.

Other features include: new larger LCD; better focus; new remote options; better menu display; larger eyecup; wider built-in flash coverage; and all part of this 6.1 effective mp, all with instant response times. Ho-ho-ho!

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THE NORTH FACE PLASMA THERMAL JACKET $379.99

YAKIMA PLATINUM PRO 18 $824.99 As winter roles in and you need to transport your skis, snowboards etc...this is the perfect box for the widest range of vehicles. Some of the features include: no assembly with rapid-fire mounting hardwardware; dual-side opening for easy access; airalite material for strength; high-end spring-loaded lid supports help with one-handed access.

Great for skiing and urban life, this jacket has a waterproof, breathable, seam-sealed HyVent™ nylon faille weave with a 3-layer fabric shell. It also sports a nylon stretch oxford 3-layer HyVent™ Alpha fabric for the high abrasion areas. Additional features include: PrimaLoft® insulation for warmth without bulk; fully adjustable hood with wire-brim visor; two hand pockets, left Napoleon pocket and an internal security pocket. Close it all up with the Velcro® closure adjustable cuffs and hem, and you’re set for the Ottawa winters.

LOOK FOR IT AT THE EXPEDITION SHOPPE.

LOOK FOR IT AT TRAILHEAD. www.OttawaOutdoors.ca

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Winter Birding in Ottawa

BY TONY BECK IN “THE WORLD’S coldest capital city,” wouldn’t you expect any selfrespecting wild creature to head south in winter? But natural habitats in Ottawa and Gatineau are very much alive during this harsh season. That’s when birders and naturalists from around the world come here searching for birds rarely seen south of the Canadian border.

Unlike most humans, some species adapt well to extreme conditions. As long as these creatures find lots to eat, they thrive, even in continuous –30°C temperatures (or colder) in the far north.

Most over-wintering birds prefer these conditions, being vulnerable to predators and lacking proper food sources in a gentler climate. The snowy owl for example, a formidable vole hunter, is perfectly camouflaged in a farm field blanketed in white. Pine grosbeaks – voracious fruit eaters – can clean a mountain ash of berries in a few days. Both species are northern nesters in summer, arriving here for winter, but rarely travelling any further south.

During some winters, northern birds invade the Ottawa area in large numbers.

The winter of 2004-05 witnessed hundreds of great grey owls swooping across our local countryside searching for rodents. This kind of “eruption” occurs in cycles – typically when food sources dwindle up north. For the committed birdwatcher or anyone else, it’s an opportunity to experience some of nature’s most beautiful creatures.

Ottawa has extensive natural habitats, so all it takes is warm

clothes and good binoculars.

Although birds can show up almost anywhere at any time, here are a few of our most consistently rewarding sites for seeing birds – both common species and the rarities.

Among the plentiful mallards, black ducks and common goldeneye, look for the less frequent common merganser, hooded merganser, wood duck, and the occasional Cooper’s hawk or peregrine falcon.

BRITANNIA CONSERVATION AREA AND DES CHÊNES RAPIDS

NCC GREENBELT TRAIL NETWORK (JACK PINE TRAIL, STONY SWAMP, MER BLEUE, SHIRLEY’S BAY, GREEN’S CREEK, PINE GROVE)

Potentially Ottawa’s best birding spot at any time, this west end site near the water filtration plant provides good views of the Des Chênes Rapids. The water stays largely ice-free despite the cold and attracts a variety of waterfowl and gulls. Activity usually increases at dusk when birds come to roost on the rapid’s exposed rocks. An extensive trail network through the scrub and forest of the conservation area can turn up a pileated woodpecker, or (with luck) a bald eagle overhead. In winter look for common goldeneye, mallard, great black-backed gull and herring gull.

Among them you might find the more rare Barrow’s goldeneye, glaucous gull and Iceland gull.

OTTAWA AND RIDEAU RIVER RAPIDS (BATE ISLAND, REMIC RAPIDS, PARC BRÉBEUF, THE MILL IN MANOTICK, BILLINGS BRIDGE)

Similar to Des Chênes Rapids where the water is open all winter, excellent feeding draws in a variety of water birds.

Ottawa’s woodlands are teeming with the ever-present black-capped chickadees. These tame little gems are easily lured to sunflower seeds in your hand. It’s almost impossible to miss them along Greenbelt trails, where feeding stations make it easy to view chickadees and other birds as they fuel up. Among them are white- and redbreasted nuthatches, blue jays, downy and hairy woodpeckers, American tree sparrows and dark-eyed juncos. Some winters are brightened by the colours of evening grosbeaks, purple finches or bohemian waxwings. If you’re really lucky, you might happen upon a sawwhet, barred or boreal owl hiding in the thick cover of a conifer.

CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM (ARBORETUM AND FLETCHER WILDLIFE GARDEN)

Ottawa has an urban oasis attracting a multitude of winter visitors. The Arboretum, with its conifers, fruiting

PHOTO BY MIKE BEEDELL

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PHOTO BY TONY BECK

PHOTO BY NATIONAL CAPITAL COMMISSION

trees and bird feeders, is a haven for finches and sparrows. The adjacent Fletcher Wildlife Garden, complete with bird feeder, is totally wildlife friendly. The surrounding open fields provide a clear range for winged hunters like peregrine falcon and Cooper’s hawk. Patient, keen-eyed birders check this area for rarities “to die for” like the gyrfalcon, down here from its eastern Arctic range.

FARM FIELDS (OUTER EXPERIMENTAL FARM, EAGLESON ROAD, FRANK KENNY ROAD)

Every winter, hawks and owls arrive to hunt voles, shrews, mice and other small animals, mainly over farm fields. Snowy owl, rough-legged hawk and red-tailed hawk are typically found in the farmland just outside the city.

Some of winter’s most exciting birds (like great gray owl, northern hawk owl, goshawk or gyrfalcon) can be found by criss-crossing country back roads. And keep an eye out for the more common snow buntings, horned larks and gray partridge.

Enjoy

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GATINEAU HILLS (STEELE LINE, EARDLEY, PALTIMORE, GATINEAU PARK, ETC.)

Many northern birds, especially finches and woodpeckers, find the Gatineau Hills perfect for winter feeding. Birds like white-winged crossbill, pine grosbeak, evening grosbeak, black-backed and pileated woodpecker enjoy the seeds from mixed conifer and deciduous woodlands. The Gatineau also attracts bald and golden eagles, especially along the edge of the escarpment.

Ottawa is a winter birder’s paradise.

Don’t miss the action. For directions and more information check out these websites: } Neily World: http://ca.geocities.com/larry. neily@rogers.com/birding.htm } Ottawa Field Naturalists Club: www.ofnc.ca } NCC: www.canadascapital.gc.ca } Tony Beck: www3.sympatico.ca/beck.tony

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Training for the Keski Follow this guide to your first or best race to date

BY ERIC BRULOTTE

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EQUIPMENT

Think comfort before performance.

Aside from skis, poles and boots, you need a ski outfit meeting the timehonoured requirement that lets sweat evaporate. Being able to add or remove layers is crucial, especially when the temperature changes. That’s just another good reason to try the course out beforehand, to see if your clothing meets the test.

The simple stuff matters too, like extra wax and a cork applicator.

If you choose the wrong wax before you set out, you could spend a lot of time wishing you hadn’t.

Then there’s food and water. Carry at least one large bottle around your

waist to keep hydrated, and an energy bar cut into cubes and wrapped to avoid wrestling with a rock-hard frozen bar when you need a bite. A cut-up tangerine or banana can also provide an energy boost along the way. Save the sugar for the end of the run for that last short-lived burst of energy.

PRACTICE

Although many people can cover the distance in 1 1/2 hours, it can take up to three depending on your normal cruising speed. So train with a more experienced person or practise with a club.

The Keski 16-kilometre run covers two distinct areas: the broad corridor

PHOTO BY KESKINADA LOPPET

GATINEAU PARK PATHWAYS that were awash with leaves in fall are set to attract more than 3,000 skiers when those trails are packed with snow in February.

It’s called the Keskinada Loppet, the biggest cross-country skiing event in Canada.

Formerly known as the Gatineau 55, the Keskinada Loppet stands for: Ke = Quebec Ski = cross-country skiing Nada = Canada “Loppet” is a word of Scandinavian origin for “large gathering,” and refers to Keskinada’s membership in the international worldloppet family of races.

Anyone can join in, since organizers provide a five- or 10-kilometre run for beginners, ranging all the way up to a 53-kilometre race for experienced skiers, with a lot of intermediate distances to match up with what you think your own skills are. This introduction will concentrate on a middling 16-kilometre stretch, but these tips can help beginners or experts too.

Keskinada skiers concentrate on time or distance. If time is your thing, do the run at least twice before the Keski and try to cut your best previous time by a given number of minutes. If distance beckons, practise over a shorter distance and try to cover a longer one during the main event.

Keski racecourses are almost entirely within the regular Gatineau Park network, so you can test your endurance and prepare for the challenge months beforehand.

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PHOTO BY KESKINADA LOPPET

of the Gatineau Parkway, and trails 29, 5, 15 and 35, which are narrower paths through the woods. To test both without going the full distance, you can do a loop starting on Trail 29 from the Gatineau Park Relais Plein Air located at 397, boulevard Citi-des-Jeunes. After reaching Trail 5 you pass a beautiful marsh followed by a difficult climb that could surprise you into a penguin step. Linking onto Trail 15 you get a continuous climb with steadier tracks, nice slopes and tight curves. After 35 you get the Gatineau Parkway with its long climbs and downhills. To return, take the junction to Trail 29 and back to the Relais.

