True Grit: Building a bike community can require getting down and dirty (and maybe even mudslinging). Photo: Lin Alder/alderphoto.com

Last summer, I spent a lazy weekend in Salida with family and friends. We rented an old Victorian house. We woke up late and went to the farmers market. We hung out with our kids at the Boathouse Cantina and splashed with our friends’ dog in the cool waters of the Arkansas. Then my buddy Isaac and I hopped on our bikes and hit some sick singletrack.

The Salida Mountain Trails start right out the door of the Boathouse and  switchback up into the foothills. There’s a little bit for everyone up here—but we were simply blown away by the new North Backbone Trail, a roller-coaster 6.4-mile out-and-back ride that feels as if it were designed by mountain bikers. That’s because, of course, it was.

Salida Mountain Trails is an all-volunteer non profit that is on a mission to create a network of non-motorized trails surrounding Salida. Much of the thrust of getting the organization off the ground and building all this fantastic singletrack came from Absolute Bikes, the local cycle shop, where we met up with Salida’s mayor Chuck Rose (now retired) standing in front of the maps of this trail system. He was the dude who recommended we ride the North Backbone. Singletrack has become a part of the fabric of life here—and everyone is excited about it.

We have seen the power of bikes to transform communities in Colorado. Just think about Fruita 15 years ago, when it was nothing but a dusty desert rest stop. The town is experiencing an economic revival in the midst of a recession, with two bike shops, cafes, real pizza and hordes of fat-tire tourists spending cash. It’s a prime example of just how successfully clean, healthy service economies can thrive by taking advantage of the natural beauty and athletic challenges of their landscapes, rather than by exploiting them. And trail systems don’t have to be just singletrack—bike parks, commuter trails and a whole cycle culture complete the scene.

I only wish our hometown of Boulder would become more visionary when it comes to creating an experience like Salida. Last year, Boulder mountain bikers and the town council got in a dispute over new trails that brought out the worst on both sides—despite an incredible new bike park and one of the best cycle paths in the country, the council couldn’t complete the “bike town” experience and banned bikes and new trails from some of the best open space in town. That was a shame not only because we won’t be able to ride straight from The Kitchen onto singletrack, but more so because Boulder lost its coveted place as a visionary city that integrates recreation, nature and commerce into one big, happy love fest.

Towns with real vision can create trail systems like Salida and rec-firendly economies like Fruita. All you need to do is become active. Pick up a shovel, call your biker friends and start a movement in your own backyard.

Nordic Vortex: Descending from the top of Iceland. Photo: Doug Schnitzspahn

I have traveled the world and no place I have ever been has captured my imagination and my pure sense of wanderlust like Iceland. Blame it on the Vikings maybe—they founded this place and Icelanders still speak the same language as their ancestors. And the greatest works of Norse mythology were written on and preserved here in the Edda and Icelandic Sagas. Not to mention, the locals have a good deal of respect when it comes to the supernatural beings that may inhabit their rough, volcanic island. Blame it on the pure visceral landscape. A volcano could erupt here any day and do anything from stop European air traffic to bury a whole town. Or maybe blame it on the people, who will happily join you on the most epic of adventures. And don’t be surprised if they are in a band—it seems everyone is here, and some of the best music of the past 20 years has origniated in Reykjavík (Bjork, Sigur Rós and the not-to-be missed Iceland Airwaves, icelandairwaves.is, music festival that takes over the hard-partying capital city every fall). Our advice? Book a ticket, get here and simply explore. Following are our suggestions of some adventures not to be missed on the island. Oh and when it’s time to party, make sure you ask for the Black Death, a.k.a Brennivín, trust us… you may be speaking Icelandic and singing with a local punk band up on stage after a few.

Get in the Air

The biggest news when it comes to Iceland has nothing to do with volcanoes, Bjork or putrified shark (actually it’s called hákarl and it’s a sort of delicacy here, sort of). Starting in May, Icelandair will be running non-stop flights from Denver to Reykjavík, making the trip far easier for Coloradans than ever before (when you had to transfer on the East Coast). The airline claims fares will be as low as $489 round-trip (it also will be offering reasonable flights through Iceland to other European capitals starting around $725). icelandair.us

Click here to enter our Icelandair Giveaway for your chance to win 2 free plane tickets to Iceland direct from Denver.

