Sawback's Great Outdoor Links Resource

Highlights:

New Dynafit Tristep Binding Review - Buyer beware!

Outward Bound and Adventure Programming: Lecture notes from Outdoor Pursuits ODPU 201,"Foundations of Outdoor Pursuits", January 17, 2002 by Tom Wolfe.

Deschooling Society - by IVAN ILLICH. A must-read for all teachers and teachers to be.

This page has a lot of very good sites on it, so take some time to look around. See especially the sites that I've BOLDED (my personal favorites/must-sees). I've got a big emphasis on Experiential Learning/Education--be sure to check it out. -T.W.

To use this page, either scroll through our entire catalogue (below) or scroll through the category headings in the sidebar frame and click on whatever interests you. We hope you find this resource helpful.

Click here to send us an email to let us know if you found something useful here, or if you think something should be changed, deleted, or added!

Canada

• Sawback Alpine Adventures - Since 1995 we've offered mountaineering programming and guided trips for individuals and groups. Specialising in multi-week custom mountain programmes and teambuilding.
• Outward Bound Canada. "There's more in you than you think!" OB Canada offers a wide range of first-rate mountaineering programming and sea kayaking for youth and adults in their western school (near Pemberton, BC), and hiking and canoeing adventures in their eastern school. Many of Sawback's staff also work (or have worked in the past) as OB instructors.
• Canadian Outdoor Leadership Training - on Vancouver Island. They have a great outdoor leadership programme for young adults.
• University of Calgary's Outdoor Pursuits Programme - which just celebrated its 25th anniversary as well as mourned its cancellation from the backward-thinking University of Calgary.
• University College of the Cariboos - Adventure Travel Guide programme - teaches advanced wilderness skills like kayaking and mountaineering, human relations techniques, emergency response, and marketing, all in a program designed specifically for those wanting to lead adventurous tourists on wilderness excursions.
  
• Yamnuska, Inc. The "IKEA" of Canadian Mountain Guiding; the biggest and the oldest.
• Association of Canadian Mountain Guides - Canada's Internation Federation of Mountain Guides representation - information on guiding certification in Canada.
• Frontier Lodge - this is where Sawback's Director first started discovering the Canadian Rockies, back in the '80s, so check it out!
• Medeba Adventure Learning Centre - "We believe that learning should be fun. Adventure learning is an ideal tool to make learning enjoyable. Adventure takes place when you participate in exciting, new experiences that challenge you to push your personal limits. Adventure learning occurs in small groups as trained leaders help you learn from the experience and apply it to real life."

International

• Outward Bound International - The home page for the OBI Secretariat. "I feel like a different person. The more I do, the more likely I am to say, ‘I can, I can do it’." "(Outward Bound’s) chief work is enrichment ... Our courses are supposed to mature people, and no doubt they do, but more importantly they keep people young so that they retain their child’s sense of wonder at themselves and at their world."
• Summit Adventure - California. A couple of Sawback's instructors have worked with these folks in the past.
• The Rock - The Rock Outdoor Adventures offers a wide range of activities and guiding for individuals and groups in the UK, Europe, and world- wide. Guiding for individuals and small group.
• National Outdoor Leadership School - NOLS calls itself "The leader in wilderness Education." In any case, their likely the biggest in the US.

Experiential Activities/Games/Initiatives and Related Resources (from Christian Itin's site)

• Summaries of Co-operative Non-competitive Games by Mike Cox, a large site and list of well organized summaries of many new games and initiatives.
• Here is a resource of 250 games, and on the same site games for younger children.
• This is an other resource site with games that promote social development.
• Cooperative games can be found here, with lots of links....a great resources.
• Here is a nice tool box of activities.
• Here is a nice link with some activities and links to related sites, it is sponsored by an organization called Youthworks.
• This site has some resources on problem solving.
• The Therapeutic Recreation page has some good ideas and some good links.
• Roger Greenaway has put together a nice page on feedback exercises. His page has other good resources that might be of interest especially for the adventure-based professional.
• Duke has put their Project Wild program manual online for adventure-based programs, it has some good resources especially around leadership.
• Here is a Boy Scout based site of games (this is not an endorsement of the scouts).
• A Scottish-based Boy Scout list of games.
• Here is a page with a nice bibliography that will be of use to those new to the use of adventure activities.
• The Association for Business Simulation and Experiential Learning (ABSEL) has a site, they have there newsletter online and some related links.
• TEAMWORKS has a page of exercises related to conflict resolution.
• Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers and Pfeiffer (formally Pfeiffer & Jones or University Associates Publishers) has the largest collection of facilitation/leadership/human relations training material. While it is expensive, the resources are solid.
• David Nettell has put together a bibliography with Amozon.com of adventure resources, this includes many new games and adventure activities.
• Check out Christian Itin's new Activity Resource Page, you can add new activities to this list, thereby creating a resource for everyone.

