If Only…

you could talk, the stories you could tell. Climbing Mt Adams in Washington State and looking out over Mt. St. Helen’s not knowing she’d blow her top within the next year. That was our map for the climb. My ice axe has been in so many places and it’s experienced its fair share of scary moments like the time myself and a buddy were ice climbing seracs on Mt Baker. My watch has taken so much abuse white water paddling, climbing mountains, backpacking, ocean kayaking, and mountain ski touring. I’m now onto my fourth Suunto watch and it will hopefully last until this beaten up body of mine is totally spent. My boots were custom made by an Austrian boot maker in Vancouver long ago. They’re so well made that I continue to use them to this day even if they’re a just a wee bit heavy-that’s an understatement-by todays standards.  Who needs to do leg curls and lunges at the gym? Lol! And the rapidly decreasing skill in today’s outdoorsman when reading a map and compass. Learn to use them folks, it just might save your life if your other navigation and communication gadgets fail.  Like the time I was crossing the Meta Incognita on Baffin Island for five days in a white out with my GPS on the fritz and many more tens of kilometres to go to our destination. Or teaching rock climbing at the Smoke Bluffs at Squamish on the West Coast and clipping folks in with my carabiners, “On belay.” If only…!  

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