We are very excited to reintroduce the Atlas Snowshoe brand to Wild Rock. The Atlas 9 and Atlas 10 series snowshoes that we are offering this year have a number of exclusive features at very competitive prices. If you are a regular reader of our newsletter you will remember that I wrote a very positive review of the MSR Lightning snowshoes. Many of the MSR features make them a true standout for remote backcountry use but they are very utilitarian. Click here to read my original review. In comparison, the Atlas shoes that we have selected are exceptionally well suited for day-to-day use in our local terrain.

In many ways Atlas snowshoes are fairly typical modern snowshoes. However, there are some very interesting advantages to their SLS (Spring Loaded Suspension) binding. If you are asking yourself why you might need suspension in your snowshoe binding there are a few compelling answers. The flexibility of the SLS binding allows the shoe to pivot slightly around the foot. This flexibility also allows the crampon (pointy metal bit on the bottom of the shoe) to dig deeper into the snow giving better stability on any slope. This lateral movement also means that your foot stays flat while the shoe follows the angle of the slope. It is more comfortable in the short run and less fatiguing in the long run.

In addition to the Spring Loaded System, the Atlas bindings offers great coverage of the foot which ensures that they do not cause pressure points as well as helping to keep your feet warm.

To save you from having to read as I go on all day go to www.atlassnowshoe.com. Click the “What is Spring Loaded Suspension” button on the bottom left of the screen. This interactive demo is very well done and gives a very good idea of what you can expect from an Atlas Snowshoe. Keep in mind that these features are only on the Atlas9 through Atlas12 series shoes.

Now start your snow dance!

During the month of December we here at Wild Rock are ramping up for the Holiday Season as we eagerly await those first lasting dumps of snow. The New Year is chalk-full of fun and interesting events! From Pool Sessions, to Snow Shoeing Outings, the Banff Film Festival, and Ski Trips to Mount St. Louis and a 2-Night Trip to Mt. Tremblant!!!!!

Interested in one of our events? Book now, or put it on your wish-list! Spaces do fill quickly!

Banff Film Festival Come see some of the best ski-films of the season! The Banff Film Festival will be running January 21 and 22 this year at Showplace and Gordon Best Cinema, respectively. Doors open, 7pm both nights. Tickets are $15, or $25 for both nights and can be purchased at Wild Rock Outfitters.

Bikes Wild Rock is hosting a Front Suspension Clinic, Wednesday December 13. Come out and learn how to tune, repair and rebuild your front suspension! Wednesdays, January 10 to 31, 2007 Wild Rock Outfitters will be hosting an Advanceed Bike Maintainence Clinic. Learn how to tear apart and rebuild your beast in our 4-day course. Each night is modular, so pay your $5 for the night when you arrive. Sign up at the front cash.

Kayak Pool Sessions Pool Sessions are filling up quickly. Hosted this year at the Trent AC, Saturday nights, 7:00-8:30. Sessions run January 13 to March 24. See our front cash for more information.

Skijoring This winter, local retailers Wild Rock Outfitters, Hot Diggity Dog and All Creatures Great and Small will be teaming up with Dog Paddling Adventures to organize an Intro to Skijoring Day, Sunday, January 28, 2007 at the Warsaw Caves! The day will cost $65, and includes professional instruction and harness rental. Check out www.dogpaddlingadventures.com for more details or trip ideas, mention Wild Rock or All Creatures and get $20 off any trip or lesson! Sign up at the store, and stay tuned for more details and updates!

Look for information about Nordic Ski Demos as well as Snowshoe Demos in January.

I had heard it mentioned many times. Always spoken as if it were legend, a myth passed on from trips and travels passed. The type of fish story that grows with every telling, but I had never experienced it, so in my head it was just that, a myth. Boy, was I wrong, the wrath of Hurricane Andrews is alive, alive in the hills of the Adirondack Mountains.

Kieran had been coming to the Adirondacks since he was a child. First coming with his father when he was seven, it probably rained then too. This trip was a first for me. Kieran had wanted to introduce me to the trails since we had first discussed doing a trip a year ago.

