Hardwear Sessions

You had a year to complete your mission. Now, you have one last shot to share your success story on the Mission Project blog.

Send us your story before December 31, 2007, if you still want that $2,000 shopping spree and guided trip up Rainier.

Complete Your Mission -- Submit your Story.

View More Pictures of Jessa at HP40

By Jessa Goebel

Confederate flags, Baptist churches, and Southern cookin', that is how you know you are in the Southeast. Seemingly impossible mantels, sandstone slopers, and Pabst Blue Ribbon--that is how you know you are at Horse Pens 40.

For the past few years I have attended the Triple Crown Bouldering Series. When it is time to head to HP40, located in Steele, Alabama, I usually manage to find a way to get down there for the week before the comp, to get some bouldering time. This year in particular, the positive energy in the air was higher than I can remember in previous years. Normally, in the Southeast it is hard to find other girls to climb with, this was definitely not the case this year.

In November 2007, Mountain Hardwear athlete Jon Bowermaster and a small team of athletes, scientists, and documentary filmmakers traveled to Antarctica to launch the Antarctica 2008 expedition.

Part of the Global Warming 101 initiative, Antarctica 2008 will document global warming's impact upon the South Pole.

"If in the final equation the surface of the Earth is a single, complex system," Jon writes,"Then Antarctica is its heart, the slowly beating pump that drives the whole world." Antarctic ice helps regulate the earth's climate. Global warming destablizes the processes that regulate ice formation at the Antarctic, disturbing the earth's fragile thermoregulatory processes.

Jon and his crew intend to provide "an empirical look at how the seventh continent is changing and evolving" in response to global warming. The Antarctic 2008 expedition aims to help us understand how these changes affect the oceans. The Antarctica 2008 expedition focuses on the remote eastern edge of the Antarctic Peninsula, an area seldom visited by humans. Unlike the west side of the Antarctic, which is protected by large barrier islands, the east side is completely open to the elements.

"We intend," Jon writes, "To get as close as we can to the remains of the Larsen Ice Shelf, to document how it is today." In March 2002, the Larsen-B ice shelf collapsed into the ocean. The 500-billion-ton ice shelf fractured into thousands of tiny icebergs. Scientists believe that global warming directly contributed to the Larsen-B's collapse. A harbringer of things to come, the Larsen-B's collapse gave scientists a glimpse into the Antarctic's future.

Visit the Antarctica 2008 website to read Jon's dispatches from the field, watch documentary footage, and learn more about climate change's impact on the South Pole.

By Ryan Riggs, MHW International

After spending two and half days high pointing Maine in the Appalachian Mountains, New Hampshire in White Mountains, Vermont in Green Mountains, and New York in the Adirondacks we headed south to find some BIG mountains. Awe inspiring mountains like Ebright Azimuth in Delaware towering 448 feet above sea level next to a trailer park.

View More Photographs from Freddie's Trip to India.

Mountain Hardwear athlete Freddie Wilkinson traveled to the Jangpar Glacier, in India's Himal Pradesh, to climb the Glacier's "crown jewel, Peak 5960." Attracted to the peak's "clean lines and elegant symmetry," Freddie set off for India with fellow climbers Pat Goodman and Dave Sharratt.

"Every alpinist knows that fate will only deal him a few special summits in his career," Freddie wrote. "I had to go."

Read more about Freddie's recent trip to India on Climbing.com's Pro Blog.

Last night's Nightline featured a little segment on Mountain Hardwear athlete Mike Libecki. The segment focuses on Mike's quest to climb "off the beaten path," and includes footage gathered by his "helmet cam."

Watch the segment, or read Nightline's coverage.

By Willie Meinen

As I load up my pack, my partner and I don't say much. The wind howls, and the snow blows. It's 3am. The weight of the climb ahead leaves us with a sentiment that isn't worth talking about. Drifts of windswept snow blow across the inhospitable landscape and cover up the glacial till beneath. My boot prints leave the only signs of life, and soon the wind and snow remove my short lived imprint. I feel very alone. I turn off my headlamp and try to adjust to the dark. The stars in the heavens above prick through the inky black canvas. I feel very alone.

View Ryan's Photos on Flickr.

By Ryan Riggs, MHW International

It must be my sensitive side, but I've always wanted to see New England during the fall foliage change. However, my macho side could never justify driving around looking at pretty leaves. I needed something of substance mixed in to defend my "leaf-peeping" desires. Fortunately, there are state highpoints to do and a bunch of them. So, my buddy Brian and I spent a few months formulating a plan that we thought could get us 13 highpoints (w/ Washington DC) on a 4.5 day road trip. It's funny how things turn out.

By Micah Dash

Just wanted to drop you all a line and let you know that the All-Access tour is going really well. The climbing and the culture of the Southeast are awesome. Matt and I are currently in the Red River Gorge. Which is truly a Mecca of American rock climbing. We presented a show here to an awesome crowd. The presentation turned into a dance party sponsored by Miguel's carried over into the wee hours finishing at about 3:00am.

