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Outdoor Camping Fails
We’d driven the parking loop not once, but twice. Visiting Mt. Saint Helens for the first time this season, the Sippel Sisters and I were looking for a perfectly level, sunny spot to camp. After deciding no such unicorn existed, we chose a primo location nearish the toilet that was strategically upwind from the stench (and away from other would-be summitteers). All we had to do now was erect our 3-man tent in the fading sunlight, and score some Zzzzs before the early morning start. Only, we were missing one critical item.
How To Go To The Iditerod
The shrieking outbursts are so loud you need heavy-grade ear protection to walk down the street. People had warned me the dogs were loud, but I was woefully underprepared for the volume of their exuberance. Standing in the staging area at the 2019 Iditarod, watching...
Turns All Year: Month 88 (Part II)
As previously mentioned, skiing in February didn't go as planned. Month 88 of Turns All Year had everything: The Good: My first skimo race; an unbelievable snowstorm; a “we were published” celebration; a ride up a 17mph rope tow.The Bad: Massive blisters....
Turns All Year: Month 88 (Part 1)
Things don't always go as planned. That's the theme of skiing in February 2019. Month 88 of Turns All Year had everything: The Good: My first skimo race; an unbelievable snowstorm; a "we were published" celebration; a ride up a 17mph rope tow.The Bad: Massive...
How To Blow The Perfect Snot Rocket
With a snort, the single coagulated snot ball exits your nostril in a perfect arc over your right shoulder. It’s cold and your nose is like a sieve that just won’t stop. You’ve been sniffing at this thing for hours with no relief, and you’re without a handy hanky....
How To Pick Out Backcountry Ski Gear
If you run your mouth about something long enough, people will start to think you an expert in said topic. Tutus. Pooping outside. Backcountry skiing. These are my niches and I'm not at all upset about it. As a result, I often get asked to help pick out skis and...
Set Up Your Emergency Contact Information
Editor's Note: I published this post for the first time in 2016, two years after Loren's accident. Every year around the February 19 anniversary I republish the blog to encourage action and honor Loren's legacy. If this is your first time reading, I hope you take a...
So, You Want To Go On Your First Urban Ski Tour
You've never been skiing out your front door before, despite the fact that you grew up in the snowiest place on earth (Montana). In the 17-years you've occupied the "big city" you haven't quite been able to get your poop in a group, even though it's snowed enough to...
Turns All Year: Month 87
Ski season begins for most winter enthusiasts in November. But when you ski year-round for Turns All Year, your ski season never really ends. Most TAYers begin marking new total ski days in November since we have to count somehow, and I typically average about 40 ski...
