Gear Burger Serves Up Piping Hot Deals

If you're like me, you're probably always on the lookout for a great deal on new gear to add to your collection. Sometimes waiting for just the perfect sale can take forever and if you miss your opportunity, you could be completely out of luck.

That's where the new site GearBurger.com comes in. The site monitors 25 different online retailers, including sites like REI.com and Backcountry.com, and tracks over 2000 different brands, in order to find the best deals for you. Not only that, you can customize your search to look for the gear you are specifically looking for and have alerts sent directly to your e-mail so you'll never miss a sale. It's like having your own personal supper always standing by to find exactly what you need.

It is super easy to get started on the site, and you can even login using just your Facebook account, which means you'll be getting deals on outdoor gear in just a few minutes. After that, you're on your own, as I can't be held responsible for the damage that this site could do to your bank account.

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Skiing The Kashmir Mountains of India

When we think of great ski locations, India isn't generally one of the first places that comes to mind. But for remote mountain settings, it's hard to beat the Kashmir region of that country. The video below, shot by Jordan Manley, gives us a glimpse at what it is like to ski there however, capturing everything in a beautiful, almost travelogue style. It is amazing what we can shoot and edit ourselves these days. Just beautiful.

Thanks again to The Adventure Life for this one. Lots of great videos coming our way this week!




Kashmir - A Skier's Journey: Ep1 from Jordan Manley Photography on Vimeo.

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Ski vs. Snowboard Crashes: No One Wins!

Quick! Would you rather crash while skiing or snowboard? The answer is obviously neither, and you'll come to realize that even more after watching the video below, which is a collection of some crazy stunts and awful crashes on both skis and snowboards.

Two words of warning though. First, some of these are pretty painful to watch, and secondly, if you're like me, you may want to turn down the sound, and just enjoy the video. Ouch on both accounts!

Thanks to The Goat for sharing this one!

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Ski the Himalayas Season 2: Episodes 2 and 3

The Ski The Himalaya team of Ben Clark and Jon Miller returns with a couple of new episodes that chronicle the next steps in their return to Baruntse, a 23,390 foot peak in western Nepal. Ben and Jon no only hope to summit that peak, but also make a ski descent as well.

The first video below is actually the second episode of the season, and shows the team arriving in Lukla, which seems fitting considering the news from Nepal this morning. Once on the ground there, they begin their trek to the mountain.



Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 02 from Ben Clark on Vimeo.



This next video, Episode Three of the season, has the boys on the trail and making their way towards their destination. It's offers some great views of the surrounding mountains and gives an indication of what it is like to be trekking through the Himalaya. Really great scenery.



Ski The Himalayas Season 2, Episode 03 from Ben Clark on Vimeo.

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Powderwhore Delivers Beautiful Skiing in August

I'm not sure what the weather is like where you're at, but where I live it's been regularly topping 100ºF the past few weeks. It's hot, it's steamy, and it doesn't look like it's going to get better any time soon. Thankfully, Powderwhore is here to help us beat the summer heat and cool things off a bit. The video below it s a trailer for their upcoming film TeleVision, which is the company's sixth telemark ski video. The full DVD will be available soon, but for those who can't wait, or just wish winter would get here a bit faster, check out the trailer below.

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New North Face App for iPhone Helps Find Trails

The North Face has launched a new app for the iPhone entitled Trailhead that serves as a database of more than 300,000 trails from around the world, offering up suggestions for hiking, mountain biking, backcountry skiing and more. The free app also uses the iPhone's built in GPS and compass for route tracking no a real time, interactive map, and measures speed, distance, and elevation as well.  As if that wasn't enough, the app also allows users to search for a trip based on location or activity, and share photos and notes from the field with Facebook and Twitter integration.

Trailhead joins the company's first endeavor into the app eco-system, The Snow Report, which offers up the latest information on the amount of snow at your favorite ski resort. That app is also free, and includes 24, 48, and 72-hour snow fall reports. It also has avalanche advisories, resort Twitter feeds, plenty of more information specific to the resort of your choice. It's a great option for skiers looking to hit the slopes this winter.

