Adventure often begins where the resort’s highest lift ends. Vanlifing through California, Nevada, and Colorado in early season conditions, the Boundary Line pants facilitated every powdery, icy, slushy snow interaction in my westerly migration of December 2019. Early season snowpack…
The fire crackles awake in the wood stove as ski boots shuffle across the aged wood floor. We pack our bags quietly as coffee brews in the pre-dawn hours. This story repeats itself time and time again every winter: put…
It’s been a long time since I’ve worn any piece of mountaineering gear that I consider to be fashionable. BlackYak is a high-end mountaineering outfitter that is just entering the scene in the USA with their top of the line…
Puffy coat selection is very personal. Some coats pack down well but lack the necessary fill or features for real winter conditions. Some coats are loftier with more fill, but lack the ability to compress and weigh too much. I took…
Do you get cold? Then these power stretch insulated pants are for you. The Blackyak Mewati insulated riding pants are the right insulation for cold lift-served days at Alta. Life at Alta, Utah at around 10’000 feet changes all of…
One of the things I love most about winter is that snow and storm cycles are never taken for granted by those of us who love to ski or ride. The pure joy found in sliding down a slope on…
With the nicest handles and flick lock mechanism, it is clear to see why the Sceptor Carbon poles from Backcountry Access are my new favorite poles for ski touring and ripping pow in the backcountry. With the mountains getting pounded by…
Faction’s Prime 3.0 ski is a well-rounded, hard-charging freeride ski. It is durable, maneuverable, and stable at high speeds. Its lightweight and stiff flex make it a go-to mid-winter backcountry ski. Performance I had the pleasure of testing and skiing…
A good alpine climbing pack is a beautifully simple piece of equipment. It should be lightweight, reasonably durable, carry high and tight on the back, and have a minimalist design to stay nimble in the mountains. The EXPED Black Ice…
The perfect layer to match a spring’s variable conditions. A layer you can keep on all day from cold mornings to warm and sunny afternoons, this layer is the key to an efficient spring outing. Out of the box, I…