Tag: gear

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 […]

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. […]

Climbers nearing the summit of Vinson Massif In the world of high altitude mountaineering, your feet are an extremely valuable asset. Part of caring for this asset means selecting the boot design that will serve you best. Companies have gone to great lengths to create a variety of boot technologies and options to maximize comfort […]

  Blister Prevention words: Mike Hawkins   Take a few seconds to think of the toughest person you know, or the toughest person you can imagine from your favorite action movie… Got it? This person should probably be covered in mud or have some cuts on their arms and legs, but they don’t care because […]

Words: Val Peckarsky Photo Credit: Cecily Breeding It has been said that if you don’t pack a headlamp on a trip, you are guaranteed to need one. Small and easily overlooked, headlamps are extremely useful in the backcountry for pre-dawn alpine starts, late-night cooking sessions, and pretty much any other time a little extra light […]

What’s the difference between a rock climbing harness and a mountaineering harness? Why might one be better than the other? Below we’re going to dig into the primary differences, and why for anything but technical rock climbing, you should choose a mountaineering harness for your next objective. There are three primary differences between your average […]