As a mountain biker who prefers his riding filled a major helping of go-fast descending combined with a small side of uphill, finding a ride that solidly fulfills the thrill-seeking fix is always a big score. Whether it’s on a dedicated DH bike or my Super D bike, I’m always… Read the rest

Barely a word was spoken as we made our way up to the mountain. Anger was not the culprit for this lack of enjoying conversation. Powder was. Both Brad and myself wore goofy expressions on our faces, entranced by visions of ourselves flying through “hero” snow. We stopped, picked up… Read the rest

With the tube on the way and an expert installer ready to help, I fell into an easier rhythm in the V.I.P. yard. Between work on my book and other Swell ‘life-enhancement’ projects, I tried not to resist my situation and enjoy the good around me. I greased winches, worked… Read the rest

I leapt from bed to turn off my alarm clock, which kept screaming at me like an annoying car alarm. To make it to the Olympics I was going to need to be out early as I was again meeting up with Brad and Joe to tackle a peak with … Read the rest

Mt. Rainier National Park offers some of the most diverse alpine terrain in the Pacific Northwest. Millions of visitors flock to the dormant juggernaut during peak seasons, and even in winter there is a steady flow of admirers. Surrounding areas receive some traffic too, such as the impressive Tatoosh range… Read the rest

Living in the mountains does have its advantages. Here in Teton County, Idaho, local schools get to take an afternoon each week for the “Winter Sports Program.” Students can choose to go downhill or Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, or this year, ice climbing at the Teton Ice Park at… Read the rest

On the summit, both kids raised their hands in the shape of a V and whooped it up. “We did it!” they screamed, their voices carrying across the landscape of what has been called the “Goblin City.”

What better way to recover from the Patagonia Expedition Race, than a little alpine climbing? At least that was the idea. (Don’t worry, the race report, videos, and images are all coming!!!)
One thing that I forgot was that South American countries are large. Very large. The bus ride from… Read the rest

I recently visited Grand Targhee Resort outside of Driggs, ID and got to encounter first-hand this celebrated ski area that gets more big dumps than nearly any other. True to form, it snowed 12 inches the night I arrived, followed by two bluebird powder days.
Along with the epic skiing,… Read the rest

Deep in the heart of the central eastern Cascades lies the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area and the Enchantments. Magnificent alpine lakes surrounded by jagged granite rock and remnant glacial fields make this wilderness destination one of the most popular areas in Washington’s backcountry during peak season. Winter offers solitude and… Read the rest