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Skimo Training Locations Series: Diamond Head Trail – Squamish BC

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The idea of this series is to highlight a local skimo training zones. Not the big, rad lines in the backcountry that you go to for huge missions, but the day in, day out, reliable training spots. It could be on piste or backcountry but it’s where you go to crank out intervals or hone your descending.
For our first in the series, we have my local training spot: Diamond Head Trail in Garibaldi Provincial Park outside of Squamish.

BC's South Coast and Garibaldi Provincial Park. The Diamond Head Trail is accessed from Squamish.
BC’s South Coast and Garibaldi Provincial Park. The Diamond Head Trail is accessed from Squamish (bottom left).

Where is it?

Garibaldi Park spans a big chunk of the Coast Mountains between Squamish and Pemberton. Near the southern end, it is accessed via the Diamond Head Trail.

What makes it special?

The Diamond Head Trail/Red Heather area gets some of the biggest snowfall in the region. That also means in North America.
The big old cedar trees, that line the ten feet wide trail, tower over you while you skin and heavy snow stacks high on the branches giving it a serious wintery feeling. By mid-winter, when enough snow has fallen, the switchbacking road can be short cut on the descent, through the trees for an excellent run back to the car. This trail is also the beginning of bigger adventures and provides access to the Elfin Lakes Cabin (20k round trip), Atwell Peak (the volcano that looms over Squamish) and the Garibaldi Neve Traverse (a beautiful high alpine traverse from Squamish to Whistler).
While I’ve spent lots of days skinning on the road, it has also been the start of some epic days in the alpine.

Interval training and Lactate testing on the Diamond Head Trail.
Interval training and Lactate testing on the Diamond Head Trail.

Where is the trailhead/parking?

Drive through Squamish (60km north of Vancouver, BC) and turn right off Highway 99 at Mamquam Road. Pass Quest University where the road turns to dirt. Turn left onto Garibaldi Park Road and be prepared to chain up. Parking is at the end of the road.
» Google Map directions.

What are the rules?

Chains may be required if the road has not been plowed recently or if there is ice. Winter tires don’t cut it and this is ranger enforced on busy weekends. If you get stuck because you didn’t put chains on, expect a hefty off-highway towing bill.
The trail is always open and is frequently quite busy on the weekends but quiet during the week. There is no significant avalanche danger below the Red Heather Cabin though it is the backcountry so dangers always exist.

Nightime interval training on the lower Diamond Head Trail.
Nightime interval training on the lower Diamond Head Trail.

What is the local training group?

There are no organized training groups in Squamish but expect to meet a bunch of other skiers looking for quick access to the backcountry here. Check the Garibaldi Skimo Club on Facebook to connect with other light and fast inclined people on the Coast.

What workouts are best to do here?

The low angle road and usually well buffed surface makes it perfect for fast intervals. Doing 2x 10min of 30sec on, 30sec rest is great for lactate tolerance and technique development. Once you’ve finished your workout, there are nice north facing slopes off Round Mountain (also called Paul Ridge) that hold some great powder!
Stay tuned to SkinTrack and the Training Zone Series for more of the best training locations around North America and beyond! Got a zone you would like us to showcase? Leave us a comment below and we will get in touch!

Skinning on the upper road with Garibaldi and Atwell Peaks in the background.
Skinning on the upper road with Garibaldi and Atwell Peaks in the background.
Good skiing can be had on the North facing slopes of Round Mountain in good avy conditions.
Good skiing can be had on the North facing slopes of Round Mountain in good avy conditions.

Report: 3rd Annual SkinTrack Summer Training Camp

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Over the last weekend (Sep 4-6, 2015), we hosted the 3rd annual SkinTrack Summer Skimo Training Camp, with activities based around Whistler BC.

As close to revealing himself as it gets.
Trevor as close to revealing himself as it gets.
The camped kicked off at Escape Route, a local outdoor store in Squamish, with a presentation by a local steep skier and Dynafit athlete Trevor Hunt (@coaststeepskier on Instagram).
Forty skiers turned up while Trevor gave an exciting presentation where he highlighted five local steep descents including the North Face of Atwell and the Ledge.
His presentation sparked some interesting discussion and questions ranging from gear (he uses Dynafit TLT6 boots on Denali skis with Expedition Bindings) to how he copes with fear.

