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David Buston

Reinvent your summer with five new activities

Beyond the onslaught of never-ending assignments, there are four months of summer holidays and a welcome reprieve from studies. Tried-and-true activities like camping or road trips immediately come to mind, but why not venture a little further out of your comfort zone this summer with something new?

Hang Gliding:
“The most thrilling thing is having your feet lifted off the ground,” said John Janssen, equipment manager and program co-ordinator at the U of C outdoor centre.
The learning curve in hang gliding is gradual, Janssen said. The first couple of hours are nothing more than learning to run with the glider and then slowly building on skills depending on the participant’s comfort level.

Skydiving:
Yvette Thomas, co-ordinator of Skydiving Calgary, said skydiving is a life-changing experience and gives participants the ultimate feeling of being alive.
“It’s a must-try for anyone,” said Thomas. “You’ll have an adrenaline rush for a week.”
For first timers, Thomas recommends a tandem jump; an experienced professional dives with you from 10,000 feet. It’s up to them to pull the ripcord, so the new diver enjoys the ride rather than worrying about a safe landing.

Caving:
Not recommended for the claustrophobic, caving offers a unique and memorable experience for those seeking something outside the norm.
“It’s a good physical experience and a good mental experience as well,” said Charles Yonge, owner of Canmore Cave Tours.
Yonge said caving offers participants a sense of discovery, and explore the beauty of unchartered territory.
“Be ready to push your comfort zone a little,” said Lisa Heffernan, a guide with the company.

Z-Trip
This activity is the first of its kind in Canada. Participants are harnessed into a 10 foot tall sphere and sent head over heels down the COP ski hill on a hollowed out course. Luckily, the spheres roll gradually enough to avoid motion sickness.
“It’s one heck of a ride,” said Brendan Arnold, a communication specialist for WinSport, the company that runs the activity. “It’s probably one of the (most fun) things you can do at the park. It’s unreal.”
Arnold said there is no possible way to fall out of the sphere once the harnesses are fastened, and the hollowed out nature of the track prevents it from going out of control.

Bouldering
Bouldering offers a new way to take on the already popular sport of rock climbing. It ditches the traditional harnesses in favour of lower altitudes and a more unpredictable experience. All indoor gyms place crash pads at the bottom of the course to prevent injury. But outdoors, this detail is left to the climber.
“It’s best if you go to an indoor gym first, just so you know the basic technique involved and how to fall off safely,” said Shaun Luong, an instructor at Crux Climbing and Bouldering Centre in Calgary.
Luong said first-timers shouldn’t be afraid of falling off, which is one of the biggest challenges to get over. He also recommends finding books divulging good outdoor locations, which also include the level of difficulty of each location.

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