Occupy the White Room. Photo: Courtesy Powder Addiction

Powder Addiction

The Terrain: It’s hard to belive that you can get up in terrain this good without having to drive through the Eisnehower Tunnel or over Berthoud Pass. But the Jones Pass area serves up full-on big mountain skiing and pow stashes close to home. As the name implies this is a core skier and rider operation. Guides who cut their teeth on Berthoud Pass will get you into blown-in goods and challenging terrain.
The Cost: A single seat costs $400 in the high season, but if you are a true addict, you can buy five full-price seats and get the sixth free. Or just rent the whole cat out for the day for $4,000.
The Classic Run: Bobtail Peak
Contact: 970-726-5442; powderaddiction.com

Vail Powder Guides

The Terrain: With a 3,500-acre permit area that spans the valleys between Vail Pass and Camp Hale, VPG has the ability to find the soft stuff even during bony winters. The place holds good snow, much like Vail’s Blue Sky Basin, which you can see from VPG’s terrain—but there are no crowds here. Owners Ben and Jenna have been working this spot for 18 years so they know how to find the goods and provide a laid-back atmosphere for advanced skiers and riders.
The Cost: $400 per person or rent the whole cat (12 seats) for $4,400
The Classic Run: The Road to Utah
Contact: 719-486-6266; vailsnowcat.com

Monarch

The Terrain: You won’t find low-angle terrain and guides who are obssesive about carefully farming powder here. The Monarch Snowcat Tour experience gives you your money’s worth in true expert terrain and powder-stash tree skiing.
The Cost: The cat is a good deal at $275 per person in the high season and $210 early and late in the year. Rent the whole cat for $3,000 or $2,300 in the side seasons.
The Classic Run: The Dog Chutes
Contact: 888-996-7669 x 5102; skimonarch.com

Steamboat

The Terrain:  The area surrounding Buffalo Pass claims some of the best snow in the state and Steamboat Powder Cats puts you out into 10,000 acres of the deep stuff according to your ability level—the operation rates its terrain and trips as Level 1, 2 and 3.
The Cost: $450 in the high season or $4,500 to rent out the whole cat
The Classic Run: Soda Mountain
Contact: 800-288-0543; steamboatpowdercats.com

Keystone

The Terrain: You don’t often think of Keystone for big-mountain terrain, but the Keystone Adventure Tours snowcat takes you to the wonders of neighboring Independence Bowl, a massive area full of untracked lines, chutes, open slopes and trees.
The Cost: At $240 per person the cat costs less than skiing three days at the area. $2,640 for 12.
The Classic Run: Two If By Sea
Contact: 970-496-4386; keystoneresort.com

Chicago Ridge

The Terrain: Ski Cooper’s cat operation gets you out to the top of the Continental divide and down into 2,460 acres of trees and high, dry pow stashes.
The Cost: $275 per person, $2,800 full cat
The Classic Run: Sawmill Glades
Contact: 800-707-6114; skicooper.com

Winter is peaking. So it’s time to get out and enjoy it with the best backcounty tools we put to the test.

1. Blizzard Cochise

At 108 underfoot, this is the do-it-all gun for backcountry touring, sidecountry and resort stash hunting. The brand’s Flip Core technology means that the rocker is built upside down in the ski, which reduces the stress of the molding process and allows for more even weight distribution. That translates into a powder ride that’s uncannily stable on dicey descents and groomers.
$900; Blizzardsportusa.com

2. Black Diamond Gigawatt

Obese, rockered and made for surfing the deep stuff, the Giga (163-135-141 at 185 and 195 cm) is no beast. Smart geometry and torsional stiffness make it easy to move edge to edge, even on the occasional groomer. It’s the ideal stick for cat and heli trips.
$849; blackdiamondequipment.com

3. LIB Tech Travis Rice Pro Split

This sturdy splitter rides like a resort board, thanks in part to a construction that features eco-friendly basalt and bio beans and bomber Karakoram clips and latches that keep it stiff. A C2 Power Banana shape gives you rocker between the feet for power when engaged on hard snow and float in the soft stuff. When it comes to that long skin up, this baby is light enough to lead the pack.
$970; lib-tech.com 

4. Dynafit TLT5 Performance

It’s truly hard to comprehend how this AT boot that feels like a skate skiing shoe (and weighs in at an obscene 2 pounds, 5 ounces) has the balls to drive big backcountry skis like Dynafit’s 108-underfoot Stoke. Those super-hero powers come from the boot’s hi-tech materials, including Grilamid nylon in the shell and magnesium buckles. These babies are worth every penny.
$1,000; dynafit.com

5. Salomon Quest 14

Put simply, the Quest is a burly alpine boot that can tour. You may not want to take it on a backcountry hut trip, but there’s no better choice for the type of sidecountry touring and quick hits that most of us ski out the gates. It’s economical when you think that this one boot can serve as both your resort and backcountry weapon.
$750; salomon.com

6. Easton CTR 65 ion

Full carbon construction makes these poles light and sturdy. An adjustable clamp lock tension system makes them reliable and easy to adjust in nasty conditions.
$109; eastonmountainproducts.com

7. FlyLow Magnum

Backcountry dirtbags want one pair of pants that they can destroy. Voila. These babies provide all the athletic stretch of a softshell with the waterproofness of a hard shell, along with Cordura reinforcement in those spots (knees and cuffs) that otherwise end up duct-taped.
$255; flylowgear.com

8. K2 Pilchuk Kit

Backcountry legend Mike Hattrup helped design this 11-liter safety pack that’s equipped with the iconic brand’s first forays into avi safety gear. Chief among them is the Rescue Shovel Plus, which also functions as a tent and rappel anchor or can be converted into a rescue sled with K2’s skis and snowboards. Look deeper in this grab bag and you’ll find a probe and room for K2’s new climbing skins ($190), a shell and lunch.
$190; K2skis.com

9. Shred Ready Forty4

With enough venting for a slog and enough style to make you look like more than an old dude in the backcountry, this no-nonsense lid is a solid choice.
$80; shredready.com

