Red Bull Crashed Ice

Crashed Ice is what happens when you combine hockey with a skiing and snowboarding slopestyle course with a dash of over 75,000 cheering fans. Absolutely nuts and I love it. I personally wouldn’t participate in this on ice skates but I’m pretty sure that years of skiing on the East Coast have prepared me for such a challenge. The goal of this extreme winter sport is to be the first individual to cross the finish line at the end of the course – whether you’re still standing or sliding.

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Snowbiking

Why should bikes be placed in storage when the snow begins to fall? A few studs (or spikes) can fix this dilemma to keep tires spinning 365 days of the year. This sport uses winter resort trails as downhill courses that can get the heart pumping in a matter of seconds. I’m personally a recent fan of mountain biking and enjoy skiing even more so this seems to be a great combination of sports to me!

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Snowskating

I’ll admit that this is the least extreme winter sport when compared to the others but skateboarding is viewed as extreme by many. This is a way most skateboarders can get their winter fix after a long day of being strapped into their snowboards so it only makes evolutionary sense to combine snowboarding and skateboarding. I personally recommend that you pick up a snowskateas they are relatively cheap and are always a fun to play around with after the chair lifts stop spinning. Let’s face it – sledding just isn’t that cool anymore with the younger crowd.

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Snow Kiting

I’d like to meet the person who held a kite in their hand and decided why not harness the power of wind to drag us across snow – simply genius! It doesn’t matter if you are a snowboarder or skier as both are able to enjoy additional airtime as they leave the ground on purpose or accident. You’ll never be able to look at a kite the same way anymore after watching the video.

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Ski Base Jumping

It started with skiing at resorts and then escalated to big mountain skiing. But how does one take it one step further? The answer is ski base jumping – made pretty well known by the late legend Shane McConkey (R.I.P!). It is sometimes impossible make it down a sick line on an untouched mountain because of sudden steep cliffs – but not when you have a parachute strapped on your back. This is an extreme sport that is embraced by true diehard winter adrenaline junkies.

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Would you try any of these sports? What are other extreme winter sports out there? Let us hear it!

Overview

Aquacaching is the evolution of geocaching, so in theory aquacaching is a subset of the overall geocaching treasure hunt. The word geocaching is derived from the word ‘geography’ which has been shortened to ‘geo’ and ‘caching’ which is the process for locating caches. A small understanding in Latin will help understand the word ‘aquacaching’ as the word ‘aqua’ stands for ‘water’. Now that we are done preparing for the next National Spelling Bee contest by learning definitions and word origins, it’s time to continue a bit more on this outdoor activity.

Aquacaching, as well as geocaching, can be a great low budget day trip or weekend vacation by yourself, with friends or the entire family. The basic idea with aquacaching is to locate hidden caches, using a handheld global position system, that are only accessible via boat or SCUBA gear then share your experiences online with other fellow treasure hunters.

The Geocache and Aquacache Community

There are various websites on the Internet that assist ‘treasure hunters’ in locating caches by inputting the longitude and latitude coordination on your handheld global positioning system. The most well known website for geocaching and aquacaching is Geocaching.com which is currently tracking over 850,000 caches throughout the world.

How To Find Caches

So now that you have an understanding of aquacaching and the community, it’s time to learn how to actually find one of these hidden underwater caches. Once becoming a member of Geocaching.org, you will be able to search for a cache by address, zip-code, state, country or keyword (e.g., “scuba”, “aquacache”, etc…). You would then select any of the displayed caches and enter the cache coordinates into your waterproof handheld GPS. Upon finding a cache, the container should hold a logbook which you should sign and return to the original location so that other fellow adventurers can share the same experience of the hunt. There are also some containers that might have a treasure inside which you should swap with a personal treasure of your own, as this is etiquette for all involved.

