14 Travel
Expeditions – The Beginning
John Ryan from “The Lonely Planet” describes the travel cycle as “dream, plan, book, go, come back,” This covers it, but it is easier said than done. To me, the “plan” part is the most important, but before that, you have to have a dream of where you want to go skiing. I get my expedition […]
Expedition Season
To me, expedition skiing is what it is all about. I love the idea of using skis to explore remote areas, the sense of commitment, the fun of travel, the great partners, meeting new people along the way, hopefully ticking off some challenges and more than likely adding a few more to the To Do […]
The Law of Luggage
The Law of Luggage states: “The amount of gear you carry will expand to fit your luggage.” This is closely related to the idiom that nature abhors a vacuum – if there is extra space in a pack, duffle bag or sled, it will be filled with extra gear whether you need it or not. […]
Freezer Bag Cooking
I saw a reference to “Freezer Bag Cooking” on a Divas Gone Arctic trip report by Kellie Okonek and checked it out as I’m always looking for new expedition food ideas. The concept is pretty simple; combine a bunch of ingredients into a freezer bag, use a beefy marker to describe what it is, then […]
Airfare Paradox of Choice
One of the most influential books I’ve read in the last five years has been “The Paradox of Choice” by Barry Schwartz. This isn’t to say it is a rip-roaring good read, but I think about it almost every day, especially when faced with the endless morass of choices while trying to find the best […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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