10. BCA Tracker2

Beacons still take center stage when it comes to basic backcountry safety gear. Backcountry Access scored a coup last winter when its three-antennae Tracker 2 beacon was adopted by the Jackson Hole ski patrol.
$335; backcountryaccess.com 

Constant Optimist: Anker says inspiring and educating kids is the best  hope for the planet. Photo: Courtesy of The North Face

In 2008, mountaineering studs Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk were within 100 meters of the top of the Shark’s Fin of Meru Central (6,310 meters) in the Indian Himalaya when they turned back. The unclimbed route had beaten them—and they didn’t feel the least bit bad about their decision to go home. But soon they were planning a return in 2011, until Ozturk suffered a serious head injury skiing at Jackson, Wyoming, five months before the expedition was to start. But when Anker visited him in the hospital, Ozturk insisted they do the climb. And in October, the three friends and The North Face athletes became the first to conquer the Shark’s Fin. We caught up with Anker just after his return and he talked about how the three managed to summit one of the most difficult climbs on the planet and his hopes for the future.

I saw the video of you guys at the top of Meru and you seemed really emotional. Why was this mountain so important to you?
I was in tears. I had put three expeditions, eight years and a lot of skin in this game. It goes back to my mentor Muggs Stump, who had tried to climb Meru and couldn’t. We were so close in 2008, we probably could have done it but we had been up there 19 days—we didn’t have any reserves. There had been over 25 unsuccesful attempts on Meru. It had become this lodestone, which made it more difficult. The mystique hanging on it became pretty significant.

Is there going to be a letdown?
Life is a linear experience. I don’t circle back. Today is the best day of my life and tomorrow will the best day of my life. I’m psyched. I’ll be 49. I finally pulled this off. But it’s not necessarily all a young guy’s game. It’s more about experience and judgment and long-term endurance.

Renan filmed the climb and Jimmy shot photos. Do you have a media role?
Those guys are so awesome with media. I’m kind of like a mole, a sightless rodent that lives in the ground and blunders to digital technology. I’m so thankful for how they documented the trip. But if I did it I would have had five shots of their butts.

Road to the Top: After turning back just shy of Meru's summit in 2008, the team prevailed last fall. Photo: Jimmy Chin

What are you doing for recreational fun now that you are back home?
I have been ice climbing in the Hyalites. It’s a powerful place where you can see geological time in the remnant of the Yellowstone super volcano and sort of feel how inconsequential we are in the universe. I’m keen on new routes up there. Whether it’s my ego or a stab at immortality I don’t know. I like to set more difficult routes.

What young climbers inspire you?
Alex Honnold. The guy is climbing everything without a rope. I have been at it a long time and I’m a mediocre climber and I haven’t been snuffed but what Alex has done to increase the sport is simply amazing. We are pretty close and we like to climb El Cap together.

And in general? Do you have hope for the planet, for the future?
I’m totally optimistic. You wouldn’t get up a mountain if you weren’t an optimist. It’s all about innovation. Our downfall as a nation though is that we are not investing in education. We are facing a challenge of obesity. We need to provide aspiration. You and I grew up with the Apollo program. We don’t have anything like that for kids to aspire to anymore. People always ask, “What is the relevance of climbing? Is it just some selfish pursuit?” But if we can get four or five fifth graders to get motivated, to change their perception of the world, then we can have an impact. That’s why I don’t do corporate speaking gigs anymore. They have their BMWs, they’re sitting there drinking. I mean, I get a stack of cash, but it’s just not me. But fourth and fifth graders. You go in there and tell them we are facing this great challenge and they write letters back to you telling how they are making simple steps to change the world like reusing aluminum foil. And I think, yes, I’m making an impact. We need these aspirational things.

Nick Devore hoists the hardware at the 2011 Polartec Scufoneda. Photo: Doug Schnitzspahn

Last winter, I competed in my first telemark extreme contest. Well, sort of. The Polartec Scufoneda may be the oddest alpine derby around—mashing up knee droppers, guys in wigs, grappa shots, Jumbotron footage, pillow drops, more grappa shots and a contest that is judged by some Byzantine system that combines style, air and speed. Oh, and it all goes down in the Italian Dolomites with the local police chief running things and partying with the competitors. Truly, like most things in Italy, it’s more experience than contest.

The competition is the culmination of a six-day event that began in 1997, when a group of local telemarkers who called themselves the Scufons del Cogo (which translates roughly as “local dirtbag telemark slaves”) decided the Dolomites needed an event that celebrated the slightly foolish method of skiing down an extreme slope by dropping your knee—and often falling. More than that it was to be a celebration of skiing backcountry, or off-piste or, as it is called in Europe, “freeriding.” Central to the event is a sort of party on skis—participants spend the week skiing together at the interconnected resorts of the Val di Fassa, imbibing local wines, dancing to ‘80s music (while sort of in drag) and generally frightening the unwary tourists.

Beyond the bacchanalia, the real goal of the scufons was to show how freeriding developed from the mindset of telemarking. Long before AT equipment evolved to where it is today, it was telemarkers getting out and exploring the crazy, free lines on the other side of the ropes. And the Scufondeda has evolved. Last year, it attracted 500 competitors in tele, alpine and snowboard divisions. It hosted a marketplace for freeride and tele gear and it raised money for children in Uganda with its kids program. While it is increasingly becoming more of a full International freeride event rather than a tele comp, the scufons have made their point. The spirit of telemarking rules here.

Oh… and my liver wants to remind you that it’s still a full-on party like only the Italians can sustain—think three people doing grappa shots with their arms intertwined in wrist stocks.

It’s also a hell of a competition. The Scufoneda was one of the hardest things I have ever done. The “course” dropped off the backside of a tram along a 500-foot cliff into rock bands and solidified avalanche debris. I tried to bomb the top to gain speed points and ended up with my legs screaming, lungs depleted and pride broken as I tried to hide from the helicopter cameras before I even reached the cliffs. Rain days before turned the snow into garbage. Telemark stud Nick Devore, who ended up winning, got stuck in a hole halfway down. Eben Mond of FlyLow finished third despite saying, “I skied like shit,” when he crossed the finish line. It hurt. But oh did the Barolo taste sweet when it was over.

