Ski Tour Training

One of the most common questions our guides get on a regular basis is
“What do you do to stay in shape?”. The fact is, for most working guides,
just guiding keeps us in shape for the bulk of our mountain adventures. For
many of our guests however, the demands of a career, family, and other
pulls on your time, don’t allow for the ability to spend full days in the
mountains training or building fitness. Many of our guests spend a big part
of their year, thinking and dreaming about their climbing or skiing vacation

Finger Injuries

Jeff Ward
Submitted by Jeff Ward on

Fingers

by Keith Rumburg

*Heads up, I’m not a doctor. The following information should be used as a guideline for preventing climbing-related injuries. For more in-depth knowledge, you should consult a professional.

Guide Favorites: Larry Goldie

Jeff Ward
Submitted by Jeff Ward on

Route name: NE Ridge of Black Peak

When you climbed it last: Last Summer

Short description of route: Beautiful hike through alpine terrain to Wing lake and bivy sites.  From there, snowfields increase in steepness to the notch at base of ridge.  Long, exposed and moderate climbing (usually done in mountain boots or tennies) up to one of the tallest summits around.  After a few hundred feet, the descent turns into a walk off.  

Besties

Jeff Ward
Submitted by Jeff Ward on

This is a picture of my bestie (my BBSP if you will – best backcountry ski partner).  His name is Mike.  He likes to ski pow.  This picture was taken yesterday after skiing run after run of over-the-head blower at Stevens Pass. 

Over the past decade Mike has become my most trusted backcountry ski partner, but why?  What makes a good backcountry ski partner?  It’s different for everyone but here are a few critical elements that make our partnership work.  

How to tie a three piece quad

Jeff Ward
Submitted by Jeff Ward on

The quad anchor has quickly become our favorite way to equalize 2-piece anchors on multi-pitch routes like Prime Rib on Goat Wall.  You can tie your cordelette into a quad configuration at the start of the day and never have to retie it both on the up and on the way down.  For a route like Prime Rib that is 11 pitches long and has many, many rappels on the descent this can save a lot of time.  

Certified. Bonafide?

Joshua Cole
Submitted by Josh Cole on

A few weeks ago, I was riding an Amtrak between New York and Boston with my wife, our 6-month old son and my wife’s uncle, a professor emeritus of economics. Between diaper changes (no small feat in the bathroom of a moving train) and packed in tightly between the business commuters, we discussed the benefits and costs of industry certification.