Adventure Sports Journal // April/May 2017 // Issue #96

Eastside Spring Skiing I Snowmaggedon I Runner’s High I Event Profiles

April/May 2017 Issue #96

KEEPER CALENDAR

from Sea Otter to 2018

bikes in the wilderness

Little Big

empowering women through bike skills

tom frost remembers the golden age

vegan

athletes

kayaking big water

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Table of Contents

Photo: Keoki Flagg

Photo: Jewell Lund

Photo: Joe Fitschen

Photo: James Adamson

Photo: Darin McQuoid

departments

7 9 10 32 35 42

Editor’s Note

How Royal Robbins changed America

Inbox / Switchback Readers sound off

Ear to the Ground News & notes

Event Profiles

A look at upcoming events

Keeper Calendar

From Sea Otter to 2018

Gear We Love

Goodies for your adventures

4 ASJ — April/May 2017

features

12 14 16 18

Snowmaggedon

A view from the trenches

Eastside Spring Skiing Backcountry bliss

Chantel Astorga

The limits of human endurance

Vegan Athletes

Adopting a plant-based diet

20 22 26 30

California Whitewater

Winter highlights & spring picks

34

420 For the Run

Cannabis’ healthy new image

Tom Frost

Remembering the Golden Age

Bikes in Wilderness The battle continues

The Little Big

Bikes empowering women

Cover Jill Kintner on her winning

run down the 2016 Sea Otter Classic downhill course. Photo: Josh Sawyer

DON’T MISS AN ISSUE – Subscribe to Adventure Sports Journal Mail a check for $20 to PO Box 35, Santa Cruz, CA 95063 along with subscriber name and address, or order online at adventuresportsjournal.com/subscribe.

800.430.5094

ECOBIKEADV.com

it was a big winter, what are you stoked for this spring?

PUBLISHING + EDITORIAL

leoniesherman

I am super stoked about my new ski boots!! I reckon I’ll be wearing them into July this year.

havenlivingston

Spring!? For the first time ever I was just starting to like winter. At least there will be snow on the mountains for a while and all the rivers will be flowing this spring.

chrisvanleuven

To team up with my favorite climbing partners and visit classic, long routes. Been thinking a lot about Yosemite.

kurtgensheimer

Getting back on the mountain bike and logging some big miles after a long and prosperous winter of skiing.

michelecharboneau Saying good riddance to the Pineapple Express and getting some solid time out in the sunshine climbing, cycling, and backpacking.

juliekanagy

jenniferstein

PUBLISHER Cathy Claesson cathy@adventuresportsjournal.com EDITORIAL/MARKETING Matt Niswonger matt@adventuresportsjournal.com EDITORIAL Michele Charboneau michele@adventuresportsjournal.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jennifer Stein jen@adventuresportsjournal.com INTERNS Joe Spota, Erika Pistor CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Leonie Sherman, Haven Livingston, Chris Van Leuven, Kurt Gensheimer, Michele Charboneau, Jennifer Stein, Julie Kanagy, Meghan Ochs CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Leonie Sherman, Royal Robbins, Tom Frost, Glen Denny, Joe Fitschen, Josh Sawyer, James Adamson, Sterling Lorence, Daniel Kangas, Phil Rosati, Abbi Hearne, David Smith, Clair Marie, Erin Fisher, Phil Boyer, Darin McQuoid, Jewell Lund, Tom Evans, Madaleine Sorkin, Keoki Flagg, Chris McFarland, Nick Murphy, Peter Day, Victoria Blaire, Stephen McGee, Justin Wage, Stephanie Ruff, Shanti Colangelo-Curran, Greg Mionske, Tom Moulin, Sarah Ackerson, Ian Satterfield, Craig McCoy, Called To Creation, Trevor Clark

THREE LOCATIONS: Lost Sierra • Sierra Meadows Ranch • Bear Valley SHUTTLE PKGS: Monterey • Santa Cruz • San Francisco DESTINATIONS: Moab, Costa Rica, Hawaii, the Sunshine Coast 2nd Annual Lost Sierra Electric Bike Festival 7/8/2017

ELECTRIC MOUNTAIN BIKE ADVENTURES

asj contributors

LAYOUT Cathy Claesson & Michele Charboneau WEBMASTER Brooklyn Taylor brook@adventuresportsjournal.com ADVERTISING

I am stoked for extra daylight, green hills, wildflowers, local strawberries, trail work and riding my bike outside!

Well, I live in Vegas, so it wasn’t a big winter for me, but I’m looking forward to warmer weather and warmer waters for kayaking.

meghanochs

I look forward to traveling.

When I am not discovering other places, I prefer to explore my backyard in the Sierra by bike or my two healthy, functioning legs that I am lucky to have.

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Cathy Claesson I 831.234.0351 cathy@adventuresportsjournal.com EVENTS & DISTRIBUTION Matt Niswonger matt@adventuresportsjournal.com EVENTS COORDINATOR Jennifer Stein jen@adventuresportsjournal.com All content © Adventure Sports Journal 2017. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the editors.

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Editor’s Note

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The Adventure Paradigm How Royal Robbins changed America

W

hen Royal Robbins died on March 14th it was a painful moment for the adventure community, and a chance to reflect on his great life. Robbins was an American maverick whose significance in history will grow over time, not just for people who care about outdoor sports, but also for any thinking person who cares about the future of America.

Looking back on his life, it’s clear that the early forces that shaped Robbins – an abusive stepfather, the Boy Scouts, and the discovery of Yosemite Valley as a crucible for his own potential – set him on a path to forge a unique way of appreciating the natural world as a place to become a better person and ultimately a happier person.

This new way of living in the world can roughly be described as using adventure to achieve human potential.

As a climber influenced by Robbins and his generation, it’s hard for me to convey the power of Yosemite to a nonclimbing visitortothe park. It’s like two completely different realities existing side by side at the same location. The tourist stands in the middle of Yosemite and sees a beautiful albeit crowded natural landscape. The climber stands in the exact same place and sees a thrilling and terrifying savage arena with an established progression of climbing challenges – each with its own history and each leading to self-mastery and spiritual improvement. This was how Robbins changed Yosemite forever.

More than anyone else he transformed Yosemite into a temple for the pursuit of self-potential that continues to this day.

Anyone can come to Yosemite and stare at El Capitan and say, “I want to climb that someday.” But to actually achieve that goal one must undergo a terrifying personal journey that is fraught with fear, risk management, and a whole lot of personal growth.

Similarly anyone can look at Mavericks during a big swell and say, “I want to surf that someday,” but to actually paddle into a Mavericks wave and stand up is an entirely different proposition. Actually gaining the ability to surf Mavericks is a journey that involves a lot of time, fear, and personal struggle. And yes, there is a chance you could die. For some surfers the journey will be well worth the blood, sweat and tears. Others will decide the risks are not worth the reward.

The legacy of Royal Robbins is that choosing to devote yourself to the serious adventure path is not just a legitimate way to live your life, it is a heroic undertaking and will possibly help you achieve greater happiness and material success in the long run.

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High on El Capitan, Royal Robbins and Chuck Pratt contemplate what adventure lies ahead. See page 22 for Legends of Yosemite, our feature about climbing’s Golden Age, as remembered by Tom Frost.

Photo by Tom Frost.

What if the ultimate expression of the American dream is not a bank account full of money but a life rich with adventure?

What if this adventure-filled life changed how we see the world and caused us to take better care of the environment?

Mountain bikers, climbers, surfers, hikers, kayakers, trail runners and others who use nature as a vehicle for self development are at the very center of what it means to be an environmentalist.

When something has high value it will be protected, and that’s how outdoor athletes feel about the outdoors.

With his highly successful clothing line, Robbins also proved that one could pursue non-material goals for many years and still succeed in the business arena.

Like Yvon Chouinard and his company Patagonia, Robbins was all about the journey and not the destination when it came to business and life in general.

So the legacy of Royal Robbins is not just that he defined the path of the outdoor athlete, it’s that he continues to inspire millions to put true adventure at the center of their lives. For those who follow in his footsteps, the reward is the kind of wealth that has nothing to do with how much money you have in the bank. Here at ASJ we think that’s the future of the American dream and a more sustainable way to pursue happiness than letting the shallow pursuit of money rule every aspect of our lives. What do you think?

Send me an email: matt@adventuresportsjournal.com

—Matt Niswonger

Cottage Grove, Oregon

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INBOX

Fanmail, Feedback, Ideas & Opinions In response to Editor’s Note #95: The Carbon Cancer

In response to Who Am I? contest

PUT THE CLIMATE FIRST I have been reading Adventure Sports Journal for several years now and have been following the “A Ripple in the Force” and the subsequent Editor’s Note “The Carbon Cancer.” I could not agree with you more in regard to having to address President Trump’s dangerous political agenda, specifically as it deals with climate change.

I started a group in South Lake Tahoe called the Tahoe Climate Action Network (facebook.com/ TahoeClimateChangeActionNetwork), ran for the local utility district board on a climate change platform (facebook. com/NickExlineTahoe), and recently a collaborative group has put together a program in which South Lake Tahoe will commit to receiving 100% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Barring any unforeseen event we anticipate having an approval on this objective, in addition to other sustainability measures very soon.

We have put together this 100% renewable transition into a format that would be easily replicated by other communities and we are working with the Sierra Nevada Alliance (sierranevadaalliance.com) and Sierra Camp (sbcsierracamp.org) to transition this 100% renewable pledge to other communities in the Sierra.

The recreational community is the perfect partners to help in this effort.

When your readers state that they want positive action, this could be that positive action. The outdoor recreational lifestyle has guided my decisions throughout my life and is now how my kids and I spend our free time. With your help we can help make sure that our climate and environment can be enjoyed for generations to come.

I appreciate your help and support.

DOUG ROBINSON Doug Robinson has a recent and terrific book called The Alchemy of Action.

It concerns, among other things, the biochemical cocktails we create in our systems by our adventurous lives.

Well researched and written, anyone interested in what is unfolding inside of them will find this often witty read, mixing science with Doug’s personal search and quiet bravado, a fit. His shaman’s brain and laser focus, well earned from a lifetime of playing on his own personal edge, play well together. His insights on our biochemical psychedelia fits into his outlier perspectives, and will blow your mind!