The Scufoneda will take place this year from March 4-11 in the town of Moena. I suggest you get there.

1. Smartwool Lightweight Collection
The merino masters’ latest base layers barely feel like you are wearing them—but they keep your temperature regulated.
$70; smartwool.com

2. FlyLow Tough Guy Glove
Ski bums delight! These no-nonsense leather gloves last longer than fancy pairs and cost a quarter of a Vail lift ticket.
$28; flylowgear.com

3. Mountain Hardwear Zeus Glove
These babies are easy to articulate yet bomber-solid thanks to, OutDry a waterproof membrane that’s part of the glove.
$95; mountainhardwear.com

4. Bolle Gravity
Meet the big-screen of goggles. Bolle designed its latest to provide a big window without sacrificing fit and lens technology.
$100–$140; bolle.com

5. Smith I/O
Light and classy, Smith’s latest are tough to fog up and offer an easy-to-operate interchangeable lens system.
$165; smithoptics.com

6. K2 Diversion
This skull bucket gives you a perfect fit thanks to a—get this—washable headliner and both active and passive venting systems.
$150; k2sports.com 

The latest technical apparel will keep you warm and dry when you are out playing in the wild.

1. Westcomb Apoc
Westcomb pioneered the use of Polartec’s new waterproof/breathable NeoShell fabric in this light-but-very-protective shell that worked well for everything from resort skiing to alpine climbing. While Polartec is best known as a “soft” shell company, NeoShell is a hard shell fabric and it proved worthy when we tested it in rainy conditions in the Italian Dolomites.
$480; westcomb.com

2. Patagonia Primo Jacket and Pant
Patagonia used three-layer Gore Performance Shell and an innovative, 100-percent recycled nylon to craft a bomber shell that can survive all the buffeting of riding the lifts yet breathes when out in the backcountry. It became our go-to choice for a do-it-all shell. We put it to the test everywhere from cat skiing in Alaska to huffing laps on Berthoud Pass.
$499 jacket, $399 pant; patagonia.com

3. Powderhorn Corbet X-Press
Powderhorn has mastered the art of the functional puffy. The Corbet X-Press is made for going hard in cold temps. A nylon Airtastic shell breathes while shucking off squalls and antimicrobial X-Static insulation keeps things cozy without picking up that ski-bum stank.
$250; powderhornworld.com

4. Spyder Eiger Jacket and Norwand Pant
Chris Davenport wears this outfit ski mountaineering—good enough for us. Stretch nylon and a waterproof/breathable membrane round out the tech.
$450 jacket, $375 pant; spyder.com

5. Freeride Systems Antero
Made in Colorado, this native shell—a hybrid made from Polartec—handles the grind of backcountry laps thanks to stretchy breathability.
$249; freeridesystems.com

6. Mammut Felsturm
This athletic shell features Gore’s new Active Shell fabric, which provides light three-layer protection and even more breathability than standard Gore-Tex. While it might be a tad light for heavy-duty resort use, it’s the ticket for backcountry skinning or nordic touring.
$450; mammut.ch

7. Eddie Bauer Hangfire Hoodie
Bill Belichick would be proud of this performance stretchy fleece hoodie that’s ideal for everything from walking the dogs in the winter to hiking for turns in the backcountry.
$99; eddiebauer.com

8. ArcTeryx Trino
Ideal for nordic skiing and other hard-charging winter activities this shell combines Gore Windstopper and stretchy Altasaris fabric in strategic locations to keep up with high-aerobic activities.
$199; arcteryx.com

9. Outdoor Research Stormbound
A jacket designed for the crazy temperature flip-flops of the sidecountry, the Stormbound relies on a light, waterproof Pertex shell with baffled down for warmth when it’s windy without overheating on the slogs.
$399; outdoorresearch.com

10. Loki Myth (jacket not pictured)
Here’s a “soft” shell with all the functionality of a hard shell—thanks to a waterproof/breathable core that insulates it from the worst of mountain weather. But the deal breaker for changeable weather is Loki’s integrated mitts and neck warmer, built right into the jacket.
$239; lokiusa.com

Foot fetish.

EO’s picks for the best boots for the 2011-12 season.

13. Freeride: Scarpa Huricane Pro
We felt just as stable using this AT boot out on backcountry tours as we did bombing hardpack all day on a resort. Credit the comfy Intuition liner with making it easy to wear all day long.
$739; scarpa.com

14. Alpine: Fischer Soma Vacuum 130
Forget custom insoles, Fischer’s new Vacuum series of boots actually allow you to custom-mold the plastic boot shells to your foot. Retailers heat them up in a special oven at 80 degrees Celsius. Stand in them for 20 minutes as they cool to fit your foot shape and set the forward lean between 14 and 17 degrees.
$895; fischerskis.com

15. AT: Dynafit Zzero Green Machine
The four-buckle Green Machine is light enough to feel like a race boot on the uphills but uncannily responsive on the downs. It’s ideal for the backcountry but performs just fine on the occasional resort day.
$1,000; dynafit.com

16. Tele: Black Diamond Custom
BD’s 130-flex-rated Custom is a tele boot with the guts to drive big skis, but an easy-to-tighten Boa liner is what makes it so responsive.
$729; blackdiamondequipment.com

17. Snowboard: Ride Hi-Phy Boa Coiler
Eerily light-yet-powerful this boot runs the strong Phylon material in the sole up into the heel cup for a snug fit that battened down with Boa lacing.
$259; ridesnowboards.com

EO’s picks for the best snowboards for the 2011-12 season.

9. Gnu Ladies Choice
Designed for and with full input from Jamie Anderson, this women’s board is rockered between the feet with full camber underfoot so that it can crush pow or hold on during wild rides.
$540; gnu.com

10. Ride Arcade UL
Ride pimped out this board with its Pop Rods 3.0 which gives it life for tricks as well as quick reaction on the hill without extra weight. It’s an extremely versatile, responsive ride that can go from park to pow with ease.
$600; ridesnowboards.com

11. Jones Mountain Twin
Jeremy Jones’ big mountain board has the pop and play of a freestyle ride. Rockered in the tip and tail with camber underfoot, its Magne-traction edges give it hold on tricky spots and bombing groomers.
$480; jonessnowboards.com

12. K2 Panoramic
The Bambooyah Blend core is built like a skateboard deck in this snappy split board. That makes for a split that’s just as responsive as a regular board for the backcountry yet light for the skin up, without the worry of breakage when riding the area.
$599, $900 with Voile bindings; k2sports.com

Pretty little maids, all in a row.

