Hardwear Sessions

Welcome to our latest experiment. We've constructed a new virtual basecamp for alpinists, adventurers, and climbers the world over. Hardwear Sessions, our new Blog, brings you into our design rooms and out to the crags. Here, you'll be able to follow our professional athletes as they report from the far corners of the earth. Get a first-hand look behind the scenes of designing and producing the world's most durable and innovative outdoor gear. Monthly contests, podcasts, video, insider articles, gear philosophy, expedition tips and tricks. It's all here for you. Have fun, participate and enjoy the ride!

By Andrew McLean

The other day I took a run at a ski resort before heading out of bounds and almost froze to death in the middle of the groomed trail. It was COLD! I was dreading a day of frigid touring, but once we slid through the gate, I immediately warmed up. It's not like one side of the rope was warmer than the other, so what's the deal?

Backcountry skiing and resort skiing have a lot in common but require much different clothing strategies. Resort skiing has the ying and yang elements of exerting no energy while riding the lift then suddenly exerting lots of energy as you ski down and get blasted with the wind chill. Backcountry skiing on the other hand is all about maintaining a smooth operating temperature.

Check out photos from Ouray 2007!

The Mountain Hardwear crew recently returned from an eventful weekend at the Ouray Ice Festival in Ouray, Colorado. Plentiful snow and frigid temperatures may have kept those with a feint heart away, but those climbers who managed to brave the elements are far richer for the experience. Ouray offers an accessible avenue to learning the sport of ice climbing. If you haven't had the opportunity to stop by Ouray, then you have a moral imperative to make it happen next year. Chapter 4 in the book "How to Make Friends and Influence People" discusses many of the advantages you'll find to making this yearly pilgrimage.

What do you think are some of the best reasons to attend the Ouray Ice Festival? Post a Comment