Deserts In The Winter - Adventure Journal's 11 Favorite Things About The Desert

Spring is almost upon us. Or is winter in full swing? Either way, some folks are looking forward to the days of one less layer and a pint on the porch, instead of a mug by the fire. If you're not one of those, keep enjoying the powder. If you are looking forward to warmer days and... shorts, Adventure Journal gives a timely reminder that the desert is still there, waiting for you.

Out west, many of the US National Parks (11, by Adventure Journal's count) have enough sand and scree and sun to make you completely forget that you were wearing tights and gloves on your run last week. So, shrug off your anxious twitch and get some inspiration with AJ's 'The List: The 11 Best Things About The Desert.'

Our favorite from The List? The Rivers (#6). Nothing feels more like summer that sunning on the burning-hot side of a whitewater raft in nothing but a swimsuit and life jacket, and there's no better way to cheat Old Man Winter out of his due than by grabbing a mid-winter raft trip in the American Southwest.

Enjoy the read, pack a bag, and get ready for your out west road trip (don't forget oft overlooked Canyon de Chelly). Or you could always go to Thailand.

Skimo: A Novice's Introduction To Ski Mountaineering - Video

The beauty of "adventure sports" is that the options are as broad as the term adventure. Each year it seems, innovative ways to combine sports, push the envelope, and break new ground are being introduced and popularized.

From adventure racing, which has been in a constant state of emerging and refining for the last 20 years, to free solo climbing, which jumped onto the outdoor sporting scene afresh last year with Alex Honnold's speed climb of Yosemite's El Capitan, there seems to be a steady flow of new and exciting possibilities.

A pack of ski mountaineering competitors race uphill

So it is this year with ski mountaineering, a type of competitive ski touring event where participants race both up and down mountains, combining mountaineering with alpine, telemark, and backcountry skiing.

Ski mountaineering, or 'skimo' as it is often called in the US, has maintained long-term popularity in Europe under the name 'randonee racing' and is quickly gaining a following in the United States.

The following video from the 2013 Eddie Bauer Winter Mountain Games Ski Mountaineering Race that was just held in Vail, Colorado, gives a great glimpse into the grueling challenge that skimo competitors are enthusiastically throwing themselves into:

New Pack Manufacturer Mile High Mountaineering Gets High Praise

Outside Magazine has been putting upstart pack manufacturer Mile High Mountaineering's flagship Salute 34-liter hiking and climbing pack through its paces on multiple different climbing pitches across Europe. After rigorous testing in Spain, France, and Germany, Outside's thoughts? "A perfect pack for climbers."

Among the original touches Outside's testers noted:

• "its unique S-shaped zipper, which winds around the top compartment and down the packs’ body"
• "the plastic-reinforced hang loop—designed much like a gear loop on a climbing harness"
• "the comfortable but compact suspension system that uses a lightweight M-shaped piece of flexible aluminum to create a simple frame for the pack"

Jumping onto the outdoor gear landscape in 2009, Colorado-based Mile High Mountaineering has stuck with what they know, producing a small-but-innovative line of activity-specific packs. Instead of expanding quickly, MHM has focused on packing their packs with perks to make their users fall in love with them. As the Outside article shows, it's clearly working!

Outside Online's full article: Mile High Mountaineering Salute: A Perfect Pack for Climbers

2013 Ouray Ice Festival - Ice Climbing Clinics

As a follow up to our recent post about Josh Wharton's lessons learned while ice climbing in the Canadian Rockies, we wanted to highlight the 2013 Ouray Ice Festival.

One of the best ways to get into a new sport, especially one as intimidating and potentially dangerous as ice climbing, is to attend a clinic run by experienced professionals.

Organized by San Juan Mountain Guides, the Ouray Ice Festival is a great place to get into the sport, with clinics that are very well priced ($49 for half-day) and guides who are billed as "The Local Experts."


Located near the picturesque mountain town of Telluride, the 5-day festival offers a perfect opportunity right after New Years to get away to the Colorado mountains for some skiing, Telluride nightlife, and a day or two (or a full 5) of ice climbing.

Add ice climbing to your New Year's resolutions and make your way to Ouray!