Good things: alpine lakes, wildflowers, red rock desert, avocados, cold 'n' clear rivers on hot days, my husband's hands, sneaking up on trout, the view from Hidden Peak, my son's eyes, mangoes, ocean breezes, spying moose, browsing bookstores, down comforters, dark chocolate, the smell of oolong tea leaves, biking through aspens in autumn
K2 (courtesy Svy123)
While commuting up the canyon to my cubicle not long ago, I caught this interview Diane Rehm did with Jennifer Jordan, the author of The Last Man on the Mountain: The Death of an American Adventurer on K2. The Diane Rehm Show might not be the first place you’d think you might catch a compelling mountaineering yarn, but the story of Dudley Wolfe, who died during an attempt on K2 in 1939, had me. Read More …
Ski mountaineer Greg Hill
How’s this for a New Year’s resolution: to climb and ski two million vertical feet (609,600 meters) in one year?
Lofty, we think (pun kinda intentional).
Canadian ski mountaineer Greg Hill has set out to do just that.
As the weather cools and the days get shorter, leaves’ green chlorophyll disintegrates. Other colors within the leaves become visible. These orange and yellow pigments are always there, but in summer, the chlorophyll masks them. In autumn, the leaves bare all.
Maine's chlorophyll breakdown (courtesy of Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce)
Leaves first show their true colors at high elevations and in the north. The blaze cascades southward and down mountainsides as the season progresses. Leaf peepers, grab your trekking poles and daypack, and check out these trails in the U.S. East, West, and Rocky Mountains.
Donated climbing helmets (Photo by Kris Kristofferson - Khumbu Climbing School)
In an era when the blank spaces on the map are all but gone, when very little true wilderness remains, and when too many people stay indoors with their TVs, those of us who play in the backcountry might feel compelled to act as stewards of the backcountry by taking care of and preserving the places we love. To continue with yesterday’s list of outdoor organizations we like, we’ve compiled a few more favorites and other ways you can get involved. Read More …
Gear to Grow has gone from supporting six non-profits (such as SOS Outreach, pictured above) to supporting 25 in just six months of operation.
Playing in the backcountry has its price: trails deteriorate, high-use areas get littered and eroded, bolts at crags need replacing. To give back a little, Backcountry.com donates to nonprofits that help preserve wild places, advocate access to the backcountry experience, encourage people to get outside, and help ensure your safety when you’re well off the beaten path.
Want to get involved too? Have a look at what you can do to lend a helping hand.
Courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Imagine a world in which the areas you love to hike or backpack are being consumed one by one by wildfire each summer, or the mountain you love to ski or ride has diminishing snow cover each winter. This mental exercise shouldn’t be a stretch for any of us—these scenarios are already happening. Additionally, picture the outdoor industry’s future profits disappearing as fast as Arctic sea ice.
Hence the step the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) recently took toward preserving outdoor recreation as we know it for those generations born into the not-so-distant future. Read More …
Hiking Baldy at Snowbird on May 1, 2010; Photo by Kris Saign
Assuming you’re in the northern hemisphere, you’re likely looking forward to summer’s arrival instead of backward to winter’s snowy days. Here in Utah, however, after a mediocre ski season, we still have snow on the brain. A 33-inch dump at Snowbird resort last weekend didn’t help any of us move on to our summer sport of choice.
As if we weren’t having enough trouble recovering from last weekend’s powder panic, while we sat at our desks yesterday and watched snowflakes fall outside our office windows, we stumbled onto Flaky Science. The Economist highlights the research of two scientists at the University of Utah who think they’ve determined what weather and temperature conditions make the best snow for skiing and riding. Read More …
If you haven’t read bike-messenger-turned-road-racer Chaz Boutsikaris’s racing article over on RealCyclist, do it. It’s worth your time. Read More …
10 Reasons Not to Ski the Himalayas
By: Kate Showalter | September 22nd, 20103 Comments »
Ski the Himalayas? Better think twice.
Does exploring Nepal’s 1,300+ peaks higher than 6,000 meters (19,685+ feet)—many of which haven’t been climbed let alone skied—sound like your kind of adventure? Here are ten things that might make you think twice before you pack your bags and jump on a plane with your touring gear.
Then again, for the masochist/devil-may-care crowd out there, maybe these are ten things that’ll make the whole adventure sound even more appealing. Read More …
Tags: alpine climbing, avalanche safety, ski mountaineering
Posted in Commentary |