Recommended read for the intrepid.

—John Balawejder, Santa Cruz

—Nick Exline, Zephyr Cove, NV TRUMP IS A STEP BACKWARD You are right. Trump is an infuriating step backward – not just because of his outdated energy policy. We should do what we can to make sure his time in office is as short as possible.

—Kevin McLin, Online

Who Am I?

QUIT WHINING For what it is worth, in response to your Editor's Note in the December 2016/January 2017 issue of Adventure Sports Journal, I believe “...it is better to keep outdoor adventure separate from politics” regardless of the publication. I regularly read Adventure Sports Journal, Competitor, Cycle California!, and Runner’s World magazines. I read them, and engage in outdoor recreational activities to commune with nature, as an escape from my political, religious, and business activities.

In any event, as one who suffered through eight years of disastrous leading from behind by the Obama Administration but didn't protest except at the ballot box, the people have spoken and it is time for all to unite behind our elected president.

I don’t like aspects of President Trump the person and I don't like some of his proposals, but he was the BEST option for me. I, as well as others including yourself and your staff, are certainly free to continue to express our opinions in a lawful manner. However, there is a time and place for everything, and mixing politics and outdoor recreation is a volatile mixture.

If you refuse to separate your predilection to comment on environmental and/or social issues, then I suggest that your publisher and you seriously consider renaming Adventure Sports Journal to more accurately reflect its content, etc.

Not that it matters, but I am a former elected official and I have completed 120 marathons, including 22 consecutive Boston Marathons, three half marathons, 25 consecutive Bay to Breakers 12K, two triathlons, and many shorter distance races.

Sincerely, —Gregory Lane Hunter, St. Helena

P.S. This e-mail was watered down, i.e. significantly modified so as to not unnecessarily offend you in your current state.

We love to hear from our readers!

Chime in by emailing us at staff@ adventuresportsjournal.com.

Armchair Adventure New School Guide to Northern California Whitewater

By Dan Menten Menten’s new guide book has been in the works for over eight years.

It includes 135 run descriptions, GIS-generated precision maps, fun stories, and photos. Menten has run all but three of the reaches in the book so you can be sure that he has personally fact-checked every detail.

This is the first guidebook to come out of this region in over 20 years and is by far the most thorough. It captures the heart and soul of NorCal river culture and is a must-have for anyone interested in kayaking, rafting, or whitewater in general.

Buy directly from Menten and he’ll even sign the book if you ask. newschoolpublications.com

Merrell and Tough Mudder are teaming up for 2017 to bring you the biggest, baddest obstacle challenge yet. Gear up, grab your team, and get muddy.

WWW.MERRELL.COM/TOUGH-MUDDER

2017 EVENTS WEST COAST

ARIZONA – APRIL 8-9 TAHOE – JUNE 10-11

—Haven Livingston

Answer this correctly for a chance to win an ENO hammock!

• I was a skate pro in the 1980s with a popular deck.

• After retiring as a pro skater, I went to college to study business.

• In 1994 I dropped out of college to start a major brand in a different action sports category.

• My action sports brand was purchased by a Dutch company in 2015.

Can you name this athlete/entrepreneur?

Bonus: Tell us why this person is a gamechanger.

Enter to win at adventuresportsjournal.com/WhoAmI. Last issue’s winner: Ted Novak Correct answer: Doug Robinson www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com 9

EAR to the GROUND

proceed with his proposal. Grassroots organization Save Red Rock is determined to continue their battle to preserve the area, which is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts across the globe.

Learn more at SaveRedRock.com

News & Notes

Glen Denny

Tepui Tents Awarded Rooftop Tent Design Patent

Climbing Pioneer Royal Robbins Dies at 82 Royal Robbins, legendary rock-climbing pioneer, died March 14 at the age of 82.

As an early proponent of pitonless climbing, Royal was instrumental in inspiring a new generation of ethical, low-impact climbers. He was especially known for his first ascents in Yosemite.

He authored Basic Rockcraft and Advanced Rockcraft, and founded outdoor apparel company Royal Robbins with his wife Liz Robbins. After developing arthritis in 1978, Royal went on to become an established adventure kayaker.

Endangered Species Act at Risk In the current political climate the Endangered Species Act (ESA) is at risk.

The Act, signed in 1973, was designed to protect critically imperiled species from extinction. In December, Rep. Bishop (R-Utah), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, stated “I would be happy to invalidate the Endangered Species Act.” A February hearing to “modernize” the ESA included criticism from Republicans who are concerned about the the Act encroaches on states’ rights and is unfair to landowners, among other concerns.

The ESA has saved the bald eagle, the California condor, the gray wolf, the black footed ferret, the American alligator and the Florida manatee from likely extinction.

10 ASJ — April/May 2017

Big Sur Marathon Course Not Affected by Highway 1 Closure Storms that wreaked havoc on Highway 1 in California this winter will not affect the 26.2-mile route of the April 30 Big Sur International Marathon (BSIM).

Multiple mudslides, shoulder collapses and irreversible structural damage to the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge are all significant issues on the highway between the Big Sur Village south towards the San Luis Obispo County line. The marathon start line, however, is a half mile north of the road closure, allowing the iconic race to be held as planned.

Named as one of the world’s top destination races, the BSIM draws runners from all 50 states and more than two dozen countries. The organization has set up a fundraising page for race participants and others to voluntarily contribute to the Big Sur relief, via the Coast Property Owners Association, a 501(c)3 organization. Learn more and donate at crowdrise.com/bsimbigsurrelieffund.

Tepui Tents, a leading manufacturer of rooftop tents and a long time supporter of ASJ, announced it was awarded a utility patent for its innovative rooftop tent system. “Tepui has always been at the forefront of innovation for roof top tents and we couldn’t be more pleased to have been issued a patent on our Zipper Gimp. Our newest innovation will forever change the way our customers purchase roof top tents,” says John Griffith, Director of Sales and Marketing. The new patented Zipper Gimp system couples the tent’s base with the tent’s canopy allowing for interchangeable sheltering systems. The Zipper Gimp system will roll out to Tepui’s entire product line over the coming year. Tepui tents are available at Tepuitents.com and retailers nationwide.

Freeskier Josh Daiek Bags Second Tahoe Ten Expedition Professional freeskier and South Lake resident Josh Daiek recently bagged his second Tahoe Ten expedition, along with snowboarder Abe Greenspan. The Tahoe Ten links up multiple Lake Tahoe summits with steep technical skiing, powder, ice, and everything in-between, all the while racking up on 10,000 feet of vertical. Read a Q&A with Daiek online and watch the edit of his journey at adventuresportsjournal.com/josh-daiek.

Greg Mionske

Tom Moulin

Red Rock Suffers Setback in Fight Against Urban Sprawl Hundreds of residents gathered at the Clark County courthouse in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 22 to testify in opposition to developer Jim Rhodes’ plan to build more than 5,000 homes on property adjacent to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. A majority of the County Commission ignored the overwhelming outcry from the public, disregarded testimony from experts, and voted 5-2 to allow Rhodes to

Margo Hayes Becomes First Woman to Climb 5.15 On February 26th Margo Hayes of Boulder Colorado became the first female to break into the coveted 5.15 club when she clipped the chains on La Rambla in Siurana, Spain. Hayes, 19, spent the last year climbing over a dozen routes rated 5.14 or harder to solidify her technique and put her in a position to surpass many of the strongest climbers in the world by ticking a consensus 5.15a.

In 2016 Hayes won Climbing Magazine’s Golden Piton award for her meteoric rise in sport climbing.

OluKai Partners with REI Outessa to Adventures for Women

Trevor Clark

High Fives Awards Empowerment Grants The High Fives Foundation is awarding Tahoe residents Taylor Fiddyment, Jason Abraham, and Jeff Andrews board-approved Empowerment Grants totaling $14,820 to aid in their respective recoveries.

High Fives supports injured mountain sports athletes through grant funding to be used towards reaching their recovery goals. Since the High Fives Foundation’s January 2009 inception, the Empowerment program service has assisted 146 athletes from 27 states in nine respective funding categories which include: living expenses, insurance, travel, health, healing network, adaptive equipment, winter equipment, programs and “stoke” (positive energy, outlook and attitude).

In January 2017 the High Fives Foundation disbursed over $35,000 in board-approved grants to ten athletes in five states.

Learn more at highfivesfoundation.org.

Lifestyle footwear OluKai today announced its sponsorship of REI Outessa, a series of immersive, three-day outdoor adventures designed to connect women with the outdoors in a supportive learning environment. Now in its second year, these women’s getaways are filled with activities and inspiration, offer access to coveted gear and products, serve up great food and wine, and create the environment for making new friends and lasting memories. The three summer events in California, Oregon and New Hampshire help women be their sweatiest, dirtiest, happiest selves.

Learn more at REI.com/Outessa.

Called To Creation

California Enduro Series Announces CES Live!

The California Enduro Series (CES) announced the debut of CES Live!, a live race tracking system featuring live race results, live Instagram feed, and live Twitter feed to follow all the CES race action as it unfolds.

Celebrating its fifth year, the series introduces two new venues and welcomes back an old favorite from the 2015 lineup. The upcoming season also sees the return of the successful Golden Tour with a $24,000 cash purse for Pro categories. ASJ is a proud founding sponsor of the California Enduro Series.

Check out the 2017 race lineup at californiaenduroseries.com.

Bell Expands Joy Ride Women’s Mountain Bike Program Following the Bell Joy Ride program’s broad success across the country in its initial year, Bell has expanded the program from eight to 12 markets for 2017, helping continue its mission to get more women mountain biking. Created for all women who love mountain biking, the Bell Joy Ride program continues its mission with the addition of six new ambassadors and four new regions.

“In only the first year of the program, everyone involved at Bell has been amazed by the dedication, growth and enthusiasm of the Joy Ride ambassadors,” said Heather Cooper, Brand Director for Bike and Powersports at Bell. “As Joy Ride moves forward at full-speed, the team can’t wait to see what 2017 holds.”

Bell provides ambassador support that includes a guidebook, digital tool kits, promotional gear, and budget to empower and cultivate riding programs in their local areas.

Learn more about the Bell Joy Ride program and its 2017 ambassadors at bellhelmets.com.

