Blog

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

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.

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.  

Route: West Ridge of Forbidden

Last Climbed: Usually I guide it a few times per year

It is deep out there right now and the snow keeps falling.  Don't miss it!

Thanks for the photo Bill Devlin:  facebook.com/billdpix

Check out the skiing last week with North Cascade Heli.  This was before the big storm.  NCH is our "sister" company - where all of our ski guides work when not guiding for us and is run by Paul Butler, one of the NCMG owners.  

We feel very fortunate to share this amazing terrain with NCH.  If you haven't gotten a chance to explore the North Cascades at Washington Pass you are definitely missing out.  It is a special place.  

It’s been a while since we have written a Backcountry Conditions Report.  That could mean one of two things.  Either the skiing sucks and we don’t want to talk about it or the skiing has been good and we’ve been too busy skiing to get on the computer.  Fortunately for everyone’s sake the skiing has been good.  Sorry for the lack of communication.

Well, from my facebook lurking, it seems like a lot of my friends in Washington are enjoying some epic early season conditions, and the same is true in the Washington Pass area along with pretty good stability!

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 Choose a Backcountry Ski