EO’s picks for the best skis for the 2011-12 season.

1. K2 Sideshow
Here’s a stick that can do just about anything. It’s narrow enough underfoot to still give some bite to your turns yet elevates when you hit the untracked. Mount it alpine, tele or AT.
90 mm underfoot, 20 meter turn radius.
$650; k2sports.com

2. Armada TST
The TST is rockered up front for crud crushing but offers traditional camber in the tail, making it nimble and spry. Plus, a portion of the proceeds from every TST sold goes to Travis Steeger’s Memorial Fund and the Avalanche Awareness Beyond the Boundaries Society.
103 underfoot and 18.9 meter turn radius in a 192 cm. 
$650; armadaskis.com

3. Liberty Helix
Meet the best day-to-day board for Colorado resorts. Liberty added a touch of rocker to this versatile ski, making it even better for sidecountry as well as groomers and trees.
105 underfoot, 25.5 meter turn radius in 187 cm.
$695; libertyskis.com

4. Movement Trust
The Trust is just big enough underfoot to handle any conditions, but it’s the snappy life in these boards that made them fun to ride both in the backcountry and on piste.
108 underfoot, 22 meter turn radius in 194 cm.
$950; movementskis.ch

5. Black Diamond Zealot
The Zealot used to be a ski that simply scared folks with its aggressiveness, but BD reined it in just enough to make it the best big board for hard chargers that we tested.
110 underfoot, 27 meter turn radius.
$759; blackdiamondequipment.com

6. Nordica Patron
Wow. Not only did the rockered Patron glide through deep snow, it snapped tight turns in the trees and stayed stable at speed bombing groomers. It was, quite simply, the ski that inspired the most confidence on the hill.
113 underfoot, 21 meter turn radius in 193 cm. 
$899; nordica.com

7. G3 Highball
The beefy Highball proved the perfect choice for big dumps at Breck or lapping backcountry stashes. But don’t be scared by all that heft underfoot—this fat ski still banged out responsive turns when we needed them most.
116 underfoot, 29 meter turn radius.
$770; genuineguidegear.com

8. Line Pandora
For some reason, no one wants to make a women’s powder ski that’s as wide underfoot as men’s—except Line. This baby has the oomph and rocker to power through pow, while still providing nuance in the turn.
115 underfoot.
$560; lineskis.com

Turn that dirtbag of a man into something special with these holiday gifts.

1. Arc’teryx Veilance Field Blazer
Is your man the type who wears his softshell to an uppity East Coast wedding? Here’s one way to dress him up yet not offend his sense of ski-bum style. In a feat of bespoke athleticism, Arc’teryx’s new Veilance collection merges class with performance fabrics. This hip blazer is built with breathable, wind-resistant polyester and treated with a DWR finish for cocktail-party epics.
$695; arcteryx.com

2. Pisco Portón
Now that tequila has evolved into a fine sipping spirit along the lines of single-malt scotch, it’s tough to find something new when it comes to classy booze, but give Pisco a try. Handcrafted in small batches, Pisco Portón is a high-end traditional Peruvian spirit made from three grape varieties that’s ideal for everything from mixology to just sipping chilled.
$40; piscoporton.com

3. Wagner Custom Carbon Fiber
We dudes love carbon fiber in our bikes—but it’s never had the backbone to hold up in a pair of skis. But Wagner has developed a double-helix wrap construction that takes advantage of the light properties of carbon while staying strong enough for the pounding of a day on the slopes. Plus, these custom-made skis are crafted according to your man’s individual specs.
$1,750 and up; wagnerskis.com

4. Sweetgrass Productions’ Solitaire
Oh ski porn. You know—if we can’t be doing it we love to watch someone else doing it and think that we could do it just as well. And Sweetgrass turned ski porn into art in this now classic flick that’s just as much about the beauty of it all as it is the money shots. There’s no yakking from the athletes as they make their way across the landscapes of the South American continent, just the camera lovingly following them and soaking in the unique magic of each spot.
$28 DVD; sweetgrass-productions.com

5. Petzl Pixa 3
Dudes like things that blow up, but we don’t like to be in the midst of said explosions. So we find it reassuring that this heavy-duty headlamp is up to HAZLOC standards, meaning it’s safe in explosive environments. It’s also resistant to chemicals, water, drops and blunt trauma. It’s the perfect light for all those DIY projects we keep putting off, like working on the plumbing in the crawl space.
$75; petzl.com

6. B&W C5 In-Ear Headphones
It’s not easy to find earphones that can withstand the hectic pace of riding lifts, biking, running and other adrenalized outdoor pursuits. Here at EO we have tested a wide variety of sport headphones but none of them come close to the functionality and sound of B&W’s C5s. The ear loops go inside your ear instead of around the back, keeping them secure even on a bouncy trail run. But it’s that crisp, full sound of these headphones, made even better by the noise reduction provided by a micro-porous filter, that truly seals the deal.
$180; bowers-wilkins.com

7. Timberland Rime Ridge Duck Boot
Speaking of high school (at least for those of us who were there in the ‘80s), the duck boot is back! Timberland’s back-to-the-future version is tough enough to survive any slop the winter can dish out, thanks to a waterproof leather upper and Thinsulate insulation.
$135; timberland.com

8. Eddie Bauer Expedition Flannel
Remember this when it comes to dude style—flannel never goes out of fashion. It even survived grunge. And this performance flannel will survive the rigors of an active life since it’s made from a fast-drying polyester.
$70; eddiebauer.com

9. BCA Float 18
All kidding aside, even with the best training and levelheadedness, backcountry skiing can be deadly. And while not foolproof, air bags like this new 6.5-pound,18-liter backpack from BCA can save someone trapped in a slide by rocketing them up to the surface, “like the hand of God,” as one Wyoming guide who deployed an air bag described it. That means it may be the single most important gift you give your man.
$685; backcountryaccess.com

Our fearless leader, caught up in an avalanche of stuff.