• The Alpine Club of Canada
• Outdoor Education Program's Wilderness Skills Class - Stanford University
• Leave no trace home - The mission of the Leave No Trace programme is to create a nationally recognized educational system that promotes land stewardship, minimum-impact skills, and wilderness ethics.

• Gravsports - Will Gadd's site, if you're interested in modern mixed climbing
• Cyril Shokoples' Current Ski & Climbing Conditions In The Canadian Rockies & Columbia Mountains - if you're thinking about venturing out into the mountains for the first time in a while, here's a good place to find out what the conditions are doing.
• Rocky Mountain Books - a must-visit if you would like online Canadian Rockies limestone route info (topos, beta, etc.) or order Canadian Rockies guidebooks.
• Rock and Ice - the Rock and Ice magazine web site
• Whitespider - Kefira Allen's site, also if you're interested in modern mixed climbing in the Canadian Rockies
• Climbing Archive!
• Accidents in North American Mountaineering
• The Lightweight Backpacker -information on what to pack in your backpack so that it isn't just a big millstone around your neck.
• Essortment.com - a hodge-podge of different backpacking ideas/suggeestions.

• eHow - Train for Rock Climbing Offers basic advice for improving one's skills at the outdoor sport through applied effort at the gym. Browse links to related topics.
  
• Big Wall Climbing From Yosemite to the Trango Towers in Pakistan, learn what it takes to conquer the world's largest rock faces.
  
• Equipment and Techniques Introduction to rock climbing uses text and diagrams to explain techniques, equipment, and how to organize a climb.
  
• mOthEr rOck Online version of Southern Californian climbing magazine, with classifieds, climbing events, and feature articles.
  
• Available Rock Rock climbing ezine, featuring competition news, a link library, and feature articles.
  
• El Capitan Fascinating and well-constructed account of a blind climber's bid to ascend the 3,000-foot sheer face of Yosemite's El Capitan.
  
• Climbing Dictionary Definitions of climbing terms plus a translation of them into German, French, Canadian French, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, Swedish, and Polish.
  
• Climbing Wall Resource Planning on building a climbing wall? This resource includes how-to advice from design to construction, and features a mailing list, and links.
  
• Colorado - Rock & Row Enterprises Colorado-based guide service specializes in both rock climbing and whitewater rafting. Includes trip descriptions and a reservations form.
  
• Rock'n Hot Dedicated to technical rock and sport climbing, this site includes coverage of climbs, interviews, resource directories and other features.
• Nobeta Gives tutorials on shooting professional quality images of rock climbing. Covers image optimization and dye sublimation.
  
• Climbing Guide, The Clear introduction to indoor and outdoor climbing as well as bouldering. Explores equipment, destinations, and techniques.
  
• Shut Up & Climb For those who want to cut the frills and just climb. Long directories to destinations, clubs, graphics, gear, and gyms.
  
• TopRope.com Magazine covers a wide breadth of climbing issues. Contains contributions from readers, features of innovative climbs, and interviews.
  
• http://www.geocities.com/Baja/Dunes/5506/climbing_pics.html Amateur webmaster compiled a gallery of climbing photos. Contains many images of difficult climbs with picturesque backgrounds.
  
• ClimbOnline Resource for climbers include database of climbs, chat area, news of environmental issues, lingo dictionary, and climbing workouts.
  
• Guide to Building A Climbing Wall Get a professional's advice on the proper construction of a climbing facility, presented by the Outdoor Recreation Coalition.
  
• Seneca Rocks Describes the rock climbing opportunities to be found in the vicinity of Seneca Rocks, WV, and provides a directory of local climbing services.
  
• Adventure Sports - Climbing Directory Provides listings of climbing gyms, guide services, instructors, and equipment suppliers. Follow links to their home pages.
  
• Archive of Rock Climbing Moves and Tips Novice and expert rock climbers can browse an extensive library of advice on equipment and technique, or submit their own wisdom for inclusion.

• Environment Canada forecast and links - The Green Lane
• Charts & Satellite images from Environment Canada - Outstanding site for researching what the weather's up to.
• Canadian Avalanche Association - regional avalanche forecasts, courses, and much more.
• Medium Range Forecast (MRF) colour charts - The Institute is dedicated to basic research in climate variability, climate predictability and climate change
• Charts/soundings on IR satellite - California Regional Weather Server
• Westwide Avalanche Network Home Page "WWAN" - American avalanche forecasts, links, employment, and more.

• Yahoo Search & Rescue Reference Page
• Outdoor Action First Aid & Safety References
• The Outdoor Action Guide to High Altitude Illnesses
• The Outdoor Action Guide to Outdoor Safety Management
• AEE Wilderness Safety & Emergency Care Home Page
• High Altitude and Its Effects on Performance
• Emergency Preparedness Information Center

• The Telemark Home Page - North American Telemark Organization's site
• Nothing more that I know of at the moment... sorry (see Avalanche & Weather...) or suggest a site.

