Pierra Menta Skimo Race Header

What it Takes to Finish the Pierra Menta Skimo Race

Since the beginning of time, mankind has figured out a way to compete in athletic events. Running, jumping, and throwing are obvious examples. But as we evolved, we also determined that throwing a ball through a hoop, running, kicking, or throwing an odd-shaped ball down a field, kicking another into a net, flicking a hunk of plastic across ice into …

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A Geological Ski Tour of Mt. Shasta

The young summit looked like a volcanic rock fortress, a specter surveilling the crater below, covered in rime but otherwise untouched by time. According to the map, it was only 600 ft. or so above where we stood, but it appeared a thousand times taller before us.  Just before midnight, Nathan and I began the drive up the long, curving …

Tele Mike Russel

Project Ski Africa

Project Ski Africa: Chicken Jousting in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco Location: ZAWIYA AHANSAL Village, Morocco  Big Mountain Objective 1: JBEL AZOURKI, 12,070 feet Equipment: Voile V8s (Telemark) and SuperChargers (AT) Project Ski Africa Cafe, sparkling water, and heat are the essential staples as we drive to our first ski destination of Jbel AZOURKI. Jbel means Mount and AZOURKI is the …

Late Night in La Grave

Ski trips shouldn’t just focus on the adventures that take place on the mountain. There is much more to skiing than sliding, gliding, and making turns on snow. During my escapes to adventure ski around the world, I astutely learned that some of the best adventures are experienced during the exploration of surrounding villages and their communities of soulful mountain …

St Elias 2014 base camp-ski-expedition

25 Tips for Your First Ski Expedition

After nine years and several hundred combined expedition days, V-Team Ambassadors Aaron Diamond and Ty Guarino wanted to put together a body of information that was tailored to anyone looking to go on their first ski expedition; specifically, Alaska-style basecamp expeditions that maximize fun and minimize discomfort.  Most of this information is universal for a ski expedition, but a few …

Jen Girardi splitboarding through BC powder. Photo by Ben Girardi.

Enjoy the Journey: Japan Backcountry Culture

WINTER IS COMING Shorter days, lingering morning frost, and snow blankets the mountains- winter is near. Skiers and snowboarders itch to get back in their bindings. For lovers of mountain exploration, this season of anticipation is nostalgic and exciting. It is time for reflection on past trips and planning of future trips. Time for pulling out old gear and reminiscing …

Low Tide Adventure in Argentina

Skiers and snowboarders are part of a nomadic tribe that can be found dreaming about the next turn, sometimes traveling to great lengths in search of pow. This summer, as the days were getting longer and temperatures higher, I found myself longing to get away from the scorching heat in Whistler, BC. Perhaps an adventure in Argentina? Traveling to the …

Embracing the Alaska Factor

We flew in under a grey-blue ceiling to the most spectacular playground I have ever seen. On the Pika Glacier, rock buttresses rise like sharks’ teeth from the valley, their ridges separated by perfect ribbons of snow that plunge into the glacier below.