This year has to be the worst on record for snowfall since I’ve been in Utah. We were blessed beyond belief with the storms last year. I guess this is Karma balancing out life. So when snow sucks what do we do instead in the winter. This year has been spent at the vise tying flies for the anticipated return of spring. Might as well be useful during that time. Most people I’ve talked to have just written off the winter and are making spring plans. I know I’ve already put in for permit to do various slot canyons and river trips. Since it’s almost March I guess we’re almost through the season. I’m still deep down inside hoping the spring snow pummels the area so a few epic powder days can be had. Either way what do you do to pass the time when conditions don’t match the expectations.
If you haven’t heard of Crossfit yet its a new fad of exercise that gaining a large following. (Present company included.) It’s a high intensity interval training program for lack of better explanation. It combines gymnastic movements with weightlifting. The setup is so basic that a lot of people do it out of their own garage. While others belong to gyms and workout with others. It can be very competitive. So much so that people are turning it into a new sport. These people are trying to determine who it the “Fittest Man/Woman in the World.” The cool part right now is that anyone anywhere can compete. For the initial round of the competition you can submit your entry online. Anyone can enter. Seeing some of the top athletes compete is pretty impressive. I personally recommend the Crossfit lifestyle as a way to keep in shape. However the top performers take working out to another level. Just check out some of the videos from the official website.
The title says it all and the Nemo Equipment Fillo Luxury Pillow is the product. The original Fillo Pillow is fantastic but like all camping pillows its small for our tastes. I love a big pillow no matter where I’m sleeping. Well Nemo has stepped up and delivered another home run. Now the Fillo is as big as the one on your bed. It still packs up small so it won’t take up much room. The memory foam washable micro suede cover will send you off to dreamland in no time. So if you don’t sleep well while out in the bush then give the Fillo Luxury pillow a try. For the ultimate sleep set up get the Cosmo Air and Pillow top with the Fillo Luxury. Fair warning though, you might not sleep in your own bed if you get it.
We’re very excited to be the newest retailer of the Skins brand. No matter what you may do for exercise you can benefit from their compression wear. The active lines assist blood flow and increase stamina. Their recovery lines aid in relieving muscle soreness. Skins are also effective at staving off fatigue when forced to sit for long periods of time such as long road trips or plane flights.
Skins active brands are already used by many professional athletes since they have seen the benefits. Their compression tops and tights come in a variety of styles. The current season begs the use of their winter line. Our employees wear them while alpine and backcountry skiing. Every tester highly recommends them. You may feel like you’re in a sausage casing but the results speak for themselves. If you don’t believe that clothes can make that much of a difference then give them a try we offer a generous return policy. However after buying one set you’ll be enticed to get one for every situation.
Here is the latest video making the rounds about the internet. A guy was on a ridge top about to ski down and just happened to slip and fall down the wrong side which happens to be full of cliffs. He’s ok but what a terrifying situation. However at least he gets to live out his fifteen minutes of fame.
It’s almost as good as the guy who set the world record cliff jump by accident by jumping off the wrong cliff.
As an additional note the video has become so popular that it looks at though Stefan made it private. We had to change ours to YouTube in order to bring the video to you.
One of the most spectacular areas in the world has come under fire of an environmentalist. The peaks in the park are some of the most visually striking in the world. I can attest to this statement as I’ve had the pleasure of visiting the park. Home to incredible climbs, fishing, kayaking, backpacking and much more this area is a natural wonder. However one man documents how mismanaged the park is and suggests some idea to change current conditions before this area becomes soiled by the throngs of visitors it gets every year. From overflowing latrines to decimating the flora around camp areas his article dictates how Chile’s Forest Service needs to pay attention in order to preserve its natural wonder in Southern Patagonia. Check out the article here. Torres Del Paine Management
On a lighter note the Patagonian Expedition race is underway again. This is perhaps the most difficult race in the world. This year it is definitely the longest. The temperamental weather and rugged conditions push the adventure racers to the limit. Just to finish this race is a feat in itself. Check out the current results at their website. Patagonia Expedition Race
We stumbled upon an article that really doesn’t have much substance but is entertaining. It states that a study claims that skier die 3 times more often than snowboarders. This is due to skiers tending to go faster and hitting inanimate objects. Snowboards are more likely to get hurt while on the slopes but are less likely to stare death in the face. The article claims that more skiers like to race while snowboarders prefer to bust a fat move. So the moral of the story is if you want to play the averages ski and you’re more likely to die but if you board your 70% to hurt yourself.
Now you can get some epic turns with your 10 gallons of mayonnaise. Costco is now teamed up with Valdez Heli-Camps. You can get a 3 day adventure for under a grand and 5 days for under 2 G’s. Pretty sweet deal if you compare to the prices of other establishments. The only downside is you get 10,000 vert a day. In my days at the resort that is about 5 runs. You can buy more if you want. So maybe it’s just to lure you in and entice you to pay a little extra for a couple of extra laps. Either way its a good way to get a first experience.
Every fall the big boys move out of the depths and a prime to strike flies or lures. It’s time to get out and chase them as the colder weather brings the fish into shallow water in lakes or as they run up stream to spawn. A huge cutthroat was just taken out of Strawberry Reservoir. A 34 inch monster to be exact. The last couple of weeks have been very productive on many Utah streams. A couple of us have been taking advantage of the conditions to reel in some nice sized fish. We have had some great days fishing the Duchesne, Provo and Green river. We’ve been getting the fish to take some dry flies as well as taking a lot on nymphs.
Well then Salsa bikes has got your remedy. They are coming out with a mountain bike designed for winter riding. The Mukluk has wider rims and tires for better floatation. There are also modifications with the bike frame to better suit winter riding. If you have a quiver of bike for every occasion then this bike might be for you. However if you only have one bike this might be a little to specialized for you. However you might be able to pull it off in Moab during the non winter months and be the envy of all Fat tire riders.
bad snow year