Start training in daytime, to be able to make out the more difficult curves and slopes on the forest trails. You can handle the Parkway in the evening.

The Pink Lake descent at night with the lights below shows how close this natural haven is to the city centre.

Its 28th edition comes after the Keski was named Hertz Canada’s Event of the Year at the national awards for excellence in tourism by Canada’s Association of Tourism Industries. It’s expecting skiers to Gatineau Park from at least 20 countries from February 16 to 19, and they include both families with small children and athletes of all levels.

Parents can register their children for cross-country skiing at the Mini-Keski, a trail with special entertainment for kids.

For information, visit Keski’s website at www.keskinada.com where you can also register and see the maps and gradient profiles for all the racecourses.

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OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

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The ABC’s of Winter Camping Go forth fearlessly!

SHELTER. WARM CLOTHING. Fuel. What are we forgetting?

There’s a lot to think about when winter camping. Juggling all of these factors can be a bit overwhelming.

Winter camping shouldn’t be a hassle. Here’s an easy-to-understand guide to make your winter camping stress-free and safe.

BEFORE HEADING OUT

Sit down and organize your thoughts about the trip: food, location, number of people, camping experience, what you have to bring, etc. This will keep you focused and help you organize yourself – reducing the risk of something going wrong.

Then decide how you will be traveling. Will you be hiking, skiing or snowshoeing? Hiking is not ideal because you might be hiking through deep snow – a great way to get wet and cold. Snowshoes spread your weight over a wide area, preventing you from sinking deeply into the snow. Skiing helps you glide across the snow, and you’ll make much better time than if you were to hike or snowshoe. Take a look at the terrain you will be covering. If it is mountainous, then you probably won’t want to ski, unless there’s a groomed trail.

Now assess how to transport your gear. For winter camping, people usually go one of two ways: backpacks or a toboggan. If you decide to use a backpack, each camper should have their own. Once everyone has packed their personal things, decide how to divvy up the food, fuel and dishes evenly.

Toboggans are great because they take the strain off your shoulders. You can attach them to your waist with a rope.

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Before leaving on a camping trip, set up your tent in your back yard.

Doing this before you head off will make the process easier and quicker out in the wilderness. If this is your first winter camping trip, you might even want to spend a night in your tent in the backyard, just to iron out any “bugs.”

Call the park office to find out about rules and precautions, and check the weather so you can fine-tune your choice of clothes. If the weather causes you any concern (e.g. extremely low temperature, freezing rain), cancel the trip.

Pre-cook as much food as possible and pack each meal into individual containers. When you’re tired from a day of hiking and outdoor fun, all you’ll have to do is heat it up. This means simple, fast meal preparation and less trash to pack out.

Leave home with plenty of time to spare. If you think it’s a one- to twohour drive to the trailhead and two to three hours skiing or snowshoeing in, then leave home around 10 a.m. In the fading light of a winter afternoon it’s all too easy to lose the trail or trek past important landmarks. If you have to get there in the dark, invest in a headlight.

This leaves both hands free while setting up the tent.

Finally, before you leave make sure a friend or neighbour knows your planned route and whether you’ll be on a trail or bushwhacking. They need to know when you’re leaving and when you expect to get back, just in case.

SETTING UP CAMP

Avoid ridge tops and low-lying areas when putting up your tent. Ridge tops can be windy and cold. Lowlying areas draw in cold air which settles in. Look for a campsite with a southern exposure. This will give you longer days and more direct sunlight.

If possible, camp beside a lake or stream. If there is free-moving water, it will save you from having to melt snow for drinking and cooking. But open water requires extra supervision of children!

When you find a good site, tramp the snow down with snowshoes, making an insulating snow pad under your tent. This is important. Leave at least 15 centimetres of insulating snow, and cover this with a ground sheet placed under your tent. The ground sheet will keep out moisture and protect the tent floor from ice or anything else that could tear it.

If it’s windy, build a snow wall around your tent; this will help keep you warm at night and minimize drafts.

Should you bring a tarpaulin? Good question. Though a tarpaulin is vital for summer camping, leave it at home in winter. If you do bring one, turn it on

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PHOTO BY NATIONAL CAPITAL COMMISSION

BY CHANTAL MACARTNEY

its side and hang it between two trees as a wind shield.

START EXPLORING

Now that you’ve got your tent set up, go and explore the vast wilderness around you. To get the most out of your day, bring binoculars, emergency kit (consisting of a large plastic bag, TH_OttawaOutdoors_ad.qxd

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your trail. It’s too easy to get lost as your tracks would fill in quickly.