Day one found Kieran and I hitting the trail with a slight breeze from the south and the faint outline of a sun buried behind heavy layers of clouds. We were heading for Algonquin peak on route to Colden Lake and the comforts of a dry lean-to. The higher we climbed, the more dense the cloud and mist became around us. So much for a view at the summit, visibility was no more then a hundred feet. The only thing to do was hunker down behind a boulder, split a snickers bar and tromp on. The excessive rain that had been dumped on the trails over the past 4 weeks had turned the descent from Algonquin peak into a raging waterfall in spots, requiring numerous precarious river crossings and the occasional wet boot. That evening over curried lentils and couscous the conversation drifted between topics of camp stove horror stories, ex girlfriends and bear stories. But in the back of both of our minds was the rain pitter-pattering on the roof above our heads.

Day two found us hiking along a roaring river past the headwaters of the mighty Hudson River before its long journey to the Atlantic Ocean and onwards to the base of Mt Marcy. As we reached the trail intersection for the climb up to Mt Marcy the rain started to fall, lightly at first but as we dropped our packs and pulled out the rain gear the skies began to open. It was a wet hike to the peak but at least we were unloaded, our packs stowed at the bottom. As we broke above tree line the wind nearly knocked us over. Scrambling to the top, we surfed the wind, leaning heavily against the force. Not a view to be had but there were smiles on our faces as we appreciated the strength of Mother Nature as the wind blasted us and our faces stung from the mist whipping madly against them. Descending back to the rain below and onwards to Panther Gorge. Panther Gorge had been a goal for us. It was the one spot on our trip that Kieran had never been to before. The descent into the gorge dropped us further into a dense and coniferous forest; reminiscent of rain forests I had visited on the west coast. A thick forest of spruce and fir, a ragging river flowing down its throat, we found Panther Gorge to be aptly named. But, you might see a trend starting here, not a view to be had. We could hardly make out the far side of our rocky traverse. Under the circumstances the weather actually added to the mystique of our destination; the gray mist hanging heavily in the trees, a light drizzle falling from the sky and the sound of the river thrashing somewhere below us. That night we were once again happy to have a dry roof over our head and place to hang all of our wet gear out in the hopes that it might dry by morning as the moisture in the air hung near one hundred percent.

Morning presented us with yet another day of gray skies and wet boots. With a breakfast of granola, dried fruit and a cup of joe to wash it down we were on our way. Scrambling up over the top of Haystack to the glorious view of yet more mist, fog and swirling clouds. Damn the camera; leave it in the pack, not even worth getting it out. Down we descended and traversed along the edge of a deep valley towards our next evenings accommodations, a dry lean-to with a grand view of the stars as they began to peak out from behind the clouds as we drifted off to sleep.

Another morning brought great hope, the skies seemed to be clearing and for what was going to be our biggest day with tremendous views along rocky ridge lines, promised by the hurricane himself. Retracing our steps along the valley traverse towards Gothic, Armstrong and Wolf Jaw Mountain. We climbed up the steep slope of Gothic, some of the steepest climbing I have ever done with a 40-pound pack strapped to my back. The peak was a large rocky outcrop surrounded by shrubby and demented conifers and the swirling mist of clouds. As the humour of our predicament began to sink in we shrugged our shoulders and off we went. The ridgeline that runs between the three peaks dips and climbs in and out of stunted tree growth past rocky outcrops where I’m sure somebody would enjoy a view of the surrounding glory of deep valleys, forests stretching to the horizon and the occasional passing cloud; no such luck today, just shrug your shoulders with a twisted grin on your face and tromp on. As we approached our night’s destination we found it occupied by a lone hiker, the only other twisted soul we had seen since our start 4 days earlier. Our inquiries of weather forecasts left us shaking our heads and chuckling to ourselves when his response was; “There’s a storm coming in from the south tomorrow, it’s really supposed to rain then”. To save him from the onslaught of wet, sodden gear and clothing all over his clean and organized lean-to; we hiked on to the next one. We also hoped that our separation from him might save him from the wrath of Hurricane Andrews, no such luck, poor bugger, he probably still doesn’t know who he met on the trail that day.

