Local Motion NB

Home for a Week!

2011-08-18T23:48:00.001-03:00

Still groggy from a 22 hour day of rock climbing in Banff I boarded a flight to Moncton. My tiredness evaporated as soon as the plain descended over Moncton. I could see the Petitcodiac River glistening in the sun with the Fundy Highlands rising to the south. And all around a patchwork of farms lay over the dark green forest.

My parents picked me up and we drove home to Corn Hill. I couldn't get over the roadside ditches. They were so lush, overflowing with wildflowers and bright green grass. The heat, humidity, and aroma of a million flowering plants was overwhelming. The dry air in Calgary is quite pleasant but you know it’s kind of sterile. Eating supper on the deck with my parents, we ate dish after dish of fresh homegrown veggies, pastured meats, and then celebrated my birthday with a rich fruit pie.

This wasn't just a vacation for me. I was home to help finish organizing the 2nd Corn Hill Bicycle Festival which was taking place at the end of the week. Joanna Brown and I had spent the spring emailing back and forth and having phone meetings. Now it was only a few days away and there was so much to do. But with last years experience and the help of Lynn the summer student, and volunteers the final preparations went so smoothly. I actually got a vacation out of it! I never expected that.

What a dream week! I don't know how I managed to pack so many things in such short time frame. Not only did the bike fest preparations go smoothly but I had the chance to visit friends from all over NB and spend some quality time at home in Corn Hill with my parents.

What a random coincidence...on a break from working on the bicycle festival I ran into a touring cycling in Downtown Sussex. I saw a heavily loaded bicycle parked outside a restaurant and stood there staring at it when at that moment the rider walked out of restaurant. He'd rode all the way from Washington State. So inspiring.

On Tuesday I went up to visit my friend Paul in Marysville (next to Fredericton). We've had some great adventures together and it's cool to see what projects he's got on the go. He has a great place with a backyard on the Nashwaak River! So I had my first swim of the season! Wow its feels good to lounge about in warm fast-flowing water. All the lakes and rivers in the mountains are glacier fed...it sounds nice but god they are cold.

Tuesday night I drove down to Saint John to visit Lucas and Kristy, who brought me into the NB climbing scene years ago. It was great catching up with them and seeing the city that I'd gotten to know when I was starting this blog. After supper we took bicycles out and I had my first crash in years...hit a gnarly crack in the pavement flipped, rolled, and managed to walk away with only a few scrapes...and I was pretty damn sore the next day.

On Wednesday I drove back up river, stopped in to see how things were going at the Bike Fest in Sussex then continued on to Elgin to meet my buddy Dom, a local climber who's been devoting a lot of time to replacing old bolts in Welsford. I wanted to show him a fun spot in Elgin. Gibson is a cliff jumping spot along the Pollett River just past the village of Elgin. Its beauty is marred by piles of broken beer bottles, trash, and the out-of-town hosers who threw the trash. It's kind of a wreck but I love the place. We jumped in a few times then I showed him a route that a climber had bolted years ago...but had no hangers. We got our gear from the car, installed hangers, and lead the route. It was a short but balancy 5.10. We top roped another cliff and both were impressed by the quality of the rock.

I got home and raced over to a friends' place for supper with my parents. After a great meal it was time to move a load of hay bales into our barn. Its hard work but I love it. It's something that I've been doing for as long as I can remember. When I was young it was so hard to lift the bales into barn.

The next couple days were spent getting ready for the bicycle festival. Lots of errands to run and odds and ends to take care of. Everything just blended perfectly together. While out in the country picking up big tents from the McCullum's I happened to be near Collina and my friend Deanna invited me over to her cabin for brunch. Collina is a lofty high perch overlooking endless rolling hills and pastured valleys north of Sussex.

Every day at my parents house we ate fresh picked veggies from their garden. My mom is an incredibly skilled gardener. She's been doing it for decades and seems to effortlessly cultivate over 50 varieties of herbs and veggies in her garden. Every year she's trying something new. On Thursday we celebrated my Dad’s birthday with an exceptionally gourmet dinner in the greenhouse.

Saturday came, with no big stresses, and the Corn Hill Bicycle Festival was again a success. Well over a hundred cyclists came out from all over southern NB. I guess the word had gotten out in cyclist circles. There was a great line-up of workshops with Lucas Toron back again with his popular workshop on shifting gears, Bill Consolvo shared useful tips on changing flats and answered questions about long distance touring. John McNair's workshop on basic bike mechanics was packed, and Tim and Dawn put on a great nutrition workshop. The volunteer cooks whipped together a delicious lunch that tasted like it had been made for an intimate few friends rather than a hundred hungry strangers.

This year the amount of cycling spandex rose considerably with about 25 riders on the fast 100km ride and many more avid cyclists on all the rides. But what was amazing was that such a variety of riders came out to enjoy the back roads of Corn Hill. That's what really made me happy - the fact that so many different levels of riders can enjoy being active outdoors with friends. It was really cool seeing so many familiar faces from last year and meeting a whole bunch of new people. Unfortunately I was so busy I didn't get a chance to really talk with many...so many interesting people that I wanted to chat with. The day wrapped up and within record time volunteers had cleaned and packed up. We capped off the day with a cold beer at the Cedar Cafe. Just perfect.

Before I knew it I was heading back to the Moncton Airport. I was pretty sad to be leaving home after such a great week filled with friends, family, and beautiful landscapes. It definitely recharged my NB batteries.

My Move to Calgary

2011-08-13T17:42:00.001-03:00

What Happened to the regular stories?
For anyone that follows this blog regularly you may have wondered: "what happened to Local Motion?"
I haven't posted anything since last December....because I moved to Calgary in January 2011 and just didn't know what to do with the blog. I've decided that it will remain about outdoor adventures in New Brunswick.

Back Story
Last December (2010), while on a climbing trip at Mount Katahdin, Maine I decided to move to Calgary. The spontaneous decision seemed to materialize from the thin winter air one evening as we descended through deep snow back to the small cabin. Over the next couple days as we trudged through snow, climbed, and then finally skiied and hauled our sleds back to the car, I had a lot of time to think about moving away.

Spending time in wilderness away from distractions and social pressures usually leads to at least a couple revelations and as the duration or intensity of the trip increases the chance for introspection magnifies. This effect is one of the reasons I am drawn to the wilderness again and again. Whether its the activity (such as Climbing) or the remote location, the very real sense of risk hones my focus and helps wash away the mind's needling distractions.

I know what you're all thinking - "He's moving out there for the mountains." Well no actually. It's not that simple. Mountains are great but I think I could have a lot of fun wherever I live (maybe even in Saskatchewan). And if you're into the outdoors, New Brunswick is pretty frigging awesome. I've shown time and time again on this blog that New Brunswick's outdoor opportunities are endless (climbing, hiking, skiing, paddling...etc). I certainly didn't run out of things to do in New Brunswick. I just felt like changing things up in my life.

The decision to move to Calgary came from somewhere deep in me. As difficult as it was to accept, I could tell that it was a gut feeling that would be hard to shake. In 2008 I followed a similar gut instinct to return to NB from my open ended climbing trip on the West Coast. At the time it seemed a bit crazy for me to be moving back to New Brunswick without a job or any friends there. But it turned out that was one of the best decisions I had ever made. As you can see from this blog I definitely had a lot of great adventures in NB.

In the two years that I spent in New Brunswick I really come to appreciate how much it has to offer. And I think more people are catching on. There's definitely a new wave of young people moving to (or back to) the province bringing with them new ideas and enthusiasm. It's so encouraging for me to see this and it made me kind of sad to be moving away from this cultural shift. I made some great friends and connected with some places that will always be close to my heart.

What's to Become of Local Motion
The inspiration for this blog was New Brunswick's outdoors and it will remain that way. You are encouraged to submit your stories and photos from outdoor adventures in New Brunswick. You can send them to grhmwgh [at] gmail [dot] com

Thanks for supporting this project.

Corn Hill Bicycle Festival - Saturday July 23rd

2011-07-03T16:59:00.003-03:00

After last year’s resounding success, the small community of Corn Hill is gearing up for the 2nd Annual Corn Hill Bicycle Festival. The Corn Hill Bike Fest (Saturday, July 23) is a day long celebration of bicycling. The back roads around Corn Hill provide an idyllic getaway for cyclists in southern New Brunswick. The Festival day will provide participants with a great introduction to Corn Hill’s cycling possibilities, with guided rides ranging from 5 km to 100 km, and a variety of workshops will focus on basic bicycle mechanics, road safety, proper gear shifting, and cycling as a family.

“Last year’s Festival was a fantastic event”, says Brian Steeves, a cycling enthusiast and local landowner. “It was a great introduction into all of the cycling possibilities around Corn Hill, and I’m really excited to participate again this year. I encourage anyone who has even the smallest interest in cycling or being active to participate in the Festival”.

Attached you will find Registrations Forms (for print and digital) and a poster for the event you can print out or forward to anyone you think might be interested. You can also visit the Festival website (http://bicyclecornhill.wordpress.com) for more information. Participants must register by July 18th, because space is limited and registration will close when capacity is reached, and the event goes rain or shine. A delicious home-made lunch is included in the registration fees.

Hope to see you on the road!

www.bicyclecornhill.wordpress.com

Truancy Falls: An Elusive Pillar of Ice

2011-02-12T14:56:00.000-04:00

I wrote up this story for submission to the Canadian Alpine Journal published yearly by the Alpine Club of Canada. I picked up a 2009 copy of the CA Journal last week and while reading it thought, "Hey, why I don't I submit an article about some of the cool shit that's happening in NB?" What came to mind was Truancy Falls - an elusive pillar of ice that formed for the first time in living memory and was climbed last winter. Hopefully the Journal accepts it!

***

TRUANCY FALLS

Truancy: (noun) the condition of being absent without permission.

Truancy Falls in its typical condition - a big hanging dagger that probably collapses and reforms multiple times a season. (g.waugh)

Despite the apparent absence of mountains, New Brunswick is gifted with a few key ingredients for ice climbing; Appalachian geology, cold winters, plenty of precipitation, and most importantly diehard locals.

On a cloudy Monday in February, Lucas Toron and I had finished a day of ice in the Fundy Highlands when we decided to do a little bit of recon in a nearby gully. Years before, while attempting to find the well trodden Parlee Brook ice climbing area, I had accidently snowshoed into this smaller gully and I saw a 50 foot hanging dagger suspended perilously above a cave. I wasn’t an ice climber back then and the sight of it was terrifying and awe inspiring. It dangled 40 feet off the ground – and touch down seemed improbable. I continued to check in on the dagger over the years but never saw it form into a pillar. Very few had heard of the dagger and those who did had never seen it touch but. But 2010 was a weird season for ice and so Lucas and I thought we’d check it out anyway.

Unweighted by our packs, Lucas and I skipped up the dry creek bed into the gully and then swam through chest deep powder. As we rounded the last bend in the rock wall, the hanging dagger began to reveal itself. Bit by bit the dagger came into view, lengthening by the meter until finally our eyes followed dripping water down to its thick base. Over 30 metres of vertical ice stretched to the roof the cave. Our jaws dropped and our exclamations trailed off into the sound of splattering water in the cave. We stared at each other speechless as we stood beneath the biggest, baddest pillar of ice we’d ever seen. It felt like the immense weight of the ungainly pillar would come crashing down at any moment. It was dusk and time to get home. We walked home with a pit of anxiety in our stomachs. We needed to come back soon, the Maritime climate wreaks havoc on ice and if we waited too long it may be the last time we ever see it.

Lucas below the beast the night we found it.

We called around to some friends. The first on the list is Cory Hall who jumps at the opportunity. Cory’s an upbeat young climber with the focus of a bomb squad and drive of a mule team. The weekend before we’d watched as he attempted one of NB’s hardest routes. His tools dinnerplated 10 feet above his last screw and he took a 30 foot whipper, stopping just shy of the rocky beach. This turned into a mini epic as we rushed to retrieve his screws and climb frozen mud to escape the quickly rising Bay of Fundy tides.


Moments before the fall on Uncomfortably Numb 5+	(g.waugh)

Climbing frozen mud to escape the tides. (g.waugh)

On Wednesday night Cory visited our friend and local ice hero Joe Kennedy to pick up a replacement part for his ice tool that was damaged by his fall. Cory remembers talking to Joe that night, avoiding the topic of the pillar that we were planning to climb the next day. None of us realized that we were about to steal Joe’s 20 year project and perhaps the Maritimes best line…oops.

On Thursday Cory skipped school, Lucas called in sick to work, and I shrugged off my responsibilities. Ontario ice climber Andriy Kolos just happens to be visiting his girlfriend’s family in Moncton and is able to sneak away for the day. While photographer Paul Maybee comes along to document the climb on film. We meet in Sussex giddy with excitement and wash down our anxiety with cheap coffee. Lucas and I have told the others about it, but no words can justify a pure vertical pillar of ice that has never been climbed or even witnessed in known history.

Dead vertical pillar (g.waugh)

In the three days since Lucas and I visited the pillar; the weather had been warming and we pray that we’re not too late. But as we rounded that last bend in the gully, the pillar stood blue as steel.

After some inspection, Cory and Andriy agreed that they could share the pillar by leading on opposite sides. Lucas and I were less than thrilled with the idea but bit our tongues and didn’t share our morbid thoughts.

Getting ready to climb. (g.waugh)

Cory started first, taking the mushroomed left side while Andriy took the gargoyled right side. Immediately the challenge of lacy blobs and chandeliers became apparent. “It was definitely the hardest ice line I had led, and only my second WI 5 and I was pumping,” recalls Cory. The pump grew as he pulled out of a small chimney 20 feet from the top. “The clock was ticking. I could stop and place a screw, but I would definitely fall, or I could run it out to the lip and maybe not fall.” Cory went for it, not wanting to throw away this classic line and pulled over the lip with “jell-o arms, looking at a fifty foot whipper.” As Cory ran it out Lucas remembers stepping to the side, out of the way, in case Cory came flying towards him like the previous weekend.

Cory and Andriy leading side by side. (g.waugh)

Cory and Andriy leading in tandem. (g. waugh)

Meanwhile, Andriy was in his own world leading the other side of the pillar. “As I was in the thick of things, it was re-assuring to feel the dull thud of Cory working his way up, out-of-sight, but alongside me. Weaving my way to the top a few moments after Cory topped out was extremely rewarding!” Lucas and I followed up behind, pulling the lip with lactic acid coursing through our arms.


Cory at half way. (paul maybee)


Andriy topping out with Lucas below (paul maybee)

Celebrating at the base with a bottle of whisky, Lucas suggested that we call it Truancy Falls. It seemed fitting for a route so elusive that it had tempted most of us to skip either work or school to be there.