Also, a headlamp packs easily, and is indispensable for winter camping.

It is incredibly quiet on the trail in the winter. The snow acts as an insulator, muffling most sounds. When on the trail or in your site, avoid any unneeded commotion or noise. It’s nice to be able to ski or snowshoe in silence enjoying nature.

EVENING

For your return from your wanderings, designate an area for the fire and cooking. See page five for tips on how to build a fire in winter.

Once you’ve lit a fire and it’s burning well, change into dry clothes.

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matches, fire-starter, and a first-aid kit), snacks, water, a compass and a map. Put these in a day pack, and away you go.

Romping through the snow or making snow angels makes your body damp from sweat and melted snow. And dampness drains heat. Throughout the day, probably you’ll be alternately too hot and too cold, so layer your clothing.

Dead air is retained between the layers to keep you warm. Your body warms up the dead air, and the layers keep it close.

The old saying suggests, “If your toes are cold, put on a hat.” It’s true.

Since most of your heat loss is through your head, a hat will do wonders.

Keeping your feet warm is easy with several layers of socks. Start with a thin polypropylene liner. This moves moisture away from your skin, and keeps feet dry. Wool or nylon socks go over the liners. If something feels tight, remove it before it cuts circulation and increases the chance of frostbite.

In case it gets dark or starts to snow before you return to your campsite, bring brightly coloured ribbon to mark

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beforehand, all you have to do is heat it up and voila! There’s nothing better than a hot meal ready to eat, after a day of winter fun.

After dinner, star watching anyone?

If there aren’t any clouds, the sky should be crystal clear without the interference of city lights, and it’s a whole different world up there.

And don’t forget the marshmallows.

There is nothing more comforting or romantic than sitting around a campfire at night, full of warm food, roasting marshmallows with your friends.

Steer clear of alcohol. Although it might be fun to sit around the campfire with a beer, alcohol can help cause hypothermia, because it makes you feel warmer than your body actually is. Keep hydrated with water and warm drinks like hot chocolate.

PHOTO BY NATIONAL CAPITAL COMMISSION

MEALTIME

Because you are most likely snowshoeing or skiing in to your campsite, your food should be high in calories. Plan on eating 3,000 to 4,000 a day. Keep this in mind when you are planning your menu.

Every meal is important in winter, especially breakfast and lunch.

These meals are when you’ll need to eat the most calories to support the activities that stoke your internal furnace. It is important to eat carbs and calories at night as well, but since your body won’t be doing as much exercise it won’t need as much intake.

Boil water for 10 minutes before drinking it. Treating water with purification chemicals is not as effective in cold temperatures as other methods.

Of course, boiling will require packing in more fuel.

BEDTIME

Put out the fire – totally out – before calling it a night. If the wind picks up,

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embers can blow and set fire to anything flammable, including your tent.

When you turn in for the night, activity slows down and so does your heat production, so keep an extra toque in your sleeping bag as well as some extra socks and even mitts. They will be dry and comfortable – perfect for when you need that extra warmth.

Keep a thermos of hot chocolate or tea in each tent. This way, if you wake up and are feeling chilly, you’ll have an instant “hit” of warmth. Which leads to having to pee during the night. Be brave. Do it. You will be colder and uncomfortable if you wait until morning.

THE MORNING AFTER

When you wake up, change into your day clothes. If your sleeping bag is damp, turn it inside out, and let it dry completely before packing it up. Light the fire and if your nighttime clothes are damp, hang them on a line near the fire to dry.

Oatmeal is an excellent breakfast. Add boiling water, and you’ve got an easyto-make, warm start to the day. Bagels, bacon, cheese and summer sausages are also great meal ideas. These have the fat and calories needed to keep you warm during the day, and help you through the cold nights.

PACKING UP

When you are ready to go home, put out the fire completely and pack out any garbage you brought in.

When you get home, hang up your tent and sleeping bags so they can air out and dry properly. Ideally, sleeping bags should be stored hung up. If you want to keep them stored in a bag, stuff them in an extra large cloth bag (not the one they come in) so they can retain their loft and warmth. A bag that is forced into a little sack loses its “loft” over time. This translates into a less warm sleeping bag.

Store tents and sleeping bags in a dry area that is easily accessible for the next time you get the urge to grab your gear and head for the Gatineau.

Winter camping. It’s not for everyone, but with a bit of experience and forethought, you’ll love it.

SPEND A NIGHT IN ONE OF GATINEAU’S CABINS OR YURTS A TRADITIONAL YURT is made from heavy felt. Mongolian people have used them as living quarters for thousands of years.

