Andrea Johnson Photography

 

Puerto Rico – adrenalin adventures & colorful culture

As a self proclaimed adrenalin junkie, I’m constantly seeking out new adventures in far-flung places. I’ve recently helicopter – snowboarded in Canada and lept off a 440 foot bungee jump in New Zealand. I’ve also been a frequent skydiver, scuba diver, mountain biker, and rock climber, and avid trekker – for 18 months, I traveled vagabond style through the South Pacific and S.E. Asia hiking up Mt. Kinabalu in Borneo and to the base camp of Mt. Everest.

However I don’t consider myself an extreme athlete or adventurer. It’s all relative – especially compared to all the characters I’ve encountered on my journeys. For the ten years I worked at various sports companies I was continually amazed at the boundaries athletes could push and the obstacles those with limitations could overcome. As a photojournalist I’ve had the good fortune to illustrate stories by pioneers of the adventure travel industry such as Tim Cahill, founder of Outside Magazine, who has spent a lifetime forging his own path.

So how would my experiences in Puerto Rico compare? I found an ideal balance between easily accessible adventures and authentic culture. It was an easy way to dip my toes into both worlds during my whirlwind week visit.

Here’s the photo and video highlights:

Zip lining at Toro Verde

Tightrope suspension bridges and rapelling, Toro Verde

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First Descent helicopter sit-ski at CMH with Fred Noble

18 months ago Fred Noble was diagnosed with ALS. Though he’s lost the ability to move his legs, he was determined to celebrate his 75th birthday much as he has for the past 38 years – heli-skiing with Canadian Mountain Holidays. Last week he made the first ever descent on a sit-ski at the Bugaboos. Stay posted for his story about this sit-ski adventure soon, here’s a teaser from the documentary film we’re helping him create.

View towards Bugaboos Spire, glacier to the right of tooth-shaped rock was Fred’s first descent on a sit ski

Snow continued to dump mid week for epic powder skiing/ boarding, but unfortunately was warm and heavy day of Fred\’s sit ski adventure

David & Gary secure Fred to sit ski and start go pro cams to capture the adventure

So, here’s how the first descent on a sit ski heliskiing at CMH unfolded . . .

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Helicopter snowboarding with Canadian Mountain Holidays

I’ve dreamt of the complete freedom and incomparable adrenalin rush of helicopter skiing & snowboarding for the past twenty years. My expectations were high, yet these visions were exceeded by my Canadian Mountain Holidays experience in the most surprising ways.

Bugaboos Lodge overlooking Bugaboo Range and Spires, British Columbia, Canada

I learned to ski at the age of 9 from my grandfather, Andy Hennig, who was an Austrian Ski instructor at Sun Valley, Idaho until the age of 77. He was a legend in his own right teaching the Hemingway family and countless celebrities while working with Warren Miller in the early days of the adventure ski films. This lifestyle made an unforgettable impression, and in my mid 20’s I took a job at a snowboard company, hired photographers for marketing campaigns, and watched endless ski and snowboard films to fuel the fire.

Clear days offer unlimited access to tracks high alpine glaciers

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Queen Charlotte Trek, Marlborough, New Zealand

A few photo highlights from the Queen Charlotte trek, story to come soon.

Traditional Maori wood carving greets hikers at beginning of Queen Charlotte Track, 44 miles of spectacular walking track passing through secluded bays, coastal bush, and to luxurious lodges in Marlborough, south Island, New Zealand

Furneaux Lodge, first stop on our Queen Charlette Trek, is nestled at the head of Endeavor Inlet and surrounded by 3 miles of virgin native forest unchanged since Captain Cooks's first visit in 1789, Marlborough, New Zeland

Details of Black Tree Ferns, New Zealand

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Summer Adventures at Canadian Mountain Holidays

Looking for an adrenalin rush? Check out our video of CMH’s newest summer adventure, dramatic scenery where the Bobbie Burns guides have developed a new Conrad Glacier Experience for 2012 with bridges, ziplines and waterfalls.

CMH used the our video to launch ‘The Wildest New Adventure in North America”.

Brett Lawrence setting the course for the new Conrad Glacier experience, Bobbie Burns lodge

Brett Lawrence zip lining across glacial river, working with Bruce Howatt to create the newest Conrad Glacier Experience

The CMH blog written by Topher Donahue also interviews Bruce Howatt, the manager of CMH Bobbie Burns – here’s an excerpt from his post: “You’re right. It isn’t a via ferrata nor is it anywhere close to a traditional hike. The trip is hiking, navigating wild canyons using bridges and rungs, ascending colourful rock slabs right next to waterfalls, zipline crossings, traversing rock walls next to a glacier and, coming soon, more climbing, waterfalls and hopefully some crevasse crossings. All this is mixed into some of the most scenic, mind-blowing, wild mountain hiking you can imagine. Blue glaciers, dark orange rock and bright green ponds are everywhere.”

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