I’m far from being the only one who likes looking at the stars. Stargazing has been one of humans’ favourite activities since the beginning of time. The following image proves this well.

Can you make out this language?

I found it on NASA’s APOD (Amazing Picture of the Day) website where you can find astronomical images (and not bills!) and accompanying information. Check out what the image below has to say:

“The ancient text has no known title, no known author, and is written in no known language: what does it say and why does it have many astronomy illustrations? The mysterious book was once bought by an emperor, forgotten on a library shelf, sold for thousands of dollars, and later donated to Yale. Possibly written in the 15th century, the over 200-page volume is known most recently as the Voynich Manuscript, after its (re-)discoverer in 1912. Pictured above is an illustration from the book that appears to be somehow related to the Sun. The book labels some patches of the sky with unfamiliar constellations. The inability of modern historians of astronomy to understand the origins of these constellations is perhaps dwarfed by the inability of modern code-breakers to understand the book's text. Can the eclectic brain trust of APOD readers make any progress? The book itself remains in Yale's rare book collection under catalog number "MS 408."

Translated by Judy Murphy

Our team of happy sculptors with their tuques on snug, gloves well-adjusted, and tightly buttoned coats took out their machetes, saws and shovels and determined to brave the cold for three days to bring forth. Loon Breaking Free!

The Loon-y team. Note the Altitude Sports logos!

The event unfolded with a joyously friendly, festive, and especially wintery atmosphere: a memorable adventure and one to certainly repeat!

A huge thanks to our sponsors at Altitude Sports for keeping us warm!

Sculpturally yours,

Maude Ledoux, Mélissa Campeau, Ève Champagne

ASTROLab du Mont-Mégantic

Il a plu. Le problème n'était pas qu'il a plu tant que ça, mais plutôt que le ciel était ennuagé tout le temps que j'y était. Pas d'étoiles pour Juan. Pas de bonbons pour les yeux. Certains optimistes, lorsque la vie leur tend des citrons, font de la limonade. De mon bord, je fais du limoncello. Mieux vaut vivre la vie avec des lunettes roses. Après tout, la vie va vivre son cours de toute façon. Aussi bien se permettre un petit sourire! Ainsi, le parc du Mont-Mégantic est riche en cogitations. Mais quel parc ne l'est pas ? Je divague.

Somme toute, le parc est très bien, si un peu inégal. Ce fut un plaisir de marché à travers la forêt humide. J'aime bien ces moments car le feuillage prend une toute autre couleur. Bon, ça demeurre du vert, c'est plutot que les couleurs prennent une toute autre qualité.

Le parc du Mont-Mégantic est bien équipé car non seulement est-ce qu'il y a des places pour des tentes mais il y a aussi des cabanes ouvertes au public. Pendant le jour, tous les visiteurs du parc peuvent s'en servir. Équipé d'un poêle ainsi que d'une réserve abondante de bois, ces endroits sont idéals pour se réchauffer, cuisiner et manger. Je peux le confirmer puisque c'est ce que j'ai fait. Le jour, ma compagne d'excursion et moi avons utilisé le poêle pour faire bouillir notre eau et pour faire des grill-cheeses légèrement brulés. Hmmmm! Pour les autres tâches du genre mon Dragonfly bien aimé s'est montré utile et pratique, comme d'habitude.

Les sites pour les tentes ont une plateforme élevée. C'est un atout car on est certain d'avoir un plancher droit sans parler de la protection additionnelle puisque les plateformes évacuent la pluie. Les sites sont aussi équipés d'une table à pique-nique ainsi qu'un endroit pour faire un feu. Pour agrémenter le tout, il y a même à proximité un cabanon avec du bois coupé.

Ultralight n'est pas dans mon vocabulaire!

Ces éléments ajoutent certainement au confort et je trouve qu'il n'on pas enlevé au sentiment d'être en forêt. Cela étant dit, assurez-vous de choisir votre site judicieusement. J'ai trouvé que certains étaient trop proches d'endroits de forte circulation.

Quant au pistes, elles passaient de très grosses à toutes petites et techniques. Je trouvais que celles qui étaient très grosses laissaient un peu à désirer. Elles étaient bien entretenues, mais côté enchantement n'arrivaient pas à la cheville des petites. Celles-ci étaient riches en atmosphère et en variété. On avait vraiment la sensation d'être dans une forêt primaire.

Malheureusement, je n'ai pas pu me rendre au sommet du Mont-Mégantic ni visiter une assez grande partie du parc à mon goût. La bonne nouvelle c'est que ça fait d'excellentes raisons d'y retourner ! Vive l'esprit du voyageur ! J'ai certainement hâte de m'y retrouver car ce que j'ai vu était vraiment fort et ça ne représentait qu'une petite partie. En espérant que dame nature coopère côté ciel!

