The Share and Save Series is pleased to present

Jessica, Meru and her Singletrack.

I am the owner of Energy Outdoors, an outdoor fitness company in the Laurentians. We are sports training specialists. I am passionate about the outdoors, fitness and teaching.

I play outdoors all day long – all temperatures – all year long. To me, there is no bad weather… you just need to have the right clothes for all temperatures.

I was pleased to get the chance to critique some gear and apparel from Altitude-Sports.com.

Read s'more about the Meru and Single-Track

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I recently bought the Icebreaker Midweight Quantum hood that I LOVE! I thought I could share some of its great features that melted my heart. First of all, it has a flattering slick fit. The subtle lines give it a nice shape which also increases the freedom of movement. It suits my broad shoulders perfectly, and falls just at the right length at my hips, with a little extra in the back. The arms are nice and long with a thumb catch, for those like me who have trouble putting on base layers without the sleeves getting all bunched up. I bought this sweater in Pewter Grey, and the inside of the hood is a beautiful ‘Belize’ blue, which really makes blue eyes pop!

They POP even more in real life!

Read on about Catherine and her hoodie

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If you are like me, you enjoy scouring the atlas for random islands in the middle of the ocean. That pastime, along with the fact that my cousin just moved there, recently took me to the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago smack in the centre of the Atlantic. These islands sprung up at the junction of the Eurasian, African and North American tectonic plates, and you know what that means: volcanoes!

I was on Terceira Island, which is made up of 4 major volcanoes that make up the rhythm of the landscape.

Bubbling magma created a series of caves and caverns inside the island that provide non-claustrophobic tourists with many magnificent stalactite and stalagmite viewing opportunities. Here I was heading down into one such cave. Although this picture reminds me of the movie The Descent, it wasn’t actually scary, and I did not run into any bloodthirsty creatures.

Read on, read on about Terceira

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A beautiful day indeed

It’s Friday June 18 and it’s a beautiful day, maybe a little late in the year for my first real hike but always better late than never. The goal for the day, Mount Mansfield, 4,393 feet, the highest peak in Vermont and a jewel in the crown of the New England “four thousand’ers.” In the past I’ve summited the peak from three of the four cardinal points. Today would see the fourth side tackled with my approach coming from Underhill State Park lying on the west flank of the mountain face. “Face” is the apt term since Mount Mansfield is said to resemble a lying down face in profile, however, I have always thought this a stretch. Nonetheless, the summit ridge is described using this image with the Chin being the high point, the Forehead at the South flank standing at 3,940’, the Nose at 4,062’, the Chin at 4,393’ and then the Adams Apple along the Northern decent at 4,060’.

From the Laura Cowles Trail looking North West

The drive to Underhill, as with most drives in Vermont, is quite picturesque. Passing through the “Notch” from Stowe to Smugglers Notch is always nice and on such a beautiful spring day there were plenty of people about, hiking to Sterling Pond, bouldering and just stretching their legs. Read on about the Underhill Approach

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Achtung! Mark is that blurry human shape in the midground, not the plants

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Mark Smith, Mr Emo, Sasquatch

FAVOURITE SPOT IN MONT-TREMBLANT

My Neck

FAVOURITE THING FROM ALTITUDE-SPORTS.COM

My black and white Chugach 16 by The North Face.

YOU WOULD NEVER…

Play truth or dare. See more Mark Altitude in Tremblant

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Welcome to Smithers B.C., where the grizzly bears and moose roam in your back yard and you are encompassed by the beauty of the Bulkley Valley with a wonderful ski hill and glaciers right outside your back window. What more could you ask for? Well a The North Face tent delivered by an Altitude-Sports.com staff of course!

At last, I have finally arrived! For those of you who enjoy the great outdoors and have never had the chance to visit, I highly recommend the trip. The Bulkley Valley has everything to offer; rafting, kayaking, incredible river fishing, hiking, back country skiing, camping. You name it, they've got it.

I feel quite close to Mr. Coldwell's tent now that I've traveled across Canada with it, so I feel the obligation to show it around a little. Read on about Very Special Delivery: Smithers

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Friday May 14th 2010

15h00 – And we’re off. We just left Montreal and we’re on our way to our camping site on the Montagne d' Argent (Silver Mountain) in the Laurentians. Upon our departure, the sun was shining. This was getting us down, but we were still hopeful. Luckily, the forecast was suggesting rain, at which point we would be able to test our Outdoor Research jackets. I had my Helium Jacket at the ready.

18h30 – We’re getting supper ready. Still no clouds in sight (sigh)!

