Tips & Technique
The Theory of Relativity & Safety
A Dawn Patrol trip up the South Ridge of Mt. Superior this morning reminded me of an sobering lesson from 2002. The first time I ventured up this ridge, I read about it in the local guidebook and brought along a rope and rock climbing equipment. The ridge turned out to be so straightforward and […]
Speed is Safety – Part II
Continued from last Friday… The best way to lighten your pack is to start with a small one, then leave things out of it. Assume the best, and be ready to improvise if worse comes to worst. Choose appropriate terrain and objectives. Lightweight speed outings are best done on easier or familiar terrain. The downside […]
Speed is Safety – Part I
Moving fast in the mountains is a joy. Heavy camping and hiking has its place, but at the same time, cranking out what is normally a two day trip in six hours is like watching your favorite action film in fast forward. The scenery and thrills are the same, they just come at you a […]
Used Gear Selling Strategies
Ski mountaineering gear loses a small amount of its value as soon as you peel off the packaging, quite a bit of its value once it has been used for a season or less, and almost all of its value after a few years of use, regardless of its condition. At times, after 3-5 years, […]
Making Shims for Dynafit Bindings and Bellowed Boots
Dynafit bindings and Scarpa F1 or F3 bellowed boots are a match made in heaven, yet officially you are not suppose to use them together. Perish the thought! The reasoning is that Dynafits rely on a fixed boot sole-length to work properly, and because the F1 & F3’s flex, the effective sole length changes, which […]
Gear – Use it & Don’t Lose it.
Whatever gear you decide to use, make sure to actually test it out before taking it on an extended trip. Little details, like boots not fitting in bindings or crampons being the wrong size can be show stoppers in remote locations. It sounds basic, but it is surprising how often this comes up and how much it […]
Cross Training – Part III
continued from yesterday… Mountain Biking Aside from crashing, mountain bikes are a low impact way to get out, enjoy a long tour, work out your entire body and build up lung capacity. The biking season perfectly compliments the ski season and many skiers are strong bikers in the summer. Halfway there on the 100 mile […]
Cross Training – Part II
Before I got into Ski Mountaineering, I’d climb in the summer and ski in the winter, but it never occurred to me to combine the two activities. Once I did, I wondered why I hadn’t thought of it sooner as they were such perfect compliments to each other. Climbing not only gets you outdoors and […]
Cross Training – Part I
Cross training for ski mountaineering by doing other sports has many excellent advantages as well as keeping things interesting and motivating. Any activity, from walking to skydiving, which involves outdoor exercise on a daily basis is superb. Greg Hill, the man who punched out 1,000,000 vertical feet of hiking in one season and set a 24 […]
Winning the Uphill Battle – Part III
Efficient ascents are a blend of pacing, route finding, technique and equipment. Like rolling a ball uphill, your approach to skinning should vary according to conditions and terrain, but the underlying idea is to find the most expedient way possible, while not losing any ground. Skinning isn’t always about mellow 12 degree shuffling. The fastest way […]
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