People are excited about supporting the Access Fund and the membership drive itself has been a success. Getting climbers to fork out at little dough is no easy feat. But we are making it happen. Matt and I will be here, for a few days before heading off to the University of Pennsylvania then UMD. If "y'all" are in the area we will be at the Triple Crown event on November 30. It should be a great time.

On Wednesday, November 7, 2007, a 902-foot container ship hit the wooden fender protecting one of the Bay Bridge's supporting towers. (The Bay Bridge is the main artery that connects the city of Oakland--and the rest of the East Bay--with the city of San Francisco.) That morning, dense fog blanketed the San Francisco Bay, and the ship's pilot reported great difficulty with navigation. After the accident, the Cosco Busan spilled 58,000 gallons of fuel oil into the San Francisco Bay. The ship was leased to Hanjin Shipping, a South Korean shipping company.

By Paige Boucher

When Mountain Hardwear announced the Mission Project challenge last January, it was up to me to give it a PR spin. So I challenged my media friends and contacts to state their mission and then complete it by the outdoor industry's August trade show. I am proud of all who stated their goals and especially of those who completed them.

Wanting to be a team player as well as give my self a kick in the butt, in January I announced my mission to ride my first century. My plan was to train for and ride a 100-mile road ride before the August trade show. I've always loved riding. I taught myself how to ride my mom's bike when I was 5-years-old which prompted my parents to buy me a bike more my size -- a blue Huffy. During the summer between fifth and sixth grades my best friend, Kathy and I declared two goals: to ride our bikes to the top of a hill which rose about 1000 feet above Boulder, our hometown, and to try all 31 flavors at Baskin Robbins ice cream. We were successful at the hill climb but the ice cream goal was too expensive for our allowances. Things have not changed that much. It's still not clear whether I eat to ride or ride to eat. I sure enjoy both! Anyway, I rode a lot this summer.

View More Images from Ueli on Flickr.

By Ueli Steck

November 9, 2007:

The Canada trip comes to an end. We had a perfect finish yesterday. Howse Peak didn't work out, but that's the game. In the end the Weather and the conditions decide a lot. So the last three days we worked on a new line at the Crowfoot Glacier. This line, we watched the whole trip. And we knew that the ice was growing! Thursday we hiked up the first time, after we went to the parking lot at Howse Peak in heavy snowfall! We climbed the first two pitches to the big overhang. I started the big pitch, but we didn't have a powerdrill. (Of course we had the rack for Howse Peak...) I ended up giving up very fast. The first part of the pitch has little features and no way for natural protection... Wednesday we were up again. With the right equipment--the equipment we had from Will's impressive garage. Or, it's probably better to call it a retail store...

We finished in the dark, the pitch took us the whole day to put up, so we were pretty happy. But we had only one day left and the climbing is hard.

Yesterday it was time to finish the route and the Canada trip! The first two pitches we climbed very fast. We knew we need the time on the big Pitch.

Simon went first for the big pitch. He was climbing forever. But he didn't fall! It took him exactly 2 h to climb the 45 meter long pitch.

This Pitch is very very steep, it hangs over 20 meters...

I climbed up, rappelled and rested for 15 minutes. Then I also freed the Pitch. We finished the Pitch around 4.00 pm. We had one hour more of daylight and one more pitch to go. The last pitch is a really nice freestanding pillar. We finished in the dark on the last pitch. Perfect Timing. A perfect end for a great trip.

View More Pictures from the Designers' Rainier Trip

About a month ago, the Mountain Hardwear design team headed to Mt. Rainier. Here, our materialogist Gaston McMillan describes the trip's impact upon his design philosophy. Gaston first delivered this piece as a presentation at the Industrial Fabrics Association International's annual conference in Las Vegas. Gaston gave his presentation the day after the team returned from Rainier.

By Gaston McMillan

I've just come from a climb on Mount Rainier in Washington. The peak is at 14,400 ft and is a wonderful place to spend time as well as the premier training ground for anyone going to greater, more difficult places like the high ranges in Alaska or any of the 8,000M peaks around the world including Aconcagua, K2, or Everest. Rainier is a big powerful mountain with beautiful glaciers, laid on the shoulders of a sleeping volcano. I was there with the Mountain Hardwear product managers, several of our designers, and the Rainier Mountain Institute guides with whom we work. Our intention was to first; be able to spend time with and get meaningful feedback from the guides -- unfiltered -- on our gear and the means of communicating more effectively in the future; 2nd, to have a meaningful, shared experience among all of us and 3rd, to attempt to ring that bell at the top, or more plainly, to try for the summit.

View More Photographs of the 2007 Home Front Run on Flickr.

Mountain Hardwear's headquarters are located in Richmond, California, about 40 minutes northeast of San Francisco. Richmond fronts the San Francisco Bay, and during World War II the city was an important center of industrial production. We are proud to be a part of this community. In September, Mountain Hardwear teamed up with Montrail to co-sponsor the Home Front Run, a benefit for the Richmond Hilltop YMCA. The money raised from this event will go towards the YMCA's outdoor education program for Richmond's youth. Our own Alex Baires assisted Susan Spencer from the YMCA in spearheading the event.

