issue #159//NEW ZEALAND’S PREMIER ADVENTURE MAGAZINE SINCE 1981 new zealand
april - may 2010/where actions speak louder than words//
Issue 159 APR/MAY 2010 NZ$7.90 incl. GST AUST $6.90 incl. GST USA $9.99 CANADA $9.99
THERE’S MORE TO ADVENTURE THAN JUST HANGING AROUND FREE CLIMBING
on Cerro Torre
-50 DEGREES by bike in Kazakhstan
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autumn issue
//159 //where actions speak louder than words//april - may 2010
Editor’s note Sometimes not failing is more important than winning
Big White is a very cool place, excuse the pun. Set amongst the Canadian Rockies it boasts some of the best skiing in the world and it is where we watched a nation dissolve and rebuild in 15 minutes. As we walked back to our accommodation we could hear the screams and jubilation echoing around the snow covered landscape. Like the howling of wolves, the slightly muffled yells a mixture of joy and anticipation. We were told at the deserted chair-lift that what we could hear was the Olympic finals between Canada and USA in hockey and there was around five minutes to go. We ambled over to restaurant bar that was crammed with Canadians who had all sacrificed an afternoon skiing to be part of this slice of ice hockey history as Canada were supposed to destroy the USA. The rivalry between Canada and the USA is a not unlike that between Kiwis and Australians but as the continent is so much bigger so it the level of rivalry. Here pitched against each other – in the biggest showcase on earth was the USA and Canada, head to head. Bearing in mind, as we were so often reminded there is no ice hockey in Canada there is just ‘hockey’ and it is in every bar, on every TV station, in every newspaper, discussed on every snow covered corner even kids play it in the dark after school in the freezing cold, it is as much and obsession to the Canadians as rugby is to New Zealand.
And here they were USA 1, Canada 2 with less than five minutes to go. As we entered the bar, which was crammed with hundreds of Canadians all staring at the TV screen above our head now with less than 30 seconds to go USA scored! The looks of complete horror on the Canadian faces were like us losing the Rugby World Cup. Tragic horror, tears, yells, curses and …… the inevitable extra time. This now put the game into extra time, golden goal, whoever first scores wins, bragging rights hung in the balance, the ego of a nation and at this point dear reader the title of my editorial comes into play. No longer where the Canadians interested in winning, they just desperately did not want to lose, not their own national game, on their own soil (ice) and in particular could not to lose to the USA. As with all good fairly tales this ends well with Sidney Crosby scoring a goal. But what was evident was not the joy of winning but the overwhelming relief of not losing on every Canadian face. And there is the rub, sometimes it is more important to have a result than have an amazing win. Sometimes it is more important to walk your local track than to climb Everest, more important to make the most out of winter than to become an expert skier. This issue of Adventure is the ‘pre’ winter issue, the precursor to the real winter issue. This one is about being prepared for the cold and getting the very most out of it, from snowshoeing to skiing, there is something for all, the winter does not have to be the time of year when everything gets packed away, it can be a time to look at new activities and new ways to enjoy yourself. The trick is making the most out of this coming cold – and ‘preparing’ to make the most out of it. Don’t wait till the last ‘30 seconds’ get ready to meet the challenge head one and enjoy it. n
ABOVE: Steve Dickinson (wearing white t-shirt in helicopter) hard at work this year in Hawaii.
Cover: Photo by redbull
Editor Steve Dickinson Ph: (09) 428 3182 (09) 428 2443 | Mob: 027 577 5014 p.media@xtra.co.nz Advertising sales Lisa Young Ph: (09) 428 3043 lisa@adventuremagazine.co.nz art director Nina Blackburn Ph: (09) 428 3046 p.media_design@xtra.co.nz Web Guru Erik Baars, erik@erikbaars.com Subscriptions manager Courtney Johns, subsmagazine@xtra.co.nz Contributing Writers and Photographers Candide Guerlain, Tristan Shu, Sebas Romero, Red Bull, Cerro Torre, Corey Rich, Mark Kalch, Jean Marc Lamory, Tim Buffett, Holly Robertson, Roger Chao, Emily Earle, Vickie Watson, Jeremy Cronin. Distribution Gordon & Gotch, Ph (09) 979 3000 other publications Curl | Ski & Snow | Prime Times Publishers NZ Adventure magazine is published six times a year by: Pacific Media Ltd, P.O.Box 562 Whangaparaoa, New Zealand Ph (09) 428 3182 | Fax: (09) 428 2443 Email: p.media@xtra.co.nz Contributions of articles and photos are welcome and must be accompanied by a stamped self-addressed envelope. Photographic material should be on slide, although good quality prints may be considered. All care is taken but no responsibility accepted for submitted material. All work published may be used on our website. Material in this publication may not be reproduced without permission. While the publishers have taken all reasonable precautions and made all reasonable effort to ensure the accuracy of material in this publication, it is a condition of purchase of this magazine that the publisher does not assume any responsibility or liability for loss or damage which may result from any inaccuracy or omission in this publication, or from the use of information contained herein and the publishers make no warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to any of the material contained herein. Pacific Media publications are independently audited by Cleaver & Co chartered accountants
www.adventuremagazine.co.nz//
//159 autumn issue
Photo by Johan StĂĽhlberg
16 guerlain candide 26 andreu lacondeguy 30 david lama 36 expedition amazonas 42 snow shoeing 44 naish house 2.0 54 snow bike 56 overland 60 rockin’ out in morocco 64 SUnpeaks 78 coast to coast adventure race regulars
//08 Just random //52 subscription //55 nikon photo competition //70 gear buyers guide //80 classifieds
www.adventuremagazine.co.nz//
Jimmy Chin
| Meru, India | Mammatus Jacket | Photo: Renan Ozturk
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//159 //just random/products/news/giveaways
The Harvest Collection
Ever since KEEN introduced a bag Collection they have featured recycled materials in their bag construction. Using the Aluminium and Rubber by-products of producing KEEN shoes in their bags is an important part of KEEN’s commitment to a Hybridlife – living your life to the full in the environment of your choice, and making sure that you take care and protect that environment. An extension of this commitment can be seen in the introduction of KEEN’s Harvest Series. The Harvest Series are a collection of bags made from recycled rice sacks and heavy brown bags that have been rescued and repurposed directly from the KEEN factory. Embrace individuality with the one of a kind bags in the Harvest collection. Every bag features a unique combination of colours and patterns exclusive to that bag. As Unique as the women who use them. Back side zipper pocket Interior zip pocket and organiser pockets. $139.99 www.keenfootwear.co.nz and customerservice@agi.co.nz
Fast Find PLB distress beacon helps NZ man to safety
A walker in the Ruahine mountain range in New Zealand was rescued on Sunday after he activated his Fast Find Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) to alert search and rescue services to his plight. The man was starting a 10 day trip when he fell into a hole filled with water and snow. He quickly became cold, disorientated and activated his Fast Find PLB. The Fast Find sent a signal via satellite to Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Wellington, which dispatched the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter. According to the Hawkes Bay Today newspaper, Pilot Brent Williams said the man had been proactive in using his personal locator beacon. The man had bunkered down in his sleeping bag while he waited for help. “He felt pretty bad about using the beacon but thought he had better,� Mr Williams said. “He couldn’t feel his feet when we got there.� Mr Williams said the Fast Find 406MHz beacon had made finding the man easy. The Fast Find 211 is the smallest PLBs available on the market, and can be carried in a pocket or backpack. It can be used anywhere in the world providing it is registered by the buyer before it gets used. The distress signal is relayed by the COSPAS-SARSAT international government Search and Rescue satellite system, decoded and then relayed to the national authority which will co-ordinate the rescue, in this case Wellington, NZ. The climber had bought the Fast Find from Aviation Safety. n
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//159 //just random/products/news/giveaways
Support Mybagcares
It’s time for a change-time to think about the future, time to shop with MYBAGCARES and stand tall. For every bag purchased, we’ll plant a TREE right here in New Zealand on Motutapu Island. This will RESTORE the landscape and re-establish NATIVE BIRD habitats. New Zealanders stop using 30 million plastic bags every year CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE AND CHANGE TO MYBAGCARES Visit www.motutapu.org.nz or www.mybagcares.co.nz
The lingerie jumps for Sarah Skinner’s 1000th jump
GV10 will be running as a 5 day event running from 18th-22nd August. Also prior to GV10, we will be hosting the New Zealand Skydiving Nationals which is a 4 day skydiving competition where the best skydivers in New Zealand compete against each other, in teams or individually. In previous years Good Vibes has had funding contributions from the New Zealand Parachute Federation, but due to their own lack of funding they are unable to support the event this year. If anyone can help with Sponsorship please contact Lisa Chambers 03 528 4091 or visit www.skydive.co.nz Good Vibes has always been and will continue to be a non-profit event.
Canvas Shopper $29.90 Jute Shopper $19.90
Starboard and Adventure Magazine hit the 2010 New Zealand Boat Show
Most people on a Saturday are walking the dog, cleaning the car or taking kids to sports, I on the other hand took myself off to the The Auckland International Boat Show at the Viaduct on the 13th of April. Unlike most boat shows in New Zealand there was not the retail element of the show, much to my disappointment. A girl likes to shop even if it is for a new pink fishing rode and some pretty coloured lures. The boats on show were of the best quality and came with some very big price tags. I was lucky to be invited onto Jeremy Stephenson stand from Starboards to give away Adventure Magazine. Working with Jeremy and his team was so much fun and as I have tried SUP before I was impressed by the amount if interest from visitor to the stand. I would normally be out on the water fishing in the weekends but if you are looking for a new water sport I would strongly recommend SUP. It is a great form of exercise and the places you can explore are unlimited. Check out www.starboards.zo.nz for more details of how you can try one out or purchase one.
What is Rogaining?
The sport of long distance cross country navigation, in which teams of two to five people visit as many checkpoints as they wish in a set time period. The checkpoints are free-choice and have different point values so strategy and route selection becomes a vital component. The championship rogaines are 24-hours in duration. Shorter variants may also be done, on foot, bike, canoe, skiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s or using public transport using a variety of map types. Teamwork, map work, endurance, competition and an appreciation of the natural environment are features of the sport. See www.rogaine.org.nz to find out more about this exciting sport.
//160 Look out for our Adventure Magazine 160th Anniversary edition BIG WINTER ISSUE on sale 8th June
Contact Lisa Young to advertise 09 428 3043
INTERVIEW COURTESY OF DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INC
10 minutes with
Bear Grylls
Bear kicks off the brand new season of MAN VS. WILD in the back-woods of Alabama. Dropped in by helicopter at the top of a 700-ft canyon, he climbs down an enormous tree to reach a white-water river. We ask him what’s next... The first question is, what’s next for you? Are there any new world record attempts on the horizon or just a break coming up? We’re out in LA at the moment, and we’re filming a new series for Discovery called Worst Case Scenario, and it is kind of what it says, you know. It’s how to survive some epic, big, urban disaster, so everything from earth quakes to blackouts to your car breaks sailing up a mountain, to being mugged, to your elevator cables snapping, to you name it, being attacked by wild dogs. We just did one yesterday where you drive a car off a bridge, and it skids off and goes into a lake and sinks down, you know, under water. How do you get out of it from deep down? So it’s all those sorts of stuff. I’m just in a car at the moment driving off to get locked in an industrial freezer for 12 hours at minus 40 degrees. So I’m, yes, putting some extra pairs of socks on in anticipation. Actually, one of the questions I was going to ask is that given the current wave of natural disasters, do you think that more people are becoming interested in how to fend for themselves, and do you have any top survival tips, you know, if you’re caught in one of those extreme situations with a tsunami or an earth quake comes through and kind of wipes you out a little bit? Yes. Well, I think the kind of lesson on Man vs. Wild and Worst Case Scenario is that don’t take anything for granted, and be prepared, and don’t be afraid of looking silly and over-prepared. Yes, I’ve seen an awful lot of things go wrong for real out in the wild, and I think doing this new series just reminds you how, you know, disasters happen to people, people never expect would have happened to them. And every scenario we’ve filmed over the last few weeks, like a day later, I notice something in the press that some lady has just been mauled by wild dogs, or literally we finished shooting this earth quake disaster and showing how you survive the rubble and all this sort of stuff if you’re buried, and the next day the earth quake in Chile happened, so you’re never far from this sort of stuff. And I think it’s going to be a great new series this year. I think it’s something that people can relate to, in a way, much more than Man vs. Wild, so I’m really excited about doing this new one. But, at the same time, we’re still doing lots of Man vs. Wild as well. You spend a lot of time in the wild. Are there any environmental issues that you feel particularly strong about? Yes. I think I have a real sort of pet hate of people who belittle global warming or skeptics. My experience is those people just haven’t seen what I’ve seen, and I’ve seen it raw, and I’ve seen it close, up, and it’s a very real, you know, worldwide problem that we’ve all got to take responsibility for. Somebody came up to me the other day and said, oh, it doesn’t matter if the world is getting warmer. You know, they only see the first tenths of the picture, and what they don’t see is the massive devastation and rise in floods and everything, and the results from that, and droughts and everything. So I’m a big supporter of all the environmental issues. I do a lot with a charity called RARE Conservation that works at government and local levels that affect … basically educating people at the local level in these countries, sponsored by the governments, on the implications of deforestation and all that sort of stuff. That’s a big thing. Yes.