Truancy Falls stood just long enough for most of the locals to climb it before it crashed down in solitude a month later. It’s still being talked about a year later and many climbers have been hiking in to check on it, hoping that they will find the hidden pillar formed once again. Even if it only forms once in a lifetime, Truancy Falls adds a plum to the New Brunswick climbing scene and embodies a resurgence of ice climbing in New Brunswick. It was just one of a dozen new routes to go up this season and it adds fuel to the fire that keeps us searching for new lines.

Summary

Truancy Falls (WI5+, 40m), Parlee Brook, New Brunswick. FA: Cory Hall, Andriy Kolos, Lucas Toron, Graham Waugh, February 11, 2010. More details at www.climbeasterncanada.com

For more photos check out Paul Maybee's blog Rocks in My Pockets

Fundy Loppet - February 20th

2011-02-11T13:48:00.000-04:00

www.skichignecto.ca

On Sunday February 20th the Chignecto Ski Club is hosting the Fundy Loppet at Fundy National Park. If you like groomed trails, Fundy National Park is a great place to cross country ski with 25 km of trails for both classic and skate skiing.

For you information and to register for the Loppet, check out their website www.skichignecto.ca

The Chignecto Ski Club promotes cross country skiing in the Park and operates a Jackrabbit Skiing Program for youth. In addition to the winter activities they were the force behind the H20 Adventure Triathlon last September.

The Fundy (Caledonia) Highlands that flank the inner Bay of Fundy from St. Martins to Hillsborough, create a unique snow effect. Moist air coming off the Bay, cools as it's pushed into the higher elevations and turns to snow. The snow starts to get deep as soon as you leave the coast climbing into the park and creates a snowbelt in the middle and northern edges of the Highlands. This area has significantly longer snow season than the valleys of southern New Brunswick.

Winter Ascent of Cheekbone Corner

2011-01-30T17:44:00.000-04:00

On a sunny day in mid-January Lucas, Cory, and I headed to Welsford to climb...we came prepared with ice screws and a full trad rack. We hiked to Waterfall Wall hoping to find ice but it was pretty rotten so after a lap on the old white stuff, we played on a mixed route in the center of the wall. We threw ourselves at the route's blocky roof, hooky and hanging on our tools. Cory made some progress on it but without ice above the roof we couldn't finish the route.

Cory hooking through the roof

A few hundred feet down the cliff line, Cheekbone Corner baked in the sun. It looked downright tropical - the cracks were free of snow and pink rock gave the illusion of warmth. Cheekbone is one of Welsford's classic routes with at an old school rating of 5.7 the 200 ft corner has a wild alpine feel.

We put away our ice axes and crampons and racked up with cams and nuts. Cory lead the first pitch through the dry offwidth and then carefully inched up snowy rock and moss to the belay. The easiest part of the pitch turned out to be the hardest, let me tell mountaineering boots are hard to use on an icy slab!

Cory on the offwidth

Cory leading the first pitch

Lucas climbing pitch one

The second pitch, was pure gold! I took the rack and grovelled my way through the chimney and skooched up to the first ledge. Cams slid perfectly into the dry cracks. With my gloves off, I could crimp the cold rock just enough to inch through the wide stemming section. I mantled onto pigeon shit ledge, shook out my frozen hands and stared at the famous roof. Everything was going great until I reached up and got a handful of snow. I finally worked myself into the narrow gap, one arm slapped at the snowy ledge, the other arm pressed the wall and my feet kicked at the air. I was stuck, my adrenaline kicked in and I found some hidden strength to squirm and wiggle in an upward motion until finally I reached out and grabbed a snowy edge. Aww, relief came with a blast of endorphines. This was Type 2 Fun at its best!

Humping over the first bulge on pitch two

While I was off in lala leading-land, Cory and Lucas were quietly freezing their asses off at the belay. In the time it took me to lead the pitch clouds shaded the sun and robbed us of any warmth. Mad props to those guys for climbing the route in the cold. By the time Cory was near the top, the temperature was well below freezing and the airy traverse was all iced up for him!

Cory on the icy and airy traverse

Final moves

At the top out.

What a kick ass way to spend a winter day. I had no idea that winter climbing in mountaineering boots could be so much fun. I'm so glad Lucas and Cory convinced me that it was worth going to Welsford and even more so for letting me lead the money pitch of Cheekbone. Good memories!

cheekbone corner welsford new brunswick saint john rock climbing graham waugh fredericton rock climbing ice climbing mixed climbing new brunswick local motion

Snowshoeing the Bluff

2011-01-08T13:39:00.000-04:00

Snowshoeing last week on the Bluff trail above the Dutch Valley, near Sussex Corner.

sussex corner hiking snowshoeing bluff waterford local motion graham waugh new brunswick hiking

Holidays

2011-01-03T00:28:00.000-04:00

The snow hit Southern New Brunswick after Christmas like an egg-nog hangover. And I've been having a blast everyday since it fell. The cross country skiing has been great and I've done some snowshoeing unfortunately the ice climbing has suffered from the warm temperatures. As the temperatures have risen in the past few days I even tried to go bouldering!

Great snow for snowman making.

Wet snow fell on Monday so my family suited up and built a snowman in the fresh snow.


The Amphitheatre at Parlee Brook - looking scrappy.

On Tuesday I ventured in to check out the ice climbing conditions at Parlee Brook's amphitheatre. The snow was suuuuper deep in the bottom of the ravine. We swam and struggled in snow up to our armpits for over an hour trying to reach the back wall. Fun but exhausting. The ice wasn't worth climbing. We'll need it to be a lot colder.


Cutting a trail through deep snow.

New Years Eve was warm and sunny - a perfect day for being outside.


My Dad skiing behind our house on New Year's Eve.

I snowshoed into Parlee Brook again, tempted by potential ice. We were able to top-rope a route with some nice vertical ice bits. I got back to Sussex after dark and wanted to meet my goal of three sports in a day. So I drove out to the Dutch Valley towards Waterford with the hourglass hill in mind. I couldn't see it from the road in the dark, so I followed a skidoo trail hoping it would lead me there - it did. After 45 minutes of climbing, I turned my skis back towards the lights of Sussex and practiced my turns on a long downhill run.

Top-roping a bits and pieces of a route at Parlee's amphitheatre.

The New Year began sunny and warm. It was great weather for my first Polar Bear Dip. It wasn't nearly as cold as I thought it would be - just a few cuts from a the ice in the river.

I had planned to cross country ski on New Years Day but we thought it may be too warm (turned out to be great skiing - just like spring conditions). Instead we went to check out some newly found granite boulders west of Saint John. We drove in on snowy roads and found snowy boulders but I still enjoyed hiking around to look at the boulders. Still a great day for hiking!

Legitimate granite boulders in New Brunswick!

On Sunday I got out for a short cross country ski at my parents house in Corn Hill. The snow was melting and it even sprinkled a few rain drops by the conditions were actually quite good. Fresh snow around the melting point can be a sticky mess but older snow that has warmed and froze and started to melt again is great - just a bit slow. I'd call these spring conditions.


XC skiing in Corn Hill

XC skiing on my parent's trails.

graham waugh new brunswick skiing cross country xc skiing snowshoe ice climbing parlee brook corn hill sussex moncton outdoors saint john skiing

Katahdin: A Mountain of Fun

2010-12-30T23:07:00.000-04:00

The week before Christmas I went on a climbing trip to Katahdin in Baxter State Park, Maine. The photos and stories I'd seen of Katahdin didn't prepare me for this beautiful mountain of the East. So I doubt this post will spoil your trip.

Looking over Chimney Pond at Baxter Peak and Knife Edge Ridge in the South Basin.

Lucas, Cory and I arrived at the trail head at noon packed out sleds and started the lengthy approach. We thought we'd be hiking well into the dark, but parking in the wrong place meant that we'd cut hours off our hike to Roaring Brook. We stayed at the Roaring Brook cabin the first night and in the morning loading our packs to ginormous volumes and staggered up to Chimney Pond where we would stay for 3 nights at another cabin. I've winter camped many times and have to say that cabins are the best thing ever. The woodstove kept us warm and we had dry gloves and boots each morning! It was great having Rangers up there with us at Chimney Pond. They were super helpful with route information and it was a comforting feeling have someone keeping track of you when you're 25 kilometers from your car.

Roaring Brook Bunkhouse.

Alpine starts on our way to the Cilley-Barber Route. It's in the background.

We climbed two routes, each about 2000', Grade IV, with lots of mellow ice and a hard pitch ice. We lucked out, the snow on the mountain was perfect styrofoam. I got to use my first snow picket and we did lots of simulclimbing. The first day on the Cilley-Barber Route I was pretty nervous on the steep snow slopes. This was all new to me. Luckily, Cory has his stuff dialed in the mountains and Lucas rock solid on all kinds of terrain. It all came together for me on the final pitch.


Cory leading the crux pitch of the Cilley-Barber - featuring giant jaws of ice.

I had the lead and after placing our only snow picket, I ran it out for who know how long, before I slung some rock. I sweated up a section of snow on verglas slung another boulder then I staggered to the summit. I stepped through a notch and into the beaming sun. I sat down on a boulder grinning like a I'd just won the lottery and belayed the other two up. I've haven't felt this good in a long time. This is how people get hooked on mountains. Cory and Lucas, hit the ridge and we stood mesmerized by the red hot sun.

Lucas and Cory

Pamola Peak beaming with light.

Descending in the sun.

Hiking over the high plateau in the alpenglow, glissading down the steep trail, and stroling up to the cabin in the dark capped the day off like a nice drink of whiskey.

Pre-dawn approach for the Waterfall Gully.

We were feeling a bit rough around the edges on the second climbing day but we rose to the beeping alarm at 4:00 am, ate bacon, and repeated our approach from the day before. Today our objective was Waterfall Gully. Another 2000 footer with some WI4 ice. By the time we reached the snow field, the sun was lighting the sky and we turned off our headlamps. This climb was similar to the previous one but less intimidating - the crux pitch was near the bottom. But awfully wet. Cory lead it with composure and escaped through a narrow notch at the top.

Lucas leading the first pitch of Waterfall Gully.

Seconding the crux pitch.

With the hard climbing below us we hurried for the summit still 1500' away. Lucas lead us for hundreds of feet over ice bulges and crisp snow. I lead us into a boulder cave, and while Lucas and I dug out snacks. Cory quickly tied in and kept our momentum going to the summit ridge.

Traversing the Knife Edge Ridge. Dark clouds frame Baxter Peak in the distance.

Wind screamed over top. All day clouds had been thickening into pudding around the base of the mountain. The wind wipped white lines over distant ridges. We didn't kill any time in the hostile environment. The three of us tied in to a short section of rope and traversed 2 kilometers of knife edge ridge to the Pamola Peak, then descended on aching knees and ankles.

Descending from Pamola Peak, looking at the huge granite face of the North Basin

At the edge of the alpine zone we wandered around looking for a trail marker, falling in tree-dens and sinking to our waists in snow. The blue trail marker appeared in front of us and we rushed downwards, glissading and slipping back to the cabin in the dusk light. Supper never tasted so good. We were in bed real early.

Time to put the skis away. Gravel on the km to the car.

In the morning, snow swirled and we walked in silence to Roaring Brook. We loaded our sleds and put on skis. It felt so good to slide along. We covered alot ground, even when the snow got thin and the snow turned to rain. Bare spots zipped under our skis, we dodged pebbles but were determined to keep sliding. With a kilometer remaining the snow finally disappeared. We took off our skis and dragged our sleds back to the car laughing that unknowingly parking in the wrong spot was saving us over an hour of hiking. We were back to the car shortly after lunch.

Katahdin is wild mountain in the winter. Sure its a long approach and you have to get permits to climb -but don't let that deter you. If you're in the East and have a hankering for the mountains, Katahdin will give you a good fix. And its only a few hours from New Brunswick - adventure is close at hand.
graham waugh new brunswick katahdin climbing baxter state park ice climbing maine

Cardboard Canadian on the Dirtbag Diaries

2010-12-15T22:24:00.000-04:00

Joshua Tree National Park

I'm excited to let know that my short story Cardboard Canadian was just aired on the Dirtbag Diaries!

It's a surprising hitchhiking story from the dusty highways of the southwestern US. If you're Canadian it should make you smile.

A few months ago I submitted the story to the Dirtbag Diaries and they wanted me to record it. So I spent many hours this fall sitting in a padded closet reading aloud into a microphone...Finally its over and they aired it last week on their website.

You can stream it here:
http://www.dirtbagdiaries.com/cardboard-canadian

(You can also download the episodes for free in iTunes.)

The Dirtbag Diaries is high quality online radio program featuring stories from climbers, paddlers, cyclists, and others exploring the outdoors. It's well done and very often thought provoking. I download the episodes into my iTunes then listen to them when I'm puttering around the house or making breakfast.

Rural Cycling Toolkit: Lessons Learned from Corn Hill

2010-12-03T13:30:00.000-04:00

Cyclists on the first ride of the Festival

It's that time of year; the ground is muddy, the roads are icy and yet you've got to start thinking about planning your bicycle event for next summer.

So you want to promote cycling in our rural community. You’ve got a long list of reasons why you think its important but chances are you’ve got an even longer list of questions…What about liability? What about Registration? Websites? Where do you start?? Aghhhh!!

Hopefully this will make it a bit easier for you.

Organizing the Corn Hill Bicycle Festival and creating the Cycling Map, was a huge learning experience for both Joanna and I. We’ve written everything down (well, not everything) in the Rural Cycling Toolkit: Lessons Learned from the First Corn Hill Bycycle Festival and Route Guide.

The toolkit describes how we managed the project, advertised, organized volunteers, scheduled the festival, created the route guide, handled liability, and much more! You’ll find useful tips, planning techniques, and even press releases. We’re trying to lay it all out there for others who want to promote cycling through community events.

It is our hope that by sharing this information cycling festivals and maps will spring up across the land. And that we’ll have more people riding their bike for fun, exercise, and transportation.

Make sure to check out the Bicycle Corn Hill website - where you can find the Rural cycling toolkit, cycling maps for the area, details on last summer's festival and directions to Corn Hill.

Riders on the afternoon tour of the Eastern Meadow

Cruising down the Burlock Road on a summer's evening

graham waugh cycling cornhill bicycle festival new brunswick cycling joanna brown corn hill sussex biking cornhill nursery

Granite Bouldering near Saint John

2010-12-02T00:09:00.000-04:00

Granite bouldering near Saint John, I could hardly believe it. But on Tuesday Cory took Nathan and I to see some newly found boulders west of Saint John. And there they were, salt and pepper granite boulders poked up behind spruce trees just steps from the road.

A scoured landscape - glaciers and forestry.

Fifteen minutes west of Saint John we had left the transcanada and drove north on logging roads into granite country. Under the forests of Southwestern New Brunswick is an expanse of glacier-worn granite. The boulders in this area were most likely plucked off granite hills as glaciers moved south 10,000 years ago during the Wisconsonian ice age.