Luckily, the NCC has put up replicas in Gatineau Park that are available to the public. Call them to book a yurt for a weekend. They aren’t quite as snug as a cabin (they’re a bit draftier), but a yurt is much warmer than a tent!

The cabins in Gatineau Park provide most of the things you’ll need for a comfortable stay, including firewood, pots, bunks, a mattress, an ax and a stove. You’ll have to bring your own sleeping bag, food, water, matches, etc. Cabin stoves take about an hour to heat up a cabin, so keep this in mind when skiing into one on a blistering cold afternoon or night.

Candles make a cabin feel homey, and camping out is an opportunity to get rid of the stubs you don’t use at home. Each three centimetres of candle will burn for at least an hour, so you can calculate how many hours’ use you want. Be sure to bring more candles than you’ll need.

Water. Each person will need about two litres per 24 hours. If you require more than you packed in, melt some snow. A light, backpacking stove can do this quickly, while a campfire may take well over an hour. Check out local camping stores for excellent stoves that pack easily.

≈ Chantal Macartney is a regular writer for Ottawa Outdoors Magazine.

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URBANSPICE

Warm meals for cold nights Canadian winter style

BY JULIE ST. JEAN

F

ALL AND WINTER vegetables are both comforting and very flavourful – an appealing and solid part of meals for cold nights. Classically, vegetables are most often smothered in a rich and bountiful sauce called stew. You can make stew quickly by using a tender cut of meat, and serving it creatively. Just for fun, dish out this Canadian-style stew in an acorn squash bowl.

All these winter recipes make six to eight servings.

STEAK AND ALE STEW

For a heartier stew or for a vegetarian version add leeks, mushrooms and yams.

- 2lb (just under a kilo) outside round beef, cut into 2-inch cubes - ¼ cup (125mL) all-purpose flour - 1 tsp (5mL) kosher or sea salt - 1 tsp (5mL) fresh black pepper - 2 tbsp (30mL) olive oil - 1 bottle (345mL) ale - 1 large onion, chopped - 2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch sticks - 2 ribs celery, cut into 2-inch sticks - 1 medium parsnip cut into 2-inch sticks - 4 cloves garlic, chopped - 2 bay leaves - 3 cups beef or chicken stock (flavoured with wine and/or beer) - ¼ cup (60mL) fresh thyme and rosemary, chopped - 2 tbsp (30mL) grainy mustard - 2 tbsp (30mL) maple syrup - 2 tbsp (30mL) cold butter Season beef with salt and pepper. Toss beef in flour. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat.

Add the meat in two batches and brown on all sides. Remove meat from pan and reduce heat to medium. Add onions, carrots, celery and parsnip. Cook, stirring often until the onions are softened, about five minutes. Add bay leaves, garlic and beer. Cook two to three minutes, scraping any bits from the bottom of

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the pan. Add stock and fresh herbs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the meat and vegetables are tender, about 1½ hours. Uncover, continue to simmer until sauce thickens. Stir in seasonings, salt and pepper to taste.

GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

Cooking the garlic whole with the potatoes mellows the strong flavour, so don’t be shy when adding it.

- 6 large russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks.

- 6 cloves of garlic, peeled, whole - 1 tsp (5mL) kosher or sea salt - ¼ cup (60mL) butter - ½ cup (125mL) half-and-half cream or sour cream - fresh black pepper In a medium pot, cover potatoes and garlic with cold water. Add salt. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered until tender – 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, then mash or pass the potatoes and garlic through a potato ricer.

Stir in butter and cream. Season with salt and fresh pepper.

BAKED ACORN SQUASH

To use the acorn squash as a stew bowl, you’ll need half a squash per person.

3 or 4 medium acorn squash, halved horizontally with seeds scooped out ¼ cup (60mL) butter 1 tsp (5mL) kosher or sea salt ¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup (not the imitation stuff) Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a baking pan. Place squash cut side down in pan. Add ¼ inch hot water. Bake half an hour. Turn squash over, cut side up. Brush with maple syrup and sprinkle with salt. Bake another 15 minutes.

SAUTÉED CABBAGE

Any style of cabbage, nuts or seeds can be used for this light and crisp side dish.

- 1 small or half a large green cabbage, shredded - ½ cup (125mL) nuts (cashews, slivered almonds, walnuts, or pine nuts) - 2 tbsp olive oil or butter - ¼ cup (60mL) rice wine vinegar - Salt and fresh pepper - Optional: 1 tbsp (15 mL) brown sugar Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add cabbage and nuts. Cook, stirring frequently until cabbage is tender-crisp, and nuts are golden. Add vinegar, salt, pepper and brown sugar if using.

Stir until liquid has absorbed.

PEAR TARTE TATIN

This dessert is very easy to prepare.

