We felt the need for a sequel to The Birth of a Ski, which told the story of Hardwood Skis, a one-man operation based in a Salt Lake City garage. Reno-based Moment Skis fit the bill: bigger-just barely-than a garage, within driving distance, and willing to show us around the Moment factory. So Nick Franchi (Backcountry Art Director), Porter Haney (Affiliate Marketing whiz), and I drove west to check them out. We brought bikes, clean underwear, and a single stick of deodorant (thanks, Nick).
‘Newsletter’ Articles
The Birth of a Ski: When Wood, Fiberglass, Metal, and Beer Meet in a Garage
By: Beth Lopez | October 19th, 2009
If you love talking skis as much as we do, you follow ski companies’ every development, own a coffee table just for a spot to pile the annual Best Of mags, and gorge yourself at resort demo days. But the ability to rattle off a few tech terms, materials, and construction types doesn’t necessarily equate to a commanding knowledge of how skis are actually made. I do know the difference between torsion box construction and a baby unicorn, but for a more in-depth understanding of ski building, I spent some time at the Salt Lake garage workshop operated by Dwyer Haney, HardwoodSkis.com blogger / sandwich-eater extraordinaire. Read More …
Trip of the Month: Big Bend National Park
By: Andy Anderson | October 19th, 2009
In a remote corner of southwest Texas, in a large crook formed by the meandering Rio Grande, the Chisos Mountains rise from the rolling desert scrub and soar to nearly 8,000 feet. Surrounded by vast and often unforgiving terrain that stretches endlessly into the horizon, the majority of this massive expanse (over 800,000 acres to be exact) forms Big Bend National Park, one of the least visited parks in the United States. Read More …
Prepare Yourself: Ultra Racing
By: Justin Mool | September 21st, 2009
Photo: Dan Hudson
People who run ultra marathons are either: (A) crazy, (B) life-long running fanatics, or (C) some combination of the two. At least that’s something you might think until you listen to Lisa Watson, an ultra-race newbie who just finished the 113-mile GORE-TEX® TransRockies Run. Her sanity is actually quite intact. She took some time out of her training regimen to let us know what it takes to prepare for a multi-day torture fest … er … run. Read More …
Trip of the Month: Teton Crest Trail
By: Andy Anderson | July 20th, 2009
For much of the road-tripping summer tourist crowd, the Tetons are but a bonus stop on the way to the geysers and wildlife traffic jams of Yellowstone—but for backcountry travelers in the know, the Teton Crest Trail trek up the spine of America’s youngest and craggiest range hosts some of the most epic alpine terrain and scenery this side of the Alps. Read More …
Wilderness Tracking: An Invitation to Self-Discovery in the Backcountry
By: Jeb Admire | July 20th, 2009
Reading the signs of a track in mud.
Years ago a childhood friend lent me his copy of The Tracker, by Tom Brown Jr., and I only had to read a few lines before knowing that Brown’s teachings would have a lasting impact on my life. While not compelled to start spending hours leaning over a track to learn what every ridge, trough, and pressure release had to teach me about animal behavior—Brown calls this dirt time—I did take the wider message of respect and wilderness awareness to heart. Read More …
Boost Your Survival Smarts
By: Genevieve Mount | July 17th, 2009
You’ve probably thumbed through your fair share of survival books at the bookstore. When it comes to remembering any specifics, though, the most you might recall is something about punching a shark on its nose and a foggy idea of how to float in quicksand. That’s helpful if you encounter a great white while you’re navigating a vat of quicksand, but not too helpful in the backcountry. Read More …
Backcountry Buffet: Freeze Dried Meal Taste Test
By: Daniel Boccia | June 16th, 2009
An intrepid tester casts his vote.
We love whipping up gourmet treats with fresh ingredients and fancy cookware during backcountry hut trips as much as anyone, but packing a heavy cast-iron skillet and a block of the finest brie simply doesn’t work for longer missions or fast-and-light trips in the wilderness. Read More …
Cheap Sleep: A guide to free camping
By: Adam Riser | June 16th, 2009
We’ve all been there. Friday afternoon traffic was a nightmare, and you roll into your destination way past dark. Maybe you can find a pay site or maybe you can’t, but you just can’t bring yourself to throw down ten bucks just to sleep in the dirt and leave in the morning. Dirtbag climbers, cash-strapped hikers, and bikers who spent their last cent on new tires have spent years developing stealthy techniques to procure a place to crash without forking over any coin. When your budget is tight and your eyelids are heavy, employ one of these road-tested methods or go-to spots for fast, active relief. Read More …
Creating the Carabiner: A walk through Black Diamond headquarters
By: Andy Anderson | May 19th, 2009
Strangely enough, the humble beginnings of Salt Lake City-based climbing and skiing gear manufacturer Black Diamond can’t be traced to some snow-choked mountain hamlet or crag-loaded Front Range town. Read More …