These boulders present me with a contradiction...they are in a big nasty clearcut. But... if it wasn't for the clearcut they would have remained hidden. The thick woods make it very hard to see boulders. So, even though I hate to see it- we owe the boulders to this clearcut.

We drove along the logging roads staring out the windows for boulders, I felt like one of the hunters that you'd see slowly cruising the backroads in October, except we were hunting boulders instead of deer. We checked out some new boulders, found a few good clusters, and a couple big ones that would probably offer a few decent problems.


Cluster

On the south slope, with the full sun and no wind we were sweating as we hiked over the logging slash to get to the next boulder. It's hard to believe that just a couple days ago I was ice climbing and shivering.

We finished the day by climbing a couple problems in an area where the boulders had already been cleaned up. Just a small taste of what could be a great new addition to the New Brunswick climbing scene.

Whether you're a climber or not, boulders are just plain neat. You don't see many big boulders in New Brunswick and these ones are really worth visiting. You can wander around looking for the next grey shape wondering how these elephants got here.

Cory working a problem

Nathan, Cory, and super dog Rayas

Snowy but warm

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It would be hard to give directions to this place. Drop me a line at [grhmwgh at gmail dot com] if you're interesting in going and I'll do my best to direct you there.

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Ice Climbing Season is Here!

2010-11-28T19:06:00.000-04:00

Ice Season is Here!

Although there's been ice on the roads for the past week, today was the first day of the "ice season" that I care about.

Today Cory and I headed into Parlee Brook to ice climb. The ice in the ravine was very thin in most places and the stream was gushing. We rappelled down All the Kings Horses and climbed back up, scraping rock and mud most of the way. Then we rapped partway down the back wall and lead two lines there.

Isn't the Bluff Great??

2010-11-10T23:07:00.000-04:00

Can you spot the two people?

The Bluff has got to be one of the best hikes around Sussex and Southern New Brunswick.

A couple weeks ago, when the leaves were still on the trees, I went for a quick hike on the Bluff. For those who don't live around Sussex, the Bluff is a super popular and beautiful hiking trail that follows the ridge of a big rock bluff on the edge of Sussex Corner. You're looking out farms like they are diaramas and in the distance you can clearly make out Poley Mountain.

Just ask anyone in Sussex or Sussex Corner how to get to the Bluff. Everyone seems to know about it!

Looking into the Fundy Highlands. Near the center of the photo you can make out the trails of Poley Mountain. Waterford is nestled into the valley to the left of Poley Mountain.

This gives a good perspective of the bluff - see the two people sitting on the rock?

Misery Likes Company - NB Ice Climbing Video

2010-10-19T12:53:00.000-03:00

The air is getting colder, there's frost in the early morning and ice climbing season is less than 2 months away in New Brunswick!! Here's a video to get your fingers itching for the itchy-barfies!

My friend Paul Maybee- the indomitable photographer, blogger, and backcountry enthusiast, took some time last winter to film and produce a short video on ice climbing. It's great little film about a day of ice climbing at Mt. Misery near Quispamsis, New Brunswick.

Mt. Misery (Here's a post from last January), is an ice and mixed climbing crag located on the banks of the Kennebecasis River. Once the river freezes, its just a short walk or bike from town. It's southern exposure can make it down right pleasant on a cold winter day.

Check out Paul's Blog - Rocks in my Pockets for trip reports and photos from a number awesome adventures in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

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Thanksgiving Hike #3: Caledonia Gorge

2010-10-17T20:47:00.000-03:00

This is the third of three Thanksgiving Hikes I'll be writing about:

Crooked Creek in the Caledonia Gorge Protected Area

On Thanksgiving Monday my friend Joanna and I hiked in the Caledonia Gorge Wilderness Protected Area, near Riverside-Albert just a short drive from Moncton. It was my first time at the gorge and when we arrived at the look-off my draw dropped. The view up the gorge reminded me of the Gaspe, highlands plunge into a deep valley. At the bottom of the valley Crooked Creek (what a great name!) meanders, cutting a stripe through the forest. This is the third wilderness protected area that I visited this weekend and it felt the most wild. Rockwood, Walton Glen Canyon, and the Caledonia Gorge are all quite different even though all are along the Bay of Fundy. Rockwood has lakes, Walton Glen has the crazy canyon, but the Caledonia Gorge just feels big.

From the look off we drove down the bumpy road into the gorge until we came to the washed out bridge across Crooked Creek. We parked and hiked up the creek hugging the steep hillsides. We were surprised to find a large covered bridge in good shape. We had a vague intention of finding Rattail Falls but after an hour of hiking we realized it was out of the question. We'd have to come back when we had more light left in the day. It was a great feeling to be walking in the bottom of a deep gorge beside the creek's turbulent waters. The hillsides were dappled with oranges and yellows. The sun set behind the west bank and the cool air carried a hint of sweet decay.


Old Red Spruce - in a true Acadian Forest

On our way back we followed the road to the washed out bridge. This time we took off our boots and forded the creek. Refreshed we decided to squeeze one more hike into the day. A local had recommended we check out the falls. We drove back down the road and parked near some cottages. We hiked downstream on a muddy ATV trail for 20 minutes and came to a big set of falls and a huge black pool. It's clearly a popular spot, the ground is beaten down and litter is everywhere. But regardless of that this was a cool place. Crooked Creek squeezes and crashed through a narrow slot, its wake churning into a deep dark pool. It looked like a great place to swim and cliff jump. The river canyon continued downstream for some distance.

Falls on Crooked Creek

Jo overlooking the pool below the falls.

This is definitely a place to come back to - the forests are huge, the creek is beautiful, and the steep terrain beckons. It's got swimming in the summer, skiing in the winter, and at this time of year the weather is perfect for hiking and camping (no bugs!!).
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Thanksgiving Hike 2: Walton Glen Canyon

2010-10-13T23:10:00.000-03:00

This is the second of three Thanksgiving Hikes I'll be writing about:

My parents at the Lookoff over Walton Glen Canyon

On Thanksgiving Sunday, my parents and I loaded into their old truck and headed South, into the Caledonia Highlands. Our destination was Walton Glen Canyon. My parents and I made a pact back in July to take ourselves on a hike here for our birthdays which all fell within the middle of July. We wanted to do it in July, but with with Bike Festivals, parties, and the garden we were too busy.

So here we are on Thanksgiving weekend, digging out the toques for our birthday adventure. My parents had been to Walton Glen Canyon, about 35 years ago. I've been there a number of times in the past couple years. It's one of the main reasons, I was drawn back to New Brunswick.

I had never been there until the winter of 2009. But I'd found out about it online in 2007 and had been mesmerized by one photograph of the cliffs. After returning to NB in 2008, I fulfilled my dream to begin ice climbing and that same winter satisfied my thirst for the Canyon. The first attempt involved 20 km of skiing, headlamps, 1 pitch of ice climbing, and in fact we only reached the Little Salmon River Gorge but even that was mind blowing. A month later friends and I skied in with camping gear for a weekend of ice climbing in the canyon. Dropping into the canyon in the middle of winter, in waist deep snow, was ridiculous. My first thought was "How can this exist in New Brunswick? I feel like I'm back in the Rockies." I wrote about it on my blog here. Since then New Brunswick hasn't ceased to surprise me with its hidden wilderness.

This fall I've been working in the Caledonia Highlands on a salmon habitat project. I've gotten to know the backroads well so a trip to Walton Glen Canyon is less intimidating than it used to be for me. The first time I tried to find Walton Glen Canyon was with my Dad and brother in 2003. It was Father's Day and we were going to find a big gorge that I'd never heard of. It didn't go well, my brother ended up with a blown ACL in his knee (long story) and after a trip to the hospital, my Dad and I got lost on muddy roads. We nearly got the truck stuck and finally gave up.

These days, the roads to Walton Glen Canyon are in great shape. You can drive a car to within a couple kilometers. A regular pick-up truck will take you to within 1 km. It's hard for me to even write this online. It's seems too easy and I hate to take away the awe of discover. It took me so much effort to get into Walton Glen Canyon, that I've come to really appreciate it's secluded power. I've been kept out of Walton Glen Canyon by raging water in the Little Salmon River (Read about the Fundy Trek here) and flat tires this Spring.Canyons are different than Mountains, they hide themselves from the world even while they lure you in. The nights are darker in canyons, the world farther away.

I like wilderness that you have to work for. Maybe that's why I've fallen for the Walton Glen Canyon. But it's becoming more and more well known. The recent Waterfalls of New Brunswick Website and Guidebook feature its falls. The canyons "Eye of the Needle" is gaining in popularity too. I'm excited that more New Brunswickers are getting out to see our incredible wilderness. But, even though I use this site to promote the local outdoors, I'll admit that I'm a bit selfish with it. I like to think of these places as 'my' places. A good piece of wilderness should always feel like it belongs to you. Whether you enter it alone or with friends, it should give you the feeling that you're "on your own". The more people use an area, especially when its trashed, the less it feels like wilderness. But there's a balancing point. If no one uses it, no one cares about it and it could easily end up on the chopping block like so much of New Brunswick's Crown Land.

Ok, back to the story. My parents and I had no troubles on the back roads and were able to drive into the Jack Pine Plantation just a short distance from the Canyon. The first thing we did was walk to the lookoff. I love taking people here, there's a point about 100 feet from the rim of the canyon, when I start to smile in anticipation of the other person's shock. The canyon just seems to appear out of nowhere. All of a sudden you're staring into a 500 foot deep void. The updraft wafts your clothing and falls plummet down the opposite face.

Walton Glen Falls - 200 feet

This is where we started our hike. Next I lead them down the rough trail into the Canyon. Once you've looked over the whole canyon, being deep inside it takes on a new meaning. We climbed down the steep trail, using the old ropes, and roots when we could. Down below the falls we found a gravelly little bar that was perfect for lunch. We enjoyed our Thanksgiving leftovers, chatting over the sound of the rushing water. After lunch my mom sketched the brook while my Dad and I each found a good place to nap.

We decided to save the Eye of the Needle for another day, perhaps a warmer one. On our hike out we ran into some good friends - what are chances. They were the only people we saw in the Canyon.

Mom and I at the base of the Walton Glen Brook Falls

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Walton Glen Canyon is part of the Little Salmon River Protected Natural Area. It is located south of Sussex near the Fundy Coast. For more information and directions please visit Waterfalls of New Brunswick. Or as always you can drop me a line. I'm more than happy to provide directions in email or by phone.
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Thanksgiving Hike 1: Rockwood Park

2010-10-13T22:57:00.000-03:00

This is the first of three Thanksgiving Hikes I'll be writing about:


Hiking in Rockwood

My family gathered in Saint John for a Thanksgiving Feast on Saturday. With the chicken roasting in the oven, we went to work up an apetite in Rockwood Park. This Saint John park happens out to be one of North America's largest city parks. Luckily we had Nathan as our trusty guide. He's been working in the park all summer and knows the trails well.

Owen Lake

We started on the backside of Rockwood Park, near Sandy Point Road and soon were following a narrow footpath that around old trees and rocky outcrops. Nathan led us to a series of lakes. At one, our black lab dove headlong into the black spunky mud and nearly got stuck, as if she was quicksand. I speak for the whole family when I say that we were blown away by serenity and wildness of these lakes. I expected to see a moose grazing in the tail marsh grasses that surrounded Owen Lake, but we did hear one calling,

Long Lake

Farther along, we came to Long Lake. Which really is a long lake and with the sun setting at the far end I felt miles away from the city. This park is really worth exploring. The city of Saint John has a real gem in the backyard. And Rockwood's inclusion in the recent UNESCO designation of the Stonehammer Geopark, Saint Johners have another reason to celebrate their heartland.
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For Park information and basic trail maps visit:
http://rockwoodpark.ca/

Elgin 80 - A Success Under the Influence of Mud!

2010-10-03T22:45:00.000-03:00

Riders getting ready to leave for the 40 km race

I was at the Tour of Elgin Mountain Bike Race on Saturday to help out and got to watch as riders came back covered head to toe in thick mud. Despite the wet weather in the morning, there was a really good turn out for each of the three races.

The tropical rain that had been hanging around all week culminated into 24 hours of periodic downpours. It was like a monsoon on Friday. The kind of rain that soaks you right to the underwear in the time it takes to run from your house to your car. The storm lost its fury by Saturday morning but the ground was still flooded by the assault.

The Pollett River, that runs through Elgin was raging like I'd never seen before. As the river twisted into the tight canyon at Gibson its power turned the brown water white while it roared like a freight train.

The Pollett River crashes through the Canyon

The race course, composed of backroads, ATV and snowmobile trails, and some single track had lots of mud and puddles. Riders talked about one puddle that was up to their thigh! Riders coming into the finish line where indistinguishable by the mud they wore.

So much Mud.

The first place rider finished the 80 km course in about 4 hours! That's an average of 20km/h over steep hills on a soggy track. I can hardly maintain that speed on my road bike! These racers are truly elite athletes. To finish the 80 km course is an accomplishment in itself. And it wasn't just the 80 km racers, who make training their lifestyle, the 40 km and 20 km riders faced a challenging course and were out there giving it everything they had.

It was inspiring to watch these riders pushing their limits while have a good time doing it. Races may be competitive but it was clear that at the end of the day all these bikers were out there doing what they loved surrounded by friends and peers.

The Pollett River had calmed considerably by the afternoon. This is looking upstream from the Bridge at the Champagne Pools which are deep under water

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7th Annual Tour of Elgin - Mountain Bike Race

2010-09-28T21:04:00.002-03:00

The Rich Fall Colours (Credit N.B. Tourism)

The Tour of Elgin or Elgin 80 as it more commonly known is set to roll this Saturday on October the 2nd. This race has garnered quite a reputation for challenging climbs and exhilarating descents on vibrant hardwood hills. It's billed as New Brunswick's only Mountain Bike Marathon and whether you opt for the 80km, 40km, or 20km options, your tired legs will be convinced that it is marathon.

For Full Details Follow this Link to the Flyer

Click here for the Registration Form The preregistration deadline is this Wednesday, Sept 29th. You'll save a bit by registering early but you can still register on the morning of the race if you miss the deadline.

Where is Elgin exactly?

Elgin is a small community with a big heart, that lies on the edge of the Caledonia Highlands. It's location on the edge of the highlands gives it one of Southern New Brunswick's most scenic landscapes. The high, forested ridges spill down into farmer's fields and hollows where brooks tumble. It's well known for Blueberries, Maple Syrup, and the wild Pollett River. At this time of year, the hardwoods decorate the hillsides in brilliant shades of orange, red, and yellow.

