The Vertical Feat - The Vertical Feat

EASIEST ROUTE

THE GAL

IN THE LOOP

This just in...look here for all the news about The Vertical Feat.

1. Ski, Ski, Ski. Read, Read Read. SBC Skier and Ski Canada have had a few great articles lately.

2. Yes, it's a Mountain Life we live. Read on for info about Steph's final days on the hill here (Durango Telegraph), here (Whistler Pique Newsmagazine) and here (The Whistler Question).

3. A few things to Pique your interest? Check out Steph in Whistler's Pique Newsmagazine and The Whistler Question.

4. Both The Ski Channel and ABC of Skiing have The Vertical Feat fever. Now all they need is more cowbell.

5. New Zealand's papers pick up on The Vertical Feat. Thanks Otago Daily Times.

6. Shout out to Turns All Year. Glad to know someone else out there believes in my Pickle Philosophy!

7. In the past three months online news features for The Vertical Feat have appeared in: NSIA, Extreme Sport 4 U, Voxy and Sport Sale Products.

8. In July, 2010 Steph was featured in Whistler's Pique Newsmagazine and on CityTV - Breakfast Television.

9. CBC Radio did an interview with Steph pre-trip. LISTEN TO THE AUDIO BLOG POST .

10. FOLLOW STEPH ON TWITTER (theverticalfeat).

POWER BAR

THIS IS THE VERTICAL FEAT...

THE VERTICAL FEAT HAS ENDED. I spent nine and a half months skiing through nine countries on five continents (inclusive of some backcountries). The goal was to ride 4,146,891 vertical feet which is the equivalent of going down Everest from tip to base 142 times and would break the existing Guinness World Record. Remind me to buy a pair of jeans with more give in the thighs.

STEPH HAS BROKEN THE CURRENT WORLD RECORD.

SHE HAS SKIED 4,161,823 VERTICAL FEET - 05.06.2011

View The Vertical Feat in a larger map

So you're probably wondering how I got there?

Back in 2008 I was on a day-trip to Whistler/Blackcomb with some co-workers. It was a crystal-clear bluebird after three solid days of dumping and we were in awe of the day and the lactic acid. As we rested on the chairlift my excitement got the best of me and I blurted out the most cliché thing that any rat-race-living, weekend-warrior could, “Makes me want to quit my job and ski all around the world. Wouldn’t that make for a great year?”

Dead silence. A few chuckles. Gutteral laughter, snorting noises, full-blown howling. “What’s stopping you!?” snickered Scott between gasps of air.

Soon enough we got to the top of the lift and just before the last pole I turned my head and saw a small blue sign, one I had seen a million times before. It's the little tin one on every lift and it shows a stick figure lifting a bar. It says “RAISE RESTRAINING DEVICE”.

The seed was planted. Was it really this simple?

STEP ONE: Identify Restraining Device.

STEP TWO: Raise Restraining Device.

STEP THREE: Set guns a blazin’, jump, leap, buckle up in maybe and go.

I decided it was that easy. So I began raising my "devices" one by one. Job, check. Find the perfect backpack, check. Relationships, check...out. Tell mom and dad...yep. And here I am.

Want to know the funniest part? My buddies I was skiing with that day. They aren’t laughing anymore. They're cheering.

Listen here, this is what I call THE VERTICAL FEAT.

Want more? Head to the EASIEST ROUTE for the detailed itinerary.

Loads of love,

Steph

PS What is your restraining device?