Brian Overfelt

Chris Bertish SUPs across Atlantic On March 9th South African surfer Chris Bertish pulled off one of the most remarkable feats of human determination, perseverance and sheer grit of all time. The 4,000 mile journey alone on a paddleboard took Bertish 93 days on a specially customized board with a front hatch that allowed for sleeping. Bertish averaged 44 miles a day – mostly at night to avoid exposure to the sun – and alternated between resting and paddling every two or three hours.

“You can feel very inconsequential at sea,” Bertish told the New York Times.

“When that happens, you have to tune in and get in sync with what’s around you and go with the flow. Bertish won the 2010 Mavericks big wave competition.

www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com 11

Snowmaggedon 2017

Photo: Heavenly/Sarah Ackerson

A view from the trenches

By Meghan Ochs

E

very skier and rider dreams of the perfect powder day: epic turns, huge face shots and endless smiles as gravity floats you down the mountain. Once or twice in a lifetime, those dream days become dream seasons, full of seemingly endless fun with limitless and constant snowfall. In 2017, California experienced such a winter. Snowmageddon 2017, as many are calling it, has dumped record breaking amounts of snowfall on almost every single resort in the entire Sierra Nevada range.

With more than twice the average amount of snow, the behind-the-scenes efforts to keep your favorite ski mountain operating this season has been heroic to say the least. Every time a major storm rolled through, all the snow that fell on parking lots and walking areas had to be cleared. Snow removal is grueling, dangerous work, and it requires a lot of human labor. It is also quite taxing on equipment.

Snow is what the diehards live for. However, too much of it can be a bad thing. When a ski resort closes due to excessive snowfall it is incredibly expensive in terms of labor, equipment, supplies, and lost revenue. Passionate skiers and riders should remember that the resorts want to be open and provide a great experience to their guests, but Mother Nature doesn’t always cooperate.

This year Tahoe residents have lost count of how often the major highways and state routes to and from the resorts have closed. Avalanche danger and the risk of mudslides at lower elevations reached epic proportions.

Ski resorts, along with transportation departments, have struggled to keep up with the insane amount of snowfall. Nature has been fierce. For the first time in

Photo: Bear Valley Mountain Resort 22 ASJ — April/May 12 Dec/Jan 2014 2017

decades, many Tahoe ski resorts have been closed for days due to power outages.

When resorts are closed, and the powder hounds are at home itching to gain access to the monumental powder, most do not realize all of the work taking place on the hill in an attempt to operate and give people what they want. It’s easy to take for granted some of the things that need to happen after any snowfall. Parking lots need to be plowed, and lifts need to be dug out and cleaned off. Cable lines need to be de-iced and checked; stairways, decks, transformers, propane tanks, fire hydrants, shuttles and other vehicles, buildings, and ski racks need to be snow blown, shoveled, and dug out. Vital equipment such as rope lines, bamboo, timing equipment, and signs need to be unburied. Snow needs to be pushed around, packed down, and moved.

Avalanche routes, a huge component in resort safety, both in and out of bounds, need to be run. Additionally, with massive amounts of snow in little time, the amount of precious in-bounds skiable terrain is reduced. All of this work demands early hours and late nights from resort staff. It also increases the everyday costs and

Photo: Northstar/Craig McCoy

2 Photo: Mt. Rose/Ian Satterfield

overhead to resorts.

More human hours SNOW and labor are needed, TOTALS more fuel is used and equipment can break California resorts are over down. Resort staff 200 percent of average put smiles on and snowfall. As of press time, keep their sense of here are sample snow totals humor, but trust me, from some of our they were exhausted favorite resorts. trying to keep up with Squaw Alpine // 647” Snowmageddon 2017.

Surely though, beyond Mt. Rose // 696” epic powder days, there Heavenly // 614” are other benefits to record snowfall. The Northstar // 630” drought that much of Kirkwood // 625” the Sierra Nevada has been experiencing is Bear Valley // 450” waning (although now Sugar Bowl // 703” in many places there is intense concern about Mammoth // 540” flooding.) This summer, China Peak // 461” reservoirs and lakes will be full and waterrelated recreational opportunities will be in abundance.

As someone who works in the ski industry, I hope to see another winter like the one the Sierra is currently experiencing. My other hope is that when Snowmageddon happens again, guests will remember and appreciate that a quality and safe resort experience takes time and a heroic level of effort to make possible.

See you on the slopes!

Meghan Ochs is a ski racing coach at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe. During Snowmaggedon 2017 she also moonlighted as part of the snow removal team.

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Eastside Spring Skiing A record snow year creates opportunities for backcountry bliss

By Leonie Sherman

R

ight now every river in California is a churning torrent, the desert is aflame with cacti blooms, and the foothills are carpeted in fluorescent green. But the Sierra Nevada Mountains are still buried beneath record setting snowpack. As long as the snow persists, those majestic mountains of light and wind are accessible only to the intrepid and dedicated. If you want to visit the high reaches of the Sierra Nevada anytime soon, you’ll need a pair of skis.

Spring backcountry skiing in California’s fair weather range means leaving the tent door open to track the moon’s course through a starlit sky. It means lazy morning yoga waiting for the snow to soften. It means spying on white-tailed ptarmigans in their winter camouflage, burrowed amid a tangle of white bark pines at 10,500 feet, only their jeweled obsidian eyes visible against the expanse of white. It means

Sewn with pride in San Jose, California!

www.westernmountaineering.com

Available at the bay area’s best outdoor equipment stores: Down Works, Redwood Trading Post, Sports Basement, Sunrise Mountaineering, Young’s Backpacking 14 ASJ — April/May 2017

stepping out of the tent to pee at midnight and watching a hare dart from tree to tree on silent paws. It means listening to coyotes call across frozen ridges beneath brittle moonlight.

With snow accumulation at 275% above average, spring skiing means freedom.

Want a short rocket ride to a hot springs?

Head for Wild Willie’s before sunrise to watch dawn colors splash over Banner, Ritter, and the Morrison massif. Fancy a short steep descent? Point your car west of 395 on almost any road from Twin Lakes to Whitney Portal and pull off at an appealing gully. Prefer a stout climb? A peak in the Sherwins or Palisades will test your aerobic capacity. Crave solitude? Fling yourself at the crest, set up a base camp and pass your days exploring basins and ridges. Spring skiing is transportation, recreation, and entertainment.

Snow shuts down auto traffic, but opens up possibilities. A skier can float over a tangle of willows or a tedious talus field.

Steep cliff bands soften beneath their load of snow. Massive cones of avalanche debris become a playground. The gentle slopes of seeping meadows too fragile for summertime exploration beckon to the beginning skier. Narrow chutes seduce experts.

Describing the texture and consistency of that thick white blanket would tax the vocabulary of an Inuit with a hundred words for snow. A single slope offers silky smooth, peeling layers, buttered corn, frozen crystals, pea soup, wind-boarded styrofoam, bulletproof concrete, and breakable crust at different hours.

After kicking, gliding, sliding, and carving various aspects and angles throughout the day, snow ceases to be an inanimate substance that facilitates travel and becomes a dynamic living entity. It’s a wind blown sculpture. It’s a source of water. Its rhythms and transformations are predictable with careful study.

Modern skiers flock to resorts and imagine the sport requires a lift ticket. But our ancestors first strapped sticks to their feet almost five millennia before the advent of

PHOTOS Opposite page, clockwise from top: Reaching the pass was a relief after 3,300 feet of climbing.

Earning turns skiing up Gardisky Creek drainage (Daniel Kangas); Shredding afternoon corn (Leonie Sherman); Sunset over the White Mountains (Leonie Sherman). This page, clockwise from top: Cartwheel at 11,300 feet with Mt. Conness in the background (Daniel Kangas); Lunch break at Barney Lake (Leonie Sherman); Last minute repairs at camp before heading out for the day (Daniel Kangas).

the internal combustion engine. They were just trying to visit relatives and get around their mountainous homes. Early Europeans in the US used skis to work a mining claim or deliver mail. An activity that now features competition and corporate sponsors began in the wilderness.

Snow returns bustling campgrounds and trailheads to their original wild state.

Beyond the groomed runs and lift lines is a world of mute splendor. The gate that bars automobiles and the flagging meant to discourage exploration protect the stillness of primordial wilderness. Snow allows the land to rest and recover from the indignities inflicted by summer crowds.

Even the idea of summer is relative in an epic snow year. As the days lengthen, temperatures rise, and snowmelt transforms placid rivers into furious cascades. On the coast, we trade boots for flip flops. Desert climbers seek shade.

But a thick blanket still covers the forested mid-montane and treeless alpine zones.

Chickadees greet dawn with the song of spring, but the transport of winter is required to hear them.

Sierra Nevada means “snow-covered mountains” in Spanish. But climate scientists predict the term will be obsolete by the end of the century; they forecast an end to snow in the range of light within 50 years. This record year may be a statistical anomaly. It may be the last big snow of our lifetime. It may become the new normal.

We can’t see into the future, but we can enjoy the present. There’s never been a better time to strap skis to your feet and take to the hills. www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com 15

Athlete Profile

Chantel Astorga The limits of human endurance

By Chris Van Leuven

T

wo-thousand-five-hundred feet up El Capitan, a lone figure moves slowly up the wall, her headlamp flashing up and down as she looks for the next hand and foothold.

It’s 2 a.m. on October 24, 2014.

As carabiners and assorted hardware clank against the cliff, she stumbles onto a ledge where two people are sleeping.

She’s been out of water for eight hours, and in front of her are several two-liter bottles clipped to the anchor near the team. She knows she could rouse them and ask, politely, for something to drink that would keep her going. But that’s not Chantel’s style. She pulls her gear carefully around them, takes a final look at the water, and climbs on.

“At this point I was really hurting,” Chantel Astorga says from her home in Lowman, Idaho. “I wasn’t hallucinating but my reaction times were slowing down. I wasn’t truly in a state of crisis, I would’ve considered asking if that was the case. I didn’t think it would be fair to ask them and put them into a potential situation where they could run out of water.”

Meeting the Giri Giri Boys on Denali’s West Buttress

Choss and 30 Miles of Bushwhacking on Howse Peak Though Jewell and Chantel have great success in the mountains, they often take longer to climb big routes than they plan for resulting in them running out of food.

