After 5 years of backcountry skiing on a pair of old Silveretta bindings, I decided it was time to invest in new ones. After some research, I settled on the Marker Baron bindings. Marker is well known for making quality alpine bindings, and last year they entered the backcountry arena with the Marker Dukes, a burly system that featured a DIN setting that went up to 16. Most skiers don’t require a DIN that high, plus the Dukes are heavy for an average backcountry setup, so this year they introduced a lighter binding called the Barons.
Author: Jared Hargrave
‘Tis the season to mountain bike Moab (video)
The holiday season is nearly upon us, and the northern Utah valley’s may have seen the first major snowstorm of the winter, but southern Utah is still alive and kicking. Moab remains sunny and dry with temperatures in the 50’s in November, so Jared Anderton went with some friends to try and hold on to mountain bike season just a bit longer.
First snow of the season in Utah
It is a time of celebration for some people in Utah, as the first real snowfall of the season has hit the Salt Lake Valley. The mountains have been pounded a few times already, but it just doesn’t feel like winter until there’s snow on the ground in the backyard.
Get mountain weather to go at NOAA website
Skiers and snowboarders across the state probably have more knowledge about the forecast than most people, since their favorite winter hobby revolves around the weather. We keep our eyes glued to the television when there is a big storm coming, in order see if the local weather man will bless us with the words we all long to hear.
The North Face Odyssey Softshell Jacket review
The search for a good resort-skiing jacket can be a tough one. Skiing in-bounds is an unusual workout since it’s all about charging hard down the mountain (and getting sweaty), then sitting on a lift (getting cold), over and over again. The start/stop activity causes problems with body-temperature regulation, which then fuels an internal debate over what to wear on a given day. Is it a fleece under hardshell kind of day? A baselayer with softshell day?
Mountain biking Fruita’s Kessel Run (video)
As a continuation of yesterday’s post about mountain biking in Fruita, Colorado, here is a helmet-cam video of what we all considered to be the highlight of the entire trip. Kessel Run. Located in the Bookcliffs area of Fruita on 18-Road, Kessel Run is a rush. Although it’s not technically difficult, it still forces you to hone in on your bike-handling skills on countless twists and turns through a banked creek bed
Mountain biking Fruita, Colorado
Okay, so mountain biking in Fruita, Colorado has nothing to do with Utah, but the town is just over the border, and the landscape is very Utah-esque. Therefore, riding in Fruita is like riding in Utah if you ignore that “Welcome to Colorful Colorado” sign at the state line. But why travel so far to…
Autumn winning seasonal tug-of-war
Winter can wait. Autumn is a schizophrenic season where sometimes the weather doesn’t know what it wants to be. Summer and winter play tug-of-war over the months of October and November, and we’re all caught in the middle. For those of us who recreate in the outdoors, the highs and lows of the temperature roller…
Thule Prologue Pack Fork Mount 2-bike rack review
After shopping around and nearly fainting at the price of a decent roof-mount setup, I discovered the Thule Prologue Pack. A roof rack system that includes two fork mount platforms with locks for under $200, the Thule Prologue Pack was everything I needed at half the cost of other roof racks.
From porn to docs: the ski movie revolution
Pre-season skier tradition dictates that watching a new ski movie in a theater is downright mandatory. The imminent arrival of winter buries the needle of anticipation into the red when snow lovers gather to watch the latest powder flick. This ritual usually involves teenage jibbers intermingling with faded, fleece clad free-heelers, sitting hip-to-hip in front…