View Larger Map

The Elgin 80 is being put on as a fundraiser by the Elgin Eco Association. The Elgin Eco Association is a group of dedicated volunteers who are working together to promote the natural-beauty of the Elgin area through eco-tourism and raising money for their Community Park.
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Friar's Nose in the Fog

2010-09-11T19:07:00.000-03:00

Looking over the Parlee Brook Valley from Friar's Nose [CLICK TO VIEW FULL SIZE]

Eddies of fog

This morning I hiked up to Friar's Nose. Walking as fast as my legs and lungs could muster. I reached the top within half an hour, breathing heavy and sweating in the cool wet air. The wind whipped across the barren summit and fog tumbled across the valley, eddies spinning in the lee side of the ridges.

I put on a sweater and breathed in the refreshing air, looking for familiar landforms across the forested bowl. I come here a couple times a year and yet every time it seems that new ridges and valleys catch my eye. In the winter I search the valleys for blue smears of ice and in the fall I notice the vibrant hardwood stands. Today, the endless sea of green gives the impression that I'm standing on the edge of a vast wilderness.

Fog is a powerful thing. In a way its like the salt on your food, enriching whatever it touches and bringing out subtle details. The dreariest weather can produce the most moving landscapes. And on foggy days like today go to one of your favourite places and see it from a new perspective.

After running all the way down from the top of the Friar's Nose I was hot and sweaty. That's when I noticed a sweet little pool under the bridge. I can never resist cool moving water (no matter how shallow it is). It was refreshing and a perfect way to end a hike.

I love dunking myself in cold swift water.

Directions to Friar's Nose.
The Friar's Nose is located outside of Sussex, NB on the edge of the Fundy Highlands. You can find direction in my post from 2008.
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Sea kayaking on the Bay of Fundy

2010-08-26T16:21:00.000-03:00

Sea kayaking with Fresh Air Adventure

If you asked me a year ago if I would ever try sea kayaking, I would have said "no thanks I'm not that interested in the ocean." And that's always bugged me since I grew up and live in an ocean province. When I was younger I didn't like seafood or deep water. Rivers, lakes, beaches, no problem but the ocean terrified me.

However in the past year, my attitude to water has changed rapidly. I think I can owe this to living next to the Bay of Fundy in Saint John. Everyday I saw the ocean from my back deck, I walked past fish in the city market, and saw how people loved the ocean. I took swimming classes and once the spring came was jumping in every pond I could find. My hunger for the ocean steadily grew.

In August this year I did what I thought I'd never do - I tried sea kayaking. To my surprise I loved it. Three friends and I booked a half day outing with Fresh Air Adventure based in Alma. Three enthusiastic and experienced guides, outfitted us with gear, and gave us quick lesson before hitting the water.

We paddled under the Alma bridge and out into the open waters. At first I was nervous as the light ocean swell gently lifted my kayak. The kayak was very stable and soon I was comfortable paddling through the light mist. Our group of 12 boats paddled past Herring Cove and explored the rock formations along the coast. Fog bumped into the highlands and settled along the coast. Rainy days are beautiful on this foggy coast.

Our guides directed us to a beach where they laid out snacks, including the famous Alma Sticky Buns. The highlight of the trip for me was the short lesson the gave on the tides. We all know that the Bay of Fundy has high tides, but until then I couldn't quite understand the multitude of factors that created them. Apparently a "spring" tides isn't what happens in the spring time.

As we paddled back to Alma I was already started to figure out how I could afford to buy a kayak and trips started forming in my mind. I've done a lot of backpacking, but for long trips, traveling on water seems like the way to go. The water carries the weight, so you can bring the an extra bottle of wine and steak without breaking your back.

So, you should try it. Sea kayaking is not as scary as you might think, plus it can open a world of outdoor opportunities in New Brunswick.

Fresh Air Adventure - Guides based in Alma, next to Fundy National Park

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Fundy H2O Adventure Race

2010-08-24T22:44:00.001-03:00

I think this is going to rock!

The Highlands to Ocean Adventure Race (aka the H20) will be held in Fundy National Park on September 19th. This race is a little different than your typical adventure or triathlon. It takes its three stages - swimming, biking, running - from triathlon, and then throws some wilderness into the mix. You can do as an individual, or split the stages between a team of three. Either way you choose to race, you'll get to experience the unique terrain of Caledonia Highlands and the stunning Fundy Coast.

Here are the details:

1 km swim at Bennett Lake

14 km mountain bike or 20 km road bike

10 km trail run on Coastal trail.

Website Highlands to Ocean Adventure Race

Register Online Atlantic Chip

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Corn Hill Bicycle Festival !

2010-07-16T10:27:00.000-03:00

This is the lastest project I'm working on with a fellow cyclist. It's been taking over our lives recently, but we're having a blast doing it. The festival is on Saturday July 24th. There'll be group rides, workshops, music, bbq. We've gotten lots of positive feedback and the registrations are rolling in.

For all the info just check out our website www.bicyclecornhill.wordpress.com

Recently, a long time cyclist described Corn Hill as a "cycling mecca" in New Brunswick. Hope you get out to see for yourself.

Green Fields and Glowing Sun

2010-06-30T13:07:00.000-03:00

The other night I went for a fantastic bike ride with Bill and Janice around Corn Hill. Here are a few photos from the ride. I love these long summer evenings with green fields and glowing sun. I love spending time in the woods hiking and camping but it's sure hard to beat the countryside's beauty at this time of year!

Long Shadows

On the Country View Road

Dazzling evening light on the Burlock Road

Reaching the crest

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Father's Day Hike in Fundy Park

2010-06-29T23:41:00.000-03:00

Father's Day hike

This Father's Day my brother, his fiancee, and I went hiking with our dad in Fundy National Park. The sunny day faded as fog greeted us at the park boundary. The Moosehorn - Laverty Falls Trail is a favourite of my dad's so we headed there and found a nearly empty parking lot. A surprise, considering this is one of the Park's most popular trails and it was Father's Day. We dressed for the damp weather but within 15 minutes the temperature began rising and throughout the hike it steadily grew warmer.

We decided to hike into Laverty Falls, then follow the trail downriver past the pools, and return to the parking lot on the Moosehorn Trail. Hiking the trail in this direction was a first for me, usually I'd wanted to save Laverty fall for the end. But from now on I'll always walk to Laverty first then head down river.

The trail to Laverty Fall is wide and rutted but if you can take your eyes off the ground you'll see a wonderful example of a real Acadian forest. Yellow birch, gnarled with age, thrust up like great outstretched hands - fingers the size of normal trees. If you look through the open forest you'll see the dark, scaly bark of red spruce that shoot like arrows through the canopy. There's even a big hollow tree you can stand inside and have your picture taken.

We paused at Laverty Falls, then proceeded down river. I love this portion of the trail as it follows the river you can see how the banks are built of deposited gravel and cobble - at times the river cuts into the bank exposing cobble several feet deep. As the river valley widens it takes on a mountainous feel - alders and wildflowers grow in the flood plain along side the occasional boulder.

This deep pool was so good for swimming.

All of a sudden geology changes drastically and the river is squeezed through a channel of solid rock - leaving a bubbling wake to settle in a deep clear pool. We stopped here for lunch and with perfect timing the sun started to burn a little hotter. That was enough to convince us to go for a swim. We braced ourselves for icy water but it was surprisingly warm - I was able to stay in comfortably for 15 minutes. We probed around the pool looking at giant carved stones and diving into deep clear water.

Bracing for the plunge but it turned out to be quite warm.

Even on an overcast day, the sun powered through the clouds reaching the rock and giving it heat to radiate back. Perfect for lazing about, eating, and drying off. We hiked back up to the parking lot on the Moosehorn Trail passing again through a beautiful lush forest. Along the way I wondered if the Park would consider connecting this trail to the Forks Trail just a little farther down the river. It would make a great loop, plus it would allow people to hike from Laverty Falls, and the Dobson Trail, for the entire length of the Upper Salmon River to Alma.

We finished the day off with a stop at Alma's new cafe, the Octupus's Garden where we got hot drinks, pastry, and sat on the patio. An excellent way to top off the day. I'm so glad Alma has a good cafe once again.

Father's Day is an excellent excuse to get outside. I hope you did something special with your dad.

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Riding the Corn Hill Countryside

2010-06-18T11:20:00.000-03:00

Speeding past green fields on empty roads.

Last night three friends and I went for 18 km bike ride on the rolling country roads around Corn Hill. We packed a picnic and headed west on Route 890, swinging back east on the Buckley Settlement Road to climb up Anagance Ridge. We stopped for our light supper at the edge of a cattle pasture overlooking Corn Hill. We finished our loop along the Country View Road where we enjoyed wide views, to the east and west, as we sped on the smooth pavement at top speed. We moseyed back to the house, riding side by side on the empty roads, enjoy the last of the sunlight on this warm summer night.

On the Elliot Road.

Riding side by side on empty roads.

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Bicycling in Corn Hill

2010-06-15T15:13:00.001-03:00

Just got back from a great evening ride around Corn Hill. The sun was starting to set as I left the driveway with my Dad. We headed around block, as its known, and had only 2 cars pass us the whole time. A rainstorm in the afternoon had left the land laden with moisture and as it began to cool pockets of mist formed in sheltered corners.

There always seem to be something interesting happening with the weather around here. The summer clouds are remarkably dynamic in Corn Hill creating powerful sunset over the open hills and in the early morning light you’ll find fog lying in the valley floors after a warm summer night.

If you're interested in cycling in Corn Hill check out the Corn Hill Bicycle Festival -

www.bicyclecornhill.wordpress.com

Riding by green fields

Sunset over the Baseline Road

Looking over the gap at White’s Mountain

Pockets of mist in the forest

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A Real New Brunswick Forest

2010-05-21T12:28:00.000-03:00

Huge red spruce in the bottom of Walton Glen Canyon. A beautiful example of what New Brunswick's forests can be.

Recently I was camping in Walton Glen Canyon and it got me thinking about how much I appreciate our forests. But I didn't always feel this way.

Growing up here I always thought that New Brunswick had lousy forests. I was envious of the south's big hardwood trees and the west coast's rain forests. Our forests seemed thick and small. Occasionally I'd see a tree that was a foot in diameter and think whoa that's a big tree. As a child and later as a teenager, most of my experiences in the woods involved scratching through thick spruce stands or bushwhacking through hardwood thickets. This gets tiring after a while and I grew frustrated with what I thought were "normal" New Brunswick forest.

If you grew up in New Brunswick you can be forgiven for thinking that a real New Brunswick forest is a dark uninspiring thing. Because often they are...after repeated clearcutting our forests have been reduced to a fraction of their former glory. What we tend to see are forests in transition. These forests are on a long road to recovery. When you go in the woods you're probably going to be looking at white spruce, fir, red maple, and white birch all of which are just juveniles in the natural life of a forest. Forests need time to mature. Given time these quick growing juvenile species that we so commonly see, give way to the majestics - such as yellow birch, sugar maple, and red spruce.

The key to this is that those white spruce, fir, red maple, and white birch can grow in the full sun of a clearcut or farmer's field but these trees struggle under the shade of their own forest canopy. Once these trees have grown to their full size their shade stops seedlings from growing. But the majestics; such as red spruce, sugar maple, and yellow birch, can grow in these cool shady forests. This succession can take half a century.

In the past couple years I've come to appreciate New Brunswick's forests because I got the opportunity to see some old ones and that got me interested in learning more about them. I've learnt that we actually have unique forest here - called the Acadian Forest. It's a mix of conifers (evergreens) and deciduous (hardwoods) that span from northern New England, to Nova Scotia, and parts of eastern Quebec - and that's it. Not a large area but a very diverse one. In many areas of North America, forests are predominantly evergreens or hardwoods. Around here we've got a wonderful mix of the two. And despite what you may think. These trees get really big. We just don't normally leave them standing long enough to see this.

An old Acadian Forest is not only beautiful to look at but it's home to a diverse range of animals and plants. The forest also plays a crucial role in moderating our climate - not only through capturing CO2 from the atmosphere but also by cooling the surface of the earth and as recent research suggests seeding rain clouds. Which will help mitigate two of the serious concerns of our unchecked climate change. Plus, from a recreational point of view - old Acadian Forests are wide open and easy to walk through. Perhaps New Brunswickers are inactive because most of our forests are too bloody thick to walk through (just kidding).

I'm not opposed to logging and forestry. Its an important part of our heritage and our economy. And we all rely on wood for our homes and toilet paper. But the manner in which we consume this landscape is unsettling. Several centuries of intensive logging has left its toll on New Brunswick's landscape and it continues to shape our land. I understand that it may be unrealistic to do away with clearcutting completely, but I wish it would be done in a more responsible manner. As well, I feel that turning clearcuts in plantations of just one or two species and spraying pesticides to kill off the hardwoods is destructive and short sighted.

I worry that most New Brunswickers have never experienced a true, old Acadian Forest and therefore do not appreciate what it is we're losing. When all you know are scrubby little forests that are a pain to walk through, do you really care much if they get chopped down in another part of the province? I feel that you've got to experience something before you can really care about it. So I worry that by continually degrading our forests we are losing the opportunity to see what they once were and could one day again be. If we don't learn to love the woods then who is going to care if they are all turned into plantations for toilet paper.

Clearcuts south of Sussex. If you're driving to see some of New Brunswick's old forests you're bound to pass a major clearcut. But unless you venture into these backwoods areas you might just never see a major clearcut. Much of province's logging is happening in North-Central New Brunswick - out of sight for most of us.

Once a nice tree. Now it is probably toilet paper.

There's a number of places in New Brunswick where you can see what a real Acadian forest should look like. Get out there and see it for yourself. Take your children and show them a real New Brunswick forest.

The steep valleys along the Fundy Coast are probably my favorite areas. These were probably all logged at one time, but more recently the difficulty of working on steep slopes prevented the trees from being logged. But there are plenty of spots tucked away in Southern New Brunswick where you can find old forests.

Along the Fundy Footpath near Goose Creek you'll pass through stands red spruce rising from a mossy bed of ferns that conjure up images of a rainforest. (I'd argue that it is a rainforest...it gets 1.5 metres of precipitation every year on average and lots of cool foggy days to ensure it doesn't evaporate). And actually I've heard that's part of the reason the forest is so old. The moisture helps prevent forest fires.

In the Spring time the diversity of an Acadian Forest is really distinct. Notice how the lime-greens of the hardwoods stand out from the dark green conifers. As the summer goes on its harder to notice this mosaic from afar. This photo was taken above the Upper Salmon River near Alma just across the boundary Fundy National Park.

Near Martin Head (at the East of the mouth of the Quiddy River, south of Sussex) you'll find a cathedral of giant hardwoods near the coast.

Towering spruce are dwarfed by even taller cliffs at the popular rock climbing area in Welsford.

Majestic hardwoods spared from the saw in Parlee Brook just outside of Sussex. These trees are protected from logging by the 30 m setback from watercourses. Outside of this buffer, the nearby forest has been clearcut.

Giants near Bouctouche. Location unknown. Photo: Courtesay of L. Jacobs

Graham Waugh local motion new brunswick logging foresty clearcuts outdoors sussex martin head fundy footpath forest woods saint john moncton outside hiking camping

The Hidden Fundy Coast

2010-05-12T22:02:00.000-03:00

Oh the Fundy Coast. You gotta love its hidden coves and secret beaches.