Saturday

Eric Carter leading just before cramps got best of him 20 seconds from the line.
Eric leading just before cramps got best of him 20 seconds from the line.
The core training camp group met in Whistler Village where a few of us competed in the first ever edition of the Whistler Valley to Peak running race. The race was 20km with 1800m of elevation gain climbing from the village, up mountain bike trails and service roads, to finish at the peak of Whistler via the beautiful High Note trail.
Eric Carter came second but was very close to winning until cramps got best of him just metres from the line.
Those not racing opted for a slightly less gruelling option of running the Signing Pass trail to High Note to cheer for the racers. After lunch on the deck in Whistler, we returned for some recovery time in Squamish and a BBQ dinner with the group.
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Couple of non-racers enjoying the beautiful views and weather.

Sunday

Despite a dreary weather forecast for Sunday, we opted to head into the alpine and hope for the best. Parking at the Rainbow Lake trail-head in Whistler, we headed up the trail with an ambitious plan of a high alpine traverse over Rainbow Peak to connect two valleys and form a perfect loop.

We crossed two glaciers in the process.
We crossed two glaciers in the process. Second and fourth here are Adam Campbell and Nick Elson, arguably the two fastest 50-150km runners in Canada.
Luckily for us, the weather held. We jogged the trail to the beautiful Rainbow Lake and then started climbing scree slopes and rock slabs to reach the Rainbow Glacier. Snow fall from several days prior had covered the glacier ice giving it a nice clean coat.
Part of our group marveling over nature's ability to create mysterious creations.
Part of our group marveling over nature’s ability to create mysterious creations.
By descending the NE side of the peak and shoulder, we linked up with the recently completed beautiful Skywalk Trail – a new addition built by the Alpine Club of Canada Whistler Section. Skywalk led us down Nineteen Mile Creek and after 6 hours, 30km and 1800m of vert we were back to our cars!

Thank You

We’d like to say thank you to Trevor Hunt, Escape Route, Dynafit and as well the athletes who attended the training camp. We can’t wait to do it again next year!

Arnold Schwarzenegger visits the 2nd SkinTrack fall skimo training camp

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Come run with us next time. Photo by Eric Carter.
Come run with us next time. (Photo by Eric Carter.)
One year ago, to the weekend, we ran the first ever SkinTrack training camp with hopes of repeating it in the future.. Now, few days after the 2nd successful edition, Eric and I are super happy we got the chance to once again host a bunch of enthusiastic people during 3 full days of hard training and socializing.

Thank you All

First and foremost we want to thank all participants for coming and creating a super friendly atmosphere – Thank you!
Secondly, we want to thank the hosts of our Friday’s BBQ party in their back yard in Squamish – Thank you Will and Cristina!
And thirdly, we want to thank all the companies that chose to support our camp once again – Thank you!
sponsors-2014

2 winners of 2 pairs of Dynafit shoes

To make the camp even more fun we had two contests going on for two pairs of Dynafit shoes! One person would win a pair for the best photo – no other specific criteria. And one would win for something (anything) that we would notice during the camp.
And so the first pair goes to Kate for this shot that nicely captures the variety of colours in the Garibaldi Provincial Park as well as the long trails we enjoyed.
kate-photo
The second pair goes to Cristina for toughing out her serious stomach problems during the 4h Sunday run!

