Mayor Forster presents Councillor Coleridge with a White Rock flag to take on his journey.

MEET THE NEIGHBOURS Part II

Yesterday we learned from White Rock resident, James Coleridge a bit about what motivated him to take on a series of high altitude climbs throughout the world. (see below)

Today we find out how this personal journey and quest Coleridge has been on, has benefitted Canadian school children. Coleridge will fly to Mount Logan in the Yukon on May to begin his second attempt to climb Canada's highest peak. All the while students across Canada, and for that matter, around the world will be able to partake in the climb, all be it in cyberspace. A website has been created to school children and these are just a few of the many features available for the students.

Stairway To Health

The Summits of Canada is climbing the highest point in every Province and Territory in Canada literally taking it ‘One Step at a Time.’ From Prince Edward Island to British Columbia the Expedition team will be climbing over 90,000 feet and traveling over 25,000 kms.

Climbing to the top of one of our Summits or with your goal of becoming healthier and more physically active the ‘Stairway to Health’ program is a good first step. By using stairs as a training model either in your daily live at home or at work you are literally one step closer to a healthier lifestyle.

Lesson Plans & Activity Guides

Welcome to the Summits Learning Center and a great source for a variety of valuable lessons and activity guides. Choose from the many organizations available on the left (or below) and then review the various programs and lessons they offer.

Great for people of all ages from kids, to teenagers, to adults and even seniors. Have fun and expand your mind! Tap into this resource of online knowledge, start exploring, and soon you'll be learning things you didn't even know you didn't know!

Canadiana

Environment

Fitness & Health

Geography

General

Science

Active Schools Program

The Active Schools Activity Challenge has a number of features within the overall program that work together to improve the health and well being of students. Our primary goal is to bring education and fitness together in an innovative and fun, online program!

This program has 4 elements/features where students can keep track of their progress on the path to increased health & fitness:

1. Activity Map - our online activity tracking program with activity challenges, mapping and integrated educational features. It's a fitness adventure which promotes and rewards activity and learning at the same time.
2. Activity History - a downloadable 60 day history report for each day that the kids are active.
3. Nutrition Journal - a daily/weekly tracking system for the amount of fruits and vegetables that are eaten.
4. Hydration Journal - a daily/weekly tracking system to record the amount of water they drink.

Together, these 4 features give students a great opportunity to have fun while becoming more health concious. Early development and positive reinforcement of the basics of healthy habits are key ingredients to setting the foundation for a future healthy lifestyle. Plus, the students will learn more about Canada, our Provinces and Territories, its geography and beauty in the process.

Together we can make a difference by encouraging Canadians and the world "one step at a time", to join the journey to better health and the adventure of fitness.

For more information on James Coleridge's school program and climbs please visit:

www.summitsofcanada.ca

We will be following James ascent on Mount Logan and providing regular updates on his progress.

MEET THE NEIGHBOURS - Part I

James Coleridge

White Rock Councillor James Coleridge

With Mount Everest next on my climbing goals, I was caught in a storm soloing Europe’s highest mountain in Russia, Mount Elbrus. Little did I know at the time that seeking shelter and comfort in a tent at 15,500 feet with a climbing team from the Ukraine, there would be a bigger mountain to climb in my future!

It was here on Mount Elbrus, where 4 climbers with very little English and a passion in their eyes, did not want to hear about my adventures to Kilimanjaro in Africa or about my climb to the top of North America on Mount McKinley in Alaska. They did not ask or wonder about the beauty of South America ... no, they simply wanted to hear about Canada.

They listened for hours as I told them about the mountains in our Canadian Rockies, the beauty of our Maritimes, and the spectacular uniqueness of our Arctic. I described the maple trees in Central Canada changing colour in the fall and the rugged beauty of the West Coast. It was late that night, alone in my tent, and even over a period of months after that climb that I regained an appreciation of our Country. All along, I was looking outside of Canada, at the quest of climbing the ‘Seven Summits’ and Mount Everest and, in doing so, looked past the very country where I was born – Canada. There in a tent on a stormy night in Russia, the ‘Summits of Canada’ was born.

On behalf of our team, sponsors, and supporters, I want to welcome you to an adventure in one of the most beautiful and diverse countries in the world, a place we call home and a country we call Canada. Welcome to an historic Expedition to tell Canadians and the world about Canada, “One Step at a Time.”

James Coleridge
Expedition Leader

This month James Coleridge will launch his second attempt to reach the summit of Canada's highest mountain peak, Mount Logan. Mount Logan is 20,000 feet high and located in Kluhane National Park in the southwest area of the Yukon. But before we go any further, let's turn back the pages of time to the year 2002 to find out how and why James Coleridge found himself climbing the tallest mountains in the world and Canada.

"In 2002 I was a Councillor and I ran for Mayor in White Rock and was defeated, I tell people I lost the election but I got my life back. The very next day after I lost the election my girlfriend who is now my wife, Anna said to me “What do you really want to do?” I thought about it for a minute and came to the conclusion I like hiking, and taking pictures, so we went to Africa in 2002 and I literally ran to the top of Kilmanjaro and I thought WOW I really enjoy this, so from there I did climbs on South America, Africa, North America, Europe and Russia mountains. That was my introduction to high altitude climbing. In 2004 I was caught in a storm on Mount Everest after 2 Canadians had died and I went into the Ukraine team’s ten in their camp and it was an eye opener for me, they didn't’t want to ask me questions about any of the mountains I had climbed around the world, they only wanted to know about Canada. It was in a tent in Russia with some people from the Ukraine that made me appreciate and realize my love for Canada, from that moment on I realized it was not about the height of the mountain, there are a lot of mountains in all our lives. My journey from there on has been to tell Canadians about Canada."

That is how the Summits of Canada came to be. Coleridge is attempting to be the first Canadian to climb the highest peaks in every Province and Territory in Canada. It will be a three journey that will take him a million miles.

Mount Logan from a distance & Kings Trench

Last year Coleridge made his first attempt to climb to the top of Mount Logan.

" Last year a team of us went to Mount Logan, you know it doesn't’t matter how hard you train or how prepared you are for the climb at the end of the day it is up to the mountain. It is up to the mountain on your success. Last year the mountain decided it was not our time to make it to the summit, we were turned back from the mountain. We were on the mountain for 24 days and of those 24 days we experienced 17 days of down time due to bad weather."

This year James will once again launch his ascent with his climbing partner Len Vanderstar an employee of the Ministry of the Environment in the Prince George/Smithers area. They will fly into the 8200 foot level of Mount Logan. Coleridge and Vanderstar will carry all their supplies for one month on their backs, there will be no base camps to leave supplies at. The ascent and descent of Mount Logan is expected to take roughly a month. Coleridge and Vanderstar will spend 24-26 days going up, and 2 days of skiing down. As their expedition nears the peak, they will only be able to climb about 1,000 feet a day due to the high altitude and lack of oxygen.

TOMORROW - How Coleridge has turned his passion from a pastime into a profession. All the while benefiting thousands of students across Canada and around the world. A wise man once said "Find a job you love, and you will never work another day in your life."