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The next one, it’s a bit morbid, but what’s the closest you’ve come to death, and I’m going to guess that it might have been in your early 20’s because of your back injury. Yes. I think that I was very lucky with that parachuting accident to survive that, and the doctors and hospitals all
the months afterwards used to call me the Miracle Kid for just how close I’d been to being paralyzed, so I was super lucky then, and that’s given me a real gratitude actually just for life. And I think life doesn’t always give you a second chance. If it does, it comes with a responsibility to go for it and really grab opportunities and have a smile on your face and not squander life, so that was a close one. But I’ve endless close shaves whether it’s falling in crevasses on Everest or nasty sort of animal encounters, jumping on the back of tiger sharks, or getting bitten by snakes, or we had loads of hairy moments just when we did that power motoring over Everest. I’ve had endless expeditions where I remember crossing the Artic Ocean in a little open … and, again, we should have died so many times on that one. I hate having these moments, and I try and kind of define my work by the times we get it right, not the times we get lucky. So that’s why I try and focus on the good times, not the close shaves. Bear, we’re coming up on the ten-minute mark. How are you doing on time? Are you okay for one or two more? Yes. I’m just on my way to be locked in an industrial freezer for 12 hours in minus 40 degrees. No, that’s all right. I’ll let you go and get ready, and put on as much clothing as possible. Take care and hopefully see you in a few months. All the best. Nice. n
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TAke IT All oN ™
//159 //skiing/france
&
Guerlain Candide Words Candide Guerlain Photos tristan shu
Located at the foot of Mont-Blanc, the most famous alpinism city in France extends winter until the beginning of May. It’s the perfect spot for those who want to have precious last free-ride runs before snow melts everywhere, changing the main colour of mountains from white to green. Leaving Annecy on one of the first sunny and warm days of spring, we had lost more than 15° when we arrived in Chamonix. We swap from flip-flops to snow boots and get down from our car fully stuffed with skis and winter clothes, camera bags and all the accessories that photographers love to bring with them even it weighs 20kg… We join Guerlain “Goon” Chicherit and Candide Thovex in a nice chalet and, after welcoming jokes and laughs, we begin to check the weather forecast and plan the week. It seems sun will be with us for the future, and as it snowed in the past days, we cannot dream of better news to begin the crazy project the two French ski legends have had in mind for several months: climb up the highest Alps summit (4807 metres) and go down skiing on the North face! Even it’s not a “premiere”, few really experimental ski-alpinists have done it since our dearly departed Marco Siffredi. Evolving in seracs, crevasses and cliff faces is always a challenge, making you realize how small you are compared to an ice-androck giant. Heli-skiing is forbidden in France so if you want to go on top “well put your shoes on son, warm your thighs and be sure you will deserve your ride!” Before going to challenge Mont-Blanc, we all decide to enjoy the next day skiing and shooting so set all alarm clocks to be in the first cable car tomorrow. 7.45 am – ten sleepy eyes waiting at the door to heaven! In the cable car, the rising sun allows us to discover what will be our daytime playground, smiles begin to get bigger and we walk over-excitedly to reach the first spot indicated by our local guide. We will spend the entire day walking in a roped party to the start point, going down the Vallée Blanche jumping cliffs and avoiding crevasses… Back home exhausted but happy, weather forecasts confirm Candide and Guerlain can try the climbing soon. We will have to pack all our stuff tomorrow morning to reach the Cosmiques refuge (3613 metres) in the afternoon…
16//WHERE
ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#159
Guerlain Chicherit jumps with the magnificent Grandes Jorasses in the back. april 3rd, 2009 photo by Dan Ferrer
Guerlain Chicherit jumps a well sized ice cliff in the VallĂŠe Blanche. april 5th, 2009
Heli-skiing is forbidden in France so if you want to go on top “well put your shoes on son, warm your thighs and be sure you will deserve your ride!” We arrive near the Cosmiques’ Peak in the middle of the afternoon, settle into the refuge and enjoy an amazing overcast sunset from the panoramic terrace. Goon and Candide check their climbing and skiing equipment one last time and our guide begins to brief us on the potential dangers on the summit path and how to avoid bad consequences… It’s on! We are up to 3500 metres, more easily tired than usual and we all enjoy a warm rehydrated bowl of pasta before trying to fall asleep. 4 am… Very short night! We didn’t sleep for more than half an hour because of the lack of oxygen and it will be soon time to go… After a short breakfast, we decide that only Guerlain and Candide will go today, a cameraman in helicopter will follow their way down. It isn’t worth sending our two photographers in a risky climbing – Tristan felt in a crevasse two days ago and almost disappeared, we don’t want to give him a second try now! We will follow the ascent by radio from the refuge. 9.30 am – Candide and Guerlain inform us that they haven’t reach the summit yet and that they are deciding to give up for today. After spending five hours fighting against Mont-Blanc, they are both close to
hypoglycemia and Goon suffers a serious chilblain on a foot. They will ski down to the refuge and will retry the climb if weather allows it in the next days. After another very short night, we decide to spend a day skiing and shooting around the Cosmiques to acclimatise. Amazing landscapes in an ice and snow kingdom, we found some good spots and both Goon and Candide show us one more time why they belong to the “Freeski Hall of Fame”! We go back to the refuge early because massive clouds are arriving upon Mont-Blanc, wind begins to get stronger and there’s a snowfall taste in the air. A quick check with Chamonix weather station and we learn that an atmospheric depression is arriving on the north part of the Alps. It might be impossible to move for the next three to four days; we still have time to go down to Chamonix, and we decide to renounce to the Face North project for now… No end point however, Guerlain and Candide are not the kind of people to give up easily and on the way down they are already talking about how to prepare next year try! Determination and forsaking are often both part of the same story, especially those with a happy ending. n
After a few hours of shape Candide tricks the ice formation... Glacier des Bossons. april 9th, 2009
//159
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Rocky Mountain Chalets is perfectly situated for all your outdoor Winter and Summer activities – skiing, mountain biking, tramping, fishing and a host of numerous adventure type activities. Rated by Qualmark at 4 star plus, Rocky Mountain Chalets is an exclusive, alpine style resort made up of 42 individual stand alone luxury chalets, consisting of either two or three bedrooms and depending on the configuration will sleep comfortably up to 8 guests. Each cosy chalet is beautifully appointed with quality fixtures and furnishings, full size kitchen dishwasher, automatic washing machine, dryer and each features drying cupboard and outside secure storage lockers in each covered carport with lockable hooks for Mountain Bikes. For those who want to relax after a day up the mountain or other outdoor activity our Recreational Chalet has two piping hot spas, a sauna and guest lounge - the ideal place to wind down or just catch up with friends and family. To keep you further entertained, we also offer SKY TV and DVD players in all chalets. Also please note that for your comfort ALL chalets at Rocky Mountain are designated NON smoking. Just a short walk to cafes, supermarket and other specialty shops in the village. For your convenience Rocky Mountain has WiFi broadband internet access available. Do you have a special occasion coming up? Why not spoil yourself in the fabulous Presidential Chalet, which offers you that special luxury home away from home. Features include, a cosy fireplace, your own private spa pool, gas bbq, designer furnishing, accommodation for 6 in 3 generous bedrooms and a kitchen that appears to be right out of “House and Garden”. So, whether you are after an action packed, adrenalin pumping vacation OR a relaxed romantic weekend away from the stresses of city living, Rocky Mountain Chalets at Ohakune, offers refined comfort and value for money, for the most discerning traveller. Rocky Mountain Chalets 20 Rangataua Rd (SHW49), Ohakune Your Hosts: Bob and Corinne Phone: 06 3859545 | Fax: 06 3859552 Email: Info@Rockymountainchalets.com www.Rockymountainchalets.com
Andreu Lacondeguy
takes MTB to new heights Photos Sebas Romero/Red Bull
Andreu Lacondeguy completes an epic MTB Freestyle session with a super kicker FMX ramp. 10 metres long and 8 high Double Backflip. Andreu Lacondeguy is not a conformist. He always tries to take his limits beyond and the truth is that nowadays, MTB Freestyle limits are where Andreu wants them to be… Last year Andreu played the lead on his personal crusade for the events to have big size jumps. “For the last two years, we have been jumping in BMX size jumps. We are riding MTB! We can go bigger! The sport is going to get stuck if the competitions are not a challenge anymore”. As his words didn’t arouse great interest, Andreu tried to do it by himself. With Red Bull help, he built a huge jump in the middle of nowhere that defies logic.
The Jump
Andreu has been riding MTB and FMX at the same time for a couple of years. So he simply took his FMX ramp, much longer and steep than any other MTB ramp, and drove it to Flaça surroundings, a tiny village in Gerona’s countryside (Catalonia). With the help and advice from the experienced rider and jump builder Axel Jürgens, they took advantage from a natural slope in the
forest. But to reach even more speed, they had to build a scary 15 metres long speed jump, which was even more complicate than the MX ramp itself. At full speed, Andreu faces the metallic ramp to fly around 10 metres long (30 feet) and almost 8 metres high (24 feet).
The Tricks
Any failed jump meant a huge fall and every tumble on the landing means enough to think twice about jumping again. So there was not much space to fail. That is why, after a couple of training days, Andreu landed every trick at first or second try. And he landed almost everything… Double Backflip (huge, probable the biggest one ever made on a MTB, and at first try!), Backflip Tailwhip, Backflip Superman, Backflip Indian Air, Underflip, Double Tailwhip, 360 Flatspin Seatgrab Indian Air, Superman Seatgrab… The photographer Sebas Romero was shooting and “Boston Enjoy Productions” filmed the session for the “We Are Family” DVD. The film, that will be released this spring, includes the best Spanish Freestyle riders in every discipline. n
www.adventuremagazine.co.nz// 27
David Lama
free climbing attempt on Cerro Torre Words Cerro torre Photos Corey Rich
Austrian climber David Lama spent almost three months in the Cerro Torre area with the goal of being the first to freeclimb the infamous “Compressor route” on Cerro Torre. Being known mainly for his achievements in competition and sports climbing, David was aware of his role as the underdog when coming to Patagonia and hiking up towards this majestic mountain. A short flashback…
The Cerro Torre in Patagonia has always been classified as one of the most spectacular and fascinating mountains on the planet. A granite needle of 3,128 meters height that is so wild and exposed that it was previously deemed unclimbable and is nowadays still considered one of the most difficult mountains on earth. All climbers who tried to climb Cerro Torre either failed or died trying, until in 1959 Italian Cesare Maestri claimed to have reached the summit. However, as his Tyrolean partner Toni Egger, who had carried their camera, was killed by an ice avalanche on the descent, there was no evidence of their ascent. Over the years, doubts arose among many alpinists, as for years no other climber managed to reach the summit. In 1970, eleven years after he had been there with Egger, Maestri returned to Corre Torre as he could no longer live with the doubts about his ascent. Bringing along a compressor, he drilled his way up the mountain so that everyone could see he was the first to conquer the summit. The climbing scene was horrified by this act, as bolting the whole route wasn’t seen as a “fair” ascent. Maestri’s method was harshly criticized for a long time, but today it’s still his bolts that make an ascent
possible for most climbers. Maestri‘s “Compressor route” is symbolic for the attitude of former times: Reaching the summit was all that counted. But things have changed and the values of alpinism have shifted to new directions. For David Lama, who is an alpinist of a new generation, reaching the summit is just as important as the approach. Technical climbing, the usage of bolts and ladders for climbing go against his ethos. In addition to competition and sports climbing as well as boulder projects, David also developed an interest in alpine projects. Mostly unnoticed by the climbing scene, he gained experience in first ascents and repetitions of classic routes throughout the alps. With the goal of freeclimbing big walls he also went on expeditions to Kyrgyzstan and the Cochamo Valley, but it wasn’t until David’s friend Hansjörg Auer told him about his experiences in the “Compressor route” that David started dreaming of Cerro Torre. David had set his mind on attempting to freeclimb Meastri’s “Compressor route”, meaning that he would try to reach the summit only supported by natural structures like rock and ice and using Maestri’s bolts only for protection. David was aware that the difficulty of this project
this page: David Lama posing on his expedition to Cerro Torre, Argentina www.adventuremagazine.co.nz// 31
wasn’t just to climb the vertical walls of rock and ice, but also to do it in the right conditions. The weather in the Cerro Torre area is known to be bad and unpredictable; it is very rare to have several continuous days of good weather before storms with an unbelievable intensity literally blow you out of the wall. “I didn’t believe storms like these existed until I came to Patagonia,” said David, also mentioning the imminent danger of rising temperatures causing ice avalanches to come down. When David and his expedition partner Daniel Steuerer arrived in Patagonia in mid November, they were pretty lucky with the weather. A longer stretch of good weather enabled them to hike with all their equipment towards Cerro Torre and set up camp “Nipo Nino” and a bivouac on Col de la Patience, where the Compressor Route starts. The first free-climbing attempts also looked promising: David led the way up to the famous bolt traverse three times; twice having to turn around because of continuous ice avalanches, once because a storm almost blew them out of the wall. Back in the base at El Chalten, David and Daniel had to wait for the next window of good weather on Cerro Torre. Killing the time with bouldering, hiking and meeting other climbers, they waited in vain for over six weeks. Every once in a while they made a desperate try and hiked in to camp Nipo Nino, where they saw that thick layers of ice and snow had been
blown onto the vertical faces of Cerro Torre, making an ascent practically impossible. David and Daniel had to face the worst case scenario: The good weather period they had had right at the beginning of the expedition looked like it would turn out to be the only one of the entire Patagonian summer. By then their dream of freeclimbing the “Compressor route” had come to an end; at least for this year. According to locals it had been the worst climbing season in 15 years.
From David’s perspective….
