Mountain Movement

This is part of an article from Will Gadd's Blog:

I've taught some very diverse groups, ranging from the very unfit to the uber-fit. I also do some sports performance coaching, and enjoy the hell out of that. I really love seeing and helping people with both the mental and physical gymnastics of sports on a competitive or recreational level.

Out of all this I've come to realize that fast and safe non-technical movement in the mountains is not all that basic, nor instinctive for most people. Relatively few people can move well across a chossy hillside, over talus, across a rounded and slippery river bed, or feel secure on a short step of higher-angle loose terrain. But the acquisition of these skills can be sped up immensely with a little coaching. I'm now working (slowly) on a book about mountain movement that covers pretty much everything from running talus to staying warm in winter. I want to test some of my theories and ideas this spring, and this is where you may come in...

Want to spend five days in the Canadian Rockies in early July having a lot of fun, falling down, getting wet, suffering and generally being outside a lot? I'm going to run a five-day mountain movement course, open to anyone but aimed mostly at the relatively new outdoor sports enthusiast. No more than five people, five days.

So I sent Will the following Email:

Hi Will,
I am a follower of your blog and an intrigued by this idea. You are right, it is not instinctive. I am kind a late bloomer. I am 49. I like to climb rick and ice,
I live in Minnesota so nothing huge ( We do what we can!)
Last Summer I climbed the Exum Ridge on the Grand Teton, that climb was fabulous!!! Then I found out, I SUCK at down climbing. I wanted to back down everything. Jumping form boulder to boulder seemed like a bad idea. My knees were telling me that they could not be trusted, so my head told me best to use caution than to be carried off the mountain. My supportive spouse asked me if I was "having an issue" jeeeez. I was doing my best, so now I feel that if I am not roped up, I move like I am 70. I now down climb at the gym as well as going up. I would be interested in any helpful insights you might have on mountain movement. Going up is easy, must be the short legs!

I will let you know what I hear back for Will. Who wants to go to Calgary??