She thinks back to 2014, to the scene of perhaps their greatest alpine challenge: Howse Peak in the Canadian Rockies. Before that climb, they hadn’t comprehended the scale of the remoteness and poor rock quality up north.

“We were naive to the scale of the area,” Chantel says. The peak’s Northeast Buttress spanned for 5,000 vertical feet and required them to apply all their combined skills to make it up the route. “It required more physical and mental focus than any peak we’d climbed up to that point. That route is notorious for containing some of the worst rock in the range.”

Even the easiest pitches “... were fucked up and littered with such poor rock I was concerned that I’d kill my friend.”

Tiptoeing through the loose terrain caused the team to take longer than they’d planned. They packed supplies for two days and ended up taking four. This included a torturous 30-mile bushwhack during the hike out. Word spread when they were overdue that they could be in trouble, but those who knew the team had faith that they were okay, and before a rescue was mounted, Jewell and Chantel made it back to civilization.

Chantel recalls the time in 2010 when she was guiding on the West Buttress of Denali and three Japanese climbers “Some years it’s just better to set descended to the 14,000-foot camp having just completed everything to the side and accept one of the peak’s most difficult routes, the Denali Diamond.

She could see in their eyes that they had been through a that you’re not always going to serious ordeal. They’d spent days high on the 20,320-foot Linking El Cap and Half Dome in a Day succeed and there is perhaps more On September 22, 2012, I’m on assignment for Adidas peak, which feels higher – more like a 26,000-foot peak – due to its proximity to the Arctic Circle. This team, known to learn from the trips where you Outdoor documenting Chantel and Mayan Smith-Gobat as the Giri Giri Boys, are recognized as Japan’s top alpinists. as they attempt to climb both El Cap and Half Dome in don’t reach the summit.”

Soon after the Giri Giri Boys set up their tent, Chantel fewer than 24 hours, a feat yet to be accomplished by an and her partner Kevin Hogan noticed silence instead of the all female team. It’s around 10pm and I’m huddled below a familiar hiss of a stove inside of their neighbor’s shelter and concluded that the team small boulder on the top of Half Dome trying to keep warm next to photographer John was likely out of fuel and therefore unable to melt snow for water. For the next few Dickey. I’m wearing Chantel’s small down jacket that comes down to my mid section. I’m hours the Giri Giri Boys slept. Then the men, Kazuaki Amano, Ryo Masumoto and Takaai shivering but the cold is the least of my worries: Chantel and Mayan have been on the Nagato, packed up their tent and continued down the mountain. go since about 2am and by our count, they’re past due.

Within the hour we hear the familiar jangling of gear smacking against stone and the “Their style, approach, and aesthetics had a huge impact on me,” Chantel recalls. faint sound of them from below: “Off belay!”

“They were samurais.”

As the two mantel their way onto Half Dome’s summit, I can see under their dim What she saw from the Giri Giri Boys that day high on North America’s highest peak headlamps the sign of deep mental and physical fatigue. Mayan sits down, puts her influenced her in two ways. One: if she gets herself into something, then she’ll see her head between her knees, and cries. “I held it together until the end,” she says. A few way out of it. And two: she wants to climb the Denali Diamond, a route known for its moments later they hug, John snaps a few pics, and we descend together. beauty, clean granite and high commitment level. Four years later, after climbing two routes on Mt. Huntington with Salt Lake City based alpinist Jewell Lund, they agreed to During the descent Chantel tells me that to prepare for the linkup she’d been training do the route. by mountain biking and lifting heavy weights in her garage. “I hadn’t been rock climbing that much,” she says. “I was psyched that I was able to pull that off.”

In June 2015, the two women spent four and a half days climbing with light packs and meager rations to overcome the Denali Diamond’s endless steep snow slopes and And pull it off they did, putting them into the history books of Yosemite climbing. technically demanding terrain. After days of climbing in sync, and stepping up for one PHOTOS Taking a Break from Hard Climbing another when they sensed fatigue, they reached the intersection where their route met Top to bottom: Chantel After the linkup, Chantel quit climbing for a year and the Cassin Ridge. At this point they were at 18,200 feet and had been out of food for Astorga at 18,200’ on a half and raced mountain bikes instead. “I was in a 24 hours. Chantel saw a red cloth sticking out of a crust of snow. “I started hacking it Denali’s (20,310’) Cassin period where I was uncertain of my life in climbing. So out with one of my tools and discovered the bag contained an old chunk of freeze-dried Ridge after completing the I decided to set it aside and focus on something else food. It looked like cardboard,” she says, laughing. “And we couldn’t have been happier.”

Denali Diamond (Jewell which was mountain bike racing.” She adds, “Although I The women put down their packs, brewed up and eked out a pasta meal from the Lund); Chantel sorts gear did succeed with racing and enjoyed it, it also made me mystery chunk. With their spirits lifted and calories up, they continued to the summit. It after soloing The Nose on El realize how much I do enjoy climbing and being in the was the route’s seventh ascent and first female ascent.

Capitan, Yosemite National mountains.”

Park (Madaleine Sorkin).

16 2017 22 ASJ — April/May Dec/Jan 2014

N E T H G LI UP

SERI ES T PRO C A T N A I R CO F O R M A N CE R HIGH PE NSFER RA LO A D T

“I had the goal of wanting to be the first woman to solo [The Nose] in a day, but later I had other goals that I put ahead of it.

And I didn’t have it in me last year after the Denali Diamond.”

Back in the Alpine In early 2014 Jewell and Chantel reconnected and headed to the Alaska Range to climb Mt. Huntington. This was followed by Howse Peak and then Chantel soloed The Nose on El Cap with the intent to complete the route in a day.

After dropping a few pieces of key gear (a jumar and an aider) and passing eighteen people, she fell shy of the 24-hour mark.

A few weeks later, she attempted it again only to end up climbing on a windless day, running out of water and tapping deep into her reserves to safely make it to the top. “When soloing you need so much more water than when climbing with a partner,” she says.

After her final attempt on The Nose solo that season, Chantel knew she’d exhausted her mental reserves and put her goal on hold. Six months later, Jewell and Chantel climbed the Denali Diamond and once again Chantel’s reserves were depleted. “It takes weeks or months to recover when that happens.”

That autumn Yosemite climbing guide Miranda Oakley attempted to be the first woman to solo The Nose in a day but like Chantel, she took too long. Chantel knew Miranda’s reputation as a hard climber and knew she had a good chance of pulling it off. On August 5, 2016, Miranda climbed the route in 21:50. (Josie McKee soloed the route in sub-24 in November 2016, marking the second time the route was soloed in a day by a woman.)

I call Chantel about a week after hearing the news, and though she was impressed with Miranda’s successful ascent, I can tell by the tone of her voice that she’s a little bummed. However Chantel makes it obvious that her quest to solo The Nose in a day is also personal. After so many years

PHOTOS Top to bottom: Chantel ascends the NE Buttress of Howse Peak (10,810’) in the Canadian Rockies (Jewell Lund); Chantel climbs solo toward El Cap Tower on The Nose route (Tom Evans).

of monumental effort and knowing what it would take to complete the challenge, the setback is more of a bump in the road than the end of a dream.

“I’ve been fortunate to succeed on many of the goals on the first go around,” she says. “But with The Nose, it didn’t play out that way and it’s something I’ve had to work harder for. I had the goal of wanting to be the first woman to solo it in a day, but later I had other goals that I put ahead of it. And I didn’t have it in me last year after the Denali Diamond.”

Chantel talks about her plans to return to Yosemite for a month in the fall. She also reflects on her past successes with Jewell, noting that the previous season the two didn’t complete the goals they set out to accomplish but she’s okay with that.

“You’re not always going to succeed and there is perhaps more to learn from the trips where the summit is not reached,” she says.

If you’d like to learn more about Chantel, don’t look to Facebook or Instagram, as she prefers connecting with people in person. But hopefully you’ll have the chance to do just that, because she’s a fascinating woman with some incredible experiences to share.

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STILL CRAZY After 30 Years!

1987

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30th An

Join us as we celebrate our 30th Anniversary providing great chairs and gear to people all over the world...from the mountains to the seas, and everywhere in between! #stillCrazy

Chris Van Leuven is the former digital editor at Alpinist Magazine. His story “Going Home,” on the cover of Alpinist 51, was recognized for literary excellence and is included in Best American Sports Writing 2016. www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com 17

PHOTOS

Clockwise from far left: Hyland Fisher on the Downieville Classic course (Contributed); An array of delicious vegan fare; The newest Vegan Athlete racing team member, Edith Fisher (Erin Fisher).

Being Vegan

Athletic perspectives on a plant-based diet

By Julie Kanagy

W

hile the Paleo diet is all the rage for athletes, we rarely hear the perspectives of vegan athletes. In fact, there’s often confusion about exactly what it means to be vegan, so let’s clear that up first. Eating vegan means adhering to a diet that consists 100% of plant foods. This means no eggs, no dairy, and of course no flesh of any animal.

Take a look around and you will find many athletes who not only survive, but thrive without consuming animal products. One such athlete is Rich Roll who chronicled his story of personal struggle, self-understanding, and redemption in his book Finding Ultra. As an amateur self-supported athlete, Roll came out of nowhere to place 11th in the 2008 Ultraman World Championships, and came back to place sixth in 2009. He also completed five Ironmans on five Hawaiian islands in seven days. Astoundingly, he accomplished these feats as a vegan in his 40s. Currently he hosts a popular podcast in which he converses with an all-star roster of athletes as well as inspirational “everyman” types.

Finding Ultra has inspired many an athlete to pursue a vegan diet. One program for

Hyland Fisher

“It has been great to race in the team kit and let my competitors know they were just crushed by a vegan.

Sometimes I get heckled, but usually it is by people I know. Mostly, people come up to me and are like, ‘So, you’re a vegan? How long? 21 years? Wow!’ It’s a great conversation starter and most of the response has been positive.”

Over several years of racing the Boggs 8-Hour mountain bike race in Cobb, I noticed one racer making the rounds on the ten-mile circuit in “Vegan Athlete Racing” kit and I thought, “Wow, that’s cool.” Eventually, I came to know him through social media. His name is Hyland Fisher, and he has been vegan for 21 years.