I live a life of swag. Seriously. My garage is a pile of bikes, skis, snowboards, crampons, headlamps, guitars, sleds, jog strollers, jackets and stuff sacks—all in the midst of some type of test so that I can recommend the best outdoor gear out there to you (or something like that). Now some people might think of my particular occupation as a good example of living the dream, but I have to admit, it depresses me sometimes.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love gear and I’m lucky to get to test all of it. I’m enough of a dork that I actually enjoy comparing the breathability of Gore’s new Active Shell fabric and Polartec’s NeoShell. I once spent an amazing two-hour drive with former pro-skier and current badass activist Alison Gannett, discussing the intricacies of ski edges (and the fate of the planet). I could write a manifesto on the relative merits of pit zips. The problem is all this stuff is, well, stuff. Hey, we need stuff. Stuff creates jobs and happiness in that a whole economic web of people depend on people buying gear to raise families and enjoy life. But is that it?

I’m not sure where I stand on the Occupy Wall Street protests, but when I do get harsh on folks out making what seem like pipe-dream demands in the streets, I remember a younger version of myself at the Seattle WTO protests in 1999. I remember living on a friend’s couch and working to make proposals for wilderness in Idaho (that finally saw fruition two years ago in the Omnibus Lands Bill). I think of when I roamed the Beaverhead–Deerlodge National Forest teaching the gospel of Leave No Trace. It wasn’t always just about stuff.

What have I become?

When a family member asks me what I want for Christmas… I’m never sure what to say. I don’t need anything. I don’t really want much either since most of the gear I covet ends up on my doorstep eventually so that I can test it out. But a few years ago, I received a simple email announcing a gift from my brother. It was $25 to invest in a Kiva.org loan. I read up on microfinance, a lending practice championed by Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus at his Grameen Bank. Basically, loan poor people the very small amounts they need to start a business and take care of themselves.

Open Season: Matt Luzcow has Vail all to himself. Photo: Jeff Cricco

Eldora

Eldora’s biggest draw is that you don’t have to drive I-70 to get here (hell, you can just take the RTD bus from downtown Boulder). It can also harbor some nice pockets of powder and athletic tree skiing in Brian’s Glades, especially later in the season when big storms tend to hit the Front Range. West Ridge is the steepest shot on the mountain but can get skied out fast—head skier’s right to Salto, where it’s still steep and the trees keep softer snow. Eldora also features famously challenging Nordic trals (they start going uphill) that make a fine destination on their own or can be the perfect reprieve if winds shut down the lifts. For a ticket deal, buy a $129 4-Pack for a savings of nearly $150! When it comes to fueling up, stop on the way in Nederland at Happy Trails where owner Randy doles out chai and, if you are lucky, beta. When it’s time to celebrate, head to the Wild Mountain Smokehouse and Brewery, for a Jumpin’ Jamaican Java Porter, which will give you that subtle beer-n-coffee buzz. eldora.com

Loveland

Although Loveland is big and sprawling, one of the best lines on the mountain is just a few steps out of the parking lot: follow the Chair 1 line straight down into Busy Gully. It’s steep and sustained. Or keep heading to skier’s right from the top of Chair 1. If you are looking for some blue, gladed cruising that holds nice snow head to Dealer’s Choice. The Ridge can be tricky to navigate, especially when the wind is blowing, but that same wind will deposit snow on the resort side of the ridge, even a few days after a storm. Head skier’s right and make sure to scout out your line. A $129 4-Pack saves you over $100 on tickets here. When it’s libation time, head to the Rathskeller, the locals’ bar at the base where you can scarf down .50 cent tacos on Tuesdays and wash them down with a PBR. skiloveland.com

Arapahoe Basin

The Basin is a brand-new mountain these days thanks to Montezuma Bowl’s 400 glorious acres. That big chunk of open and gladed terrain not only disperses crowds across the mountain, it also takes the pressure off old favorites like the Pali Face, so that all the runs here feel less pounded these days. There are no true secrets at the wide open Basin but we suggest heading far skiers left or right off of Pali, if everything is tracked out. The lines in Montezuma are best if you can get to the far skiers right of the bowl itself along Zuma Cornice (reach it off the Norway lift), though too much sun can muck them up. If you are looking for bumps, the least jarring can be found on Slalom Slope.

We got our greedy little paws on the hottest new winter gear for serious on-slope testing.

1. Rossignol Super 7
This big brother of Rossi’s popular S7 came out last season but sold out in no time—for good reason. The Super 7 (145-117-127) took it up a notch. Featuring a layer of strong, supple titanal, the tip-and-tail rockered ski is even beefier and more responsive inbounds than the S7 but has not lost its ego-boosting powder float.
$800; rossignol.com

2. Black Diamond AMPerage
This is one versatile ski for soft snow. It’s 115 mm underfoot so it certainly floats the soft stuff, but with 21 meters of turn radius, it can also whip around in trees and even cruise the groomers—the ideal do-it-all board.
$669; blackdiamondequipment.com

3. Jones Hovercraft Split
Snowboarding film star Jeremy Jones designed the Hoverctaft to ride with a lot more versatility, especially in powder, than the usual 156-cm board. Spilt capability makes it a backcountry mountaineering tool that’s still got the guts of a freestyle ride.
$699; jonessnowboards.com

4. Zeal Transcend
Tracking speed, altitude and other vitals as you cruise downhill, these are some serious geek goggles. Simply take a glance down at the lower right corner of the lens where a display screen tracks all that data. Even better, when you head home, you can download and analyze your ski session the same way you would with a running or cycling workout.
$549; zealoptics.com

5. Nordica Firearrow F1
While ski design has changed radically over the past decade, getting ridiculously fat and shorter, boots are still built with the mindset of driving drive thin, old-school boards. The Firearrow, however, allows for more ankle articulation for lateral control—just the ticket when you need to make adjustments on skis that are over 100 mm underfoot. Carbon fiber construciton keeps it light.
$935; nordica.com

6. Outdoor Research Ambit
It’s nearly impossible to operate a smart phone on the slopes while wearing ski gloves, but the fingers of the Ambit use Touch Tec leather, a nanotechnology that makes it so that the material will operate a touch screen just as adroitly as if it were bare skin.
$99; outdoorresearch.com

7. Columbia Circuit Breaker Softshell
This soft shell jacket contains a built-in, electronic heating system. Simply press a button and it starts to warm you up at three different temperature settings, yet, it’s still light and breathable enough for athletic skiing and skinning. It’s a tad bulky with two battery packs that take up a bit of space in the chest, but that inconvenience is worth it for the pleasure of heat on demand.
$850; columbia.com

8. Backcountry Access Float 18
BCA’s newest avalanche bag, which works by giving a skier trapped in a slide enough bouyancy to rocket to the surface, was designed for the sidecountry. The 18-liter pack is low-profile enough for the resort, while still offering the technology found in larger, heavier bags.
$685; backcountryaccess.com

Schnitzspahn gets the goods. Photo: Isaac Stokes

I used to live in Montana and, man, was I spoiled when it came to powder skiing. If I wanted a lazy morning with coffee and breakfast with my significant other, it was no problem. There was enough pow to farm at Big Sky that a late start was more par for the course than catastrophe. What a rude awakening I had when I moved to the Front Range a decade ago. If I wasn’t racing to pass slow cars on the way up to the hill and jostling for up-front position in the lift line, I might as well have just stayed home.

Ah, but over ten years I have learned to love the skiing on the Front Range. And I have relearned the art of sleeping in. All it took was a willingness to follow the old timers who trusted me and a promise not to write about the most secret of stashes they showed me in the pages of this magazine. You develop a plan of attack, your own personal map of the mountain, a penchant for tight trees and a willingness to bring your avi gear and drop out the gates. Because if you want to farm powder here, you definitely need to develop your own personal network of stash pockets. Or hike. But even the backcountry has become a freshie-seeking derby recently as more and more skiers and snowboarders who were once relegated to riding the lifts are investing in AT bindings and split boards.

I claim Eldora as my local resort, mostly because I can drive there in 45 minutes (which means I can sleep in) and don’t have to worry about sitting for several hours waiting to drive through the Eisenhower Tunnel. On first glance, my local resort could be back in Vermont, except it’s windier here (which has prompted me to actually start putting my skate skis in the rocket box, since I have learned to salvage—maybe even relish—a wind closure with a big cardio burn on the Nordic trails here). But I have developed an enduring love for the place as I get to know it better. There are funky little-known tree runs here like The Burl that can be easy to miss and intermittent when it comes to snowpack—but when you hit them right, it’s pure magic, especially when you pop back out onto the groomers where the uninitiated are getting worked in the bumps or screeching their edges like fingernails on a chalk board down a skied-off Corona Bowl.

Meet the rides sure to bring you glory on the the cyclocross course.

The Belt

1. Spot Mod SS
Somehow the purity (and, um, insanity) of a belt-drive single speed ride seems a perfect fit for cyclocross, and this bike is, excuse the pun, spot on. Plus, the Mod’s dropout actually allows for the addition of a derailleur. But as a single-speed machine, the bike is surprisingly smooth and responsive. The belt means no mud in your chain (though we have had problems with dry grass) and it provides powerful strokes without all the drama of mid-race derailleur failure.
$3,299; spotbrand.com

The Deal

2. Focus Mares AX 2.0 Disc
You won’t find a better ‘cross bike for your money than the reliable Mares. And unlike many cyclocross  rides that don’t respond all that differently than a road bike, the Mares was built for the punishment of the sport. The alloy frame employs a carbon fork and tapered head tube to suck up some of the pounding. Shimano 105 componentry provides reliable shifting on the fly.
$1,740; focus-bikes.com

The Fetish

3. Fondriest RC6 Cross Carbon
Cyclcross riders, in general, tend to favor aluminum bikes that run on the cheap side since they take so much damn abuse. But the light, smooth class of this machine is sure to make some carbon converts. The brand is the namesaker of racer Maurizio Fondriest and the ride is made to race, with the frame weighing in at just under three pounds. The price is also quite reasonable for a carbon bike, ringing up at under 4K fully built with Shimano Ultegra componentry.
$3,800; fondriestbici.com

The Lady

4. Giant TCX W
Champ racer Kelli Emmett helped Team EO kick butt at the Teva Mountain Games over the summer. And guess what? The hammering Ms. Emmett gave Giant input in designing this women-specifc cyclocross ride, which is built with a shorter top tube for better handling on the dicey sections of a ‘cross course. It also features bars and a saddle built for the female form.
$1,650; giant-bicyles.com

Crosscomponentry

You know cyclocross is evolving when Shimano starts amping up its componenty for the sport. This fall the brand is debuting a high-performance line of cranks, derailleurs and cantilever brakes made to endure the mud and pounding of ‘cross. The FC-CX50 and CX70 cranks (shimano.com) will feature powerful 46-36T gearing and provide the type of quick power transfer that’s necessary on an erratic course. And the new FD-CX70 front derailleur is designed to integrate with those new crank gear ratios. Shimano beefed up the derailleur, too, since it’s one of the parts most vulnerable to failure in all the slop of cyclocross competion. And since mud is always on the menu, the new BR-CX50 and CX70 cantilever brakes offer higher clearance and feature easy-to-replace cartridge pads. As far as tires go, Michelin is back in the bike game and its new line of ‘cross tires allows you switch out for different conditions with dry or mud treads ($57; michelinbike.com).

Real Elevation: Climbing Wilson Peak. Photo: Doug Schnitzspahn

Though I love lists just as much as the next magazine reader, there is something silly about them. This issue we give you a pretty fantastic run down of “The Best of Colorado,” as chosen by the editorial staff here and readers through an online survey. It’s a fantastic list and I’m sure you will be excited to read it. There’s just one problem… when it comes down to it, my best experiences in this state have depended on the people as much as the place.

So I decided to run through my own personal best of Colorado list by the people who joined me.

