Recommended Trails

• Skiing is good in most centres. Please check our Trail Condition
  page  for more detailed up to the minute information

Holiday, Birthday or Special Occasion Gift Ideas 

• Dale of Norway sweaters

• toques, mittens

• Boots, skiis

• Poles

Cross Country Ski Resorts, Hostels or Retreats

• Nipika Mountain Resort - a Kootenay Rocky Mountain Retreat for Nordic Skiers - located in the Canadian Rockies beside Kootenay National Park

• The Mountain Hostel - is located in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, surrounded by the spectacular setting of rugged peaks, glaciers, rivers and waterfalls.  The hostel is a classic timber/wood-framed and stone building.

• Hamilton House Bed and Breakfast - a Country Inn and Retreat, located 10 minutes SE of Cold Lake Alberta.  There are 15 km of trails through wilderness settings. Equipment is available  with skiing from the door.

• Aku, Asolo, Granite, Lowa, Lowe Alpine, Montague, Paratrooper, SwissBike
  

Boot Selection information

Boot technology is much more advanced now than it was a generation ago. Although the leather boots of the past might have looked impressive, the improvements in the sole technology and the materials used today makes a modern boot a marvel, but of course, only if it fits properly.

1. Proper fit vs just an OK fit means that you will enjoy hiking, backpacking, scrambling and walking without pain and foot aches. That you will admire the mountains rather than your blisters and black toes.

2. European vs Asian made boots. The Europeans and North Americans dominated the boot market for hundreds of years. Recently, many US and Canadian companies folded or outsourced their production to cheap Asian factories. This way they can mass produce and make better profit margins. The European made boots we sell at the Norseman are made in factories OWNED by the companies that design the boots. They do control the quality of materials and workmanship. These boots are made to provide you with a maximum comfort for many, many years.

3. Gortex vs no Gortex. If you plan to do a lot of wet hikes and backpacks, Gortex is a must. For anything else it is a choice. It will add some insulation value to the boot, so those with a tendency to overheat their feet should think twice before getting a Gortex boot.

Pack Selection information

After the boots, backpacks are the most important factor in play for experiencing the mountain hiking pleasure. A pack that does not fit well can cause pain in the shoulders, back pain and general body discomfort which can make it almost impossible to carry the pack for sustained periods of time.  A well fitted pack allows you to carry a 30-50 lb load with almost  total ease.

1. Weight distribution. The pack must be carried almost entirely on the hips.

2. The length of the torso has to be well fitted to the length of the pack.

3. The shoulder straps and the belt have to properly adjusted.

All of our packs are custom fitted to the wearer's body type.  Some packs are thermally custom molded.

Mattress Selection Information

There is now a very good choice of comfort products that makes sleeping on the hard and cold floor of any camp a piece of cake. Or course, some of us can comfortably sleep directly on a rock bed. However, most of us, after several hours of hiking with 30 KG on our back prefer a comfortable mattress. There are various foams and self inflatable mattresses that can lower the aches and pains of a back and other pains while sleeping on cold floors on a thin mattress. This can be a serious problem for someone who is facing carrying a heavy pack the next day... There are stories of people unable to get out of the tent in the morning. For such cases the best solution is the mattress with high heat insulation value. The problem is that higher insulation comers with higher weight and higher price, so in this case good expert advice is as valuable as in the choice of a pack or a boot.

Tent Selection Information

The real test of any tent is on the trail and at the camp site. We want it to be light, easy to put up and easy to pack down. Most of the tents of reputable brands use high quality aluminum poles, which helps a lot. The tent needs to have a fly, which under no circumstance should touch the main tent as it can cause leaking under a heavy rain. The ventilation, a good ventilation, is another matter, which can be the main concern in hot  weather or after a heavy campsite meal. The placement of the door and of the vestibule might make the nightly trip to outhouse easy or difficult. Balancing all of these requirements and making the tent as light as possible makes the designing of a good tent a bit of a challenge. We carry the tents that we believe are the best suited for the comfort of a discerning backpacker, without being excessively expensive.

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Mountaineering in the Canadian Rockies

•  Yamnuska - Mountain Adventures - Guided Mountaineering, Rock and Ice Climbing, Hiking and Skiing in the Canadian Rockies

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