22h30 – I’m all snug in my sleeping bag when that magical sound I was waiting for arrives. The lapping of the raindrops on the tent eventually become a rainy 5th symphony. I’m hoping it lasts until tomorrow, for our ascent of the Pic-Johansen in the Mont Tremblant Park. I’ll finally get to try out my Helium! Read more: Helium Jacket: As good as gold on the Silver Mountain

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My friend and I left Montreal at around 3 p.m. hoping to get perfect weather, ie tons of rain so we could put my Outdoor Research Revel Jacket through its paces. According to the forecast, everything was in place. The plan was to sleep at the Montagne d’Argent (Silver Mountain) and the next morning hike Le toit des Laurentides trail in the Mont Tremblant Park. As planned, we got to the mountain at supper time. Once we’d set up our tents and eaten a nice meal, I decided to check out the surrounding area. We discovered lots of possibilities: foot paths, climbing walls, not to mention various services at a reasonable price.

Upon our return, we made it a short evening in front of a fire with a beer at hand. The next morning, we got up really early for breakfast and packing up. Next stop : Le toit des Laurentides.

At 9 a.m., give or take a few minutes, we got to the trailhead. Luckily, our friend the rain was waiting for us.

At first, the path went along some nice falls that has a few spots to bathe; the terrain was rather varied, rooty and rocky with a decent incline. The climb up was quite nice with changing conditions: torrentiel rain, fine mist and even a bit of sunshine. These were perfect conditions to test my sweet jacket. It really protected me from the rain and I appreciated its breathability, especially the pit-zips. By opening it at waist-length on each side, I could put my hip bag underneath and thus keep it protected from the rain. The hood was very well ajusted and the storage pocket was easy to use. The ascent took two-and-a-half hours and when we got to the top, we had a welcoming committee of gray jays who came to eat in our hands.

We lunched with the jays and took a half-hour break to recuperate a bit.

The descent was quick and lasted an hour-and-a-half. We ran down the path and I treated myself to two memorable tumbles in the mud. Although the path was quite wet, I managed to keep my feet dry. I can’t say the same for my cotton pants. We ended the day on a nice little beach as we ate our dinner.

Happy trails!

Rock

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Hello, my name is Gabrielle and I've been an avid outdoor enthusiast for several years now! I do activities such as hiking, canoeing, camping and climbing. For almost a year now, I've been a specialist at Altitude Sports on St-Denis in Montreal.

I recently had the pleasure of trying out an Outdoor Research waterproof/breathable jacket: the women’s Reflexa. Actually, it’s the first piece of OR clothing I’ve ever owned. I tested it mostly on my bike this spring and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. Firstly, the jacket is made in a very interesting way, especially the zippers on either side. The zipper that extends from the underarm to the bottom of the jacket allows you to comfortably wear a backpack with a waist belt. You can do like me in the photo and adjust it so that the jacket doesn’t constantly ride up your back.

Read more Reflexa Jacket: Water Beware

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Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jérôme and I am a specialist at Altitude Sports St-Denis and a shipper for the Altitude-sports.com website. Being a lover of outdoor activity, I definitely needed a soft shell.

A softshell has the advantage of being much more breathable than a waterproof breathable jacket and does a good job protecting from small showers with its resistance to water and wind. In short, it is great for most situations.

Lately, I’ve been wearing my Ferrosi a lot. I have had the opportunity test it on several short hikes and while biking. I am very satisfied with this product so far.

Read more on Jérôme's thoughts on the Ferrosi Hoody

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Recently, I got to test it out as I walked up Mount Pevee in the Eastern Townships. It is right by my cottage, and has no marked trails to the top. I must say it was quite a scramble to the 600 meter view-point. The panorama was worth it though. I got a glimpse of Mount Orford, Owl’s Head, and Jay Peak, easy to recognise by the still snow-covered ski trails. The jacket was perfect with a small sweater underneath on this cool sunny day. You can see me with my hood on, as I enter the exposed area at the top of the mount. It was a wonderful 3-hour hike, with lots of spring flowers guiding my way.

Me in the Outdoor Research Ferrosi Hoody

Me in the Outdoor Research Ferrosi Hoody 2

Click here to learn more about Catherine's Ferrosi Hoody

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Rumor Hoody : The word is out…

I got hooked the outdoors at the age of 17, though I began my career as an “outdoorsman” long before that in summer camps (sea kayaking, canoeing, climbing, etc..) and with my family (hiking). However, my first real expedition took place in the White Mountains (New Hampshire, U.S.) with three friends. That's when I discovered my passion for nature and adventure. Since then, I have never stopped planning short, medium or long hikes across Quebec, in the eastern United States and elsewhere in the world (Iceland, Germany, Switzerland). Today, despite my duties as manager at Altitude-Sports on St-Denis, I still find the time to escape from the city to enjoy the benefits of outdoor adventure.

The word is out in the Adirondacks

When I was asked to write down my impressions of the Outdoor Research Rumor Hoody, I immediately wondered how this stretch fleece could be useful to me in April, when it started getting hot and everyone was taking out their summer wardrobe. I found my answer when I decided to flee the city for a short two day trip in the Adirondacks (New York).