I recently caught up with Hyland by phone and he gave me a glimpse into his own journey to veganism.

Q: What prompted your veganism?

A: When I lived in New Mexico I had

a close friend who was vegan. I went to a vegan Thanksgiving once, which was just awful. I mean it was so bad back then. The homemade vegan egg-nog really killed it for me. The vegan option had been on my mind for a while before I made the switch. It finally started to make sense to me after I began to exercise more. I started to listen to my body and found I could not stomach meat or cheese anymore. It took me a while to let go of the baked goods, though.

Q: How did the Vegan Athlete team come about?

A: I’d been racing bikes since 2001.

While employed at a bike shop in Grass Valley, I began managing the shop race 18 ASJ — April/May 2017

making a successful transition to a plantbased diet is Colleen Patrick-Goudreau’s 30-Day Vegan Challenge. A recognized expert on the culinary, social, ethical, and practical aspects of the vegan lifestyle, Patrick-Goudreau provides the resources and tools to shed old habits and experience an array of lasting benefits.

Many people assume animal foods are necessary for nutrition, and are surprised to find it’s possible to be in excellent health while on a vegan diet.

So, if nutrition isn’t an issue, the only other reason for consuming animal foods is taste and cravings born of habit. To many, these are absurdly trivial reasons weighed against the fact that animal agriculture is the leading cause of global warming (contributing more than even transportation), ocean dead zones, Amazon rainforest destruction, and mass species extinction. Additionally, a meatbased diet is implicated in several types of cancer, type-2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and heart disease.

One of the biggest concerns about a vegan diet revolves around protein.

Vegans are often asked how they get their protein, as it’s generally believed protein is only found in animal products.

Protein is actually not a problem at all on a vegan diet as long as you eat a variety of foods. Plant foods which are

high in protein include legumes, whole grains such as quinoa or amaranth, peas and lentils, organic soy products, nuts, seeds, and even greens such as kale and broccoli. Enjoy combinations of these foods at any time of the day and they cover all of the essential amino acids.

Similarly, because B12 is found naturally only in animal foods, there is unsubstantiated concern about deficiency in that as well. However, reliable sources of B12 for vegans exist in fortified plant-based milks, soy products, cereals, and supplements.

Another concern is that soy – a staple in most vegan diets – can raise the risk of hormone-related cancers because soy contains estrogen-like compounds.

According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, evidence shows this to be false. The irony of the “soy scare” is that dairy contains real estrogen and other known cancer-forming compounds such as insulin-like growth factor (IGF) and their binding proteins, which are shown in multiple studies to have a positive correlation with prostate cancer.

IGFs and estrogen together are in fact a potent formula for the development of gynecomastia, the excessive development of the male breast tissue.

Research has also found that “unbound” IGF levels are lower in vegans than in both meat-eaters and vegetarians.

Following are Q&As with two impressive vegan athletes. Perhaps their stories will inspire you to explore a vegan diet, too – for your own health and that of our planet, as well as the welfare of countless animals.

team and developed relationships with Santa Cruz Bicycles, Ergon, Panaracer, and Stans No Tubes. After managing a team for a while and leaving Grass Valley, I became independent and open to starting something new. While racing I had been repping the plant-based race team called Organic Athlete. They were great, but the founder left to go back to school and it changed direction, lost steam. I wanted to create something new and it had to have personal meaning.

I wanted to create a community. I had no trouble keeping sponsors from my previous team on board. Although they were not necessarily vegans, they liked the idea of a grassroots racer who had a message. And so, Vegan Athlete Racing was born.

Q: What’s the general reaction to your Vegan Athlete kit?

A: It has been great to race in the team kit and let my competitors know they were just crushed by a vegan. Sometimes I get heckled, but usually it is by people I know. Mostly, people come up to me and are like, “So, you’re a vegan? How long?

21 years? Wow!” It’s a great conversation starter, and most of the response has been positive.

Q: The Vegan Athlete Racing team is growing. Tell us about the rest of the team.

A: Up until this year we were five

people, and since my wife and I decided to have a baby, I decided to expand the team. We now have 15 racers from other endurance sports besides mountain biking. We have a Spartan racer, a couple of triathletes, and some ultra-distance runners. They are all over the US, with some in the West, and a couple in the Southeast. We also have a team member in Belgium. Pros are great, but I try to find people who are relatable, who you can approach without feeling nervous.

Check out what Vegan Athlete Racing is up to on Instagram (veganathleteracing) and Facebook (VEGANATHLETERacing).

For more resources on the vegan lifestyle, check out 30-Day Vegan Challenge

by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, Finding Ultra by Rich Roll, and Thrive by Brendan Brazier.

For information on how animal agriculture affects the environment, visit cowspiracy.com.

To learn more about nutritional studies involving a vegan diet, check out Proteinaholic by Dr. Garth Davis, and Dr. Neal Barnard’s website nutritionfacts.org.

A SERIES OF WELLNESS EVENTS

RESTORATIVE ARTS & YOGA

May 19 th th ru 21 st 2017

PHOTOS

Top to bottom: An under canopy selfie (Clair Marie); Base jump sunset in Moab, UT (Abbi Hearne).

Clair Marie If you race the California Enduro Series, you might run into a petite, fearless, tattooed woman who is racing more formidably every year. Her name is Clair Marie and she is a vegan. She also just happens to have twelve years experience as a BASE jumper, rock climber, skydiver, and model. Clair shared her insights on being vegan.

Q: What inspired your journey to veganism?

A: I was introduced to a plant-based diet by my fiancé when we met three years ago. Alex casually mentioned that he was vegan one of the first times we hung out and my response was a typical “Ha … I could NEVER be vegan.” Why I had that reaction I still don’t know. It probably has something to do with the social stigma surrounding vegans. The general public thinks vegans have the most bland, boring, and unhealthy diet.

After my initial response, I asked Alex why he went vegan. His response was short and to the point: “Mainly for the environment and because I love animals.” He had been vegan for 18 years at that point. I never thought about environmental impact, so I spent the next several weeks diving into all the research I could find on the social and environmental impact of animal agricultural and the entire industry.

Q: And what did you find when you started digging in?

A: I was shocked and horrified about the true cost of eating animals – not just because of the way that animals are treated, but also the incredibly shocking statistics about greenhouse gas production, growing food for our food (think of how many more people we could feed if we just grew food for us!), and destruction required to create more land for that food growth. I was outraged that I hadn’t been educated about these facts and felt ashamed for not looking into the issue earlier in my life. At that point there was no way I could go back to consuming animal products and feel all right with myself as a person.

Q: How did your new diet align with being an athlete?

A: Since everything on the internet says to eat a balanced diet (which includes a lot of animal products), I had always assumed that there was no way a vegan diet could be healthy. I was equally as shocked and pleasantly surprised with my findings of how following a plant based diet had the potential to actually support me more as an athlete than before. And in fact, it would be incredibly easy to follow a healthy and balanced diet while being vegan.

Since becoming vegan I have experienced notable differences, mainly in my energy level and recovery time from physical activities. I used to struggle with pushing myself physically because I always had such low energy. When I did push myself I would be out of commission for days following an intense training session. Since going vegan I have way more energy than I did before and I recover at a very reasonable rate. I’ve also noticed I have an easier time building muscle and trimming up, and I’m much less bloated which is a huge bonus for me. The changes have been life-changing and I’m embarrassed that I struggled for so many years without questioning the animal products in my diet.

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Q: Do you have any advice for people looking to adopt a vegan lifestyle?

A: Adopting a plant-based diet is so much simpler in our day and age. Ten years ago you basically had to become a nutritionist to figure out what to eat, but today there are vegan substitutes for basically anything on the market. The biggest thing is to just commit the first few weeks to learning about all of the substitutes for cooking and baking.

I would also say to have a thick skin.

There are many who will question your dietary changes as I questioned my fiancé when we first met. Be patient and when people ask where you get your protein, inform them that it is a specific chain of amino acids you can form from eating multiple different foods to create a complete protein.

Learn more about Clair Marie at basegirl.com and follow her on Facebook and Instagram (thebasegirl).

Julie Kanagy is an amateur mountain bike racer from Felton who was inspired to adopt a vegan diet after reading Rich Roll’s Finding Ultra several years ago. www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com 19

California Whitewater

By Haven Livingston

California is flowing with water – whitewater paddlers rejoice! Now

the big question is: what should you paddle this spring and summer? We caught up with three experts to help answer this allimportant question.

CAUTION: Winter storms have changed many runs, and spring and summer flows will be bigger and colder than in years past.

Use extreme caution when choosing a run, dress for immersion, and go with someone who knows the run at current flows. Above all, know your limits.

Dan Menten on Yager Creek (Phil Boyer).

Northern California with Dan Menten Dan Menten started whitewater kayaking 25 years ago on Idaho’s Payette River. After getting his start in slalom racing he moved west and has spent the past 17 years exploring NorCal’s secret wonderland of whitewater. Never underestimate Menten. He’s an underdog who shows up at downriver races having never seen the run and then dominates.

Winter Highlight: First Descent on Hulls Creek

During the shortest days of the year I did a two-day first descent trip with Alex Herr on Hulls Creek. It’s about eight miles on the creek and another eight on the North Fork of the Eel River near Covelo. It’s steep and bouldery with some class V and some portages. About midway the Creek dropped into a shady and menacing looking gorge. We saw a green grassy hillside in the sun off to one side and decided to portage. A small game trail eventually turned into a road and got us around the gorge before dark. As it was, the water had been so high that all the driftwood was wet and it took quite a while to start a fire. The gorge can probably be run, but as we looked back we felt we made the right decision at the right time. Moral of the story: if the grass looks green and the gorge is gnarly, take a hike.

–Dan Menten

22 ASJ — April/May 20 Dec/Jan 2014 2017

Top Picks: NorCal Rivers

Fork Trinity River The Classic (class IV) and 1 South the Overnighter (class III-IV) with a few portages.

These are spectacular places where nobody goes and the camping is out-of-this-world beautiful.

Fork of the Salmon River Class III and 2 South class IV-V runs on the same section of river. The Cal

Salmon drains the highest peaks in the Trinity Alps so it runs a little bit longer into the summer season.