Flickr.com (Photo taken by TOMTEC)

The Necessary Supplies

The two most important items you will need is a reliable handheld global position system and a way to access locations under or surrounded by water (e.g., kayak, canoe or SCUBA gear). There are many handheld GPS systems to select from but the most important factors to keep an eye out for are;

• Memory – The amount of internal memory and additional memory that can be added to the GPS is important as you continue to add more maps, waypoints, locations and travel notes. There might come a time when you want to add detailed map files such as street level views or topographical layovers to better display the altitude of a location. Basically, the more internal memory and the more additional memory you can add afterward, the better your purchase will be in the long run.
• Screen Size – The screen size of a GPS unit is measured diagonally as this is measurement is similar to televisions, computer monitors and camera displays. There are also features such as a backlight to help provide a clearer picture. Just remember that a large screensize and fancy features could drain the GPS battery quicker.
• Waterproof – This might be common sense for aquacaching but your device might go underwater at some point so you might want to look into this. You will see cryptic terms such as IPX7 or IPX8 which stand for the ‘International Protection Rating’ of the unit. To help in your research, the 7 rating means that the unit can really only be submerged in less than 1 meter while the 8 rating can go beyond 1 meter.
• Maps – The GPS unit should contain the local map data for your country or continent (e.g., North America). There are also pre-loaded waypoints that might be added or different map types such as topographical.
• Power Source – I recommend that you look for a unit that has some sort of external power source such as being able to plug into a wall outlet or into a car cigarette lighter. The newer models should mostly be able to plug into a wall outlet via the USB cable to recharge the lithium battery. If you look at a few older models, you should look for rechargeable AA or AAA batteries if the GPS unit requires them.
• Channels – The more channels built into the GPS unit the better as these help aquicre a satallite signal quicker and more accurately. A majority of the units for purchase should have at least 12 parallel channels.

My recommendation is for you to use the above criteria that I’ve outlined and compare a few
GPS models online at Amazon or in your local electronics store. The customers reviews from those who previously purchased the product will greatly help you in your overall research.

Vacation Ideas

As I previously mentioned in this article this outdoor activity can be a great vacation idea that doesn’t require much from your wallet. An example of an exciting trip could be by going on a weekend trip with your significant other while looking for hidden caches in rivers or on islands located near you. Just imagine taking a two person kayak and paddling out to an island that you know a cache is located on. The adventurous side of you should thoroughly enjoy the reward of spotting a hidden cache after paddling to it’s location on a small river island. Once you find the cache why not have a small picnic on the secluded island to celebrate the cache?

If this seems something of further interest for you, I recommend you pick up The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Geocaching to learn the more detailed aspects of geocaching and aquacaching.

What are your experiences with aquacaching? Did you have a good time or was it a complete disaster? Let us know by leaving a comment!

Trail 401 (Crested Butte, Colorado)

The scenery on this trail can only be described as ’spectacular’. The trail is located a few miles north of Crested Butte, Colorado. Overlooking the valley of the East River you will be able to see the the old mining town of Gothic that staged a come back as a tourist town due to outdoor activities (e.g., mountain biking, hiking, etc…). On your climb to the highest point on this trail (approximately 3460 meters or 11,350 feet), you will be rewarded with amazing views of the mountains and alpine wildflowers.

Flickr.com (Photo taken by Lumagent Morple)

Porcupine Rim (Moab, Utah)

This is one trail that is going to require some advanced technical skills to enjoy the surroundings of Moab. On the trail you can admire the view into Castle Valley (to the north), including the spires made of wingate sandstone on the maroon mudstone beds which are about 220,000,000 years old. Some pretty awesome natural creations to gaze your eyes on while riding your mountain bike.

Flickr.com (Photo taken by Naomi T)

Buffalo Creek Trail (Buffalo Creek Colorado)

This trail is located about an hour west of Denver, Colorado making it an easy trip from downtown to enjoy some of the great scenery in Colorado. If you have the chance to ride this trail, you will be greeted with views of the majestic mountains, some intense rock formations and a few spots of barren landscape that nature is rebuilding after a few forest fires.