The Golden Circle

The most basic Iceland tour is called the Golden Circle, a drive out of Reykjavík that takes in the stunning waterfall Gullfoss, Geysir the geothermal waterspout that gave all the rest their name and Thingvellir, a truly magical spot that is the site of Iceland’s parliament. It’s also the site of the first parliament in the world, where Viking chieftains would turn their backs to their colleagues and cry their grievances out to the cliffs. But Thingvellir is far more than a political stop—it’s also the site of a submerged rift where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. You can dive here (wear a dry suit) and swim down into what is truly a cleft between worlds. dive.is

The Westmanns

If Iceland itself is not remote enough for you, hop on a ferry and head for the nearby Westmann Islands. Only one of these volcanic rocks is inhabited by a small fishing village (pop. 4,135)—and even that was almost destroyed by Eldfell, a volcano that unexpectedly rose up and erupted in 1973. The town was barely spared and some of it buried in lava. But excavations are currently taking place here in the “Pompeii of the North,” as the islanders call it, and you can walk through the unearthed ruins. Or gaze on the rocky, uninhabited island of Surtsey, which did not even exist until it erupted out of the sea in 1963. Or you can try the local sport of scaling. The locals have been doing it for generations to collect bird eggs and it simply consists of swinging on ropes on ropes along the soaring cliffs with the Atlantic crashing below. visitwestmanislands.com

Hit the Top

The highpoint, however, of any trip to Iceland may be hitting the, um, highpoint. A massive, glaciated volcanic caldera jutting up from the North Atlantic, 6,921-foot Hvannadalshnúkur (say that three times fast) is actually a fairly easy mountain to ascend if you are experienced in glacier travel—though it is a big vertical trip in one day. But take heart, the long Arctic summer days give you more time to make the trek. From the top you get one of the best views on the planet. Looking south to open ocean all the way to Antarctica and north into Europe’s biggest glacier, Vatnajökull, where volcanoes lurk under the ice.

 Want to travel to Iceland for FREE? Click to enter our Icelandair Giveaway for your chance to win 2 tickets to Iceland, plus a rolling duffel bag.

Road Warriors: Hard rides and good wine. Photo: Courtesy Cinghiale

Biking through the postcard-perfect backroads of Tuscany, stopping for an espresso and relaxing with a glass of Sassicaia  afterward sure sounds like the trip of a lifetime. But what if you did all that day after day spinning your wheels next to one of the true legends of Ameircan cycling? This is Cinghiale, amici, the Italy-based bike touring company founded by Colorado resident Andy Hampsten, the only American to ever win the grueling Giro d’Italia and one of the top young riders for Team 7-11 and alongside Greg LeMond in the glorious pred-test-result-tainted day of the Tour de France.

Don’t be scared off by Hampsten’s pedigree. Oh, if you want him to hammer you, he most certainly will and the thrill of pushing yourself alongside the man himself on narrow European roads is certainly a big thrill—but painful. But Cinghiale, which is named after the native Tuscan wild boar, is not about testosterone. Instead, Hampsten is truly a master at understanding the level of each rider and making the trip a unique experience for them (we rode with him on the island of Elba and one couple did the trip on a tandem). The thing that’s truly important to Hampsten is simply soaking in Italy—a country where it seems that pretty much everyone you meet along the ride, from beekeepers to archaeologists, knows Andy by name. And taking a big drink of this country means dolce far niente, or enjoying the best things in life to be enjoyed—wine, slow food, gelato, espresso and more food. After all, that is how you roll with a legend, or a pig.

The Rides

Hampsten rates his tours in pigs. The more pigs, the more intense the riding. In 2012, Cinghiale Cycling Tours (cinghiale.com) will be offering a variety of options across Italy. A three-pig Barolo trip (May 26-June 3) will traverse one of the best wine regions on the planet. A four-pig Dolomiti trip (August 26-September 3) will get down to grunting with epic days on big passes. Or soak it up on a two-pig Cooking and Cycling trip (September 8-16).

The right gear is essential when you head out on an a big trip, so we present the best gear for travel.