Fork of the Eel River Black Butte River 3 Middle to Dos Rios (class II-III with class IV+ Coal mine falls

that can be portaged). Killer side hikes and mind blowing scenery on 32 miles of river draining from the Yolla Bolly mountains.

CALIFORNIA’S TOP 25 ADVENTURE CHECKLIST:

Raft the Tuolumne River

Located just outside Yosemite National Park The Wild & Scenic Tuolumne River thunders down from the High Sierra of Yosemite National Park and offers 18 miles of nearly continuous Class IV champagne whitewater.

Paddlers on Brush Creek (Darin McQuoid).

Central California with Melissa DeMarie Melissa DeMarie came to kayaking 13 years ago and immersed herself into the sport full force. She has skipped around the world as a raft guide, safety kayaker, kayak instructor and whitewater photographer in over eight countries. If there’s anything she loves more than playing on the water, it’s encouraging more women to get outside and play too. She currently lives near Auburn, though trips with her company, California Women’s Watersport Collective, keep her on the go and exploring new places.

Winter Highlight: Local Run at Gargantuan Flows

When you’ve paddled, guided, and taught on a river for years you think you know it. This winter I got to experience my home river, the South Fork American, with a flow of 28,000cfs (normal summer flows are 1,300cfs). It felt like a completely different river.

Normally you orient yourself with houses up on the hillside, but at that flow they’re at eye level. It was amazing being completely disoriented on a river I know so well. You expect rapids to be bigger, but I saw features that I never even expected could exist in sections that are normally pools.

I was a little nervous at first, with all the big logs, but it was a lot of fun.

– Melissa DeMarie

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North Fork American Shirt Tail

(Yankee Jim Bridge to Ponderosa) – class II+. Elements of solitude and scenery are stunning for this step up for beginners.

Why choose O.A.R.S.?

Middle Fork Yuba River Below 2 Our House Dam (class III-IV) Some

paddlers have waited years for a day when this is running and they don’t have to work. It’s that rare. But when water pours over the dam, it’s a fast and fun ride and always feels like a special treat.

Creek Arctic Mine (class 3 Canyon IV++) is for the experts in the crowd.

Once you start this run it’s full-on with continuous rapid running. Though this run is relatively short, there are many rapids. You can hike up to the last gorge from take out to get an idea of what you’re in for before you start.

Darin McQuoid cut his teeth in the rivers of the Klamath and Siskiyou mountains and quickly started exploring the world from a kayak. He has somewhere between three and 30 first descents to his name, but is too humble to pin down a number.

With over 100 days of class V paddling per year, he is arguably the most active class V paddler in the state. He currently resides in Three Rivers where he is also a professional photographer at Kaweah Studios.

I had a personal first descent down a section of the middle Kaweah River below Hospital Rock Run and a section of the Fresno River.

The Fresno is not often done; it’s pretty obscure because it rarely flows, but with the ground saturated it stayed in long enough. It’s not a classic because it’s a river of two characters: class IV or V+. The scenery is nice, as are most of the rapids.

It would be a challenging river for a group of class IV paddles to figure out, yet it doesn’t have the class V most paddlers of that ilk would prefer. It was an adventure well worth doing, yet something that we will not be repeating too soon. ­— Darin McQuoid

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Winter Highlight: Uncovering the Obscure

And while you can do it all in a day, our 2- or 3-day trips give you time to hike, fish and swim all while enjoying our deluxe river camping experience— gourmet meals included!

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flowed in years, but now it’s back.

It could run into May if we’re lucky. Check out the Brush Creek race April 21 as part of the Kern River Festival.

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Paddling and rafting on the Kern will be hopping through the summer season.

River Boundary (class 3 Kaweah IV) and Town (class III-IV) runs are a

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22 ASJ — April/May 2016

Legends of Yosemite Tom Frost remembers the Golden Age Words by Chris Van Leuven Photos by Tom Frost / Aurora Photos

Y

osemite Valley, September 1960. Royal Robbins, Joe Fitschen, Chuck Pratt and Tom Frost stand on a triangle-shaped ledge a few hundred feet up The Nose on El Capitan, setting their sights on making the second ascent of the route. To get there, they’ve scrambled up broken rock and ledges to the start of the route’s first pitch. Above them gleams 2,800 feet of glacier-polished, orange granite, sliced with black, dark gray and white streaks. Toward the top of the cliff’s highest point, a pink band of light touches the wall.

An hour earlier, the team loaded up by the side of the road with hundreds of feet of three-strand nylon rope, pitons, carabiners, slings, water, food and personal items. In addition, Frost was carrying Bill “Dolt” Feuerer’s Leica camera and seven rolls of film that Feuerer had handed to him the day before at the climber’s campground Camp 4. Feuerer had been active on the first ascent of The Nose a few years earlier.

Offering the equipment to Frost, Feuerer said, “Take this with you, you’ll want to have it up there.”

Frost, now 80, at his home in Oakdale, California, recalled, “It was a pristine landscape. We were just enjoying the climbing. And to be there with these guys who knew what it was all about, you didn’t have to have a lot of conversation. The seven rolls I shot in those seven days were the best ones of my life.”

I first met Tom Frost 20 years ago in Yosemite Valley during the summer of 1997, after running into his son Ryan at the base of El Cap. I recruited Ryan for a belay on a route, and later all three of us met for dinner. I continued to visit with Frost whenever there was a chance, often to share a meal in Oakdale and swap El Cap stories before continuing on to Yosemite.

These include Frost’s Yosemite “Golden Age” stories from the 1960s. The Golden Age was an era of rapid change in Yosemite, with emerging techniques and philosophies from a small group of influential climbers.

Few climbers had a bigger impact on the evolution of big wall climbing during this time than Frost and his partners Royal Robbins, Yvon Chouinard and Chuck Pratt.

Tom Frost, the younger of two brothers, was born in 1937 and raised in Hollywood, California. It wasn’t until his final year at Stanford University, where he studied

mechanical engineering, that he discovered climbing through the Stanford Alpine Club. The group practiced climbing skills by top roping on the scrappy rocks around Palo Alto.

During his Yosemite visits with the Alpine Club, Frost noticed that climbers were working on El Cap’s Nose route. “We’d look up a million miles in the air and think, wow, Harding has ropes up there.” Frost graduated from Stanford in 1958, the same year Warren Harding, Wayne Merry and George Whitmore completed the first ascent of The Nose, an ascent spread over 45 days in two years.

After college, Frost moved to southern California and began climbing at Tahquitz Rock and also made two visits to Mount Pacifico. During the first of these trips, he attempted a thin, overhanging crack first climbed

by Royal Robbins, which he was unable to complete because it was too difficult. Frost had yet to meet Robbins, but he knew of him by reputation. “His name was mentioned with an unusual amount of respect by these hard core climbers.”

Spurred by the challenge to succeed on the Robbins climb, Frost trained by climbing on the windowsills on the outside of his parents’ house.

When Frost later returned to Mount Pacifico, “To my horror Robbins was sitting on a rock right across from this climb.” Despite feeling nervous, he still managed to do the route. “I walked back down and he said, ‘Nice going.’ A few months later at Tahquitz, he asked me if I wanted to climb The Nose and I said yes. That changed my life forever.”

When Frost and his rope mates repeated The Nose — in what was only Frost’s second year of climbing — it took them a swift seven days. The ascent cemented a partnership between the four men that lasted the rest of their lives.

In 1961, Frost, Robbins and Pratt added a second route to El Cap, The Salathé Wall, a route still considered by many as the greatest rock climb in the world. In 1964, they teamed up with Yvon Chouinard for another first ascent on El Cap, the North America Wall, which was at the time the most difficult wall in the world.

“These routes were life changing experiences and I spent the next 50 years trying to understand their

importance,” Frost said.

PHOTOS Frost’s motivation to finally Left page: October 30, understand what he witnessed 1964, after ten days all those years ago is because of climbing, Tom Frost he’s the centerpiece of two reaches the top of the North America Wall to biographies. One is a coffee complete the route’s first table book by Yosemite big ascent (Royal Robbins). wall first ascensionist and Above: Frost, Robbins, climbing historian Steve Chuck Pratt and Yvon Grossman. The other is a Chouinard on top of the documentary film project by North America Wall.

Tom Seawell and Jeff Wiant of Flatlander Films. Flatlander’s film is about Frost and the Golden Age, and in addition, the team has captured 60 hours of interviews from the world’s top climbers on how Frost has influenced their climbing careers.

Frost says that looking over the images from that era has helped him understand and recognize the influence those climbs had on his life as well as the lifelong friendships. He recalls Chouinard and his considerable business acumen. “I used to call him The Chief.” He also remembers Robbins’ strong leadership and realizes it was Pratt who quietly influenced him to recognize the spiritual relationship between himself and the rock. www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com 23

Frost belaying Pratt from a sloping Ledge during the first ascent of the Salathé Wall in September 1961. Pitch 23.

“It was a pristine landscape. We were just enjoying the climbing. And to be there with these guys who knew what it was all about, you didn’t have to have a lot of conversation.”

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“[Pratt] was on a personal basis with the climbs in Yosemite. They understood each other in ways that were greater than the rest of us. He was the most natural climber in the group and he had the strongest spiritual base. His actions were his main communications – he would show you, not tell you. He was exceptional.”

But he also sees something more.

“When you spend a week up there, you know something bigger is going on than just getting exercise. I was really happy up there, really at home. As valuable as it was partnering with Royal, Chuck and Yvon, the deep impact during those climbs came from our partnership with the earth and earth’s spirit — the earth being a sentient being. It was that interaction, that intimate association and the struggle of the climb, and the close relationship with the rock. El Capitan and Mother Earth were providing the handholds and footholds. The earth is happy when we do a job and climb in good style and respect.”

“Most people’s eyes roll back in their head and they don’t have much to say.

But you get it.” He lets out a huge laugh.

On March 14, 2017, Royal Robbins died after a long illness at the age of 82. “He was the real leader of the group,” Frost said. “He established the style – it’s not

getting to the top but how you do it that counts. I was just a witness to his leadership.”