Read more about what Louis' testing of the Outdoor Research Rumor Hoody

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Nine and half long hours later, including a lay over and delay in Vancouver International Airport and 2 tired children, we finally arrive in Prince George B.C. As I walk out of the plane, I instantly know where I am thanks to the unmistakeable smell of the pulp and paper mills! If you don't know what it smells like try to remember the last time you a took a bath with your child and they farted. Because adults don't do that sort of thing... I can’t believe I'm almost back in my old stomping grounds!

Too tired to even take a photo with the famous tent upon arrival in PG, we head to a hotel and call it a night.

After a difficult night’s sleep due to the anticipation of getting my feet on ground in the place I will always call home, Smithers B.C., we head out and say a quick hello to Mr. PG! Read more Very Special Delivery: Prince George

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What's the craziest delivery story you've heard? Imagine yourself having placed an order on our website thinking that your package will be delivered by a busy UPS driver 5 days later. That's the way it usualy goes right? Now imagine that UPS driver actually being one of our great staff at Altitude-Sports.com delivering that very same package directly on your door-step! That could never happen...or could it? Well, my wonderful friends, that is exactly what you are about to witness!

Read more about this very special delivery

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Living in a city can be quite exciting. There are so many people around and so many things happening. For those interested in our environmental impact as urban denizens, the Écomusée du Fier Monde and the Urban Ecology Centre are currently holding the final, part of their 3 part exhibit entitled Habiter une Ville Durable (Living in a Sustainable City). The exhibit reflects upon three themes, transportation, housing and consumption. It looks at the choices we make within these themes, as individuals, as a collective and at the government level.

Read more about Living in a Sustainable City

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Hiking up a hill on a day walk in New Zealand, turn a corner, and there it is… a sight that is oddly familiar or maybe just out of place. With all the magnificent scenery, New Zealand is a popular choice for film locations. Here are a couple I came across:

I came upon this site after walking up a private hill (I wasn’t technically allowed to be there so let’s say it was in the Queenstown area… shhhhh). Is it an homage to Mao? A Buddhist temple? No, actually it’s a Korean prison from a 1984 Disney movie called The Rescue. Quite surreal, especially after being followed up by overly curious llamas.

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Dear Altitude Blog readers,

I am writing on behalf of our group “Sadabe” (a Montreal-based NGO), to request your donation of equipment for our first cooperative women’s health workshop to be held in Madagascar with our sister organization “Taratra Reny sy Zaza” in September 2010. Sadabe’s goals are to promote a better and more effective coexistence for Madagascar’s humans and its wildlife, and to improve the education and health of the local Malagasy people in the region.

We have received grant money to host the workshop, but as our site is extremely remote and without running water/electricity, we are in need of a few specific “camping” items to succeed in our mission, and we were hoping you might be interested in supporting our cause and donating new or used equipment.

We plan to donate five “Midwife” kits with medical equipment, but are in need of five LED headlamps to help when delivering babies (as this region has no electricity), five digital watches (to help time contractions) and five small backpacks to hold the equipment. Since this region is within the rainforest and most of our midwives also have no raingear, we are also requesting five raincoats/suits to help them as they hike through the forest to attend births. Read more about Sadabe

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Spring is in the air, and that means it’s time to skip the coffee and reach for a refreshing smoothie instead. The milkshake’s healthier cousin, smoothies are a great way of getting all those fruits and veggies into your diet when you don’t find yourself making time to eat them.

Smoothies are great as a between-meal snack, or as a surprisingly filling breakfast before you start work. They’re nutritious, cheap, easy to make and most importantly, delicious!

Read more about smoothies

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Can you imagine a land without mammals? That was New Zealand before humans got there and brought their fuzzy friends. Just a few hundred years ago the land was covered in different bird species that took up all the niches held by mammals on the continents. I unfortunately never saw the ellusive kiwi bird but these ones are quite unique as well. PS. There were actually three species of bats and marine mammals but let’s pretend my first statement was true, just for the dramatic effect.

No, this is not a Kiwi… it is a Weka, also flightless, endemic and endangered. With no mammals around as predators many birds lost their ability to fly because they didn’t need to without threats. This became a problem when all the fuzzies were introduced. Is it me or does this guy look like a cross between a chicken and a dinosaur?

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Glaciers designed the landscape of much New Zealand’s South Island. As in many polar or high altitude regions, the movement of a mass of ice carves out a path wherever it passes.

Fox Glacier in all its massive glory. Acting on the landscape in the present.

Some other glaciers have come and gone during colder times. The landscape they left behind depended on what kind of terrain was underneath. Here are some of my favorite creations: Read more Glacial Architect - Alexandra in New Zealand

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