• GEAR REVIEW • LOCAL ADVENTURE SPORTS • GUEST EDITORIAL • ENVIRONMENTALLY SPEAKING • MUCH MORE •
INSIDE Your Outdoor Calendar of Events
EDITOR’S LETTER
AT LAST! AN OUTDOOR ADVENTURE MAGAZINE FOR OTTAWA EVERYONE IN THE OTTAWA area knows that our region is a mecca for outdoor activity. Odds are that if you’re not walking, running, in-lining or cycling down the canal pathways of the inner city, you’re biking your way through the Gatineaus or kayaking at a nearby waterway. Or perhaps you’re hiking one of the many trails nearby. Maybe you are headed for a camping trip in Algonquin Park or another great nearby location. One thing is for certain. You are an outdoor enthusiast seeking outdoor adventure wherever you can find it; and in this town, it’s easy to find. Ottawa Outdoors Magazine is your guide to the local outdoor adventure scene. This seasonal magazine will offer a calendar of events hosted by outdoor clubs and retailers. We bring you articles focusing on outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking, in-lining, rock climbing and adventure racing—and that’s just our summer line-up! We’ve gathered a collection of writers and photographers—from the local amateur to the diehard professional—who will capture your imaginations and enlighten you with stories pertaining to your interests. I’ve read many articles over the years which described great places and great challenges—great places and great challenges which were just too far from Ottawa! Here at Ottawa Outdoors, we aspire to bring you stories that are local and relevant. If there’s a great adventure in or within driving distance of Ottawa, we’ll be letting you know about it. Inside this issue you’ll read beginner’s guides to kayaking and rock climbing and an account of the huge growth spurt in adventure racing. We’ll give you a list of mountain biking trails, the ins and outs of day hiking, and walk you through an Algonquin Park canoeing excursion. We’ll also give you tips on great nearby destinations suitable for outings for the entire family and much more in our calendar of events. So, next time you’re out investing in the latest outdoor gear, look for us on the shelves and counters of your local retailers. Check for us in the magazine shops on your urban adventures. On our next trail, we’ll be looking out for you. Happy trails.
Dave Brown Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Ottawa Outdoors Magazine
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Dave Brown Editor Lesley Cornish Contributing Editor Ken Parker Art Director Dave Brown Graphic Designers Nexus Design Media, Ian Sloan Wah Phung-Lu, Dave Brown Consulting Editors Mike Beedell, Bob McCrindle, Peter Hamilton, Stephen Seabrook, Scott Shailer Contributing Writers Cheryl Christensen, Bill Anderson, Bob McCrindle, Robert Grace, Paul Mason, Brian Cooke, Matthew Ladd, John Almstedt, Scott Shailer, Stéphane Guillot, Ken Buck, Greg Hill, Mike Caldwell, James Roddick, Michel Goulet, Ryan & Angie Brown, Lauren Wardel, Stephen Seabrook, Julie St. Jean Contributing Photographers Ray Pilon, Mike Beedell, Amy Wetton, Dave Brown, Langford Canoe, Outlast Adventure Racing, Mike Caldwell, Paul Villecourt (Liquid Skills), Michael McCaugherty Contributing Artist/Cartoonist Paul Mason Contributing Models Joanna Quarry, Alison Lemay, Dave Janssen, Wembley (dog) Quarry ADVERTISING Dave Brown, Peter Hamilton, Bob McCrindle Ottawa Outdoors Magazine is an independent publication published seasonally. Email: Advertising@OttawaOutdoors.ca Tel: 613-860-8688 SUBSCRIPTIONS Currently only available through retail outlets in the Ottawa area. Ottawa Outdoors Magazine 2706 Alta Vista Drive, Suite #107 Ottawa, Canada K1V 7T4 Tel: 613-860-8688. Internet: www.OttawaOutdoors.ca CONTRIBUTIONS Ottawa Outdoors Magazine welcomes story and photo contributions. All photos should ideally be shot with colour slide. No unsolicited contributions will be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. CANADIAN / U.S. POSTMASTER: Return undeliverable covers to 2706 Alta Vista Drive, Suite #107, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1V 7T4. Return postage guaranteed. Indexed in the Canadian Periodical Index ISSN No. 1204-69556. © Copyright 2002. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any materials published in Ottawa Outdoors Magazine is expressly forbidden without consent of the publisher unless otherwise agreed between partners. Printed in Canada.
ARE YOU AN OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST WHO WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE?
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If you would like to write or submit photos for Ottawa Outdoors Magazine, please email us: Editor@OttawaOutdoors.ca
TABLE OF CONTENTS HIKING – 5
Day hiking 101: It’s time to enjoy some of the outer Ottawa region and head to the hills. If you haven’t done much hiking before, this article will lead you through it one step at a time. Navigating the Outdoors – 9
MT. BIKING – 14
A map of riding trails you’re sure to enjoy: One of Ottawa’s addicted tells you the latest on the Gatineau Park, and supplies you with a list of trails to hit. The Haven’s secret getaway – 15
CANOEING – 16
Canoe Skills and Strokes: By Paul Mason The Art of the Portage – 17 How to make it easier and more enjoyable. A canoeing adventure in Algonquin Park – 21
CAMPING – 25 A few colourful tips to enhance your campfires, entertain the children, and entertain the child in you.
PROFILE: Bill Mason–Remembered – 26 Read how this remarkable man passed on his love of nature and his environmental responsibility through his skill with the paddle, the camera and the paintbrush.
ADVENTURE RACING – 31 2 – Editor’s Letter 4 – Letter From the Mayor 12 – Guest Editorial 23 – Environmentally Speaking 24 – Birding 26 – Gear Review: Packs 36 – Essential Gear 44 – Survival Kids 48 – Urban Spice 49 – Great Pubs & Restaurants 49 – The Green Pages 50 – Calendar of Events 52 – Time Out 52 – Next Issue
Is it in you?: You may not think so, but when you try this combination of outdoor pursuits, your whole attitude could change. So could your weekends!
KAYAKING – 37 There are lots of reasons to take up whitewater kayaking. Have a read of some of the them.
ROCK CLIMBING – 40 You’ve climbed the walls at home and at work. Now how about trying something really fun!
ULTIMATE – 46 Who would have guessed that a sport played with a Frisbee™ (a “disc” in Ultimate-speak) would cause such a commotion? Welcome to the OCUA, the largest Ultimate league in the world with nearly 4,000 players!
DISC GOLF – 47 How’d you like to play 18 holes for free? Jacques Cartier park hosts a great course and offers a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
the National Capital Region’s numerous waterways. Thrill seekers can test their adventure skills rock climbing, mountain biking, and adventure racing. My congratulations to Publisher/Editor Dave Brown for the successful publication of this very unique and resourceful guide for Ottawa’s outdoors enthusiasts. I would like to wish all the Ottawa Outdoors readers a most enjoyable adventure uncovering the Ottawa region’s many natural treasures. Sincerely, Bob Chiarelli Mayor, City of Ottawa
Photo by Mike Beedell.
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n behalf of my colleagues on Council and the residents of the City of Ottawa, it gives me great pleasure to welcome the première edition of Ottawa Outdoors to the National Capital Region’s newsstands. Greater Ottawa is home to one of our country’s most scenic greenbelts, endowed with a considerable expanse of lush forests and rolling hills, dotted with natural freshwater systems winding through the panoramic landscape. Outdoors enthusiasts are quick to discover the wide array of recreational activities that Canada’s Capital region has to offer. Hikers, campers and orienteers will be eager to explore the Ottawa region’s comprehensive network of trails. Canoeists, kayakers, and sailors of every kind will look forward to navigating
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Day hiking 101: Getting Started By Cheryl Christensen, Mountain Equipment Coop
SO THE VIEWS from the canal pathways aren't as inspiring as they used to be, and you're craving more fresh air than post-brunch strolls in the Byward Market can afford? You're not up for (at least not yet) multi-day unwashed excursions into the backcountry, but craving a few hours' respite from the confines of (sub)urban Ottawa. Welcome to the world of the Day Hike, where all this becomes a possibility.
The Right Stuff: What will I need? Exploring the realm of Day hiking doesn’t necessitate accruing whopping personal debts. However, with the appropriate gear, clothing, and safety items, the experience will be more enjoyable. Putting your best foot forward: choosing the appropriate footwear to match your needs I just want a pair of boots and a pack. I don’t have a lot of time to discuss the specifics; I’m a busy person in a hurry. Don’t complicate this by giving me information. . . As someone working in the outdoors industry, it concerns me when folks are willing to plunk down their hard-earned cash without ensuring that their gear is a perfect match for them. Gear shopping is a slower and more involved process than a trip to the grocery store, as it should be! If your feet aren’t happy, nobody is going to be happy, including your hiking partners, who will get to listen to you bemoan your blisters every step of the way. It can be daunting looking at seemingly undistinguishable rows of footwear, but the choice can be quickly Ottawa Outdoors Summer
narrowed down by asking yourself, What type of hiking do I want to do? Shorter jaunts on groomed trails with less arduous terrain, where ankle support and waterproofing aren’t of over-whelming concern, require different footwear choices than multi-hour trips over hills and creeks with kilometres between you and your cozy car at the trailhead. For day hikes, there are commonly two categories of footwear to consider: approach shoes / light-hikers versus dayhikers. Approach shoes / light-hikers are reminiscent of runners or walking shoes on steroids. They tend to be somewhat stiffer, offering more support, with deeper lugs on their soles for better traction in sloppy situations. With a below the ankle cut, they are much lighter than traditional hiking footwear and are good for situations where you want to travel light and fast and ankle protection is not of big concern (either because of the terrain or because of the ankles o’ steel you are famous for amongst your peers). Day hikers, as their name suggests, are well suited to excursions of a few hours’ duration (i.e. a day) on moderate to mildly difficult terrain while carrying a daypack. They are heavier, more rigid, with yet more support than approach
shoes, and feature an above the ankle or three-quarter cut. Not only does this help support and protect your ankles, but it also helps keep out more of the stuff you don’t want in your shoes, such as pebbles and mud. Some day hikers may even provide sufficient support to cross the cusp into light backpacking. I want shoes that are light as a feather, breathe like a screen door, provide excellent support, are 100% waterproof, can be used for trail-running but would also be good for the Chilkoot Trail. Oh! They also need to look good for formal occasions, and definitely cannot be brown! Life is made of compromises. Shoes with lots of mesh are sure going to breathe well. They are also going to be quick drying; which is good news because it’s unlikely they’re going to be very water-resistant. Footwear made entirely of leather is going to be more waterproof and more durable, but also a little warmer and less breathable. Leather’s pores are much smaller than the comparatively gaping ones found in mesh uppers. Footwear that uses Gore-Tex® is an option that many folks swear by. A Gore-Tex liner is inserted between the 5
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socks offer great comfort and moisturewicking abilities. If you prefer natural fibres, consider merino wool, a fine, soft wool that provides good wicking with minimal bulk. By and large, synthetics outperform cotton for outdoor clothing. Packs: Your pack has “got your back”! If your hikes are going to be few and far between, and consist of shorter, lessdemanding ventures, you might even have an old pack kicking around your home that will suffice. Daypacks usually have about 20 to 30 litres capacity, which should house the essentials for your journey. More technical models may feature a few extras such as: • Anatomically-curved shoulder straps, with stabilizer straps for a better fit; • Mesh on contact points with your body to better mitigate your perspiration; • Support appropriate to the load they’ll be carrying; • Options such as bottle holders or pockets for hydration bladders (which feed water through a tube, permitting hands-free operation). Pockets are a matter of personal preference. While they break up the overall capacity of the bag, they can be a sanitysaver for the organizationally inclined. Even with the coated materials and zips found in newer models, packs are predominantly considered to be more water-resistant than waterproof as seams and zippers present a possible vulnerable point for water. If you are carrying anything that would be devastated by contact with water, give yourself the security of a dry bag (or even a plastic bag) as a backup. The purchase of a pack may well be the second-most important gear purchase; give it the attention it deserves. Like shoes, different packs are going to
have different fits. Obtain advice from store staff on features and proper pack fitting, and don’t be afraid to try them out. You can’t really tell whether a pack is going to fit you well when it’s empty; it just doesn’t hang the same on your body as it will when it’s filled with precious cargo. Ask the staff to fill the pack with some weight so that you can best assess the fit. Accessorize, Accessorize… Some options you may wish to consider: • Guidebooks to highlight some of the bird / plant species you encounter; • Binoculars to see even more at the look-outs; • A camera to help immortalize the memories of the day (and to prove to your friends you are so much more than just a gear-weenie and poser); • Trekking poles, which have acquired tremendous popularity recently. Definite luxury items, trekking poles build on the concept of using a stick in the woods as a walking stick by adding a few bells and whistles such as adjustability and anti-shock (in some models) in a lightweight package. They allow you to perambulate more efficiently by turning you from a feeble bipod into a more stable tripod.
But whatever will I wear? My own bias leans towards the layering system, which gives you the ability to control your insulation, to put on or peel off as the situation (your level of activity, weather conditions) dictates. Wicking layer This is the layer closest to your skin. Its job is to take the nasty sweat your body dishes out and pull it away from your skin. It’s lightweight and extremely quick-drying, and may often suffice on its own in warmer weather. Again, cotton is generally not the way to go. When it gets wet, it tends to stay wet. Not only is this going to feel heavy and, dare I say, gross, but you also stand to lose a lot of heat energy through the slow evaporative process. These garments should fit snugly, without being restrictive and without sacrificing your comfort level Ottawa Outdoors Summer
Photo by Ray Pilon
inner and outer layer of the boot, giving an extra line of defence against any intruding moisture. However it’s far from the only option: • It is likely to make the footwear a little toastier, which can be an undesirable trait in warmer conditions. • It doesn’t come cheap this feature is going to be reflected on the price tag. • A properly treated leather boot will often offer bombproof waterproofing without Gore-Tex. • The leather on your Gore-Tex footwear still requires proper care and cleaning to preserve the longevity of your investment. It’s your choice, and only you can decide what is most important to you. Make sure you give yourself enough time to make the right decision. Appropriate footwear is one of the most important hiking purchases to make. If possible, visit the stores at a time other than a manic week-end, when more one to one attention is possible, and at the end of the day, when your surly feet are going to be less liable to let you get away with making a selection based more on fashion than function. Different makes of footwear have different fits. Take the time to find the one that best fits your foot, rather than insisting on a less-than-perfect match of the same brand that your peers have. Test-drive your footwear. Most stores have a ramp for this purpose in the boots department, but should also tolerate you browsing around the store in the prospective pair. Many will also accept returns of footwear in new condition that has been worn in your home to continue the trial. Don’t be shy of discussing this with the store staff. Sock it to me, baby! Remember those cotton socks you have dozens of at home? Forget about them for outdoor pursuits. Cotton, when it gets wet (from the inside or out) tends to stay wet and can contribute to cold, blister-addled feet. Many synthetic
HIKING (not everyone embraces the “painted on” look). For wicking to occur, however, they need to actually touch your skin. Warmth layer This next layer provides any required insulation, and can range from a lightweight micro fleece to puffy down. Though it may seem entirely unnecessary at the start of your trip, you will welcome its comfort should you be out longer than expected and/or temperatures plummet. Also, after a day in the sun, you are going to feel chilled much sooner and more easily. Weather layer The outer layer protects against wind and wet. These shell garments usually take one of three forms: windwear, rainwear, or waterproof breathable(s). Windwear garments (or windbreakers) can be super-breathable and vary from those that take the bite out of the wind to those that provide a windproof barrier. Some have been treated with a DWR (Durable Water Repellency) and will be water-resistant (notice I didn’t say waterproof). They will shed snow nicely, will help fight off lighter precipitation for shorter periods of time, and are well suited to higher-output activities. Rainwear is generally waterproof, will certainly block out the wind, and is apt to go easier on your wallet. However, it isn’t inclined to breathe. This can create a sauna effect that may result in you getting almost as wet from the inside as you might have gotten from the outside. Potentially suffocating in warm weather, it also fairs poorly in cold weather because of the condensation that can result when the warm air, fighting desperately to leave your sweltering body, meets the cold air on the other side of the jacket. Gore-Tex is probably the best-known version of waterproof-breathables; Gore-Tex is to waterproof-breathables what Kleenex is to facial tissue. However, many viable alternatives do exist at varying performance levels, and sometimes at a lower price. Yes, they are waterproof. Yes, they are windproof. A purchase of a waterproof breathable item is not a small purchase, but the versatility may be worth it for some. In warmer conditions, it’s breathable Ottawa Outdoors Summer
rainwear; in winter, layered over insulation, it’s your winter coat. As for your noggin A couple of smaller items are worth mentioning: Sunglasses not only make it easier to appreciate the view uninhibited by unattractive squinting, but they also protect your eyeballs from nasty UV rays. Besides, who doesn’t look good in sunglasses? A hat can help protect your brains from being slowly cooked by the sun. In colder weather, a toque will help to prevent a lot of heat loss—your mother was right—you should wear a hat, and clean underwear.
