Reliable Race Skins: Added Glue, Added Security
The other day, a friend asked me if I had any experience putting glue on skins. He asked as if it was some complex procedure, or a potentially bad idea. I would like to tell you what I told him;…
Category Knowledge & Technique
European Hut Reservations: A do-it-yourself guide.
While I work on a post about logistics for the Ortler High Route, I’d like to address a question that I get ten different ways each time we report on a foreign ski tour: how do we make European hut reservations?…
Notes From The Elk Mountain Grand Traverse
by Ethan Linck and Peter Innes Two weeks ago, we had the privilege of lining up to race the 20th annual Elk Mountain Grand Traverse. The “GT,” as it’s commonly known, is a 40 mile point-to-point backcountry ski race from…
Shorts: How to Wax Skins
This Saturday as we were skiing up on Mt Hood, I noticed that my skins weren’t getting amazing glide. The snow was a bit wet, and the skins are new, so it was no surprise. My solution to this problem…
Shorts: Hydrating for Running
Seated at my computer in the ICU, I chuckled out loud while reading an interview with Kilian Jornet and Emilie Forsberg. When the nurse next to me asked what was so funny, I explained that this famous endurance couple clearly…
How to travel like you can’t afford it.
Taylor and I have managed to do a lot of traveling. Enough so that our friends are always asking us how we make it work. Even now, as I wrap up the fourth week of a rural psychiatry rotation in Southern…
DIY: Resizing Fixed-Length Ski Poles
I have a quick tech tip for you today. Fixed-length poles are becoming more popular for backcountry skiing because they’re stiffer and generally lighter than adjustable poles. They are, however, not adjustable. If you get too big a size, you’ll…
4 Tips for Ultralight Backpacking
I know what you’re thinking. It’s winter. Why write a post about backpacking? I admit this post is unseasonal. I’m trying to add more knowledge-based content to the site because I realized the majority of my posts have been general photo…
Living, Working, and Running at 9,500′
I’ve been spending the summer living and working at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL, pronounced “rumble”) in Gothic, CO. Life is good. First of all, I get to pursue my love for ecology while being immersed in an inspiring…
D.I.Y. Skimo Skin Tip Attachments
There are a lot of skin options available these days with retailers like Skimo.co bringing more of the European variety to the USA. Unfortunately, tip attachments on pre-built skins are like cell-phone chargers; they’re unstandardized and are often poorly cross-compatible with…