A couple weekends ago I was invited to go camping and hiking at this beach in the St. Martins area. I had never heard of the beach, so I was surprised to arrive in such an astounding place. The beach is big in every dimension - its width, its length and even the size of the pebbles. Dark sea cliffs tower above the cove and I expected to see three masted ships anchored off shore. It's wild and feels like a foreign country.

On our hike to the headland we followed sea cliffs through an open grassland that was blooming with wildflowers. We passed an old stone fence that may have once held sheep along the windy cliff's edge. From the Headland we could clearly see Cape Spencer in the West near Saint John as well Cape Chignecto across the bay in the east. Isle Haute hovered in a bay- mysterious as always.

I'm starting to notice a trend around the Bay of Fundy. The best places are not in Parks but are known by locals and chances are you've never heard of them before. I'd love to tell you where to find some of them but I think that's best kept between friends and locals. So I'll leave this place unnamed.

The Headland.

This little beach has no escape at high tide.

Grassland on the headland. Very similar to the meadow at the tip of

Cape Split in Nova Scotia. I would like to ask a ecologist about how this came to be. Grassland in New Brunswick...that's unheard of.

Peering over the edge of the cliff.

graham waugh outdoors new brunswick sussex hiking saint john camping bay of fundy coastline fundy footpath park st. martins graham waugh local motion new brunswick

Back on the Bicycle

2010-04-23T11:14:00.002-03:00

Blue Skies in April mean one thing. The April High. Most springs a high pressure system rolls into the North East and teases us with a taste of summer. For most it will mean the first sun burn of the year and the first beers on the back deck. For me it meant getting back on my bicycle.

A couple days ago I got back from my climbing road trip in the Eastern US. In many ways it was a great trip - I met so many wonderful people and I climbed day after day at some of the East's best crags. But I was on the road for five weeks and I drove about 6000 km. So much driving. Heading north on the interstate near New York, in heavy traffic all I wanted was some fresh air and a chance to stretch my legs. That's when I started craving my bicycle.

So since I got home all I could think about was parking my truck and riding my bike. Thanks to the April High Pressure system I was able to get back on my bike right away. My chance came on Tuesday evening when I had plans to visit a friend in Sussex. I left my truck at home and rode into town that the evening.

The ride along Route 890 has awesome views, fun hills, and low traffic. But what I find coolest about the ride is this feeling of being funneled down a giant river valley towards Sussex. It's about a 30 km ride which took me about an hour and a half, although it actually feels much shorter. Once you get into the rhythm of pedaling time just slips away.

Mount Pisgah

Loving life

Away for a Bit

2010-03-22T14:27:00.000-03:00

Greetings from The South!

This spring I'm on a rock climbing tour of the South East US. The first stop on the trip was T-Wall near Chattanooga, Tennessee where I climbed sandstone cracks with my friend Sebastien from Halifax. After a week in Tennessee, I dropped Sebastien off at the airport and headed to the Red River Gorge in Kentucky. That's where I am now. I'll be here in Kentucky for a few days of sport climbing before I head to West Virginia and then back north.

So far the weather has been warm (by Canadian standards) with the odd day of hot weather but plenty of overcast dreary days. I was surprised that even as far south as Tennessee, the grass is just barely turning green and the trees haven't woken from dormancy.

As much as I love doing stuff outside near my home in New Brunswick, it's important to travel and spend time in new environments. And with every trip I always come home with a new appreciation for what we have in southern New Brunswick.

The T-Wall

Graham climbing the route "Dirtbag" 5.8

Sebastien climbing the sustained 5.9, in "Pursuit of Excellence"

The quiet camping area near the cliff

graham waugh tennessee wall rock climbing local motion

Just Walking to Town - Corn Hill to Sussex on Foot.

2010-03-12T18:07:00.000-04:00

I've wanted to walk to Sussex for years. I suppose it all started when I heard stories about ol' Parker Coates. When he was young (we're talking long ago) he'd walk or bicycle into Sussex from Corn Hill for dances on the weekends. That was back when it was an old dirt road with more potholes than you could fill with a dumptruck. Then there is the stories of ol' Joe Dickie walking his cows to the market in Sussex. Nowadays with automobiles, no one walks like they did in the old days. So I thought, what the heck, people have walked long distances since the dawn of time. I might as well give it a try.

I got some maps and planned my route to sussex. The obvious path is to follow the roads but who wants to walk on roads?? So I outlined a route that would take me through the fields and forests of Knightville and over the top of Mount Pisgah. I'd always wanted to hike on top of Mount Pisgah, so why not include it in my trip to Sussex.

I set out from Corn Hill early on Friday morning on snowshoes and by lunch time I had made it to Giermend's German Deli in Knightville. I picked up some deliscious meats for lunch and carried on.

Near the end of the day I climbed onto Mount Pisgah, fought through birch thickets and came out in a gorgeous hollow near a fork in a brook. Exhausted from a couple hours of bushwhacking I decided to set up camp. I put together a simple tarp structure and enjoyed a hot supper as the sun went down.

I feel asleep to the sound of the babbling brook under a canopy of stars. I was awfully cozy that night, snug in my little nest.

Dawn crashed through the trees with an cutting light, but I just put my head deeper in my sleeping bag and kept sleeping. It's nice to sleep in a bit during winter camping to give the sun a chance to warm things up.

I climbed out of the hollow and found myself in a humongous clearcut. The mountain side was totally smoked! "What a disgrace" I thought. But at least you get good views from clearcuts. The sun was high, and in the blue sky I noticed two eagles circling in the thermals. I smashed and cursed my way through the clearcut's thick growth and breathed a sigh of relief when I arrived in an old hardwood forest. From there I could see Smith's Creek, Roachville, Sussex, Sussex Corner, Dutch Valley, and Penobsquis. It was stunning how much higher I was than the surrounding hills.

Looking over the Sussex Valley. The town is just below the strange black dot.

After a quick lunch in the sun, I was ready for the final push to Sussex. After a steep descent, I hit a forest so thick that I could swim through it. But soon I began encountering a web of woodlot roads which tempted me and soon lead me off track and in the completely wrong direction. I started to realize where I was headed but refused to go back into the choking forest. So I carried on and with a heavy sigh, well actually more like a few F***'s. The wood's road brought me to the Knightville Road near Smith's Creek. I took off my snowshoes, strapped them on my pack and hoofed it the rest of the way to town on the road. Soon I was happy to be on the road. With the warm weather my snowshoes had been balling up with snow some terrible. As well, on the road I got to look up at, the hills I was looking down at from atop Mount Pisgah.

In the hot afternoon sun I arrived in Town and strolled downtown to get a beer at the Broadway Cafe. That was the perfect way to conclude my walk to town. Taking the time to get somewhere always makes the destination a whole lot more rewarding. This walk was probably the most rewarding trip I've done in recent years.

As spring arrives, consider taking a day to leave the car at home and walking to your closest town. Bring a lunch and a friend, and see what that distance feels like. You can follow the country roads, there's no need to contrive a bushwhacking adventure like I did.

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Loch Alva Wilderness Trip

2010-03-12T16:29:00.000-04:00

Loch Alva Wilderness Winter Trip

February 14th to 19th, 2010

6 Days on Snowshoes with Paul Maybee

Pulling sleds, sleeping in a tent, and living the good life.

I learnt two important things on this trip:

1. Winter camping can be very comfortable and is more rewarding than summer camping.

2. The Loch Alva Wilderness is unbelievably wild and gorgeous.

I encourage you to visit Paul's Blog for a fantastic photo-essay of our trip. I think he really captured the spirit of our time in the woods. Just follow the link below.

http://paulmaybee.wordpress.com/

Day 1. Starting from the Highway near Westfield.

Day 1. Pulling sleds on skidoo trails to Turtle Mountain.

Day 2. A day of exploring around Turtle Mountain. Here, Paul is bracing himself against the wind atop Turtle Mountain.

Day 2. A new watersource is discovered! We collected a couple liters from the tart throughout the day.

Day 3. Dawn from the top of Turtle Mountain.

Turtle Mountain's Rocky Summit.

Day 3. Paul pulling a sled on Turtle Lake, Turtle Mountain in the Distance.

Day 3. Paul crossing Turtle Lake with ideal weather and snow conditions, Turtle Mountain in the Distance.

Day 3. Paul with Turtle Mountain in the distance. Notice the blue sky and sunglasses. Brilliant weather for traveling.

Day 4. Morning at our camp near Rocky Lakes.

Day 4. Exploring the barrens around Rocky Lake.

Day 4. Black Spruce stab through the ground like Narwhales Tusks.

Day 5. Onward! Leaving Rocky Lakes after two days. Paul with his trusty sled in tow.

Day 5. On the big lake - Loch Alva. Heading towards Green Ridge which is visible in the distance.

Day 6. Admiring the old spruce on Green Ridge.

Day 6. Leaving Green Ridge on our final day's travel to Musquash.

graham waugh local motion new brunswick sussex outdoors saint john hiking saint john snowshoe loch alva turtle mountain wilderness loch alva protected area camping new brunswick fredericton hiking

New Website for Elmhurst Outdoors

2010-03-01T23:58:00.000-04:00

Check out Elmhurst Outdoors' new and improved website. Now with snow condition updates!

Paste this url in a new browser if the above link doesn't work-
http://www.elmhurstoutdoors.ca/Elmhurst_Outdoors/Elmhurst_Home_Page.html

Loch Alva Wilderness Trip Catch Up

2010-02-26T11:57:00.000-04:00

I'm back from the trip. First off, no it didn't rain on us and we weren't dragging our sleds through dirt despite brown landscapes in nearby Saint John and Fredericton.

The Loch Alva Mountains are a winter paradise! We had perfect snow conditions up there and real winter weather while the rest of Southern New Brunswick melted into Spring. It may be hard to believe but in New Brunswick the mountains drastically affect winter weather. In the Loch Alva Mountains, as well as the Fundy Highlands, just a few hundred feet of elevation means snows more and it melts less.

The Loch Alva Wilderness was full of surprises. Snowy lakes, granite boulders, wide open barrens, narrow valleys, bright hardwood stands, haunting black spruce bogs, and of course the crown jewel; granite topped, Turtle Mountain. It's an incredibly diverse area that is refreshing natural. As we trekked deeper into the heart of the wilderness, signs of humans faded away and we didn't see another person or hear a snowmobile until we finally descended into the cottage country on our last day.

That's all for now, I'll be posting more as I digest the experience. The trip gave me a lot to think about and ignited a fire in me to explore more of NB's forgotten places.

Paul atop Turtle Mountain

Crossing Turtle Lake, Turtle Mountain in the background.

Graham waugh saint john moncton fredericton outdoors loch alva turtle mountain adventure winter camping snowshoe paul maybee wilderness local motion sussex

Bay of Fundy Ice Climbing

2010-02-10T00:44:00.000-04:00

Spent the weekend in St. Martins, New Brunswick, ice climbing on the shores of the Bay of Fundy. Pretty rad. Pretty awesome. Sand, seaweed, barnacles, and crampons. Fat white ice and five minute approaches.

We checked out the ice between Berry Beach and Fownes Beach on Saturday. Most of it was melting in the sun. So sad to see it go like that. Headed over to West Quaco, near the lighthouse, for the rest of the day and all of Sunday. The shaded ice was thick and hard. Lots of great climbs. Nearly got caught by the tide at the end of the day. A good reminder that we're dealing with 30 foot tides in the Bay of Fundy.

Go away sun, you bully, you're melting our ice! Near Fownes Beach, East of St. Martins. Near the start of the Fundy Trail Parkway

Lucas walking on the sea floor near the West Quaco Lighthouse. Notice the high tide marks a few feet above his head. Check the tides before you go!

Cory leading some hard, hard ice near the West Quaco Lighthouse.

Leading some soft ice on Sunday. Notice the stairs in the background... It's a tough life.

Bring on the Bluegrass!

local motion graham waugh bay of fundy adventure ice climbing rock climbing saint john moncton st. martins quaco fundy trail explore new brunswick sussex

The Loch Alva Trip - 9 days to go!!!

2010-02-05T10:24:00.000-04:00

In 9 days my friend Paul Maybee and I are heading into the backcountry of the Loch Alva Protected Area for 6 days and 5 nights of winter fun. A couple months back, we sat in Paul's kitchen discussing our plans for a Gaspe Ski Touring trip. As we drank our coffee the conversation kept slipping back to New Brunswick backcountry adventures. We'd both heard about the great hut to hut skiing in the Gaspe but that comes with hut bookings, park passes, and a day long drive in each direction. The huts would be nice, a luxury even, but we didn't want a vacation. We want an adventure, a learning experience. So do we really need to drive 10 hours to find this? No we don't. We've got plenty of wilderness around Southern New Brunswick.

Paul and I hiked into Turtle Mountain in the Loch Alva Protected Area in May 2009. Maybe it was the framed photo of the Turtle Mountain overlook in Paul's apartment that triggered it. But as we finished the dregs of our coffee, I think we were both dreaming of the view from Turtle Mountain. Wilderness stretching as far as you can see and so many lakes.

We did some more research and found there's not much online and there are certainly no guidebooks about the area. Go online and see what you can find. Not much at all. This added to the alure. So we started asking around. First we heard about an old growth forest on the banks of Loch Alva. Digging around some more, we found that there's many unique places to explore in this protected area. Earlier this week we listened to Martin from the Department of Natural Resources describe the rocky barrens and point out a handful of other attraction including a canyon, a series of waterfalls, and a place called the Valley of Diamonds. Our hearts sank when he mentioned the skidoo highway but we smiled when he told us skidoos can't get into much of the backcountry. Precisely the area that we're heading into.

So with a week to go we're quite busy with gear preparation and food dehydrating. As the temperatures outside, threaten to crack the thermometer each night, we find this small piece of wilderness grow in size.

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For more information about the Loch Alva Protected Area
http://www.gnb.ca/0399/loch_alva2-e.asp
graham waugh local motion new brunswick saint john moncton outdoors sussex ski skiing snowshoeing adventure wilderness hiking trails backcountry winter camping fredericton turtle mountain loch alva

Wilderness First Aid Course Dates Winter/Spring 2010

2010-01-27T10:33:00.001-04:00

TAKE THIS COURSE!

Wilderness First Aid training is worth every dollar. This year, skip the new backpack and spend that money on this course!

Not only could Wilderness First Aid training save your butt when things go wrong, it will give you the self-assurance to travel farther and better enjoy the backcountry.

I've taken both of these courses from Blair Doyle. Most recently, in November, I took his Wilderness First Responder Course. I learnt so much and I think you will too.