Like your mom always told you: Better Safe than Sorry Smart Planning & Safety While it is not necessary to approach a short hike with the survivalist vigilance found in Soldier of Fortune-type publications, some planning and safety considerations will go a long way in not only enhancing the pleasure of your experience, but also in minimizing misery should unfortunate situations arise. Maps and guidebooks are excellent tools for judging the length and difficulty level of trails in your region. Choose a route that is realistic to your time frame, level of fitness, and capabilities. Having a hiking partner gives you an instant buddy system should either of you experience difficulty during your excursion, but also gives you someone with whom to share the beauty of the backcountry. This is not a race; it is recreation. The slowest walker sets the pace for the rest of the group. If this isn’t fast enough for your liking, your choices are either to relax and deal with it, or to choose different companions next time. Nagging the others in your group isn’t going to speed them up, and will only ruin your time together. How much of your pack do you devote to just-in-case items? It is ultimately up to you to strike that balance between gratuitous over-packing and finding yourself stuck without something in an emergency. For example, you likely
Gear & Safety Checklist Appropriate clothing/gear for the situation Map, compass Trip plan— Leave it with someone who isn’t going to be accompanying you on your hike. (Cell phones can often be temperamental in the backcountry.) A play-by-play projection isn’t necessary. A simple “Dave and I are going to do the Wolf Trail in the Gats tomorrow morning, we’ll be home mid-afternoon.” will suffice. In the event that your prolonged absence is noticed, the search party will know where to go. Sunscreen Insect repellent Knife Lighter/ matches (in a waterproof container), Flashlight / headlamp T.P. & trowel (Trowels are small shovels used for burying human waste. They come complete with measurements etched in them, not for measuring your accomplishments, but for gauging the appropriate burial depth.) Emergency blanket (A small metallic blanket that folds up into a small pouch, it is useful for impromptu bivies.) First-Aid kit (Duct-tape and WD-40 won’t get you through everything, despite what your dad told you.) Include tweezers, band-aids, antibiotic ointments / boo-boo cleansers, and tensor bandages for sprains. Many outdoor stores and pharmacies will gladly sell you a ready-made kit, but odds are you will have most of the makings at home already. This is not the time to try to manage without your asthma pump, insulin kit, etc. You are an adult and are responsible for your own health. If you think it’s relevant, let at least one member of your group in on your personal health concerns (for example an allergy to bee stings) and what to do to help. Food is essential for longer trips. You are burning more energy than you would on a stroll in the market, and convenience stores are scarce in the woods. If a trip is prolonged, treats may come in handy, but they are also nice accoutrement for savouring the vistas when you take a break. Energy bars pack a lot of punch, and some are definitely better tasting than others. Bananas, bagels, pb&j sandwiches, and trail mix (with or without the wretched raisins) are easy alternatives. Everything tastes better on a hike. Stuff you’d usually turn your nose up at becomes suddenly surprisingly palatable. On longer trips I’ve been convinced that some one could serve me up a paper bag and I would relish it and beg for seconds. Water is probably one of the heaviest additions to your pack, but also one of the most crucial. Staying hydrated is not optional. Besides, you’ll want the water to help choke down those energy bars! On longer trips, you may also opt to include water purifiers/filters. 7
won’t need that down jacket for a day hike in balmy July, but a waterproof shell might be appreciated in a downpour. Use common sense when deciding what you’ll need. A stroll of less than an hour will probably require less accessorizing than one that takes you half a day away. Always staying within your limits is strong prevention. Consider your personal fitness and navigational skills, the trail difficulty and your time frames (you are never as far down the trail as you think you are). Getting lost, even briefly, can be a frightening experience, and after dark the woods become a different (and often chillier) place. Injuries can also make the return to safety a challenge, particularly if you have not subscribed to the buddy system. The weather is always a factor to consider, as it can drastically alter conditions on some trails. A quick listen to the weather forecast may make you aware of an incoming storm that would render hiking unsafe. Another important safety consideration is for your car parked at the trail-head. Thieves, who are secure in the knowledge that you won’t return to your vehicle for some time, see these parking lots as a great opportunity to make a quick grab of your loot.
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Do yourself a favour and leave your valuables at home, or keep them on your person. Otherwise, keep them locked out of sight where they won’t tempt any ne’er-do-wells. Backcountry Etiquette “Take only pictures, leave only foot-prints, kill only time…” (Debates rage on as to whether this adage applies to the mosquito buzzing around your ear.) Pack out what you pack in. This goes for garbage, food scraps, and toilet paper—yes, toilet paper. Occasionally you may find yourself feeling the need when miles lie between you and the next toilet facility. As one of life’s imperatives, sometimes this need can’t be ignored. If you must, follow this protocol: • Find an appropriately discreet location off the beaten path. No one wants to see you do your business, let alone step in it by mistake. • For #2, dig a sufficiently deep hole and cover up the evidence afterwards. • If your situation demands t.p., do everyone a favour by packing it out afterwards. Usually there’s a garbage bin or an outhouse at the trailhead where you can lighten your load. Yes, it’s disgusting for you, but it’s more disgusting for others. Etiquette also involves responsible use of our beautiful backcountry. Keep in mind that you are not the only one using the trail. Please be conscious that this is a shared space, and be respectful of other hikers. It’s also necessary to respect the tenants of the wild. Try to stay on the trail. This avoids damaging delicate plant life just because you’d rather not get your shoes muddy, and helps prevent the added erosion of several braided trails. It “bears” noting that the backcountry is also home to many animals who will not necessarily be anticipating or appreciating your arrival on their turf. You are a guest. Strive to minimize disruption to both the inhabitants and the habitat, and educate yourself about personal safety issues with wildlife.
Ottawa Outdoors Summer
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Navigating the Outdoors – Part of the Adventure By Bill Anderson, Ottawa Orienteering Club
Photo by Mike Beedell
A FEW WEEKS AGO I set out from Ottawa towards Quebec City for a ski holiday. I had been there a few times, the last time about 10 years ago. I couldn’t find my provincial road map but I didn’t think there would be a problem. I would simply follow the road signs and then use a friend’s phone instructions to get to her place in the old city. Well, we missed the first exit to Quebec City after the Champlain Bridge, and then almost missed route 30—which was still under construction the last time I passed that way. A couple of hours later we crossed the new bridge at Quebec City but wandered into the wrong part of town by following our friend’s (who does not drive) general instructions. Fortunately, we found a tourist kiosk that supplied information, and maps that we should have studied before we started out. You would think I would know better. I spend a lot of time in the outdoors making and/or updating topographical maps for orienteering and cross-country skiing. I also love to sail and wouldn’t think of heading out without the most detailed chart I could find for my sailing plan. Buy the Map! If you are a tourist or an adventurer you will expand your awareness and improve your feeling of security if you always know where you are and how to proceed to your next objective. So buy or borrow a current and detailed map of the area you plan to visit. Those statements may sound trite, but I frequently meet hikers or skiers in the middle of Gatineau Park who: a) Don’t have a map (or compass) and don’t have a clue where they are; b) Have a 25 year old map and can’t figure out the current trail system; or c) Have a map, but can’t relate the scale to their objective and/or don’t understand the mapping symbols. Detailed maps for specific park areas can be purchased at most outdoor outfitters in the Ottawa area or at the Visitor Centres at the park gates. For a complete selection of adventure and tourist maps, I recommend visiting a store like A World of Maps on Wellington Street. Understand the Map Maps for outdoor adventures vary from versions that provide only sketches of the local trail network to much more useful Ottawa Outdoors Summer
topographic (topo) maps that provide contours, water features, and man-made objects - including the trails. These better maps also include a grid to provide navigational reference points like longitude and latitude. If you plan on any off-trail adventures you simply must have a recent topo map with you, and the knowledge to use it effectively. The level of detail on these maps can sometimes be overwhelming to a novice—particularly the contours—there is a learning curve that must be followed to become comfortable with using these maps. You could take a comprehensive course in land navigation, like the one offered at Algonquin College, but for most weekend adventurers that’s not necessary. Instead, you could study a book, like the classic Be Expert with Map and Compass by Kjellstrom, or you could contact a local orienteering club to see when it offer clinics on using a map and compass. Beyond the basic instruction, the key to confident navigation
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Photo by Dave Brown
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is to practice “on the ground.” For example, you could head out to Gatineau Park with your topo map and follow a planned route of your choice along (or just off) some of the popular trails. Then as you hike, take the time to “check-off” on the map every landmark you pass. Take a note of the lakes, streams, steep hills and valleys, trail junctions—anything and everything that would help you locate your position on the map. After a while you will find that the major skill for effective navigation is simply concentration. Make a Plan—Map Preparation Every outdoor adventure should include a navigational plan. The topo map of the area should be marked with the planned route, including the planned stopover points. After setting out, everyone in the group should be kept up to date on the current location so that, in case of an emergency, anyone can assist in the navigation towards safety or recovery points. There are several basic map elements that should be understood before the plan is completed. These include the scale, the magnetic variation, and any special symbols used by the distributor of the map. Of course, the map should always be encased in a waterproof bag and stored in a handy location. Bring a compass—but know its limitations. When navigation skills are taught in schools and clubs there is often too much emphasis placed on the use of the compass and not enough on map reading and preparation. Carrying a compass is important, but it basically only tells you the direction of magnetic north. It doesn’t tell you where you are, where you have been, or where you plan to go. Compasses that come with a protractor and sighting plate enable you to take accurate straight-line bearings. That’s great if you are, for example, on a lake and you can head directly towards a recognized point of land. But you had better check the chart first to see where the reefs are! Similarly, a compass bearing on land is handy but it only acts as a compliment to your hiking plan based on the map details—like the twists and turns of the trails. Will a GPS unit help? Maybe. The new Global Positioning System (GPS) units, which depend on transmissions from satellites, can tell you your position on the earth, in terms of longitude and latitude, to within 10
five metres. That’s a big help, but you have to know how to convert that information into an actual point on a map. That is a skill you must learn before you head out on your adventure. For $200, a basic unit has a digital compass as well as memory for storing co-ordinates (waypoints), but you still need the topographical map for navigation. Of course, for many more dollars, you can get a GPS unit with built-in maps that show you (sometimes in a sketchy sort of way) where you are. But so far, the only GPS-based maps that have any relevant detail are for city folks, truck drivers, and fishermen. Will there ever be a Gatineau Park GPS map with an adventurer’s level of detail? I’m sure it will be available some time in the future. But bring extra batteries, your old compass, and a paper topo map along as well, just in case. Get Outdoors! Don’t let a fear of getting lost prevent you from enjoying the outdoors. Don’t let those “complicated-looking” maps or technical navigational aids hold you back either. Basic map and compass knowledge, with practice on the ground of course, will increase your level of enjoyment during any outdoor adventure. World of Maps: www.worldofmaps.com Ottawa Orienteering Club: www.magma.ca/~ottawaoc Algonquin College: www.algonquincollege.com Be Expert with Map and Compass is available at World of Maps and many local outdoor adventure stores.
Ottawa Outdoors Summer
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ONO WITH AMPHIBIOUS TECHNOLOGY, THE WATER’S EDGE BECOMES AN INVITATION, NOT A BOUNDARY. RE-ENTER THE PRIMORDIAL OOZE.
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OUTSIDER FOOTWEAR
GUEST EDITORIAL
The Pathetic State of Funding for Sport in Canada By Ken Parker
IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR 35 athletes travelled to Ireland to represent Canada at the IAAF World Cross-Country Championships. Twenty-three of these athletes were self-funded. Canada, for some reason, cannot find the money to send athletes to a world championship. I would think that when Canada selects athletes to compete internationally, to represent our country, the athletes would be funded by Canada. At the federal level, our government can find money to fund an irrelevant event such as the Francophonie Games, including the payment of expenses for competitors from other countries. Not only does Canada absorb this cost, but we are also paying for the record number of athletes who defected during the games and have now become Canada’s financial responsibility. The federal government can also find the funds to throw a party for our winter Olympians. At the same time as this party was being quickly organized and funded, our cross-country team was financing their own way to Ireland. Who sets these priorities? Some athletes are fortunate enough to find corporate sponsors to assist them with their expenses. The government sees fit to reward these companies for their sponsorships by prohibiting any national team athlete selected for a major competition from profiling their sponsor(s) for a period preceding, during and after the Games. The government should not be able to have it both ways; those who support the athlete should receive the profile. This injustice may be a major reason why corporate sponsors are so hard to come by. Our athletes also need support in terms of training and competition facilities. Ottawa, for example—Canada’s capital
and the home of Athletics Canada, the national sports governing body for track and field—has no indoor training facility. The federal government can find money to help professional football teams with stadium costs in Montreal, and has promised money for construction of football stadiums in Quebec City and Halifax if the CFL expands there. Millions of federal dollars are spent on advertising in professional sport facilities such as the Corel Centre and Jetform Park. Why is the government nowhere to be seen when it comes to an indoor track facility in Ottawa? The City of Ottawa, which paid for the construction of Jetform park, a facility only used for professional baseball, has over 40 ice surfaces and is looking at building more, but is not committed to building one indoor track. At the corporate level, Canada is far behind other countries in supporting amateur sport. With some exceptions, corporate Canada prefers to support mercenary sports, sports whose average athlete’s salary exceeds one million dollars. At the individual level the story seems to be the same. At a single NHL hockey game—and each team plays over 80 games to get to a playoff system where over half of the teams extend their season—individuals collectively spend an amount that exceeds one-half of Athletics Canada’s yearly budget! Corporations collectively spend even more in a single night, but when it comes
to supporting our amateur athletes most individuals and corporations “cannot afford it.” The Athens Olympics are two short years away. Canada should have already made major increases in support of our athletes aspiring to these games. We can expect, instead, to see a lot of talk and photo opportunities in the six months prior to the Games, when it will be too late to help our athletes develop. A recent letter to the Toronto Star made the following point: The sad fact is that any international success our athletes have enjoyed has occurred in spite of the federal government and the Canadian private sector. We do, however, lead the world when it comes to commissions studying the state of amateur athletics. I dare say that if half the cash that we spend on government studies on the state of amateur sports was simply paid out to our athletes, then more of our young people would be inclined to devote years of their lives to the Olympic dream. Our athletes who compete for the love of their sport deserve better. It’s time for Canadians to say, “Show me the money!” when it comes to funding our athletes. About the author: Ken Parker is a long-time runner, coach, and race organizer. His company, Sirius Consulting Group, has been a sponsor of triathlete Sharon Donnelly (1999 Pan American Games Champion and Sydney Olympian) since 1997, and also sponsors several local age-group teams. COMMENTS ON THIS OR OTHER ISSUES?
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MOUNTAIN BIKING
The Gatineau Park A map of riding trails you’re sure to enjoy By Bob McCrindle
A little look at “the Gats”—a true hidden treasure If you ask people where the best places in the world to mountain bike are, you hear of places such as Moab, Durango and the North Shore of BC. Rarely do you hear of Gatineau Park. It’s not a name boasted of in bike magazines or videos. Consider this a good thing, because it means that we are not overrun by hoards of outsiders looking to ride on the trails we call our own. Is it a bad thing, wanting to shelter these little gems from the rest of the riding world? Who said that being a little bit selfish is bad? How did the Gats come to be? Gatineau Park is located in Western Quebec and covers 36,131 hectares. The park is approximately 50 kilometres long and 12 kms across at its widest point. The federal government purchased the first 10,000 hectares of land in 1934. Mountain biking has been part of Gatineau Park’s recreational makeup since 1989. Volunteers from the Ottawa Ski Club created some of the current bike trails in the park in the 1940s and 1950s. What’s up today? Today the park has 90 kms of multiusage trails, which are trails designated for hiking, skiing and biking. Camp Fortune has become somewhat of a hub for riding in the region, offering the use of 168 hectares of land. It is a virtual playground with novice, intermediate and expert trails just minutes from the base of the hill. Downhill, cross-country or free riding are all minutes away from downtown Ottawa. The Suderman brothers took over Camp Fortune seven years ago, at which time there was no true mountain 14
biking happening at the hill. Dedication and hard work have seen it transformed into one of Canada’s most challenging technical cross-country race courses. Bill Hurley, former Master’s World XC Champ, claims it is his favourite course owing to the demanding nature of the terrain. You can be fined $150 for riding in the park prior to or after the official summer season. Another taboo is riding on trails designated for hiking only. The same fine applies. The rules are in place in order to promote environmental sustainability, and enforce the shared use of the park. The interesting thing about these fines is that they will follow you if you don’t pay them. I had a friend who was pulled over for a traffic violation and was asked ever so politely to pay his outstanding mountain bike fine or be brought down to the station. Needless to say, he paid the fine and the late penalty. Where are the Gats going tomorrow? Let’s not take Gatineau Park bike trails for granted. Don’t ignore the fact that we can lose it at anytime. You don’t think that this can happen to us? Just look at some of the major parks and riding areas in the U.S. and Western Canada. “No biking allowed” is the reality for many people. How can we prevent the loss of this treasure? Become involved somehow. Be proactive! Let your voice be heard, help out the National Mountain Bike Association in some way and adhere to the rules set out by the NCC. It is better to have some trails available than none at all. Every once in a while you will find a
Photo by Mike Beedell
WELCOME TO GATINEAU PARK, owned by us the people of Canada, and run by the National Capital Commission (NCC). What a great place to walk, hike, and most of all ride!
trail with a strange little sign on it—the translation is no bikes allowed! The NCC has some concerns about mountain bikers with respect to their environmental impact and the sharing of trails with other users. A comprehensive report on policy will be produced in the very near future. Issues looked at will include new environmental policies, new public policy, environmental impact studies and the place of mountain bikes and bikers in the Gatineau Park. Can all these things leave us a rosy future? I’m not too sure! Ottawa Outdoors Summer
MOUNTAIN BIKING Gatineau Park Trails
(look to pick up a map of the trails at gear outlets and NCC info booths around town.)
