The Wizard. Photo by: Andrew McLean
If you’ve spent some time in the Wasatch backcountry, you probably have crossed paths with a grizzled dude with twinkle in his eye. That guy is the Wizard of the Wasatch, Bob Athey.
“I was going to be a lawyer, but I discovered powder snow,” Athey says. “So I went skiing instead, and have been working on a different education.” Read More …
Christmas is creeping up on us. Unfortunately our procrastination has to stop. But luckily for us, Backcountry.com has arranged a couple deals to save our asses:
$2.99 2-Day Shipping
Order by 3pm EST (5pm MST) today – Wednesday
$9.99 Next-Day Air
Order by 3pm EST tomorrow – Thursday
You still have a little time. So get on it!
Editor’s Note:
Normal articles will resume after Christmas. Happy Holidays.
Last month we received a message in our inbox:
I’m hoping you’re going to do something like this and I’d be surprised if it didn’t come up before hand. This is the first year I’ll actually have a pair of nice skis that I want to get ready for the ski season and I was wondering if you’d have tips on what to do to “get them ready.”
- Adam
Apparently someone actually clicked the Contact Us link at the bottom of the sidebar. Usually we only get messages from SEO spammers and appendage-enhancing-pill-pushers. It was refreshing to get something from a reader.
So we thought we’d help Adam out. Read More …
We at Backcountry.com are stoked that The Wildest Dream: Conquest of Everest will be screened in our backyard this fall as a part of the Park City Film Series. The documentary follows mountaineers Conrad Anker and Leo Houlding as they don leather boots and wool sweaters and attempt to re-create George Mallory’s 1924 ascent to the top of Mount Everest.
The writers for the Backcountry Beacon are finally shedding their Luddite ways and have embraced the Twitter. (And there was much rejoicing.) Read More …
Lake Colden, Adirondacks
Labor Day has come and gone. To many, this marks the end of summer. Call us old fashioned, but we go by the ol’ Gregorian calendar: there are still officially 15 days left of summer (the equinox falls on the 23rd this year). To confirm our autumnal denial, we’ve compiled a list of six end-of-summer destinations. So take a sick day and enjoy the last days of summer.
Alright seriously folks, this is the last of our shameless merchandising pieces. We can’t let the Semi-Annual Sale come to an end without hawking a few more wares.
We just want to pass on some of our insider knowledge, and since this massive sale ends today, we’re highlighting five brands that have a boatload of top-shelf gear at bargain basement prices. And we’re not talking random accessories you’ll never use, but jackets, pants, shirts and gear that’ll get you ready for fall, winter and beyond. Snag these now, because once the sale ends, you’re SOL.
Regular articles will resume tomorrow. We promise. Read More …
It’s plastered everywhere on the internets … You see it on Backcountry’s Facebook Page … You’ve already gotten 20 emails … Just in case you’ve been incredibly good at ignoring it all … Backcountry.com is having its Semi-Annual Sale.
Yup. We’re drinking the Kool-Aid, too.
But we’re here to help. With so much stuff on sale, it can be difficult to sift through it all. So we’re hooking you up with a few deals that even our employee discount can’t touch.
All of these products have decent size runs and are at least 50% off. Read More …
Pacific Crest Trail Map - Courtesy: www.pcta.org
We start our Thru-Hike Favorites on the West Coast, in the appropriately named Goat Wilderness (we couldn’t resist). But before elaborating on what we consider to be the best section of the Pacific Crest Trail, a little background: Read More …
Thru Hike Favorites
Not everyone has the time, money, or motivation to end-to-end hike the Pacific Crest, Continental Divide, or Appalachian trails, but that’s no excuse to avoid these thru-hikes altogether. You can easily sample pristine sections of these classics.
The problem is, with a combined 7924 miles of trail, it can be hard to figure out where to start. That’s why over the next three days we will show you our favorite sections of the PCT, ACT, and CDT. You’ll find a brief overview of each hike, when to do it, what to bring, and how to get there.
Now all you need some time off…
First up: Pacific Crest Trail – Goat Wilderness
De-Funk Your Tent
Is there something funky growing on your tent fly? Does your old tent smell like barf? Well, don’t break down and buy a new tent just yet (although with the Backcountry.com Semi-Annual Sale going on, it’s quite tempting). There are a few things you can do to rejuvenate your home away from home. Read More …