After hearing of Robbins’ passing, I read one of his stories in which he, too, recognized Pratt’s unique relationship with El Cap. In Standing on the Shoulders: A Tribute to my Heroes, he writes of him: “He has always climbed, first and foremost, and last and finally, for the climbing experience itself, for the rewards that come directly from the dance of man and rock.”

Chuck Pratt passed away in Thailand in 2000. This leaves Frost as the sole survivor of the Salathé Wall’s first ascent party.

Frost’s climbing contributions also include walls in the Grand Tetons, the Northwest Territories and steep faces in the Himalaya. His innovative gear designs in the 1972 Chouinard Equipment “Clean Climbing” catalog influenced rock climbers to lessen their impact on cliffs and preserve the resource for future generations. Frost also played a critical role in saving Yosemite’s Camp 4 in 1997. His legacy of significant climbs and dedication to Camp 4’s preservation earned him the Excellence in Mountaineering Award from the American Alpine Club in 2016.

Pratt and Robbins arriving at the Cyclops Eye bivy on the North America Wall. End of Pitch 19.

Robbins slicing salami on Mazatlan Ledge on the North America Wall. End of Pitch 4.

PHOTOS Above: Chuck Pratt and Royal Robbins on El Cap Spire during the first ascent of the SalathÊ Wall in 1961 (Tom Frost). Bottom Right: Frost exhausted from the previous day’s hauling efforts during the second ascent of The Nose, September 1960.

(Joe Fitschen); Frost during the second ascent of the Dihedral Wall, June 1964 (Royal Robbins).

Yvon Chouinard at a belay in the Black Dihedral during the first ascent of the North America Wall. (Joe Fitschen).

Unknown Yosemite climbing pioneer showing the construction of a carabiner break rappel used for descending a rope.

www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com 25

The Battle for Bikes in Wilderness Continues A new congressional bill and big changes at IMBA Words by Kurt Gensheimer • Photos by James Adamson

Although the topic of bikes in federally designated Wilderness has been an issue ever since bikes were banned from Wilderness in 1984, the 2015 establishment of Boulder-White Clouds as Wilderness near Stanley, Idaho was the last straw for many mountain bikers. With one very politically charged pen stroke, some of the most iconic backcountry singletrack open to bikes for generations was suddenly swept away.

PHOTOS Main image: The author buckles down for a four-day bikepacking adventure across the Sierra Nevada. Above: Exploring Jack London State Park. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: Stopping for a snack; Justin Schwartz high above the North Fork American River at Pucker Point on the Western States Trail; Descending Bull Run Trail near Moab, UT.

22 ASJ — April/May 2017 Dec/Jan 2014

Boulder-White Clouds is just one of hundreds of Wilderness and Wilderness Study Area proposals that have locked out backcountry bike access over the years, and the closures don’t seem to be stopping anytime soon unless the archaic blanket ban on bicycles in Wilderness is overturned.

A new congressional bill, H.R. 1349, recently introduced in the House of Representatives by Chairman of House Subcommittee on Federal Lands, Republican Rep. Tom McClintock, is only ten lines long, but would end the blanket Wilderness ban on bicycles, baby strollers and game carts. It would still uphold federal agencies’ discretion to manage trails, which means that land managers maintain control of where mountain bikes can be allowed in Wilderness.

“The sound and rational management of our public lands to promote healthy forests and healthy local economies will be a top priority of the subcommittee, along with restoring access and enjoyment of these national treasures to their rightful owners – the American people,” said Rep. McClintock upon his appointment as Chairman back in January 2015.

McClintock represents California’s Fourth Congressional District, containing hundreds of thousands of acres

of federally managed land including the Tahoe Basin, Eldorado, Tahoe, Stanislaus and Sierra National Forests as well as Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks. Although he has his fair share of detractors, Rep. McClintock has always been a supporter of economically depressed mountain communities that rely on tourism dollars to survive. By expanding reasonable bike access to public lands, it will bring more money into mountain communities surrounded by Wilderness, as mountain bikers have proven to be a powerful economic engine.

Just as a 100 percent ban on bicycles in Wilderness is not rational, neither is 100 percent blanket access. There are some trails in Wilderness areas that simply aren’t fit for bicycle access, but there are literally millions of acres of remote, seldom visited terrain where the bicycle is the most efficient means of human powered backcountry travel, keeping historic trails from completely disappearing due to lack of use. This new bill would permit land managers to evaluate where bicycle access makes sense, enabling them to open certain Wilderness areas that are most accommodating to bicycle use.

This new bill is the second piece of proposed legislation driven by the Sustainable Trails Coalition (STC), a special interest group formed in July 2015 focused on removing the 33 year old blanket ban on bicycles from Wilderness, promoting more reasonable case-by-case access.

Big Changes at IMBA Meanwhile, the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) had a rough 2016, losing their financial backer of 19 years, Subaru. IMBA also let go of their Executive Director Mike Van Abel who served for 12 years. After Subaru’s departure, the Trail Care Crew was put on hiatus and IMBA let go of several

preserving bike access to certain trails.

Although this strategy has saved a handful of trails from being lost to Wilderness designation, millions of acres and hundreds of miles of trail are being shut out forever to bicycle access with this strategy. Critics claim that IMBA takes a defeatist position, not demanding an equal seat at the table as a user group, ensuring that any deal struck will be a loss situation. The bike ban in Wilderness is a political problem that requires a political solution, something that IMBA refuses to pursue.

A Pivotal Time

Regional Directors, significantly consolidating the organization’s payroll. The San Diego Mountain Biking Association (SDMBA) is one of the larger national IMBA chapters, and has publicly questioned the value of being a chapter member, especially now that IMBA is proposing a 40 percent dues increase to help fill the financial void Subaru left.

Only four months after announcing Mountain Bike Hall of Fame inductee David Wiens as Chairman of the Board, in February IMBA asked Wiens to replace Van Abel as Executive Director. Many mountain bikers agree that Wiens is the right man at the right time to navigate IMBA through stormy seas, as Wiens has

extensive experience as a professional mountain biker, event promoter and the founder of Gunnison Trails, a trails advocacy organization in his home town of Gunnison, Colorado.

For advocates of bikes in Wilderness like SDMBA and the STC, there was a flash of hope that the appointment of Wiens as Executive Director would mean a change in IMBA’s bikes in Wilderness position. For more than a decade under Van Abel, IMBA did not believe fighting to regain bicycle access in Wilderness was a viable political strategy. Instead, IMBA worked with organizations opposed to bikes in Wilderness like the Sierra Club and The Wilderness Society to negotiate boundaries,

I was optimistic after Wiens was appointed as Executive Director, because back in October of last year I had a terrific phone call with him, discussing the topic of Wilderness and the importance of overturning the blanket ban on bikes. He seemed to understand the main point I was making; by upholding a blanket ban, it is creating an involuntary, anti-Wilderness movement with the fastest growing trail user group that volunteers the most trail work hours per year.

But in February, BIKE Magazine published an interview with Wiens that included the topic of Wilderness, to which Wiens responded, “... right now it’s that we (IMBA) do not support any effort to change the Wilderness Act. And personally, I’m OK with a place where we don’t get to ride.”

On the topic of IMBA’s tenuous relationship with STC, Wiens said, “... we can’t support any organization that’s looking to change the Wilderness Act. It’s pretty black and white.”

It’s hard to figure whether Wiens’ comments are sincere, or if they’re a product of answering to a Board of Directors genuinely opposed to bikes in Wilderness.

But an interview with Wiens in the March 15 issue of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News cleared up any confusion.

“We just have to be solid on our position, which is that we don’t support any changes to the Wilderness

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Act. That’s the position that the board came up with last year, and there’s no indication that we are going to change that.”

Either way, it seems IMBA is not listening to its membership base, as SDMBA reported that roughly 48 percent of IMBA national members and nearly 70 percent of members in the American West support lifting the Wilderness Blanket Ban on Bicycles.

Wiens is not in an enviable position, and he readily admits it. But there’s one thing many mountain bikers can agree on; Wiens is the best hope IMBA has right now of becoming more relevant to the larger mountain bike community. As much as IMBA wishes it would go away, the topic of bikes in Wilderness will only become more important as more public land is designated Wilderness, permanently cutting out bike access in areas that have allowed bikes for generations. And for mountain bikers who want preserved backcountry access, IMBA is faced with some serious soul searching that may mean the future

relevancy of the organization.

At a critical time in our country’s history, we need more advocates for conservation of public land, not fewer.

Expecting mountain bikers to support Wilderness designations that completely lock out their chosen form of low-impact, human-powered backcountry travel is unreasonable. Every argument against bikes in Wilderness is rooted in bias and an unwillingness to share, not science, as mountain bikes are proven by third party research to have similar trail impact as hikers, and far less than horses and cattle – both of which are non-native species permitted in Wilderness. But unless mountain bikers step forward by contacting their congressional representatives, requesting IMBA’s support and donating money to STC for continued lobbying efforts, the loss of backcountry bicycle access will expand.

Photo: Fred Newcomer

IMBA Announces 40 Miles of New Singletrack in Caliente, NV

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IMBA recently announced a huge win in the high desert of southeast Nevada, helping secure more than $1 million in funding to build 40 miles of singletrack surrounding the small community of Caliente. Blessed with beautiful and diverse high desert terrain, Caliente sits at 4,300 feet elevation, and is just a two hour drive from Las Vegas and St. George, Utah.

This four-year process was coordinated by IMBA Southwest Regional director Patrick Kell, bringing together city government, Nevada State Parks and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to plan, flag and fund three trail networks on local, state and federal lands that will all connect with the historic town of Caliente right in the center of the trails.

“The city, state and federal government all see the community value of trails,” said Kell. “The folks in Caliente have been welcoming and appreciative to this project, and between the three agencies, there have been no hiccups whatsoever.”

Twenty-two miles of singletrack leave right from town on BLM land, beginning construction in April amidst terrain rich with sage, junipers and even Ponderosa Pine trees in the higher elevations. Only two miles from town, Kershaw-Ryan State Park is set deep in a canyon with towering rock walls resembling terrain on Colorado’s Western Slope near Grand Junction. The State Park has developed campgrounds ideal for families and has approved 12 miles of singletrack with another seven in the works, all of them connecting to the BLM trails.

