Ryan Stuart, explore's gear editor
Ryan Stuart's tell all blog spot on his gear addiction and life and times as explore magazine's gear editor
September 2008 archive
Via ferrata - the heli hike day
On the last full day at CMHs Bobbie Burns Lodge we went hiking. Doesn't sound that exciting until you feel the Gs as the helicopter banks into an alpine basin or plumets off the lip of a hanging valley. The hiking was all off trail and extremely scenic. First we ...
Via ferrata Part 3 - The Climax
On the morning of our second day at Canadian Mountain Holidays Bobbie Burns Lodge we jumped on the first helicopter of the day bound for Nimbus Tower. The weather forecast was for precipitation, but the guides were confident it would be solid not liquid - ie snow. Sure enough when ...
Via ferrata - Gear
Doing a via ferrata requires some specialized equipment. Some is the same for rock climbing or mountaineering, but the leashes are specific to the sport. Shoes: Bobbie Burns Lodge has a huge stock of heavy duty hiking boots for people to borrow, which work well for via ferrata. A stiff ...
Via ferrata Part 2
- Posted on September 16, 2008 at 1:22 PM
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From Via Ferrata Part One After lunch on the first day at Canadian Mountain Holidays Bobbie Burns Lodge we took a short helicopter ride to the Canyon Trial. This was the lodge's bad weather stand by - a day long hike along the Vowell River - until they installed a ...
Back from the brink - via ferrata part 1
I'm back on Vancouver Island after a 10 day trip through the Purcell Mountains, Banff National Park and Sprawlgary (Calgary). Variety was the name of the game as we did everything from mountain climbing to hiking with my daughter to visiting babies and mall shopping. But the highlight, by far, ...
Via ferrata
- Posted on September 3, 2008 at 3:11 PM
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Via ferrata are basically iron staircases and cables placed on sheer rock faces to make getting up mountains easier. They're all over the place in Europe, but are fairly new to North America. Today I'm on my way to check out one of two via ferrata in western Canada at ...
Another record attempt
There's something about my island that has the usually sedate and non-competitive sea kayak community all fired up. For the past few years Vancouver Island has been the scene of fierce competition to paddle around it as fast as possible. It's a shame because there are so many incredible spots, ...