Where Has the Snow Gone?

This is Mt. Shasta on Memorial Day.  Seriously.  Memorial Day 2010--the year of epic snowfall in the NorthWest. Tahoe got over 17 feet of snow.  It was the 12th largest snowfall year on the record books since they started keeping track in the late 1800's.

The past few years of trips to the Palisade glacier in the Sierra I have seen it recede in the pictures I have taken, but the most bleak conditions were this past winter 2013/2014.  Last year takes the cake as the post pathetically sad excuse of a climbing/ski season than I can remember.  Global Warming? Bad Luck? You be the judge. Either way I'm hoping we get a better winter this year.

A Tribute to the Feathered Friends Volant Down Jacket

I have frequently been asked by climbing partners what is my favorite piece of gear, and over the years my answer has never changed--My Feathered Friends Hooded Volant Down Jacket.

The Volant Jacket is filled with 11+ ounces of hot tub-warm 850+FP Goosedown.  The day after the picture of me above was taken on Mt. Rainier this jacket earned a permanent place in my gear closet.  It was so cold high on the mountain at 2am that I ended up wearing the jacket while climbing Disappointment Cleaver and the decent back down to Ingraham Flats.

There are tons of warm down jackets on the market from many different manufacturers and big box stores like REI and Backcountry, but there are several reasons why I would spend the extra money and buy from this small custom down manufacturer in Seattle.

Starting out in Mountaineering: Buying New Gear

I remember the day I decided to take the plunge and empty my bank account with the intent to equip myself for the journey into the world of mountaineering.  I had read Freedom of the Hills cover to cover, I had scoured the internet looking for deals, and the day was finally here.

After complaining for months about the prohibitive cost of entry, the UPS man started blowing up my doorbell.  One night after enjoying a few too many adult beverages with a buddy I set up a rappel off my door frame and he abseiled the staircase of my 2 bedroom apartment. (check out those vintage orange Koflachs)