Our 5th day found us with plans to leave our gear in the lean-to and do an un-weighted hike over the Brothers. The weather, having not defied the weatherman, had blown in strong but without rain, for the time being. So off we went, tromping along at a more respectable pace. Motoring to the rocky ridgeline with ease we were rewarded with quick glimpses of the valley below and the dark clouds blowing over the distant ridgeline towards us. Cutting the day short, we retreated back to our lean- to for more coffee, a good book and a flask of cointreau. We were sitting out the rest of the day in style. That night the skies dumped they’re sodden load and the river roared below our dry retreat. That night as I climbed out of my sleeping bag into the cold nights air, the wind was howling and the stars were out in abundance. The sky was clear, not a cloud to be seen, the belt of Orion clear and bright over our lean-to, so I leaned back in my sleeping bag and enjoyed the show over head.

Our last day we tromped out through sodden trail, boots already soaked from the previous 5 days of hiking. I wish that I could have told you a story of a guy with a lot of bad weather stories that finally got a day in the sun, but it wasn’t. The reality is, we spent six days walking through the woods, scrambling up steep pitches, and tromping through deep valleys with powerful rivers blasting past us, and the whole time it rained. Regardless, we both came back with memories and stories, which is what a camping trip is really about isn’t it? Finding the ability to overcome difficult challenges, accepting the worst that Mother Nature can throw at you and grin when it just gets down right ridiculous. Sometimes a Hurricane isn’t such a bad thing, you grow stronger, respect the small things like a good cup of coffee in the morning. It could have been worse, I could have gotten a sunburn.

There are some items that although you can snowboard without them your life would be better if you owned them. Some of these items make the sport more fun, some make it safer and some just insure you can keep snowboarding in the future.

Helmets Beginner or Expert alike should wear helmets. You are not allowed to enter a snowboard terrain park without one. They don’t cost much and will save you from a concussion most days. We carry helmets for RED (Burton), Giro and Pro-tec. Helmets run $69 to $169

Locks Yes, snowboards go missing and get stolen while you eat your lunch in the chalet. It happens everyday to boards that are not locked. You can make you board a lot harder to steal by investing in a lock. They start at $14.99 This is far cheaper than replacing your board and bindings.

Waxes and Tuning Gear We offer many possibilities in this category. A well- tuned board, turns better, is easier to ride, is faster and the makes your day more fun. You can get a Basic Snowboard Tune Gift Certificate for $25.00 and we will take care of the messy stuff. Another option is purchase a simple rub-on wax for $14.99 to help someone’s board performance. If they really want to care for their board and do hot waxes look at spending close to $100 for an iron, wax, scrapers and edge sharpener.

DVDs What better to do when you are amped to ride but can’t. Kick back with one of the many snowboarding DVDs we stock. Entertainment or technique. They start at $19.99

Belts Yes, you must rock a cool belt to keep your pants up or half down. We have belts from Burton and 686 that have commonly used tools (Phillips, 10mm wrench etc) built in to them.

Socks We have socks from Burton that are built with 17 degrees of forward lean. This angle mimics the angle of your foot in a boot and decreases bunching. They are padded on the top of the foot and the shin to help make bindings more comfortable. They start at $24.99

Having trouble coming up with ideas for someone on your list? Take a look at suggestions from our staff for all the people on your list.

Hoping to be a little more fit on your bike this summer? Tired of having your trainer stare at you with that look that brings tinges of guilt to your soul? This is the time to snap out of the Turkey induced stupor and start riding your trainer. A little work now pays off in spades come summer with less injuries, more endurance, hill flattening fitness and increased smiles.

So what is the plan? First off, what are your goals? I have broken it down to your longest summer ride you want to be fit for. This program will take you until you can get outside come the beginning of April. Buckle down for February and March indoors and have a great time in April.

If you want the best bang for your buck do your easier ENDURANCE workouts first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Because you have fasted since dinner the night before your blood glycogen levels are low. Starting an easier workout like this is basically a short cut to the last hour of a 3 hour ride. Your body must almost immediately go to its fat/lipid stores for energy. CAUTION: do not ride for more than one hour and do not ride hard. Riding longer or harder will push the body to use protein stores for energy and since your tummy is empty it will consume your muscle mass. This catabolic state does you no favours. Staying shorter and easier kicks in lipolysis. Efficient use of fat as energy is key on long rides. After your workout consume a good breakfast with carbs and protein.