3 days of training and sun

Thanks to amazing fall weather here on the Canadian West Coast (as always) we were able to complete the camp almost exactly as we outlined in the teaser.
Friday’s recap – steep time-trial & fun BBQ:
In the morning, we met at the beautiful Alice Lake Provincial Park (just 5 km out of Squamish) for an easy 1.5h run on local bike trails.
For 2 pm, Eric and I scheduled an uber steep and technical vertical time-trial on the trail winding below the new Sea to Sky Gondola. This included running, scrambling and lots of power hiking over about 800 vertical meters. While suffering, I came up with a new term to complement my hiko-run invention – the new term I am trademarking is “scrambled-run” 🙂
Evening BBQ went smooth thanks to Will and Cristina and after downing couple of beers we all seemed to have jokes up our sleeves. The main prize of the evening  – ultimate burger flipper – went to Eric for his passion for… well, flipping burgers 😉

Most of the crew that chose to train with us over the weekend.
Most of the crew that chose to train with us over the weekend.
Saturday’s recap – climber dies on Sky Pilot:
Saturday was a day of mixed emotions for all of us. We had good times playing in the mountains but were faced with harsh reality that it’s not a game to be taken lightly.
After taking the Sea to Sky Gondola up we were on our way to the most anticipated adventure of the camp – to run, hike and scramble a local beauty mountain, Sky Pilot. But shortly after hiking up a small glacier a look down revealed there was something tragic happening below us. A climber has slid from the steep parts of the glacier and was in very bad conditions after being rescued out of a small crevasse. And so we gave all of our clothes and first aid supplies to Eric and Joel who rushed down to help. Unfortunately, after about 1.5h of CPR the climber passed away (most likely due to loosing lots of blood as a result of his head injuries).
With sadness in the air our group decided not to continue up the mountain. It simply didn’t feel right so we opted for a loop lower down in the valley and checking out the upcoming Sky Pilot SkyRunning race course. Our condolences go to the family and friends of the Sky Pilot climber.
Girls running up the small glacier.
Girls running up the small glacier.
Arnold Schwarzenegger vs Silvester Stalone
In the evening, we gathered at the very supportive local outdoor store Escape Route to preview some specialized skimo gear and to watch a movie called “Mount St. Elias” (Eric’s pick).
And let me tell you, despite the movie being as bad as it was I must recommend you watch it because no one should miss on Arnold Schwarzenegger trying to ski St. Elias! If you laughed watching Cliffhanger with Silverster Stalone 20 years ago then you will have tears running down your cheeks during this one, I promise 😉
Will descending one hell of a running route.
Will pumping his St. Elias biceps 😉
Sunday – gym training and a long run:
In the morning, local gym Challenge by Choice hosted us again (first time last year) for a muscle breaking strength session. Push-ups, lunges, squats and kettle bell exercises shaped our expressions during the hour long suffer fest.
Hanging off one arm at 85 degree angle was my favourite excercise during the gym session.
Hanging off one arm at 85 degree angle was my favourite exercise during the gym session. (Photo by Eric Carter.)
Then, by 11.30 am, we were all running in the spectacular surroundings in the Garibaldi Provincial Park. We split our group of 14 into two and ran the 24 km point-to-point route in opposite directions to avoid car shuttling.
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Coastal alpine running. (Photo by Eric Carter.)

Next year

Based on last year’s winter results I believe that all that attended will do consistently better than those that did not. So if you want to up your game for the 2016 winter you should visit us next September 😉
See you all, and even more of you, next year!

group-habrich
This is how an album cover would look like if we ever record one 😉
Black Tusk, the iconic mountain of Garibaldi Provincial Park.
Black Tusk, the iconic mountain of Garibaldi Provincial Park. (Photo by Eric Carter.)
Carnage time!
Carnage time! (Photo by Eric Carter.)

When suffering is fun: Recap from first ever Skintrack skimo training camp

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And just like that, after a 3-day blurry of workouts, adventure, presentations and loads of fun the first ever Skintrack training camp is over! Everyone is tired but with a huge smile on our faces.
First of all, Eric and I want to say Thank You to everyone that attended, in some cases travelling hundreds of kilometres. You guys put faith in us and believed that when you show up the two skimo junkies will have no choice but to deliver all everything they promised 😉
Next, we (and on behalf of all participants) want to thank to Dynafit North America, Escape Route, Clif Bar Canada and The Alpine Club of Canada for their great support of this summer skimo training gathering.

Supporters of this first ever North American skimo training camp. On behalf of everyone - Thank You!