“From this year’s attempt on Cerro Torre I took home a lot of experience and memories of a world of mountains so majestic that you only realize how big they are when you leave Patagonia. It’s the dimensions that shift: The walls are higher, the storms more powerful and the experiences more intense. Walls we can only dream of at home aren’t even looked at over there, as they drown in the sea of gigantic mountains surrounding them. I will return for sure. I’m not only fascinated by my goal of free climbing the compressor route on Cerro Torre, but also by the village of El Chalten and its surroundings. But now I need to settle back in at home and start preparations for the upcoming season. It’s only now that I’m back at home that I notice how much my time in Patagonia has influenced me…” n
Maestri‘s “Compressor route” is symbolic for the attitude of former times: Reaching the summit was all that counted. But things have changed and the values of alpinism have shifted to new directions. opposite: David Lama and Daniel Steuerer against the looming peaks of the Cerro Torre next: David and Daniel pacing the challenge of Cerro Torre
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Expedition Amazonas
A journey source to sea Words mark kalch
As I sat and cried for the second time in a day, my mind was numb. I could not control the tears. I was wet, cold, tired and I was beaten. Nathe quietly asked if he could film me. I had to smile. Of course—we couldn’t miss such good footage! Our team was more than 50 days into Expedition Amazonas, a human-powered, source to sea descent of the world’s biggest and arguably longest river. It originates high in the Andes of Peru, slowly growing in size as it falls through deep canyons and winds its way through dense rainforest on its journey to the Atlantic Ocean, some 6500 kilometres away. Our group consisted of fellow Australian Nathan Welch, South African, Phil Swart, and myself. It had taken nearly two months to travel this far, battling fierce snow storms, altitude sickness, relentless climbs and some of the most difficult white water on earth. We still had more than 6000 kilometres remaining. We had returned to the river after a massive five-day portage around an unrunnable section of river to find that the Río Apurimac (as the Amazon is known close to its source) was now an altogether different beast—bigger, faster and much more dangerous than before. More often than not, rapids were now impossible to scout and portage was out of the question (portaging involves avoiding too difficult rapids by land). One morning, having already flipped a good many times, Nathe and I scouted the next rapid. Again, huge; again, no portage possible—a mustmake move to river left (river left or right is always looking downstream) and a narrow, steep chute. Unfortunately, most of the river was insisting we go to the right, into a deadly siphon that would eat boats and crews for breakfast, lunch and dinner! A siphon is a river feature that has a large opening but narrow exit. Once you enter, you do not leave—ever. This was too much. We had already flipped twice in a morning—and now this? I went down on one knee and cried. In that instant, I was beaten. If we did not make this move, that was it. I do not mean the expedition was over; I mean our lives were over. Nathe had to do something to pull me out of this dark place. He assured me that we were
in this together, that we would take each rapid as it came and we would look after each other. I composed myself and off we went. What choice did I have? We ran it. The strongest and best back-paddle of our lives pulled us from the clutches of the siphon and neatly slotted us through the chute. We nailed it. After a day of epic rafting, we made camp as the sun disappeared behind the mountain walls towering over us, the absolute beauty of our surroundings becoming clear once more. We scouted the rapid we were to face early next morning: massive, multi-drop, multi-hole, with dire consequences when swimming. Nothing new then. I broke down again. How can I explain the feelings I had? We had flipped so many times, swum so many times, but still made it through unscathed. Was this skill? Awareness? Strength? Or was it luck? Chance? If it was the latter two, then with so many rapids yet to run, so much river yet to negotiate, that luck would surely run out. I cried with all my heart. Not out of simple sadness, but from fear. Fear of not seeing my family and friends or living my life. Piotr Chmielinski, the first man to ever run the Amazon River from source to sea, had told us, ‘the river always wins’. Right there and then, the truth of this was more than evident. But there was a silver lining. We got some great footage of this big, bearded, supposed hard man, crying like a baby! The next day started on a brighter note. While Phil and I were still sleeping, Nathe slipped into the river fully clothed. When we awoke just after 6 am, he was dressed and ready, in wetsuit, drytop and all. We both thought how very keen the boy must be. Of course, we had the hell rapid to run. There was a definite, if tight, line to take on the left. We pushed off. Just about into position on the
I was kicking, trying to make the surface, but even wearing the best high-flotation PFD available on the planet it was all for naught. The river took us deep. Phil recalled that he eventually became strangely calm. He had done all he could and to no avail. It really seemed to all of us that the game was up. All over.
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river above the rapid, we spotted that the net bag holding all our gear was not fastened to the boat in any way. This would have been disastrous. If we had run the rapid with the it not secured, our gear would have been lost in an instant, no doubt taking at least one of us with it. With fastening cams in place, we tried again. Very professional lads. Our line was not perfect but it seemed okay. Not good enough. In an instant, a big, white monster grabbed the heavy boat, flipping us as if we weighed nothing. Suddenly, we were swimming at the top of a rapid with three massive holes. Plenty of down time was had by all. I was pulled to river left and swam to a semi-submerged rock. Nathe and Phil took the middle line (not by choice). They swam three big holes and a fourth, smaller one on river right. The boat was still surfing the rapid as the paddles passed by. Phil made it to the river bank quite high and Nathe a little further downstream. Out popped the boat and, fortunately, wrapped itself around a rock some distance down river. As was becoming the usual drill, we righted the boat and set off again. We had lost three paddles and snapped a blade clean off the shaft of a spare. We were down to four paddles after starting with nine. Many kilometres further on, we found two of the paddles waiting patiently for us in an eddy. I think the river was toying with us.
Soon, the river became much bigger and wider, the sides became less steep and the surroundings resembled a desert—more akin to running the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon than the Andes in Peru. The Río Pachachaca joined us from river left and we camped not far beyond a steel bridge, Puente Pasaje. Nerves frayed, we were relieved to have made it through one more day. The following day the entry of the Río Pampas from the left signalled our arrival in so-called ‘Sendero country’, the region where the notorious Sendero Luminoso or Shining Path guerrillas had once been active. Now we had to worry not only about the river, but also about men with guns. Excellent. The difference being that we see the Apurimac as a friend— albeit, a big, strong one who occasionally plays a bit rough, but a friend nonetheless. Men with guns are not likely our friends. Approaching midday after another tough week on the river, we came to yet another very long wave train. We scouted from the boat and paddled on. It became apparent very quickly that all was not well. The long class three rapid quickly dropped and what appeared in front of us was almost beyond belief. The river, which not 100 metres upstream had been large-volume and wide, was being channelled through a chute not more than two boat widths across! It just didn’t seem possible. We were
running an easy middle line of the wave train and had to do something. We managed to get to river right, but the current was too strong. Now just 30 or so metres above this monster, we tried to reverse ferry to river left with even less success. This was it. The river had us. The river had won. There was no escape and there would be no survival if we passed through the gates of foaming mass ahead. My thoughts—and everyone’s, were of our certain demise. It sucked us in. This rapid was class six: unrunnable and no way out. By some miracle we made the first drop. However, the entire river was then pushed to the right of this tiny gap and on to a rock wall. We, of course, went with it, high into the air, and in an instant the boat was over and into the final hole. Our down time broke all our previous records (not one of those records you really like to break). I was kicking, trying to make the surface, but even wearing the best high-flotation PFD available on the planet it was all for naught. The river took us deep. Phil recalled that he eventually became strangely calm. He had done all he could and to no avail. It really seemed to all of us that the game was up. All over. All of a sudden we surfaced. The hole released us, Nathe and me to river left and Phil to river right. The boat popped out behind. I made it into an eddy. Nathe was behind, and the boat followed him. The water crashed against the sheer cliffs on either side. He made it up on to the boat, but it re-joined the main river flow and began to head around the next corner, with Nathe on top. We knew from previous experience that the boat was too heavy for one of us to flip on his own. Nathe made a quick decision to attach his throw bag to the boat and swim to the river’s edge. However, the banks were almost sheer cliffs. He held on with a fingertip grasp. He was slipping. Above him, like ghosts, appeared a group of fisherman. They wanted Nathe to grab their rope. He wanted them to grab the throw bag attached to the boat. They couldn’t understand. They wanted to rescue the man, not the boat, which was now at
Early in the morning we once more found ourselves staring at the boat. An attempt to reach the boat in such an isolated environment was deemed too dangerous. The previous day by some miracle we had escaped with our lives. There was little point now throwing them away just as quickly. the full length of the rope and teetering on an eddy line. A couple more metres of rope and it would have swung into a large eddy, but it was not to be. The boat slipped from our team mate’s grasp and took off down the river. The rapids that followed were long, class four at least. There was no way the boat could be stopped. Nathe tried to give chase on land but it was an impossible task. The sides went from sheer cliffs to a myriad of boulders. The boat ran a long rapid and disappeared around the corner into the jungle. I was still river left and tried to find a way further downstream—I couldn’t. I made the decision to swim across to river right. I had lost a shoe in the flip. Phil was still in the water and slowly making his way along the base of the cliffs on river right. By the time I crossed, Nathe and Phil were on the corner where the boat had disappeared. We were all shaken but uninjured and well enough. There was no time to rest. We needed to get around that corner. The only discernible track went inland and then high above the river. By now I had discarded my remaining shoe and was barefoot among the broken branches, cactus and sharp thorns that littered the ground. It took almost an hour to reach a point above the river from where we might see the boat. We were exhausted, but we spotted it. From our vantage point it looked as though it was stuck on a small rock shelf on river right about three kilometres downstream from the flip. We were all very emotional and hugged among some tears. Everything might just be fine.
The area we were in was extremely isolated. Problems here meant big problems—there were no phones and almost no people. Back down at the river, we searched for the boat. We needed to get to the other side to get a clear view. I crossed the river and drawing level with the boat, my heart sank. Our view from above had failed to reveal the full scenario. The boat, sure enough, was stuck on a small rock shelf, but what now became clear was its position in the river. Running fast and wide on river left was a long class four or class five rapid. In the middle of the river, the rock shelf itself, with the boat upside down about two-thirds of the way along its length. What was not possible to see from the cliffs above was the still faster running class four rapid separating the rock shelf and boat from the river’s edge on the right. No way to reach or retrieve our transport. I couldn’t believe it. I stared for a long time. It seemed impossible to see how we could get to the boat and attempt to free it. Heading back upstream to break the news to the boys, my lungs heaved and my mind spun. Phil and Nathe joined my side of the river and we spent our time in the fading light staring at the boat. We were tired and devastated, but also happy to be alive—and amazingly, without injury. By odds, the rapid we had flipped on a few kilometres upstream was not one that three people enter and emerge from all unscathed. How we did so, I will never know. We decided to take turns watching the raft. If it freed itself, it was possible we might reach it quickly enough in some slack water below the rapid. It soon became clear that this was not going to happen. It was a pitch black night with thunder and lightning rolling in. It began to rain, heavily.
We had no shelter. Phil sat in the open and I wedged my upper body under a boulder in a vain attempt to at least keep a part of me dry. It was cold and wind whipped through the river gorge. Nathe tried to watch the boat, but this was only possible when lightning flashed. As the storm passed, the lightning became less frequent and there was no point watching. He found a small cave, high up the bank, where we spent the night. We were unable to sleep, but at least we were dry. Early in the morning we once more found ourselves staring at the boat. An attempt to reach the boat in such an isolated environment was deemed too dangerous. The previous day by some miracle we had escaped with our lives. There was little point now throwing them away just as quickly. As we walked upstream away from the boat, we kept staring back. This was it. The boat and everything on it was our life. We had the river kit we were wearing and nothing else. No money, no passports, no satellite phone, no cameras…no boat. We were in a bad place. After swimming back across the river, we met two fishermen. They saw our sorry state and motioned for us to join them. They fed us massive amounts of fish and yuca along with thick, sweet tea. Through this simple gesture of kindness it felt as though our lives had been saved once more. They offered to lead us to the closest village with a telephone— perhaps a few days walk, all uphill. From there it could be an eight-hour drive to the city of Cusco. Our thoughts and emotions were a mess—to think of starting again with nothing was devastating. I made up my mind to get to Cusco, book a flight to Lima, then a flight home from there. It was just too much. www.adventuremagazine.co.nz// 39
Phil was the same. Nathe was more guarded with his thoughts, but just as devastated. Our new friends and saviors, however, were adamant that they could reach the boat, even though they had yet to see exactly where the boat lay. After much discussion, we agreed to stay one more night and attempt a retrieval with the help of the fishermen. Morning arrived, and with the locals’ help we were able to get much closer to the boat, this time on river right. No matter—the story was the same. Massive, fast water separated us from the boat on both sides. The initial look on the fishermen’s faces said it all. But quickly they became convinced they could get their simple balsa rafts into position above the boat and get to the rock shelf. No deal. It was just too risky to let these guys attempt it, without helmets and without PFDs. Regardless, we were right there and Nathe was damned if we were leaving without giving it a shot. We would approach with safety foremost in mind and to hell with the boat if need be. I swam hard across the river to set up the only safety we would have below the rapid. Our rescue equipment consisted of two throw bags, a few prusik cords and eight or ten karabiners. It would have to do. Nathe walked upstream and entered the river. Phil shouted instructions so he would hit the rock shelf and not be pulled into the mad water on each side. With deft maneuvering he made it. Sometimes swimming and sometimes jumping from rock to rock, Nathe edged his way down to the boat. Between him and the boat lay two wide, fast-flowing channels. The first he traversed by inching his way across, finding handholds and footholds as best he could. The second was wider and much too fast for him to attempt the same. The only way possible was to jump into a small eddy that had formed close by and approach from below. Off he went. He swam with all his might. He was below the shelf, but it became too much, he was being pulled out of the eddy and straight into the fast water. It looked all over. A mighty desperate burst got him back into the eddy and he flung his hands out to grab the rocks. He made it across the channel and closer to his must reach goal. Negotiating some widely spaced boulders, Nathe climbed on to the boat’s upturned hull and collapsed. He had made it. I could see Nathe test the extent of the wrap. The boat had some movement. A push here and a pull there managed to shift the angle of
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the boat somewhat, but it still held fast. He retrieved a throw bag from the boat, clipped it to a bow line and pulled. As he did, he slipped from his precarious perch and took a massive backwards tumble down the rocks and straight back into the tiny eddy from whence he had come. With another Herculean effort he hauled himself back up. He was hurt and crawled once more on to the boat. In pain and exhausted Nathe continued, shoving, pulling, lifting. Little by little the boat was moving. Did we dare allow ourselves the thought that maybe it could be freed? An instant later, it was! The boat was pulled down the rock shelf as Nathe threw himself on to it. We were not out of this yet. He had to ride the upside-down boat through the rest of the rapids. I readied my throw bag, but it was clear he would come out far over to river right, out of reach. I grabbed my paddle and dived into the rapids in an attempt to reach the boat. Fortunately for me, there was a long stretch of flat water below. I joined Nathe on the boat and with the help of one of the young locals we paddle into an eddy. We had our boat, we had our home and we had our lives. Our attention quickly turned to kit. Was there anything left to retrieve? Was all the electronic gear ruined? Had the river taken it all? We flipped the raft right side up: dry bags, medical kits, safety bag, Storm Cases—it was all there! Nathe broke down and we hugged each other (in a manly fashion, of course). This was too much. We had gone from losing everything—from the expedition being all but over—to having our boat, our gear, the lot. We checked the Storm Cases. High-definition video camera? Bone dry. Handycam and still camera? The same. Satellite phone? Ditto. Laptop? Sweet! We were stoked. The show would go on! And go on it did. The white water subsided, the flat water began— thousands upon thousands of kilometres to row. Phil became incurably ill and was forced to abandon the expedition. Nathe and I pushed on together for the remaining 4500 kilometres, rowing 24 hours a day, nonstop, on a river that at times was more than 40 kilometres across. At last, one evening, at midnight on the coast of Brazil beyond the mouth of the river, we reached the lighthouse at Ponte Taipu, our final destination. In doing so we became just the fourth team and persons 7 and 8 in history to successfully descend the entire length of the Amazon River by human power alone. n
Follow the leader
ROAD | OUTDOOR | FITNESS | MARINE | AVIATION
Touch Nature Oregon™ 450. The great outdoors in a touchscreen. Just touch the bright, easy-to-read 3-inch colour touch screen display on the Oregon 450 and it guides you back into nature, to the places other hikers rarely go. It comes preloaded with a worldwide basemap with shaded relief, with additional mapping sold separately on plug-in microSD™ cards. Oregon 450 features a high-sensitivity GPS receiver, barometric altimeter, 3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass, and the ability to wirelessly exchange user routes, tracks, waypoints and geocaches with other select Garmin devices. And it’s plenty tough, too, waterproof to IPX7 standards.