But it soon became clear that this is no ordinary village. Life here, as I discovered is completely different from even the urbanized towns closer to Montreal.

My first surprise was to learn that 98% of the people here speak Cree as a first language. Some only speak a little bit of English (the main second language). Everything here is spelled out in Cree, from street signs to store names, and this is clearly not for the rare tourists who occasionally make it this far North.

In front of most every house was a newish truck, an ATV and a snowmobile, and behind was a large tepee, roughly two floors high. The tepees surprised me most and I assumed that they were symbolical, built for their cultural value. Not so! They are very much functional. The locals explained to me that the tepees serve as “outdoor kitchens” where caribou meat and fish are prepared. Another thing I discovered was that every family in the town had a second house or a cabin, rather, somewhere out in the surrounding wilderness, where they hunt, fish and trap. These activities, though performed with modern equipment, seem to be a major part of everyone’s lives, and I never had a single discussion in Chisasibi that didn’t somehow tie in to hunting or fishing.

On the shore of river and bay, a fleet of large motorized canoes lay prepared. There appeared to be one for ever person in the village.
Reunited with my car, I drove back to LG1 and crossed it, continuing 50km on an unpaved road to a peninsula called Longue Pointe, technically the Northern end of the road (guess that was the whole point of the trip). There I made a point to swim in James Bay, since it is technically a part of the Arctic Ocean, just to say I did. Needless to say, the water was freezing. I mean, the air itself was only 8 degrees.

Don’t get too excited, I know most of the veggie burgers you may have tried could taste like cardboard or a stale Frisbee. However, if you make them yourself, you know exactly what’s in it and they will taste delicious without requiring much time to prepare or cook.

Try telling me that does not look delicious! Photo by Seelensturm @ Flickr

Yes, beans do have some unfortunate side effects like causing the person sleeping next to you to leave the tent for some fresh air. However, if you wash your canned beans well, and soak your dried beans overnight before cooking them, you will remove the phytic acid that causes gas.

A really healthy and easy recipe follows if you want to make them from scratch.

The fun in this recipe is being inventive and taking a risk, a little squirt of ketchup, a handful of nuts or seeds. As long as you can form them into patties that will bind together without falling apart, you are good. Try the mixture, and adjust taste to your liking.

Veggie Burger

2 cups well-cooked white, black or red beans, or chickpeas or lentils, (or 1 14-ounce can, drained)
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
½ cup rolled oats (preferably not instant)
1 tablespoon chili powder, or the spice mix of your choice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg
Bean-cooking liquid, stock or other liquid (wine, cream, milk, water or ketchup) if necessary
Extra virgin olive oil or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn.

1. Combine all ingredients except liquid and oil in food processor and pulse until chunky but not puréed. If necessary, add a little liquid for a mixture that is moist but not wet. Let mixture rest for a few minutes.
2. With wet hands, shape into patties and let rest again for a few minutes. (Burger mixture or shaped burgers can be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to a day. Bring back to room temperature before cooking.) Film bottom of a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet with oil and turn heat to medium. When hot, add patties. Cook undisturbed until browned, about 5 minutes; turn carefully (so they don’t fall apart) with spatula and cook 3 or 4 minutes until firm and browned.
3. Serve on buns with mustard, ketchup, chutney or other toppings.

For the inventive chef: To the basic mix you could add cheese; soy sauce or herbs; ketchup, tomato paste or chopped sun-dried tomatoes; nuts or seeds; lemon or other citrus zest; and so on. You can also make these patties with mashed potatoes as a base, adding bits of any chopped vegetables you like.

Myrite Rotstein
Certified Holistic Wellness Coach
www.tastylife.org

Recipe and suggestions courtesy of Mark Bittman, NY times columnist and author of How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Taille 126

Dans un pays comme le nôtre, ou l’hiver est une saison incontournable, certains d’entre nous développent l’art de patiner dès le plus jeune âge. Je ne me rappelle plus de la première fois où j’ai enfilé des patins, car j’étais alors à peine âgé de 4 ans. Ce que je me rappelle tout de même bien, c’est la transition entre les «patins de filles» aux «patins de gars». J’avais 7 ans lorsque mes parents organisèrent une équipe de ringuette dans notre village. J’ai donc quitté les petites robes de paillettes colorées pour une paire de gants qui puent en compagnie de ma sœur cette année là.

Nous étions toutes en rang prêtes à entrer sur la patinoire pour la première fois avec des patins de hockey. Lorsque j’arrivai pour piquer du devant, (déformation d’utilisation de patins blanc) je me retrouvai en pleine face en 2 secondes. Je me rappellerai toujours le regard et les rires qui fusèrent alors car j’étais la première dans la file...
Lorsque l’on grandit dans une famille de hockeyeurs, la question ne se pose même pas. Patiner est une action aussi banale que d’apprendre à marcher et devient rapidement de seconde nature. C’est pourquoi certains classiques de l’hiver au sein d’un clan de sportifs se transforment en traditions. Le Canal Rideau se trouve en tête de liste de la saison blanche.

