Mar

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Nature is the law

Mark Pawlak    Adventure Sports & Travel Thoughts     Canada, New Zealand, Snowboarding, snowmobiling

News that an avalanche in Canadian British Columbia killed two snowboarders has sent a warning to all adventure sports fans: Beware the power of nature. We get to enjoy our sports thanks to the changing seasons, the ebbs and flows, and flurries and gales that nature provides. Enjoyment, however, needs to be tempered with respect.

If, harnessing the wind or surfing a wave, you think you are in control: think again. Countries such as Canada and New Zealand are often described as adventure sports playgrounds. That said, nature agrees entry times, and also decides when its time to pack up and go. The key to safe extreme sporting is knowing the limits – while pushing them a little, too; realising when playtime is over could be key to saving your life.

Reports of the incident at Boulder Mountain suggest that the avalanche was caused by snowmobile riders, taking turns to climb farther and farther up a slope. What also comes through is that competitors in the Big Iron Shootout snowmobile rally, using their own safety equipment, led the rescue efforts. A couple of lessons then for us all: ‘Extreme’, as a sports category, has limits, safety gear should always be taken, and nature is the law.

About the author

Mark Pawlak wrote 170 articles on this blog.

Editor at Adventure Sports Holidays, Mark's love affair with travel and the challenges of adventure sports continues... "You could save all year for a two-week, all-inclusive, doss by the pool, booze and buffet binge. Or, with a little planning and some good equipment, get off your arse and plan an adventure!"

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2 Comments to “Nature is the law”

• 

  Sarah Ed March 19, 2010 at 2:39 pm

  Good post Mark
  Respect for the environment is key to safely enjoying adventure sports.

  On a recent mountain climb in Borneo that I undertook we were not able to summit. I was gutted. I had massive expectations of the experience. The night before our summit climb it began to rain … and rain … and rain.

  We did attempt the summit but our mountain guide stopped us part way up. We were at 4000metres, on a rock face, in a typhoon. In my adrenalin fuelled tunnel vision to get to the top I might have neglected my personal safety had it not been for the guide. He made the call for us to come down and we all returned safely.
  I learnt a number of lessons. Pushing your own personal limits is fun and exhilarating but respect for Mother Nature is vital.
• 

  Mark Pawlak March 19, 2010 at 3:43 pm

  I like taking things to the edge, but I’ve learnt that if you wait till you are tired till you turn back, it really is too late.

  I remember the true story of adventurers lost in the desert. One said he managed to survive by always leaving some water in the bottom of his bottle. His colleague, who walked behind him on their marathon trek, was less pleased. For the duration, all he heard was slosh, slosh, slosh!

  Be one with nature; she’s not to be beaten, just enjoyed.