Plus I have my own agenda for pushing these courses... I want more trained people in the woods so that someday when I bang myself up, there are people around who can help :)

If you work with people outdoors or spend serious amounts of time in the woods or on the water you should check out the dates for the 8-day Wilderness First Responder courses. There's even one coming to New Brunswick in May.

For more information see below or go to the website.

Red Cross Wilderness Remote First Aid
- offering wilderness reality checks 1996 -

Wilderness and Remote First Aid

Public offerings Winter / Spring 2010:

Feb. 12, 13, 14. 2010

Mar. 12, 13, 14, 2010

Apr. 9, 10, 11, 2010

Cost: WRFA: $195.00 + HST
Advanced WRFA - $250 + HST - optional - consists of extra day / evening added on to the above dates

Where: Halifax Regional Search and Rescue Base
Lakeview, N.S.(off Cobequid Rd. in Sackville, N.S.)

Contact to register and get course particulars:

Blair Doyle (902) 222-0868 - Email: adventure@eastlink.ca

or online at: www.WRFA.ca where you can check out additional dates and courses or focused sessions.

Completion of the course will give you an Wilderness Remote First Aid certification and Standard First Aid certification - CPR level C recognized in the workplace in N.S. WRFA exceeds the Standard F.A. workplace requirement. Internationally Red Cross is in 181 countries. With alot of outdoor employers WRFA is a job requirement.

Wilderness Remote First Responder

February - Acadia University, Wolfville, NS
May - Camp Glenburn, Saint John Area, NB *** Sign Up NBer's!!

Cost: $550.00 + HST

More details here: http://www.wrfa.ca/WRFResponder.html

This 8 day advanced program is the most complete and challenging wilderness medical training you can engage in. The WRFR level is designed for Outdoor Professionals who will be managing wilderness activities resulting in advanced medical response. Besides understanding the use of medical gear in the wilderness environment, the program establishes solid rescue interface practices, pharmacology limitations, and students will manage a remote overnight long-term care dilemma.

Biking to go Ice Climbing

2010-01-26T15:37:00.000-04:00

Crampons, check;

Ice axes, check;

Harness, check;

Bike....check!

There's nothing quite like biking over a frozen river to go Ice Climbing in January. This was a couple weeks ago on a sunny day in January. My friend Cory lent me a mountain bike with studded tires and we left from his house in Quispamsis to go ice climbing for the day at a crag called Mount Misery on the Kingston Peninsula. I'm pretty envious that Cory can bike right from his back door to this excellent ice climbing area.

Cory biking on the Kennebecasis River with Mount Misery in the background.

The highlight of the day was leading a mixed route that was just put up this winter, "When in Doubt Deck". It starts off under a gnarly rock overhang with just tiny patch of ice to hook you crampons on. Powerful reaches lead to desperate ice ledge that you could swing a pick into, thank god, but then you have to pull an awkward mantel to get onto it. The route then follows technical rock before finishing on fat vertical ice. We were lucky to have our friend Steve join us to take photos. Below is a photo he posted on the local climbing forum.

Graham on the overhanging start of When in Doubt Deck

(Photo Credit Steve Adamson)

Mixed climbing is such a wonderful combination of rock and ice climbing and it even has its own unique movement. It was my first experience mixed climbing and I'm hooked. This opens up a whole new world of climbing to me. I'm looking forward to lots of more Mixed Routes in our area.

local motion new brunswick graham waugh saint john moncton fredericton sussex rothesay bay of fundy kennebecasis mixed climbing ice climbing biking winter adventures

Albuquerque, Oakland, Calgary?

2010-01-25T18:55:00.000-04:00

Last week I added this application to my blog that shows where readers are located on a world map. You can see it part way down this page on the right hand side. When I added it I was thinking that it would be interesting to see where readers are from in New Brunswick. Well some certainly are from this province but what's grabbed my attention were the readers from Albuquerque, Oakland, Calgary, and Bermuda among other places. I'm not a technowiz and a I don't understand how the mapping program works though I assume its based on computer IP addresses. That's the extent of my knowledge. But the map must be somewhat accurate because there are points in Shediac, Harvey, Kedgwick, and Saint John, as well as other Canadian cities. Perhaps if any of you understand how this mapping program works you can fill me in with the details.

Now this map of readers has given me lots to think about. Why would someone from 1000's of miles away be interested in this blog about doing stuff outdoors in Southern New Brunswick?

Well I've got a hunch that it's not just any ol' person from Albuquerque or Toronto reading this blog. And, although this blog may seem to be made for locals, when I started it over a year ago, part of me was doing it for the person in Calgary and Toronto.

Because I think the truth is that these readers in Albuquerque and Oakland are actually New Brunswickers far from home. Or at least they've got family roots here.

Why do I say this? Cause if I was in one of those places I'd be doing the same thing. Whenever I've been away for long periods of time I've missed this place. And during those times I went online and searched for exciting outdoors stuff to do when I got home to New Brunswick. If you look hard enough you'll find some things online; there is information out there scattered around dozens of websites. Unfortunately a lot is missing and no where online can you get a good image of what this region has to offer. So this blog is my small contribution to the online pool of information for the homesick. I hope it helps remind you of home and I hope it gives you the urge to come do some exploring here.

And so to all the folks who are pining for New Brunswick, whether you're in Toronto dreaming of your ultimate paddling trip or listening to the hum of a ski lift in Colorado, I say "Good luck in your journey and when you're ready to come to NB; your enthusiasm and outdoor experience will be put to good use, creating backcountry ski runs and portage routes that we all wish were already here".

You can always leave me a note or send me an email if you'd like to comment on the blog or to ask me about anything outdoors related in southern New Brunswick.

I'll leave you with a couple photos that I took along the Fundy Footpath last summer.

Encountering a Cloud Forest on the Fundy Footpath

A waterfall drops into the Little Salmon River Gorge

after a summer thunderstorm

new brunswick hiking backpacking canoeing skiing snowshoeing sussex saint john moncton adventure outdoors local motion graham waugh rock climbing ice climbing whitewater

Sign Up Now for "Ice School"!

2010-01-25T11:15:00.001-04:00

"The UNB Rock and Ice Club will once again be hosting their annual Ice School on the weekend of February 13th and 14th. This is a great opportunity to try out an exciting new sport. The school consists of two full days of instruction covering safety and technique with a very low ratio of students to instructors. The club provides all the technical equipment for the weekend and absolutely no prior climbing experience is necessary.

Interested people can register at the UNB climbing wall in the L.B. Gym during our normal climbing hours. An information session will be held at 7:00 on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 9th at the UNB climbing wall. Attendance is required for all those who register.

For more information please contact climbunb@gmail.com and see the information package attached. Bring your sense of adventure!"

see poster below-

--------

This is a great opportunity for anyone eager to learn a new winter sport and a new way to enjoy our winters. I would highly recommend jumping at this opportunity to learn ice climbing in a safe and enjoyable environment.

And hey, you can't beat the price at $50 (for non members) for a two days of ice climbing instruction. Seriously. I challenge anyone to find a more affordable ice climbing course in North America.

It might come as a surprise to most people but there is actually fantastic ice climbing in New Brunswick due to our unique geology and climate. Many winter sport depend on good snow conditions - skiing, snowshoeing, tobogganing, snowman building, even pond hockey requires just the right ice conditions. Fortunately, there are enough ice climbing areas in New Brunswick that there is always one you can climb. Some are shaded and resist the melting temperatures while others get brilliant sun and are perfect on cold days. Ice climbing can take you into steep ravines in the Fundy Highlands or up exposed cliff faces above the Kennebecasis River, and perhaps best of all to the Fundy Shoreline where you can climb steep ice off the beach.

Saint John Seeking Public Input on Bikeway Development

2010-01-11T13:33:00.001-04:00

This message has been circulating around the biking community in Saint John. What a great opportunity to get your voice heard! I'll be attending the North End presentation on Tuesday Night.

---

Hi Everyone

Saint John is conducting public meetings about bikeway development in the city this week and we need people to attend! The more cyclists in attendance the more we are considered seriously for funding. There are meetings scheduled for each of city wards, so please try and attend one that fits your schedule. The info is as follows:

You are invited to attend these sessions intended to allow for input from residents and landowners in developing an active transportation network within Saint John, over the short, medium and long term. A key focus of the plan is the development of new trails and bikeways to link key origins and destinations within the community.

The City and consultant are seeking Public input regarding priorities for future trail and bikeway

development.

Formal presentation to begin at 7:15pm.

Monday, January 11, 7 -9 pm

South End Community Centre

210 Wentworth Street

Tuesday, January 12, 7- 9 pm

North End Community Centre

15 Victoria Street

Wednesday, January 13, 7 -9 pm

Hillcrest Baptist Church

76 Lancaster Avenue

Thursday, January 14, 7- 9 pm

Forest Glen Community Centre (Theatre)

651 Westmorland Road

The link to the city's page is as follows:

http://www.saintjohn.ca/article-details.cfm?ArticleID=0A58C9C0-EF90-546B-0EA2DC37029B3156

What do you Call your Snow?

2010-01-10T19:14:00.001-04:00

On Friday my friend Lucas calls me to suggest we cross country ski in Corn Hill the following day. That night I call my parents to quiz them about the snow conditions. It sounds pretty good although after a 15 minute conversation with each of them, I'm still a bit puzzled. It sounds crusty but ok-ish. Over the years my parents have become pretty adept at describing snow conditions but its still a struggle sometimes. And I have to hand it to them. This is not any easy task. The English language has a real shortage of snow words. Obviously the English didn't invent skiing.

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We've only got a few specific words to describe snow in English "soft, sticky, hard, crusty, fresh, powder, corn" for example. With these words in our repertoire we can fumble through most scenarios and get creative "well its sticky and soft but in some places you break through the crust and underneath its powdery". What a headache of adjectives. And snow character depends on a slew of factors such as how it fell, wind, melting, daily temperature, age, and whether a track has been set. It's usually different in the woods than in the open and changes throughout the day. Imagine there was one word that could, in just a few syllables, communicate that there is a light crust above a base that is dense. And that with another word you could explain that its icy in the usual places (i.e. around evergreen trees), or windblown in the fields. Could there be a word that explains how your edges will perform on the descent?

Now describing snow may not seem particularly important for Southern New Brunswick. Afterall this isn't the Arctic and we don't have a mountain snow affect. But I would say snow language is particularly important in our region....because it varies so much! We ride a weather rollercoaster all winter long thanks to competing weather systems. As well, the snow conditions will be different from Hampton to Sussex and again when you go into Waterford. Distance from the Bay affects weather and so does the hills. It may be subtle but elevation affect snow falls around here. Higher areas in the Fundy Highlands are significantly snowier than the Kennebecasis Valley (Just look for the snowy ridgelines as you drive along the Transcanada to Saint John).
--

I discuss the conditions with Lucas. The consensus? Let's go for it.

We drive out to the Corn Hill on saturday morning, meet up with the rest of the gang and find a bumper crop of snow in the fields. There is just a very thin crust on top with loose snow underneath. Once a trail is broken you can glide on cold powdery snow. The conditions are good. Even the beginners in our group are ripping it up!

The downhills are fast and the flats are effortless. A few of us take a 3 hour loop through rolling fields and forest. Searching out some good descents before turning back, face to the wind, for a bitterly cold ski home.

So I wish that I could describe the conditions in a few simple words but I can't. All I can suggest is to be curious. Take the time to learn the quirks of your own local skiing areas. Armed with this local knowledge maybe together we can create a new vocabulary for snow conditions and in the process improve our understanding of the natural world.

Drop me a line and tell me how you describe your snow.

Skiing along the stream in Coyote Valley

Before the Steep descent into the Marr Valley

graham waugh cross country skiing new brunswick local motion sussex saint john moncton corn hill skiing

A venue for one another in 2010: Outdoors - By Vernon Woolsley

2010-01-08T17:24:00.000-04:00

So I'm just playing editor on this one. The story comes from my friend Vernon Woolsley. When I heard about Vernon's New Year's Eve experience, I knew I had to get his story on here. What a wonderful way to start the new year. There's nothing better than a winter getaway in the wilderness. Enjoy.

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A venue for one another in 2010: Outdoors

Three couples sharing a getaway far inland from where the forest meets the Bay is a pretty remarkable NYE scenario.

Our assemblage trekked from the Village of Alma on the Bay of Fundy to a riverside cabin on skis. And when the Gregorian calendar rounded the bend, we found ourselves under a blue moon perched atop an ice flow on the river rocks. Gorgeous.

Lit by the moon, the gorge walls opposite the river told us of the descent from the highland we’d just made; careening down forested fingers of land to the river delta where we would overnight. It was in this river bend I’d swam with the Salmon 20 years ago, when the species at risk wasn’t nearing receiving additional river buffer protection. We may not get away with igniting sparklers here in 2011.

We’re 8km from where we began our adventure. The landscape is sweet to the senses, a rewarding place to meet following the journey. We skied from a point up gradient in Alma that made for more of a coast on the way in, while the consumables like large pots of hot food remained full – or untouched back at the starting point. Being risk takers, my partner skied on unproven hand made bindings, and I towed a hand made pulk (towed sled) into serious remoteness. We’d brought savory dishes and libations a plenty, but it was the conversation and sense of place that was most stimulating. It’s the kind of scene where you could really enjoy getting storm stayed!

The turnaround days that are the holidays demand this kind of outing. Still now, a week later, I’m benefiting from the coincidence of energies during the experience. Had we hit up a social club, our bodies would be sore and marked in less character building ways. And we’d be talking about how many numbers 2010 can be divided by. Interestingly enough, our year of the lord is divisible by 6 (the number of people in our group), and by 3 (the number of couples), not to mention 10, 5, 2, and of course 1.

Clearly things bode well for us this year!

Right. May 2010 bring plenty of kick and glide, and a thriving outdoor ethic!

Vernon Woolsey
Alma, NB

Snowy day of Ice Climbing

2010-01-04T17:32:00.000-04:00

On Sunday my street wasn't plowed and the snow continued to fall. I thought I was going to be trapped in Saint John for the day. But Peter, Steve, and Cory came by and we sped off into the snowstorm to go ice climbing in Welsford.

The warm, wet snow continued to fall as we snowshoed up to the cliffs off Cochrane Lane. The last hill through the boulderfield was fun, as we slipped and balanced our way through knee deep snow that hid ganite lumps.

Waterfall Wall, has a few ice routes and a couple mixed routes when the conditions are right. The left and middle routes were thick enough to lead. The ice was soft and super sticky making it easy to stick our picks into. From the top of the wall it was a beautiful sight looking out over the snow covered crag.

Snow covered cliffs and the resident horses

Belaying in the snow

Climbing the thin ice on the left.

graham waugh local motion new brunswick ice climbing welsford saint john outdoors adventure

A Good Start to Winter

2010-01-02T18:44:00.000-04:00

Hello out there!