C'est un départ

Pourquoi direz-vous? Parce que cette activité, qui est facilement accessible pour tous, permet de patiner sans avoir l’impression de tourner en rond. Elle est d’ailleurs en tête de liste mondiale comme étant la patinoire la plus longue au monde, soit d’une distance de 7,8 kilomètres. La section du canal Rideau qui traverse la ville d’Ottawa possède une surface équivalente à 90 patinoires olympiques de hockey. Les patineurs peuvent s’y laisser glisser en toute liberté. Que ce soit de la petite famille au patineur solitaire, chacun y trouvera son compte. J’aime bien y apporter ma musique pour l’écouter en bruit de fond.

Certains kiosques et expositions sont installés tout au long du canal et apportent de l’animation à tous les passants. On retrouve donc les fameux petits kiosques incontournables où l'on savoure les populaires queues-de-castor (de l'anglais Beaver Tail). Cette pâtisserie est faite de pâte frite garnie de divers ingrédients comme de la cannelle, du citron et du beurre d'érable. Je dois avouer que ce moment est un de ceux les plus attendus par les patineurs de tous âges…

Queues de castor

"We are recruiting for a ski trip to St. Anton Austria, last week of January. Are you in?"

Pour un instant, la raison au signe faible de mon dollar canadien prend le dessus sur les émotions vives que l’image de la poudreuse peut égayer en moi. Je texte alors plus lentement que mon ombre la lettre N… suivie de celle qui me fait serrer les dents O… et puis merde, on n’a qu’une vie à vivre! J’efface le N repoussant et fais suivre le O positif du U plein d’artifices et du I jouissif. 27 janvier, me voilà étendue sur trois sièges libres d’Air Canada, la nouvelle classe économie 3 pour 1, bien partie pour la médaille de la plaisance.

La montagne nous fait sentir petits

Innsbruck est mon premier arrêt puisque que mes amis anglais n’arrivent que dans deux jours à St. Anton. Deux jours de paix. Pourquoi ne pas profiter de ce calme pour essayer de voler au-dessus des Alpes pour mieux comprendre où je me trouve sur la carte? 95 euros plus tard, je survole Schlick 2000, et c’est confirmé, je me trouve dans une région magnifique.

Une région magnifique

Petit train va loin! Pas trop loin puisque St. Anton se situe à seulement 45 minutes de chouchou de la capitale des Alpes. On dirait un village d’hiver du Playmobil de luxe. J’ai faim, ah une boulangerie. J’ai soif, ah un café. Je marche seule, ah le beau sourire norvégien. J’ai du temps à dépenser, ah une boutique The North Face, ah une boutique Arc’teryx, ah une boutique Prada… rien de moins pour la skieuse du Playmobil!

Parlant de ski, me voici au guichet:

- Une passe de ski pour 7 jours svp.
- 244 euros.
- Et celle de 5 jours?
- 182 euros.
- Qu’est-ce que je prends?
- Que voulez-vous faire d’autre que skier à St. Anton?
- C’est bien que trop vrai, 7 jours svp. Rendue ici, au diable la dépense!

Wow! C’est le seul mot qui me vient à l’esprit lors de ma première descente, ski route 34, une longue traverse menant à la fraîche poudreuse tombée cette nuit. Je dois en profiter tout-à-coup que cette neige folle soit la seule précipitation de la semaine. Ski route 33, ski route 18, ski route 16, ski route 15… monte, traverse, descends, monte, traverse, descends, monte, traverse, descends. Bien non, ma première journée d’euphorie enneigée s’est répétée toute la semaine comme le parfait jour de la marmotte. À la seule différence que plus la semaine avançait, plus j’étendais de Myoflex sur mon genou droit, plus mon bronzage de raton laveur se dessinait, plus mon humour anglais devenait fluent, plus ma batterie de caméra photo se vidait. Et oui, j’avais apporté le convertisseur, mais j’avais laissé l’adapteur sur mon lit à Tremblant. Donc, certaines images apparaîtront en boucle seulement entre mes yeux et mon cerveau, le disque dur du bonheur égoïste!