Trail
Length
Description
Of note
# 1, Chelsea to fire tower
25 kms
Gravel highway
Main access trail 1B
#40 to Western
3 kms
Wide and flat, steep and rocky
Fortune Parkway to Huron
7 kms
Fortune to #1
1 km
Gravel
Penguin loop off #1
7 kms
Wide, maintained
Mackenzie King to Notch
Wet sections, high use Climbing
4 kms
Two wide, maintained
Kingsmere to #1
5 kms
Singletrack
Dry
Fortune to Western
6 kms
Singletrack
#1 to #54
7 kms
Singletrack
Wet sections
Shilly Shally to #3
2 kms
Singletrack
Wet sections
Fortune to #1
1 km
Rocky near #1
Wet
Pink Lake to Mackenzie King
4 kms
Wide, maintained
Dry
#1 Penguin to Keogan
5 kms
Singletrack
Wet sections
#1 to #34
1 km
Singletrack
Beaver dams
#2 to #21
2 kms
Singletrack
Underused, dry
#33 to #3
3 kms
Singletrack
Good condition
#4 to #6
3 kms
Singletrack
Mixed conditions
Loop off #1 to #40
2 kms
Very wide, gravel, maintained
P2 to Gatineau Parkway
2 kms
Wide, gravel, dry, maintained
Loop off #3
1 km
Singletrack
Good condition
Loop off #5
3 kms
Wide
Very wet
P7 to #1
1 km
Wide, gravel, maintained
Dry
#8 to #1
0.5 km
Steep, wide, eroded
Wet
Fortune to Parkway
1 km
Steep, wide, eroded
Wet
Fortune Parkway to P10
2 kms
Singletrack, steep, off camber
#1 to #40
1.5 kms
Wide, gravel, maintained
Dry
#4 to #6
2 kms
Singletrack
Good condition
P6 to #7
2 kms
Wide, gravel, maintained
Dry
#16 to #40
2 kms
Singletrack
Good condition Trail information compiled by B. Thorpe
HOT SPOT! Two-day Mountain Bike Tour How would you like to do two or three days of mountain biking the length of Gatineau Park? This trip is 75-160 kms, depending on the route. Day one: You will travel from Ottawa to the Gatineau Park International Hostel. The distance is 40 kms from Ottawa (via the parkways, Meech Lake and the Meech Valley). Day two: Your final destination will be the Haven Lodge, where you may rest your weary bones. Take Carman Road to River Road. Turn left and ride to Wakefield, where there is plenty to eat and lots to explore. Want to find out more? Look for the advertisement on page 39 of this magazine, or call (819) 459-3180.
CANOEING
Canoe Skills & Strokes Three strokes to point you in the right direction By Paul Mason Figure 1
(figure 2). This is desirable, as you can then use your torso muscles to pull your grip hand back into the boat, creating a strong lever action off the gunwale. This technique is much stronger than if you had used only your arm muscles. If you’re a stern paddler, you should slant the paddle backward at 45 degrees, with the blade close to the stern. This places your stroke farther from the pivot point of the canoe. Since the pry is a very short stroke, make sure the blade actually slaps the hull as you initiate the stroke. Figure 3
The Draw Stroke This stroke has endless variations as you adapt it to each situation. Ideally, you reach far out to plant the stroke and keep the paddle vertical in the water (figure 1). To do this, your body weight must move out onto your paddle. Use your whole torso to pull your end of the canoe toward your paddle. Finish the stroke with your body centred back in the canoe. If you’re pulling with your entire body, you’ll naturally find yourself back in the canoe at the end of each stroke. Staying in sync with your partner will keep the canoe from rocking violently. Watch where your end of the canoe is going. Hitting a rock while watching your paddle can produce comical results—for the onlookers, at least. Figure 2
The Pry Stroke The main thing to remember with the pry is that the most efficient part of the stroke comes when the paddle is vertical; hence the reason for starting the stroke with the paddle blade actually under the canoe! Rest your shaft hand on the gunwale to keep the paddle in position. Keep the stroke short. A general guideline is to keep the paddle within 20 to 25 degrees of vertical. Slicing the paddle under the canoe will cause your upper body to move out over the paddle 16
The Cross-draw Stroke This stroke is effective only in the bow. Remember to rotate your torso to face your offside, the side on which you will be doing your cross-draw. Bring your paddle over across the canoe as you rotate your torso, and set the blade in the water a comfortable distance from the canoe (figure 3). This gives you some leeway in case you’ve misjudged the current. Your lower arm will be straight. Your grip hand will be low, close to your body. This arm position puts the blade well in front of you without you having to lean forward. If your canoe has forward momentum or you are entering current, just hold this position and let the force of the water on the blade exert a turning action. If there is no current, push out with your grip hand and pull in with your lower arm. For maximum power, untwist your torso a little on each stroke. A variation on the cross-draw is to keep the shaft a little more vertical. Although this is less efficient as a pivot stroke, it does allow you to easily shift to an offside forward stroke. A good complementary stern stroke for the cross-draw is the back sweep. It begins as a pry to initiate the turn. Then the paddle blade flattens out, creating a bracing effect. This is desirable given the precarious position of the bow person during the cross-draw. For an extensive review of basic canoeing strokes, refer to the book or video version of Path of the Paddle, written by my late father, Bill Mason. For more information see Paul Mason productions at www.wilds.mb.ca/redcanoe.
Ottawa Outdoors Summer
CANOEING
The Art of Portaging
BEST BRANDS
By Brian Cooke
MY FIRST PORTAGE NEARLY broke me. The canoe paddles, tied from the centre thwart to the bow seat, were pressing down into the flesh covering my shoulder blades. With each gangly step forward I could feel my body collapsing from the strain. The canoe’s tumpline, a device rarely seen on canoes since the advent of lighter, more forgiving boat hulls, only added to my torture. Designed to help support the boat by transferring weight to the carrier’s forehead, it instead slipped forward and tightened itself around my neck, which restricted my breathing every time the canoe’s bow dropped.
Ottawa Outdoors Summer
r u o y e Wher ture Advenns! Begi Tents
Back Packs
Photo (origiinal) by Gerald Oskoboiny.
This spectacle, witnessed by my fellow trippers, resembled more a funeral procession than a joyful expression of youth. When I returned to camp some days later I felt like I’d been beaten. I felt this way because the councillor-in-training who accompanied me on this trip carried his canoe with a stoic determination that defied his age and experience, or so I thought. Later that summer, when my canoe continued to get the better of me, this 16 year old shared with me the prophetic words that I have since shared with all struggling trippers. “Portaging,” he said, “is only 10% physical and 90% mental.” Strength is all good and fine but you need to have the will and the heart to ignore the weight, the bugs and the fallen trees. To a young man, unsure of his own ability, these words put my entire ordeal in perspective. No trip was going to be the same after that. Now, I love the portage. I love the portage because of where it takes me. A portage, much like life itself, is never easy. It can have long, steep uphill slopes. It can be slow and muddy. When the clouds explode and the rains come down, you must be prepared for it. If you’re not, the experience will leave you shaken. Many canoeists in their
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17
Photo by Mike Beedell
formative tripping years have been beaten down by a seemingly endless bushwhack. I’ve come to the conclusion that trippers have particularly strong feelings about the portage. They either love it or they hate it. Why? Like many challenges in our lives, I think the portage is misunderstood because we prepare so poorly for it. In order to tackle the portage you must prepare for it before the trip starts. As with the trip on a whole, the success is in the planning. Don’t wing it To trip successfully, every tripper needs a system. Your equipment needs to be carried in durable, properly sealed and waterproofed packs. Every piece of gear except the map and compass, your life jacket and the paddles needs to be packed away in these packs. If anything is left outside of the packs, you risk the chance of losing it or having to carry it by hand. To avoid having to carry the paddles, I tie them to the inside of the canoe for a portage. For comfort, wear your life jacket to pad your shoulders for the long road ahead. When you reach the end of the portage, load the canoe just as you did that morning. Leave the packs lying face down so the carrying straps will 18
be easy to grab at the next portage. When you are ready to launch, enter the canoe slowly and try to avoid bringing too much water into the canoe with you. Once you find a system that works for you, it will become routine. With any luck, this matter-of-fact manner of portaging will allow you to shake off the dread many trippers feel when they approach a portage. Instead, see the portage entrance for what it is, a path that leads you to a new lake, one you’ve never seen before. Pack your gear as if you were going backpacking Canoe tripping is not car camping, so only bring what you can carry. Yes, the canoe can easily carry 1000 pounds of gear before sinking, but you can’t. Two people travelling in one canoe should be able to concentrate all of their personal and group equipment into two comfortable portage packs or backpacks. This includes all the food, pots, clothes, tent and sleeping bags. If that lawn chair cannot be carried in the pack or strapped securely to it, leave it behind. Keep it simple To make a portage successful, you need to be able to tackle it with the least amount of trouble. The most common problem trippers encounter on
their first portage is what’s called “the organization thing.” People are used to having everything they need at their fingertips. You want your extra sweater, your camera and some munchies close at hand. Before you know it, your canoe is littered with stuff. Stuff that needs to be re-packed at every portage. I admit it is important to have a few pieces of gear within reach, but resist the urge to turn your canoe into a yard sale. Experienced trippers bring along a pack known in canoe-speak as “the personal.” My personal carries everything I will need for the tripping day. This includes the first aid kit, trail snacks, lunch, my small one-burner stove, matches, my maps and compass, the canoe repair kit and my raincoat. This should save me from having to go into the larger packs while we are on the go. Trust me, rifling through a large canoe pack while bobbing up and down on a lake in a rain shower is as hard as it sounds. Get your feet wet I don’t change my footwear at the portage. At boys camp I learned the value of “wet shoes” and “dry shoes.” Wet shoes are old running shoes, not those thin neoprene slippers. I put these on in the morning and don’t take them Ottawa Outdoors Summer
CANOEING off until I get to the next campsite. Wearing wet shoes allows you to speed through the portage without any regard for wet obstacles. Discourage your fellow trippers from changing into dry hiking boots or a pair of dry shoes for the portage. It’s not necessary. They will only end up with a new pair of wet shoes. So hunker down and get used to the feeling of having soggy feet for the better part of the day. Then, when your canoe approaches the portage you can jump out into the water, grab the canoe, roll it onto your shoulders and not worry about dropping it onto the hard ground. At the end of the portage you’ll be able to walk right out into the water and safely roll the canoe down off your shoulders. After a long hot portage, this can be pretty refreshing. Don’t let anyone shoulder more than they can carry Do the portage in two trips if you have to. Larger groups seem to have an easier time tackling a portage in one go. That’s because they have more bodies to carry the collective gear. When it’s just you and a friend, it’s a little harder. I once brought my mother close to tears by suggesting she try carrying one canoe pack on her back and another on her front. I think she only made it a few steps before her body rebelled. After that experience we decided to carry the gear in two trips. We started off down the trail carrying a large canoe pack each and returned for the canoe and the personal. With only one pack burdening her frame, its severe weight seemed almost manageable. Remember though, as you consume the food you brought, the packs will get lighter, allowing you to blitz a portage in one trip. Take a break You should always allow for break time when you have many portages to do in one day. An experienced tripper can paddle about 30 kilometres a day, but this becomes unrealistic when numerous portages slow you down. Reduce the day’s trip distance by a third if you are going to encounter more than three moderate to long portages (750 metres to one kilometer or more). This will help reduce the pressure all canoe trippers Ottawa Outdoors Summer
feel when they realize that the trip they planned was too ambitious. Keep a positive attitude On long portages, keep your group close together so everyone has someone to talk to. Sing, tell jokes, take a break, have a snack, or take turns with the canoe; do anything to make the time pass more pleasantly. Remember that one negative attitude can have a disruptive effect on the whole group’s moral. To ensure that no one tripper is having to carry more than he or she can handle, each morning call everyone together and compare the weight of each pack relative to the carrying abilities of each tripper. This will build a sense of fair play amongst the group, particularly on unusually long portages. Keep a compass and a machete near by Some canoe routes see more traffic than others. Its quite common during the spring to find portages blocked by fallen trees. Check with park officials to see how popular the trip you are planning is. If it has been a few years since it was last travelled, expect the portages to be overgrown, blocked, or at worst, unrecognizable. When faced with this, you are left with two choices, head back—or bushwhack. If your choice is to bushwhack, make sure that your group’s point man has the map, compass and the machete. A canoe’s weight is a relative thing On a portage, I always carry the canoe. I feel an uncontrollable urge to get that canoe over to the next lake myself. I don’t have a bizarre fascination with pain. Far from it. I have instead developed a grudging respect for my canoe. It has been my constant and unflappable companion through some of the most important experiences of my life. Its canvas skin shows evidence of lessons I’ve learned at its expense. Its ribs and planks have held together through miles of dry creek beds and the odd Class II rapid. Its sounds, mournful groans and playful squeaks, are as familiar to me as my father’s voice. I understand it. I would sooner let a stranger drive my car than let a friend introduce my canoe to a new lake. I long ago accepted the burden of my canoe’s weight. 19
Weight can be a reasonable trade off for strength. At 75 pounds (34 kilograms), my canoe is considered unattractively heavy. But to tell you the truth, I cannot tell the difference between 75 and 65 pounds when it is resting on my shoulders. Kevlar composite or carbon fibre hulls are feather-light compared to a cedar canvas or an inexpensive hand-laid fibreglass, and make longer portages more manageable for people new to canoe tripping. If you are unsure of your ability to carry a 65-pound canoe along a 2.5 km Algonquin Park portage, then rent a lighter Kevlar canoe. Remember, it’s important that your first canoe tripping experience is a positive one.
QUICK TIPS PORTAGING * Much like the canoeing, we also rotate the portaging positions. * Tie your lifejackets to the seats of your canoe for extra padding when it's resting on your shoulders. It may not seem like much, but you'll appreciate this more on those 2000 metre portages. * Along the portage trails you may notice a horizontal log attached between two trees. This is not for your climbing pleasure but rather a place to rest the canoe when taking a break or switching positions. * Be sure to concentrate on your footing as some trails, especially the ungroomed ones, tend to be rugged or may divert suddenly.
To yoke or not to yoke
My canoe has always had a traditional centre thwart at its balance point. By lashing two paddles between the thwart and the bow seat I can build a comfortable horseshoe-shaped opening in which to place my head. This system also lends itself well to an accompanying tumpline. The paddles allow you to slide the canoe backwards or forwards, altering the canoe’s balance as you walk up or down hill. I’m a little biased against contoured deep-dish yokes, as they seem to slide off my shoulders if I happen to slip or lose my footing on the portage. Sometimes the ways of old are better.
Bring along some padding for your shoulders
There are two pieces of equipment you’ll bring with you that can do double duty by helping you on the portage. Your personal floatation device (PFD) can provide some welcome padding for your shoulders. Your towel can also be of help. On long, hot and dusty portages, I take out my bath towel, dip its ends in the water and wrap it around my neck. The towel supplies another source of padding between the canoe and my shoulders and the wet ends can be used to wipe my face when my head gets hot.
Organize, organize, organize
Always make it your goal to see a portage through in one trip, but don’t carve this rule in stone. If the packs are too heavy early in the trip don’t force your trip-mate to carry more then he or she can handle.
Keep the group together
The trees cannot provide you with encouragement, only your trip-mates can. I find that a long, deeply philosophical and intellectually challenging conversation (or some juicy gossip) can make time and distance disappear.
Photo by Mike Beedell
About the author: Brian Cooke, former director of canoe tripping at Camp Nominigue, now works for Mountain Equipment Co-op.
CANOEING
A Canoeing Adventure in Algonquin Park By Matthew Ladd
PICTURE YOURSELF PADDLING DOWN a river in a canyon formed thousands of years ago. The imposing Barron Canyon is just one section of a point-to-point flat-water route with only a few portages and many interesting sights along the way. This three-day weekend adventure in the eastern part of Algonquin Park is one of my all-time favourite canoe trips. The route starts at the Achray Campground on Grand Lake and traverses Stratton Lake, St. Andrews Lake, High Falls Lake, Opalescent Lake, Brigham Lake and the length of the Barron River. Many people are familiar with this part of the park because it is close to the Eastern Pines backpacking trails. If you prefer something a little more challenging, this trip can be extended to four days, as there is a longer route to Opalescent Lake involving more portaging. The extended route has one portage of 1800 metres in length, making it prohibitive to many leisurely canoeists. It is also possible to complete the trip in a two-day weekend for those folks who are pressed for time, and don’t mind a later finish on Sunday. By putting in at Brigham Lake parking lot, you can also make this a day trip. Achray Campground is reached via the Sand Lake access road. It is a solid four-hour drive from Ottawa, so it is advisable to get an early start. On the way to the Sand Lake gate you will pass the Algonquin Portage Store, where you can rent canoes and canoeing equipment, and if you wish, stay overnight in one of their cabins. Reservations made well in advance are required for these services. Here you can also purchase just about any item you may have forgotten to bring along. Since this is a point-to-point route as opposed to an out-and-back route, there are some transportation issues that need to be addressed. Assuming at least two vehicles are driven to the starting point, one should be driven back to, or left at the take-out point. This is the last parking lot Ottawa Outdoors Summer
along the Barron River before the overpass (when you are coming from Achray). This way, when you finish paddling on Sunday, there will be a vehicle waiting for you. Once you get the boats out of the water, the other vehicle can be picked up at Achray Station and driven back to the finishing point. (Editor’s note: Be sure to bring the keys to the vehicle at the finishing point with you in the canoe!) If you are able to arrive early on Friday, there are some interesting sights to see prior to beginning the trip. One such place of interest is the cabin of legendary painter Tom Thompson, which is located along the shore of the Grand Lake. This area served as the setting for many of the Group of Sevens’ famous paintings, including Jack Pine, done in 1916. The sandy beach of Grand Lake allows for an easy put-in of the canoes. One potential difficulty is a strong wind on Grand Lake. This can make the two kilometre paddling distance across the lake seem much longer than it actually is. At this point you should not be heading straight across the lake but rather starting to veer toward the south shore (or the left). Otherwise you will end up in Carcajou Bay, where there is portage that will lead you on another Algonquin canoeing adventure. If you veer to the right, you will have a very long paddle to
the end of the lake, where you will discover the start of one of the longest portages in the park. A map of the park, Canoe Routes of Algonquin Provincial Park, will allow you to compare the landforms with the routes shown on paper, and is essential to have along. Be on the lookout for a small yellow sign with a figure in black that will indicate the portage. The sign should indicate that this is the Grand Lake to Stratton Lake portage trail. It is a short 30-metre portage leading to Stratton Lake. If the water levels are high enough, it is possible to line the canoes along the water instead of portaging. Last summer water levels had fallen significantly and this was definitely not a possibility. After about four kilometres of paddling, the end of the lake will come into view. It is then an easy 45-metre portage to reach St. Andrews Lake. There are campsites located on St. Andrews Lake where you can relax on Friday night, after completing your four to six hours of paddling. If you run into a high wind on Grand Lake that slows you down, or if you get a later start on Friday, you can also stay at one of several sites on the south shore of Grand Lake, or the north shore of Stratton Lake. Make sure that you have an updated map that shows locations of 21
CANOEING current sites. For environmental reasons these are moved around from time to time. If there is no orange sign with a drawing of a tent on it posted at the campsite, then it is not currently approved for camping. The second day starts along the Barron River with the option of a side trip to the natural waterslide of High Falls. If you are doing this trip in early spring or late fall this will be more like a polar bear dip. The side trip does make the day slightly longer, but it is worth it. You can always make the falls a scenic stop for lunch. There are three longer portages of 550, 300, and 640 metres before reaching the campsites at Opalescent Lake. After the leisurely portaging at both ends of Stratton Lake these portages are definitely more challenging. Opalescent Lake is a particularly nice lake to camp on. There is even a rocky beach there where you can go for a swim. At the north end of High Falls Lake, which is part of the Barron River and is reached after the first 550-metre portage, you will have a choice of portage trails. Both routes will eventually take you to Brigham Lake, along the Barron River. If you choose not to head for Opalescent Lake, you can avoid the longer portages of 640 and 730 metres, and save about
The top 10 things you should know about this trip: 1. Bring a bathing suit (enough said). 2. Do not set up your campsite just anywhere. Make sure there is an orange and black sign posted at the site. 3. Bring a camera, as there are many photo opportunities, especially in the canyon. 4. Compare the landforms carefully with the map when searching for the portage trails, as the portage signs are not often visible until you are very close to the trailhead. 5. To save time when doing a portage (especially the shorter ones) try to make as few trips as possible (ideally one). 6. Sunscreen is essential, no matter what month it is. 7. Leave one vehicle at the finishing point, and bring the keys with you. 8. Renting canoes and related gear can be expensive, so if you have access to the gear, it is likely worth the added hassle of bringing it along. 9. Get an early start each day in order to get to your destination with time to spare (and get the best campsite). 10. You need to reserve your campsites well in advance.