Winter has started with a bang in Southern New Brunswick. I have already been out cross country skiing a handful of times in Corn Hill and even once in Stanley, a couple evening hikes to Green Head West Saint John, and a day of ice climbing in Parlee Brook near Sussex. (Plus a not so local trip to Quebec's Gaspesie for Ice Climbing).

Cross Country skiing conditions have been perfect inland this year with a solid base covered by a thin layer of softer snow. On Christmas Day the conditions were ideal and I hit the backfields with gusto, covering more ground than usual and finding a new route linking some great backcountry skiing around Corn Hill.

Right now we're getting hammered with another big snow storm. You'll have to be quick to enjoy the powder as warmer weather is on its way. Ski conditions should be alright though, if the temperatures stay around Zero for the rest week as is forecasted. It's the kind of conditions that'll make you wish you had wax-less skis for the sticky midday snow and metal edges for the crust that develops each night.

Here are a few of photos from my December. Drop me a line about how you've been getting outside. I always love to here from others playing in out great big backyard.

Peter trying ice climbing for

the first time at Parlee Brook

Jane enjoying a Boxing Day ski in Corn Hill

My old wooden skis

Hiking on Green Head in West Saint John

Snow Covered Spruce on Green Head

Descending by headlamp after a day of ice climbing

on the Gaspe's Coast. In the background

Mont Saint-Pierre rises out of the St. Lawrence

Cold Comfort - Winter Camping Guide

2009-12-11T11:24:00.003-04:00

Winter is here! Welcome to the other half of the year!

Last winter I tried winter camping for my first time. A couple friends and I dragged two days of gear and ice climbing equipment into Walton Glen Canyon for an unforgettable weekend. I'll never forget the stars that night, then waking up to crisp morning sunshine followed by a hot breakfast in bed.

Winter camping in Walton Glen Canyon with Lucas, Cory, and Peter.

I just came across this excellent introduction to winter camping on the Backpacker Magazine website . It's got some real useful information for someone thinking about trying winter camping plus some new ideas for the seasoned explorer. Everything from clothing, to cooking, and when to build a snowcave are covered in this easy to understand guide. And its not just for winter camping, weekend warriors will find lots of great tips of being comfortable on a cold Saturday afternoon.

I really like this little guide. I think you will too. So check it out and kick start your next winter adventure. Just follow the link below.

COLD COMFORT: WINTER CAMPING GUIDE

No crowds, no bugs: Winter camping holds rewards aplenty– once you master the gear and skills required to thrive in frigid climates.

you can also copy and paste this link into a new window:
http://www.backpacker.com/fall-gear-guide-09-cold-comfort-winter-camping-guide/skills/13513

local motion new brunswick moncton hiking skiing sussex snoeshoe fundy walton glen graham waugh saint john winter camping

Corn Hill Country Walking

2009-12-07T15:18:00.001-04:00

A Saturday afternoon walk in the countryside with my dad. We traveled through backfields from Corn Hill to Knightville. Bautiful wide open fields with gushing creeks. When we hit the Rouse Road we followed it to the Knightville Road, crossed the pavement and followed the NB Snowmobile trail into a steep little hollow. At this point the snow flakes started to flow more heavily and the day drew to an end. We climbed the steep hill out of the hollow and gained a view over the increasingly dark landscape. In the distance we could see yardlights flickering in Corn Hill. A perfect way to wrap up a walk. Now its time to go home, put on dry socks, and warm up with some soup.

This might be the last walk of the season. Hopefully this weekend's snow sticks around and I'll be out cross country skiing next time.

Outdoors Podcasts

2009-11-26T13:37:00.000-04:00

If you haven't yet discovered Podcasts, crawl out from under that rock and open your eyes to a new world of online radio. These two podcasts might just get you hooked. Lazy sunday mornings and long car rides just got a lot better!

Doing Stuff Outdoors, is arranged and recorded by New Brunswick's very own Gary Mittelholtz. The show's topics cover the gammit of what we love doing outdoors and takes us around North America for interesting stories of individuals doing their thing outside. Learn about the growing sport of Cyclocross or hear about a young women's remarkable journey across Canada on horseback.

http://doingstuffoutdoors.com/

The Dirtbag Diaries is a refreshingly unique cocktail of stories about folks pushing the boundaries and conventions of outdoor adventure and culture. Topics range from pioneering ascents of the world's gnarliest mountains to new wave Consverationalists. No matter who you are, you'll find a topic that appeals to you. Maybe it's the show about Sarah Wroot finder her outdoor passion late in life or the trials and joys of being an outdoor parent. A favourite episode of mine is "No Car, No Problem" in which the host Fitz Cahall explores what it takes to get into the big outdoors without a using a car from his home in Seattle. The music selection with each show also rocks.
http://www.dirtbagdiaries.com/

Happy Listening!

Up the Friar's Nose

2009-11-25T11:40:00.001-04:00

Had a great hike up the Friar's Nose in Waterford last Saturday with a group from around Sussex. A year ago around this time I hiked in their by myself after some time away from the area. I wrote about it here. It makes me very happy to once again share this place with more people. It's one of our regions best kept secrets.

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I love the feeling of turning down the Parlee Brook Road into a valley that gets narrower and narrower. The road bringing you startlingly close to the tumbling brook at times. The final squeeze into depths of the valley is darkened by the towering ridgelines until its just you and the clear brook. If you roll down the car window you can hear the brook whisper.

We parked on the bridge near the stone building that is known as the Abbey. From here we climbed Arnold's Hollow Road, that I like to imagine is a relic from pioneer days. The valley's silence is broken as we share stories and talk about doing stuff outdoors in the area.

It's a cool day, overcast and recovering from the previous day's hard rain. Dampness hangs in the air, needling its way into my clothes and keeping me cool. That is until we begin the final steep ascent to the Nose. The path at this point narrows and is washed out at parts. We stop for views into the hidden valley below. I've made many winter trips into the Hidden Valley and it's allure still burns strong.

The wind whips at us as we step onto the rocky platform called the Friar's Nose. In front of us is a rumpled canvas of fall colours, grey, brown, green, and purple. From the Nose you get an unmatched view over the twisted hills of Waterford and the rolling ridgelines of Sussex and Newtown. The well knonw Bluff is visible as a thin strip over the Dutch Valley and over its shoulder rises Piccadilly Mountain. In the distance Mount Pisgah rises like a slow moving wave ready to swallow Sussex. From here you can make out the backside of Poley Mountain and even gain a view of the rocky bluffs that face its lodge.

It's a quick jaunt back to the cars where the wind is silenced by the ridgelines and the brook whispers under the bridge.

graham waugh local motion new brunswick outdoors adventure sussex parlee brook friar's nose hidden valley waterford

Event Notice: Outdoor You, in Sussex Thursday Nov 19

2009-11-17T10:12:00.007-04:00

I would like to invite you to Outdoor You in Sussex on Thursday November 19th at 7pm. It will be held at PALS which is upstairs in the Post Office Building in Downtown Sussex.

As many of you know all too well, November may be one of the gloomiest times of the year for the outdoor enthusiast. The days are short, frost hangs in the air, and rain can quickly turn to snow. But with the right skills, gear, and attitude you can come to enjoy whatever the November Winds throw at you! Plus, Winter's crisp snow and sunny days are just around the corner. Learn what it takes to enjoy the last weeks of Fall while gearing up for Winter Adventures.

This gathering on the 19th of November will bring together people who have a passion for self-propelled outdoors activities in our region. You can share your local trail knowledge, exchange gear tips, and find trip partners in your area. Plus it's an opportunity to learn from several experienced outdoor enthusiasts who will be on hand to share information and inspiration through animated presentations about getting outside in our region. These include presentations on GPS, Winter Sports Around Sussex, Clothing for Cold and Wet Weather, Safety, and more!

The evening is free and everyone is welcome - from folks just getting started to the experienced outdoor enthusiast. Bring the whole family and learn from other parents how to get outside with the young ones.

Hope to See you there!
graham waugh sussex outdoors adventure skiing snowshoeing winter sports fundy local motion

Wilderness First Responder Course

2009-11-16T15:00:00.008-04:00

I just got back from an 8 day Wilderness First Responder Course in Halifax. A little tired and a little paranoid but more than anything craving backcountry adventure. This was my second excellent wilderness first aid course with Blair Doyle. Dave Poitras, a ski patroller and paramedic living in Newfoundland helped him out with this one. Together they ran us through realistic wilderness scenarios that taught us to keep a cool head and figure it out.

If you spend time in the backcountry or take groups into the woods I'd highly recommend a Wilderness First Aid course. First aid in remote environments is different from standard first aid in an urban setting. The difference is in how you can safely manage yourself and the situation and care for someone who is injured. The difference is about decision-making. Not only could Wilderness First Aid training save your butt when things go wrong, it will give you the self-assurance to travel farther and better enjoy the backcountry.

Check Out Blair Doyle's Courses -
http://www.wrfa.ca/wilderness_and_remote_first_aid.htm

Here are a few more photos from the course.

Group shot with our hypothermia patient all wrapped up

Moving a spinal patient on a backboard

A burn victim on our overnight scenario

graham waugh new brunswick outdoors adventure first aid first responder wilderness blair doyle

Event Notice: Waterfalls of New Brunswick Tour Coming to Saint John

2009-10-30T09:56:00.002-03:00

I heard about this exciting event on CBC Radio Mornings. Over the last two years Nicholas has been tracking down and photographing New Brunswick's waterfalls. His work is truly remarkable. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of his new book!

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"New Brunswick is home to over one thousand waterfalls — some remote, some surprisingly accessible. In Waterfalls of New Brunswick, Nicholas Guitard has chosen over fifty of the best. Cascading over an incredible range of ancient geology, this richly illustrated volume with captivate hikers and armchair travellers alike." (http://waterfallsnewbrunswick.ca/)

NICHOLAS GUITARD will be visiting libraries around the province, to talk about some of the spectacular waterfalls in each area of the province, and how to access them. Books will be available for purchase at these free, public events.

Spanning all five regions of New Brunswick (Acadian Coastal, Appalachian Range, River Valley Scenic, Fundy Coastal, and Miramichi River), the author will lead you on a journey of wonder and discovery. His evocative photographs render the falls in all of their powerful glory.

Over the last two years, Nick Guitard has documented more than a hundred waterfalls in New Brunswick, culminating in a website www.waterfallsnewbrunswick.ca, this beautifully illustrated book, and a forthcoming guide to New Brunswick’s waterfalls."

DETAILS:

Friday, November 6th, 12:00

Saint John Free Public Library

1 Market Square

Local Motion - Gets Sticky

2009-10-22T16:01:00.014-03:00

Apples on the Branch in Corn Hill

I've been kept busy lately with a blur of indoor and outdoor activity. Despite a lack of blogging there's been no shortage of things to write about.

Getting outside during a rainy month like we've had can be tough. But harvesting food provides a real motivation to get outside, get muddy, and make hours in the warm kitchen so much more valuable. With this post, I'm going to straddle the line between outside and inside with 100% local content.

Here's my story,

Come October, there's almost never a shortage of apples around my folks place in Corn Hill. The orchards around the farm are a mix of old gnarly varieties and modern grafts. There's the rough skinned Russets, the snappy Novamacs, unusually purple Tanglewines, and some others ones we just call Candy Apples. Walking through the orchards in October is enough to give you a stomach-ache.

With thousands of calories on a branch, the questions arises - What are you we going to do with all this fruit?

Cider. That's the traditional response and a practical one too.

For a number of years our family has pressed our orchard's apples with a neighbor's Cider Press. The Pressing Day in October has become a celebration of abundance; sticky, delicious abundance. We fill jugs and jugs with that sweet dark juice. Then its off to the deep freeze to be enjoyed throughout the winter.

This year, we watched the apple trees become heavy with fruit. For me it was especially exciting to see the bounty. I've been out of the province for the past few years and have missed the harvest. With a bumper crop predicted my mind couldn't keep itself from drifting back to apples. What can we do with the harvest?

Hard Cider. That is to say Alcoholic Apple Cider. That's the traditional choice if say you're a New Englander living in the 1800's.

Hard cider may remain low-key in Canada but it once was a going concern. In New England, settlers from the British Isles brought apple seeds and an appetite for hard cider. The Temperance movement and later Prohibition knocked the wind out of hard apple cider. By the time alcohol was acceptable again other drinks saturated the market. Though today in Great Britain hard cider is still a popular drink.

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If there is any year to experiment with apples its this one. And if the hard cider fails I'll try to turn it into Apple Cider Vinegar. But hopefully I'll be enjoying a clean dry cider come wintertime. I convinced my Mom the food guru and wine maker to help me out. She always keen to experiment with foods and fermentations (raspberry wine and mead to name few examples) so it's great to have her involved. The rest of my family chipped in with strong backs and nimble hands to help pick the apples.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend my family raided the apple orchard with baskets and ladders. Baskets brimmed with crunchy fruit as we drove our harvest to our neighbours for pressing.

Things got sticky pretty fast but soon everyone had a job on the assembly line and juice started flowing. Neigbours dropped by to chat, some friends who are also experimenting with hard cider this year stopped by and provided some excellent brewing tips that we would go on to use.

The 200 pounds or so of apples turned into 15 Gallons of sweet cider! (that's roughly 50 Liters). More than we were expecting and almost more than we knew what to do with!

The Apple Press. A brilliant contraption with modern
touches like an electric motor and hydraulic press.

My Dad in front of the apple hopper.

Stick hands and elbows are mandatory. My sister shows off her apple stained hands.

The Good Stuff! Dark and Rich.

The next day we started brewing. The Champagne yeast was proofed the night before in a separate jar and ready to go when we loaded the 5 Gallon glass carboy. We decided to forgo the meta-bi-sulfite preservative and trust the primed Champagne yeast to work its magic. The remaining 10 gallons found its way into the freezer to be enjoyed throughout the winter.

The 5 Gallon Carboy is ready to go. Next we slap on
the air lock and put it someplace dark.

After a couple days, the carboy started bubbling and I'm crossing my fingers that it becomes delicious hard cider. I'll let you know how it turns out in a few weeks!

Having a reason to spend a rainy day outside makes all the difference at this time of year. And what better reason to get active and get outside than harvesting local foods.

Cheers to that!

Backyard Discoveries

2009-10-01T16:44:00.006-03:00

Jo and the Giant Maples

You never know what you'll discover in your neck of the woods.

In this case I wasn't even looking for trees. A friend and I were out for a countryside walk near Petitcodiac when we stumbled into this giant hardwood forest.

Walking into this cathedral like space left us mesmerized. I was in shock. Not only is this forest awe-inspiring it's very close to where I grew up. And I had no idea it existed. I'm pretty sure they are Sugar Maples.

This is a great season for walking. The weather is cool enough to allow jeans and long sleeves which are great when you're bushwhacking in the back 40. In case you haven't noticed, the leaves are starting to change and soon the hardwood forests will be ablaze. People travel from all over the world to see our hardwood hills light up during the fall.