I grabbed the Trailhead app and found it to be a nice addition to my iPhone. It found a number of popular trails in the area, and offered up some nice information on them. This will really come in handy when traveling though, and you feel like going for a hike, but are unsure of where to go. The app is powered by EverTrail.com, so you know there is plenty to learn from it. Besides, you just can't beat the price!

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Skiing 2 Million Vertical Feet

You may recall that skier Greg Hill is attempting to ski more than 2 million vertical feet this year, which is the equivalent of 5500 feet per day. As of today, his website has him listed as having completed 1,130,286 feet, so with less than five months to go, he still has a lot of ground to cover.

I caught this video of Greg over at the Goat Blog earlier today, and it is both beautifully shot and gives us all an idea of what he is up to. Besides, when it's August in the northern hemisphere, and the temperatrues are hitting triple-digits, a little ski-porn goes a long way.




Backcountry.com presents... The Greg Hill 2 Mil from Greg Hill 2 Mil on Vimeo.

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Ski the Himalayas - Season 2, Episode 1

We followed along with Ben Clark and Jon Miller when they headed to the 23,390-foot tall Baruntse last year and had their Ski the Himalayas climb chronicled on the Rest of Everest video podcast.  It seems the duo returned to the  mountain this past spring, and have launched their own video series to share their adventures.

In the first episode, which you'll find below, we follow Ben and Jon from their home in Colorado to Nepal, where they hit the streets in Kathmandu for a little shopping before heading out to the mountains. This season also promises a little bit of drama, as a portion of this episode also deals with Jon's doctor explaining to us how a cyst on his brain may or may not impact his ability to climb. We'll have to stay tuned to find out.

This looks like it should be a great new series to follow, and is brought to us by Mountain Hardwear and Osprey Packs.



Ski The Himalayas Season 2 Episode 01 from Ben Clark on Vimeo.

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Beat The Summer Heat With A Skiing Video!

What better way to beat the summer heat than with a ski video? Check out this one, entitled The Way I See It, that comes our way courtesy of Matchstick Productions. The video deftly mixes style and substance to create a beautiful end product.

And yes, I do realize that my Southern Hemisphere readers are in the middle of winter already. You can enjoy the video too, you'll just get to go out and hit the slopes afterwards!

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Climbing and Skiing 2 million vertical feet in 2010

I mentioned Greg Hill once before, way back in in February when he was a recipient of a Polartec Challenge Grant. Greg is in the midst of a very busy year, as he has set a goal for himself to climb and ski 2 million vertical feet this year, and he has been tackling all kinds of peaks in the process. He has also been filming much of his adventure, and he even managed to slow down long enough to conduct an interview with ESPN.

Greg's website says he currently stands at 916,448 feet as we sit at the mid-point of the year, so obviously he has some work ahead of him yet this year. But in the ESPN article it says that he plans to be on the snow for more than 270 days this year, so he still has plenty of opportunities. The article also points out that he once skied 51,100 vertical feet in a single day, so given the right conditions, he can obviously take off large chunks at any given time.

Check out Greg on several of his mountains in the video below. Then stop and think about how much 2 million vertical feet really is. That's a lot of altitude.

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New 24-hour Distance Record Set By Kite-Skiers

Eric McNair-Landry and Sebastian Copeland recently completed a kite-skiing expedition across Greenland, taking 43-days to complete the journey, which ended on June 22. Along the way, they managed to harness some amazingly strong winds, and set a new record for most distance covered on skis in a single day. 

Back on June 6, following a day of already high powered winds, the pair decided to go after the distance record, which had been held by Norwegian Hugo Rolf Hansen, who once covered 505km (313 miles) in one day. Eric and Sebastian broke out their kites, and decided to see just how far the wind could take them, and by the end of their day, which was extended thanks to the midnight sun, they had covered an astounding 595km (370 miles). 

When they had finished, the two men were exhausted. Copeland reportedly slept for 13 hours, while his tent mate went for another two beyond that. In the end, it was just one small element of their long journey, but still very impressive none-the-less.


Thanks to The Adventure Life for the news on this very cool story. 

Greenland Trailer

Sebastian Copeland | MySpace Video

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Spring Skiing Video

Just because it is now May doesn't mean you necessarily need to put away those skis and snowboards just yet. For example, check out this video, shot just a few days back by Backcountry.com athlete Ian Provo who found plenty of fresh powder to play in despite what the calendar says.