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340 metres of portaging in total. You will, however, have five rather than three portages to reach Brigham Lake. It is a matter of preference, but campsites are scarce on Brigham Lake. If you plan to camp there, make sure you have made a reservation. In order to complete this route in two days, you should arrive by Friday evening and stay either at the cozy log cabin near the store or at Achray Campground. You can then get an early start on Saturday morning in order to reach St. Andrews Lake, where you will camp on Saturday night. On Sunday it will be an all-day paddle down the entire length of the Barron River to reach the take-out point by late afternoon. The two-day option makes for a more challenging trip, with more paddling on Sunday. You may want to take the shorter portage route to Brigham Lake via the aptly named Ooze Lake. To reach the take-out before dark you will have to portage efficiently and get an early start on Sunday morning. If you need to be done early on Sunday, you could make Saturday your long day, and reserve a site at Brigham Lake for Saturday night. Regardless of how long you take to reach Brigham Lake (you may even start there for a day trip), you will find that what is surely the highlight of this trip begins here. It is quite an amazing feeling to paddle through the majestic Barron Canyon with cliffs rising over one hundred metres above the river. The canyon was probably formed about ten thousand years ago during the last ice age. During this period a sheet of ice about three kilometres thick covered most of Canada and the northern United States. This expanse of ice carved out the canyon. Later melt water from the glacier eroded it even further. A backpacking trail follows the rim of the canyon, one of the highest points in the park. If you look up to your left about one kilometre after portaging the Brigham Chute (440 metres), you may see some people on the trail. This will really put the size of the cliffs into perspective. After a longer day of canoeing along the Barron River, just above Squirrel Rapids, the take-out point is reached. There is a respectable amount of distance (approximately eight kilometres)
Map used with permission from Friends of Algonquin Park.
to cover from Opalescent Lake to the finish. More importantly, there are four portages of 730, 100, 440, and 420 metres each. You should expect about six to nine hours of paddling on the last day. There are some tales around about gruelling paddling and portaging in order to finish this trip before a storm arrives, before sunset, etc. Unless you want to create your own adventure race consisting of paddling and portaging, it is a good idea to time yourself appropriately. This tends to be more of an issue with the two-day version of the trip, which will have you travelling all the way from St. Andrews Lake (adding about four kilometres, about a third of it portaging) on Sunday. The level of difficulty for this trip is low and thus it makes for a good first trip of the season. The route can be easily modified to suit the more advanced canoeist. If you have done some paddling and camping you should be fine. The route is one of the easiest yet most spectacular within the park. If you have three days, the daily paddling distance is reasonable. There are no portages longer than a kilometre and the paddling is entirely on flat water. This trip is also excellent for a less experienced group. Small groups of less than ten people can camp on one site. If you have a larger group, it must be split up into two separate sites. Since this route is quite popular, it is best to reserve campsites well in advance. This is especially important during the summer months or if you are planning the trip over a long weekend. About the author: Matthew Ladd is a member of the Carleton University Outdoors Club (CUOC). The CUOC offers day outings and canoe trips. For information about the club visit www.carleton.ca/outdoors. For information about Algonquin Park visit www.algonquinpark.on.ca. To reserve a campsite, visit www.ontarioparks.com. For information about the Algonquin Portage Store, visit www.algonquinportage.com. Ottawa Outdoors Summer
ENVIRONMENTALLY SPEAKING
Ottawa Riverkeeper: an ombudsman for an historic river By John Almstedt
THE OTTAWA RIVER, once referred to as la Grande Rivière du Nord, is about to get a riverkeeper. The newly formed Ottawa Riverkeeper is a non-profit, citizen-driven organization with an aim to help create a healthy and ecologically sustainable waterway for the enjoyment and benefit of everyone living along the river. By late summer, it is expected that a person referred to as a “riverkeeper” will be employed to begin charting the problems affecting the Ottawa River. Ottawa Riverkeeper is a member of the Waterkeeper Alliance, which is comprised of more than 85 Waterkeeper programs located throughout North and Central America and beyond. Riverkeeper will operate much like an environmental neighbourhood watch program, where citizens patrol to protect communities and the waters they depend upon. The philosophy is based on the notion that the protection and enjoyment of a community’s natural resources requires the daily vigilance of its citizens. Some refer to the Ottawa as Canada’s most historic river; for centuries, it was the primary transportation route for people going west, to the arctic and even to the Mississippi River. Many lesser rivers have had some type of environmental protection in place, but the Ottawa has gone without, mainly because of the diverse levels of government involved with the river. Consequently, many issues have arisen, such as the safety of drinking water, beach pollution and the changes in the natural habitat. Increasingly, the public has felt powerless to reclaim their river. Riverkeeper’s initial area of emphasis marked in red A map of the Ottawa River illustrates the obvious challenge Riverkeeper faces in patrolling its 1,200-kilometre span. Fortunately the problems aren’t as severe
along the entire length of the river. The initial main effort will concentrate on the 250 km between Montreal and Lac des Chats in the Arnprior/Pontiac region. Protection of sensitive natural habitat The unique feature of Riverkeeper will be its expert understanding of the entire river’s ecological values, processes and special features. For the first time, there will be a body of knowledge incorporating both sides of the river and going beyond the usually incomplete or narrowly defined data included in local studies. There will also be an expert analysis of the protective framework offered by various federal, provincial and municipal jurisdictions, so that ecological protection regulations can be enforced, or where found lacking, improved. The key to success will be to effectively use Riverkeeper’s expertise to increase community awareness, stewardship and habitat restoration projects along the river. To this end, Riverkeeper’s boat will provide a physical presence on the river, enabling the organization to meet with people “in their own backyards.” A hot-line for answering ecological questions and for receiving incident reports will also be made available. Riverkeeper intends to set up a network of volunteer observers to report on issues and events of ecological importance and to participate in individual and group monitoring/sampling projects. Local environmental groups, such as the Leamy Lake Coalition, Friends of Petrie Island and Adopt-A-Riverbank will be very important allies. It is these local eyes, ears and voices that can really make a difference, as is evidenced by Riverbank’s recent spring clean-up blitz involving almost 400 people. Community clean ups: To stay posted on Riverkeeper’s progress check out their web site at www.ottawariverkeeper.ca.
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BIRDING
BIRDING
Summer, something to get excited about By Stéphane Guillot
SUMMER IS HERE, the temperature is comfortable and flocks of Canada geese are still filling the skies. The sweet song of a robin awakens you. You can smell it in the air, it’s here—bird watching season. The way I look at it, the groundhog has never been the first sign of spring. How can I tell when spring has arrived? The answer is in the birds. Whether it is the first sighting of a yellow-rumped warbler or the half a dozen dark-eyed juncos pecking away at my feeder, it is enough to get this birder excited! What do I need to get started? A long time ago, bird watchers had to rely on their eyesight alone to see birds. Technology has brought us a long way. Birders today can easily identify bird species using binoculars or spotting scopes. Find a decent set of binoculars, a general guidebook about birds, and allow yourself to be captivated by the wonderful world of birding. Be prepared to see species you’ve never seen before. Go to a quiet place where you and nature can be at one, and be observant of the wildlife present. Once you have the tools, it soon becomes easier to identify your birds. As you familiarize yourself with your guidebook, you will develop your own method to distinguish one bird from another. Waiting for something to happen? It’s a beautiful sunny morning; you pick up your binoculars and your Petersen guide and head out to your favourite nature spot, hoping to experience the sighting of your life. You arrive there and all the birds fly away. Take a moment to appreciate the view, and listen for anything that may have stayed behind.
Eventually, you will begin to hear sounds, busier and louder sounds, and suddenly you will be surrounded with birds you never knew were there. Often enough, sitting down and being quiet will allow things to get back to normal. Patience is the key to birding. On most occasions it will be a while before you notice any activity. What should I be looking for? Areas with a good variety of wildlife are likely to have birds present. Look for thick brush and running water. Many species of birds will nest in areas with these characteristics. Marshy landscapes are quite productive to a birder, as ducks and herons need wetlands to feed and survive. Small bushes or shrubs offer refuge to smaller birds such as warblers and goldfinches, among many others. Where do I get started? There are many places to go bird watching around Ottawa. Mud Lake can offer as many as 200 species during the year, Mer Bleue Bog has a wonderful variety of birds and mammals, and Shirley’s Bay is also a great area to bird watch. These are just some examples of areas plentiful in bird life. The fun in bird watching There is great satisfaction in helping people see different species of birds. Birders are rewarded by the look on people’s faces when they hear the cheerful call of a Flicker, or by the smiles that form while people watch Chickadees feed out of their hands. With any luck, this will help to get you started. Good Birding!
Maps and Directions to get you started!
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Ottawa Outdoors Summer
CAMPING
Camping Tips & Tricks This little light of mine These are really cool! Look around at a fireplace store for crystals made specifically for wood fires. You’re looking for copper crystals that produce blue, green and purple flames when added to a fire. These crystals offer an easy, safe and inexpensive method of adding a little extra “spark” to your campfire.
Magic Campfires End your nightly campfires with Magic Wishing Powder. Keep it in a special container. Have everyone stand and take a small handful. When all are ready, have everyone make a wish, and on the count of three, throw the Magic Wishing Powder into the fire. Watch for a sign that magic is present. Stand back when you wish, and enjoy the magic. (The wishing power is simple white granulated sugar, which creates beautiful sparks for just a few seconds.)
Camping with Older Kids • Try a backyard camp-out first • Teach the kids how to set up a tent • Enjoy a night outdoors in sleeping bags • Listen to the many night sounds • Don’t forget the bedtime snacks
Ottawa Outdoors Summer
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GEAR REVIEW
Need Pack, Will Travel The long weekend: Which pack is right for you? By Scott Shailer
Does size matter? AS MOST PEOPLE cannot afford Goldilocks size-approved packs for each occasion, some sort of compromise must be made. Eighty litre packs are very common and are best suited for summer long-weekend to week-long outings or long-weekend winter adventures. But please remember, just because you have a moderately large pack you should never lug more than a third of your body weight, and less is even better. Suspension Design For those who want a pack that does not impede movement, to allow for easier off trail scrambling, one with two aluminum stays is best. The downside of a pack with just two stays is a reduced load-carrying capacity, which is normally limited to a maximum of 18 kilograms. If you need to haul more gear or beer, then look for a pack with a thin “frame sheet” of polyethylene combined with internal stays to increase the load-carrying abilities. Packs with frame sheets do have one minor drawback in that natural body movement is somewhat inhibited due to the added rigidity. Another feature pack manufacturers use to increase the load-bearing capacity is the insertion of rods or a hoop made of fibreglass into the hip belt, which allows better weight distribution to the hips and aids in centring the pack. Back Padding Parts of the body that come in contact with the pack should feel more like they are being caressed than mauled. The load-bearing components of the pack should be made of foam that is supportive in structure, but neither too firm nor too soft. Contoured, size specific, multilayered hip pads, which start off soft and become firmer with each subsequent layer, are ideal. Mesh type pack panels and hip belts are cooler, but don’t expect that your back will be dry on a 32-degree day. If you hike in more humid climates or in winter, a pack with foam panels and accompanying air conduits is ideal to 26
shed snow, and dries out more quickly, but tends to be hotter in summer. Access For those who iron their underwear and own at least one shoe organizer, I would recommend a pack with panel access, a separate sleeping bag compartment and other external pockets. For the less orderly among us, top loaders are ideal for quickly cramming your gear in. Other factors that should be considered, but only if two or more packs are in a dead heat, are the availability of water bladder compartments, the number of pockets, a detachable fanny pack and finally, for the fashion conscious, colour. Arc’Teryx Bora 80 Volume: 77L (size medium tested, also available in short and long and women’s short, medium and long) Suspension Design: Two internal aluminum stays in a v-shaped formation, frame sheet and hip belt rods. Back Padding: Full length contour foam with air channels Access: Top/panel/sleeping bag loader and kangaroo pocket Features: Detachable fanny pack lid, two water bottle holders, internal water bladder holder, daisy chains and ice axe loops. Weight: 3.1 kg Price: $320.00 Available at: MEC Pack’s motto: The all-seasons thrill seeker
CANADA IS BEST known for beavers, hemp-induced snow boarders and excellent outdoor gear manufacturers. The makers of this pack live up to our reputation. Arc’Teryx manages to place a lot of features on a relatively easy to use pack. The v-shaped suspension design is an example of one such feature, in that it allows for hip belt articulation while on uneven ground. This noticeably augments some frame stiffness associated with packs that combine internal stays with frame sheet and rods. The pack also includes a sculpted hip belt, and shoulder straps and a moulded back paneling that are on the firm side, but do an excellent job of following the curves of your hips and back. The result is a pack that can be worn on very rough trails while carrying monster loads. Once loaded through top, panel or sleeping bag orifices, all the gear can be
held secure using compression straps. Water bottle holders come equipped with a drawstring and can hold a Nalgene container or other trinkets securely. Quibbles The sleeping bag divider closes with a drawstring. It is a simple and effective way to close off the pack, but it is a bloody nuisance if you don’t close it, as your gear will get caught up in the excess material or the draw cord. The North Face Diligence Volume: 88L (size medium tested, also available in short and long) Suspension Design: Two internal crossed carbon fibre stays Back Padding: Full-length self-contour mesh Access: Top/panel/sleeping bag loader and two side expansion pockets Features: Detachable daypack, water bottle holder, internal water bladder holder, gear loops on belt, daisy chain and ice axe loops Weight: 3.1 kg Price: $459.99 Available at: Trailhead Pack’s motto: Holy features Batman!
THE NORTH FACE routinely sponsors adventurers to allow them to go conquer regions of the world that are unrelenting in scope. The company also makes quality gear to get them back alive. This is one such piece of equipment. The carbon fibre stays and what the designers call the “maximum surface area” back panel are very comfortable and will conform to all the peaks and valleys of your spinal column. Your body’s natural movements are hardly restricted; due to the characteristics of the carbon fibre stays the pack seems to move along with you. The shoulder straps are thin but still provide some shock absorption, and the hip belts seem to be wider than most but are supportive and don’t hamper movement. The overall load-carrying capacity of this pack is very reasonable considering there is no frame sheet. Should you find that 88 litres are not enough, this pack has no shortage of lashing options and the daypack doubles as a snow shovel holder. Quibbles The water bottle holder is too small to allow easy insertion of a Nalgene water
GEAR REVIEW Serratus bottle while wearing the pack. A cycling water bottle, however, works well, and with the well thought out water bladder holder option, the water bottle holder might never be an issue. Dana Designs Glacier Volume: 85L (size medium harness tested, also available in short and long) Suspension Design: Internal aluminum stay, frame sheet and two fibreglass rods. Back Padding: Full-length mesh Access: Top/sleeping bag loader and two large pockets Features: Detachable fanny pack lid that uses the pack’s hip belt, two mesh water bottle holders, daisy chain and ice axe loops Weight: 2.6 kg Price: $459.99 Available at: Bushtukah Pack’s motto: Thru-hikers delight
DANA GLEASON IS an innovator who has pioneered pack technology with such features as frame sheets and movable sternum straps, features that other manufacturers quickly adopt. Another feature other pack makers borrow is the adjustability of Dana’s packs. When you factor in the range of interchangeable hip belts and shoulder harness sizes, you receive a custom tailored pack before leaving the store. The contoured hip belt cradles the hips quite nicely and the shoulder pads are comfortable, supportive, and independently vertically and horizontally adjustable. The suspension design is wonderful and provides for great shock absorbing capacity, provided that the load does not exceed 20 kgs. This very lightweight pack will make those long uphill hikes seem a touch easier. While out on the trail, accessing the water bottles is a snap and, should you need some trail food, the rear testtube shaped pockets can hold containers very conveniently. Quibbles Whatever you do, do not lend the pack to a friend! When it comes back you will wear your knuckles bare on Velcro, trying to get it how you had it before it was re-adjusted.
Photo by Ray Pilon
SO YOU NEED A PACK? HEAD OVER TO ANY OF THESE LOCAL OUTDOOR GEAR STORES AND THEIR FRIENDLY STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO SET YOU UP WITH ALL THE SUMMER GEAR YOU’LL NEED!