Best Campground: Olive Ridge with my two children, my wife, my brother and two other families. Truth be told, there is nothing special about the Olive Ridge Campground, which sits between Allenspark and Wild Basin, but it is one amazing place to simply get off the grid and enjoy some time with people you care about. In the heat of summer, a cool breeze rolls through the ponderosa and at night the sky is a canvas of constellations. What more do you need? Oh, marshmallows, says my four-year-old son. Yes, marshmallows.

Best Ski Run: An unnamed shot in Vail’s Blue Sky Basin with my friend Mike Finkel. Mike and I had not skied together in years. We were back in Blue Sky and overheard an instructor telling his charges, “That is the steepest shot on the mountain,” and pointing to it with his ski pole. “That one? Right there?” we asked interrupting. The instructor nodded. Mike and I launched into it with childish gusto that would have made Shane McConkey proud—as the ski students looked on with wide eyes.

Best Singletrack: The Colorado Trail, Tennessee Pass to Copper, with friend Isaac Stokes. Isaac and I have been on so many countless adventures, some that have ended up in the dark without a headlamp. As did this high alpine epic, but in between there was pushing, bombing, gritty climbing and the joy of exploring the mountains with a good friend.

Best 14er: Wilson Peak, San Juans, with Backbone Media and a cadre of journalists. I go on a lot of press events hosted by PR people, which is fantastic, but I have to admit that sometimes I miss the joy of figuring it all out on my own, of the experience being a bit more authentic. I forgot I was on a press trip here. Instead it simply felt like a group of friends scrambling around doing what we love to do best. Sadly, Bean Bowers, who was on the trip, died of cancer this past year.

Maroon 5

All businesses exist to make money. That’s the reality of the free-market world and far too many corporations prioritize that corporate prerogative over any other reason for existing. But it does not have to be that way for companies to suceed. Somehow Patagonia has flourished as a business precisely because it sticks to its ethics. The brand has led the way in sustainability and transparency with its Footprint Files program, which allows customers to track the sourcing, transportation and construction of their apparel. It has also stretched the idea of what it means to be an outdoor gear company, publishing books and even producing a sustainable salmon jerky. This spring, the brand’s green Midas touch hit the music industry.

The Patagonia Music Collective is a partnership between the brand and musicians, focused on raising cash for hard-working grassroots organizations. The plan? The musicians record exclusive online tracks that fans can download for 99 cents each on Patagonia’s home page or iTunes. The net proceeds go to the environmental organization of the band’s choice. The brand also plans to release compilations from the Collective at its retail stores.

“My hope is that fans see their favorite artists supporting the environment and want to get involved themselves,” says Patagonia founder and owner Yvon Chouinard. “The groups these musicians are supporting are the ones that are ultimately going to save the planet. Patagonia’s hopeful other musicians will see that by just donating a song they can easily provide their favorite enviro group with a new stream of financing.”

So far, the program has drawn some serious talent from diverse musical genres. It launched in March with 22 unique tracks from big names like Pearl Jam, Jack Johnson, Bonnie Raitt, Maroon 5, Taj Mahal, Philip Glass, Zac Brown Band, moe., The Bad Plus, Blitzen Trapper, Mason Jennings, Ziggy Marley, Los Lobos, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Brandi Carlile and Laura Jansen. The second wave of tracks, out this month, includes new music from Esperanza Spalding, Jake Shimabukuro, Crosby and Nash, Dolorean, Galactic, Devotchka, The Civil Wars, Drive-By Truckers, Daniel Bernard Roumain and Medeski Martin and Wood. Fans have already downloaded tens of thousands of songs, according to Patagonia.

Beyond the chance for fans to download something they can’t get anywhere else, the program funds groups doing the tough front-line work for the environment. Pearl Jam’s song “Oceans” benefits marine efforts from Conservation International. Jack Johnson’s live version of “To the Sea” sends funds to the Kokua Hawaii Foundation, which gets kids outdoors and involved in environmental causes. Bonnie Raitt, who has been up-front and active in environmental and social justice causes throughout her career, sings a duet with New Orleans fixture John Cleary that benefits environmental attorneys Earth Justice.

“When Patagonia approached us to be involved we were excited to team up,” says Raitt. “I’ve been a supporter of Earth Justice for almost a decade, because, as their slogan states, ‘the Earth needs a good lawyer.’”

And, chalk it up to cause-marketing brilliance or the pure karma of good deeds, but Patagonia has once again managed to envision a feel-good effort as good business sense.

“Every time we’ve chosen the environment, we have turned a profit,” says Rob Bondurant, Patagonia’s vice president of marketing. “But please note that the Collective is not a profit center for our company, this is a profit center for grassroots envirnmental giving. We are not asking our customers or fans of the musicians in The Collective to give us anything but their 99-cent contribution to environmental sanity. It’s a respectful relationship that I hope returns a halo of a wider customer base for both the musicians and Patagonia but we know the real beneficiary is Mother Nature herself. So, what does an outdoor apparel and gear company know about the music industry? Well maybe just enough to help change it for the better.”

That commitment to music and activism will be on display at 250 festivals across the nation this summer, too. Patagonia will be partnering with Headcount, a non profit that encourages people to register to vote at concerts. Patagonia had worked with the group and Jack Johnson in 2008 and saw the chance to renew the relationship

Headcount is putting together interviews with the Collective artists and also creating fan challenges to encourage folks to download the songs. In June, Headcount encouraged fans to buy 1,000 downloads of moe.’s benefit track. In exchange the band played an extra acoustic set at the All Good festival in Virginia. 

Alan Arnette at Everest base camp. Photo: Courtesy Alan Arnette.

I confess when a PR person contacted me and wanted me to cover a Colorado man climbing Everest to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s, I almost deleted the email immediately. It’s not that I don’t think climbing Everest is a worthy achievement. It’s not that I don’t realize that Alzheimer’s is an absolutely horrific disease, a slow painful killer that sucks the dignity out of a person and affects whole families.

