Interview on CBC Calgary

Earlier this month my voice echoed across the air waves of Calgary and computer speakers everywhere. I was discussing the merits of skiing Rocky Mountain couloirs in late spring with Paul Karchut, a technician on CBC Calgary's Eye Opener program. Paul's a friend of mine and a deadly tele skier. He accompanied me and photographer Ryan Creary for a couple days as we climbed and skied choice lines in the Banff and Lake Louise area for an article in Backcountry Magazine.

You can hear the story Paul put together from our adventure here:
http://www.cbc.ca/eyeopener/episode/2011/05/09/icefields-parkway-a-spring-time-mecca-for-extreme-skiing/

Extreme fly fishing in BC

I just finished writing my article about the niche sport of extreme fly fishing for Outdoor Canada Magazine. Combining the skills of fly fishing, canyoneering and rock climbing, the object is to get into inaccessible sections of rivers that have never been fished before, where huge trout jump on every cast. I teamed up with David Begg, a mountain guide and avid fly fisherman, for the story and traveled to Canadian Rockies. The fishing didn't turn out quite as heavy as we'd hoped, but we caught plenty of trout and saw some amazing pools.

Here's a picture of David deep in an inaccessible canyon section. Judging by the non-stop action we figure this water had never been fished. Just above the picture is a bridge. A few minutes later a truck drove over and stopped. I'm pretty sure they were looking at David saying, "WTF!"

More magazine award nominations

A couple of my explore Magazine articles received nominations for the Canadian National Magazine Awards. The Best of Banff article, a mini travel guide to Canada's oldest National Park, and The New Classics, new trips to try across Canada, both received nominations in the Service: Lifestyle category. The Best of Banff also got a nod in the Single Service Article Package.  The Best of Banff article already won a Northern Lights Award from the Canadian Tourism Commission.

The full list of National Magazine Award nominees can be found at http://www.magazine-awards.com/
Winners will be announced on June 10th in Toronto.