• University of Calgary's Outdoor Program Centre - The University of Calgary Outdoor Program Centre offers a wide variety of rental gear for both summer and winter outdoor activities. Everyone is welcome to rent gear from us. Our rental shop is open from 8:00am to 8:00pm every day of the week.
• Altitude Sports Rentals - Located in Canmore, reasonable rates, gives a discount to Sawback guests.

• Telemark-pyrenees - Forget the MEC and REI, this is the place to go for CHEAP equipment. You won't believe your eyes once you've done the currency conversion. They're located in France but ship for reasonable rates and are very professional. I've heard nothing but good reports from people who've shopped here. Telemark-pyrenees is best for large orders or your savings get offset by shipping, duty & GST, etc.
• Canada's Mountain Equipment Co-op - Mountaineering gear cheap. "MEC decided to launch a website to provide our members and the outdoor community with information on wilderness activities, outdoor equipment and what it means to be a co-operative. In addition, we're providing links to other resources, and a forum for outdoor folk to meet, greet, and exchange tips, ideas and gear." They have a GREAT "Gear Swap" page that will convert your aging gear to cash quicker than you can say "recycle." Their mail order is free shipping within Canada... can't argue with that.
• REI catalogue - America's version of the Co-op.
• Golite - Here you will find a company that makes some pretty cool equipment using an ultra-minimalist philosophy. "For those of you who haven't heard the story, we were inspired by the ideas of Ray Jardine, a one-time rocket scientist and extreme climber who turned his genius to paring away the bells and whistles that have made their way onto conventional outdoor gear over the years. So successful was Ray that his base load for his most recent Pacific Crest Trail thru hike was a scant 8.44 pounds!"
  
• Recreational Outfitters International - I've purchased a number of things distributed by these folks and am pleased with the quality of their products (it doesn't get better than Scarpa leather boots) and service.

• Canada Natural resources - maintained by Canadian Forest Serive
• National Parks - USA
• US Geological Survey
• What do Maps Show? from USGS - a great learning resource: if you want to learn more about map and compass use.

• Banff National Park, Canada

• Dogpile.com - this is a really thorough search engine - useful for those "hard to find" sites.
• Metacrawler - is a great search engine because it sends your request to several popular search engines and then removes duplicate hits.
• GORP -this is a big search engine for outdoor activities.
• Guide to Outdoor Resources on the Web - from Rick Curtis, Princeton University

• The Gimp - The GIMP is the GNU Image Manipulation Program. It is a freely distributed piece of software suitable for such tasks as photo retouching, image composition and image authoring. This site contains information about downloading, installing, using, and enhancing GIMP. This site also serves as a distribution point for the latest releases, patches, plugins, and scripts. We also try to provide as much information about the GIMP community and related projects as possible. Windows, Linux, etc.
• Open Office 1.0 - Yes, life IS possible without Microsoft Office. The suite covers pretty much everything you need with a word processor, spreadsheet, presentation software, equation editor and a drawing program. It opens most major formats such as MS Office almost flawlessly (Macros aren't converted), saves to PDF* , has comprehensive help, and spellchecking in 15 languages.
• SpamBouncer - Get rid of that spam for good. You need a UNIX server to make this one work for you, as well as a little computer know-how. If you have telnet access to your server then you're set.
• SpamAssassin - might be better suited to your needs.

• Ben Gadd's Handbook of the Canadian Rockies is the comprehensive naturalist's guide to the entire Canadian Rockies area, from Waterton-Glacier to the Yukon. Replacing a stack of single-topic guides, the Handbook is small enough ["barely" - T.W.] to slip into a pack pocket. Plants, mammals, birds, fish, insects, geology, weather, history, hiking, climbing, skiing, maps -- it's all here, with over a thousand color illustrations. 831 pages.
• Books That Changed My Life - I like this site - lots of neat books. It's been around for even longer than Sawback's website (pre-1995) - a rarity in today's cyberworld.

Example: "Anne Lamott, Bird By Bird. This book is about writing, but it is not about how to hone your craft, nor about how to choose an agent, but about how to get past the demons that prevent you from doing your best work. As such it is good advice for anyone trying to work in a creative field. The book is humble and sweet and wise and funny. For example, on my office wall at work I have made myself a sign that quotes from it: "If you want to make God laugh, tell her your plans.""

• Canada411 - telephone directory that I use all the time.

Programme | Registration | About | Links | Contact | Home

Updated Nov 20, 2002
© 2002 Sawback Alpine Adventures
Box 8386, Canmore, AB T1W 2V2 Canada
tel/fax: 403.678.8326 email: