News

The ODP clan packed their bags and headed for Squamish last Friday afternoon, eager to clamber up crags and conquer cliffs. After a ferry trip from Nanaimo and a long bus ride into Squamish, we pitched tents at a campsite. The next day we headed to our first climbing destination. The first cliff we climbed was called Area 44. After a short hike,...

At 7:00am on Saturday, May 28th, while most enjoyed a sleep-in, a small group of students boarded the bus, laden with backpacks, sleeping pads, and wetsuits. These eight dedicated ODP white-water paddlers, along with Mr. Norman and our assistant paddling instructor, Thyren, napped, chatted, or played chess on the drive to Courtenay, BC for the...

I love my job, especially the outdoor educator part, but Tuesday December 15 was an eleven for me. In Outdoor Pursuits, the plan was a day hike on the gold mine trail in Goldstream Park. Early darkness and cold were on my mind as I planned this hike for 12 teenagers from the Outdoor Pursuits class I co-teach with Josie Olszewski. This group had...

On Friday, November 20th, Jacob N, Whittall ‘16 & Joe K Whittall ‘16 spent their evening on the Pacific Coast of Vancouver Island on a campsite with their peers. The following morning, they hiked out to Mystic Beach and made their lunch on the beach before they got dressed in their #1 school uniform in preparation for their Silver Duke of...

Thousands of liters of water cascaded through the jagged rocks. The river churns like a washing machine cranked up to heavy load as nearly 25 CMS (cubic meters per second) of icy water pours between the steep canyon walls. The deafening sound of the frothing water tumbling over the falls above echoes in my ears. The strong torrent swiftly...

“The equipment makes all the difference in an emergency, whether one survives or …not” is one of the sentences Mr. Dan Norman preaches to the Outdoor Pursuits group like a prayer. Not that an adventurous excursion into Canada’s endless wilderness is very dangerous if the group takes care and knows what they are doing. But still: gear is key!...

As the winter term ends, ODP continues to take full advantage of the incredibly dry, warm weather that nature has sent our way this year. Students have completed hikes on Mt. Finlayson, Mt. Tzouhalem, Oliphant Lake, Maple Mountain, the Trans-Canada Trail and most recently on the Cowichan River trail. On this last hike, our students who completed...

The tide was high as the 24 members of Outdoor Pursuits brought our kayaks down to the beach. Before we left, we made sure that we had everything (including a lifejacket, Jacob MB) and then headed out towards Whiskey Point. Upon reaching the pilings, we turned north, powering our boats onward. Fighting the current and some small swells, we made...

The ODP crew completed their first hike of the spring term on Thursday by climbing Mt Finlayson and witnessing some great views of Victoria, the Gulf Islands, and the forests of Goldstream Park. Although the drive to the base was pounded by rain, the weather gods smiled on the group and during the hike there was nothing but sunshine and blue...

There is a Norwegian saying, “there is no such thing as bad weather, just poor clothing.”   In Outdoor Pursuits, a lot of work is done to help new students understand how to avoid poor clothing choices. In very general terms, avoid cotton, and dress in layers. Wool and synthetic fibers have the property of drying from the inside to the outside,...