Si vous pensez aller skier en Autriche, n’apporter pas trop de vêtements pour deux bonnes raisons : les compagnies aériennes acceptent juste une valise depuis décembre et de toute façon, il n’y a qu’un seul code vestimentaire pour le jour blanc et la nuit blanche à St. Anton. J’aurais pu prendre l’avion habillée de mes vêtements de ski et ne jamais les enlever complètement jusqu’à mon retour. De là l’importance de porter des sous-vêtements Icebreaker en laine mérinos qui tempèrent le corps humain peu importe le coup de vent au sommet ou l’agglomération intense sur la piste de danse, qui ne gardent pas les odeurs d’efforts, de bière ou de filet mignon, qui se distinguent par leurs couleurs riches et leur douceur appréciée lors d’un contact physique imprévu. Un peu plus et je les gardais pour la séance de sauna après-ski!

La preuve d'une expertise en après-ski

L’après-ski, un concept que les Autrichiens ont bien compris. Désolée pour le peu de détails, il fallait y goûter pour comprendre. Je vous le souhaite à tous, ce voyage au merveilleux monde du Playmobil d’hiver. Pour mes amis anglais, je conclus cet article avec une simple réflexion qui en dit long: It’s mint!

Véronique Forget

Solo on the slopes

We all have our favourite mountains, but have you ever been to Massif in Petite Rivière Saint François? It’s my personal favourite and seems to be so for many people. All it takes is a ride down one of the 48 runs or a trip through the back country to understand what I mean. Distracted by the magnificent horizon of the St. Laurence River, it’s almost impossible to keep your eyes on the hill to look where you’re going.

Last Friday, my family and I left for a wonderful weekend at Massif. We stayed in a little rented chalet in Petite Rivière Saint-François on the side of the mountain. From there, we had the same panoramic view you get on the slopes. The one that takes your breath away, beckons to your eye and soothes your spirit. However, let’s not get too carried away. Our perfect little chalet was more or less poorly constructed. The enormous chimney in the middle of the front wall blocked half the view, the kitchen counter moved every time we leaned on it and the bathroom had no shower curtain or window curtain, which, little known to us, gave passerby’s a show every time they walked past. Alright, alright, I’m being critical out of obvious necessity; the weekend was unreal.

Me and my little brother

To get to the hill, we went through the village at first light, taking the longer, but more quaint and picturesque route than the way alongside the 138. There I was, on the hill, with my parents and my younger brother, despite the bitter cold keeping other skiers nice and toasty inside the chalet. This was fine by us because the runs were less crowded and the lines almost non-existent.

The family in the cold

A bitter cold? Didn’t bother us, we were unstoppable. Only at the end of the day did I realize, with my smile frozen on my face, that I might be a little cold. But a hot chocolate loosened me up again and I knew the cold wasn’t the only thing keeping a smile on my face.

Frozen smile

Je suis loin d'être le seul à admirer les astres. C'est une des activités préférées de l'humanité depuis que l'humanité existe. L'image ci-dessous en est bien la preuve.

Pouvez-vous déchiffrer ce langage?

Je l'ai trouvée sur l'excellent site APOD de la NASA qui offre à chaque une image astronomique (et non pas une facture!) avec une explication. Et voici celle qui est offerte pour l'image ci-dessus:

"De cet ancien texte, non seulement ne connaissons nous pas le titre ni l'auteur mais nous ne connaissons même pas la langue utilisée ! Qu'est-ce qui est écrit et pourquoi y a-t-il tant d'illustrations astronomiques? Le livre mystérieux a auparavant été acheté pour un empereur, oublié sur une tablette d'une bibliothèque, vendu pour des milliers de dollars et ensuite légué à l'université Yale. Possiblement créé au 15e siècle, le volume fait plus de 200 page et est aujourd'hui connu sous le nom de le Manuscrit Voynich. Il est nommé ainsi en honneur de celui qui en a fait sa (re)découverte en 1912. Nous voyons ici une illustration du livre qui semble être reliée au soleil. Le livre indique des parties du ciel avec des constellations méconnues. Le problème de l'incapacité des historiens modernes de l'astronomie à comprendre les origines de ces constellations est peut-être même minimisé par l'incapacité des déchiffreurs modernes à comprendre le texte. Est-ce que le groupe éclectique que sont les lecteurs de APOD peut faire avancer la chose ? Le livre lui-même se retrouve dans la collection des livres rares de Yale sous le code de catalogue "MS 408"."

What a feeling!

So many of us enjoy a “great adventure”, but we also have children who want to “adventure” with us. How in the heck do you climb Mount Everest or hike the jungles of India with a 5, 3, and 2-year old? Well, I haven’t done any of THOSE things with my kids, but we do have great adventures.

Hi, I go by “The General” and my 3 kids and I LOVE hiking and adventuring outdoors. Sometimes having your adventures with your kids isn’t as intense, but the wonderment on their faces is enough to make it fun.

Plus, if you keep adventuring with them they’ll grow up to be “big adventurers” one day. These are chronicles of places we’ve been, adventures we’ve had, things we do, and how we make it fun.