1. Adidas Outdoor Terrex 3-in-1
Versatility is key in travel wear. This baby delivers with an outer shell made from Gore’s new über-breathable and waterproof Active Shell fabric paired with a cozy and removable Primaloft inner midlayer. Put the two together for a warm, dry jacket or wear them separately, according to the elements.
$495; zappos.com 

2. Eddie Bauer Travex Cocona Mountain Shirt
Coconut woven into the fibers keep this shirt moisture-wicking and stain-resistant. Those are important qualities when you’re spending hours bounding around on a Third World bus.
$60; eddiebauer.com

3. Gregory Savant 58
The ultimate travel backpack needs to serve double duty as both pack and suitcase. The Savant does just that thanks to easy to access compartments for travel and an advanced suspension system ideal for true backpacking when you reach your destination.
$199; gregorypacks.com 

4. Osprey Shuttle 32
Nothing takes more abuse than your roller bag so Osprey built this piece for abuse—the key is in the wheels, which are built with high clearance for slamming them over bumps, cobblestones and curbs. Compression straps cinch down all the stuff you stuff in it.
$279; osprey.com

5. Boardworks Badfish MCIT SUP
The good when it comes to inflatable SUPs is that it’s easy to take them anywhere. The bad is they usually lack guts. Not so in the latest from Boardworks. This inflatable uses a new multi-chamber inflatable technology (MCIT) to create a board that’s more rigid and features tapered rails for better handling. That’s something you won’t find in those other blow-up dolls.
$1,500; boardworkssurf.com 

6. Redington Crystal Waters Skirt
The skort is the apparel of choice for active women these days, and this one gives all the benefits of both skirts and shorts underneath without looking like it belongs on a road bike racer.
$70; reddington.com 

7. Bheestie Bag
The Bheestie is the type of thing you should just stuff away for when disaster strikes. If your electronics get wet, just put them in the bag, and there’s a good chance they may be saved.
$20; bhesstie.com 

8. Stoic Welded Haul Duffel
The gear haul bag needs to perform two basic tasks—hold a bunch of stuff and survive a beating—but many fail. Claiming over 5,000 cubic inches of space and built with polyurethane-coated nylon with welded seam seals, this bag delivers.
$129; backountry.com 

9. Eagle Creek Pack-It Specter Cube
Organizing your pack is the bane of every traveler, but this lightweight cube makes that maddening job far easier without taking up too much space.
$16, eaglecreek.com

1. Revo Windspeed
The lightweight, scratch- and impact-resistant polarized lenses on these titanium-framed shades, make them not only the most stylish glasses for travel but also up to the rugged task of hitting the road.
$209; revo.com 

2. Tern Eclipse S11i
It’s a bike in a box. But not some chintzy little toy bike. This aluminum framed cycle moves into James Bond (or at least Portland hipster) territory with 24-inch wheels, disc brakes and an internal 11-speed Shimano Alfine hub. All that weighs in at 32 pounds and packs down small enough to cart around the world.
$2,300; ternbicycles.com 

3. Smartwool TML Sportknit Full Zip and Flight Neck V Tee
If we were to give one single piece of travel advice it would be think like a sheep. Merino wool is the ultimate travel fabric—it won’t stink even after a red-eye plane ride and it adapts to temperature, warm when it’s cold and cool when it heats up. Plus, you can pull off these styles anywhere, from bar to trail. All that add up to help you cut down on what you pack.
$149 Sportknit Full Zip, $65 Flight Neck V Tee; smartwool.com

4. AYG TransDry Cotton Underwear
The single most important travel essential? Undies. TransDRY gives you all the benefits of soft and breathable cotton, plus fast wicking and drying performance.
polarmax.com 

5. Tilley TWC3
What’s better for travel than a hat that looks like it was made for Indiana Jones? (Ok, a whip… but you get it.)
$70; tilleyendurables.com 

6. PrincetonTec Byte
The best travel headlamp is one you pack down at the bottom of your bag until you need it. Meet the Byte. It’s just 5 ounces and rings in cheap.
$16; Princetontec.com

7. Mobius Case
You have a fetish for always checking your iPhone, which means the thing is always dying. This little device lets you solar charge that device to keep you, you know, checking fantasy football updates while traveling in the backcountry. Or just charge it on your car dash.
$80; etoncorp.com 

8. Goal Zero Guide 10 Adventure Kit
Electronic devices die at the worst possible time. But simply stuff this palm-sized pack in your pocket and you can either use the four AA batteries directly or charge up through a USB plug on the pack. Then charge the batteries back up with the solar panel.
$160; goalzero.com

9. Sylvan Sport GO
We quite simply never thought about using a camping trailer until we saw this. Weighing in at 840 pounds, it hauls gear in several low-profile configurations and then pops up for sleeping quarters away from the bugs.
$7,495.00 (Base Model) $7,995.00 (Adventure Accessory Package model); sylvansport.com

Standing Tall: Late and legendary guide Bean Bowers takes in the view from atop Sneffels.