According to the Goat Blog, where I originally came across this video, Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons have received as much as 7 feet of snow in the past few weeks, providing ample opportunity for some late season skiing. Enjoy the video. Summer is nearly here and it's going to be a long off season. ;)

Wasatch Spring Skiing from Ian Provo on Vimeo.

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North Pole 2010: Barneo Opens and Other Expeditions

For the past month or so we've been following the polar explorers who have been slowly making their way toward the North Pole from the Canadian side of the ice. For those intrepid few it has been a challenging slog as they battle huge ice fields, open water, and frustrating bouts with negative drift. Those warriors continue towards their goal, but there are others who are hitting the ice and will be making a similar, albeit shorter, journey to 90ºN.

Explorers Web is reporting that the Barneo Ice Station is now open on the Russian side of the Pole. This temporary base is built each spring when a team parachutes onto the ice and helps construct a runway that allows for well heeled adventure travelers to be shuttled to the Arctic. The base is often used for "last degree" expeditions to the Pole, and many explorers get airlifted off the ice from Barneo once they've completed their long distance treks. The station, which opened on March 30th, will likely stay open for about a month or so, providing support for a number of teams.

With the opening of the Ice Station, there are others making their way out onto the ice now that haven't been out there for weeks already, but still hope to visit the top of the world. Take for example 15-year-old Parker Liautaud, who was interviewed for the Outside Blog yesterday. Parker is attempting to create a network of similarly minded, adventurous teens, who want to share ideas on how to protect the environment, and he is inviting everyone to follow him on his Last Degree adventure on his Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube accounts.

In the Outside interview, Parker discusses his preparation and training for the journey, what inspired his expedition, and the gear that he is taking along with him. Something he discusses in the video below.

Another young adventurer heading out on a challenging journey. Going to the North Pole is a struggle, and I envy his opportunity to visit that place, although it is an altogether different experience from going to Everest.

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Climbers Notch First Descent of Remote Peak in China

The National Geographic Adventure Blog continues to keep us up to date on all manner of stories from the outdoor world. Today, they have a story about a team of climbers that have recently climbed a remote peak in China, and made the first ski descent of the mountain.

The climbing team, which consisted of Kasha Rigby, Ingrid Backstrom, Guila Monega, and Jimmy Chin, made their way to Western China to challenge the 20,000 foot Reddomaine, a summit that falls in the Minya Konka massif. The mountain itself had been climbed a number of times before, but no one had ever skied its slopes, and while it wasn't one of the best known peaks in the world, it offered plenty of challenge.

The climbers took a few chances on their way to the top. They pushed back their turn-around time on multiple occasions, and kept going up despite the hours trickling away. They had to over come some rather technical sections along the way as well, but late in the afternoon on Summit Day, they at last stood on top. It had taken them 12 hours to reach that point, and they would spend another three skiing back to base camp. But it sounds like it was all worth it in the end.

The article notes that this type of climb is becoming more and more popular. Mountaineers are seeking out new challenges on remote and unclimbed peaks, rather than going after the famous 8000 meter summits. They permits are cheaper and easier to obtain, and the technical challenges are more of a draw, so while the crowds continue to grow on Everest, the top climbers are going elsewhere to find what they are looking for. Seems like a really great trend if you ask me.

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North Pole 2010: Tom Begins His One Man Epic

The North Pole Season officially got underway in the past couple of days with some of the explorers finally getting out of Resolute Bay and hitting the ice, while others continue to prepare and wait their turn. The weather window opened briefly, and the expeditions that are underway are already dealing with the harsh Arctic conditions.

Australian Tom Smitheringale was delivered to Ward Hunt Island on Sunday, and has already been out on the ice for for a couple of days. According to his blog, he made minimal distance on his first day out, but took advantage of the time to begin to get acclimated to the terrain and cold weather, before setting up camp for the first time. On his second day, he encountered one of the great challenges to Arctic travel in the form of a large ice field which impeded his progress with large blocks of ice ranging from the size of cars to the size of houses. According to his home team, it was nearly impossible for Tom to make headway while pulling two sleds, so he was forced to drag one at a time, then return for the other, in essence covering the same ground twice. Because he is going solo and unsupported, both sleds are needed to carry all of his gear and supplies. (By the way, the photo is of Tom on his first day out on the ice. Welcome to the Arctic!)