Since this is our first time together I’ll give you just a couple pointers on how to include your kids and what they can do that is fun. After today we’ll get into more specific things that will be cool for you AND your kids.

Let’s get trekking…

How Young Is Too Young?

My 5-year old daughter went on her first hike, albeit a short one, when she was 2. Her little brother stayed home and we hit the trails of our local national park.

Actually, we went hiking because she said she liked rocks. There are plenty of rocks on the trail you know!

I told my wife that our son could hike when he learned how to walk. So, that’s what we did until #3 came along.

In order to keep #3 from feeling left out we found a backpack carrier for the baby. Now, if you don’t hike regularly with a child on your back you don’t know how much fun this can be.

The baby will want to grab your eyes and turn your head to see every cool thing they’ve found. When we first started my kid just liked to turn my head and tell me “Hi”. Nowadays she walks by herself and picks up her own rocks.

What’s the moral of this story? You can’t be too young to go on Mom or Dad’s “great adventure”.

What Do You Take With You?

My kids love a snack. Actually, my kids love food period. However, we don’t take “Protein-rich/ultra/hiking-food” on hikes. We call it a snack.

What constitutes a snack for a hike with your kids? The same things you would take with you on an all-day trek. However, go cheap. Bring them some chips and pretzels. Bring a piece of fruit to cut up. Bring your Swiss army knife to cut it with—they’ll dig that!

The trick here is to have something to do when you stop. Kids might think that being in the middle of the woods or hiking a foothill is boring. However, if you find a special place to stop and have a snack they’ll think it’s the coolest thing ever.

It doesn’t take much to entertain them sometimes.

How Far Do You Go?

How far do you hike with your kids? As far as you can!

If you’re hiking loop trails then just start the loop and tell the kids you’re going to finish this “big trail”. If the trail doesn’t loop or intersect with something then just stop, have a snack, and turn around.

This is where you have to control yourself. As an adult we could hike for miles and miles and not feel it. Heck, we could read your favorite website all day (Genxxl.com, altitude-blog.com,) and not feel it. However, you might be carrying a baby and walking with other kids. You know how much they can take.

If you are willing to hike deep enough into wooded areas you’re bound to see local wildlife and even spot some birds. This is a good time to decide if your kid wants to be an Ornithologist or Zoologist. They’ll go just for the birds!

When you’re looking for animals just keep track of how long you’ve been on the trail so you don’t go too far. The last you need is to repeat “Deliverance”.

Don’t be afraid to push them a little bit. It won’t hurt them to feel a little “burn” in their little legs. I promise that when you get home they won’t stop talking about your “cool adventure”.

What Do I Do?

We have a couple national parks near the house with lots of trail-space. We just drive over into the park and pick a place to stop. We hop out of the car and get going.

Some spots have names and others don’t. I tell my kids the names of trails and places we go: They make up the rest on their own.
We know a couple spots where people bring their horses—it’s like being at the zoo! Plus, there are places where people bring their dogs and your kids will LOVE meeting everyone’s dogs—mine do!

Anything that makes it fun for them will have them wanting more, and that’s what you want. You want to share a passion of yours with your kids.

It’s certainly better than leaving them at home!

No matter how we define this season, in order to survive it, you've got to savour it. At the beginning of winter, Magalie and I took advantage of the change in season and treated ourselves to a little hike, the snow not yet deep enough to need snowshoes.

The view is always better with a moustache

In Tremblant, after visiting our friends from Altitude, we went to Domaine St. Bernard, an ecotourism community park. From there, we decided to climb up Mount Onontio. The hike was only 4 km long and not very technical, but it was truly lovely. A magnificent day, the sky was free of clouds and sparkling blue. It must have been

– 6 C: the ideal temperature for outdoor activities. Warmer than – 5 C and the snow melts and everything’s wet. Colder than – 10 and it’s too cold to be really comfortable. It doesn’t prevent you from doing activities, but it’s not ideal.

There were these super cute birds following us. People obviously feed them too much, but that didn’t change how nice it was to have them around.

A little too close and almost too cute!

At the top, we stopped to eat a little meal of ramen soup and granola bars. I love ramen soup so I was very happy to eat some in the forest with a beautiful view of Lake Tremblant.

Ramen soup……mmmm…mmmm

Things were a little complicated going down….in a good way. The path became very steep and there were even sections where we had to hold onto ropes in order to get down.

Savouring the view

All in all a most enjoyable day!

C’est avec beaucoup de détermination que notre équipe de joyeuses sculpteuses, la tuque bien enfoncée, les gants bien ajustés, le manteau bien boutonné ont sorti machettes, scies et pelles et ont bravé le froid durant 3 jours pour donner naissance à l’œuvre Le huard fout le camp!