Longest Ride 35km(Peterborough to Lakefield and back)

• WEEK 1: 2 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 1 X ENDURANCE (30 minutes)
• WEEK 2: 2 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 1 X ENDURANCE (30 minutes)
• WEEK 3: 2 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 2 X ENDURANCE (30 minutes)
• WEEK 4: 1 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 1 X ENDURANCE (30 minutes), 1 X POWER (30 minutes)
• WEEK 5: 1 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 2 X ENDURANCE (40 minutes), 1 X POWER (30 minutes)
• WEEK 6: 1 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 2 X ENDURANCE (45 minutes), 1 X POWER (30 minutes)
• WEEK 7: 2 X ENDURANCE (45 minutes), 1 X POWER (30 minutes), 1 X MUSCULAR ENDURANCE (30 minutes)
• WEEK 8: 1 X POWER (30 minutes), 2 X MUSCULAR ENDURANCE (30 minutes)
• WEEK 9: 2 X ENDURANCE (45 minutes), 2 X MUSCULAR ENDURANCE (30 minutes)

Longest Ride 60km,

• WEEK 1: 2 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 1 X ENDURANCE (30 minutes)
• WEEK 2: 2 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 1 X ENDURANCE (30 minutes)
• WEEK 3: 2 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 2 X ENDURANCE (40 minutes)
• WEEK 4: 1 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 1 X ENDURANCE (40 minutes), 1 X POWER (30 minutes)
• WEEK 5: 1 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 2 X ENDURANCE (40 minutes), 1 X POWER (30 minutes)
• WEEK 6: 1 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 2 X ENDURANCE (50 minutes), 1 X POWER (30 minutes)
• WEEK 7: 2 X ENDURANCE (50 minutes), 1 X POWER (30 minutes), 1 X MUSCULAR ENDURANCE (30 minutes)
• WEEK 8: 1 X POWER (30 minutes), 2 X MUSCULAR ENDURANCE (45 minutes)
• WEEK 9: 2 X ENDURANCE (60 minutes), 2 X MUSCULAR ENDURANCE (45 minutes)

Longest Ride 100km, Week #:

• WEEK 1: 2 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 1 X ENDURANCE (30 minutes)
• WEEK 2: 2 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 1 X ENDURANCE (40 minutes)
• WEEK 3: 2 X SKILL (40 minutes) , 2 X ENDURANCE (45 minutes)
• WEEK 4: 1 X SKILL (30 minutes) , 1 X ENDURANCE (45 minutes), 1 X POWER (30 minutes)
• WEEK 5: 1 X SKILL (40 minutes) , 2 X ENDURANCE (45 minutes), 1 X POWER (40 minutes)
• WEEK 6: 1 X SKILL (40 minutes) , 2 X ENDURANCE (50 minutes), 1 X POWER (40 minutes)
• WEEK 7: 2 X ENDURANCE (60 minutes), 1 X POWER (40 minutes), 1 X MUSCULAR ENDURANCE (45 minutes)
• WEEK 8: 1 X POWER (40 minutes), 2 X MUSCULAR ENDURANCE (50 minutes)
• WEEK 9: 2 X ENDURANCE (60 minutes), 2 X MUSCULAR ENDURANCE (60 minutes)

Workout Descriptions (Based on Joe Friel’s Cyclist Training Bible)

SPEED SKILL

We are very happy to announce the opening of a new snowshoe trail at the Kawartha Nordic Ski Club. This exciting new trail takes in typical shield scenery winding through forest, over granite outcrops and beaver dams. The trail, approximately 10km in length, begins at the new chalet and passes by one of KNSC’s historic backwoods cabins. What better a way to enjoy the snow than with a walk in the woods when you know there is a wood stove at the other end?

The trails have been built with the financial support of the Atlas and Tubbs snowshoe companies as well as Wild Rock. The hard labour has been done by a number of the hardy souls from Wild Rock.