Alpineguide Volume: 85L (medium tested, also available in small, large and extra-large sizes) Suspension Design: Two internal aluminum stays, frame sheet and stabilization hoop Back Padding: Full length contour foam with air channels Access: Top/panel loader Features: Internal map holder, internal water bladder holder, two mesh water bottle holders, shock cord and ice axe loops Weight: 2.8 kg Price: $295.00 Available at: MEC Pack’s motto: If simplicity is your mantra, I am your pack.
BURNABY, BRITISH COLUMBIA is Serratus’s headquarters and as a result, they design gear to handle the gamut of terrain that is BC. These packs are built for places with an abundance of snow and high altitude passes. The overall weight is low, and the pack’s frame is stout with little in the way of torso length adjustments. But don’t let that scare you off before trying it to see if it fits properly. The pack sports a thermo-moulded hip belt that is narrow but shallowly sculpted to snugly fit over the hipbones and has a comfortable contoured shoulder harness. The pack’s load is transferred to the shoulders and hips with a combination of internal stays, frame sheet and Delrin hoop, enabling the wearer to easily carry their ultra-light gadgetry. In the land of ice and snow, zippers may freeze either open or shut and that is why there is no separate sleeping bag compartment or external pocket. What is left is a lightweight basic pack with a back panel that sheds snow and rain well, and leaves little chance of failure on the trail. Quibbles Quite simply, if this pack does not fit immediately, it is not an option. If it does fit, it can be a great hassle-free pack. Lowe Alpine Sirocco II/Contour III (Women’s/Men’s) Volume: 70L (size medium tested, also available in short and long and women’s short, medium and long) Suspension Design: Two internal aluminum stays Back Padding: Full length mesh Access: Top/sleeping bag loader Features: Detachable fanny pack lid, two water bottle holders, internal water bladder holder, platypus type bladder, daisy chain and ice axe loops. Weight: 2.7 kg Price: $324.99 Available at: Trailhead Pack’s motto: Minimalists will relish me
GREG LOWE’S 35-year adventure gear development experience can be simply defined as wisdom acquired. His packs have all the features needed, nothing more, nothing less. Suspension design is simple, and as with most two-stay designed packs, welcomes off-trail hiking
and will quite easily handle most loads. The mesh lumbar support found on this pack hugs your lower lumbar region quite well and allows the user to haul gear more comfortably. If you need to share the carrying duties with a friend, the torso length adjustment is quick and easy. The water bottle pockets hold Nalgene bottles really well and are angled in such a manner that the pack almost assists in passing you the bottle. The ease in hydration is further complemented by the inclusion of a waterspout hole for the water bladder. Quibbles The zippered sleeping bag divider may be a bit of a pain to initiate but does a superb job of isolating the sleeping pack portion, and virtually no gear will slide down. Vaude Terkum 75 Volume: 75L Suspension Design: Injection moulded nylon frame Back Padding: Full-length mesh Access: Top/panel/sleeping bag loading with two side pockets Features: Two water bottle holders, built-in storable rain cover, internal water bladder holder, daisy chain and ice axe loops Weight: 2.9 Kg Price: $ 269.99 Available at: Bushtukah Pack’s motto: For frugal backpackers who demand features
WHAT HAS GERMANY ever given us? The international brewing standard, penned in the form of the beer purity law of 1516, was a start. This terrific affordable pack can be added to the list. The shoulder harness is quite comfy owing to great shock absorbing foam, and torso length and shoulder width adjustment. Out on the trail, the pack allows for a range of motion that is somewhere between a two-stay and a two-stay/frame sheet pack. With the wide belt, and despite the lack of bendable stays, one can pack a reasonable load for surprisingly little cash. The gear inside the pack can be accessed from a back pocket through a drawstring-type opening that is useful in late morning for storing your jacket. If it rains, you may want to use the built in rain-cover to keep your stuff dry. Quibbles There is very little to quibble about, considering the reasonable cost of this pack. If you don’t use a water bladder you will need to purchase carabiners to affix Nalgene bottles to the pack, since the bottle pockets are too short to securely hold them. 27
PROFILE
Bill Mason: Remembered By Ken Buck
AS BILL MASON slips his canoe into the early morning calm, the canoe cuts silently through the water and is swallowed up by the mist. The sun is just breaking over the horizon and beginning to create a diffused light, giving suggestions of details along the shoreline. Soft silhouettes of trees take shape overhead. This is not a shot in one of Mason’s famous canoe films. For Bill Mason it is just another day at the office, or to be more precise, his commute to the office. It is 1958 and Bill has just moved to Ottawa to work for Budge Crawley as an animator. It was Bill’s plan to rent a cottage at Meech Lake, but none was available, so he set up camp on the north side of the lake and commuted by canoe and car to Crawley’s every day for about six months. This was Bill’s idea of heaven—to have to commute to work by canoe. Fortunately, one of Mel Alexander’s log cabins came up for rent and Bill could move under a roof for the winter. Actually, he would have been glad to stay in the tent, but he also married Joyce Ferguson in 1958, and he needed a home. They lived at Meech Lake until Bill died in 1988.
Bill went on from Crawley Films to become one of Canada’s most prominent documentary filmmakers. Through his films he became a powerful spokesperson for the growing environmental awareness in Canada, and indeed the world. His two documentary feature films, Cry of the Wild and Waterwalker, are among the most successful feature length films ever made in Canada. It’s been 14 years since Bill Mason died of cancer at age 59. The fact that his name, and his films, and his influence have endured is a testament to his lifelong effort to protect the natural world from careless and destructive exploitation. His ideas, provocative and progressive at the time, have proven to be wise and insightful. Most of his ideas underpin our collective sense of environmental ethics. His first concern was protection of Canadian natural resources, but his scope was global and universal. Bill knew the power of story telling, especially through film, and it was through his stories that he put Canadians in touch with the Canadian wilderness. Few people have had the influence that Bill Mason has had in shaping the Canadian identity. His films, produced at the National Film Board of Canada, have been mainstays in Canada’s schools for the last fifty years. Educators have used his films—Paddle to the Sea, Rise and Fall of the Great Lakes, Wolf Pack, Death of a Legend, Path of the Paddle, Face of the Earth, and many others—to introduce two generations of students to Canada’s wilderness and the concept of environmental stewardship. Bill’s vision of the wilderness as benign, beautiful and precious effectively offered an alternative to the predominant cultural perception of wilderness as something to be feared, to be conquered and to be exploited. Because many of Bill’s films were autobiographical, he was in them and he became a familiar face to many Canadians. Bill acquired a profile of iconic proportions in his role as an environmentalist and outdoorsman. This profile has become legendary since his death. Few know the whole story behind the famous filmmaker and environmentalist. 28
Ottawa Outdoors Summer
In his youth, as Bill became more and more attuned to environmental responsibility, he used his art to encourage environmental responsibility in his audience. He took every opportunity in his commercial art and his photography to show Canadian wilderness to Canadians. After graduating from the University of Manitoba and starting his commercial art career, Bill was able to go on extended canoe trips. He went away for six months at a time. He often canoed solo, over the well-intentioned objections of just about everybody. It was these extended solo trips that gave
It was as simple as that in his mind, and every scene in every film had that idea as its starting point. If you go back and look at his commercial art from the fifties and sixties you can see that he is probably the only commercial artist who could sell a product, and at the same time teach a lesson in Canadian history and environmental ethics. Many of his ads sold the product by associating it with facts from Canadian history, or with the value of pristine wilderness. His clients had provided Bill with a platform from which he could advocate his vision. Like the best of teach-
“…every year he asked for six months off without pay—which was always refused. Then he quit his job. . . they always hired him back.” Bill plenty of time to contemplate man’s place in nature. The single most powerful compelling force behind Bill Mason’s commitment to environmental responsibility was his deep unwavering Christian faith. Bill believed that man did not have “dominion over” the natural world, but “responsibility for” the natural world. God’s creation was not put there for man to destroy and abuse.
ers, the main point of his “lesson” was in the unspoken analysis and reflection. If you look at all his films, this multi-layered agenda of entertaining and teaching is used in every one. And often, the most important part of the lesson is that part which remains unexpressed but perfectly clear. At the same time, Bill’s clients loved the work that he did for them. He became a respected and sought after
artistic director for advertising firms. His advertising sold product as well as environmental ethics. Before Bill went on his extended canoe trips, he would quit his job. To be more accurate, every year he asked for six months off without pay—which was always refused. Then he quit his job. When he came back at freeze-up, they always hired him back. During these trips Bill shot photographs of his beloved wilderness. He used a simple Rolleiflex camera and he shot 21/4 x 21/4 slides. He became well known in his native Winnipeg because of his slide shows. He was invited all over the city to show them. It was his way, as an artist, to advocate environmental
PROFILE
responsibility. He worked on the premise that if he showed people how beautiful the wilderness is, they would inevitably become responsible environmentalists. This slide show, The Timeless Wilderness, was what connected Bill to his first film job. In 1956 Chris Chapman (A Place to Stand, Ontario pavilion, Expo 67, Academy Award winner for best short film 1968) had a contract to make a film about Quetico Provincial Park. He needed an assistant who knew how to live in the wilderness and who could also play the part of the canoeist. He heard about Bill from some one who had seen The Timeless Wilderness. He hired Bill, and one great Canadian documentary filmmaker launched the career of another. Bill’s rise to success as a filmmaker was meteoric. The very first film he
made for the National Film Board of Canada, Paddle to the Sea, won eleven national and international awards and was nominated for an Oscar (Best Short Film) in 1968. One of life’s little ironies: he lost to his mentor, Chris Chapman, A Place to Stand. By the mid-seventies, Bill had become one of Canada’s most successful documentary filmmakers. Two years later Bill was nominated for a second academy award for best short film for his documentary Blake. Bill’s influence was not confined to Canada. Several of his films have been translated into several languages. Queen Elizabeth showed Paddle to the Sea at one of Princess Anne’s birthday parties and wrote Bill to express her pleasure at how well the film was received by the children. Every Canadian who is a canoeist or an environmentalist will be familiar
with his name. Bill’s favorite red Prospector canoe shares a display area in the Canadian Canoe Museum (Peterborough, Ontario) with Pierre Elliot Trudeau’s birch bark canoe. His films were consistently among the ten most frequently rented films from the National Film Board of Canada. For several years he had four films in the top ten—an amazing feat. He has a total of 28 international film awards. He was accepted into the Royal Academy of the Arts in 1974. Bill retired from film making in 1986 to pursue his first love—painting. With his very high profile success as a filmmaker, it was easy for people to forget his first love was painting. He had been experimenting with a new technique—oil applied to paper with a palette knife—and he was ready to strike out in a new career as a fulltime professional painter. He divided his time between writing and painting for a few short years. But Bill’s career as a painter was cut short by his untimely death in 1988 at age 59. Many words have been published about Bill’s life and art, but an artist’s story is not complete until it is told through his art. The legend of Bill Mason is best illustrated and understood by seeing all his work. His commercial art, his still photography, his films, his books and paintings have become cultural touchstones for all Canadians. His art explained to Canadians why they should be environmentalists. His canoe films invited a whole generation to get in touch with its national roots by travelling and living in the wilderness. Seldom has any single Canadian artist had the hearts and minds of so many admirers; and seldom has any single Canadian been so influential in creating a sense of responsibility for our environment. Excerpted from Ken Buck’s book in progress Bill Mason: Wilderness Artist, and previously published in part in CanoeRoots, Rapid Magazine’s annual Canadian canoeing magazine. About the author: Ken Buck started teaching English in Ottawa in 1968. He resigned from teaching in 1974 to work full time with Bill Mason as his cinematographer and general assistant.
ADVENTURE RACING
Adventure Racing: Gear You Need By Greg Hill
ADVENTURE RACING is a gear-intensive sport so it is important to know what you might need at a race before you decide if this sport is for you. Race organizations generally provide all teams with a list of mandatory gear that must be carried at all times and a list of gear that must be carried on a segment involving a specific discipline. These lists vary depending on the length of the race. You should at all times and during all segments of the race expect to carry: a compass, whistle, mirror, survival blanket, flashlight, first aid kit (one per team) and a water container with the capacity to carry at least two litres of water. These items can all be purchased at your local outdoor retailer. Each race segment will involve different disciplines, and will therefore require different equipment. The following are the most often included disciplines in adventure racing. Mountain Biking For each mountain biking segment, you will need to have a mountain bike (obviously), a helmet, a repair kit (consisting of a spare tube, tire levers, pump, allen keys, chain breaker) and a bike light. In a mountain bike, look for a lightweight and strong/sturdy design. This will be a decision dictated by your budget, as in general, the lighter and stronger a bike is, the more expensive it is.
Ottawa Outdoors Summer
Your tire treads should be “nubby” for muddy conditions and you should have a set of slicks for hard packed trails. A good bike light can make a big difference. A good bright light can help you get through a technical section at night much more quickly; you won’t have to guess if that shadow in front of you is a rock or a hole. One AR specific system is a towing system. Any team is only as strong as its weakest link. The best way to make up for this is by using a towing system. It can be as simple as a piece of surgical tubing running from the seat post of a strong biker to the stem of a weaker biker’s bike. These towing systems can also be very useful in trekking and paddling sections. Paddling Most race organizations provide canoes and paddles, but you may be required to provide your own. You will also need to have a life jacket, a waterproof flashlight, a throw rope and a bailer of some sort (a small bucket or sponge). The debate continues over kayak paddles versus canoe paddles - there are pros and cons for both sides. This is something that each individual must work out with his/her team to determine which is best. If you are not comfortable using a kayak paddle it can become more of a hindrance than a help. Consider weight distribution, balance, length of paddles, etc. Paddling is often the most neglected discipline in adventure racing but can in some cases make up the most time. Make sure your life jacket is fitted properly to avoid chafing around your neck and in your armpits, or it will come back to haunt you later in the race. Trekking/Orienteering Trekking/Orienteering is something that can be improved upon with practice. For trekking sections, be properly dressed and have the proper shoes. Avoid cotton! You want to be wearing quick drying, polyester mix shirts and tights or quick drying pants - anything that doesn’t hold moisture. Try to avoid wearing shorts in trekking sections if you know you are going to be in the bush - you will want to protect your legs. Similarly, a long sleeve shirt will protect your arms. Also try to wear layers so 31
that you can easily adjust to changing temperatures. You will also need a compass, backpack, and a waterproof jacket. A trail running shoe that is light and offers good support is a good footwear choice. You may also want to look at shoes that drain easily and dry fast. Mountaineering (Rappelling, Traversing) Mountaineering disciplines are usually part of a race to add some enjoyment and a thrill aspect. Make sure you show up prepared. Get some training if you have never done anything on a fixed rope before. There are various organizations in Ottawa that can assist with those skills. For a mountaineering segment, you will need a climbing harness, a rappelling device (figure eight, ATC, or Bug), locking carabiners, and prusic ropes or a backup device. Once you think you are ready to take the next step and register for a race, contact the race organization to ask any last minute questions you may have. Most race organizations offer on-line registration and have an email address where you can contact them with any questions. Remember, the will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win.
TYPICAL GEAR LIST Entire Race
Paddling
Whistle
Most race organizations provide canoes and paddles, but you may be required to provide your own.
Mirror
Life Jacket
Survival blanket
Waterproof flashlight
Flashlight
Throw rope
First aid kit (one per team)
Bailer (small bucket or sponge)
Compass
A water container with the capacity to carry at least 2L of water
Mountain Biking Mountain Bike Helmet
Trekking/Orienteering Compass Backpack Long-sleeve shirt (no cotton) Long pants (no cotton)
Bike repair kit (consisting of spare tube, tire levers, pump, allen keys, chain breaker; one per team may suffice)
Waterproof jacket
Bike light
Mountaineering Climbing harness Rappelling device (figure eight, ATC, Bug) Locking Carabiners Prusic ropes or backup device
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Ottawa Outdoors Summer
ADVENTURE RACING
Adventure Racing—Live it! By Mike Caldwell
IT’S NOW DAY FIVE AND you and your teammates find yourselves trekking through thick, damp foliage infested with insects, spiders, and snakes. Your captain is delighted because it only took an hour to cover those last 500 metres. You tabulate that you’ve probably had a total of six hours of sleep since this event started and your feet certainly haven’t had the fortune of being dry for anything close to that length of time. You have been surviving on energy bars, bagels, bags of nuts and dried fruit, but the majority of your meals have been squeezed out of a tube. Your main source of drinking water has come from brackish ponds and giardia-infested streams. Last night you helped remove a leech from your teammate on a part of the body generally considered unmentionable, even among this close group of friends. Now, as you head into the dark caves, knee deep in bat guano, you wonder if your arms will have the strength to pull you up those 200 metres of fixed rope… This is the Eco-Challenge. This is Adventure Racing. What type of lunatic would compete in such a sport? Well, surprisingly, probably somebody just like you!
Presented by
Adventure racing has been defined as a non-stop, multi-day, multi-sport, mixed team event, and in many ways can be likened to an expedition with a stopwatch, as each race is a point-to-point journey. During the race competitors will need to maximize their map and compass skills as they are responsible for determining the best way to hike, canoe, and mountain bike through what is often extremely remote wilderness. In order to finish, the team must stay on course and within the time restrictions, remain free from injury, and cross the finish line together. It might still sound crazy, but adventure racing is the fastest growing sport in North America today, with an annual growth rate of 275%! Now, more than ever, people want to feel that
May 25 June 15-16 July 13-14 July 27 Aug 24-25
Ottawa, ON Beachburg, ON Laurentians, PQ Kingston, ON 24-30 hour & off-road triathlon Calabogie, ON 6-8 hour & 10-14 hour race 10-14 hour & 24-30 hour 6-8 hour & off road triathlon 6-8 hour & 10-14 hour
Adventure racing is a non-stop, multi-discipline race covering distances of 50 - 500 km. Coed and same-gender teams of two, three or four complete the race as a team using race instructions and a mapped course. Teams OUTLAST their limits, challenging themselves with a selection of disciplines including mountain biking, hiking, orienteering, canoeing, kayaking, fixed rope climbing, rappelling, tyrolean traversing, white water rafting and whatever non-motorized mode of transportation is available along the race course. These demanding sports, the harsh elements of nature, and competition among competitors are the core of adventure racing. Fitness, endurance, strength, intelligence, and mental toughness are necessities for all teams. The essence of teamwork ultimately decides a team's fate, the outcome of the race, and the adventure racing experience. Find a team, gear up, get out and register! Find out how far you can go and whether you can OUTLAST your limits.
