While the pavement melts in the city of salt, cool air and wilderness are under two hours away: the Uinta Mountains. Hiking, rock climbing, fishing, kayaking, overnight or week-long backpacking—the Uinta Mountains deliver. So if you’re thinking about making a pilgrimage to the Rockies, the Uintas are a great alternative to the higher traffic areas to the south and north (see: Colorado, Jackson Hole). Read More …
Justin Mool
In summer, you’ll find Justin railing single track on his mountain bike, geeking out in spandex on his road bike, or camping in the middle of no where. During the colder months, the snow calls his name. He lives to get into the backcountry on his splitboard. After four years in Utah, Justin currently lives and plays in Burlington, VT.
Trip of the Month: Uinta Mountains, Utah
By: Justin Mool | July 26th, 2010Bike Helmet 101 – Good Guide on HucknRoll
By: Justin Mool | July 15th, 2010
Last weekend my girlfriend borrowed my Giro Ionos Cycling Helmet that I wear when I’m getting rad in spandex, so she could take a bike ride around town. Like a douche I said, “Don’t lose it! It’s worth more than your bike.”
What a stupid thing to say.
It made me wonder, “why on earth did that thing cost so much in the first place?” … And then, “why on earth did I just say that?”
Luckily HucknRoll.com bike specialist Dan Hall created a bike helmet 101 guide to help explain the first conundrum. Sadly, he can’t help with the second. Read More …
Top 10 Father’s Day Gear Gifts Under $50
By: Justin Mool | June 14th, 2010
Hey, Dad! (a.k.a. Grampa)
At the Beacon, we don’t discriminate. Just as we did for our Mother’s Day Gear Gift Guide, we’re doing the same for Father’s Day.
Here’s a list of 10 gear gifts that you can get Dad for under $50, including shipping.
Since it’s early in the week, ship it USPS Priority … but if you procrastinate, you’ll have to go with 2nd Day or Next Day Air.
Have a better idea? Post them here. You could also take Pro Athlete Andrew McLean’s lead and make a wish list on Backcountry.com.
Avalanche Rescue: 4 Questions with a Guide
By: Justin Mool | May 18th, 2010
Photo courtesy: Petra Cliffs
Last month, three unlucky skiers were caught in a large avalanche in the Alaskan backcountry. Guide Steve Charest of Petra Cliffs and one of the skiers were taken for a ride and partially buried. The other skier was fully buried and nowhere to be seen. Read More …
Buried Alive – Conversation with an Avalanche Burial Survivor
By: Justin Mool | May 18th, 2010
Photo by: Steve Charest
A few weeks ago I was on the last leg of a red-eye from Los Angeles to my home in Vermont. I was haggard. As I was zoning out at my window seat, a young woman sat down next to me, looking equally as tired. “Are you as ready as I am to get back to Burlington?” I asked.
“You have no idea.”
With a knowing smirk, I waited patiently for the typical sob story of missed connections, bitchy airline employees, and lost baggage.
“I’m coming back from Alaska … I was caught in an avalanche.” Read More …
Top 10 Mother’s Day Outdoor Gear Gift Ideas
By: Justin Mool | May 5th, 2010
Hi, Mom!
Sure, flowers are easy, but they’ll be dead in a week. Why not get Mom something that will last? We’ve put together a quick list of the 10 best outdoor gear gifts for Mother’s Day that you can get for under $50 (including shipping). It’s hard to even find a decent bouquet of flowers for under $50—especially if you live halfway across the country.
And don’t worry: there’s still time. You can ship it 2nd Day Air, so she’ll definitely get your gift by Sunday. Read More …
Backcountry Coffee Roundup
By: Justin Mool | April 30th, 2010
There are few things better than coming out of your tent on a cold morning, firing up the camp stove, and making yourself a fresh cup of coffee. We’ve come a long way since cowboy coffee. No longer do you have to struggle through a cup of sludge or submit yourself to the coffee sacrilege of instant. Read More …
In Case You Missed It …
By: Justin Mool | March 24th, 2010
The three articles we posted yesterday were part of Backcountry.com’s monthly newsletter. If you subscribe, in addition to our stories, you get all sorts of promos and deals in your inbox. Or you can just check out the current issue on the Backcountry Beacon for the latest sales/promos.
Daily articles will resume tomorrow.
Trip of the Month: US Virgin Islands – St. John
By: Justin Mool | March 23rd, 2010
Gray skies, sub-zero temps, and a down jacket that hasn’t seen any closet time—man, winter can be a drag. Especially if you live in Vermont and all these epic winter storms keep hitting NYC. Screw that. It’s time escape the mid-winter doldrums and replenish your Vitamin-D in the Caribbean.
St. John in the US Virgin Islands provides just the cure for escaping the freezer. This tiny island on the northern edge of the Caribbean boasts pristine beaches, great snorkeling, and countless miles of trails. And if you’re a US citizen, you don’t even need a passport to get there. Read More …
Daylight Savings Procrastination
By: Justin Mool | March 15th, 2010
Man … Daylight savings is rough. We love the extra hour of daylight at night, but you know as well as we do, that waking up in the morning sucks. It feels more like we lost three hours of sleep. So instead of struggling through emails and trying to put together some semblance of work, we sleuthed through a few posts on the Goat Blog and came across a couple gems of daylight savings time procrastination. Read More …
Haute Route – Europe’s Ultimate Hut-to-Hut Tour
By: Justin Mool | March 11th, 2010
Haute Route Shack - Photo: Dustin Robertson
March and April are the ideal times to head across the pond for the hut-to-hut-tour to end all hut-to-hut tours: the Haute Route. The Haute Route, or High Route, traverses from Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland. It usually takes seven to ten days to travel through 60 miles of the most stunning scenery in the world: glaciers, mountain passes, and 14,000-foot peaks in every direction. Read More …
