Greg (that's my husband for those who are new) pulled his back out this weekend picking up a heavy piece of machinery...BTW I picked up the other end and was fine. Anyway, I got out on Sunday and solo hiked in the snow under a beautiful blue sky. I used all the winter preparation information we have posted recently: backcountry preparedness and micro-spikes in Issue 175 and winter hiking and how to properly strap your snowshoes to your backpack in Issue 178. In this part 3 of winter prep, it's time to focus on the core of the winter hiking gear, the snowshoe.
Typically, walking through deep snow isn’t much fun. With regular snow boots, you sink and struggle on every step. What if there was a better way? What if you could almost “float” on top of the snow as you explore breathtaking winter scenery? I have 3 guides for you: (1) Snowshoeing for dummies. Read - 5 min, (2) How to choose your snowshoes. Read - 3 min, and finally (3) The best snowshoes of 2021. Read - 2 min
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I am new to winter in the backcountry and I want all the tech my little backpack can carry. You've got GPS, radios, avalanche detectors... I'll take them all... anything to give me the edge against the dangerous avalanche. Heck, I don't visit our surfing friends that much because of my acute fear of sharks and tsunamis. OMG, I have just now realized that an avalanche is basically a tsunami in the mountains 😳... but I digress. My point is, it's a good thing I haven't bought my beacon yet. Calls are mounting to recall a popular avalanche beacon after possible malfunctions. Here is a tragic story of one of the victims of the Pieps DSP Sport malfunction. Read - 10 min
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Outdoor News and Info:
Oil In The Wild: The Trump administration plans to start seismic testing for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Critics have expressed concern that the work could permanently alter the Arctic tundra, harming animal species that are found there. Read - 3 min
Fall Skiing: I knew there was a lot of early snow in the Rockies this year, but, this weekend, Mt. Norquay in Banff had its earliest opening in 95 years (and was the first ski resort to open in Canada this year). Read - 2 min
Covid Casualty: Best Made is recognized as “the fancy axe company” thanks to its first product, a USA-made cleaver with colorful yet clean-cut “high-quality graffiti paint” designs on the hickory handles. The doors may be locked for good due to the pandemic. Or was that the reason? Read - 7 min
Tracking: Are you on Team Apple or Team Garmin? For those of you that like to track what you do outside, check out DC Rainmaker's state of the union on outdoor sports tech. It's a long video, but he has broken it into chapters, so if you run your cursor along the bottom you can move to the section you want to see. Read - 1 min and Watch 45 min
Shoulder Season Biking: I highly recommend getting yourself a fat bike for your fall/winter riding. When Covid hit last March, we grabbed the last two fatties at the bike shop and it was a blast on the snowy, icy and sometimes sloppy trails. Beginners guide to fat bikes here and general bike fit guide here.
My Quick Takes:
Search Resumes For Missing Hiker At Mount Rainier National Park Read - 1 min
Recent Additions Boost US National Trails System By More Than 1,275 Miles Read - 2 min
#LeaveNoTrash Pledge Read - 1 min
New Staggering Study Estimates 13.3 Quadrillion Plastic Fibers Pollute California Read - 2 min
Lunch Break Videos:
Prodigies vs. Pros in this Wild Faction Ski Edit Watch - 6 min
TIKTOK: Are you brave enough? Watch - 10 sec
Building a Cabin in the Arctic | Life Below Zero Watch - 3 min
The Japanese Call It Shinrin-Yoku...Forest Breathing To Engage All 5 Senses (Skiing) Watch - 5 min
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