Trip metre
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Touch nature again with Oregon. See the Oregon 450 at garminoutdoor.co.nz
Overland Track, Tasmania. Photo by PeterGreig.com
Snow shoeing Words Jean Marc Lamory photo tim buffett
Snowshoeing, do you know it? Maybe the stories of trappers or pictures of the arctic wastes of the far north initially come to mind, but modern snowshoes have for a long time retired their ash tree frames and caribou skin straps. Instead they have become high performance, made with modern materials, which permits you to traverse all types of terrain, from the valley floor to the high mountain, in a manner which can be either energetic or leisurely, but always fun. The most surprising thing you notice when you put on snowshoes and take those first steps is their lightness and the ease of movement they give you. The modern design of the frame enables such a natural walk that you soon forget you are wearing them as they allow you to freely traverse through thick forests and forgotten coombes, forging new paths between snow-laden trees that bend in reverence, up snow covered slopes allowing you to draw a thread of an ephemeral track towards the summit. Coping easily with different kinds of snow, snowshoeing is certainly the simplest and most versatile means of transport on snow: From the snowline to the summit, from powder snow to slush or ice, from the flat to undulating terrains, from crusted snow to spring snow, frozen or melting, there is always the pleasure of new discoveries and achievement; a simple but deep happiness that speaks to the heart and soothes the soul! The history of snowshoeing has long merged with that of skiing, but modern snowshoeing as a leisure activity has only recently developed since the 1980s in France and then more widely in Europe, where the enthusiasts are now innumerable. Outdoor enthusiasts, walkers with their families, hikers, snowboarders & skiers, alpinists, all of them will benefit from using
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snowshoes regularly or occasionally and will find them reliable, highly practical and highly addictive. Regular enthusiasts all comment on the ease of movement, the impression of lightness and deep freedom that you feel as soon as you leave the beaten tracks and go away from the pistes, ski resorts and the crowds to enter the quiet of the backcountry, to absorb the landscape and take you own place in the beauty of winter. Add to this the fun of jumping over streams, tumbling down the slopes, downhill running in powder snow and then your only limitation is your sense of adventure. You will enjoy the slides, falls, deliberate or not, and all the pleasures of the snow. You will delight at being able to stroll in an unspoiled environment where you will gain the deepest respect for its beauty and the joy it offers. So dare to go snowshoeing! Put on those “soles of wind” and become for a while the “trapper of old” and risk becoming addicted! n Jean-Marc Lamory is one of the busiest and most persuasive proponents of the snowshoe. A Mountain guide, he has guided more than 6,000 customers to explore the snowy mountains of the Haute Savoie. His numerous articles and reports in the press and its guidebooks have played a key role in knowledge and development of the racket (snowshoe) in France. Having long worked with Folly’s, he is 10 years as adviser to the manufacturer TSL. Jean-Marc Lamory is also the author of numerous technical books on mountaineering.
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Naish House 2.0 A Hawaiian Winter Words Holly Robertson Photos Stephen Whitesell
The Naish House 2.0 coincided with a phenomenal winter in Hawaii. The original plan was to have the entire event take place on Oahu, but when December rolled around some serious storms in the Pacific delivered typically diverse winter conditions to both Oahu and Maui. 44//WHERE
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Jaws was seeing its best swell in years and the Pipeline Masters was experiencing perfect waves and a record turnout. In between their kite sessions, the Naish team was exposed to all aspects of a winter on the Hawaiian Islands. “Hawaii is an amazing place any time of year, but a Hawaiian winter is a special thing. It’s still warm, with average temperatures being only a few degrees colder than summer. It can rain for days or be sunny for weeks. The wind is up and down, and the surf can go from flat to twenty-five feet in a matter of hours. As Forest Gump would say, “you never know what you’re gonna get.” In winter you can have long periods of no wind, but you can also have the best kiteboarding conditions ever, with incredible North Shore surf and riding at spots that you may only get to ride once or twice per year. You just have to be in the right place at the right time. You have to fly between islands. You have to chase it, and at the same time be patient and go with the flow. Wind, waves, rain or shine, Naish House 2.0 was about winter in Hawaii; hardcore kiteboarding when the conditions are happening and hardcore fun when they’re not!” – Robby Naish This years lineup consists of: World Champion, Kevin Langeree; British Champion, Sam Light; French Champion, Florian Daubos; North Shore Oahu Unhooked Wave Master, Reo Stevens; California Strapless Wave Phenomenon, Ian Alldredge; All Around French Ripper, Cyril Coste; Naish Kite Designer, Damien Girardin; and Robby Naish. DAY 1: Morning venture to Jaws on North Shore Maui and afternoon Westside kitesurfing session at a secret local spot. Waking up early to beat the rush, they journeyed along the country road, winding past Ho’okipa to the pineapple fields of Haiku. The road to Jaws features the ocean on one side, so you can gauge the wind and swell for the day, and acres of cane and pineapple fields on the other. Damien: A way out of season typhoon coming from Japan turned into one of the biggest storms ever in the North Pacific, resulting in one of the biggest swells in years for Hawaii on December 7th, 2009. These waves were coming with no wind, creating one of the sickest Jaws days ever! As we drove to the sketchy dirt road between mile marker 13 and 14, an announcer plays back a recording from exactly 68 years ago on this day: “Pearl Harbor is Under Attack!” Sam: The wind forecast was kinda sketchy the first few days of Naish House, but the Surf forecast rocked; it was huge! With comments like, “biggest swell in 40 years” and “60 foot faces” the whole of the North shore on both Maui and Oahu were talking. I was on Maui a few days before the rest of the guys arrived and woke up at 6 am to get down to Jaws (as it was a zoo at 8 am the day before and I knew the wind would pick up slightly). I saw the biggest sets I’ve seen in my life! Flo: Jaws is such a mythic place for water sports, and as an ocean fanatic, I was pretty stoked to admire the monstrous waves crashing into the reef. The ambiance at Jaws is surreal. When a big swell comes to Maui, it seems that the entire island is living in a “swell” mood. There were more than 50 skis out towing guys in solid 12-foot Hawaiian. Robby
and Kai Lenny were killing it. Watching the different generations out there together was epic. Kevin: I saw Jaws for the first time in my life…that was seriously unreal! Watching Dave Kalama, Laird Hamilton, Robby and 17-year-old Kai Lenny battle a dangerously beautiful wave like Jaws jump kicked the guys better than chugging a gallon of Red Bull. After taking the morning to witness the 8th wonder of the world, it was their turn to get in on the action. With a light North wind kicking in on the North shore they headed to the Westside for an afternoon kite session (the only spot on Maui that works for kiting with a North wind). When they arrived at a secret local spot there was a side shore wind around 15 knots with a 2-3m shore break that made for a sick first day of kiting. The guys were obviously stoked to be kicking it together again, doing what they love on the windy isle. DAY 2: Team building activity on outrigger canoes and afternoon SUP session on a perfect wave at Kanaha (Central/North Maui). All around waterman and Naish Maui Sales Rep, Nitsan Solomonov, is an avid paddler and canoe club member. Nitsan arranged a traditional team building activity on Hawaiian outrigger canoes. Each canoe is a 6man canoe made up of a steersman, who sits in the back, and five others sitting in front. The person in the number one seat sets the pace and the person in seat three keeps count letting the rest of the team know when to switch paddling sides. Flo and Sam must have thought they were on a Gondola because they just sat back, relaxed and enjoyed the ride while everyone else paddled. Maybe they were just saving energy for the killer SUP session that followed. Kevin: It was fun but kind of hard because it was a team activity. The person at the head of the canoe sets the pace for everyone else. I was at the front and I kept getting distracted and forgot everyone was following my lead. I’d be going really fast and concentrating, then I’d see something off to the side and slow down to look at it, then stop altogether and realize everyone else had stopped too…oops. I’m not really good at team sports. It was fun to catch waves though; you catch them easy and just keep going. Flo: SUP rocks. It keeps your whole body fit and it’s great to surf. The outside reef was just insane! The waves were clean and tight. We were the only people at the pick, getting huge drops. On the way back to the beach, the sun was dying under the mountains and I could see turtles, whales and seals. Mother Nature was looking her best. Damien: The waves were insanely clean and the drop felt like a perfect Tahitian wave drop. Sharing a perfect glassy 3m wave SUP session with friends is as good as it gets. DAY 3: Freestyle action on the Central/North Shore of Maui at Kite Beach followed by island hopping over to Oahu. Day three brought perfect freestyle conditions with 12m weather and flat water at Kite Beach. Kevin, Sam and Flo were dominating the waters, showing off their champion freestyle skills.
Jaws is such a mythic place for water sports, and as an ocean fanatic, I was pretty stoked to admire the monstrous waves crashing into the reef - Flo
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Damien: The wind picked up the next day permitting some serious freestyle action. Kevin was killing it, obviously still pumped from winning the world championship. Sam was throwing wake style move after move. Sam definitely shows how wake style is done. There isn’t a lot of muscle needed, but it requires a lot of momentum to launch off the jump and roll with it until landing. It is just Sam and gravity, a very pure style. Flo was fresh back from a knee injury that had him out for 8 months and the 2010 Charger was the perfect kite for his debut. Flo: Welcome trade winds! It was a bit difficult for me to show off my freestyle skills because of lingering pain and apprehension…but it felt so awesome to be out on the water again! There is nothing like it in the world; something about the ocean and what a kite permits you to do on the water that makes you feel so ALIVE! This difficult experience really changed my vision of the sport and reminds me how much you have to live it up every day. The lesson I learned from this is that you can’t control everything all
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the time, the way it goes can change so fast and you have to deal with it. Even if something happens or conditions suck, just play hard and always have fun! From Maui to Oahu, there was too much going on to stay in one location. Checking out the forecast, all arrows pointed to chasing the wind over to Oahu. Everyone is at Damien’s house trying to pack 12 board bags (barely fitting it all into the bed of his truck) and get out the door in 15 minutes! The Super Ferry is no longer in operation, so the boys had to fly. DAY 4: Kitesurfing at Mokes on North Shore Oahu. First kite session on Oahu was at Mokuleia. This is Reo’s stomping grounds where he undoubtedly contributed to some of the pathways through the bushes 11 years ago when he started kiting and all those lovely safety features hadn’t been invented yet. Reo learned to surf, windsurf and kitesurf at Mokes and was super stoked to show off this location to the rest of the team. With a sweet North Swell and light wind, the wave riders were
tearing it up until the wind collapsed and Robby lead the swim all the way to shore. Ian: We got to Mokes and the wind was light. We could barely go on 12m but the surf was pretty fun. It was hilarious when the wind shut down pretty much instantly and everyone had to swim back! Flo: In the evening we cheered some beers at Nickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and barbecued. Robby grilled steaks! Huge thanks Nick! He has an amazing house in front of the beach on the North Shore. It was so much fun kickinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; it there. DAY 5: Pipeline Masters on North Shore Oahu. The next day unreal surf conditions accompanied the Pipeline Masters and the guys just walked down the street to show up at the right time to witness a record-breaking turn out. Flo: In the morning we watched the Pipeline Masters, which is the final of the WCT Pro surf tour. The best surfers in the world were fighting for the world title in a thick 6 to 8 ft Hawaiian. Back door and Pipe were
breaking in huge barrels. Guys out there were ripping and lots of people were cheering on the beach. I had never seen a big surf contest before and it was impressive to watch celebrity surfers dropping in on these powerful, monster waves. Pipe is such a mythic wave, you can really feel that lots of important moments of surf history happened there, unfortunately sometimes causing casualties among the best pro surfers. Kevin: Super cool to see that wave in real life. It was so crowded on the beach, it was like a football stadium! DAY 6: The invention of tow-in kiting at Phantoms on North Shore Oahu, and a little nightlife action at Waikiki in Honolulu. No one had tried tow-in kiting yet, so on a light wind day the guys got out the jet skis and gave it a shot. It turned out to be a fun approach and a brand new avenue! Sam: At our pimp house on the North Shore of Oahu right on the beach at Backyards, we were chilling on the balcony watching over about www.adventuremagazine.co.nz// 49
5 world class breaks including the famous towing wave, phantoms, that only breaks at about 10 to15 ft faces. The wind was light and offshore. On a recent photoshoot in the Caribbean, I tried towing behind a boat while flying a kite to create enough wind to kite along for about 20 yards to capture a picture. We figured if we could tow a wave guy, like Ian, into a wave, he would have enough apparent wind to catch the wave then use the power of the wave to keep his speed. No one has ever done it before so we thought we would give it a go as we had three jet skis waiting. It didn’t work quite as well as planned, as the wind was dropping even more, but after we ditched the kite I towed Ian into a bomber! Naa, it wasn’t huge, but it was so much fun towing him in. I think it’s definitely possible to tow in a kiter and might even give them more of a chance to get radical as they won’t have as much power in the kite pulling them out of their maneuver. That night the guys ventured over to Waikiki to soak up some of the famous Honolulu nightlife. Kevin managed to attract some special attention during his first exposure to Hawaii’s big city. DAY 7: Shark diving outside the North Shore of Oahu. It must have been Jaws going off on Maui that got the guys in the mood to go cage diving with sharks on Oahu. Kevin said swimming with “10 to 15” sharks was one of his favorite parts of the trip. Sam claimed that swimming with “15 to 20” sharks surrounding him was amazing. Ian thought that swimming with “over 20” sharks was incredible. Hmmm… starting to sound like a good old “fish story”. DAY 8: Island life: SUP action around little islands off Kailua, cave diving and cliff jumping. The last day was full of adventures. It consisted of stand-up paddling around islands and swimming into caves (where you could witness a bunch of extreme adrenaline junkies acting like a litter of scared wet kittens).
