Category: Gear

Submission by Andy Souder in the Gear Department Believe it or not, being able to use your hands comfortably makes mountaineering much easier. Keeping your hands warm, comfortable and protected can be a make-or-break piece on the summit push. One of the most frequent questions we get asked here in the Gear Department is “do […]

Submission By Morgan McGonagle I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 12 years old. As a very active and independent 12-year-old, this was not a convenient diagnosis. I wanted to be outside as much as possible at the time and was planning to attend a summer camp where I would be away […]

Misconceptions about climbing gear can leave you wandering in the woods. In this article, we’ll look at the top-10 most common gear-related misconceptions for those newer to mountaineering, and offer some quick comments in answer. This piece was originally published in 2017, but it’s proved so helpful that we pulled it from the archives and […]

By Mike Hawkins It has been a long day – one of the most demanding climbing days you have ever experienced. Your legs are wrecked. Your back is sore and you have small bruises on your hips from your hipbelt. You have sunscreen caked into every nook and cranny, but even that didn’t keep you […]

By Mike Hawkins “Man, this is a really great pack…” I said it over and over for months until my wife had finally had enough of it. She had to get one for herself.  While 50 liters is a little small for most multi-day mountaineering and winter ski tours, the small size is plenty versatile […]

By Val Peckarsky Regardless of past matrimonial experiences, we have all experienced cold feet at one point or another. As mountaineers, with our penchant for traveling willingly into extreme conditions at high altitudes, we frequently find ourselves on the frontlines of the battle against allowing our extremities to become too cold. Cold-related injuries vary greatly […]

By Marc Simonpietri You probably have more midlayers in your closet than you realize. That still-fitting fleece jacket from summer camp? It could work. A light, puffy jacket that never seems warm enough for actual cold weather? That could work too. Truth be told, midlayers are a very adaptable layer that can come in many […]

Above: crampons are required equipment on almost every mountaineering trip, like Mount Olympus’ Blue glacier, pictured. Words: Mike Hawkins In the beginning there were crampons, and they were not so good Have a look here for a fun, brief history of crampons in mountaineering.  Crampons have been around for a very long time, and for […]

I am deeply passionate about good backcountry food. While quick missions have me eating ramen and oatmeal packets, I typically stick to “real food” in the backcountry. Cooking is creative, interesting, and just plain fun. Little beats the satisfaction of feeding backcountry partners (and myself!) well, and little beats the peace of watching a wilderness […]

Hiking deep into the North Cascades. Photo by Marc Simonpietri.   Long gone are the days of heavy canvas and external frame packs with more tie-down points outside than space on the inside. While these packs were used for decades on on early ascents around the world, backpack technology has progressed at a steady clip. […]