If we could, we’d nominate Brian and Sasha as the power couple of the year. This North Vancouver-based duo runs, skis, bikes, and climbs all over their Pacific Northwest backyard and documents it all with stunning photography. What’s more, Brian and Sasha plan and execute unique and logistically complex international expeditions such as traveling through the heart of the Cordillera Blanca—by bike. Below, they share with us how they met, their favorite (and quintessentially Canadian) pieces of gear, and what they have in the works for future trips. To read more of their reviews and adventure stories, check out the links below the article. Gear Guru (mountains)


Where are you from? What is your other job?

Sasha: I was born and raised in the Vancouver area of beautiful British Columbia. I’m an audiologist, meaning that I specialize in hearing. I work at WorkSafeBC and try to prevent work-related hearing loss, and I also teach audiology to graduate students at the University of British Columbia.  

Brian: I grew up in very flat Southern Ontario just outside of the Windsor/Detroit area. I left there when I was 21 to move to British Columbia, drawn by the rainforest and mountains, and have been here ever since. On top of being an outdoor/adventure photographer, I’ve worked for the last 18 years with WorkSafeBC (where Sasha and I met!). I assist injured workers in their rehabilitation and return to the work force.

Gearv Guru (elope)
Brian and Sasha, the day of their elopement in Iceland


How did you get started in the outdoors?

Sasha: I’m lucky to have had outdoorsy parents, so I came by my current lifestyle quite naturally. I grew up playing in the forest, and my parents dragged me into the mountains every weekend. Every year, we’d spend two weeks camping and hiking in the Canadian Rockies and another two weeks in Oregon, mainly in Bend (long before it was popular).

Brian: I took a vacation to British Columbia to visit my father when I was around 19 years old. It was fall and I went for a hike to Mt. Finlayson on Vancouver Island. Everything was so green and vibrant—I just fell in love with it. I moved to BC permanently a couple of years later, initially to Victoria on Vancouver Island. I immediately started hiking and trail running.

Gear Guru (Nelson)
Brian and Sasha's dog Nelson dabbles in gear testing as well

 
What are your activities of choice?

Sasha: Too many! I am a trail runner at heart. I love that I can go further and faster into the alpine and other beautiful areas if I run rather than hike. In the last few years, we’ve started rock climbing and I’ve taken to it in a way that surprises me. I had always thought that I would find it too slow and methodical, but it is for those reasons that I absolutely love it. If I had to rank my favourites, it'd be: 1) trail running, 2) rock climbing or cycling (I can’t decide!), 3) fastpacking/ backpacking/hiking, and 4) skiing.

Brian: There are two seasons in a year: biking and skiing. That said, I love anything if it’s in the mountains.Gear Guru (skiing)


Tell us about one of your most memorable adventures. 

Sasha: Oooh, so many! We did a 3-day running trip in Iceland that was pretty amazing. However, I think our 9 days in the Cordillera Huayhuash would have to take the prize. 

Brian: I think our recent trip to Peru was an incredible experience for me both culturally and because of the sheer size of the mountains. The Cordillera Huayhuash circuit was definitely one of the most stunning places I’ve been to date. Running the Alta Via 1 hut-to-hut in the Italian Dolomites was pretty epic as well.Gear Guru (hiking)


What is one of your all-time favorite pieces of gear?

Sasha: Excluding big pieces of gear such as bikes, I’d have to say that right now I am loving my Arc’teryx Firebee jacket. It is so warm and cozy. 

Brian: Oh geez. My Arc’teryx Alpha SV is a go-to piece but I also love my Patagonia Nano Puff pants.Gear Guru (sasha)


What does your next dream trip look like?

Sasha: Dream trip, or real trip? Not that they are really that different! Our next planned trip is a road trip to Colorado, perhaps with a sprinkling of Montana and Utah thrown in. We’ll load our Delica van with bikes (perhaps both mountain and gravel) and bikepacking gear, hiking/running equipment, and climbing gear.

Brian: We’ve grown to love bikepacking over the last few years. I’d love to take on a multi-week, self-supported bikepacking endeavour, maybe in Bolivia, Peru, or Georgia.Gear Guru (van)


Do you have any projects you would like to share? Where can we follow and learn more about you?

You can check out Brian’s photography (most often of Sasha) via his website, Instagram, and Facebook pages.

Loading...
Powered by Drupal

Bikepacking Peru's Huascarán Circuit

Peru has always peaked our interest, with towering whitewashed mountains, the Amazon rainforest, and more ancient history than we Canadians know what to do with. However, after seeing a few pictures...

Scarpa Maestrale RS Ski Boot Review

Among Scarpa’s impressive and diverse lineup of ski boots, the Maestrale RS alpine touring model is a standout. A stiffer version of their popular Maestrale, the RS is designed to be light on the skin track and extra powerful on the descent. The...

Osprey Eja 58 Backpack Review

A pack specialist through and through, Osprey is known for their fully featured and comfort-oriented designs for everything from day hiking to week-long backpacking trips. Many of their high-capacity haulers check in at well over 4 pounds with robust...

Arc'teryx Beta AR Jacket Review

From Arc’teryx’s formidable hardshell lineup, the Beta AR slots in as the all-around workhorse. The jacket has been a flagship piece since its release back in 2000, and it’s a favorite for everything from hiking and backpacking in rough conditions to...

Rab Neutrino Endurance Review

Winters are harsh in the U.K., and British alpinists are known for getting out in all types of conditions. So if there’s anyone we can trust to make innovative gear for the cold and wet, it’s Rab. This England-based...

Trekking Peru's Cordillera Huayhuash

From our campsite, the green valley rises, steepens, and becomes rocky and cold. Eventually it turns to glacier and then vast, snow-blanketed mountain. I pull the hood of my down jacket tight...

Feathered Friends Eos Down Jacket Review

Feathered Friends is a boutique down specialist birthed out of Seattle’s climbing scene in the 1970s, and they still lead the pack in down outerwear construction and design. The company is known for...

Scarpa Zodiac Plus GTX Hiking Boot Review

Scarpa’s Zodiac Plus GTX is a fully supportive yet exceptionally lightweight boot ideal for handling high-mileage days with a heavy load. This midweight hiker is designed to shine in environments when a mountaineering boot is overkill but a low-top...

MSR Access 3 Tent Review

Tent manufacturers constantly are pushing the limits of weight and weather protection, and 4-season tents designed to withstand harsh conditions tend to fall on the heavy side of the spectrum. Yet MSR essentially created a new category with their...