Andrew McLean
Andrew McLean lives in Park City, Utah and is a gear designer, writer, photographer, ski mountaineer, climber, Mountain Unicycle rider and father of two very loud little girls.
Andrew McLean's Latest Posts
Ski Mountaineering in Iceland – Photos
In May of 2006, I joined Matt Turley, Dylan Freed, John Griber, John Armstrong and Rob Raker on a trip to northern Iceland for some ski mountaineering. Matt Turley was the originator of this trip as he had been to Iceland in the summer to shoot photos and thought it might make for some good […]
Death by 1,000 Ounces
It is easier to ruin a trip by having too much gear rather than too little. The issue with too much gear is weight, and too much weight means reduced mobility. As Ray Jardine, the master of ultralight backpacking says “If you need something and you don’t have it, then you don’t need it.” This […]
The Simple & Sexy Munter Hitch
The Munter hitch is perfectly suited for ski mountaineering as it is simple, only requires a locking carabiner, can be fed quickly (for belayed skiing) and is reversible for belaying or rappelling. Also, unlike many belay devices, it works well with smaller diameter ropes. The downside of it is that it requires constant brake-hand pressure, […]
High Stakes Tent Anchors
Getting your tent shredded by wind or snow is an educational experience you only need to do once to appreciate how bad it is. They don’t just kind of explode, but go in a chain reaction of snapping poles and ripping fabric which leaves you wrapped in a cocoon of nylon and sharp aluminum pole […]
Rap Master
If you suspect that a ski descent might require a rappel, it is a good idea to bring a small assortment of gear in case you have to set an anchor. Trees and rock outcroppings are the best anchors if you can find them, but often times it’s necessary to whack in a piton, Stopper […]
2008 Hans Saari Memorial Fund Ski Mountaineering Camp
The second annual Hans Saari Memorial Fund Ski Mountaineering Camp took place June 9-13 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The camp is a unique program put together by the Hans Fund to teach kids how to go ski mountaineering. Organized through Exum guides, the camp features two days of background training, then a trip into the […]
One for the Road
One of my favorite pieces of travel advice came from a hokey little magazine article about family road trips, but the advice is applicable to ski mountaineering trips or expeditions as well. The basic idea is to force yourself (and your partners) to spend one minute of contemplation before you take off going through a […]
Expedition Food
This is a five-day breakfast and dinner menu which I have been refining over the years. The leftovers (if there are any) from one meal work well with other meals and five different breakfasts/dinners keep the choices interesting. For more days, just double or cherry-pick extra meals. The idea with all of these is easy, quick cooking […]
Technical Ski Mountaineering
The gear requirements for a technical ski descent, like the Grand Teton, requires climbing, skiing and most likely, camping gear. To keep the approach from being too much of a crusher, the camp gear is stripped to a minimum to save room/weight for all of the climbing gear. The climbing equipment needed for an outing […]
The Last Word on First Aid
First Aid and CPR classes are like classic literature—everyone agrees they are great, wonderful and important, yet few people have actually made it all they way through them. Skiers are optimists and the chances of ever actually having to perform CPR or First Aid are remote, which makes it easy to blow the classes off. […]
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