If you want, substitute apples, plums or peaches for the pears, and serve with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

- 6 large firm-ripe Bosc or Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch-thick slices - ½ cup (125mL) butter - 1 cup (250mL) brown sugar - frozen puff pastry, thawed and rolled Preheat oven to 375 F. In a 9-inch ovenproof skillet or cast iron pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in sugar until dissolved. Remove from heat. Add pear slices, covering the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring until juices turn dark golden, five to 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Carefully place pastry over pears, tucking the edges down the side of the pan. Bake until crust is dark golden-brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then loosen the sides with a knife. Carefully invert tarte onto a serving plate.

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Visit www.BigGreenEgg.com to read testimonials, but here in Ottawa, just come in to the store.

THE BIG GREEN EGG

THE ‘BIG GREEN EGG’ BARBECUE This traditional barbecue gets hotter than the high-end gas barbecues, and holds its heat better in the Ottawa cold winters. So open the garage, wheel it over, and barbecue sizzling steaks and vegetables all year ‘round.

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Ottawa’s Adventure Boot Camp Improving health, fitness and state of mind

BY CATHY BROWN

THE PHONE RINGS and it’s the publisher of Ottawa Outdoors Magazine. He breaks the news: “You’re going to Ottawa’s Adventure Boot Camp.” You’d like me to go to boot camp, I ask?

OK, so maybe I’d been whining a bit about my lack of motivation and a few extra pounds that had crept up on me. More importantly, I had been talking about getting back into shape so I could enjoy Ottawa’s awesome winter activities. Getting a head start with dry-land training before the skating, skiing and snowshoeing began sounded good to me.

I pictured Demi Moore in G.I. Jane.

Her head shaved in defiance, posterior rising and lowering as she completed chin-up after chin-up. “Sure, that sounds fantastic,” I say into the phone, hoping I sound confident. Boot Camp would start at a gymnasium, at 5:30 a.m. Monday to Friday for four weeks.

On the eve of my first day, I woke throughout the night afraid I’d not hear the alarm. When I did sleep, there was a recurring nightmare of a drill sergeant yelling for me to drop and give him 20, as I tried to remember when was the last time I did 20 push-ups for anybody.

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04:30: I crawl out from underneath my duvet to the bewildered look on my dogs’ faces. I’m wondering, “What the heck have I gotten myself into?”

05:00: Into the car and off into the darkness.

05:30: “Good morning!” says our smiling new drill sergeant, Rob Harris.

“Start walking around the gym.”

And we did, a group of average Janes: teacher, government worker, property manager, stay-at-home mom, high school student, dairy farmer, cop, dog trainer and military personnel.

Some of us trying to wake up, all a little

nervous, not knowing what to expect.

We were called into a circle in the middle of the gym and introduced to Rob’s partner of 25 years, Joanne. They led us through some stretches as Rob explained what was expected. Let’s see if I can remember the main rules: } Smile and enjoy yourself. } Keep moving, even if it’s just a walk. } Anyone who complains or swears owes the group 10 push-ups. } If it hurts, stop and be sure to tell Rob or Joanne about it. } Take care of yourself.

We shared thoughts on what brought

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us to boot camp – reasons as varied as the women themselves: stress relief, health worries, boredom, an upcoming southern cruise, training for a marathon, training for a kick-boxing competition, getting back in shape for new seasonal activities, and finally the one everyone TOP 10 REASONS TO JOIN ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP 10 Open-door policy – any age or fitness level 9 A complete workout before the sun is up 8 Up-to-date nutritional information 7 New women to meet 6 Kick-boxing 5 Laughter 4 Exercises you can do anywhere 3 Learning a daily commitment 2 A cool T-shirt 1 Lost inches, gained stronger muscles and better appreciate the look, feel and reality of health.

had in common…to get motivated again.

Soon enough we were all huffing and puffing (and most importantly, smiling) while we worked out. In a very short time we were doubling and tripling the number of push-ups and

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sit-ups we could do. We did those half sit-up crunches, short distance running, lunges, callisthenics, jumping rope, hiking, training with hand weights as well as push-ups, pull-ups, and medicine ball training. One of my favourites was an obstacle course, which involved running from station to station for a different activity until the whistle blew, and you moved on. We had a sit-up station, a skipping station, a station with cones to weave through, and even a station to bounce different sized balls at each other in a circle (difficult, but great for handeye co-ordination).

And then the kickboxing classes began. You can’t imagine the stress release that comes from donning boxing gloves, and punching a focus pad until you drop.

It was encouraging that every exercise could be modified to anyone’s strengths and endurance levels, and getting fit didn’t require gym memberships or equipment. Real strength came from some very rudimentary moves.