Sam: After we went stand-up paddling around the little islands, we found some caves to investigate. Flo and I went into this tiny cave; dude, it was scary! When a set came in, the cave would fill to the top, then suck completely dry between each wave. You had to wedge yourself in, to stop getting worked. Stephen and his daughter were at the back of the cave where it was pitch black, super scary! There were all of us fearless international kiters, too scared to go in, when Stephens’s young daughter is in the very back! Bunch of wimps! Flo: As the sun was going down, owing to mighty cliffs and breaking waves, the atmosphere was pretty frightening. Finally we went back to earth through the lagoon under an amazing sunset, shading off sky colors from blue to orange, then pink to green. All in all it was a killer week. The boys didn’t kite every day, but they did score some awesome riding. Above all, they were able to experience what winter in Hawaii is all about from Maui to Oahu, huge swell to flat water and Kona winds to cranking trades. From there they packed their bags and went their separate ways. Kevin headed back to Holland for the holidays then shot off to South Africa for winter training. Sam headed to Australia to work on videos. Flo and Cyril headed to France to freeze their asses off. Ian headed back to Cali to kitesurf the shores of Santa Barbara. Robby and Damien hopped back over to Maui. And Reo is still on Oahu soaking up one of the best Hawaiian winters of his lifetime. n Special thanks to: Nick and the Geranio family; Henry and Janet Larrucea; Elliot Leboe, ACL Productions; Steven Whitesell; Nitsan Solomonov; Sharon Balidoy, Lae`Ula O Kai Canoe Club; and Stephanie Brendl, hawaiisharkencounters.
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it’s easy! Just post in the coupon below. ISSUE #159//NEW ZEALAND’S PREMIER ADVENTURE MAGAZINE SINCE 1981 NEW ZEALAND
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//159 //SNOW/3SKI
the Ultimate snow toy ‘3ski’ obviously it’s a snow bike with 3 skis, but what’s it all about? 3ski is a purpose built snow bike and it’s all about riding on snow and having fun. So how does it work and who is your target market? If you can ride a bike you are already over qualified, it’s 70% like riding and 30% like skiing. Because of the stable platform balance is not that important and the bike takes care of the skiing part for you so almost anyone can ride 3ski.
How are the resorts with 3ski and what about the lifts? Just about all resorts accommodate Snowscoot and exactly the same sets of considerations apply to 3ski. With anything new there is a process that we like to work through and the theory ‘if you’re not sure just ask’ is the best one to follow. Largely due to 3ski being purpose designed to work with all the common lift types we have a 100% success rate with resorts to date and often it is just a matter of fitting with existing guidelines.
Okay riding on snow, is it difficult to do, what’s the learning process? A big part of the appeal is 3ski is both the easiest to do and quickest to learn snow sport. You can learn in minutes and master within hours, in-fact I have only had one person take longer than 10 minutes to learn, it turns out she could not ride a bike either…
The product looks great, almost like it’s been around for years. Trust me it has, the R&D process has been five years. The Adrenaline snow bike really is the best of everything we have developed. Of course we could have released a cool new product 2-3 years ago but it wouldn’t have been a great product like we have today.
Sounds like 3ski could potentially open the doors to a whole new snow sports market? We wanted to create a tool for both introducing new users and re-introduce people to snow sports. What has really taken us by surprise is the generation ‘Y’ group with the X-games culture that exist today, they’re lovin 3ski.
So tell us about the motivation to develop 3ski and the people behind it? Six long years ago we watched a guy on his home made ski bike struggle down the mountain, this got me thinking about the hardware evolutions with both skis and bikes, really I could not think of a valid reason why snow bikes were not now in the same league. We assembled a small group of like minded kiwis all with great ideas; I think there must have been a bit of a ‘if you build it they will come’ faith thrown into the mix as well.
Okay the hard questions, is it safe and how do you stop? Everyone wants to know this. Reality check is how safe is a skier or snow boarder up on the hill for the first time? Put that same person on a 3ski snow bike and they are in complete control right from the onset. Stopping Just like everything else on snow is firstly about speed control, riders have three basic ways to do this; steering, leaning and weight shifting. In reality any combination of these techniques can be utilised at one time. Its quiet a rush when you get into it, there are certainly lots of options at any one time and it all adds up to big smiles and there the type that don’t wear off for a while.
Okay now were feeling like going out and ripping up the snow on a 3ski snow bike, how much will it cost and where can we get one. In NZ 3ski has a RRP of $2,995 including g.s.t. If that’s not sounding like you why not just pay buy the hour? We have a number of resort rental opportunities that we will be sharing information on just as soon as we can. In the meantime just visit online at www.3ski.com n
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ADVENTURE #159 WINNER Jarrad studer Show us your best Adventure image and go in the draw to win the Coolpix Camera. Send to: Coolpix Competition P.O. Box 562 Whangaparaoa Or email direct to p.media@xtra.co.nz
overland Words and images roger chao
This story begins in the middle of one of the worst winters Kazakhstan had experienced in a long time…colder, windier, and with more snow than many people could remember.
We had just re-entered Kazakhstan, after crossing the border from China at Khorgas. Being the middle of winter, and with us planning to head north towards Semey/Ust Kamenogorsk and cross into Russia by the Altai Mountains, we knew this was going to be difficult. It was on our fourth day in Kazakhstan that we had our first glimpse of what the weather would hold for us; when all- night snow resulted in a thick coating of powder all over the landscape, and our four wheeled, pedal powered, tandem, sociable, recumbent bike, we had so aptly named “Quikey”. From here, the weather took a turn for the worst. As the day rolled on, the temperature continued to drop, and the rate of snowfall increased. From Khorgas our plan was to head west to a small town called Zharkent, and then on to Sariozek. From here we would turn north towards Taldykorgan and then onto Semey. Our first obstacle was to be the two mountain passes on the way. By the time we reached Zharkent, our drive train was starting to freeze up every morning. Our trusty internally geared Rohloff speed-hubs (fourteen evenly spaced gears with a 512% range, housed in a weatherproof shell) and the Schlumpf reduction gear (a 2.5 reduction gear, also enclosed in a weatherproof shell) seemed to be operating OK still (albeit a lot stiffer), but all the exposed parts, including the pedals, were very reluctant to move. Even when finally “freed” it still felt like we were towing an extra 50kg, due to this increase in friction. Later that day we were told by a passing shepherd on horseback that the evening temperatures were around -30c, and that this was nothing compared to the - 45/50 temperatures we would encounter as we headed north - he seemed to think we should be happy that it wasn’t so cold yet! In this region, the shepherds live out with their animals all winter long, with no cars, no roads, no electricity, just a horse for transport, and cow manure
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to keep them warm. Very simple yet very effective and practical for the conditions. Our best attempts at riding that day (some eight hours) had only resulted in us making about 13/14km due to the conditions. The freezing temperatures, our locked up drive trains, and the snow on the ground, made our progress agonizingly slow. Whilst attempting to set up camp in the snowfield, we saw a small shepherd’s hut in the distance and wondered over to investigate – hoping that the disused hut would provide us with some shelter from the wind, in which to set up our tent. Stopping every fifty paces or so for a breather (enforced breather more like, as we fell over in the mid-thigh deep snow from exhaustion), our feet and hands were rapidly becoming numb – the only thought urging us to keep going. It turned out to be an hour-long slog to the deserted hut with a 60L dry bag in each hand. As we neared the (not so deserted after all) hut, we were surprised by a large dog which started barking. Alerted by this barking, a shepherd (who was just as surprised to see us as we were to see him) soon appeared, and invited us in for dinner. Tired weary and cold at this stage, we had no qualms about agreeing to his invitation. Later that night another shepherd on horseback stopped by, to ask if he could stay the night too. He had been on the way back to his winter house some 15km further up in the mountains, but had been forced to stop since the snow was too deep and the temperature too cold for him and his horse to continue. These shepherds are spread few and far between with neighbors often tens of kilometers apart, with just mountains and snow between them, and thus have to be both self-sufficient, and hospitable to any fellow horsemen when the bad weather hits. That night, both of the shepherds warned us about the dangerous
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Later that night, both of the shepherds warned us about the dangerous wolves that prowled the steppe at night, (telling us how hungry, desperate, and numerous they were), saying that a rifle was essential for our safety. wolves that prowled the steppe at night, (telling us how hungry, desperate, and numerous they were), saying that a rifle was essential for our safety. Staying with the shepherd for the night, we were force-fed copious amounts of pumpkin manti (traditional Kazakh steamed dumplings) for dinner and breakfast, before heading off; again trudging off through the deep snow, on the long walk back to where we had left Quikey in the snowfield. Heading off, we wondered what it would be like as we headed further north, as the snow grew in depth, and the temperatures plummeted - we were now planning for 10km days (on a good day that is). A few days later, whilst tent bound at night (with the wind and snow converging on us with increasing ferocity), both our sleeping mats suddenly popped. This was very strange for us, as we were sleeping on soft snow, and the mats had help up fine for the last ten months, so for both to fail at nearly the same time was a bit of a coincidence. The mats were now leaking out air from countless micro punctures at quite a fast rate, on top of this however, was that they were now bulging in the middle, and thus at their widest point bulged out by some 25cm making sleeping very uncomfortable. We dreaded that as the problem got worse, we joked that we would soon be sleeping on giant yoga balls - a joke not to be taken lightly as the bubbles steadily expanded. From then on, our nights were very cold and uncomfortable – due to the endless holes in our sleeping mats. This was due to the baffles ripping out all the seams, thus making patching impossible since the whole mat was like wire mesh now. Our new strategy now, was one of filling our dry bags with clothes, and lying on them for added insulation from the freezing ground. Passing by a small village along the way called Konoralyon, we were “guested” (a Kazakh tradition of inviting travelers into their houses) by a man who proceeded to tell us how dangerous the road ahead for us was. We were warned countless times by him and his family about the freezing wind and cold that would await us as we climbed the mountain pass, as well as the danger of wolves at nighttime. Between here and Taldykorgan there was one major pass and three smaller passes to climb - not so bad in summer, but in winter, they become very dangerous; with thick slippery ice, deep snow, and relentless winds, on top of the extremely cold temperatures. After describing to us how dangerous the wolves were, he begged us not to sleep outside at night - even if we were armed with rifles and pistols, since they would make no difference whatsoever if a pack of wolves decided to surprise us in our sleep. Departing from his village, we were again cautioned by him about the
dangers of the wolves and mountain pass, and thus spent the next few nights with some local shepherds along the way. These shepherds even more stories to tell us about the wolves in the area, saying that the wolves didn’t just kill sheep, but had also killed fully grown camels (which weighed 500kg+) and horses! By now, our distances were steadily decreasing, with the deep snow and strong winds making riding extremely difficult. Our distances were now 20km per day, 15km per day, 12km per day, 7km per day, as the weather and terrain got worse, and we dreaded the time when 5km/per day would become our regular winter distance. Climbing up to the base of the first pass, we knew we could not make it over the pass that same day. It was soon after this that we met the shepherd we had stayed with two nights previously - he had ridden all the way up here on his horse to herd his animals back down. Looking around for camping options, we were soon invited in for chai (tea) and to stay the night, by a kind old woman. In this village, the people here keep huge dogs 60-70kg and 80-90cm tall, as protection from the wolves. However, this woman warned us that even in a group these big dogs were no match for a wolf. If such big dogs still had trouble with the wolves, we wondered how we would cope out in our tent on our own! The next morning we stepped out of the house, only to be greeted by a strong cold headwind, which made it impossible for us to ride uphill on the slick ice. Thus (to our host’s elation), we were forced to stay there another night, in the hope that the weather would be better the following day. The next day the wind died down enough for us to hit the road again. The family begged us to stay on longer, given that the temperature forecast was for -40/-45C in the next three days, but we really needed to push on as we had a visa registration deadline closing in on us fast. Already we had struggled just getting to the base of the pass. It had been very tough going, both pedaling and pushing Quikey, even though we had not even reached the steep bit yet. We wondered what it would be liked when we finally started the climb. It was supposedly only 12km to the top of the pass from where we were (though some people said there was actually two passes, others said it was only 8km away, and others said some other completely wild figures...our map giving us no better indication), which we hoped to make by nightfall. Starting out, we immediately felt how tough the going would be, every pedal stroke ended up with us slipping backwards by a huge amount, meaning it was more like three revolutions forwards and two backwards. Between the slick ice and soft snow, we were only left with one other option, pushing. Getting off the Quike, we attempted to push; only to have ourselves slipping and sliding all along the ground on our hands and knees, it was like trying to walk on an ice skating rink, but worse! We could barely walk on the slick steep ice, let alone push or pull a Quike at the same time! We had brought snowshoes with crampons, and sled harnesses, and studded ice tyres, but at this stage felt that we could just gear down and pedal away, knowing that to put the new tyres on would take another three or more hours (and it was freezing cold at this stage!). Thus gearing down, and scoffing down some more biscuits, we proceeded to pedal…and pedal…and pedal...and pedal away, in very low gears. Averaging around 1km per hour, we finally topped out at the pass (it was a lot closer to the top than expected), before the attempt on the dreaded down hill. In the mountains, the problem for us when going down hill is not so much the braking, or skidding, but the wind. Even with full wind proof gear on (with not an inch of skin showing) it still gets mighty cold - with all the snow splashing back onto you and freezing solid on the outside of www.adventuremagazine.co.nz// 57
your clothes. Gearing up for the long awaited (yet dreaded) descent proved to be in vain, as it turned out that we ended up going so slow (due to the traction/slipping/sliding), that this didn’t turn out to be an issue for us this time round. Rolling down the hill at a gradual pace, we were stopped on the roadside by a man collecting/moving snow, who promptly invited us in for tea (and to stay the night). It turned out that 500m away through the snow (there was no road, just snowdrift which had been dug out by him and the other villagers to clear a path) there was a small Chechen village of some thirty families. Following the man out through the snow (we think he greatly over estimated our speed, when he said to follow him!), we entered his house, only to see a table laid out with a glorious array of foods, a huge Chechen banquet. It turned out that there was a festival on that day, since his relatives from all around had come to visit. How lucky we were! We had been waiting for a banquet like this for months - it was heaven! Amidst all the gorging ourselves silly (including horse interestingly stuffed with pure horse fat...which we kindly declined), we were told that his Kazakh neighbor (a herder) had had seven of his sheep killed by wolves only a few nights before. It seemed that some wolves had managed to jump the fence and enter the secure(or so they thought) compound where his sheep were kept, killing them, but only eating one of them, leaving the other six for dead. These wolves he warned us, were extremely clever, vicious, and hungry. Being a long cold winter, with no other food sources around, the wolves were starving and would go to great lengths to find something to eat, often killing many sheep at a time, and coming back in the next few days to eat from their dead carcasses (like storing meat in a freezer). Thus, this was proof for us, of how credible a threat the wolves posed to us, and explained why everyone had been so adamant that we did not sleep in our tent at night.