L'équipe huardesque. Notez les beaux logos Altitude Sports!

L’événement s’est déroulé dans une ambiance joviale, chaleureuse, festive et surtout très hivernale : une aventure mémorable à renouveler assurément!

Un gros merci à notre commandite Altitude sport pour nous avoir gardé au chaud!

Sculpturellement vôtre!
Maude Ledoux, Mélissa Campeau, Ève Champagne

To read the first part, click here

The Chic-Chocs. Lac aux Américains. Roselin Refuge. 28 of December. 8 AM.

The first morning we woke up in the heart of the Chic-Choc mountains, all bundled up in our sleeping bags, we finally had the chance to take in the magical winter wonderland that surrounded us. After those few hours of well-deserved sleep and a good hearty breakfast, we carefully planned out the unforgettable week ahead. Our daily strategy was simple: Carpe Diem. Having reserved the same refuge for three nights, we had a lot of time to explore our surroundings, with respect to the unpredictable spirit of Mother Nature, of course.

Did I mention it was winter?

Because we had limited amount of daylight, we had to plan our days carefully. By 4 PM it was dark and seven hyperactive people crowded into a small dimly-lit refuge needed a minimum of planned activities to pass the time. We had brought along a few carefully selected games, which would prove to be essential items :

- Settlers of Catan (renamed Settlers of Matane for the occasion)
- Junglespeed (a must)
- Dice (it passed the time, but not everyone likes to add.)

After our first three days of hard work (life is tough, I know), we made our way to the second refuge at Mines Madeleine, where we would spend four nights. I’m not kidding, it was total luxury: there was electricty and a shower! We could cook our New Year’s Eve tourtière and a huge dinner worthy of the last day of the year and a night in the woods. The real challenge was to try to stay up until midnight: the blackness was bewitching, the sky was star-laden and the fatigue from a day of snowshoeing was heavy in our bodies. Happy New Year!

Fom the Mines Madeleine you can see Mount Albert

We left early the next morning, January 1st, heading towards Mount Jacques Cartier, the second highest summit in Québec.

Walking towards Mount Jacques Cartier

However, we didn’t have crampons and couldn’t go all the way to the top, which was covered in ice. All the same, we were at least 100 m from the summit.

The view of Mount Jacques Cartier that we visited earlier in the hike.

Our voyage was finished at last after nine days of clear air, snow, good food, hiking, mountains. What can I say? The return to the city was hard.

Oh how it snowed and snowed ! When are we leaving again ?

Translation by Judy Murphy

The Season Trailer from Fitz Cahall and Bryan Smith on Vimeo.

I found it on the Arc'teryx website. In fact, Arc'teryx is one of the sponsors.

Always fun to find videos that inspire you to stop watching videos and get outside!

Those who subscribe to our newsletter are already aware of it (you can join by adding your email address in the upper right hand corner); we're currently throwing a great End of Season The North Face Sale at Altitude-sports.com.

You can immediately start taking advantage of rebates that go up to 50% on over 330 selected products. Whether you're looking for apparel for men, women, or children, equipment, men's or women's footwear, odds are our selection will satisfy you.

This offer is only valid for orders placed on our website. You can pick up your orders in store if you like!

Here's a sample of the deals you can get by checking out our website :

The North Face Men's Tahoe (down!)

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50% off price: 165,00$

The North Face Girl's Arctic Jacket

Regular price: 250,00$
50% off price: 125,00$

The North Face Women's Nuptse Bootie III

Regular price: 100,00$
40% off price: 60,00$

The North Face Men's Vanton

Regular Price: 160,00$
40% off price: 96,00$

The North Face Mountain 25 (4 season tent!)

Regular price: 550,00$
40% off price: 330,00$

Bonne chasse aux aubaines!

Max

Ceux qui sont abonnés à notre infolettre  le savent déjà (inscrire son adresse courriel dans le coin en haut à droite pour s'inscire); la Grande vente de fin de saison The North Face est maintenant en cours sur Altitude-sports.com.

Vous pouvez dès maintenant profiter de rabais allant jusqu'à 50% sur plus de 330 produits sélectionnés. Que vous cherchiez des vêtements pour homme, pour femme, pour enfant, de l'équipement, des chaussures pour femme ou pour homme, notre sélection a de forte chance de vous combler.

Cette offre est valide pour les commandes faites sur notre site web seulement. Vous pouvez même ramasser vos commandes en magasin!

Voici un avant goût des aubaines que vous pourrez dénicher en épluchant les différentes sections de notre site web:

The North Face Tahoe pour Homme (en duvet!)

Prix régulier: 300,00$
Prix à 50% de rabais: 150,00$

The North Face Whitby pour Femme

Prix régulier: 430,00$
Prix à 50% de rabais: 215,00$

The North Face Menlo pour Femme (en duvet!)