Flickr.com (Photo taken by club5979)

Sea to Sky Corridor (British Columbia, Canada)

Stunning views of British Columbia with new trails and improvements being made each year, how can you go wrong? The name of this corridor derives from the fact of the mountains meeting the Pacific Ocean. If you venture out on these trails you will enjoy thundering waterfalls, coastal inlets, steep granite walls and glaciers.

Flickr.com (Photo taken by Jacques Daigneault)

Alafia River State Park (Brandon, Florida)

Once the site of an old phosphate mine but now reclaimed for enjoyment of mountain bikers, hikers, equestrians, campers and bird-watchers. Being an old mining location, there are various elevation changes that offer a change of pace from surrounding environment. Lakes are scattered throughout the park offering some picturesque photograph opportunities along with rolling hills, pine flatwoods and mixed hardwood.

Flickr.com (Photo taken by JHEar1e)

Copper Canyon (Creel, Mexico)

Copper Canyon is famously known as the home of the Tarahumara Indian tribe located in northwestern Mexico. If you are not familiar with the Tarahumara, they are mostly known for their endurance. If you are familiar with them then you already probably read Christoper McDougall’sbook Born to Run. You might need to match the endurance of the Tarahumara for some parts of this trail system but will be rewarded with some amazing views of the local tribes along with regional flora. It’s also important to note that some parts of this canyon are larger and deeper than the Grand Canyon in the United States.

Flickr.com (Photo taken by guruatma)

Flickr Photograph (taken by SevenDescents.com.au)

Guaranteed Vertical Meter Limits

1. When researching your heli-skiing company, you will notice that they guarantee a specific amount of vertical meters based on the length of your trip. So for example, if you are booking a 5-day trip with Canadian Mountain Holidays during 2010 winter/spring season, you are guaranteed 21,780 vertical meters (or 71,000 vertical feet). You might think that is more than enough; however, when you take approximately seven runs a day, that are about 1,200 vertical meters each, you can quickly reach that limit. Now you are probably asking yourself, “What happens is we are to go over that limit?” If you do exceed the guaranteed vertical meters for your trip, it will cost about an average of $100-$125 USD per 1,000 additional vertical meters you ski or snowboard. This happens a lot as the heli-skiing company wants to make sure the customer gets enough time on the slopes but not so it’s adding more operating expenses (e.g., helicopter fuel). So you will see that most companies, such as TLH Heli-Skiing will boast the fact that their customers reached an average of 30% over the guaranteed vertical limit. On top of all of that, you sometimes only have a few options during the day to return back to the lodge, so you might get stuck out there a bit longer if you do not use your vertical meters just right. My advice is not to ‘go big or go home’ every day of your trip. If you are feeling sore or it is a cloudy day, it might be good to head in and just relax instead of trying to get as much skiing in. On the flip-side, if you have enough cash to cover the additional vertical meters, then by all means go for it!

 

An Overflowing Wallet

2. This is not a secret but heli-skiing trips are expensive! You will really need to establish a budget along with the number of days you want to go as heli-skiing companies will usually package lodging, skiing, equipment and meals together. The current average rates, per person, for the 2010 season are as follows; $8,000 USD to $9,000 USD for a seven day package, $4,500 USD for a four day package and about $900 for a single day of heli-skiing. These rates will vary as the most expensive time seems to be near the end of December for the holidays along with January and some of February. The prices get a bit cheaper as the season enters March and April due to the snow conditions not being all that champagne powder we are all hunting. On the other hand, I really don’t mind skiing on a perfectly sunny spring day up in the mountains.

 

Your Skiing or Snowboarding Ability

3. You might think to yourself that you are good because you can get down a blue square (intermediate) or black diamond (expert) rated trail but this doesn’t mean you are ready for heli-skiing. If you can make it down on some expert rated trails at some bigger mountains on the East Coast or out in the Rocky Mountains in any type of condition (e.g., ice, zero visibility or heavy powder), then you are probably ready. If all you ever have ridden at your local mountain…well hill…with only a few trails and nothing steep, I’d argue that it might not be the safest idea to go heli-skiing. There will be many times heli-skiing when your mountain guide will have you traversing through trees, through fields of previous avalanches and around snow covered crevasses. It really made sense to me that you can have no fear while you are heli-skiing and need to be purely confident in your own ability to make it down. This isn’t meant to scare you but you will have others skiers and snowboarders within your group who don’t want to be held up as you are double thinking why you booked this trip in the first place.