Rob had mastered the art of changing the daily regime of games so well that our laughter and cheers drove any thoughts away that what we were doing was supposed to be a tough workout. As the drills rotated, we were repeatedly reacquainted with different muscles.

Just when our legs felt good and strong and the stiffness was gone, a leg workout would follow. Just when we forgot where our triceps were, we’d be back doing seated dips (even if it meant doing just one).

Not to have his work undermined by a poor diet, Rob invited nutritionist Traci Campbell in to talk to us. I still enjoy her recipe for a breakfast shake; for the first time in our lives my mother and I could feel a difference after taking vitamins – the ones Traci recommended.

Relationships developed quickly, since enthusiasm loves company at least as much as misery does. We all struggled with the same burden we’d been sold by the media – unrealistic expectations of what a woman’s body really looks like. Face it, more important than slipping into that favourite dress is how you feel in it. We all wanted to go tobogganing with the kids, or backcountry skiing, or snowshoeing

and skating in postcard scenery that is simply begging to be enjoyed.

We shared a lot of laughs before 6:30 a.m. (to everyone’s surprise), and the camaraderie relieved my early worries about whether such a mixed group of women might have anything in common that early in the morning. And there were the little things, like the rush when we left class just in time to see the sun rising.

My most memorable moment came when speaking with the dairy farmer.

She came to bootcamp feeling out of shape and in need of training, but learned she was stronger and more fit than many of us. More important, she learned she was more fit than she had ever imagined herself, and that working on a farm and caring for livestock brings a fitness membership with it.

Self-esteem is a wonderful thing, and she got it at bootcamp.

≈ Cathy Brown is a frequent columnist for Ottawa Outdoors Magazine, and this winter will be found outside skate-skiing or snowshoeing with her dogs nearby.

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The Runner’s Adventure Boot Camp SIMILAR GOAL – DIFFERENT PATH TO GET THERE

BY JENNY SHIELDS LAST SPRING KIND of hit me in the face; it was the first time I have tried on shorts in six months, never mind a bathing suit. Like many people, I had put on my customary 10 pounds over the winter but this time I decided against buying bigger shorts. My plan was to lose that weight, and the Adventure Run Boot Camp was going to be my catalyst. To help my motivation, I also registered for the five-kilometre race during National Capital Race Weekend.

When the first day of the Runner’s Adventure Bootcamp dawned it was dark and cold. I was far too lazy for this, but the cheque was written and there was still the issue with the shorts. Arriving at the Terry Fox facility was like being back in school during the annual track and field day, though the track seemed a lot longer than I remembered.

We were 25 women committed to an hour of training every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for six weeks. Some were fairly new to running, while others were veterans about to embark on the National Capital half-marathon.

Our workouts included running intervals on the track, circuit training, walk/runs along the canal, and a weekly dose of the Mooney’s Bay hill – the one famous for sledding in winter.

We worked at our own pace as Rob motivated us to push ourselves. Six short weeks later, we all looked and felt stronger and leaner. We had learned how to train and how to run, but more importantly we now had the knowledge of what we could do if we pushed a little harder.

A week after bootcamp ended, I’d lost nine pounds, had run five kilometres in just over 26 minutes (my goal had been 30 minutes), and my shorts never looked better. ≈ Jenny Shields (far left photo, in white, opposite page) is a teacher in Ottawa who digs in to get the most out of herself. She is currently training for another 5-km race.

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OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

49

Give the gift of warmth this winter

THEY TIED THE KNOT! Natasha Kyssa and Mark Faul exchanged wedding vows September 30 on a granite overhang called Peggy’s Corner in the Gatineau.

They wanted a ceremony free of the pressures of tradition, so they discussed the ups and downs of a rock-climbing wedding with fellow climber and All Seasons minister Luke Despatis, who loved the idea. He had never married anyone on the side of a cliff. The bride wore a 100-year-old key from her grandmother dangling from her harness, a new rose-colored blouse, a borrowed down-filled vest and blue climbing shoes. With Kyssa’s nine-yearold son Mischa leading the way, the wedding party climbed to a ledge, took in the view, and tied the knot seven metres from the summit. Maybe a figure-8 follow-through?

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As the candle burns, the glowing effect intensifies and the colours become more prominent. The shell outlives the original wick by several times, and Doozys may be refilled and re-wicked in our atelier.

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www.doozycandle.com TOP FIVE REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD TRY MARATHON SKATING 1. Speed skating on lakes and rivers gets you places you would otherwise not see during the winter.

2. Spending time outdoors and traveling fast across wide-open spaces on natural ice is soothing, fun, and healthy.

3. Feel the thrill of moving fast using only your own power. There is nothing like the rhythm of skating.

4. Speed skating is a great sport to build up your endurance. Set your goals and challenge yourself to beat your personal best.

