Looking to supplement your gear selection in a big way fast? Go to a nearby soccer field, park your ’69 Bronco (or other acceptable classic convertible automobile) on the grass, and wait. Or opt for the more reliable experience by checking out Backcountry.com’s Semi-Annual Sale. This is an entertaining little ditty that pulls from the daydreams of outdoor gear lovers everywhere. And rumor has it, it only took them 172 (and a half) hours to make.

Tags: Backpacking, Camping, Climbing, Clothing, Cycling, fishing, Hiking, Jackets, Kayaking, Sale, Shoes, Skiing, Snowboarding, Telemarking, Trail Running, Traveling, Videos
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…slower than sap in an Alaskan January. Only 18 of 49 racers finished because epic snow caused riders to push rather than pedal nearly the entirety of the 350-mile course. The winner, Pete Basinger of Bend, finished in six days and 15 hours. Yes, that’s an average of 2.2 MPH. Basinger has won the race [ more... ]

Tags: Cycling, Telemarking, Trail Running
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Jason from Feed the Habit shared this video that made the blog rounds beginning with The Piton about four years ago. A look at a tele skier turned AT with a voiceover by a guy who sounds like Jeff Bridges. There’s even a cameo by the predecessor of Backcountry.com, BackcountryStore.com. There’s something about telemarking/AT that invites parody videos.

Tags: Telemarking, Videos
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The editor of Telemark Skier Magazine is taking The Freeheel Life on a 50 city tour beginning October 1^st. There will be lots of discussion about the ‘flow’ and ‘rhythm’ of telemark skiing that helps these people commune with nature on a plane alpine skiers like myself can never hope to achieve. It’s so natural man, so real.

Tags: Telemarking, Videos
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Scarpa’s Rnew line of plastic tele boots are made with 90% plant oil, which has the benefit of not ruining the earth quite as quickly as petroleum and causing fewer wars. It also obviously goes more with the earthy “feel the turn man” ethos of telemarking. I still have questions about the utility of making [ more... ]

Tags: Green, Telemarking
Posted in Environment, Gear | 2 Comments »

Watching people ski through powder is like watching people play golf. Maybe it’s a little relaxing and interesting, but it’s something you’d much rather do yourself. Powderwhore’s movies are different because most of the skiing looks like things you could do yourself. Most of the time they’re not ski BASE jumping or dropping huge cliffs. Powderwhore is ski porn, but strictly the softcore, Cinemax variety. Flakes is Powderwhore’s 2009/10 offering.

via Backcountrycom Twitter

Tags: Telemarking, Videos
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If you ski or board in the backcountry, and you still need convincing after watching this video from Haines, Alaska, you’re likely either A. living tissue over a metal endo-skeleton, or B. going to be dead/injured soon from an acute case of apathy. In this clip, skier Chris Cardello proves beyond a doubt that if you are buried by an avalanche, wearing and properly using an Avalung could seriously increase your chances for survival. Thanks to remarkable presence of mind, combined with Level II Avalanche training, Chris was also quick enough to reach his other hand toward the surface while he held the mouthpiece in place. Most importantly, he might never have been found had he not also been wearing a beacon. While he was only buried for a few minutes, the experience left Mr. Cordello with a ruptured Achilles tendon and some of the most chilling real-life avy victim footage ever caught on film. Watch, have nightmares, and learn.

Tags: Snowboarding, Telemarking, Videos
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FYI: Scarpa just contacted our hardgoods department to inform them of a recall issue with the Terminator X and Terminator X Pro Telemark/AT boots. Apparently some of them have been cracking in the toe box area, and we’re going to have to send them all back for examination. It’s kind of a bummer, considering the [ more... ]

Tags: Telemarking
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BackSide? Are you sure you guys thought this one through? Sheesh. Why not just name your backcountry ski line Assless Chaps? In a rebranding move, K2 is dropping their Telemark/AT line and replacing it with BackSide Skis. As if those bearded telemakers don’t get teased enough for their knee pads and climbing helmets. The new [ more... ]

Tags: Skiing, Telemarking
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Canada! Almost Russia (Alaska)! Japan!

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The telemark crew is back this year reminding us that they’re getting face shots while the rest of us enjoy cranking through knee-deep powder. Damn knee-deep powder. The POV shots of the tree skiing and high fives look especially good in this Powder Whore, and their skis don’t even come off in crashes. Check out the high-quality version here.

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via Gear Addicts

Tags: Telemarking, Videos
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