[http://active.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/mountain_1.jpg]By most measurements, there are 54 mountains in Colorado surpassing 14,000 feet in elevation. Chris Davenport, a two-time extreme-skiing world champion, recently completed his goal of climbing up and skiing off the top of each of them.

After a few emotional moments on the 14,255-foot summit, he and his friends clicked into their skis and made a dash down the mountain and into mountaineering’s record books. The only other man to have skied from the summit of all 54 peaks was Lou Dawson, who took 13 years to accomplish the feat.

“Conditions are extremely variable in Colorado,” said Neal Beidleman, a climber who in 1996 was part of the ill-fated expedition of Mount Everest that was the subject of Jon Krakauer’s book “Into Thin Air.” “To try to find good conditions in all those ranges on all those peaks is very challenging. This was an endurance event.”

Despite the deadline pressure, fatigue and danger involved with his quest, Davenport said the summits often remained a place for reflection.

That is why Davenport will set out in April to try to climb and ski all 15 peaks in California that are at least 14,000 feet, and Mount Rainier in Washington State. If successful, he will become the only person to have skied off the summit of every 14er in the continental United States.

Thanks in large part to Davenport, there are signs that skiing the 14ers will become a more popular activity.

(Photo provided by Getty Images/taken by Mike Powell)

Le Parkour is a physical art, the aim of which is to move from point A to point B as efficiently and quickly as possible, using the abilities of the human body. It is meant to help one overcome obstacles, which can be anything in the surrounding environment — from branches and rocks to rails and concrete walls — so parkour can be practiced in both rural and urban areas.

Inspiration for parkour came from many sources, the foremost being the 'Natural Method of Physical Culture' developed by George Hébert in the early twentieth century. French soldiers in Vietnam were inspired by Hébert's work and created what is now known as parkour.

There are fewer predefined movements in parkour than gymnastics and other extreme sports, in that parkour is not made up of a list of appropriate "moves". Each obstacle one faces presents a unique challenge on how they can overcome it effectively, which depends on their body type, speed and angle of approach, the physical make-up of the obstacle, etc.

Most important are good jumping and landing techniques. The roll, usedto limit impact after a drop and to carry one's momentum onward, isoften stressed as the most important technique to learn. Check le parkour at it's best in this video clip.

[http://active.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/73391185_1.jpg] It’s just about that time of year again for the excitement, camaraderie and challenge that can only be satisfied by clicking into a pair of skis and lining up at the start line with 7,000 other ski pals from around the world. The American Birkebeiner (or Birkie) is the largest, and one of the longest cross country ski races in North America. The 51-km race from Cable to Hayward, Wisconsin is a member race of the Worldloppet Ski Federation, a federation which includes the world's most famous cross country ski marathons such as Sweden's Vasaloppet and Norway's Birkebeinerrennet.

Tomorrow morning, the Birkie will be underway for the 34th time in it's history.  Started in 1973, the Birkie is one of the few races worldwide named after and commemorating a historical episode, from 1206 when a group of Birkebeiners - soldiers who fought in the Norwegian civil war - smuggled the illegitimate son of Norway's King Håkon Sverresson to safety. At Birkebeinerrennet in Norway, skiers still carry packs symbolizing the weight of an 18-month-old child; this tradition, although not required, is also respected by some skiers in the American Birkebeiner.

The Birkie has a reputation of attracting skiers of various ability levels. Cross country skiing is particularly popular in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and the Birkie draws a large number of skiers from this area who otherwise ski only recreationally. In addition to the Birkebeiner itself, the race day includes the shorter Kortelopet, a race geared more toward recreational skiers. Each year the race is attended by over 7,000 skiers and about 20,000 spectators.

Good luck to all the skiers this year!

(Photo provided by Getty Images, taken by Agence Zoom)

[http://active.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/biathlon.jpg]A constant view of a two-dimensional computer screen makes it more difficult to navigate a three-dimensional trail, river or ski run. However, by using special training techniques, you can improve your vision and response time during outdoor sports. Here are a few exercises that prominent figures in action sports use:

Peripheral Awareness

Outdoor athletes must look ahead to plan their route, but they also have to stay tuned to what’s happening on the periphery. US Freestyle Ski Team coach Liz McIntyre recommends this exercise: Stand facing a wall and ask a buddy to arrange papers with numbers written on them in a semicircle on the wall, about 6 feet from where you’re standing. Looking straight ahead and without moving your eyes, call out the numbers as your buddy points to them with a ski pole or stick.

[http://active.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/northshore2.jpg]The two words "North Shore" usually bring to mind Hawaii's northern beach with huge waves, rolling pipelines, and the core crowd of surfers. Recently, a new North Shore has been receiving its fair share of attention.

Vancouver's North Shore is quickly gaining a reputation for having the most serious and technical mountain bike riding in the world. The shore demands certain attitudes, certain equipment, and an amount of mental concentration that is unmatched elsewhere.

North shore mountain biking originated in the hilly, slick, rocky terrain of Vancouver, Canada's north shore. Riders began building bridges over swampy or muddy areas as a result of the nearly unridable conditions. These bridges evolved into complex, oftentimes extremely challenging, man-made stunts including twisting "ladders" raised above the ground and teeter-totters. The stunts can be narrow and may require the rider to move very slowly, requiring immense balance and bike handling skills, or may involve large drops and high speed descents.

North shore riding is quickly spreading to other parts of Canada and the United States, but if you want to experience the real thing head to one of the three mountains in Vancouver where it all started: Mt. Cypress, Mt. Fromme, and Mt. Seymour.

[http://active.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/3218671.jpg]Whitewater kayaking is a lifelong pursuit of fun and challenge. If you’re looking for a new outdoor sport, now might be the time to check it out.

If you are completely new to whitewater kayaking, two things you will need to familiarize yourself with are river safety procedures and basic river-reading skills. Other skillslike boat handling, eddy hopping, ferrying and rollingwill come with time.

Whether or not you take formal lessons, you will definitely need some instruction on how to roll. Instruction will help you develop proper technique instead of just survival skills--and ensure your safety. Instruction should start on dry land, move into a pond or pool, and then into the river. Formal instruction will also provide you with all the right equipment and a shuttle. Here are a few important aspects of kayaking to keep in mind:

[http://active.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/73199329.jpg]Ski jumping has been an Olympic sport since 1927 and it is among the events most watched on television at the Winter Games. Yet it, and the companion Nordic Combined event, which involves jumping and cross-country skiing, are the only two Winter Olympic sports that still bar women.

It is not that women's ski jumping is a novelty. Tens of thousands of women around the world are involved in the sport. The International Ski Federation (FIS) has ranked more than 140 female ski jumpers. There are 22 events held on three continents in eight major ski jumping nations, including the US, Japan, Norway, Italy, Austria, Germany, Slovenia and Canada. In this country one quarter of ski jumping Canada's 80 competition-level athletes are women.

While the International Olympic Committee is eager to have gender equity in all sports, officials said women's jumping hasn't yet been fully established, noting that the first world championships in the event aren't scheduled until 2009.

"It's still not ready," IOC vice-president Gunilla Lindberg said. "In our analysis, there are not enough athletes and not enough countries. They have to work with the international ski federation and Nordic combined to be ready for 2014."

However, the IOC stressed it would closely monitor the progress of women's ski jumping "with a view of its inclusion in future Olympic Games."

Canada's female ski jumping team is launching a human rights complaint in an effort to change rules that prevent them from competing in the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.