I'm planing on taking the Yamnuska Snow and Ice Long Weekend class in September. The final day includes a summit attempt on Mt. Athabasca (3491m). I'm looking to buy my first pair of moutaineering boots for the trip. I'm hoping for something fairly versatile, but I guess that goes without saying....

I'm curious of a good technique to cross a stream while backpacking that's above the boot's waterproof line but no higher than the knees. I typically face upstream and use my hiking poles for stability. However, I'm not a fan of soggy boots, so I tend to go barefoot, which adds to the risk of sli...

What's the advantage (or advantages) of a bent-shaft canoe paddle? I've been told that it allows for more efficient use of both arms: the rationale I heard was that your arm on the grip does more work than your arm on the blade with a straight paddle and this is "evened out" with a bent-shaft pa...