Ottawa Outdoors Summer
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they’re alive; they want to live an adventure. Admittedly, expending thousands of dollars to spend a week trekking through the Borneo rainforest is not for the average Ottawa high tech worker. But this same sense of adventure can now be experienced right here in Eastern Ontario at many weekend events throughout the summer. Organizations such as OUTLAST (www.outlast.ca) and Sea2Summit (www.sea2summit.com) have recognized the interest and the potential in adventure racing and have taken great strides toward making these races accessible to the majority of the public. It is now possible to find races for three and four-person teams that range in length from six to 36 hours. The first obstacle is simply getting started. Probably the first thing an individual interested in adventure racing should do is share this dark secret with as many friends and coworkers as possible. Adventure racing is infectious; the more you talk about it, the more it spreads. Joining a club, or hooking up with somebody who has experienced a race is also a good idea. As Ottawa is the high tech capital of Canada, it makes sense that this city’s largest adventure racing club is online-based. To join Adventure Racing In Ottawa (ARIO) you simply need to visit their Web site, w w w. c o m m u n i t y z e r o . c o m / a r i o . This web-based forum serves as an adventure racing community bulletin board where members can discuss the latest gear, organize training events, or look for potential teammates. One of the first things you’re likely to discover about adventure racing is that the more interested you are in the sport, the more you need to learn. Because adventure racing incorporates a multitude of sports, it requires a considerable skill-set. Perhaps you are an avid mountain biker and rock climber but you couldn’t find north if there was a slab of ice and a red and white pole ten feet from your nose. Or perhaps you have been a camper your whole life and you are as comfortable in the wilderness as you are in your own living room, but the thought of dropping your butt over a 50 metre cliff scares the life out of you. Where do you start? How do you learn these new skills? Interacting with an adventure racing club is one way to solve these problems. Go to some of the various training Ottawa Outdoors Summer
ADVENTURE RACING sessions or organize your own; talk to the people who have raced before and learn from their mistakes. Adventure racing is more than just a sport; it is a community and a lifestyle. Once you are in, you want to be in deeper. Adventure racers live to talk about their experiences and share their adventures. Ask an adventure racer what shoes he/she prefers to race in and be prepared for an hour-long lecture on the pros and cons of all the various footwear available. You can learn a lot simply by associating with adventure racers. However, adventure racing clubs are not the only source of information. Another method of breaking into the sport is to do an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses. If you previously raced triathlons and feel you have a good level of fitness and skill on the bike, but you are concerned about navigation and the rope component, find a club or take a course that specifically addresses your weaker disciplines. There is an orienteering club in Ottawa that holds regular orienteering races rated beginner, intermediate and advanced ( w w w. m a g m a . c a / ~ o t t a w a o c ) . Participating in those races is a great way to hone your navigation skills and expand your comfort zone. There are indoor rock gyms and rock climbing organizations that can help you master rope skills and overcome your fear of heights. For every sport found within adventure racing, there is a club, a course, or an organization that can help you improve your proficiency in that area. But beware; adventure racing is much more than a simple succession of events. Entirely new dilemmas are created when all of these sports are linked and twisted together, making strategy paramount to any race. For the person new to adventure racing, signing up for an adventure race clinic is a good option. In the Ottawa area, Synergy Adventure Training (www.synergyat.ca) offers two and three-day clinics that cover the a-z of adventure racing. Not only do these clinics cover all the skills associated with the sport and provide any necessary certifications, they also they teach how to approach these skills with an adventure racing “team” perspective. Within every team there will be teammates with Ottawa Outdoors Summer
different degrees of strength and proficiency in each discipline. Perhaps you are a pro-elite mountain bike racer and your teammate is a three-hour marathon runner. How can your strength on the bike help your teammate during the race? Synergy AT can teach you how to establish a tow system and how to effectively mountain bike as a team. You can learn different tricks of navigation, when to blaze your own trail and when to follow the road, how to make your way through the darkness of night, and how best to conserve your energy. Synergy teaches participants not only how to race but how to race smart. There are other bonuses to taking an adventure race clinic. These clinics give you an opportunity to experience all the disciplines of an adventure race in a condensed time frame without the stress and physical exertion of competition. You will learn about yourself and discover where your strengths and weaknesses lie. You will learn how to train, what to practice, and what equipment to buy. Clinics are also fun, and offer the opportunity to meet other people with similar interests. Synergy’s clinics have been used by teams new to the sport, teams looking to improve their race standing, and individuals and couples looking to meet others to form a team. In adventure racing, it is probably harder getting to the starting line than it is getting to the finish line. However, a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. By reading this article you have already taken that important first step. Now let that excitement within you grow and infect others. Go online and join ARIO. See what races are out there; get some friends together and set your goals, perhaps one race this year and two or three in the next. Thousands of people are already competing in this sport and they are no different than you. Master the skills and build your team, and I’ll see you in Borneo! Good luck. About the author: Mike Caldwell is the founder of Synergy Adventure Training. An experienced wilderness guide and ultra-endurance athlete, Mike brought his two passions together in an attempt to introduce others into the sport of adventure racing. A certified ropes course instructor and an advanced care paramedic, Mike specializes in rappelling, tyrolean traverse instruction and adventure race first aid. It is his responsibility to ensure that safety is the highest priority at every Corpsynergy clinic.
ADV ENT URE RAC ING START HERE! Synergy Adventure Training utilizes the disciplines of orienteering, high ropes rappelling, mountain biking and canoeing to provide corporate teambuilding, adventure weekends and adventure race clinics. For an adventurefilled weekend and an opportunity to expand your comfort zone and try something different, visit our website at www.synergyat.ca Tel. - 821.1426 Email - mike@synergyat.ca
ESSENTIAL GEAR
Merrell Baja Activator Approach Shoes • These sticky-soled approach shoes are excellent for short, fast trips. The water-resistant PertexÆ microfibre upper spreads foot perspiration across the entire upper surface so that the upper dries quickly. Medial / lateral side wall strapping adds support to prevent foot instability. The ripstop micromesh and leather bellows-style tongue keep out grit. • Starfire patterned outsole grips well and is made of sticky rubber for good purchase on dry rock. Oversized rubber bumper for toe protection.
Salomon Exit Mid Hiking Boot • Salomon Exit Mid 2000 Hiking Boots are designed for weekend backpacking and hiking trips. They can take whatever the most active hiker or backpacker can dish out. These mid-height boots offer lightweight support for day hikes, light backpacking trips, or the approach to your favourite rock climb. The upper is made from full grain Nubuck leather to provide great ankle support for such a lightweight boot. • Most trips are just for the weekend. Why are you clomping around in those stiff, uncomfortable blister factories that weight almost as much as your pack? Makes sense, non?
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Candlelier Candle Lantern
Tasco Amphibian Binoculars
Leatherman Juice XE6 Multi-Tool
• Great when you want the warmth of a flame light with the noise of a LPG lantern • With all three candles lit, it can keep your food warm if you put a pot on the top • Unique spring-loaded candle tubes. Burns for nine hours!
• These 8x25 bincolutars are nitrogen filled, waterproof, compact, and rubber armored, with a carrying pouch and strap. • Great when you’re out on the hiking trail, birding or sea kayaking. • A neat product that you’ll get a million uses out of every time you’re outside.
YOUR CAMP Merrell ESSENTIAL Baja A • Needlenose pliers These knife ••Straight • Wire cutters (various) • XS, S, M, L screwdriver • Phillips screwdriver • Lanyard latch • Can/bottle opener
• Corkscrew w/ assist • Scissors • Saw • Awl • Serrated knife • Diamond file
KAYAKING
Introduction to White Water Kayaking By James Roddick
THERE ARE LOTS of reasons you should take up whitewater kayaking. Here are just a few: • The Ottawa area is one of the best regions in the world for whitewater kayaking. Choices range from urban paddling in the shadow of Parliament Hill or at Champlain Bridge, to wilderness paddling on the fringe of Algonquin Park. Our rivers warm up by mid-June— a luxury enjoyed in very few other paddling regions. • Kayaking can be a four-season sport, though three seasons is enough for most of us. Advances in technical clothing help to keep you warm and dry despite freezing temperatures. Even if you avoid winter paddling you still have a good nine-month season from April to December. • It’s a lot of fun! • You meet great people! • The rivers are free! Getting Started—Go Back to School Kayaking does involve very intimate interaction with powerful, dynamic whitewater. There are risks inherent in paddling whitewater and in venturing into remote wilderness settings. Learn about
SEND A PHOTO—WIN A SIMON RIVERS KAYAK PADDLE! Email us your best kayaking photo. If your photo is selected, you win the Kicker! The Kicker is designed with a gentle scoop for an efficient forward stroke. E-mail your photo to: Kicker@OttawaOutdoors.ca
whitewater and the essential paddling and river safety skills from professionals. Luckily, there are many opportunities for instruction in and around Ottawa. Will I be able to do it? Am I strong enough? These are the most frequently asked questions by women who are thinking about learning to kayak. Proper technique and finesse are much more important than strength. The strongest person in the world will not roll their kayak upright after tipping without applying the proper technique. Gearing Up—What to Buy The best place to learn about what gear to purchase is at a paddling school or from a whitewater kayak dealer. During instruction you will have a great opportunity to try different equipment before you buy. Your instructors will be a good source of advice about gear selection based on your weight, body type, the type of paddling you plan to do and where you plan to paddle. Good paddling stores have paddlers on staff and many retailers have regular demo sessions where you can try out different boats. There is a lot of good used equipment available as well. Kayaks: A few years ago kayak design was truly revolutionized. Long (12-14 foot/3.6-4.2 metre) kayaks with round curving hulls have been superseded by short (six to eight foot/ 1.8-2.4 metre) kayaks with flat bottoms, square edges and squashed bows and sterns. Essentially, designers gave kayaks many of the features of surfboards for planing or surfing on standing waves. The shorter length allows kayakers to have much more fun in large and small
river features as they can surf, spin, submerge the ends and do all sorts of neat tricks. The new boat designs are also easier to paddle and make learning easier. Construction is almost exclusively roto-molded plastic that is very strong and durable. With proper care and storage, kayaks will last for decades. Paddles: Very few kayak paddles are made from wood these days. More durable and low maintenance materials have become the norm. Aluminum/fibreglass combinations are in the lower price bracket. Paddles made of combinations of carbon fibre and/or graphite, and sometimes plastic, fill the lightweight, higher performance bracket. Spray Skirt: A neoprene cockpit cover that you wear around your waist, it wraps around your kayak cockpit to keep water out. These skirts release easily when you want to exit your kayak. Personal Flotation Device (PFD): If you do end up out of your kayak you want to be able to swim to safety, and the PFD helps you get there. It should have pockets for a few essentials: a whistle, sunscreen and a snack bar. A paddling PFD should have large armholes to permit a complete range of motion for your arms and shoulders. Remember, you will be sitting in a cockpit, and a traditional water ski vest or motor boating PFD will likely be too long to fit properly. It is best to buy a PFD designed specifically for paddling. Paddle Jacket: This basic item of paddling clothing is great on cool or windy days or when the water is cool. It has seals at the wrist, neck and waist to reduce water infiltration. With some added insulating 37
KAYAKING
layers, it can be used in spring and fall conditions. For cold water/cold weather paddling a dry top is essential for safe and enjoyable paddling. Helmets: Plastic with foam padding, a skid lid or brain bucket is a great idea when you might be upside down in the water and are likely to encounter the rocky bottom with your head. Buy and wear a helmet. Throwbags: A throwbag is a bag of rope you can keep close at hand for emergencies. To rescue a paddler in need of help, throw the bag of rope, holding onto your end of the rope, and assist them to shore. You will have to learn how to properly use a throw bag so that you don’t end up in the water as well, so practice the technique before you paddle rapids. Odds and Ends: A small dry box or dry bag is a great idea for carrying extra clothes and a first aid kit. Think like a boy scout; be prepared. It’s better to bring water than to risk drinking the river water, so think about a water bottle. Learn the Basics This section is just going to scratch the surface of introductory kayaking, to explain what to expect when you first get into the sport. Please take lessons, buy an instructional book and/or video and paddle with experienced kayakers for more complete instruction and guidance. Never paddle whitewater alone, especially if you are a beginner! Winter is the season for pool sessions to learn the basics and work on your roll. With the warm weather here, get out on the rivers and lakes to learn. Entry and Exit: Brace one end of your paddle across your kayak deck just behind the cockpit. The other end of the paddle may be braced on the shoreline, a rock, a dock, the poolside or another kayak. Sit on the rear rim of the cockpit and deck, 38
facing forwards and slide your feet into the bow of the cockpit. Your body will drop into the seat. Seal your skirt starting at the back and working up each side, finally slipping the front section over the cockpit rim. Ensure the pull-tab is protruding for easy grabbing and is not wrapped under the skirt inside the cockpit. Reverse the procedure to exit. Wet Exit: When, not if, you go upside down you will have to wet exit. Relax. Relax. Relax. It is easy to get out of a kayak. Pull the tab of your spray skirt off the cockpit rim at the front. You do not need to peel if off all the way around. Lean forward and push off the cockpit rim so that your body moves forward over the front of the kayak and your legs follow out. Do not push backwards or straight up as you may jam in the cockpit. Even at this early stage try to hold onto your paddle at all times. It is a very important habit to develop. Brace: Use the paddle like an outrigger or a pontoon to improve your balance. Extend it out to one side with the flat surface on the water and apply a little pressure, just enough to stabilize yourself. Forward Stroke: Hold the paddle so that your hands are the width of your shoulders and upper arms apart, and your elbows form right angles. Reach forward, close to the side of the kayak to about the spot where your feet are located, and slide the blade into the water, pulling it down the side of the kayak to about even with your hips. The other blade will now be in position to slide into the water beside your other foot. Repeat. At first, do not concern yourself with travelling in a straight line. Worry about directional control later. Execute uniform, gentle strokes. Applying too much power will complicate your learning. Remember, it is technique that really determines how well you paddle. Kayak paddle blades are offset and you will have one hand, the control hand, which maintains a firm grip on the paddle shaft. The other hand allows the paddle to rotate during a stroke on the control hand side, and grips firmly when applying power for a stroke on the other side. It’s a good idea to practice the forward stroke on dry land to develop your paddle rotation skill. If you mess up your paddle rotation and slice into the water, please see the above instructions for a wet exit. Back Stroke: Reach behind you with one paddle blade, slide it into the water close to the kayak hull and pull it towards the front of the boat. Take the blade out of the water when it reaches the spot beside your feet. Forward Sweep: Reach far forward near your toes, keeping the paddle parallel to the kayak. You want to push the bow of the kayak away from the paddle, sweep the paddle out in a circular motion and bring it out of the water when it comes level with your hips. This stroke is used for dramatic turns or course direction changes. Back Sweep: The paddle enters the water behind your hips close to the hull. Sweep out and around in a circle and take the paddle out around the area of your knees. In all these paddling strokes think about using your body’s torso and back muscles as well as your arms. Wind your body up like a spring when setting up for a stroke and use the powerful large body muscles in addition to your arms and shoulders. Think about trunk rotation as your primary source of paddling power. Ottawa Outdoors Summer
There are many other strokes, and entire books written on the subject. Many of these books are great investments and often have accompanying videos. They are powerful learning tools to help with basic, intermediate and advanced paddling. The T-rescue and roll are important to learn, but this article is not intended John Hastings cutting the waves at the Pumphouse at the to replace a complete Lebreton Campgrounds. instructional course. The new school of kayaking and the rapid growth of freestyle or rodeo paddling have generated many new strokes and manoeuvres that greatly expand the fun, thrill and challenge of paddling. There are competitions for all levels of ability that offer just one more way to enjoy the sport. Once you become a kayaker, you will be hooked for life, and you will never stop learning and improving. See you on the river! About the author: James Roddick is a long time paddler and instructor, international rodeo competitor and graduate of Lakehead University Outdoor Recreation program. During the summers you will find him on the Ottawa River, where he is Director of Ottawa Kayak School at Wilderness Tours. At other times of the year he is paddling or skiing someplace! E-mail him at: james_roddick@yahoo.com.
Paddling Sites in Eastern Ontario and West Quebec Ottawa, ON Ottawa River
Beachberg, ON
Champlain Bridge (park on the island) Pumphouse at LeBreton Flats Rocher Fendu Section (off Grant Settlement Rd.)
