Along the Highway 20 corridor in the North Cascades, snowmobiles provide valuable access to backcountry skiing and having a solid set-up to keep your gear dry and attached to your sled is paramount. Giant Loop from Bend, Oregon makes a great waterproof snowmobile bag that suits backcountry skiers well. A quality gear set-up prevents the miles-long yardsale of gear and helps mitigate some of… Read More
The Dynafit Patrol Jacket is a lightweight, minimalist shell designed for all-weather touring using Gore-Tex Active 3-layer fabric. As a longtime softshell jacket convert, it’s the rare day that I seek the protection of a waterproof, breathable Gore-Tex type shell. So, when the Dynafit Patrol Jacket arrived at the office, I wasn’t convinced of its utility. Nonetheless, it was noticeably light. In fact,… Read More
I’ve run the Scarpa Freedom SL for a full season of testing now, and it continues to live up to its first impressions as an incredibly lightweight and touring friendly alpine ski boot. I do not see it as a dedicated touring boot for a devoted backcountry skier but rather as the best of the crossover boots that provide alpine… Read More
The King Pin, Marker’s new tech-style AT binding is making waves across the internet this week. And for good reason, it sounds pretty cool. The tech toe is similar to the growing crop of tech binding options, but it’s the heel unit that looks to set the King Pin apart. It’s got a full TUV Din certificate for one. Second, it’s… Read More
There’s no shortage of books on avalanche safety, and Utah Avalanche Center Director, Bruce Tremper, is the author of one of the best, Staying Alive in Avalanche Terrain. One thing books like Staying Alive and others lack, however, is a readability and first person approach that appeals to readers with a less technical background or approach. This readable, first person… Read More
Take Me to Valhalla . . . Sweetgrass Productions steps into the world of digital cinematography with their fourth ski film, Valhalla. Shot entirely with the RED camera system, the film is about “the weightlessness of youth, a wild tribe, and one man’s journey to rediscover the bright eyes of his childhood and creativity of every moment.” Having spent two… Read More