Ouray has developed a well-deserved reputation for its ice—for good reason. But, beyond that, the little mountain town is also transforming into an American Alps. That’s not because you will find kitschy Bavarian-style homes and wiener schnitzel here, but rather because of the guiding experience. San Juan Mountain Guides, who work closely with the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) deliver the type of experience you would expect in Austria rather than Southwest Colorado. That’s thanks in a big part to the AMGA’s dedication to raising the standard of guiding in the U.S,, requiring guides to not just be certified the way they are across the pond but also to understand how to deliver a trip that suits their customers. The translation? Get out with these guys and you won’t feel like a “guide” is dragging you around.

Of course, San Juan Mountain Guides can show you all the ice you can swing a pick at in the winter, but the real Euro experience to be had here is in the summer, when the high peaks open up for adventure. The crown jewel is 14,150-foot Mount Sneffels, which is easy to access via a jeep road and offers up routes for all ability levels. The standard class 2 trip up from Yankee Boy Basin is a scramble/walk-up that’s suitable for adventure-keen older children. More fun is the class 3 Southwest Ridge, which gets away from the crowds and offers a few beautifully exposed moments on the way to the top. And when there is snow, the Snake Couloir is the most fun way to scale this 14er.

The most Euro experience the guides offer in the summer, though, comes from going down the mountain. The sport of canyoneering consists of following water from its source, rappelling into waterfalls and squeezing into narrow slots along the way. Further shedding its ice-only stereotype, Ouray will host a Canyoneering Festival this August 16–19.

For information, go to meetup.com/Ouray-Canyon-Festival

Still Shining: Sarah Burke was far more than a talented athlete. Image courtesy Roxy.

There has been too much loss this winter. It’s dangerous out there. In November, big air legend Jaime Pierre perished in an avalanche at Snowbird. Thirteen-year old Taft Conlin died in a rare slide inbounds at Vail. Last month, ski industry icons Jim Jack, Chris Rudolph and Johnny Brenan were swept away in an avalanche in the Stevens Pass sidecountry—they were friends of ours and members of the ski tribe that encompasses the staff of this magazine and, I think, its readers. I keep thinking that they were out there doing what most of us do every weekend, not “thrill-seeking” as some national media publications have called backcountry skiing, but simply out enjoying the blessing of life in the mountains with friends. And, though it had nothing to do with the horrific snow conditions of this tough winter, we lost freestyle shining star Sarah Burke in a freak accident in the Park City superpipe in January.

It’s hard to see anything positive in the midst of all these bright young lights going dark but when Sarah died, I couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the outpouring of emotion for her—from her friends, colleagues in the snowsports industry and even perfect strangers, people from across the globe who might not have known much about skiing but somehow felt touched by her light and energy. Sarah Burke was certainly one of the most important women ever in the sport but her legacy is deeper than just being a talented athlete and driving force in putting women’s halfpipe skiing in the Olympics. As her friend and longtime ski writer Leslie Anthony told me: “Lindsey Vonn may be the greatest female racer ever but Sarah Burke has had way more lasting impact. Thank the X Games and ESPN for some of that, but thank Sarah’s openness, perseverance, talent and drive for most of it.”

Tait Wardlaw, a longtime ski industry vet who works at Rossignol put it best: “The true testament to who Sarah was is that, at the end of the day, the outpouring of comments and support and emotion for her had nothing to do with her skiing. She was an amazing skier but she was also the warmest, most approachable, nicest person around.”

In that way, she reminded me of my friend Jonny Copp, who died in an avalanche in 2009 and who shot the photo on the cover of this issue of EO. I am also reminded of another bright light we lost this winter. He was a two-year-old boy fighting leukemia, whom I learned about from the Love Hope Strength Foundation. On the Facebook page his parents made for his supporters he was known as “Daniel the Brave.” I cried when I read he lost his battle, just as I have too often this winter. Life is fragile. We cannot hold on to it. But we can give it our all like little smiling Daniel, like Sarah Burke and Jonny and everyone else we have lost who embraced life instead of living in fear of how brief it is. We can take the short time we have and change our world, or we can simply connect to the people we encounter each day. Live brave.

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.