Meanwhile, Dan Darley and Amelia Russell have run into a completely different kind of obstacle, but one that is no less challenging and dangerous. The two Brits who are making the journey to the North Pole via Cape Discovery experienced a large open area of water that they would be forced to either go around or cross. They contemplated making the crossing in their immersion suits, but after a quick dip in the water, they decided best to try to skirt around the edge. Their patience proved worthwhile, as they found solid ice that allowed them to get moving north once again, although with the open water left behind, they're already dealing with ice rubble as well, and using the process of "double hauling" to move their sleds too.

As for some of the other expeditions, they're preparing to get underway at last. Christina Franco was scheduled to be dropped off on the ice today to begin her solo and unassisted journey to the North Pole, while John Dowd, who is part of the Irish North Pole Expedition, were expecting to go yesterday, but were delayed due to bad fog. Seems like no one is going out today though, as Eric Larsen is reporting that weather has once again grounded the planes, so they'll all play the waiting game, and hope that they can get underway soon.

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Siberian Express Expedition Set To Begin Monday!

Speaking of icy adventures, the Siberian Express team of Ray Zahab and Kevin Vallely set off from Vancouver yesterday on their way to Siberia, where they hope to begin their expedition on Monday, March 1st.

You may recall, I wrote about this expedition a month back when Ray and Kevin were deep into their training. They will be making an attempt at a speed record for crossing Lake Baikal, the largest and deepest freshwater lake in the world. The lake is frozen this time of the year, making it a perfect opportunity to try to make the 400+ mile journey along its entire length. Despite the fact that they'll be going in unsupported fashion, pulling their gear behind them on sleds, they still intended to cover roughly 40 miles per day.

The expedition has some larger goals beyond the speed record as well. They hope to raise funds for the Ryan's Well Foundation and givingwater.org to help complete clean water projects in Africa. They'll also be connecting with thousands of students across the globe, as part of the impossible2Possible educational outreach programs.

While they're not heading to the North Pole, this is still a tremendous undertaking in a very harsh climate. The Siberian winters are brutal, and they'll be completely exposed out on the ice of the lake, which is gigantic in size. Not only does it cover more than 12,200 square miles of area, it actually reaches 5390 feet in depth as well. Those are staggering numbers for any body of water, let alone a freshwater lake.

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North Pole 2010: And So It Begins...

The 2010 Arctic Season is preparing to get underway within a matter of a few days, as adventurous souls begin the long, cold, and dangerous march to the top of the world. The explorers are all gathering in Canada at the moment, putting the finishing touches on their preparation, and eager to hit the ice.

Eric Larsen, fresh off his recent journey to the South Pole, is in Ottawa, and trying to reach Resolute Bay, where he'll start his march to the North Pole. A winter storm in Resolute has prevented travel to that remote town for the better part of today, but Eric hopes to arrive there soon, and being the process of organizing his gear and getting putting the finishing touches on his preparations. This will be the second leg of Eric's Save The Poles Expedition, and if successful here, he'll head on to Everest in the fall, to claim all three "Poles" in one year. Joining Eric on the journey is Darcy St Laurent and Antony Jinman.

Meanwhile, Christina Franco is back in Canada and preparing for her attempt to become the first woman to go solo and unassisted to the North Pole. She's currently in Resolute Bay and up to her eyeballs in prep work. Her latest blog post even has photos of her getting her gear and supplies ready for the first 60 days out o the ice. She is expected to be resupplied en route. She does note that the storm is on going, but that hasn't kept a bear from wandering into town.

Polar explorer John Dowd has completed his prep work in Yelllowknife, located in the Yukon Territory. He notes that he now feels much better on his skies, and isn't falling nearly as much, which I'm sure comes quite a relief considering he's about to undertake a 500 mile journey through the arctic. No word yet on when he'll begin his journey.

Finally, Australian Tom Smitheringale is putting the final preparation together as well, and the countdown clock on his website now reads less than 18 hours to go until he sets out for the Pole. That indicates they'll be leaving Iqaluit, Canada tomorrow, although his most recent blog update says that he is also stranded due to a blizzard. It is beginning to look like the expedition may not set off tomorrow as scheduled after all. His home team says they feel there is a 50/50 chance he'll get to go. How ironic is it that a trek to the North Pole is delayed by a blizzard?

