Winter 2024-25 It’s never too early to start obsessing about winter weather forecasts and thinking about ski season. While tracking squirrel eating habits and noting the height of the Beargrass in your local ski stash may well be time-tested winter weather indicators, the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), commonly known by its two opposing influences, El Niño and La Niña,… Read More
Climbing skins are required equipment for backcountry skiing cause you gotta get up to get down. While all climbing skins work on the same principle, skins vary by material (plush) type, tip and tail connection systems and also the depth or thickness of the plush. Choosing the best climbing skins for your ski touring needs depends on snow conditions, type… Read More
2024 Ski Movie Trailers Here’s your one-stop page for tracking all of the best 2024 ski movie trailers. Circle of Madness from TNF Circle of Madness is getting a lot of positive press, with many saying it is the best ski movie of the year and vying for the best of all time. Circle of Madness, a film by Christoph… Read More
Whether you’re in the market for a new ride or just love the culture that surrounds the craft bike world, MADE — a handmade bike show — should be on your radar. It’s coming to Portland, Oregon August 23-25, 2024. Tickets are $22 but you can save $10 by using code HookUp at checkout. Buy now; the code will expire… Read More
It’s summer in the Pacific Northwest, and the Van Life crowd is everywhere. From bike races to remote trailheads and grocery store parking lots, you can’t escape them. And I’ll admit it. I suffer from van envy. Half of me wonders how so many people can afford $100,000+ vans, and my other half covets one. I’ve owned multiple vans over… Read More
Voile – Made in the USA Voile has been quietly designing and manufacturing backcountry ski and snowboard gear in Utah since 1980. That’s 44 years of hands-on backcountry know-how. Their product line is extensive and functional. From the humble but oh-so-useful Voile strap and bomber avalanche shovels to bindings, boards, skis and skins, they make a lot of products. More… Read More
Make Dinner a Priority Part of the fun and challenge of a multi-day bikepacking trip is planning the meals. Some routes let you indulge in small-town food stops where you can resupply or simply eat at a restaurant every few days. But what about more remote routes and the days when you need to be self-sufficient with your food? Packing… Read More
Pack Light, But Not Too Light Carrying a compact multi-tool or a limited collection of bike tools is essential on extended bikepacking trips and remote gravel rides, but the minimalist in me is always looking for ways to carry less. Roadside repairs fit into two categories: bike adjustments/fixes and flat tire repairs. Few tools cover both scenarios, though there are… Read More
Raise the Bar on Backcountry Communication with Rocky Talkie 5-Watt 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… Read More
Ortlieb, Osprey and Deuter Seat Pack Reviews The seat pack is one of the largest volume bags in most bikepacking setups. They are also arguably the most finicky to set up and fit to your bike. They require careful packing, correct positioning, snug attachment and enough clearance above your tire to avoid problems down the road. We tested a number… Read More
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 is equal parts map reading skills, curiosity… Read More
Immersing yourself in the rhythm of flowy forested singletrack on a mountain bike takes confidence, faith in your tires and a crisp view of the terrain ahead. Confidence comes with practice. Faith in your tires comes with experience. And a crisp view of the terrain comes with good mountain bike sunglasses. When choosing MTB sunglasses, you need to consider the… Read More
Ortlieb Fork Packs – Convenient Mini Panniers Packing your gear and loading up your bike for an adventure requires a mix of experience, restraint and experimentation. It also takes the right combination of bikepacking bags. I consider a set of fork-mounted bikepacking bags like the Ortlieb Fork Packs to be essential equipment for any multi-day bikepacking trip. Fork-mounted bags are… Read More
Solo bikepacking missions are synonymous with packing light. There’s no one to split group gear with, so gram counting is essential for an efficient load. One of the best ways to save weight and space while solo bikepacking is with a bare-bones shelter, like a tarp tent or a bivy bag. But tarp tents and bivy bags are about compromise…. Read More
How to Store Climbing Skins, Skis and Avalanche Beacon for the Summer As the main ski season comes to a close, it’s worth giving some thought to storing your climbing skins and ski gear for the summer. A few easy steps will make sure your backcountry equipment is ready to roll and easy to find when the snow flies in… Read More
