‘Interviews’ Articles

What’s SUP: An Overview of Stand-Up Paddle Gear

By: Beth Lopez | June 14th, 2011
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Stand-up paddleboarding (or SUP, as it’s affectionately abbreviated by those in the know) is the fastest-growing paddlesport for a number of reasons. It’s tremendously fun, it builds your balance, it’s an excellent full-body workout, and you can do it anywhere there’s water—no ocean needed.

And now that the sport has taken off, there are a dizzying variety of paddleboards and accessories available, from the (relatively) bargain-priced to the super-high-tech. Whether you’re brand-new to SUPing or you’ve already tried it, it’s intimidating to muddle through the gear options and select the right board and accessories. Here’s an overview of terms, types of boards, and accessories, plus some tips to help guide you in the right direction. Read More …

Angel Collinson joins the team

By: Sam Peters | April 29th, 2011
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We have some bad news for all the aging ski bums and erstwhile aspiring pros out there: the next generation really is smarter, faster, and better looking.

We recently got a chance to follow newly-signed Backcountry.com Athlete Angel Collinson and her Backcountry.com Athlete brother Jonny Collinson around their home mountain (literally) to take a look at a day in the life of a professional skier. Turns out growing up at the world’s greatest receptacle of pow has its perks-check it out:

Congrats on the epic year Angel, and welcome to the team.

A Day in the Life of the Utah Avalanche Center: An Interview with Bruce Tremper

By: Beth Lopez | April 20th, 2011
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photo: Tommy Chandler

It’s April already, and the ski touring season is winding toward its close. (Of course, after over 600 inches fell in the Wasatch this winter, we still have a hearty base for the die-hards who prefer to keep on skinnin’.) Many tour-ists are deeply indebted to their local avalanche forecasting centers for another season of life-saving information provided on a daily basis.

We Utah skiers are spoiled by more than fantastic snow and terrain; whether we plan to dash out of the resort gates for a glory lap or we’re plotting a hut-to-hut trip in the Uintahs, all we have to do is consult our local Utah Avalanche Center’s website (or podcast, or phone recording, or radio announcement) for an in-depth avalanche forecast and analysis. On the site, easy color-coded charts explain what types of danger exist, how high each type of danger is, and where to watch for each type. This information is a daily complement to one’s own snow safety education and experience. Everyone, from the newbie to the expert, can find invaluable beta to use while planning a tour. Read More …

The Cutting Edge: The Impossible Wall

By: Jeffrey Miesbauer | April 12th, 2011
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Last week, I had the honor to meet and interview climber and expedition photographer Ben Ditto in Bishop, California, where he currently lives. He (along with Sean Villanueva, Nico, and Olivier Favresse) has been nominated for the IXX Piolet d’Or award for completing ten big-wall first ascents on the coast of Greenland. Traveling on Captain Bob Shepton’s 33-foot sailboat, the climbers began their ascents directly from the deck, as you can see in this amazing video of their first ascent of the Impossible Wall. (It’s part two of a five-part video series sponsored by Patagonia and shot by Ben and his crew.)

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The Cutting Edge: Dempster and Normand Climb Mt Edgar

By: Adam Riser | March 22nd, 2011
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Local SLC badass, full-time alpine climber, and part-time coffee slinger Kyle Dempster recently joined up with Bruce Normand to climb China’s West Face of Mt Grosvenor and the East Face of Mt Edgar. (In 2009, Mt Edgar’s East face tragically took the lives of Jonny Copp, Micah Dash, and Wade Johnson.)

On this successful ascent, Kyle found the objective hazard to be far higher than he would have liked. After running up the 3000-vertical-foot approach in only an hour, he and Bruce watched as a serac broke off and wiped out the entire valley where they had just been.

Their ascent of Edgar’s East Face earned Kyle and Bruce a Piolet d’Or nomination for the second year in a row. They won the 2010 award for the first ascent of the Great White Jade Heist on Xuelian West in China.

Below is Black Diamond‘s two-part interview with Kyle in which he talks openly about how he was affected by being on such a dangerous route. Read More …

Re Wikstrom Interview

By: Adam Riser | March 9th, 2011
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The lady behind the lens.

A few years ago, I’d occasionally open a ski magazine, see a photo of some girl going huge, check out the credit, and say, “Hey, I know the girl who took that.” Today, it’s rare to open a ski magazine without seeing a few Re Wikstrom photos inside, or even one on the cover. As Re’s career has blown up, she has seen her work printed in Powder Magazine, The Ski Journal, Freeskier, Backcountry Magazine (including two covers), several catalogs, and multiple pages around the interwebs. She even scored a several-page spread all to herself in The Ski Journal Photobook.

What sets Re apart from the pack (you know, besides unwavering dedication to her craft, a great eye for composition, and just being an incredibly nice person) is that she focuses primarily on female freeskiers. Outraged because no one could seem to take a photo of a women on skis unless it was a cheesy outtake or someone wearing a bikini, Re decided that instead of complaining about the state of ski photography, she would do her part to change it. After years of working with a crew of ladies who will ski you into the ground, it’s safe to say that she’s accomplished (and continues to accomplish) her mission.

Winter is a hard time to nail Re down for more than two minutes, but I get ahold of her during a quick stop in Bellingham between trips to Canada and ask her a few questions.

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Athlete Highlights from Outdoor Retailer – Video

By: Jeb Admire | February 18th, 2011
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Salt Lake City — Most self-respecting gear junkies will submit to nearly any dare to get a pass to the Outdoor Retailer show held every winter and summer in Utah. Fortunately we didn’t have to chug a gallon of milk or eat a plate of raw chicken to get into the Salt Palace convention center to scope out the show to get you a sneak peak. Showcasing the world’s finest outdoor brands and their seemingly endless smorgasbord of samples of next year’s gear, the winter OR is probably the coolest place where those of us addicted to ripping waist deep cold smoke can hang out when we aren’t be in the mountains. This year we walked the floor, checked out the on-snow demo and got the chance to link up with a few of the backcountry.com-sponsored athletes. From Greg “2mill” Hill, to Chris Davenport and Julian Carr, the 2010 Winter OR was teeming with heavies happy to give us some of their time and spread the good word on what to look for in 2011.

Schmoozing with Greg Hill at Outdoor Retailer

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Ice Climbing with Backcountry.com Athlete Stephen Koch

By: Sam Peters | January 7th, 2011
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For the next month, we’ll be sharing some of Backcountry.com athlete Stephen Koch‘s ice climbing tips and techniques with readers. Whether you’ve been swinging tools for years or are just getting started and are looking to soak up some insider beta, Stephen has something for you.

Tip #1: What’s in Your Pack

Stephen Koch takes you through what to pack for a day of climbing routes at your local zone.

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Taos Snowboarding Success? – Interview from Taos

By: Jeb Admire | February 4th, 2010
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rainbow boxA second full season of snowboarding is under way at Taos Ski Valley (TSV). Up until the 08/09 season, TSV was one of only four resorts across the country that didn’t allow snowboarders. Has hell frozen over? Are pigs circling overhead? We took some runs with a couple TSV officials to find out. Before catching up with Alejandro “Hanno” Blake, TSV Events Coordinator and grandson of TSV founder Ernie Blake, we got a chance to speak with Ski School Director Jean Mayer and local snowboarder and jeweler Scott Plumlee. Read More …