Good luck to everyone. The blizzard will pass soon, and the skies will clear, letting you move forward before you know it. Stay safe out on the ice.

For those of at home following, perhaps we should start a pool on how long it'll be before someone spots their first polar bear. ;)

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High Tech Goggles Incorporate GPS, Camera, Kitchen Sink

Recon Instruments and Zeal Optics are joining forces to bring us the most high tech ski goggles you've ever seen. Dubbed the Transcend GPS Goggle, the new eyewear incorporates a GPS chip with a built in heads-up display to give you on the fly information about your current location, speed, altitude, and a whole lot more. Navigation is handled by a couple of buttons located on the side of the unit, and data can be saved and viewed on your computer, as well as uploaded to the Internet to compare and challenge friends.

According to the promo video below, the goggles will include a camera for capturing photos and video on the mountain, as well as navigational information such as trail maps and resort specific runs, information on traffic on the slopes, queues for the lifts, tracking your buddy's location, and so much other stuff that even James Bond would be jealous.Reportedly, the goggles will be on sale on October 1st of this year, and you can pre-order now. The regular version will set you back $350, but for $100 more you can order a pair with lowlight and polarized lens.

Reading through the marketing info on the Transcend googles leaves you with a lot of questions. For instance, how does it feed all of that information to the googles themselves? Does it have bluetooth tethering to a smart phone or does it require its own data connection of some type? Obviously the GPS stuff is loaded on a chip, but real time updates on conditions on the mountain require something more. Still, these look really cool, and would be a lot of fun to play with. They certainly seem a lot nicer than those GPS gloves I wrote about last week.

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GPS In A Glove! Why? Why Not?

Yesterday we had a sweet new camera that integrated a GPS chip into to track your location while filming. Today, we've got a new pair of gloves that do the same.

Zanier Gloves has recently announced their Xplore.XGX glove that will include a fully functional GPS chip, allowing skiers to track their speed, distance, and duration on the slopes, as well as altitude changes and route information. The gloves will also provide basic navigation as well, although I'd guess that means using waypoints and a digital compass. Don't expect any kind of map integration. At least not on this year's model.

The functionality of the gloves doesn't end after you get back to the car either. You can plug them into your computer via USB and upload your data to the web to track your progress and plot your route on maps. You can even share the data from your latest ski expedition with your friends.

Aside from the high tech gadgetry that includes a screen with continually updated information the gloves look like a nice piece of gear. They're made of Gore-Tex, and designed to be comfortable and warm, while still allowing us to get a solid grip on our ski poles or other gear that we need to grab.

Seems like we're putting GPS into everything these days. Kind of a cool product, but I can't help but think that a fully functional handheld GPS device might not be a better buy. With no release date or price set on the gloves just yet, it's hard to know for sure, but I'm guessing these won't be cheap.

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Skiing Death Valley?

Men's Journal has a great article on their website about a team of skiers who went in search of snow in Death Valley, and came up with one of the best kept secrets in backcountry skiing anywhere in the U.S.

The eight members of the team set out to find skiable snow in the Mojave Desert, which, in and of itself, sounds like a crazy idea. But when they stopped to think about it, there was only one place that could offer what they were looking for — Telescope Peak, Death Valley's highest mountain.

Telescope Peak stands 11,049 feet in height, and due to its unusual location next to Death Valley, which actually plummets 282 feet below sea level, it offers some unique and interesting challenges. For instance, the mountain offers more vertical rise than any other found in the lower 48 states, and as the article points out, it requires a longer climb than any of the 14ers in Colorado, or even Whitney and Rainier. It also happens to be snow covered on its higher ridges, despite the fact that it regularly hits 100ºF in the desert below.

The climb to the summit, while not technical, was a challenge in and of itself, and the ski team was racing against time. When that warm sun got too high above the horizon, it would turn the powder into slush. After putting all that effort into the trek, they wanted to experience some good snow. The result? One of the best runs that any of them had ever made, in part because they really had to earn it, and in part because it was so unexpected, remote, and wild.

This article is a great read, and it'll get you thinking about making your own exploratory ski run. Really fun stuff.

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