Prix régulier: 330,00$
Prix à 50% de rabais: 165,00$

The North Face Manteau Arctic pour fille (enfant)

Prix régulier: 250,00$
Prix à 50% de rabais: 125,00$

The North Face Nuptse Bootie III pour Femme

Prix régulier: 100,00$
Prix à 40% de rabais: 60,00$

The North Face Vanton pour Homme

Prix régulier: 160,00$
Prix à 40% de rabais: 96,00$

The North Face Mountain 25 (tente 4 saisons!)

Prix régulier: 550,00$
Prix à 40% de rabais: 330,00$

Bonne chasse aux aubaines!

Max

Happy reading,

Germain

A great adventure calls for a great pack

1- The Different Kinds of Packs

When you shop for a pack, there are many things you want to consider. The different categories of packs on the market vary in volume, price and technical detail, depending on their different uses.

Daypacks (20 – 35 liters)

Gregory Z22

-Accessible either by side-zipper or from the top, these packs are made for urban activities. The seams are reinforced and the bottom is made of stronger material.
-Many can serve as school bags with pockets for organization and places for laptops.
-Ideal for short day hikes and light loads.
-With or without a frame made of polyethylene, the weight is carried on your shoulders and back.
-The simple hip belt centers the weight on your back, holding it in place.
-To keep the pack from rubbing, a comfortable, ergonomic shoulder harness is important. The shoulder adjustment straps help keep the pack in place.
-More fitted and ventilated, these packs often have a place for a hydration sack and are made for active sports like skating, biking and running.

Technical Packs for Hiking, Skiing, Snowboarding or Mountain Climbing (35 – 55 l)

Arc'teryx Miura 50

The internal frame is even more important, complete with aluminum stays and a polyethylene back panel.

-For more technical packs with a volume of 45-55 l, there are different back lengths, ranging from small to large.
-Made for transporting equipment, there is often only one big, top-loading access point.
-Ideal for backcountry skiing, rock climbing, ice climbing, approach hikes and overnight camping.
-The waist belt and lumbar cushion support some of the weight, and should not hinder technical movements.
-The compression straps keep the load close to your back.
-These packs are streamlined, with little bulk, so they can move easily with your body.
-Accessories include: a place for a hydration sack, extra external straps and an elastic cord.

Hiking packs (55 – 75 l) and Backpacking Packs (75 – 100 l)

Gregory Whitney

These packs are made for long hikes when camping requires more equipment and more volume.

-On these packs, the frame is very important. It transfers 60 % of the weight to your lumbar region and hips. The amount of weight transferred varies according to how the pack is adjusted.
-Their high capacity volume is perfect for independent trips and hikes, and winter expeditions.
-They are top loading, with another access point at the bottom for your sleeping bag. Certain models have a side access with a zipper.
-Models for men come in sizes varying from small to large. They are made for people with longer torsos and wider backs. The shoulder straps are straighter, longer and wider. The lumbar cushion is less pronounced and the waist belt is bigger and straighter.
-Models for women also come varying sizes, but the torso length is shorter than those for men and the back is narrower. The shoulder straps are more streamlined, shorter and thinner. The lumbar cushion is more accentuated and the waist belt is shorter, thinner and more angled, taking the form of the hips.

Travel bags

The North Face Doubletrack 25

Travel bags can be worn as a backpack or pulled on wheels. They are ideal for travelling and staying in hostels, when you don’t need to carry your gear with you all the time.

-These bags have a place to store the shoulder straps when travelling on trains or planes – usually a zippered pocket they can be tucked into.
-With the shoulder straps hidden, the bag can be carried as a side bag or by hand, which makes traveling by bus or taxi easier.
-They are ideal for tourists and travelers who only want to do little or no hiking, but still need to get from place to place.
-With little or no adjustment needed, travel bags have few external straps, using internal compartments instead.
-They open up completely by zipper.
-The detachable daypack is a great feature, allowing you to leave the main bag at the hotel while you walk around with what you need for a short excursion.
-They also come in airplane regulation sizes. Cabin bag restrictions are 55 cm x 40 cm x 23 cm, weighing a maximum of 10 kg. Checked bags are limited to 22 kg each. Beware these dimensions could be subject to change according different airlines.

2- Finding the best pack for you

Measure yourself

-Choose a pack that fits your back, waist and shoulders. Your height does not matter, but the length of your torso does.
-Ask someone to measure from the C7 vertebrae (the most prominent point at the base of your neck when you bend your head) to the spot on the spine level with your iliac crest, the highest point of your hip. To find this second point, place your hands on the iliac crest on both hips. Trace a horizontal line from each hip across the back towards the spine until your fingers meet. Now, measure the distance between the C7 vertebrae and the second point on your lower back. This is the length of your torso; it corresponds to what size of pack you need.

