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Tony Daffern

How Avalanche Terrain is Rated by the Experts

February 25, 2010

The ability to read terrain is the most important skill to develop if you wish to enjoy the winter backcountry safely. Parks Canada has developed a terrain rating system that evaluates the complexity of avalanche terrain and makes recommendations on the suitability of avalanche terrain for various users.

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Why Carry a Folding Pruning Saw

February 18, 2010

Think about carrying a folding pruning saw to lop off offending branches and clear encroaching alder as your contribution to the maintenance of both official and unofficial trails. Here are some pointers on selecting a saw and some locally available light-weight folding saws.

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A Winter Hike to Grass Pass

January 25, 2010

A winter hike to Grass Pass in the Highwood area of Kananaskis Country with a side trip to the Boundary Pine made famous by R. M. Patterson’s book Buffalo Head.

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Snowshoe North Bragg Trail

January 17, 2010

An updated description of North Bragg Trail that suggests an additional loop at the north end and urges the Greater Bragg Creek Trails Association to include the trail in their plans for upgrading the West Bragg trails.

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Digging your Companion out of an Avalanche

January 13, 2010

Check out this excellent video on Strategic Shovelling from Backcountry Access (BAC). It highlights the research done by Dale Atkins and Bruce Edgerly on the most efficient method of digging your buried companion from under an avalanche. Accompanying text from Backcountry Avalanche Safety.

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Snowshoe Long Prairie Ridge

January 11, 2010

A 9.3 km snowshoe loop over scenic Long Prairie Ridge in the Sandy McNabb area of the Sheep River with a visit to twin viewpoints atop Pine Ridge. There are many options for shorter or longer trips.

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Cougar encounter in Evan-Thomas Creek

January 7, 2010

An account of an encounter with a cougar in Evan-Thomas Creek. Alpine Guide says “I think in the future if I see cougar tracks I will reconsider my days plan a bit more.”

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Snowshoe Sawmill Burn

January 3, 2010

Over the last couple of winters we noticed that a number of groups offered trips to Sawmill Burn. So yesterday we tried to find the way up the old logging roads. We got almost to the burn area before lack of time and energy forced us to turn back.

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How to “Meetup” with Other Kananaskis Country Enthusiasts

December 27, 2009

Don’t want to go out into Kananaskis Country on your own? Check out several Meetup Groups in the Calgary area that participate in a variety of activities from easy hiking and snowshoeing to trail running and scrambling.

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How to Use the Avalanche Danger Scale to Reduce Your Risk

December 21, 2009

An explanation of each level of the Avalanche Danger Scale, including the transitions between levels, signs of instability at each level and the implications of slope angle, aspect and elevation.

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