By Alex Baires

It has been over a month since the inaugural YMCA Home Front Run but the success of the event is still resonating. A sincere THANK YOU goes to the one hundred or so participants and over thirty volunteers! The run proved to be a great event for everyone. Participants included various runner levels, from first time racers to ultra runners. And, volunteers went well above and beyond the call of duty to make this a great event.

Thanks to the generous donations from Montrail, Mountain Hardwear, and Lucky, runners were treated to good post-run treats and every finisher received an event Mountain Hardwear Long Sleeve Wicked T. In addition, participants that placed first, second, or third in their respective gender/age groups and overall received great Montrail prizes that included trail runners from the Velocity collection and Molokai/Molokini flip flops from the Slackline collection. It didn’t end there, however. Prizes were also raffled off and included three-month memberships to the Hilltop Family YMCA, Montrail hats and t-shirts, a Mountain Hardwear Lamina 45 sleeping bag, messenger bag, Torch jacket, and more!

Please go to the On Your Mark Events website for 5k and 10k results and photos. Also enjoy the few pictures we took of the event. Thanks everyone!

By Uncle T-Party (better known as Taylor Shoop)

Holy Underwear Batman; Banff rocks

For those who have not been to this jewel of a town, book your ticket now. This was my first time, and driving from Calgary, I was speechless; barring religious, four letter words. Standing in town, looking down Banff Ave. one could not help, nor avoid, being humbled by Cascade Mountain, grinning down at you, like someone who knows something you should. There is no apparent approach to the peaks of this region, it looks like you would just strap on your crampons sitting in the back of your pick-up and tie up. This makes it hard to imagine a finer venue for the Banff Mountain Film Festival. Coupled with the mountains, you will also find yourself surrounded with the warmth of Banff's locals, ready and willing to steer you to one of the fine pubs the town has to offer.

The festival itself is well organized and accommodating. With rooms available at the Banff Center, the location of the film screenings, it is easy to get around on foot and explore.

I have taken the liberty to assume that any mention of the films is frivolous, as they have not disappointed in the 30-odd years that this festival has been around.

And the Editor Adds: For those of you who didn't get a chance to party with Taylor, continue reading for a list of this year's Film and Book Award winners.

View More Pictures from Ueli's Most Recent Climbs on Flickr.

By Ueli Steck

November 4, 2007:

The weather here is still very unstable. But we got some really good climbing in. But not Howse, the time is running fast, looks like Howse will not work... Anyway, Friday we went up to Mount Rundle. We wanted to climb Ten Years After. But the Swiss team was up too late, there was already a party there. So we we hiked over to Sacre Bleu. A Nice Wi 5+.

But it was definitely a good climb. It's a nice 100 meter climb. After the climb we went back to Ten Years After. The guys from the Morning had already left, they didn't climb it because it was too thin. So it was on us to try. And it was just good interesting climbing. Some mixed and thin Ice. When we finished the climb there was still some daylight left. I was pretty motivated to climb the Route again but without a rope. I have been having a pretty hard time since my accident on Annapurna, and I have some problems to get focused again. So know it was time to climb again and get my strong head back. It took me half an hour to get focused before I started the climb again without the rope. and it worked out really nice. I enjoyed the whole climb, I was really sure about it. and thats exactly what I missed the whole summer. Now I get back into climbing.

A good solo ascent for me personally. I am quite happy!

So yesterday we started again on Mount Rundle, arms and legs feeling a little tired. We climbed the Tree Pitches Route of Laser Blade,a a good WI 4+ Route with thin ice and no good protection. After the route there is a second rock band thats never been climbed. On Friday Steven Holeczi did e new route up on this rockband, a full Ice route. We looked on the Rock band and found a really nice icicle to the left of the face. So that was the goal for today. First Pitch it's 60 meters, Wi5+. Then the second pitch took us a long time to get the gear in. But there are no bolts on this route. So Simon did all the gear. After it was my turn to free the pitch. So I climbed up on all this scary gear. I climbed all the way up to the crux and just before you can clip the good Angel-Pin I broke the hook.

So i went for a ride.

And i remember i realize that the knifeblade was ripping off. The fall was stopped by a sling thats around a small icicle that was maybe 10 cm diameter...

But it held. After this, I finished the Pitch and Simon lowered me down.

On the way down i tried to fix the protection. After Simon climbed the Pitch, and after him was my go again. So i took some time and we both freed the pitch. Again a good Route in the Rockies. We called it Not Flying is not Trying M8/Wi 6 It's really good climbing on natural protection and quite technical! I guess there are not many similar routes in the Rockies like this.

Mountain Hardwear is a proud sponsor of the 2007 Banff Mountain Film Festival and the Festival's North American Tour. We're also sponsoring the award for the Best Short Mountain Film. Those of you who live in the vicinity might consider catching a film or two at the Banff Center. Tonight--November 1st--Ed Viesturs will give a talk, in conjunction with Steph Davis. Ed's talk will highlight his autobiography, No Shortcuts to the Top (now available in paperback).

If you think you might have some trouble getting to Banff, visit the Banff Center's World Tour page to find a screening location close to you. You'll have to wait a bit--the Tour begins in 2008. But don't worry, those of us who work here at MHW's headquarters in Richmond, California are in the same boat.