Try it on

A well-adjusted pack should not feel uncomfortable, but simply as if you have extra weight on your back.

-The frame is made to transfer most of your pack’s weight to your lumbar region and your hips – about 60-70 % depending on how the straps are adjusted.
-The best way to buy a pack is to try it on, if possible, with your belongings in the bag.
-To do this, fill the pack with the gear you’ll need for your trip. Heavy equipment such as water, fuel, and food should be stored close to your back and lumbar region. Lighter objects and clothes should be stored on top, or far from your back. Stuff your tent in at the top to make it easily accessible and strap the poles onto the outside. Your sleeping bag, fleece or down jacket should be stored in the bottom compartment.

-Next, put on the pack, placing the lumbar cushion on the small of your lower back.
-The waist belt should line up with your hips, wrapping around the iliac crest.
-The curve of the shoulder harness should be level with your armpits.
-The shoulder adjustment straps should not dangle below your armpits more than 10 inches.
-There should be a 15-20 cm space between the buckle and the hip belt, once attached.
-The shoulder stabilizer straps (found at the top of the shoulder harness, attached to the pack) should be at a 10-45 degree angle. They bring the weight closer to your body, but if they are too tight, or pulled too close, they will pull the harness upwards.
-Finally, buckle the chest strap over your chest and make any last adjustments to the shoulder stabilizer straps and waist belt.
-A well-adjusted pack becomes part of your body, sitting comfortably on your back as if it was made for you.
-Don’t make any compromises in the store or be satisfied with just a short walk around the store. You’ll be wearing your pack for hours at a time, so it should be comfortable right away.

Personalize your pack

High-end backpacks or large capacity packs made to carry heavy loads, come with an adjustable harness and waist belt.

The Harness

The harness supports only 40 % of the pack’s weight. It stabilizes the load, leaving most of the weight on the lower back and the hips. To avoid rubbing and restricting movement, choose a harness that is well cushioned, and the right length and shape for your back. The chest strap keeps the harness in the right place and from rubbing under your arms. This is to be adjusted last. More technical packs have interchangeable harnesses for optimal adjustment. More affordable packs have built-in, adjustable harnesses. Women’s harnesses are more curved and narrower than those for men.

The Waist belt

The waist belt stabilizes the weight laterally, keeping it in place. On smaller backpacks (20-45 l), the belt does not support the load. Instead, it keeps the pack close to your back and prevents it from moving around. On larger backpacks
(50 l +), the belt and the lumbar cushion support 60 – 70 % of the weight. Again, more technical bags have interchangeable belts to increase comfort. The waist belt should be ergonomic and padded with thick, rigid foam. The lumbar cushion must be rigid enough to withstand the weight of the pack. Usually quite pronounced, it is even more so on packs for women because they have a more curved lower back. Sometimes, the belts are made of non-slip material to increase stability. The buckle should be big and strong so it won’t break.

The Back Padding and Frame

How the pack feels on your back is one of the most important things to consider when buying a pack. The dorsal panel is made of foam with closed cells, covered with a fine mesh to ventilate and speed drying. Different models have better ventilation systems than others. The dorsal panel should take the form of your back, and be fairly firm, but not inhibiting, and comfortable as soon as you put it on.

High volume packs have aluminum or carbon stays made to transfer the weight to your hips. They also support the load and maintain the shape of the pack. The stays are premolded and ergonomic, often in the form of either a V to transfer the weight to the lumbar cushion or an X to transfer the weight to the iliac crest. Their length varies from small to large depending on the size of your pack.

Small packs (20-40 l) have a thin polyethylene panel paired sometimes with an aluminum stay, helping them keep their shape.

Black Diamond athlete Sam Elias finishes second at 2010 Ouray Ice Festival from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

The intensity of ice climbing has always amazed me. I mean, in just how good of a shape do you need to be to do that?! All praise to these inspiring athletes.

The Ouray festival takes place in well, Ouray. Ouray itself is in Colorado. The festival is an annual event attracting some of the world's best ice climbers.

Maintenant c'est à notre tour. Premièrement, nous aimerions vous remercier d'y avoir participé. Deuxièmement, nous voulons aussi vous remercier car vous nous avez ainsi permis de ramasser 7400$ que nous avons donné à la campagne Haïti de la Croix-Rouge Canadienne.

Mon dieu qu'il y en a des barbus

Dans notre monde en ligne, on a rarement la chance de voir avec qui on a affaire. Eh bien, nous voici! Alors de gauche à droite, en commençant par le haut, Magalie, Janick, Alex, Max, Marc, Ken, Claude, Catherine, Alex Lapoint alias Axel, Gilles, Mauricio, Dave, Juan et JP.