Valleyfield, QC Petawawa River Madawaska River
Bonnechere River
Griffith, ON
Upstream of Hwy 17 bridge and all the way to the Ottawa River Upstream of Hwy 41 bridge
Barrys Bay, ON
Chalet Rapids
Eganville, ON Galetta , ON
Below the dam, right in the village Below the dam in the village Beside the wing dam, and below the main dam in the centre of town
Petawawa, ON
Renfrew, ON Petite Nation St. Lawrence Rivière du Nord
Papineauville, QC Montreal, QC Chambly, QC
Off Hwy 148 Rouge Lachine Rapids
St. Saveur, QC
Paddling Instruction Ottawa Kayak School
(800) 267-9166
www.ottawakayak.com
Liquid Skills Madawaska Kanu Centre (MKC) River Run
(613) 582-3340
www.liquidskills.com
(800) 267-9166
www.owl-mkc.ca/mkc
Down to Earth Kayak
(819) 827-5905
www.wearedowntoearth.com
Ottawa Valley Kayak
(613) 282-2224
www.ottawavalleykayak.com
H20 Adventures
(877) WE-KAYAK
www.h2oadventures.com
Ottawa Outdoors Summer
www.cyberus.ca/~orrpaddler
ROCK CLIMBING
Learning the Ropes By Michel Goulet, MultiTrek Climbing School
ROCK-CLIMBING is a thrilling outdoor activity that combines personal challenges and social camaraderie. Every year, hundreds of adventure sport enthusiasts from the Ottawa-Gatineau area fulfill their long time curiosity and sign up to introductory rockclimbing courses. Although rock-climbing offers many pleasures, it also entails certain risks inherent to the sport. Gravity and high places can be very unforgiving. Knowing how and where to climb and how to correctly use the safety gear can make the difference between enjoying and not enjoying the activity. Newcomers to the sport are therefore well advised to seek out certified instructors who will provide quality instruction. Typical introductory courses begin on level ground in a classroom setting. There, instructors will familiarize participants with rope handling skills and the proper use of technical climbing gear. Knots such as the figure 8 (see fig.1) and the butterfly (see fig. 2) will be practiced. Safe climbing procedures will be covered in detail, including anchoring methods, rigging of safety lines, communication systems and proper belaying and rappelling techniques. Belaying is the action of securing a climber with a dynamic climbing rope. The climber is tied to one end of the rope while the person belaying controls the other end. Should a fall occur, the person belaying arrests the fall by keeping the rope from feeding out from his or her position. The feeding out and taking in of the rope and the stopping of falls needs to be practiced and perfected before anyone moves out onto the vertical playgrounds. Two or three daylong outings will usually follow the ground school. During this time, participants will start to put into practice the safety procedures that they have learned. They will begin to develop their very own climbing style while gaining a greater appreciation and respect for the rock-climbing environment. 40
1
2
Novice sessions are held on cliffs that range from 15 to 30 metres in height. Organisations providing these courses will carefully select sites that offer clean and solid rock faces, which offer both easy and more difficult climbing routes. Many such sites are located along the Eardley Escarpment near Luskville, Quebec and in the Calabogie, Ontario area. For those who don’t mind longer drives, Val David north of Montreal and the Adirondack Mountains around Lake Placid N.Y offer excellent teaching cliffs. Once at the climbing site, climbers are briefed on the objective dangers
found within the area. Un-even and exposed walking surfaces and the alwayspresent possibility of rockfalls are discussed. Methods to control these hazards are put into place, such as the wearing of climbing helmets and the use of boundary lines. In order to build a solid foundation to safe and enjoyable climbing, all participants are asked to take an active role in selecting climbs and in helping to rig the safety ropes. This participation will include choosing and building anchorage, and connecting the belay system to it. Anchor selection is based on strength and location. Large living trees, secure boulders and correctly fixed anchor bolts make good anchor points. Small or dead trees, moving boulders or improperly installed or loose anchor bolts should be avoided. When setting up a top-bottom belay system (see fig.6), it is always best to rig secure, redundant and load sharing anchor systems. That means that two solid anchor points will be set-up in parallel and both will share the load that may come to bear upon them (see fig.3). Additionally, only carabiners with locking gates should be used in these locations, because it doesn’t matter how strong anchors are, if they become accidentally disconnected, then the entire system will fail.
6
Tubular webbing makes great anchorage slings because this material is strong and inexpensive. Long pieces are needed (five to 10 metres in length) as many anchor points found outdoors are far back from the cliff edge and using webbing in loops and in a 3 basket configuration is the strongest (see fig. 4). In popular climbing areas, the tops of frequently climbed 4 routes are sometimes equipped with permanently installed anchor bolts. These anchors are usually fixed in pairs for redundancy. Holes are drilled into the rock, and expansion bolts or glue-in stems are inserted and secured. When properly installed, these anchor points provide strong and secure attachment points. However, it is always recommended to inspect, and back up these points if necessary, as environmental conditions can compromise their safety. Low stretch anchorage rope can also be useful in
5
building solid and secure anchor systems, especially when the anchor points are trees that are far back from the cliff edge (see fig. 5). When learning to rock-climb, novices are always secured by a rope coming from the top of the cliff. This is called top-rope climbing. After two or three years of experience and skill development, climbers will want to graduate to lead climbing. This is not unlike taking the training wheel off your very first bicycle. Lead climbing involves leaving the ground with the safety rope attached to the harness and trailing it from 41
ROCK CLIMBING below. As the lead climber progresses upwards, he or she passes the rope through a series of anchors, which they place during the climb. This is a little bit like sewing the rope to the cliff. Should a fall occur, the belayer, who was letting out rope, keeps the rope from feeding out, and the lead climber is held onto the cliff by the last stitch or anchor placement. Lead climbing requires much experience and solid nerves. Top rope climbing, if done correctly, affords greater safety. Because the climbing rope is always positioned above the climber, fall distance (if and when a fall occurs) is generally much shorter and less force is generated on the system. Top rope systems can be set up with the belayer positioned either at the top or at the bottom of the cliff. Both systems have strengths and weaknesses but most novice climbers prefer to position the belayer on the ground. This system is called a top-bottom belay set-up (see fig. 6). Using this system allows the belayer and the climber to communicate more freely and allows the belayer to keep a better eye on the climber’s progress. The draw back is that only cliffs that are half the length of the climbing rope can be climbed, because the rope is doubled. Also, it is important for the belayer to realize that the stretch in dynamic climbing rope can be considerable with this system. More tension needs to be applied to the rope when the climber is near a ledge or close to the ground. Before any climber can leave the ground, a complete system check is
42
necessary. Even the most experienced climbers will run through a series of verifications of the belay chain. Harnesses will need to be properly adjusted and their buckles secured and locked. The climber’s tie-in knot, a Figure 8 Follow-Through, must be tied correctly and attached at the proper location on the harness. The top anchor points, where the rope is being re-directed, is checked and secured…and so forth. There are many different belay techniques and devices used today to stop and hold falls. Body belays used in the 1950’s and 60’s were fast and easy to set-up and did not require additional equipment. There were drawbacks with this technique, however. The rope wrapped around the back and waist of the belayer and was difficult to hold during hard falls; the impact force or rope slippage could cause injuries, and this system was difficult to escape. Today, slot type belay devices such as the ATC (Air Traffic Controller) and the Munter hitches are used with greater success. Another belaying device called the GriGri is also commonly used for outdoor climbing and its popularity may stem from its use in climbing gyms. Although this device is four times the cost of an ATC, the GriGri is worth every extra penny. The device functions a little bit like the seat belt mechanism in vehicles except that it is made for climbing rope, not seatbelt webbing. By learning the proper hand sequence (see fig. 7) the belayer will pass the rope freely through the GriGri from either direction. In the event of a climber fall, any sharp pull on the device will lock up the rope movement, thus arresting the climber’s fall quickly and safely. The GriGri also incorporates a lever that allows the belayer to lower the climber to the ground in a controlled fashion. Once all these techniques are practised and participants understand their responsibilities, it is time to move onto the rock. That’s what it’s all about after all! Moving upwards on vertical rock faces is a whole subject matter in itself and many professional climbers have written entire books on that aspect of the sport. Basically, the rope and safety equipment
used in rock-climbing is just there as a safety net in case of a fall. Climbers use their hands and feet to help them scale the rock. Techniques for ascending face climbs include crimping fingertips on small edges and smearing friction shoes onto coarse rock. Hand and foot jamming methods as well as lay backing techniques will need to be practiced for movement up crack climbs. Novice climbers will learn not to lean forward into the rock face and not to hug the rock. They will perfect body position to maintain balance while always keeping three points of contact with the cliff, moving either one hand or one foot at a time. As confidence and abilities build, climbers will begin to appreciate the absolute beauty of their newly discovered surroundings. Soon the physical and mental challenges of ascending a 30-metre high cliff will be met and climbers will want to attempt higher, more exposed rock walls. That’s when rock climbing really becomes exciting…but one must first learn how to fly, before one can soar. About the author: Michel Goulet is co-founder and director of MultiTrek Climbing School, established in Ottawa in 1982. He is a certified climbing instructor and adjudicator with the Ontario Rock-Climbing Association and the Society of Professional Rope Access Technicians. For over twenty years, Michel has dedicated his professional life to teaching people how to work and play with ropes in vertical environments. His e-mail address is: mgoulet@multitrek.com.
Ottawa Outdoors Summer
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By Ryan and Angie Brown
Always be prepared THIS SUMMER HUNDREDS OF HIKERS, bikers, campers and outdoor enthusiasts will be heading into the hills, lakes and forests of our great region and it's our job to get them back alive! We're the Survival Kids – Ryan and Angie Brown. We both share many of the same hobbies – fishing, hiking, camping and hockey! (Street hockey is an official outdoor Canadian activity!) We want to share some of the neat info that we have picked up over the past couple of years. (I'm 12 and Angie is 10!) We also want to hear from all you other "survival kids" out there. Send us your tips and suggestions at SurvivalKids@OttawaOutdoors.ca. Well, it’s time to get going so let us remind everyone of the number one survival rule: Always Be Prepared!
Cooking over a fire
SURVIVAL STUFF Whether you're trekking into the woods or mountain biking along a trail, it's always a good idea to be prepared for unexpected emergencies. You might want to put together your own personal emergency kit, just in case. A water resistant, durable waist pouch or small knapsack should do. Here are some things you may want to take with you: 1. Map 2. Compass 3. Flashlight 4. Whistle - if you are trekking as a group, every kid should have his/her own whistle. Three blasts is the international sign for help. 5. Sun protection – including sunscreen and a hat 6. Filled water bottle 7. First aid kit 8. Extra clothing in case the weather changes suddenly – a rain poncho, a sweatshirt, a jacket. 9. Extra food/snacks
BEE-CAREFUL What do they look like? • The are brown round masses attached to trunks or branches up high, or sometimes in the ground. • NEVER bother bees. If you get near their beehive they might try to defend it by attacking you. • If you’re near a rnest when a swarm is disturbed, sit still for at least five minutes. When it’s safe, crawl away carefully. What if I’m being attacked? • Run away at once, and don’t swat the bees. This will make them even angrier. • Try to get shelter indoors. If you can’t, then run through thick bushes as the leaves will spring back and hit them, giving you time to get away • Do not jump into the water because they’ll be waiting when you surface.
Fishing tips for Kids • • • • • • 44
• Dig a small trench a few inches deep and make a fire. When it has burned down to a thick bed of hot embers, you can begin grilling. • Find a long green stick about as thick as a pencil. Use your pocket knife to sharpen one end of it. • Push the small pieces of meat, vegetables, or fish onto the stick. • Place your stick over the fire until the food is cooked. Yum!
H ow to make a sundial A sundial is used to estimate the time of day without using a watch. The next time you’re outside, try this out. In the early morning, stick a big stick in the ground and then put a small stick in the ground where the shadow falls. Then take note of where the shadow is around mid-day and then in the evening. Next, attach a string and draw a semicircle between the first and last points. While you’re camping, you’ll see the shadow move across your sundial now you’ll be able to tell the time.
Use earthworms, corn, or small pieces of a hot dog for bait. Take along lawn chairs. The key to casting is in the flick of the wrist. Go overhand instead of sidearm as there’s less chance of hitting someone. Have a towel handy to wipe your hands. Always have your first-aid kit, a hat and sun screen too. Use wet cotton gloves to hold the fish. Dry gloves or rags will hurt the protective coating of the fish. Ottawa Outdoors Summer
ULTIMATE
Explosive growth in Ottawa Ultimate By Lauren Wardel
IF YOU PLOTTED the growth of Ultimate in Ottawa over the past decade and a half, it would be a straight line headed right off the top of the page. It all started in 1985 with a small group of regular players who told two friends who told two friends and so on and so on. Soon there were enough people to form a five-team league. Teams like the Screaming Yellow Zonkers and Bruce and the Usuals were formed around this time and continue to play in the league, albeit with an ever-changing roster. Ultimate players started out by scrounging any space in the city large enough to set up a field (37 by 110 metres). Some of those same players now share ownership of the only Ultimate Park in the world. Ultimate Parks Incorporated (UPInc.) is the culmination of a dream for the members of the Ottawa-Carleton Ultimate Association (OCUA). Nineteen lush fields of turf are dedicated to Ultimate play four nights a week, four months a year. Located in Manotick Station, Ontario, UPInc. hosts approximately 14 to 19 games a night with each game involving 20 to 25 players. There’s always an atmosphere of fun when teams get together and there are other games going on around them. You can’t help but be aware of the greater community of Ultimate players. One long-time Ottawa team, the Fabulous Flying Flamingos, got together ten years ago in high school and has since seen some of its members get married, buy houses and have babies. They have not only continued to play Ultimate through these life-changing times, but also recently found a way to use the sport to contribute to local charities. The team members combined their love of Ultimate with their desire to give back to the community and pioneered a project called “Sharing through Scoring.” The project created a way for Ultimate teams Ottawa Outdoors Summer
to raise money for charity while playing the game they love. Each team donates a dollar for every point it scores. A team that commits to this method of fundraising will do it for the entire season. Each game can net anywhere from $15 to $30. In the year 2000, 15 Ottawa teams participated in the program and more than $3300 was raised. The totals for the 2001 season have yet to be released. In the long run, if every team in Ottawa participated and the average score was 15-10, then $3500 would be raised every week. This potential for giving is huge and charities that have benefited in the past, including the Children’s Wish Foundation, The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, The Ottawa Food Bank and The Humane Society of Ottawa-Carleton, could see the donations increase enormously. The game of Ultimate is generally played with a line-up of four men and three women per side. The disc is thrown from one goal line. The receiving team attempts to move it back up the field in order to score in the other team’s end zone (the end zone the other team started play in). Movement up the field may only consist of throws; running while in possession of the disc is not allowed. The team that is trying to score is attempting to get past the team on defence using offensive strategies with
names like “the stack” and “the bail.” A receiver must catch the disc in his team’s end zone to score a point. The game is won when one team reaches a score of 15. First-time players may find the game confusing, as it is fast-paced and mastering throwing techniques and strategic manoeuvres at the same time can be hard work. Ottawa Ultimate is currently two generations strong. Spring 2001 saw the birth of “Kid’s Ultimate” in Ottawa. Forty kids came out to learn the rules and have some fun. It started with a handful of coaches, some leftover discs and a small t-shirt order. Now it’s 90 kids strong with 16 coaches and two age divisions (9-12 and 13-15 years) providing a stepping-stone to junior play. Most Ottawa area high schools now have Ultimate teams, as do most Ontario Universities. The sport is coming into the mainstream and a wide variety of people, aged nine to 60, are along for the ride. Right now Ottawa boasts the largest league in the world with 328 teams and over 3800 members registered in the OCUA database. Ultimate players come from all walks of life in the nation’s capital. Business owners, artists, sportscasters, engineers, civil servants, and even the top brass from some of the biggest software companies in the region
ULTIMATE participate. Players range in age from teenagers to grandparents. The sport’s wide-ranging appeal is based on an atmosphere of inclusion, the inexpensive cost of play and Spirit of the Game (SOTG). SOTG is a strong philosophy that is a combination of self-policing and the Golden Rule. (Treat others the way you want to be treated.) There are no referees and players have to make rules calls themselves. It is considered to be in accordance with SOTG to make a call on yourself should you commit a foul. Another aspect of Ultimate in Ottawa is the competitive touring and travelling scene. There are currently about seven or eight Ottawa teams that travel to tournaments all over Canada and the northeastern United States. These teams meet up with competitors from as far away as Victoria and Halifax. American teams often cross the border to play with us as well. Ottawa’s hottest tournament, No Borders, is held in mid-July and attracts teams from Boston and New York City as well as the top talent in the eastern half of Canada. At present No Borders has Open (Men’s) and Women’s divisions. Watching games at the tournament is a good way to get a feel for which teams are going to be hot at Nationals. The Canadian National Ultimate Championships are coming to Ottawa this year and the local Ultimate community is very excited to host this event. Event coordinator Gwen Prillo, an Ottawa resident and OCUA member, returned from assisting with the Paralympics in Salt Lake City to take the helm of the Nationals organizing committee. She brings eight years of experience in sports event management to the job and she has a committee of approximately 50-60 volunteers to help her make this the best Nationals Canada has ever seen. This year’s Nationals will be held over four days, the 21-25 of August and will have 16 Open teams, 12 Women’s teams, eight Masters’ teams, eight Junior’s teams and 16 Co-ed teams coming from all over Canada. One of the highlights of the tournament is the 46
traditional Saturday night party. Ultimate parties are a guaranteed good time, with the player or team who puts on the best show “winning” the party. One of last year’s Nationals parties was held at the West Edmonton Mall amongst the water slides. Ottawa has a tough job ahead to come up with something as distinctive as last year’s event. Looking forward to the future of Ultimate in Ottawa means looking at space availability, population growth and the number of people coming in to the sport. The OCUA Board of Directors restricted growth for this summer’s season due to a shortage of fields for future seasons. Interest in expanding the league was evident, but respect for the current members was foremost in board member’s minds. In business, expansion is the only way to stay alive, but sustainable growth in a sports organization that has a membership of almost 4000 and limited field space is hard to manage. This year the OCUA took a step forward and hired a general manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of the league. Policies and procedures, field management and player development are some of the issues the general manager will be dealing with. The hire of a full-time general manager relieves the Board of Directors of some of the burden of management of such a large organization. Ultimate is a sport that can quickly become a lifestyle. You find you’re spending your evenings playing with like-minded people with whom you have many things in common. It’s a great way to make friends and tune up physically. If you’re interested in more information about the Ottawa Ultimate scene, please visit the Web site at www.ocua.ca.
