For those that recreate in the lofty mountains of Summit County, variable conditions involving both powder and hard pack snow exposed rock and wild grasses, dense thickets of pine and expansive alpine tundra, are seemingly the norm. Utilizing the correct…
To explain my appreciation for the design of Native Eyewear’s Backbowl Goggles, I have to explain a little bit of my history working in the ski industry. I began my “career” down under at New Zealand’s Cardrona Alpine Resort (also…
Montana’s Yellowstone National Park is a land of extremes. In winter, the pristine snowy landscape is dotted with boiling hot thermal features nestled amongst epic mountains. Combine this beautiful landscape with some of the deepest snow Montana has to offer…
I have skin problems. To be more specific, I have skin-trimming problems and tail-clip-keeping problems. And sometimes I have skin glue problems, which often go hand-in-hand with skin sticking problems. It’s not like I don’t try to take care of…
Get Up to Get DOWN! For when those couloirs are finally filled in, you’ve shaken the summer rust off your ski legs, and you’re ready to really get after it, the Atlas Spindrift Snowshoes are there for you. When it’s…
Recently, my partner (fellow OPL gear tester Patrick) and I went on a 6-week journey to the Balkans in Eastern Europe. We wanted to do it all: climb, hike, camp, sightsee, learn, explore, and eat delicious food. That meant we…
I love puffy jackets. And so I was stoked to get the chance to review the Outdoor Research Floodlight Down Parka. This jacket is touted as being totally waterproof and windproof with 650 fill down. I put this jacket to…
As someone who typically spends every weekend in the mountains, once the snow falls and the lakes freeze over, I don’t want that to keep me from adventuring high above the tree line. I’ve been looking for a pair of…
Preseason skiing is never easy. Erratic visibility, weather, and lack of coverage, plague the motivated early-season skier. Fortunately, the Native Tenmile Goggle is there to help you make the best of the worst days. Each year, when the snow begins…
The Mira 1 HL, an ultralight 3-season tent, faced high winds in the Enchantments, unanticipated snow in the Sierras, and a high alpine night on Mount Adams. It passed each test with flying colors and has become my go-to shelter…