As it all happened

To recount our three days for those that couldn’t come, here are some facts:

  • 17 athletes attended, either the whole camp or couple of sessions
  • Another 20 or so attended the 2 speaker presentations
  • 5 training venues
  • Over 13 hours of training
  • Around 3700m of vertical
  • About 80km covered
  • And 1 birthday celebration

Day 1 – Friday, Sep 13

We started the camp off by meeting for a trail-running session up Squamish’s iconic Chief and over its three summits, amazing views all around.
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chief-run-squamish-1a

chief-run-squamish-2

Afternoon brought us to Callaghan Valley for a roller-ski session. The valley is located between Squamish and Whistler, and was the venue for cross-country skiing during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Eric Carter with Melanie Bernier roller skiing.
Eric Carter with Melanie Bernier roller skiing.
Summer skimo skinning - over the hills and far away.
Summer skimo skinning – over the hills and far away.
One the way to Callaghan and then back we made sure to take advantage of the lakes along the scenic Hwy 99. Cold water in two Alice and Brohm lakes relieved pain in our muscles while we soaked in September sun.
Friday’s night presentation belonged to a slideshow from my recent trip to Kyrgyzstan and China (here you can read part 1 and part 2) inside Escape Route outdoor shop. I am proud to say that everyone seemed to really enjoy it.
Escape Route proved to be a very cozy venue for the evening presentations.
Escape Route proved to be a very cozy venue for the evening presentations.

Day 2 – Sep 14, 2013

Saturday’s itinerary was looking big and thankfully the weather held on.
In the AM hours our group swelled to 13 as we were joined by a group of athletes from the UBC Nordic ski team. Some people roller-skiing, some biking, (me driving) one by one we made it up Cypress Bowl road that brought us to 930m above sea level and to another 2010 Olympic venue, Cypress Mountain.

Melanie Bernier pushing the pace with great passion.
Melanie Bernier pushing the pace with great passion.
A very thick fog was sitting above Vancouver and the ocean at around 600m so we were treated to heaven-like experience.
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After some rest and a light lunch in the sun we started our long trail run from Cypress Mountain to Lions Bay. During this session we ended up splitting into three groups – one returning back the same way after about an hour (led by Eric), the second running to Lions Bay (3.5h), and the third, led by me, did a detour to scramble to the summit of West Lion thus extending the session to over 4h.
lions-run-2
Posing for Sports Illustrated on top of Unnecessary Mountain on the Howe Sound Crest Trail.
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Nick, Mel, Dean and I pushed for the West Lion summit in the name of my birthday wish.
Later in the afternoon, we all met in Lions Bay and went for a plunge in the Pacific Ocean before heading back to Squamish.
The second night started with a sushi dinner before a presentation on performance nutrition from a professional coach Bjorn Ossenbrink. The take home message seemed to be that proper fueling and recovery are very critical to athletic success.
Right after the presentation I got a big surprise in a form of birthday cake (complete with candles) and a bottle of 7-year old red wine. Then to make sure we remember all that was said during the nutrition talk we headed to a pub for a round of birthday beers. 😉

Day 3 – Sun 15, 2013

Eric and I thought a strength session specifically targeting skimo muscles should be included in camp’s itinerary and so Eric arranged a coach and a gym from Challenge by Choice for 2h of suffer-fest given the training load on previous days. Muscles hurt but fun was had all around. This workout topped the most-sweat-lost charts.

gym-session-1
Pretty much as a whole, we were accused by the gym coach of not having strong gluts 🙂

The final workout went almost as planned, only cut short by an approaching lightning storm. Yet still, we did about 3h of running over superb trails inside the beautiful Garibaldi Provincial Park.
garibaldi-run-1

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At Garibaldi Lake: from left, front row – Eric Carter and Will, back row – Kate, Eric, Dean and Max.
Once done and 50 hugs later, everyone took off in different direction in search of a couch at their homes.
See you all next time, we will try to make it as soon as we can 😉
Nutrition, eh?
Nutrition, eh?