If wolves could break through the secure enclosure that was designed to protect the sheep from wolves in the first place, and kill seven sheep without anyone knowing, what would they do to the two of us sound asleep in our tent at night in the middle of the steppe? Now it was not just the harsh winter (Semey, Astana, Ust Kamenogorsk were all around -40c now, which was the same distance north that we were heading) that we had to fear, but the wolves. Departing from his house the next morning, all we could think about was the cold, the wind, and the wolves, which ones would pose the greatest threat to us, and what we could do to ensure our safety. It was not far to the next village, and purportedly all downhill, so we hoped to make the village that night, before we succumbed to the wolves, as their long awaited next meal (and meal for the next few days, as we were just living in one big gigantic freezer!). From this village onwards, we were luckily hit by some gloriously sunny blue skies (and warm temps of around -22/23c) for the next few days, which made our riding a lot easier - we were lucky to have such good weather, compared to the -47C and -50C temperatures that Semey was having - the place we would be heading to next! Leaving from here, it was only a few km’s out to a small town called Muri, where we met a man on the roadside who showed us a picture of his house - practically buried under two metres of snow (up to the roof)! His house being only some 90km behind us, - we were very lucky to have missed this big dump which would have stopped Quikey dead in his tracks! From Muri onwards, it was only a short ride to Taldykorgan where the next few days were nice and warm before plunging to -36C as we departed for Karaganda (-44C with wind-chill) - even our nostrils and tears froze onto our faces at this temperature. Who knew what the rest of winter would hold for us – would we succumb to the cold, the wolves, or worse? n
In the mountains, the problem for us when going down hill is not so much the braking, or skidding, but the wind. Even with full wind proof gear on (with not an inch of skin showing) it still gets mighty cold with all the snow splashing back onto you and freezing solid on the outside of your clothes. 58//WHERE
ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#159
Only the name hasn’t changed: the new TIKKA XP®2
3. correct tent finder (optional) 2. toe stubbing sensor 4. automatic put your shirt on right side out 1. the “I’ve fallen and can’t get up” whistle
5. wandered off alone SMART finder
6. see your friends - don’t blind them - red LED
11. light-is-no-longer-brighter-than-Iexpected low battery indicator
7. new touchless “what’s squishy?”
10. anti-squat-next-to-snake navigation system
8. multi-directional “what the heck was that?”
© Photo : studio Kalice
9. hands free cold beverage locator
high performance LED | three white lighting modes | two red lighting modes | Wide Angle lens allows for spot or flood beams | signaling whistle integrated in headband | battery charge indicator light | multi-mode push button | ergonomic design | easy-to-use battery compartment
Maximum brightness
• 60 lumens maximum mode • shines up to 60 metres maximum mode • lasts up to 160 hours economic mode • weighs 88 g including batteries Exclusively distributed in New Zealand by: Spelean (NZ) Ltd PO Box 219, OAMARU, New Zealand. Ph: 03 434 9535, Fax: 03 434 9887 e-mail tikkaxp2@spelean.co.nz
www.the-power-of-light.com
ROCKin’ out in MoROCco Words Emily Earle
For seven years I had dreamed of exploring and climbing in Morocco. When it happened last year, the trip not only met my expectations of generous friendly people, amazing cuisine, vibrant and colourful streets, barren landscapes and a climber’s paradise, but so much more. I flew into Marrakech from London for only ten pounds on Ryan Air, with a good climbing friend Marco, from Austria. Not only was I stoked with the incredibly cheap airfare, but also with the two weeks that awaited us exploring the climbing scene in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco! I knew a lot of trees were going to be planted in exchange for this trip. As we flew into Marrakech, excitement pumped through me, the dream was finally becoming a reality! I could see the clay houses beneath me with miles of dry barren desert stretching out before the Atlas Mountains in the far distance. On a very tight budget and with a pack laden with heavy climbing gear, our mission was to climb as much as possible in the Todra Gorge and then to hike up Mt Toubkal, North Africa’s highest peak. Arriving into Marrakech town is just as you would imagine… stinking hot, dusty and overcrowded! The
noisy polluted streets were full of locals trying to persuade you to buy their latest tourist trinkets. It was an incredible atmosphere to experience with the richness of different French, Arabic and African cultures colliding together, a real fusion between North and South, East and West. A magical place of cappuccinos, legendary magic carpets, prayers to Allah, couscous, hookah pipes, croissants and sweet mint tea all in one. We spent the night in Marrakech and braved the crazy night markets before we met up with another good friend Laura Clayton, whom I had met through my Outdoor Education degree at Christchurch Polytechnic. It wasn’t long before we were on the road, as we had met a local Moroccan man who generously offered to take us part of the way to the Todra Gorge in his car. After six hours of driving through the desert on a dusty
www.adventuremagazine.co.nz// 61
road over the Tichka pass, he left us to get on a taxi to the next nearest town of Tinerhir, the gateway to the Todra Gorge. We spent the night on a rooftop of a hostel, gazing up into the clear Moroccan sky with a belly full of Moroccan tagine and sweet mint tea. I awaited the next day eagerly with a huge smile as the moon shone down on my face. As soon as the sun came up, our bags were packed and we jumped into a taxi that took us to the mighty Todra Gorge a half an hour away. As we entered into the Gorge and the taxi came to a standstill, the raw beauty that surrounded me was stunning. The pictures I had seen just could not do this area justice. The contrast of colours between the piercing blue sky, the earthy brown limestone rock that rose up to 300m, and the lush green palm groves next to the snow melt river, was breathtaking. The potential for climbing was huge. No matter where you looked, beautiful rock surrounded you in every direction. And with five other climbers in the gorge that week, we had 6km of gorge to explore and climb to our hearts’ content. After finding a local climbing hostel, we grabbed our climbing gear and walked into the gorge amongst the goats, in search of a relatively cool place to climb. It wasn’t long before we found some amazing sport routes that we could climb in the shade, completely by ourselves, with only a local hand drawn climbing sketch to guide us. There are apparently over four hundred climbing routes throughout the Gorge, but the potential for further development is huge. You can spend your days climbing multi or single pitch, sport or trad with grades ranging from 5a to 7c plus. And when the intensity of the Moroccan sun becomes too much, you can cool off in the river that runs through the gorge and lap up the quiet serenity. It was an incredible week of climbing, eating yummy fresh salads, relaxing in the sunshine and getting amongst the local culture of drumming and dancing in the evenings. Our next mission, though, was to climb Mount Toubkal and with only a week left, we had to leave this truly special place. On board a local bus back to Marrakech, we once again braved the hustle and bustle before taking the 63km road south to Imlil, the base of Mt Toubkal. Jbel Toubkal, also known as the roof of North Africa, stands at 4167m and is a very non-technical and easy route to do in summer. As it was May, it was a great time to visit Morocco, not only for the cooler days to climb in the gorge but also as an accessible mountain hike up Toubkal with the limited gear that we had. Waking up the next morning, I wasn’t feeling the best after the spicy
cumin coriander flavoured egg dinner eaten the night before, but we packed up ready to go. Again I was completely blown away by the view that surrounded me as we walked up through the fertile green land and the Berber Villages with the snow-capped mountains in the distance. We followed the river plain up the gorge to the base of the mule track where the ascent of Toubkal began. It wasn’t long before my head was spinning, the intense heat had got to me and I was pretty sick from the cumin egg! Two charcoal tablets later and with the help of team Marco and Laura carrying my pack, we slowly hiked up passing the Berber sherpas carrying western tourists’ possessions. We arrived at the new Refuge du Toubkal at 3,207m just before dark. I collapsed into bed and spent a pretty rough fifteen hours being sick, while Laura and Marco enjoyed a night of hearing other travellers’ tales with the local Berber guides and porters. They summited Toubkal by 8am the next morning, involving a few hours of scrambling and hiking through snow to see a 360 degree view of the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara desert! They returned in high spirits to find me curled up in foetal position with a big army pot beside me! The base camp warden, Mohammed, or as we liked to call him ‘Mo-Mo’, had been trying to feed me an ancient herbal concoction of cumin broth that didn’t seem to stay down. A few hours later, we started to make our way down leaving the snow-capped peaks, a waving Mohammed and the donkeys and porters in the distance. While walking down, I dreamed of returning in winter with touring skis as it looked like some pretty fun terrain to explore. I had heard that from December through to March, a substantial amount of snow fell on Jbel Toubkal. With a few 4000m peaks in the area and two ski fields, I was definitely up for another adventure back to this beautiful region. Before we knew it, we were back down on the river plain that we had walked along twenty four hours beforehand. Massive smiles covered each of our faces as the sun turned the sky into a bright orange vermilion. Words cannot fully describe the generous hospitality of the Moroccan people we met, the climbers’ paradise found in the Todra gorge with its contrasting colours, or the panoramic views from Mount Toubkal. Added to this: the amazing sunsets, the fresh local food, the melting pot of cultures and history in Marrakech were second to none. And even though I had cash stolen, got extremely sick and will never eat cumin egg again, Morocco will leave a lasting impression on me for years to come. It is a beautiful rich culture, has stunning landscapes and is truly a Mecca for the outdoor enthusiast. n
I collapsed into bed and spent a pretty rough fifteen hours being sick, while Laura and Marco enjoyed a night of hearing other travellers’ tales with the local Berber guides and porters.
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//159 //skiing/canada
sunpeaks
four season adventure Words Lynne Dickinson and Vicki Watson Photos Steve Dickinson
Getting ready to go out for dinner often presents a bit of a dilemma as to what to wear but this night, the attire was clearly laid out: full ski gear, including skis or snowboards. Yes, it’s a rather unusual dress code but considering where we were heading, it was perfect. Getting ready to go out for dinner often presents a bit of a dilemma as to what to wear but this night, the attire was clearly laid out: full ski gear, including skis or snowboards. Yes, it’s a rather unusual dress code but considering where we were heading, it was perfect. We were at Sunpeaks Resort, about an hour’s flight northeast of Vancouver, and were heading out for their famous fondue evening. We met at the bottom of the Sunburst Chair at around 4.45pm, just as the rest of the town were heading for hot pools or bars, and caught the chair up to the top of the mountain. The sun was just setting as we put on our skis to traverse around the corner to the day lodge, which had been transformed for the evening. Stripping off a few layers of clothing and unclipping our ski boots, we sat down to enjoy a wonderful night with live music, great company, excellent fondue and some local wine! The evening was topped off with a ski home along 5mile run (which had been perfectly groomed especially for us) under the light of the moon. What an amazing first impression for our stay at Sunpeaks. Sunpeaks is located just outside the town of Kamloops and is a four season resort offering mountain biking and golfing in the summer, and superb skiing in the winter. We were visiting during the spring and arrived to fresh snow followed by a week of spectacular weather. The village of
Sunpeaks is set in a valley high in the mountains, providing access to three different peaks and ski in-ski out accommodation to anyone who wants it. The skiing terrain is varied and offers something for everyone, be it long groomed green runs through to mogul potted double blacks. With over 3,500 acres of skiable terrain, it is the second largest ski area in the whole of British Columbia and the third largest in all of Canada. Mt Morrisey, the newest addition to Sunpeaks, offers excellent glade skiing as well as some challenging black diamond runs and we found it a great option for afternoons. We were staying at the Nancy Greene Cahilty Lodge, home to Canadian’s legendary ski racer, Nancy Greene and her husband Al. One of the advantages of staying at the Cahility is not only its location on the mountain, with slopes literally on its back doorstep, but the fact that it is home to the incredible array of medals and trophies that Nancy has won over the years. Skiing with the gold Olympic medalist is also a highlight when staying at this resort and she is often there on weekends making herself available for touring the mountain! Whatever your level of ski expertise or your level of fitness, there is something for everyone to enjoy here. The village offers a variety of shops, catering for the hard core skier/snowboarder through to the typical www.adventuremagazine.co.nz// 65
tourist with a great array of gift shops. There are some great cafés and restaurants as well as the must-visit chocolate shop sporting the most incredible selection of toffee apples and chocolate delights. Sunpeaks has around 500 permanent residents so you do get a feel of being with locals rather than completely surrounded by tourists. The village itself certainly reflects this. The resort has also set itself up as a great venue for ski racing and training and each year hosts a variety of international ski teams as a great location to train. This year, during our visit, Sunpeaks was hosting the 2010 Subaru Velocity Challenge, a “head down, arse up” race to the bottom of the hill with no turns. The course itself was impressive to view and watching the skiers come down at speeds of up to 170km hour was pretty exciting. If you’re not totally hooked on skiing or boarding there is still plenty to keep you busy. The mountain offers a bungy trampoline and a pretty racey tube park (for the kids at heart). There are also horse drawn sleigh rides, snow shoeing tours and marshmallow roasts as well as dog sledding, ice skating and snowmobile tours. One of the must-do activities while at Sunpeaks is to also go to one of the local hockey games. It is their national sport with patriotism like no other. We went to see the Kamloops Blazers take on the Vancouver Giants and the whole experience is not to be missed from the perogies and beer through to the fights and people watching. The game itself was the icing on the cake of a great entertaining evening. During the week we stayed, our seven year old attended the kids’ programme, “Sun Kids”, which is for eight to twelve year olds of all levels. Teva’s skiing was assessed before he was assigned to the appropriate group. It was great to be able to spend the morning skiing some of the challenging runs, knowing that he was in good hands and improving his
skiing skills also. We picked Teva up around lunchtime, enjoyed stories of his skiing prowess over a hearty lunch in one of the cafes, before heading out for an afternoon of family skiing. With the lack of queues it’s incredible how much skiing you can get in over the course of a day so by the afternoon we were all happy to cruise a little and enjoy the runs that Teva liked more, which generally consisted of finding as many trees and jumps as possible and launching himself off them at break neck speed. Not often does one get to write about the ski patrol from an insider’s experience but I can honestly say that ski patrol and first aid facilities at Sunpeaks is excellent and the level of care and attention second to none! Our opinion is based on our seven year old who after a week of skiing was probably a little tired to say the least. In this particular case, Teva had come to a quick stop during his lesson before falling over on the flat. As he landed, his knee hit his ski and due to his level of tiredness, obviously made a bit of a fuss. Before he even had time to say, “I’m being a bit of a puss, really I am OK,” they had him in a banana boat, into the ambulance and settled into the first aid facilities for a thorough examination. We were pleased to arrive and find nothing broken but in typical kid fashion when I asked what he wanted to do for the afternoon (thinking of some quiet time relaxing or something to give his leg a rest) he immediately suggested “skiing!” So for a holiday that has something for everyone, you definitely cannot go past Sunpeaks Resort. Sincerest thanks to Melanie Simmons, Stephanie, and Christopher Nicolson from Tourism Sunpeaks for the excellent experience; the crew at Nancy Greene’s Cahility Lodge for making our stay so memorable; and Kate MacLennan from Tourism British Columbia for putting together such a great itinerary. n
Whatever your level of ski expertise or your level of fitness, there is something for everyone to enjoy at Sunpeaks Resort.
