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Connor Young

@conz_elevated

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🧗 Climber
🏔️ Ambassador @arcteryxab
🏋️ Physiotherapist @cyoung.pt
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A little over a year ago, I started running again after nearly 10 years away from it. After my climbing accident did a pretty good number on both my knees and ankles, I figured I’d be happy if I could run 5 km here and there without thinking too much about it.

Somehow that turned into getting pretty obsessed with running, training more than I ever expected to, and eventually lining up for a couple races this year, most recently the 42km Moose Mountain Trail Race (@lewistonultraevents), my first attempt at a marathon distance (with 1400m elevation).

At 4h 29m and finishing in 3rd place, I’m very proud of this result, but more than anything I’m grateful to be back here. There was a long time when running felt like something I’d left behind, so being able to feel competitive in races like this has been a pretty meaningful thing.

A huge thanks to @arcteryxab for backing me through this process and believing in what I’m doing. It means a lot to have that kind of support.

Pretty cool to think that what started as “maybe I’ll run a little” has brought me here.

Frames 1-3📸: @nikos.fastlight taken in West Bragg Creek, Alberta by @conz_elevated

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2 months ago

Another year, another weather induced August Long Plan B with @livehighlida. We still haven’t climbed the Beckey Chouinard, but the Plan Bs have been stellar. This year: Mount Gimli South Ridge.

@arcteryxab @arcteryx #arcteryx #nowasteddays taken in Gimli Peak by @conz_elevated

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2 months ago

I’m coo coo for the Kootenays.

Just wrapped up 10 days of climbing, hiking, swimming, paddle boarding, mountaineering, trail running, hot spring soaking, and camping from Revelstoke to Nelson with @colewfwalker. Hard to beat a trip that packs this much into 10 days.

@arcteryxab @arcteryx #arcteryx #nowasteddays taken in West Kootenays by @conz_elevated

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3 months ago

Last weekend I got to experience the Minotaur Skyrace (@meettheminotaur). 35 km, 3000m of elevation, and 6h 48m of moving through some of the best terrain the Crowsnest Pass has to offer.

It was the kind of day that leaves your legs wrecked, your mind quiet, and reminds you why mountain running is so addictive. Brutal climbs, fun descents, endless views, and a course that never really lets up.

Getting to share the day with the @arcteryxab crew made the whole experience even better. Grateful for everyone who cheered, encouraged, and especially the familiar faces waiting at the finish line. Those moments are hard to beat. Already looking forward to coming back.

📸 @markmolandphotos: slide 1 & 5
📸 @nikos.fastlight: slide 2, 3, & 4 taken in Blairmore, Alberta by @conz_elevated

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4 months ago

Corsica, Part 2 — Corte and the island’s high mountains.

The second half of the trip took us through the Restonica, Tavignanu, and Asco valleys, each with its own personality. Restonica and Tavignanu offered more sporty climbing, while Asco delivered full-value traditional adventures where the route-finding was just as important as the climbing itself.

A heat wave settled over the island, but we managed to stay one step ahead by seeking out north-facing walls and higher elevations. The granite was a completely different character from Bavella with smaller tafoni, smoother textures, and a rolling, frozen-magma appearance shaped by alpine weathering.

One of the biggest surprises was seeing snow still clinging to the island’s highest peaks despite the extreme heat. Every long day ended with us swimming in crystal-clear river pools beneath the mountains.

Somewhere between the granite, the rivers, the aperol, and a long trail run out of the Asco Valley, the days started to blur together in the best possible way.

@livehighlida @arcteryxab @arcteryx #nowasteddays taken in Corte, Corse, France by @conz_elevated

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4 months ago

Corsica, Part 1 — Bavella.

Bavella feels almost mythical. We started high on steely grey alpine granite among the pines and descended through a landscape that gradually transformed into red granite and dense jungle. Every pitch wound its way through wild honeycomb tafoni unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, and across massive granite monoliths that seem to rise straight out of the island.

From the summits, the Mediterranean stretches out to the horizon. One of those views that feels so surreal it almost looks photoshopped.

Despite perfect weather and world-class climbing, the crowds never came. We shared only a single route with another party all week, and it was on the most famous climb on the island.

A place that somehow exceeds the hype.

@livehighlida @arcteryxab @arcteryx #nowasteddays taken in Aiguilles de Bavella by @conz_elevated

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4 months ago

Spring days on rock ❤️

@arcteryxab @arcteryx #nowasteddays by @conz_elevated

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5 months ago

Awesome bluebird weekend climbing cruisy classics on the North end of the Parkway with @colewfwalker!

@arcteryx.alberta @arcteryx #arcteryxalberta #nowasteddays by @conz_elevated

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9 months ago

Leaning into winter one sketchy move at a time. Learning slowly that using figures makes this sport a lot easier. Failing plenty, loving it anyway.

📸: @pete.hoang

#arcteryxalberta #arcteryx #nowasteddays @arcteryx.alberta by @conz_elevated

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a year ago

Spent Labour Day Weekend ticking off some Lake Louise climbs deserving of their classic status. These climbs have become so hard to access logistically but luckily @ptr_pan was fully committed in the spring and clinched some primo dates for us. Despite the craziness at the lakeshore, the climbing areas are much quieter than they have ever been back in this area. Well worth the trip if you can stomach the preplanning.

✅ Nautilus, Kaleidoscope Pinnacle
✅ McKay Route, Tower of Babel

@arcteryx.alberta @arcteryx #arcteryxalberta #nowasteddays by @conz_elevated

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a year ago

Nine years after being thwarted by Slesse's Northeast Buttress, I finally stood on its summit. The memory of that 2016 attempt had lingered—a retreat forced by heavy rains and substantial seepage. This time, however, the mountain offered a different narrative. We were blessed with two perfect, windless days and the route entirely to ourselves. With meticulous planning, we stripped our packs down to the bare essentials to keep things as light as possible and were rewarded with a rare feeling of having brought everything we needed and nothing more. Reaching the top, after so many years and in such pristine conditions, was the completion of a long-held personal ambition. Truly psyched to have gotten up another one of North America's 50 classic climbs.

@livehighlida @arcteryx.alberta @arcteryx #arcteryxalberta #nowasteddays by @conz_elevated

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a year ago

Ten years ago, I got into trail running as another way to explore the mountains, but a serious climbing accident in 2016 changed everything. I was told I was lucky to walk again, let alone run. After years of rehab and 4 knee surgeries, I let go of running entirely. Still, the desire to run never fully left. This spring, @arcteryx.alberta set me up with a pair of Norvan LD4s, and this feeling that had been bubbling under the surface boiled over. I started running again - slowly at first - and waited for my knees to protest. But they didn't. The pain was still there but it wasn't getting worse, and I felt confident I wasn't doing any damage. For me, this is a testament to what's possible through committed rehab and quality footwear. Now, nearly a decade later, I'm back moving fast through the terrain I love, feeling like I've come home to a part of myself I thought I'd lost.

@arcteryx #arcteryxalberta #nowasteddays by @conz_elevated

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a year ago