Posts by CaptainCodeman

1

Johnston Canyon, Banff Hike

by Pow Momma in

johnston canyon is described by hiking sites and guidebooks as the busiest hike in banff - from my experience this seems to be a very accurate statement.

i've done this hike twice in the past few years both times on weekends, once in july and once in august.

due to the overwhelming crowds i'm not planning on going back anytime soon.

I think we must have been very lucky and arrived at a quiet time of day / the year or else it just didn't used to be as busy but I remember going when our kids were very small (10-15+ years ago) and it was a lovely quiet trek and we walked right in to see the waterfall at the end.

It is a scary path when you have a toddler, especially if they are a bit tired and determined that they don't want to hold anyone's hand - it makes me nervous because I imagine I'd easily fit through the gaps if I tripped and fell !

It's still a great hike, just worth getting there early or picking a quieter time of the season to visit.

I wonder if the bike-race that day which meant more people at the campsite were 'captive' due to the road closures led to it being busier than normal?

1

Family Tent Camping - MEC Cabin 6 Review and Experience

by Pow Momma in

tenting with your family or thinking about it?

it can be hard to decide on what to get.

i have a under 1 and 2 year old...this is what works great for us.. previous to children we used a msr 2(person) 4 season tent or a mountain equipment co-op (mec) camper 4(person), 3 season tent.

CaptainCodeman

I'm not a tent expert - we've just started camping and have a cheap Coleman (I think?) 6 person tent that we bought from Walmart.Even as a non-expert though, I could tell the quality of the material and design with this one. It was beautiful and well engineered.

And space, so much space! The only place I can stand up completely in ours is in the middle, but this one is standing-height all the way round.

5

Dog Gear for Outdoor Activities

by Pow Momma in

outdoor dog gear?

what dogs need gear?.

not necessarily but i have picked up items over the years that have fallen apart and others that have worked great.

CaptainCodeman

Our dog walks like an drunken spider when we put boots on her until her flailing legs manage to fling them off, it's ridiculous.

1

Camping Checklist for Kids and Babies

by Pow Momma in

i wrote a generic camping list on another forum page but thought items i bring for my toddler and baby aren't included and don't need to be on everyone's list.

here is a checklist for the kids camping items:.

clothing: going to the mountains can have unpredictable weather so i always bring lots and am very happy i have more than once!.

CaptainCodeman

A sturdy wooden coat-hanger can be put inside a small child's jacket so they can be conveniently hung on a tree while you're busy doing camp stuff.

;)

2

Review Giant Trance 27.5 1 vs Comparing to 26" Cannondale Jekyll Mountain Bike

by Mountain Machine in

i love mountain biking almost as much as i love powder skiing!.

i dislike watching my friends make it up climbs that i can't ride up!.

this setup looks great because of the nice raked out look.

CaptainCodeman

I've never done Mountain Biking but used to road-bike a lot and cycle round Buxton and Derbyshire in the UK. I also did 25 miles / 40 km a day to work and back.

Watching the Tour de France this year it seemed like small electric motors were the new "doping" that they were on the lookout for. Apparently they make cycling on your own as 'easy' as cycling in the main Peloton, which is normally much less effort, so even a small hidden motor is more of a benefit than drugs.

But for recreational use, they must be good, right? (I mean the motors, not the drugs).

Are they a 'thing' yet? I'm not talking about a full electric bike (I'd rather go the whole hog and get a proper engine) but for someone who is maybe thinking about coming back to cycling, is older or just isn't confident in their ability to complete a long day anymore and might need a hand they seem like a great option to just provide a little extra push.

3

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort (KHMR) Summer Gondola and Lunch at Eagles Eye

by Pow Momma in

my family did our first summer gondola ride last year at lake louise in alberta.

full story can be found here.

i found it okay (maybe 3 out of 5 starts).

CaptainCodeman

We've been up the Banff gondola ride which is nice and also the cable-car in Jasper which is probably my favourite. Here's the view of the top:

3

Tourists READ THIS - There are other AMAZING places than Lake Louise!

by Gwen in

let's help out the tourists and the locals.

lake louise is getting way too busy!

cbc wrote about tourists being turned away, i also know some locals (taking their parents from out of town) that were turned away.. lake louise is a canadian gem and a "must see" for locals and tourists.

CaptainCodeman

Yeah, we like the quieter places. Isn't the whole point of going to the mountains to experience some of the tranquility - if you are sitting in traffic, spending hours driving round a car-park looking for a parking spot and standing in queues you could just go to your local Costco. What's the point?

Yes, the iconic views are amazing ... but nothing beats a quiet peaceful spot IMO. Banff has to be one of my least favourite places in the Rockies precisely because it's so busy (and commercialized).

We used to do the tourist thing when we came over on vacation and of course you should visit the big name places at least once to see them ... but you're right - you don't need to go to them every time you go to the mountains. We often found the 'smaller' places along the way far more enjoyable to visit.

1

Natrapel (Picaridin) VS Off! (DEET) Insect Repellent Review

by Pow Momma in

what do you use to fend off mosquitoes?.

there seem to be two main brands - natrapel (picaridin) or off!

i've always heard that deet is "bad" and reading about it seems to conclude it's not great to use but has been tested and is "safe".

CaptainCodeman

I'm starting to think mosquitos have learnt that the smell of insect repellent is actually the sign that lunch has arrived - I feel like I get attacked and bitten far more when I wear it than when I don't (maybe I'm just naturally bitter).

I've also experimented with the "running fast and waving arms" technique. I'm not sure whether I failed to actually outrun them or whether their friends were waiting for me further ahead.

1

Ptarmigan Cirque - Best Short Hike in Kananaskis Alberta

by Pow Momma in

ptarmigan cirque is located in peter lougheed provincial park, kananaskis, alberta.

parking lot for the hike is at highwood meadows day use area, off highway 40. the trail is well marked.. .

note: highway 40 is closed from december 1 to june 14th annually.

CaptainCodeman

Great pics, thanks for sharing!

High River, a large town south of Calgary, gets its name from the Highwood River and not, as some people thought after the recent floods, because the river is always high.

It looks like it starts in that area somewhere close to the hike.

1

Getting Young Kids Excited to Ski or Snowboard

by Pow Momma in

my husband and i love to downhill ski and want to share the fun of the ski slopes with our two kids.

our daughter turned two just before ski season and we thought we would try to get her out once or twice by borrowing some friends toddler gear..

since having kids we still ski frequently (around 15 times in the season).

CaptainCodeman

Great idea to not push it on them before they may be ready for it and instead wait until they want to try it out. That's always likely going to be a more successful approach.

Kids love to copy and join in with what others are doing, especially if they are having fun!