BOOk nOW With Our nuMBer 1 PreFerred traveL agent
OW BOOk n yBird
er earL FOr suP at sun Peaks! s sPeCiaL
Our 24 yrs experience ensures you a fantastic ski holiday
Where everday is a guaranteed ski day! AIRFARES
TRANSFERS
LIFT PASSES
ACCOMMODATION
PH: (09) 479 2210 or TOLLFREE NZ: 0508 348 334 FREE PHONE AUS: 1-800-042195
159 *all prices shown are RRP
gear guide 2010
MARMOT//Approach Jacket $249.00 Marmot M3 Softshell - water repellent and breathable, DriClime® lined collar and chin guard, Zippin™ Compatible, stretch fabric, zippered handwarmer pockets. Weight: 567g www.marmotnz.co.nz
SmartWool//Lightweight Crew - Mens $130.00 Looking for year-round functionality? This crew keeps you cool when it’s warm and warm when it’s cool. Material: 100% Merino Wool. Distributed by Brittain Wynyard & Co Ltd. Ph (09) 309 0519 for stockists.
SmartWool//Midweight Zip T – Women’s $160.00 With body skimming fit and flatlock seam construction, combined with soft Merino, this is one of our most comfortable tops available. Material: 100% Merino Wool. Distributed by Brittain Wynyard & Co Ltd. Ph (09) 309 0519 for stockists.
SmartWool//Valley Trainer – Women’s $260.00 Where track jacket and Merino wool blend perfectly to create a cool, retro sweater perfect for everything from yoga to the post office to the grocery store. Distributed by Brittain Wynyard & Co Ltd. Ph (09) 309 0519 for stockists.
SmartWool//Yampa Half Zip – Men’s $260.00 This 100% Merino wool sweater offers sport-worthy performance and fireside function with sport-inspired piping on the sleeves, zip-T neck and modern fit. Distributed by Brittain Wynyard & Co Ltd. Ph (09) 309 0519 for stockists.
THE NORTH FACE//Mens Apex Bionic $289.95 The Apex Bionic Jacket is our most versatile and widely worn soft shell with enhanced windproof features to complement a stretchy, comfortable fit. www.thenorthface.com.au or 0800 805 806 for NZ stockists
THE NORTH FACE// Women’s Citation Soft Shell 2 Jacket $1199.95 Engineered with the burliest material available, this breathable, waterproof, and windproof fabric allows hardcore athletes to enjoy longer exposure to harsh conditions without losing a degree of body heat. www.thenorthface.com.au or 0800 805 806 for NZ stockists
THE NORTH FACE// Women’s Kira TriClimate Jacket $649.95 This three-in-one jacket keeps riders dry, warm, and comfortable for all-day exploration. Comprised of a waterproof, breathable, fully seam sealed exterior shell and an insulated, removable, interior jacket with unique, wavy quilting detailing. www.thenorthface.com.au or 0800 805 806 for NZ stockists
THE NORTH FACE//Men’s Nuptse Vest $329.95 The sleeveless version to the ever-popular Nuptse Jacket, this superior high-loft vest delivers plush warmth and is durable for everyday wear. www.thenorthface.com.au or 0800 805 806 for NZ stockists
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159 Kathmandu//Women’s Goose Down Hooded Jacket 700 $529.98 Premium down jacket with 700 loft Goose Down feathers. Superior lightweight, compressible insulation. Blue Spruce, Black / 8-16. Men’s style also available. Available in-store 6 May. www.kathmandu.co.nz / 0800 00 1234
MARMOT//Mountain Down Jacket $599.00 650 Fill Goose Down, Marmot MemBrain® - waterproof/ breathable fabric, zip-off hood with draw cord adjustment, inside zip pocket, zippered handwarmer pockets, powder skirt, AngelWing Movement™. Weight: 1021g www.marmotnz.co.nz
MARMOT//Women’s Chatel Jacket $599.00 650 Fill Goose Down, Marmot MemBrain® - waterproof/ breathable fabric with unique Jacquard Weave, zip-off down-filled hood, micro fleece lined zip handwarmer pocket, powder skirt, DriClime® lined collar, inside zip pocket, sized specifically for Women. www.marmotnz.co.nz
Kathmandu//Women’s ultraCORE Top$79.98 Kathmandu’s premium travel and adventure performance baselayer. Provides superior thermal protection, moisture wicking, quick-drying and silver ion antibacterial odor prevention. Dusky Rose, White, Black / 8-16. Men’s style also available. Available in-store 6 May. www.kathmandu.co.nz / 0800 00 1234
Macpac//Sundowner XP $429.95 This popular down jacket is now back in the Macpac range. Filled with 650 Loft Goose down it will keep you toasty warm all year round while the Reflex™ LoftPro™ outer fabric offers protection against dampness. www.macpac.co.nz / 0800 622 722
MARMOT//ROM Jacket $399.00 GORE® WINDSTOPPER® and Marmot M2 Softshell fabrics - water-repellent, highly breathable, wind-resistant, durable and warm, attached adjustable hood, ERG hood adjustment system, Pack Pockets™, chest pocket, venting side panels, Angel-Wing Movement™. Weight: 527g www.marmotnz.co.nz
MARMOT//Women’s Venus Vest $299.00 800 Fill Goose Down, ultra light down proof fabric, zippered handwarmer pockets, packs into pocket, elastic draw cord hem, sized specifically for Women. Weight: 255g www.marmotnz.co.nz
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gear guide 2010
Gondwana//MicroShell $110.00 For adventurers on the go. Weighs just 160g and compresses down to cricket-ball-size (stuff sack included) yet is wind and water resistant, breathable and has UVPF30+. www.gondwanaoutdoor.com.au
*all prices shown are RRP
Gondwana//2.5 micro $225.00 Urban styling meets all-weather wearability. Versatile 2.5 layer jacket with durable nylon outer and waterproof, breathable membrane. Lightweight enough for everyday wear, strong enough for all-weather protection. www.gondwanaoutdoor.com.au
159 *all prices shown are RRP
gear guide 2010
KEEN//Coronado Mary Jane $169.99 Girly and Green. PU Footbed with natural canvas lining for comfort Vulcanized eco- friendly construction, vegan (no animal byproducts, water adhesives). Adjustable instep strap with buckle two tone floral print. www.keenfootwear.co.nz
keen//CORONADO KIDS $109.99 Recycled components and natural materials in the Coronado collection give kids a chance to reduce their footprint and to look cool while doing it. Natural canvas upper, recycled aluminium eyelets, vegan, (no animal by-products, water adhesives), non marking rubber outsole. www.keenfootwear.co.nz
Terrasoles//Tuckerman Canvas $119.95 Designed for versatility. Flexible recycled rubber outsole moulds to individual foot shape, organic cotton/recycled canvas upper allows feet to breathe. Lightweight, eco-friendly and machine washable. www.terrasoles.co.nz
KEEN//CORONADO $149.99 The eco-friendly design features recycled aluminium eyelets which are a small step to a ‘greener’ planet and a natural canvas upper. The metatomical footbed moulds to your foot’s shape for personalised comfort with a laidback vibe. Vegan (no animal byproducts, water adhesives). www.keenfootwear.co.nz
KEEN//Coronado print $159.99 Inspired by nature. PU footbed with natural canvas cover for comfort, recycled aluminium eyelets vulcanised eco-friendly construction, vegan (no animal by-products, water adhesives). www.keenfootwear.co.nz
KEEN//whisper $199.99 The Whisper sandal can manage any water-filled day. The quick draw elastic cord lacing system adjusts to a comfortable and secure fit. Washable polyester upper. The foot-cushioning EVA moulded footbed provides comfort on the go. www.keenfootwear.co.nz
CARN//Cobra Trail Runner $249.95 High-performance trail runner with vented mesh upper, AEGIS & Trek-Dry moisture management systems, PORON® shock system and exclusive uTRX sole unit for exceptional grip across all terrain. www.carn-uk.co.nz
TEVA//Riva Leather Mid eVent $379.90 The Vibram outsole ensures traction, while the full-grain leather upper and eVent waterproof membrane keep your feet dry. A durable and supportive hiking boot. (09) 3731460 or visit www.teva.com
TEVA//W’s Dalea Mid eVent $339.90 The Dalea Mid eVent was specifically designed to perfectly fit a woman’s foot. It doesn’t matter if your hikes last hours or days, the Dalea Mid eVent will ensure that your feet are always comfortable. (09) 3731460 or visit www.teva.com
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159 TIMBERLAND//LEDGE LOW GORTEX $280.00 Lightweight protection and comfort with partially concealed lacing and padding around the ankle area. The Vibram® rubber outsole provides excellent traction and Gore-Tex® provides waterproof protection, so you can focus on the trail – not where you step. Ph: (09) 3090519 or email: bw@britwyn.co.nz for stockists
TIMBERLAND//LIONSHEAD low GORTEX WOMEN’S $280.00 This well-proportioned trainer is ideal for even terrain, but thanks to its Vibram® outsole it can also tackle rugged paths and wet tracks. Its Gore-Tex® membrane ensures your feet will stay dry and protected. Ph: (09) 3090519 or email: bw@britwyn.co.nz for stockists
TIMBERLAND//LIONSHEAD low WOMEN’S $230.00 This everyday trainer is ideal for even terrain, but thanks to its Vibram® outsole it can also tackle rugged paths and wet tracks. Subtle colourway for a look that’s at one with nature. Ph: (09) 3090519 or email: bw@britwyn.co.nz for stockists
TIMBERLAND//LIONSHEAD MID GORTEX- WOMEN’S $280.00 Features premium leather upper, toe guard, ¾ length Timberland Agile IQ plate with heel starburst for agility, support and underfoot protection, and exclusive Vibram® outsole for traction on varied terrain. Ph: (09) 3090519 or email: bw@britwyn.co.nz for stockists
TIMBERLAND//LEDGE MID GORTEX $300.00 Premium leather and lightweight mesh upper for durability, abrasion resistance and support. Features Vibram® outsole for traction on varied terrain, and cushioned upper and heel EVA wedge for superior comfort. Ph: (09) 3090519 or email: bw@britwyn.co.nz for stockists
TIMBERLAND//WASHINGTON SUMMIT $400.00 Premium full-grain waterproof hiking-grade leather boot designed to insulate, protect and stand tough against the elements. Features gusseted padded tongue and rustproof hardware. Ph: (09) 3090519 or email: bw@britwyn.co.nz for stockists
TIMBERLAND//WHITE LEDGE MID HIKER $220.00 Provides protection and comfort. It’s waterproof to keep your feet dry and the rubber outsole provides excellent traction, so you can focus on the trail – not where you step. Available in Men’s and Women’s styles. Ph: (09) 3090519 or email: bw@britwyn.co.nz for stockists
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gear guide 2010
TIMBERLAND// MOUNTAIN ATHLETICS ROUTE RACER LOW $250.00 Designed for track and off-road running, and specially tuned for uneven surfaces with a low profile midsole to enhance stability. Deep, wide-spaced outsole lugs release mud quickly in off-road conditions. Ph: (09) 3090519 or email: bw@britwyn.co.nz for stockists
*all prices shown are RRP
TIMBERLAND// MOUNTAIN ATHLETICS ALL MOUNTAIN INFERNO $300.00 For on-trail use in tough mountain conditions, this is an allpurpose, multi-tasking shoe with a wide lug surface area for traction and an additional midsole layer for extra shock absorption. Ph: (09) 3090519 or email: bw@britwyn.co.nz for stockists
159 *all prices shown are RRP
gear guide 2010
keen//PETALUMA MARY JANE $229.99 The Petaluma Mary Jane designed for the city streets. The chic leather upper, with its decorative floral etchings and simple buckled strap, disguises a durable moulded rubber sole that offers all day support and classic KEEN toe protection. Features removable footbed. www.keenfootwear.co.nz
keen//PETALUMA MARY JANE $229.99 The Petaluma Mary Jane offers equal measures of style and support. The chic leather upper, with its decorative floral etchings and simple buckled strap, disguises a durable moulded rubber sole that offers all day support and classic KEEN toe protection. Features removable footbed. www.keenfootwear.co.nz
keen//Bern High Boot ORLA $379.99 Fabulous yet functional. The Bern High Boot is built with water resistant leather, faux shearling lining and a KEEN.Cush footbed making it warm and comfortable. This boot is super cosy. www.keenfootwear.co.nz
HI-TEC//Lady Altitude IV WP Dark Chocolate $279.90 Our best selling boot for Men and women MDT carbon rubber outsole removable Comfort-Tec innersole Waterproof Nubuc upper seam-sealed construction moisture wicking lining. sales@denstock.co.nz or www.wetisdry.com
HI-TEC//V-Lite Altitude Ultra WPi (M/W) $329.90 Ion-mask™ waterproof technology. Stabila-Flex contoured bi-fit board for support without the weight, exclusive Vibram® comfortTec contoured sockliner. sales@denstock.co.nz or www.wetisdry.com
HI-TEC//Rainer -WP $399.90 eVent® waterproof & highly breathable membrane, TPU heel locking system, Stabila-Flex Elite, contoured thermo-plastic bi-fir board. Exclusive Vibram® backpacking outsole. sales@denstock.co.nz or www.wetisdry.com
SCARPA//Escape GTX $599.00 A burly mountain trekking boot with maximum versatility intended for rugged terrain, long approaches or light mountaineering. Suede upper, GORE-TEX® lining, Vibram® sole with built in GSb crampon binding fitting, ¾ shank. Weight: 1700g (Size 42) www.allsports.co.nz
SCARPA//Manta GSb $699.00 Ideally suited to hill, mountain and glacier walking on rugged terrain. Vibram® sole, Taibrelle/Velvatine lining for comfort and moisture management, reversed full grain leather upper, 360 degree ankle cuff for superb comfort and dexterity, full shank, crampon compatible. Weight: 1810g (Size 42) www.allsports.co.nz
SCARPA//VEGA $599.00 A bombproof workhorse, used on virtually every significant alpine and Himalayan expedition over the past decade. New high altitude liner provides maximum comfort and warmth, Vibram® Stabeler sole, hinged ankle cuff and underfoot rocker for walking comfort, Crampon Compatible. Weight: 2590g (Size 42) www.allsports.co.nz
74//www.adventuremagazine.co.nz
