The latest edition of the Federal Government’s spending bill includes an extensive sell-off of public lands. It identifies over three million acres to be sold to private interests, along with the weakening of environmental safeguards in place to limit resource extraction on all public lands. The bill forces the arbitrary sale of at least two million acres of Forest Service… Read More
The current trend in cycling sunglasses is for maximum coverage, where bigger equals better. From well-known brands like Tifosi, Oakley and Smith to up-and-coming brands like Vallon, maximum coverage offers bold aesthetics and serious performance.
Bikepacking Route Craft 101 “All that is gold does not glitter. Not all those who wander are lost.” — JR Tolkien. Gandolf’s words to Frodo as the Hobbit departs in search of Aragorn are equally sage advice for those looking to learn the art of creating bikepacking and adventure gravel routes. Route craft requires equal parts map reading skills, curiosity… Read More
Keeping your bike running smoothly is all about routine maintenance. Regular cleaning, lubing and fine-tuning are what keep the miles rolling easy. As the wet season begins here in the Pacific Northwest, regular cleaning is more important than ever to keep your bike running well. As the old saying goes for horses, “rode hard and put away wet” is no… Read More
April showers may bring May flowers, but March is when I start itching to ride more. March has its fair share of showers, so getting out means wearing rain gear. I will go out on a limb and suggest that no one really wants to ride their bike in the rain. It’s more something that happens because you ride a… Read More
Less is More in a Ski Pack It’s easy to be a backpack critic. Designing and building a backcountry ski pack that pleases everyone is difficult. There are countless priorities to consider, from volume to pockets and unique features to access style and materials. Design considerations make trying new packs an interesting project because it’s where you get to put… Read More
No matter how well your ski boots fit, taking them off at the end of the day always feels good. We all have our fave shoes to slip into after a day in our ski boots. Blundstones, Bogs, Sorels, or even comfy sneakers work, but I recently discovered a new favorite après-ski boot — XTRATUF Deck Boots, specifically the XTRATUF… Read More
Blown-In — A semi-regular look at the latest ski and outdoor industry news bits is a collection of press releases, new products, and interesting stuff circulating on the interweb that catches our attention. This edition of Blown-In features recent avalanche activity, Black Diamond gets subpoenaed, the Hilaree Nelson Education Scholarship and the Rocky Talkie Search and Rescue Scholarship Award. Elevated… Read More
Since the advent of digital signal processing and the three-antenna transceiver design, avalanche beacon tech advances have been relatively incremental. There have been minor design updates, processing improvements and some promising features like voice direction and signal flagging. Nonetheless, for the average user, it’s hard to see the differences between most beacons. The Barryvox S2 by Mammut aims to change… Read More
Tour Better Backcountry skiing is a balance of adventure, fitness and skills. The more you tour, the better your systems and the smoother the day. I surveyed a few ski pals for their favorite backcountry skiing tips and tricks. From planning and layering to gear maintenance and must-have items, here are our top 10 ski touring tips. #1. Read the… Read More
Raise the Bar on Backcountry Communication – Rocky Talkie Radios Good communication makes for a good day and safe travel protocol in the backcountry. On the most basic level, good communication is about staying in touch with your ski partner(s) while climbing and skiing. When the terrain splits your group, or different paces cause separation, two-way radios let you stay… Read More
British Columbia is well-known for its legendary snowpack and deep, wide-ranging mountains. While places like Whistler and Revelstoke have well-deserved reputations for deep snow and expansive terrain, BC is home to numerous small, local ski hills that offer much more than the sum of their parts. Shames Mountain, outside of Terrace, BC, is one such place. Facing closure in 2008,… Read More
The Legacy of the Jackson Hole Air Force In the early 1980s, a group of dedicated skiers began pushing beyond the Jackson Hole Ski Resort boundaries in search of untracked powder snow and steep terrain. Their story is about ski bum culture, ski area policy and the rise of freeride skiing. Swift. Silent. Deep. is a 2009 ski film that… Read More
Everyone will agree that a warm, puffy jacket is required equipment for backcountry skiing. It’s your ticket to comfortable transitions and lightweight insurance for staying warm in the case of an emergency. When it comes to lightweight, packable warmth, nothing beats the natural insulation value of down. A high-loft down jacket creates warmth you can feel as soon as you pull… Read More
Less is More I’m a minimalist by nature. Less is more has proven to be a solid mantra for most things backcountry skiing-related. Well, maybe not when it comes to the width of my skis, but today’s wide skis help fuel the less is more mantra because if you’re gonna slide around on 110-130mm underfoot, you better lighten your kit… Read More