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Ottawa Outdoors Summer
DISC GOLF
Welcome to Disc Golf: once you play you’ll be hooked By Stephen Seabrook
JUMPING RIGHT INTO IT, disc golf is similar to the traditional ball golf you know. You must complete the hole in the fewest strokes possible. But instead of whacking a little white ball and dropping it in a hole, you must throw a Frisbee and drop it in a basket. Even though it’s a great walk through the park, disc golf still shares the same joys and frustrations of traditional golf. Whether it's sinking a long putt or hitting a tree halfway down the fairway, you still have to deal with the hazards. You can play for the competitive aspect of the game and actually win large money purses or you can just play a round as an excuse to get outdoors for some exercise. In Ottawa—and at most courses— disc golf rarely requires a greens fee and you never get stuck with a bad tee time. It is designed to be enjoyed by people of all ages, male and female, regardless of economic status. You can get free rental discs or you can outright purchase a set of discs (see advertisement with CD Exchange on page 46) to get you started. Above is a map of the course, and you can find out more by logging on to http://www.geocities.com/ottawadiscgolf. See you on the course! All photos by Mike McCaugherty.
All Fired Up Great meals to take on the trail By Julie St. Jean
THERE IS NOTHING MORE pleasing than the smell of flamecooked foods. Fortunately, cooking over an open fire can take place in the backyard, alongside a freshly paddled river, or wherever your next great outdoor adventure takes you. Nowadays our adventures are not limited to the outdoors. Our tastes for food have also become adventurous. With this in mind, I have put together a light menu that is elegant enough to serve to dinner guests, and that travels well. Tonight we are having rosemary chicken skewers, wild mushroom couscous, grilled asparagus and corn on the cob, with grilled Greek-style pita with cumin. As the saying goes, “good beginnings lead to great endings.” With a BBQ, it almost always starts with the marinade. A marinade serves many purposes. It is a liquid used to flavour, preserve, tenderize and moisten dry foods. We are using a versatile recipe that goes well with vegetables, tofu, meats and fish. This same marinade is going to be used to enhance the flavour of the mushroom couscous. Couscous is typically made from semolina. It is dried and much like finely cracked spaghetti. It is traditionally found soaking up a Moroccan tajine, but it more recently made its debut as a base ingredient for salads. It also makes a light alternative side dish. Couscous is simple to prepare and expands to about three times its volume, making it an ideal item to carry in a travel pack. Marinade: Serves 4 60 ml (1/4 cup) fresh lemon juice 60 ml (1/4 cup) soy sauce 3 cloves minced garlic 125 ml (1/2 cup) of grapeseed or olive oil Combine all ingredients. Rosemary Chicken Skewers: 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts 8 fresh rosemary stems Look for hearty stems that are at least four inches long and strong enough to hold the chicken. Remove the leaves from the stems. Cut the chicken breasts into 2.5 centimetre (one inch) cubes and thread them onto the rosemary stems. Pour half of the marinade onto the skewers in a shallow pan (or in a sealed zip lock bag if you’re taking it out on a trip). You may want to substitute tofu for the chicken if proper cold storage is not available to you. You could also 48
marinate the chicken while frozen. In that case, threading it onto the skewers would have to be done just before cooking. Wild Mushroom Couscous: 400 grams (about 2 cups) couscous 500 ml (2 cups) salted boiling water or stock 200 grams (about 1 cup) of dried mushrooms 4 scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal A handful of fresh cilantro leaves Bring water or stock and dried mushrooms to a boil. Turn off the heat and let the mushrooms sit until softened, about five minutes. Bring water/mushroom mixture back to a boil. Quickly pour over couscous. Let sit uncovered in a bowl. After three to five minutes, fluff with a fork to loosen grains and to release the steam. If you do not fluff with a fork, it will stick together and become mushy. Continue to fluff until all water is absorbed. Drizzle with the remaining marinade and toss with scallions and cilantro. An optional cooking method is to simply add the couscous to the pot of boiling water and remove from the heat. Fluff with a fork as suggested above. Sun-dried tomatoes can be substituted for the mushrooms. They also travel well. I would be inclined to add diced feta cheese with the tomatoes. Grilled Asparagus and Corn on the Cob: Snap off the hard ends of the asparagus. Shuck the corn and wrap it individually in tin foil with a little butter and salt. A squeeze of fresh lime juice and hot red pepper flakes add a nice flavour. These can be prepared ahead of time and will also travel well. Now you are ready to grill. Preheat the BBQ. Put the corn on the grill first. It will take 15-20 minutes on high. Turn it every five minutes. It will blacken. Grill the rosemary skewers about four minutes on each side. Next, grill the asparagus about one minute per side, depending on the thickness of the spears. You just want to mark the asparagus. Season it with salt. Then lightly brush the Greek-style pita with olive oil and grill, again just to leave grill marks. Remove from heat and sprinkle with ground cumin and salt. I suggest Greek-style pita because of its texture. It is doughier and doesn’t have a pocket. It absorbs the oil nicely and the smell of it on the grill is unforgettable. Ottawa Outdoors Summer
Great Pubs and Restaurants in Your area. Old Ottawa South The Market
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the green pages PLACE YOUR AD IN OUR GREEN PAGES TO LET OUR READERS KNOW ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS. CALL 860-8688
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS CALENDAR OF EVENTS – OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
Adventure Racing July 13-14 Outpost Adventure Racing – Wilderness Tours Laurentians, PQ OUTLAST Adventure Racing (613) 565-8633 info@outlast.ca http://www.outlast.ca/schedule/laurentians.html July 27 Outpost Adventure Racing – Wilderness Tours Kingston, ON OUTLAST Adventure Racing (613) 565-8633 info@outlast.ca http://www.outlast.ca/schedule/kingston.html August 24-35 Outpost Adventure Racing – Wilderness Tours Calabogie, ON OUTLAST Adventure Racing (613) 565-8633 info@outlast.ca http://www.outlast.ca/schedule/calabogie.html
Biking July 13 – 5am Brevet – Ottawa 600 Brittania Bay
August 18 – 9:15am Remote Tour – Lanark Loop [126km] Goulbourne Municipal Building Ottawa Bicycle Club (613) 230-1064 obcadmin@cyberuc.ca http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb August 18 – 9:30am Remote Tour – Plantagenet-Alfred [93-136km] Cumberland Arena Ottawa Bicycle Club (613) 230-1064 obcadmin@cyberuc.ca http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb August 2-4 OBC Vermont Weekend Burlington, VT Ottawa Bicycle Club (613) 230-1064 obcadmin@cyberuc.ca http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb August 5-10 Vermont Inn-to-Inn Tour Burlington, VT Ottawa Bicycle Club (613) 230-1064 obcadmin@cyberuc.ca http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb
July 13 – all day OBC Grand Prix Gatineau Park Ottawa Bicycle Club (613) 230-1064 obcadmin@cyberuc.ca http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb
August 10-11 Multiple Sclerosis Bike Tour Ottawa-Kemptville Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (613) 728-1583 info.ontario@mssociety.ca http://www.msbiketours.com/ontario/ bike_ottawa.htm
July 14 – 8am BRO Capital City Criterium Tunney's Pasture Ottawa Bicycle Club (613) 230-1064 obcadmin@cyberuc.ca http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb
SATURDAYS 10AM * Saturday Tour TBD Ottawa Bicycle Club (613) 230-1064 obcadmin@cyberuc.ca http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb
July 14 – 9:15am Remote Tour – Thurso-Montebello [60-121km] Cumberland Arena Ottawa Bicycle Club (613) 230-1064 obcadmin@cyberuc.ca http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb
SUNDAYS 9AM * Day Trips Ottawa – Billings Bridge generally Ottawa Bicycle Club (613) 230-1064 obcadmin@cyberuc.ca http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb
July 14 – 9am ABC Bike Race 150km Carleton Place Ottawa Bicycle Club (613) 230-1064 obcadmin@cyberuc.ca http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb
SUNDAYS MAY 19 – SEPT 1 * Time: 6am – noon Alcatel Sunday Bikedays NCC – Gatineau Park NCC, Alcatel http://www.capcan.ca/gatineau/outdoor_activities/ binkingroad_e.asp
July 20 – 8am ABC 15th Valley Rally Almonte Arena Ottawa Bicycle Club (613) 230-1064 obcadmin@cyberuc.ca http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb
TUESDAYS 6PM * Evening Rides Ottawa – Billings Bridge generally Ottawa Bicycle Club (613) 230-1064 obcadmin@cyberuc.ca http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb
July 21 – 6am Brevet – Ottawa 300 Cheshire Pub
Paddling
July 28 – 7am Brevet – Ottawa 200 Thunderbird Golf Club July 7 – 8am ABC Open 40k Time Trial Union Hall Garage Ottawa Bicycle Club (613) 230-1064 obcadmin@cyberuc.ca http://www.cyberus.ca/~obcweb
July 4-7 2002 Canadian White Water National Championships Madawaska Kanu Centre Barry's Bay, ON Ottawa River Runners 2002Nationals@rogers.com http://members.rogers. com/2002nationals/ Mark Illing July 10 Adventures along the Rideau Merrickville Ron Johnstone Paddling Centre (613) 269-2910 info@crca.ca www.crca.ca
July 22-26 Junior whitewater freestyle kayaking Development Camps (613) 582-3340 info@liquidskills.com http://www.liquidskills.com/ July 27 Adventures along the Rideau Merrickville Ron Johnstone Paddling Centre (613) 269-2910 info@crca.ca www.crca.ca August 7 Adventures along the Rideau Merrickville Ron Johnstone Paddling Centre (613) 269-2910 info@crca.ca www.crca.ca August 9-11 The Canadian Canoe and Kayak Festival Ottawa – Victoria Island (613) 235-9998 info@canoekayakfestival.org http://www.canoekayakfestival.org/ George Wieringa or more info at (613) 582-3340 info@liquidskills.com http://www.liquidskills.com/ Clinics, demos and more August 19-23 Junior whitewater freestyle kayaking Development Camps (613) 582-3340 info@liquidskills.com http://www.liquidskills.com/ August 22-23 Corran Addison Clinic (613) 582-3340 info@liquidskills.com http://www.liquidskills.com/ August 24 Adventures along the Rideau Merrickville Ron Johnstone Paddling Centre (613) 269-2910 info@crca.ca www.crca.ca August 24-25 Upper–Gatineau White Water Festival Maniwaki Fédération québécoise du canot et du kayak (514) 252-3001 http://www.gatineau.org/ accueil_en/frame_acceuil_eng.html Aug. 31–Sept. 1 Ottawa River Rodeo 2002 Equinox Adventures (800) 785-8855 paul@equinoxadventures.com www.euinoxadventures.com September 10-17 Liquid Skills Showdown – Canada / US Freestyle kayaking Team Trials, recreational rodeo http://www.kayakshowdown.com/ or more info at (613) 582-3340 info@liquidskills.com http://www.liquidskills.com/ WEDNESDAY EVENINGS * Free Safe Canoeing Clinic Merrickville Ron Johnstone Paddling Centre (613) 269-2910 info@crca.ca www.crca.ca MONDAYS 5:30PM * Free demos Ottawa – Westboro Bushtukah (613) 792-1170 http://www.bushtukah.com/
SUNDAYS 9-11AM * Free Morning Rentals Merrickville Ron Johnstone Paddling Centre (613) 269-2910 info@crca.ca www.crca.ca WEDNESDAYS 6PM, MAY–SEPTEMBER * Free test Drives Ottawa – Westboro Beach Trailhead (613) 722-4229 scottst@trailhead.ca http://www.trailhead.ca/
Climbing July 13 Anchoring & Belaying Techniques Multitrek (613) 731-7673 mgoulet@multitrek.com http://www.multitrek.com/ July 14 Partner & Self–Rescue Techniques Multitrek (613) 731-7673 mgoulet@multitrek.com http://www.multitrek.com/ July 27,28 Lead Climbing Techniques Multitrek (613) 731-7673 mgoulet@multitrek.com http://www.multitrek.com/ August 14,17,18 Team Rope Rescue Techniques Multitrek (613) 731-7673 mgoulet@multitrek.com http://www.multitrek.com/ August 15,17,18 Intro to Rock Climbing Multitrek (613) 731-7673 mgoulet@multitrek.com http://www.multitrek.com/ August 24,25 Lead Climbing Techniques Multitrek (613) 731-7673 mgoulet@multitrek.com http://www.multitrek.com/
Hiking July 7 Sandy Lake Loop Ottawa Rambling Club ej563@ncf.ca http://www.geocities.com/orchike/events.html July 14 Lac Richard Loop Ottawa Rambling Club ej563@ncf.ca http://www.geocities.com/orchike/events.html July 21 Ben Lake – Lac la PÍche Loop Ottawa Rambling Club ej563@ncf.ca http://www.geocities.com/orchike/events.html July 27 Lusk Caves Lac La Peche – NCR Ottawa Outing Club (613) 729-0507 dean@outingclub.com www.outingclub.com
Hey! Every week there are tons of outdoor activities planned that you probably didn’t know about! Take a look below and plan your summer outdoors! July 28 Lac la Pèche Loop / Fairburn Bay Ottawa Rambling Club ej563@ncf.ca http://www.geocities.com/orchike/events.html
July 31 Art and Soul Run 5K/10K Running Room (613) 233-5617 http://www.runningroom.com/
August 4 Clear Lake Ottawa Rambling Club ej563@ncf.ca http://www.geocities.com/orchike/events.html
August 10 Breath of Life Run/Walk for Cystic Fribrosis 5/10K, 1.2K Kids Fun Run Ottawa Running Room (613) 233-5617 http://www.runningroom.com/
August 11 Lusk Lake Loop Ottawa Rambling Club ej563@ncf.ca http://www.geocities.com/orchike/events.html August 18 Lac la Pèche Loop Ottawa Rambling Club ej563@ncf.ca http://www.geocities.com/orchike/events.html August 19-22 Peak Bagging in the Daks Adirondacks Alpine Club of Canada (613) 824-9391 langley@magma.ca http://www.angelfire.com/on2/accottawa/ hiking_2002.html Langley Muir August 24 Luskville Falls Gatineau – NCR Ottawa Outing Club (613) 729-0507 dean@outingclub.com www.outingclub.com August 25 MacDonald Bay – Hope Bay – Meech Valley Loop Ottawa Rambling Club ej563@ncf.ca http://www.geocities.com/orchike/events.html TUESDAYS 6PM UNTIL AUGUST 27 * Moonlighters – 1-2 hikes Meet at Tunney’s Pasture Rideau Trail Association – Ottawa Club (613) 860-2225 WEDNESDAYS – 9:30AM * Wednesday Walkers – 2-3 hikes Gatineau Park Rideau Trail Association – Ottawa Club (613) 860-2225
Running July 10 A Mid Summer's Night Road Race 5K & 1K Fun Run (613) 831-8565 Joe Du Vall July 17 No Frills 10 Miler (613) 256-9026 Peter Jones July 20 Ottawa Sun Run 5km Sunrun@Zone3sports.com http://www.zone3sports.com/Sun%20Run% 20info.htm July 21 Carleton Place Heritage Runs 5K/10K Somersault info@somersault.ca July 23 NCRA Beaver Chase Series Event 3: 4 mile/ 1 mile NCRA (613) 831-8565 Joe Du Vall
August 11 Great Raisin River Footraces 5K/11K (613) 347-7096 Bill Chambre August 13 NCRA Beaver Chase Series Event 4: 4 mile/1 mile NCRA (613) 831-8565 Joe Du Vall August 17-18 Labatt's 24 Hr. Relay Ottawa – Nepean Sportsplex (613) 722-6521x6763 Paulette Maden August 20 Xerox 10K (613) 783-5872 Ted Damen August 25 Graham Beasley Memorial 5K (613) 831-8565 Joe Du Vall August 28 Perley Hospital Races 5/10K (613) 526-4024 Cheryl Iselmoe August 29 OAC Corporate Relay 5x5K (613) 523-4024 Lisa Refause August 29 Glen Tay Block Race 14.7K (613) 283-0824 Tom Graham August 29 Joy of Effort Mill of Kintail 2/5/10K (613) 259-2421 Kristy Giles August 31 Rideau Canal 8km Run Ottawa Somersault info@somersault.ca SATURDAYS 9AM * Bushtukah Running Group Meet at Store Bushtukah (613) 792-1170 gear@bushtukah.com http://www.bushtukah.com/ SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS 8:30AM * Group Running all Levels Meet at Store Running Room (613) 244-1088 http://www.runningroom.com/ WEDNESDAYS 6PM * Group Running all Levels Meet at Store Running Room (613) 244-1088 http://www.runningroom.com/
Running – Triathlon July 6 20th Annual Ottawa Athletic Club Triathlon Gatineau – O'Brien Lake Ottawa Athletic Club (613) 523-4024x235 lisa@ottawaathleticclub.com http://www.ottawaathleticclub.com/races.htm Lisa Refausse August 31 Half Ironman Canada Triathlon, Duathlon and Relay Rideau Canoe Club – Ottawa Somersault info@somersault.ca Aug 31–Sept 1st Wilderness Triathlon Festival Ottawa Valley (819) 827-6158 wildtri@otsolutions.net www.wildtri.com
Ultimate Frisbee July 13–14 No Borders Ottawa – Ultimate Parks Inc. Ottawa-Carleton Ultimate Association (613) 860-OCUA http://www.ocua.ca/ August 22 – 25 Canadian National Championships Ottawa – Ultimate Parks Inc. Ottawa-Carleton Ultimate Association (613) 860-OCUA http://www.ocua.ca/Nationals2002/
Disc Golf August 17-18 Canadian Disc Golf Championships Gatineau – Jacques Cartier Park Ottawa Disc Golf Club (613) 260-8442 http://www.geocities.com/ottawadiscgolf
OTHERS Volleyball July 13 Catena Networks HOPE Volleyball Beachfest Ottawa – Mooney's Bay HOPE (613) 237-1433 info@hopehelps.com http://www.hopehelps.com/index.html Orienteering June 25 Stoney Swamp Ottawa Orienteering Club (613) 596-5102 www.magma.ca/~ottawaoc Arland Benn If you would like your event(s) posted here please send the text information by e-mail to: CalendarEvents@OttawaOutdoors.ca.
escapes
Passionate canoeists Wally Schaber and the late Bill Mason descend the RiviĂŠre Mars canyon near Chicoutimi, QuĂŠbec.
Photographed by Mike Beedell
