US Airways - May 2013 - (Page 36)

explore Adventure Sheer Surprise A novice climber with vertigo finds unexpected thrills on a heli-hiking trip. By Celeste moure ★ With cracked fingertips clutching rock and one foot searching anxiously for a place to inch into, I find myself reaching the tiny summit of Mt. Nimbus in British Columbia’s Purcell Mountains. Don’t look down, I say to myself. But my curiosity gets the best of me. I look down. And I gasp. A good thousand feet below is a peaceful valley and the flat ground on which I stood less than three hours ago. I immediately think of the David Byrne lyric: You may ask yourself, well, how did I get here? The long answer: It started with a helicopter ride to the valley followed by a demanding hike. Then I donned a helmet and harness and clipped myself to a wire cable. The goal: to perform seemingly impossible feats. I traversed knife-edge ridges, crossed a perilous-looking suspension bridge suited for Indiana Jones wannabes, and clambered up vertical rock using metal rungs fixed to the mountain — all while battling a mild case of vertigo. The short answer is simpler: I got here on a via ferrata. Italian for “iron way” or “iron road,” the via ferrata is hugely popular in Europe, where there are thousands of fixed climbing routes along the Alps, the Pyrenees, and the Dolomites. Via ferratas were designed during World War I, when Italian soldiers built bridges, ladders, and tunnels to move troops quickly through the Dolomites. While the sport of rock climbing requires special shoes, ropes, and 36 may 2013 usairwaysmag.com belay devices (along with serious technique), just about anyone can ascend a sheer cliff face on a via ferrata. Anyone like me — fear of heights and all. Truth be told, I wasn’t paying much attention to the fine print when I signed up for this heli-hiking adventure. The pictures in the brochure from tour Time to Play http://www.usairwaysmag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of US Airways - May 2013

US Airways - May 2013
Table of Contents
CEO Letter
From the Editor
Did You Know?
Making It Happen
Hot Spots: Best Full-Service Hotels
Hub Crawl: Chicago O'Hare International Airport
Wine & Dine: Virginia Wines
Great Tastes: Old Town Tortilla Factory
Diversions: Anheuser-Busch
Great Escapes: Santa Monica's Fairmont Miramar
Great Escapes: Aruba
Golf: Colonial Williamsburg's Golden Horseshoe
Adventure: Heli-Hiking in British Columbia
Great Escapes: Granada Hotel & Bistro
Adventure: Glasgow, Scotland
Adventure: Dipsea Trail
Great Escapes: Iberostar Hotels and Resorts
Gear Up: Gardening
Travel Feature: Hungry in Key West
US Airways: Painting the Past
Chefs Tell: Smith & Wollensky and Robin's
Must Read: Here Is Where
Great Dates
Puzzles
Readers Resource Index
Your US Airways Guide
Video Entertainment
Audio Entertainment
U.S. and Caribbean Service Map
International Service Map
Airport Terminal Maps
US Airways Fleet/Customs & Immigration
Passenger Info/Contact US Airways
US Airways MarketPlace®
Giving: Miles for Good
Window or Aisle?

US Airways - May 2013