159 macpac//express 400 $629.95 A FeatherLite™ shell filled with 800 Loft Goose down leaves the total weight of this 3-season bag at 860 grams including waterproof stuff sac! Trapezoidal baffle construction, differential cut, adjustable 3D hood and a full length zip. www.macpac.co.nz / 0800 622 722
Kiwi Adventure//glacier $139.99 Semi-rectangular box foot bag with hood and offset quilt construction. Features include draft strip, neck muff, inner pocket and left or right zip option. Suitable for 3/4 season outdoor use with fill weight of 2x 200g/m2. www.kiwiadventuregear.co.nz
Kiwi Adventure//momentum $149.99 Semi-rectangular box foot bag with cross-over zip, shaped hood and offset quilt construction. Features include draft strip, neck muff, inner pocket and zipper snag guard. Suitable for 3 season outdoor use with fill weight of 2x 150g/m2. www.kiwiadventuregear.co.nz
Kiwi Adventure//Velocity $199.99 Tapered box foot bag with shaped hood and offset quilt construction. Features include draft strip, neck muff, inner pocket and zipper snag guard. Suitable for 3/4 season outdoor use with fill weight of 2x 250g/m2 (top) and 1x 350g/m2 (bottom). www.kiwiadventuregear.co.nz
roman//everest 700 $549.99 650-700 Loft French Pyrenees goose down with 700g fill, Hyper H20 waterproof outer fabric, anti-snag zip, , Moon Mat holder, cap compression bag, 80cm wide. Two other Everest sleeping bags priced at $449.99 and $599.99. Size 190cm plus hood Weight 1600g Rating Four season, -6°C (comfort). www.roman.co.nz
roman//flight 500 $299.99 Over 550 Loft French Pyrenees duck down with 500g fill, Diamondtex ripstop outer fabric, anti-snag zip, Tactel lining, cap compression bag, 80cm wide. Two other Flight sleeping bags priced at $399.99 and $449.99. Size 190cm plus hood Weight 1200g Rating Three season, -0°C (comfort). www.roman.co.nz
Kiwi Adventure//bounty $179.99 Rectangular box foot bag with cross over zip, shaped hood and offset quilt construction. Features include draft strip, neck muff, inner pocket and zipper snag guard. Suitable for 3/4 season outdoor use with fill weight of 2x 250g/m2 (top) and 1x 250g/m2 (bottom). www.kiwiadventuregear.co.nz
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Freedom Equipment//Yukon $349.00 A 3D light-weight bag with a box foot that lets you wiggle your toes. A nice warm bag with 500gms of Duck Down that still packs down small with a compression stuff sac. 3D neck and zip baffles. Full length zip allows it to be used as a duvet. www.freedomcamping.co.nz
*all prices shown are RRP
Freedom Equipment//Wasatch $499.00 A super warm, water resistant version of the Yukon. The same case is made from 10,000mm laminated down proof fabric and is filled with 700grms of 650 Loft Duck Down. With 3D hood and LH & RH zip options that can be joined to make a double bag. www.freedomcamping.co.nz
159 *all prices shown are RRP
gear guide 2010
Nalgene//EverydayTM 1.0 litre bottle $29.95 BPA Free bottles in a range of cool colours. Leakproof, doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t retain odours and resistant to staining, dishwasher safe. Available in a choice of narrow or wide mouth and 1.0 or 0.5 litres. 0800 558 888 | www.marvelox.com
SPOT//FIND ME SPOT $425.00 incl GST An inexpensive GPS tracking and alerting device that requires an annual subscription of US$115.00 per annum for Alert, OK & 911 functions and US$49.00 for an additional optional tracking facility. For more info visit www.findmespot.net.nz or ring 09 4206079.
maptoaster topo/nz//map8-gps $225.90 Always know exactly where you are with MapToaster Mobile/NZ topo maps of New Zealand for your Garmin mapping GPS. www.maptoaster.com support@maptoaster.com
76//www.adventuremagazine.co.nz
sharkskin//CHEST VEST AND LONGPANTS $195.00 / $245.00 Even on a warm day the wind chill can quickly cool you down. Sharkskin is a revolutionary technical garment for those who want to enjoy their watersports all year round - regardless of the forecast. www.sharkskin.co.nz or 09 415 8350
maptoaster topo/nz//from $119.00 Whether you are a recreational or business user, MapToaster Topo/NZ will provide the topographical maps you need, on your computer. New Topo50 and Topo250 NZTM maps available from late October. www.maptoaster.com | support@maptoaster.com
StreriPEN //adventurer $279.95 A more compact hand held water purifier using ultra-violet light to kill up to 99.9999% of all waterborne bacteria and 99.99% of all viruses. Eliminates Giardia. No pumping, no set-up, or clean up, just insert batteries push the on button once and insert it into your water container. Distributed by Outfitters | 0800 021 732 | neil@tiroran.co.nz
primus//EtaPower EF $299.95 High efficiency rate allows for fast boil times and less fuel consumption. Built in piezo, comes with 2.1 litre EtaPower pot, frying pan/lid, windscreen and burner base 0800 558 888 | www.marvelox.com
KANNAD//XS3 406MHZ PLB $899.00 One of the most robust well engineered 406MHz PLB with imbedded GPS. This is one of the few PLBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that will also float upright without the antenna in the water. For more info ring 09.4206079 or visit www.aviationsafety.co.nz
StreriPEN //Classic $229.95 Patented hand held water purifier using ultra-violet light to kill up to 99.9999% of all waterborne bacteria and 99.99% of all viruses. Especially effective against common protozoa like Cryptosporidium. No pumping, no set-up, or clean up. Distributed by Outfitters | 0800 021 732 | neil@tiroran.co.nz
FOR STOCKIST DETAILS CALL: (09) 373 1460 TEVA.COM
coast to coast Words and photos Jeremy Cronin
Last year in my article “pursuing a Dream”, I said I would be back at the ‘Speights Coast to Coast’ again this year. So here I am, okay not in the guise I had my mind, heart and soul set on. Nevertheless, I am back in the zone to report on the world multisport championships held on the 12th and 13th of February 2010. This unique, challenging and gruelling event gave all a first class demonstration as to the unpredictability of the elements as mother nature made clear who was ‘the boss’. All spectators, those present throughout the days and those who followed the race from the comfort of their homes, experienced the uncertainty of how the race would evolve as weather conditions forced race organisers to continually evaluate race plans. Mother nature let her emotions flow as she cried a river, from the ever so unique braids that line the river beds either side of Arthurs Pass to a raging brown chocolate mud shake that rolled boulders down rapids, and Robin Judkins and his team made the most important call of the weekend- ‘time for Plan B’. While the high prediction weather pattern had moved closer to Kumara from the north west during the course of the week, Judkins and his team were onto it. They knew that Friday was going to be a smoking hot, fast race day for the first day of the two day competitors with no need to change race day ‘Plan A’. However, they were then informed that by midnight Friday 12th it would be bucketing down in New Zealand’s West Coast small town of Kumara. True to form, on Saturday 13th, at the 5.30am start line on Kumara beach, it was pitch black, and the rain was indeed pelting down onto faces from a near side on angle; everyone was wet from top to toe amidst an array of flashing head lights that reminded me of my old disco parties!
78//WHERE
ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#159
Try to imagine yourself in one of the competitor’s soggy shoes... Judkins took the loud microphone and prepared competitors for Plan B. It was not long before the starting fog horn sounded for what was always going to be a “very long day”. The 3km sprint run to the first bike racks saw the competitors spread from two large top groups out the front, to a long flowing line down to the ‘tail-end- Charlie’. Although the wind blew on the backs of these cyclists, the rain made for tricky conditions considering all they balanced on were two very thin race wheels and a technologically advanced carbon race frame that could be lifted with one little finger. All the training and preparation for this race became visible as the champions mastered the first leg of this big day out. This is the point where we pay homage to our forever hard working, dedicated, support crew’s who make it possible for competitors to compete in multisport races. They need to be thanked and appreciated on these big days, as they wait patiently at the first transition, for the first sight of how their biker has gone on the 55km ride. Golf ball size raindrops rolling down their faces and wind lashing at their gear increases the apprehension and worry of the support crew as their eyes are glued to the road willing their rider to appear. From a 33km mountain run to Plan B’s 32km road run, these mountain goats were set on yet another challenge. With no way of making it through the original river run, due to conditions having swollen the rivers past the point of a safe return, competitors ran the road up to Arthurs Pass and down into Klondyke Corner. The faces of these champions said it all, as they climbed and climbed their way to the top of some seriously steep inclines, with the question ‘why on earth we do this’ evident in their
Try to imagine yourself in one of the competitor’s soggy shoes... Judkins took the loud microphone and prepared competitors for Plan B. It was not long before the starting fog horn sounded for what was always going to be a “very long day”. grim yet determined expressions. Being true endurance athletes, mental stamina demanded they remain focused as they all trooped on putting one foot in front of the other. The rain clouds cleared and golden sun channelled its rays down upon the saturated land. Runners mounted their bikes and set off on the detour around the Waimakariri River which proved to be exceedingly demanding for the competitors on this day. This 135km bike was the most challenging ride some of these competitors have ever completed and no mean feat as half of this ride was either straight up or climbing steadily, with a quick decent onto the Canterbury plains to finish. It was at this stage I began to sympathise at the expressions worn by these finely tuned racing bodies and thoughts like “boy I am glad I am not racing this year” echoed through my head! Small groups of cyclists formed to try and work together but mostly riders were out there cycling as individuals, while at the same time beating off the rays that pounded on their backs to prevent the attack of heat stroke and dehydration. In for yet another gut wrenching transition to a 20km paddle down the shallow, muddy Avon River, support crews scanned the crowd anxiously for their lone rider to ensure they had passed through all the cut off times the race presents. This established, they assisted and encouraged them as they took over one of the final legs before that well earnt can of speights that awaited them at the finish line. These frenzied transitions are over quickly and before long you are waiting at the end of the kayak leg to hand over the bike for the last 10km burst to Sumner beach. The paddle proved hard work and stood up to the traditional grinding challenge the Coast to Coast presents to athletes every year with the resulting classic cramped up
legs as support crews peel their competitor out of the kayak cockpit. With the end in sight, or in mind, the support crews move as fast as they can, sometimes forgetting what their athlete has endured, and hurry them off onto the last 10km ride. This transition can prove to be somewhat entertaining, while at the same time mindboggling, when you consider how much determination and heart these athletes exhibit as they propell themselves on to claim the finishing shoot at Sumner beach. The crowds line the run way and cheers of congratulations carry each battered yet excited athlete across the finish line. Emotions run wild and loving family and friends smother kisses and hugs over their Speights Coast to Coast champion! What a day, as hours enter the double digits before the last competitor crosses the line. My efforts in 2009 at the ‘longest day’ when my race plan did not go to order, were followed by a year of fighting blood poisoning as I battled to prepare for the Coast to Coast 2010. Because of the reappearance of the infections, I was advised to wait until 2011 and to pursue better health with a smoother lead up to this big day at the office! Although this years event did not follow the exact Coast to Coast race, Judkins Plan B still fitted the mould of a demanding endurance day. It also served to remind us that working in the outdoors and adventuring often require that we are adaptable, in the face of the unpredictable, and to ensure that we make sound judgment calls. Well done to all 1 and 2 day competitors who gave it your best shot this year and to the support crews who helped athletes to the finish line. I take my hat off to the challenge you accepted and the head space you put yourself into to change to Plan B. Congratulations, job well done! n www.adventuremagazine.co.nz// 79
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80//WHERE
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ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS/#158
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New Zealand adventure // Issue # 159 //apr-may 2010
++ AUTUMN ISSUE: GUERLAIN CANDIDE, SNOW SHOEING, NAISH HOUSE, ROCKIN’ OUT IN MOROCCO, SUNPEAKS
issue #159//NEW ZEALAND’S PREMIER ADVENTURE MAGAZINE SINCE 1981 new zealand
April - may 2010/where actions speak louder than words//
Issue 159 APR/MAY 2010 NZ$7.90 incl. GST AUST $6.90 incl. GST USA $9.99 CANADA $9.99