It’s simply that I have become so jaded when it comes to cause-based climbs. I know it’s not just me. There are climbs for every type of cancer and disorder you can imagine. There are runs, paddles, whole non-profits built on connecting outdoor achievement to a truly worthy cause—for epilepsy, leprosy, cerebral palsy, AIDS, breast cancer. So many, in fact, they have become white noise to me and others lucky enough to work in the outdoor industry. And then I realized, I had become far too cynical.

So I decided to talk to Alan Arnette, who is climbing not just Everest but the Seven Summits, the highest eight (yes, eight) peaks on each continent to raise money and awareness for the disease. I was immediately drawn in by him and the cause. Someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s every 70 seconds in the U.S., effecting over 5 million people. It’s the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. yet for every dollar the U.S. spends on health care, less than one cent goes to research on the disease. I have personally seen loved ones destroyed by it and many people associated with this magazine have family members struck by it.

Arnette made me remember all this and impressed me with his simple will to get out there and do something. The former employee at Hewlett Packard took early retirement to care for his mother who was dying of Alzheimer’s. After her death in 2009, he dedicated himself to raising $1 million and climbing the summits (since topping out on Everest in May he has four to go). But he has just begun the real climb.

He has raised $100,000 so far (just 10 percent of his goal) and asks donors to pledge a penny for each vertical foot he climbs—$131 for Denali, which he is climbing as of press time; $807 for all eight peaks—with 100 percent of the profits going to research (donate and learn more at climbforad.com and alanarnette.com). He is funded by The Alzheimer’s Immunotherapy Program of Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy and Pfizer Inc. When he talked to outdoor industry companies, they gave him nothing. No surprise, just another cause-based climber right?

Talking to Arnette also made me remember that people climb for many reasons. It’s not just to prove our athletic prowess and live a privileged leisure class life as outdoor junkies. Those who control the purse strings in the outdoor industry might blow off some 50-something retiree from Fort Collins on another cause-based climb in favor of high-profile über-athletes on expeditions to break speed records on obscure peaks, but if they do, are they missing the point? Arnette went through a painful loss and decided to do something to change the future. Since he was a climber, he saw the sport as a way to do it.

I find myself not as concerned about his topping out on all eight summits as I am about his raising $1 million. But mountains, despite all the danger to them, have the ability to heal, to put us in the moment and away from death, disease, politics. So the summits represent something important in Arnette’s larger quest—the possibility of reaching seemingly impossible goals. I hope I can be less cynical and see the person behind these cause-based climbs in the future. They may have something to teach me.

Getting ethical in the San Juans. Photo: Doug Schnitzpahn

I’m constantly amazed by how many people in the Elevation Outdoors office, and in the outdoor industry in general, started this journey on a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) course. I’m the prime example. Before I spent a month paddling around the Sea of Cortez with NOLS, I was bartending in downtown Boston, riding a motorcycle and absolutely clueless about where my life was headed. After the trip, I realized that there was more—and I turned my back on Jagerbombs and dead-end internships and moved West, hoping to find some type of grace in things like telemark skiing and rock climbing.

It wasn’t that NOLS was some type of self-help, group-therapy camp designed to change your life. In fact, it was the opposite. I learned to take care of myself and a group. I learned how to live according to the elements (I didn’t even know that the full moon sets every time just as the sun rises until I saw it happen from a sleeping bag on a wild Mexican beach.) I learned how to brace a kayak when I encountered rough seas and swamped my boat by overextending the brace. It was a mistake I would never make again.

But most of all, I learned an ethic, a way of interacting with the natural world. I learned to observe nature and work with it, rather than disturb it. That ethic applied to learning how to pilot a sea kayak or plan an expedition as well as cultivating an intense understanding of the land and wildlife itself. We learned Leave No Trace principles (and believe me, this city boy was horrified when he first learned that meant no toilet paper allowed). We were here to learn how to achieve in outdoor sports, but we were not here to conquer.

When I talk to other friends who took NOLS classes (as well as other long wilderness trips), it’s that understanding of the rhythms of nature and human behavior that they say they took away with them. It’s that ethic that allowed them to move into careers and still stay connected to the outdoors. But I also worry that I have lost some of that. I have been so concerned with outdoor sports as a workout, that I sometimes forget to see them also as a—I hesitate to say it—spiritual experience.

With so much mudslinging and ugly news in the cycling and other pro sports worlds recently, I think its important to consider that NOLS ethic. And what better way to really tune into nature than by simply hiking, backpacking or scrambling up a peak. So many issues of Elevation Outdoors focus on hardcore biking, skiing, snowboarding and climbing. This issue of Elevation Outdoors is a celebration of taking it all in.

So dig in and get out on the trail. Let us know how you tune in to whatever ethic you developed when you first learned that getting outdoors was your thing. I can’t wait to hear about it.

Tents

1. Brooks Range Rocket
When Aspen Expeditions’ Dick Jackson helped design this tent, he left out one important detail. It has no poles—on purpose. You already carry poles on most ski mountaineering trips or trekking poles on alpine jaunts in the summer. Using your trekking poles means the tent weighs in at an obscene 1 pound, 6 ounces, and, yes, you can also buy poles for it.
Best For: alpine assaults
$549 tent, $49 pole set; brooks-range.com

2. Nemo Obi 2P – EDITOR’S CHOICE
We were happily surprised to find out how spacious this tent feels for a light (about 3 pounds), two-person backpacking shelter—there’s 27 square feet of room inside. Its ingenious pole-and-foot-corner system make it a snap to set up, even when we were rushed by a full-force summer thunderstorm in Rocky Mountain National Park. We also apprecaited how breezy it can be sans rain fly during a hot jaunt through Canyonlands.
Best For: hardcore three-season backpacking
$390; nemoequipment.com

3. Easton Kilo
Surprise, surprise, the kilo weighs in at just under… one kilo (2.2 pounds). Credit that to hi-tech features like high-modulus composite carbon poles. On a spring ski mountaineering attack of Long’s Peak, we found it quite comfortable
Best For: fast-and-light endeavors
$400; eastonmountainproducts.com

4. Eureka! Apex 3XD
You don’t need to spend $400 on a solid backpacking shelter. It may not be the lightest on the market but the Apex 3XD offers everything you could ask for in a two-person tent.
Best For: summer backpacking trips
$180; eurekatent.com