 

Experience of Guides and Pilots

4. You might not think of this immediately but I have to stress the importance of this. There are many risks associated with heli-skiing such as avalanches, sudden storms, high winds, crevasses, tree wells, and much more. If your mountain guides aren’t that experienced with first aid, mountaineering, heli-skiing or your helicopter pilots do not have many flight hours logged, this should raise a red flag. You will see many, if not all, of the heli-skiing companies detailing the amount of experience and background history of their mountain guides and pilots. So check it out when researching a heli-skiing company.

 

Equipment Provided To Customer

5. A majority of the big name heli-skiing companies will provide their customers with powder skis, poles, snowboards and safety equipment (e.g., avalanche transceivers). It is important to check with the company you are researching to see what skiing equipment you will need to bring. When I went on my trip with Canadian Mountain Holidays during April 2009, the only skiing equipment I brought (not including clothing) were my helmet and Salomon Kaos Ski Bootsboots that the lodge staff was able to easily fit my powder skis too. This also helped me save additional airline fees associated with transporting my skis and poles across the country.

 

Currency Exchange Rates

6. If you are planning a heli-skiing trip outside of the current country you live in, then it is very important to check out the exchange rates for the country you are looking to go heli-skiing in. For example, as of mid-August 2009 the going exchange rate for $1.00 Canadian dollar is about $.91 US dollar based on XE’s Universal Currency Converter. So if the prices were exactly the same between a company within the United States of America and Canada, it would be cheaper by about 9% to use the Canadian company. You might want to check out debit/credit card rates for performing currency exchanges (such as using an ATM) as those charges can sometimes erode the exchange rate benefit you might have had.

 

Location, Location, Location…

7. We’ve all heard this marketing phrase before…It’s all about the location. This goes for heli-skiing companies and lodges as well. When planning your heli-skiing trip, you will need to decide whether you want to be secluded in the mountains off of some logging road that is far away from town or staying at a skiing resort that offers heli-skiing. As I’ve only stayed in a lodge far away from any town, I would recommend it as it easily allowed me to meet other heli-skiers within my group and to network with people from all walks of life.

 

Hydration

8. I never really thought about it because I was so excited to go heli-skiing but you can easily get dehydrated due to the constant exercise and high altitude. I also noticed that most heli-skiing company websites do not state that they offer constant water or sport drink mixtures on the helicopter. I was pleasantly surprised to find a metal crate in the helicopter after each run that contained these liquids to rehydrate myself. Staying hydrated is also important as helps reduce muscle damage and soreness that can limit your ability to ski the next day. I would check out if the company allows you to bring water with you or if they provide you with some sort of water or sport drink mixture.

 

Safety Training

9. Have you ever worn or had to use an avalanche transceiver? Do you know how to rescue someone from a tree well? What happens if you get split up from your group? Do you know how to enter and exit a helicopter? These are all important safety tips that you will to know. If you do not currently have the training for this, there is no need to fret as long as the heli-skiing company offers the training prior to you getting on the mountains. It’s recommended for your safety, as well as the safety of others, that you make sure the company you are leaning towards offers these trainings to you and the rest of the heli-skiers in your group.

 

Pay Early

10. This will be known by most of you business-type readers out there but the earlier that you pay off your total balance after selecting the heli-skiing company of your choice, you might get a small percentage discount from 1% to 5%. This is done so a company can receive the maximum cash flow instead of them ending up as collectible. In the case of heli-skiing companies, they will require that you pay the balance off before the start of the trip so the early payment probably acts more to cover any operating expenses and to earn some interest.

Now that you are armed with all of these tips to plan your heli-skiing trip, make sure you check out my personal travel notes from when I went on a three day trip with Canadian Mountain Holidays to stay at the Gothics Lodge.