5. Meet people of all ages and from all walks of life who make winter their favourite season. Speed skaters are a friendly group who help each other reach.

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OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

WHAT ELSE? } Marathon Skating International (MSI) is the official Website – www.marathonskating.org } In January and February anybody can join the Ottawa Marathon Speed Skating Club every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 until 9 p.m. outside the Brewers Park Oval. Every Wednesday night in those months there are also club races from 7:30 until 9 p.m. Contact Jake Maarse by phone at 613-225-4689 or e-mail him at maarse@sympatico.ca for more information. } Local outstanding marathon skaters in Ottawa? } Barry Publow from Aylmer, Quebec, Suzanne Dionne from Chelsea – both won last year’s International Big Rideau Lake Marathon, as well as the overall Marathon Skating International (MSI) points series.

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OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

51

BY BRANT SCOTT ILLUSTRATION BY KEITH MILNE

THE LAST BISCUIT

Bear facts.

MORE AND MORE encounters between people and bears are not ending well. News stories across the continent show bear attacks occurring with more regularity. In areas where food supply is limited and the habitats of humans and the mighty ursus overlap, it’s bound to be a bumpy ride.

Everyone knows grizzlies are best given a wide berth, but black bears too are acquiring a bad rep for ganging up on humans. As if to prognosticate the season ahead, Ottawa Outdoors Magazine carried a feature in spring 2004 entitled, “Playing for keeps in black bear country.” It cautioned hikers to avoid inciting an attack by trying to run away, and it carried a nifty sidebar on capsicum spray, capsicum being the stuff that makes cayenne peppers screaming hot. Don’t pepper-spray your gear, though, because bears find it a tasty condiment in lower concentrations.

During a few decades of camping in Algonquin Park’s outback and on the Highway 60 corridor, I’ve seen a bear only once, on the far side of a river. I got a different perspective one winter when a buddy and I travelled by car to the warmer climes of California. We saw bears up close and personal on several occasions in Arizona and California. Big blacks, browns and blonds would tool through our campsites like teenage girls shopping for makeup at the mall.

One evening as the sun was reduced to a red smudge in the mountains of Yosemite National Park, we were cooking a fine chicken dinner over the fire. My buddy Gary is slowly basting the chicken in a pan of mushroom sauce and egg noodles when we hear a loud, wet snort behind us.

A well-endowed adult black bear forces his way between us, and bats our frying pan along with the grate and a few burning logs high into the air with his paw. Orange sparks cascade across the campsite as Gary and I do shoulder rolls that would make Captain James T. Kirk proud. Having a large life form push you aside to pilfer your supper gets you breathing hard, I find.

The bear conducts his highjack in aristocratic leisure, studying us dimly as he waits for the chicken to cool down.

He gently picks the thighs up in his muzzle and crunches them up bones and all. Then he holds the pan and licks it clean like a kid working a lollipop. We bang on a couple of pots in half-hearted protest, but the bruin wheels on us

52

OTTAWAOUTDOORS WINTER 2005-2006

and we suddenly wish we had a tail to put between our legs. No contest.

Stars begin peeking through the tree canopy above and the burly beast ambles into the next campsite. Big mistake, we figure, because our neighbour is a robust Texan who looks himself like a cross between a grizzly and a Hell’s Angel. Before supper we think we saw him eating beer cans. The bear climbs up into the back of his half-ton truck, slashes open a 50-pound bag of dog kibble and commences gorging.

Shaking fists the size of Sunday hams, the big, bearded Texan runs at the truck hollering, “What the hail you thank you doin’ thar, ya sumbitch ol’ bear!” The bear abandons the kibble, stands up on his hind legs on the tailgate and roars. With the bear towering above him, the big Texan wisely morphs into Miss Rhode Island and backs off. After a half hour of continued gluttony, the stuffed teddy climbs a tree, circles three times in the crotch of some large branches and goes to sleep. Nothing left to do but get the camera.

Not all bear encounters end as peacefully as ours, but most do.

Our bear had been working this campground like a Sparks Street busker. We heard later that Ranger Rick airlifted him far enough away that he wouldn’t taste chicken again for a long time.

One night in Arizona, Gary and I watched in awe as four bears ran at each other from across our campsite, staking claim to goodies that weren’t even there. We had been warned to put all food in coolers in the car and disguise them with blankets and clothes. Apparently bears can rip open a car or RV like a tinfoil veggie pack.

The big guys do command respect, but they needn’t intimidate us into staying home with the doors locked watching last year’s vacation slide show.

≈ Brant Scott is an Ottawa freelance writer and marketing communications consultant. He can be contacted at brant.scott@rogers.com

www.OttawaOutdoors.ca

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