What about you? When was the last time you took a drive out to those golden hills for a walk under the glowing canopy? Or better yet, just cross the road and walk up that ridge line, you know that one that always catches your eye at dusk.

Let's have some fun outside while the landscape is still alive!
walking new brunswick sussex petitcodiac hiking hardwoods fall outdoors new brunswick

S.J. Council Approves Trails and Bikeway Strategy

2009-09-25T09:58:00.006-03:00

In the Telegraph Journal this Morning...

"Bicycle user welcomes plan for trails

Cycling Consultant working with city to draft new strategy"

"Council recently approved the Terrain Group's bid to develop the new trails and bikeway strategy for about $61,600. The Saint John consulting firm is expected to meet with user groups and hold public meetings, with the work likely taking about three months." - Telegraph Journal

HURRAY! And they want to user input!!!! Woopwoop!

See the full Article here:

http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/search/article/803159

Walking Country

2009-09-20T20:58:00.017-03:00

An old, but useful cattle fence in Corn Hill

I've visited lots of great places this summer and been on many great hikes but nothing beats an evening walk through the rolling farmlands of Corn Hill.

Growing up in Corn Hill, I at times thought that its open landscape would wear out my attention span. Yet in my adulthood I appreciate it more than ever. All my travels have only given me more perspective from which to say; Corn Hill is unique and wonderful. It's a geological anomaly in our region. Fertile hills boil up from the flat lands, breaking the 40 km long valley that stretches between Sussex and Petitcodiac. Whether you look East or West, tall ridges lumber into the distance framing Corn Hill's renowned sunrises and sunsets.

Since its establishment as a farming community almost 200 years, its roots are still firmly planted in agriculture. A mix of pasture, hay field, and grain crops cover much of its slopes. Woods are nestled in here and there and small creeks trickle through alder thickets.

Tonight I decided to head out into the west and enjoy the last warmth of sun. I followed tree-lines and fences, skirting corn fields and cow pastures. The lay of the land never ceases to amaze me. Around 10,000 years ago the receding glaciers shapedthis place into a rumpled tablecloth. Since then human settlements has provided the fabric's pattern so that now fields and woods blend together over beautifully rounded ripples. And at each hillcrest, the perspectives change thanks to the openness of this landscape.

In my 5 km walk around Corn Hill I came across beef cows casually grazing grass, big old apple trees loaded with fruit (I filled my pockets), and a sheep dog protecting its flock. From the top of the community, near the Country View Road, I sat on a big round haybale while the sun sent out its last hurray over the Giant's Step on Mount Pisgah.

This may be farming country but its also walking country.

Hopefully someday I can share a walk with you through Corn Hill.

The valley in the foreground was shaped by water rushing under glaciers a few thousand years ago.

Jackpot! I came across a tree loaded with big juicy apples.

Corn rows frame the Giant's Step on Mount Pisgah

Who doesn't love a good sunset?

graham waugh local motion corn hill walking new brunswick sussex petitcodiac walking

Welsford Cragging Weekend

2009-09-11T13:09:00.014-03:00

The Golden Days...and Hays of Summer

Just wanted to tell you about the fantastic days of climbing I had in Welsford over the Labour Day weekend.

The Sun shined without skipping a beat all weekend. Saturating the pink rock and roasting sweet pine needles on the forest floor. The Fall feeling is in the air. Crisp mornings, lead to soft afternoons, and a glaring sunset that you don't get in the summer. I love this time of year. The temperature is just right for being active, the air is dry, and the black flies are long gone.

I drove out to Welsford on Saturday with Brin and Emma who were stopping over during their move to Halifax. We rolled up to the crag in their rented U-Haul which I think disappointed a few people who were hoping that a Gear Company representative would be inside passing out free gear demos.

I spent Saturday catching up on stories with Brin and Emma while showing them some of Welsford great granite lines such as Snake Peel and the Light Fandango. I had a blast climbing with them and can't say I've ever had such a relaxed guiding experience. Hanging out at the ledge for Upper Dawn Wall, thirsty and without water, we savoured the juicy black Huckleberries. I must have eaten a pound.

Brin enjoying some juicy Huckleberries at the Dawn Wall.

mmm...Huckleberries by the handful.

On Sunday, I said goodbye to my friends and spent the rest of the day floating around the crag. I took an unnecessary siesta around lunch time then headed off to find partners. At Minkey Wall I had fun leading a chossy arrete called Beastly 5.8 . Dirty cracks limited the protection mostly to Nuts and funky movement often left me twisted in knots while sensitively testing loose blocks. Type 2 Fun!

Later on Sunday I somehow lucked into getting to lead the freshly scrubbed Waterwalk 5.8 . This beautiful crack system had filled with dirt and bushes since the first ascension decades ago. Fred Berube spent the entire day scrubbing and digging to get it clean and came down from like some kind of boogey man covered from head to two in dirt and grime. Exhausted from the 8 hour effort he offered me the lead, which I insisted he have. After a short "nice - off" I accepted. The route follows a changing crack system that splits and mergers, gets wide, and narrow, all the while eating up protection.

I moved my tent down from the high camp to the horse pasture that night to stay with the other dozen climbers who were camping out. Huddled around a bright propane lantern, the circle of climbers talked... climbing. A support group for climbers.

On Monday, I headed to the Upper Tier with Cory from Saint John and Dominique from Dieppe, who is also a N.B. repatriate. Our goal was to tick off some classic sport and mixed routes. The air was nippy in the shade of the wall and the wind gave the sunny valley a eerie feeling. We warmed up on Talamasca and Witches, a 5.9 and a 5.10, which each required just a couple Cams to supplement the bolts.

The author climbing Witches(?) 5.10 in the Upper Tier (Cory Goodman Photo).

With our appetite whetted for trad climbing, we shuffled down the wall to Hole in My Pocket 5.10d which has only two bolts before getting into the 5.10 trad territory. It was a tricky lead for me but unbelievably fun; funky face climbing moves with just enough cracks to place Nuts and Cams and an off-width to top it off! Dom got on the next route over, Be Still My Bleeding Heart 5.11a and figured out all the highly technical beta, including at least three crucial under clings. I had a lot of fun talking with Dom about his travels and also our Minor Hockey rivalry from many years ago.

It was a great weekend of climbing, socializing, getting some much needed sun. It was the kind of weekend that reminds me why I love living in Southern New Brunswick. Good people, good rock, great weather, and all so close.
welsford rock climbing new brunswick saint john climbing, trad climbing graham waugh local motion

The Beauty of East Saint John

2009-08-26T10:28:00.017-03:00

In the past couple weeks I've been getting to know East Saint John. This rough looking, sometimes smelly suburb gets snubbed only by those who don't know any better. I'll admit to it. Until recently I didn't know any better and just I dismissed it as a land of malls and ribbon development. But, with help from locals and by exploring on my own I've come to appreciate East Saint John's hidden wild spaces. It really is a spectacular part of our region.

I don't quite know where to start. There's just too much to say and too many questions to ask. So I'll warn you, this post is going to be scattered. But I have to get it out there, the summer is ending and you need to get your butt to East Saint John! You'll have to forgive me if my terminology isn't accurate. I'd love to hear from East Saint Johnners about name of these places.

Ok, first off, a must-see . If you do one thing in East Saint John then make it Silver Falls. Water roars through this narrow gorge like a freight train off its rails. There are many drops and pools in this gorge with some big falls too. There's a couple large pools that lure both cliff-jumpers, swimmers, and anglers. Follow the narrow path along the edge of the gorge to find ripe beds of bright red cranberries and sweet blueberries. In the past two weeks I've picked about 2 liters of those tart cranberries.

One of the larger drops along Silver Falls

Moving waters

Cranberry season

Silver Falls is easy to reach. From the parking lot off Loch Lomond Road it is about a 10 minute walk through grassy meadows. Follow the path leading from the parking lot past the old metal gate. To avoid some wet spots on the trail stay to the left following the higher ground. This path loops around to the gorge. There's lots to explore up and down the gorge. Hopefully the map below gets you started. The parking lot is across from the Church by the Commercial Drive - Loch Lomond Road Intersection.

Silver Falls Map

Another place that I've had the opportunity to explore through my work is what is known locally as the "Rez". It's not too far from Silver Falls. Just continue along Loch Lomond Road for another 2 km or so. This large lake was once the city water reservoir but has since then become both a wonderful piece of wilderness and an unofficial dump. The lake is surrounded by productive red spruce forest, wetland, and couple brooks. There is a sandy beach with a life guard near the road, while a network of off road trails will take you around the lake and into the forest.

I was excited to learn today that the hidden beauty of the Rez inspired has grass roots group called the Little River Reservoir Assocation. For the past 5 years they have been working to clean up the Rez and make it into a recreational parkland. They have already removed 15 tonnes!!! of garbage and are working to create a trails plans for the site. Good stuff!

Have a look at their website for more information about the Rez and the group.

Plus they were featured in today's Telegraph Journal. Just click the link below for the full article.
"Community support sought for reservoir project"

The Cold Brook marsh along Golden Grove Road

Above Glen Falls

Last night I bicycled out to take photos of a wetland along the Golden Grove Road for work. I was impressed to find an beautiful marsh complete with ducks. As I was taking photos I started to notice cliffs in the background. Large cliffs. I couldn't place them at the time but later at home I located them on a map. A another area, wild and rugged, that will have to be explored. Upstream from the marsh I had heard about a waterfall named Glen Falls. I could see the start of the ravine from the road. It was an unfortunate first impression; tires, shopping carts. But there's deeper beauty to this place that shines through the trash. I dropped my bike in a grassy meadow and discovered two lovely apple trees. This got me excited as I've been thinking more and more about urban fruit harvesting ( Abundance Sheffield in Britain). I'd like to find out who owns these trees because in a couple more weeks there will be quite a harvest.

Two varieties of apples!

Scrambling down the ravine alongside the river, there was plenty of trash, but the usual noise of the city was drowned by the gushing water. At the bottom of the falls was a green cathedral of hardwood trees. The road is only a hundred feet away but I am enclosed in a bubble of nature.

Glen Falls

The green cathedral

Saint John is one wild and beautiful city.
So much to explore!
graham waugh saint john east saint silver falls loch lomond waterfalls new brunswick

Don't forget your Brain!

2009-08-11T12:18:00.018-03:00

Sometimes I need to get somewhere.
There's no time to think
Just act, just hit the gas
but
Although my body may arrive
My mind is often left behind.

Does that ever happen to you?

It's not easy traveling fast.
In fact its even hard to react
cause my brain
needs time to adapt
to the place that I've arrived at.

When I travel the countryside
I often have to drive
but if I can I prefer to ride.
Pedaling a bike may seem slow
but at least
It allows my brain to keep pace.
Or maybe it's just the fresh air
And sun on my face.

Last weekend I needed to get back to Saint John after a night in Corn Hill. It was hard leaving the idyllic countryside. My parent's vegetable garden was overflowing, the pond was refreshing, the fields were buzzing, and our dog would have loved a good walk. I could have found a drive to Saint John but where would that have left me? A Zombie, halfway between the country and the city. Instead I chose to bicycle. It was still hard to leave Corn Hill and I was anxious about forgetting my bike pump in the city, but as the miles rolled by I started looking forward to the city. I left in the middle of the afternoon and five hours later I arrived in Saint John with a smile on my face. The key is that I actively arrived, ready to engage in my new surroundings and appreciate the city's brisk bay of fundy air. I was excited to cook supper, catch up on some reading, and call friends about rock climbing the next day. Had I drove, the four hours I could have saved would likely have been widdled away as a zombie. Besides, the bike ride was really fun. Because I was biking instead of driving I got to chat with a young guy that was working in his field of organic hops in Corn Hill. I followed the old transcanada along the Kennebecasis, passing through Hampton, then entering Saint John via Rothesay Avenue. Maybe my brain is slow. But I don't think I'm the only one. So how about we try to give our brains a break once in a while. Walk or ride your bike and give yourself some time to actually arrive.

Climbing the Pink Panther

2009-08-10T12:07:00.009-03:00

Roger at the top of the route Pink Panther in Welsford

Yesterday I had the climbing day I had long been waiting for. The summer is a busy time and unfortunately over the past month climbing has fallen to the bottom of my to do list. But yesterday brought it out of the depths and renewed my love for the sport.

Lucas, Kristy, and I started in the morning at Gallery Wall with two pitches up Astroboy 5.9 which would take us to a couple amazing climbs that start 200 feet off the ground. Lucas lead Rythm Stick 5.8 (awesome!) which ends on a huge detached rectangular block that you chimney behind to reach the top. After that I lead the Ragged Edge 5.9, which was so good. Protection off the ground isn't great but it soon gives way to a stellar finger crack with some stemming and a huge void to step over.

Later in the day we headed to Minkey Wall where we met up with a group of climbing friends of mine from Halifax, as well as a climber from Ontario, and David Brayden who is biking across Canada.

It was great to climb with my old friend Roger from Halifax, who three years ago brought me to Welsford for the first time. That trip showed me how great the climbing is here as well as introducing me to ropes and carabiners, rappelling, and how to lead belay. Back then I was a boulderer and completely distrustful of climbing ropes. Now, its almost laughable that I used to sweat on Top Rope like it was a life or death situation. During that trip I lead my first route...Go-Ni-Ga-Ga 5.6 sport. Things have changed a bit in the last three years.

Lats night as the sun was turning the stone to gold, Roger and I racked up for Pink Panther 5.10a. This is a route that I've been dreaming of leading all summer. Roger lead the short first pitch up to the pigeon shit ledge. He brought me up and I sat on the ledge for a few minutes to collect myself for the intimidating roof. I counted my slings making sure I had enough to extend around the roof then re-racked my #3 Camalot so I could easily reach it. My nerves were tingling but I chased away my doubts. I felt a long way from the top-rope turmoil that I experienced three years ago. I trusted my gear, my rope, and my belayer. With my mind focused on the crisp rock, I climbed up into the maws off the roof. I set a #0.75 Camalot and a orange Mastercam below the roof and extended the hell out of them, then launched into the sharp layback until I was jammed under the massive roof with one foot smeared on the face and the other leg jammed in the wide crack. I grabbed my #3 Camalot threw it in the crack, clipped on my long sling, took a breath and carefully puled myself around the roof to the exposed face. I caught the jug and sent out a whooop and with a big grin cruised through the rest of the route. I was rewarded at the top with a comfortable seat on a big flat ledge. I belayed Roger up and we sat in awe as the smoldering sun lowered into the valley.

We hiked out in the dark with growling stomachs and at the cars I said goodbye to Roger who was heading off for more climbing adventures in Kamouraska, Quebec.

I arrived at home just in time to meet David, the biker, who I had invited to stay with me. We had a late supper, shared stories about climbing and traveling out west, but mostly my roommate Ross and I just sat there getting inspired by David's summerlong biking adventure across Canada.

graham waugh local motion rock climbing welsford saint john new brunswick