The City of Caliente is also building five miles of flow trail on the north side of town, leaving from a city park trailhead featuring a pump track, swimming pool and yearround bathroom facilities. The trails on city, state and federal lands will accommodate a wide range of skill levels, and the next phase of planning includes another 50 miles of trail north towards Piochoe in the Highland Peak Range amidst alpine terrain above 9,000 feet elevation. Thanks to the efforts of IMBA, Caliente promises to be another worthy stop for mountain bikers traveling from California to popular riding destinations in Utah, Arizona and Colorado. —KG

June 17 - 25, 2017

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The Badass Lasses of The Little Big

By Michele Charboneau

T

he Little Big bike festival returns to the Truckee Bike Park in Truckee, CA for its fifth year on May 27, 2017. The event draws the world’s top female riders to teach its popular women’s skills clinic. This dream team of passionate IMBA ICP certified coaches from near and far empowers girls and women via two wheels, ample dirt, and loads of encouragement as they learn a wide range of skills. There is something for every ability level, including basic riding technique, pumping, cornering, wheel lifts, manualing, drops, and jumps.

The festival also includes competitions for women, men, and children, plus live music, food, and industry demos. Proceeds benefit the non-profit Truckee Bike Park. Learn more at truckeebikepark.org.

We asked some of this year’s coaches what inspired them to throw in for The Little Big’s women’s clinic.

Chris McFarland

Event Director and Truckee Bike Park co-founder Cortney Knudson of Tahoe City shares her reason for creating an event for women to develop bike skills: “So many women are fearful of bike parks. I want them to experience what a bike park is like without the worry about riders getting in their way while they’re learning the park.” Knudson is thrilled for the opportunity to teach alongside colleagues she rarely sees throughout the year due to busy clinic schedules. “We rarely find ourselves together all in one place. There we are, spreading the stoke all over the map in our own communities, then we get to do it together as a team at the Truckee Bike Park. Needless to say, it’s so fun to have women with the same passion for riding and pushing the limits on the ground and in the air.”

Kat Sweet

Former pro downhill racer Kat Sweet of Seattle, WA is a certified IMBA ICP coach and founder of Sweetlines, a popular mountain biking program.

Sweet is honored to team up with fellow coaches at The Little Big each year. “We have a blast working together, learning from each other, teaching our students, jumping bikes, and being silly. I’m stoked anytime I can work with other coaches to get more women and girls into jumping bikes! It’s super rewarding to teach women and girls how to fly. Anyone can huck their carcass off a jump. Learning how to do it correctly, with finesse and style, makes it safer and more fun.”

Nick Murphy

Cortney Knudson

The Little Big Event Director and Truckee Bike Park co-founder Cortney Knudson (far left) is thrilled for the opportunity to teach alongside colleagues she rarely sees through the year due to busy clinic schedules (Keoki Flagg).

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Lindsey Richter – globehopping leader in the women’s mountain bike movement and founder of Ladies AllRide – says she will always put The Little Big on her schedule, “because I love Cortney, I love teaching at the Truckee Bike Park and I love riding in Tahoe. It’s a no brainer!” Richter, whose home base is Bend, OR adds, “I’ve watched Cortney turn a dream into reality. She’s put in countless hours shoveling dirt to build the park, plus marketing and promoting it. When she started The Little Big to encourage more women to enjoy riding in a bike park, I wanted to help her get the word out. My mission is to inspire women to face fears, believe in themselves and accomplish more than they think possible.”

Stephanie Nychka

Former freeride competitor and Slope Sistair founder Stephanie Nychka of Calgary, Canada has many reasons she loves to coach The Little Big. “I see good friends that I’m only able to connect with once or twice a year.

I get to promote riding to women who have not yet discovered love for trails and the outdoors. I enjoy helping to develop the next generation of riders.” She adds, “Beyond that, I feel there’s a need to bridge the gap between coaches or recognized female riders and recreational or up-and-coming athletes. Growing up as a multi-sport athlete, I am aware of the advantages that involvement in sport offers young girls and I want to see more lives enriched through riding. Teaching among such amazing coaches and riders promotes a creative environment with a real diversity in perspectives, approaches, and mountain-biking experience.”

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Pro downhiller Cierra Smith of Reno, NV shares her inspiration for teaming up with other passionate coaches at The Little Big event: “The happiness I’ve witnessed our collective teaching and mentoring bring to women and girls means a lot to me. The confidence and joy we see from those we teach makes a difference. Together we are stronger and that’s something important I want all the

BMX world champ and IMBA coach Cory Coffey of Detroit, MI says of The Little Big, “It’s one of my favorite events of the year. You’re surrounded by beautiful scenery, a perfectly groomed bike park and rad coaches from all over.

The weekend of fun is always one I look forward to because of the excitement we all bring and the encouragement we all give one another to push ourselves to the

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Stephanie Ruff

Badassery graduates chime in

Stephanie Ruff of Camptonville faced her fears in last year’s clinic. “I’d always avoided bike parks as they felt very intimidating. The Little Big clinic gave me the confidence to enjoy bike parks and push myself to new limits. The coaches were positive, insightful, and encouraging. Everyone in my group progressed and felt empowered – we were all glowing!”

Jeni Boltshauser of Grass Valley shares Ruff’s enthusiasm. “I’ve taken several clinics and even hosted my own skill building clinics but The Little Big is definitely a favorite.

I learned how to jump tabletops and do drops. Lindsey Richter’s energy makes you want to go bigger and higher.” www.adventuresportsjournal.com 31

Event Profiles MOUNTAIN TOP BLISS April 15, Los Gatos

This event merges mountain biker wannabes with die hard gravel grinders in a playful and dynamic setting.

Come and Earn Your Beer on April 15th from 11 am to 4pm. Arrive at Historic Radonich Ranch and be ready to get out and ride. Entry fee of $22.00 includes: Festival entry, Shuttle Smith Adventures shuttle service, access to the first known mountain bike egg hunt AND exposure to really fun people. Enhance your experience with child care (with optional riding lessons) for $5/hour, demo bike rentals (loop ride takes about 45 minutes) for $18/ hour, and/or a one hour “Butt in the Saddle” clinic with fun instructors for $15. Local wine, beer, and food will be available, plus enjoy live music, games and a raffle.

Proceeds will go toward the construction of The Lodge at Loma Prieta, a mountain biker’s resort getaway adjacent to Soquel Demonstration State Forest. The Lodge will provide miles of trails, great food, local wine, a bike shop, and a fabulous place to spend the night, with shuttle service and lift service. lomaprietalodge.com

SEA OTTER CLASSIC April 20-23, Monterey

Debuting in 1991 as the Laguna Seca Challenge with a total of 350 athletes and 150 spectators, the Sea Otter Classic is now regarded as the world’s premiere cycling festival hosting over 10,000 athletes and 65,000 fans.

The “celebration of cycling” attracts professional and amateur athletes alike who make the annual pilgrimage to participate in some of the sport’s most competitive and enduring events.

Mountain bike races include cross country, downhill, dual slalom and short track. Road cyclists compete in circuit, criterium, and road racing. Cyclocross and noncompetitive events are also offered. The event hosts the largest consumer bike expo in North America, and features an international food court, entertainment, bike demos, stunt shows, and carnival activities for children. seaotterclassic.com

David Smith

SANTA CRUZ OLD CABIN CLASSIC May 21, Santa Cruz

Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz (MBOSC) presents the second annual Santa Cruz Old Cabin Classic at Wilder Ranch State Park. This cross country race is a throwback to the early days of mountain bike racing and homage to its iconic venue. The event testifies to the partnership between California State Parks and the Santa Cruz mountain biking community who are working together to make their local trails the best they can be.

The race is being held as a benefit for mountain biking in Santa Cruz County. A significant portion of the proceeds is earmarked for trail development at Wilder Ranch – specifically for the the decommissioning of the West Engelsman fire road, replacing it with brand new singletrack. oldcabinclassic.com

SURFER’S PATH MARATHON, CAPITOLA HALF MARATHON AND RELAY May 21, Santa Cruz & Capitola

With its breathtaking views of Monterey Bay and over a dozen world famous surf spots along the coastline, the Surfer’s Path Marathon, Capitola Half Marathon and Relay is considered one of the most scenic courses in the world.

“The Surfer’s Path is a celebration of beach life. We offer a laid back atmosphere, where runners enjoy the ocean air, stunning views, and sand between their toes,” says Race Director Tom Bradley. Now in its sixth year, the Surfer’s Path has established its Santa Cruz surf theme reputation that showcases the beauty of Santa Cruz County. “The courses travels the Surfer’s Path, passing some of the world’s most famous surf breaks. The miles melt away as runners enjoy majestic ocean and beachfront views,” Bradley adds.

Runners start at the historic Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, continue past the scenic Santa Cruz Harbor, numerous beaches, Pleasure Point surf breaks, complete a loop through picturesque Capitola Village and return to Santa Cruz to a beach finish. Marathoners continue along spectacular West Cliff Drive to the bluffs of Wilder Ranch State Park and back. All runners receive event shirts featuring surfboard graphics and surfboard finisher medals. Surfs UP! runsurferspath.com

RESTORATIVE ARTS & YOGA FESTIVAL May 19-21, Tahoe City

SILICON VALLEY BIKES! May 7, San Jose

Join Silicon Valley cyclists for a day of celebrating all things bicycle at the Silicon Valley Bikes! Festival and Bicycle Show’s third annual event. Enjoy a day of family fun that includes BMX stunt rider shows, roller racing, bike polo demonstrations, music, exhibitors, bike repair clinics, local artists and artisans, and a spectacular bicycle show. Meet Santa Clara Valley’s cycling clubs and riding groups, and check out the Cargo Bike Village, Artists Colony, bike repair clinics, and more. The kids’ area features games, prizes, face painting, helmet giveaways and room nearby for parents to take a breather while they enjoy food truck fare and craft beer.

Admission is $5.00, $5.00 per show bike, and children ages two and under are admitted free. siliconvalleybikesfestival.org 32 ASJ — April/May 2017

The first annual Restorative Arts and Yoga Festival features two days of workshops and classes led by local Tahoe practitioners, yoga instructors, and professionals.

Hosted by Granlibakken Tahoe, a family-owned resort and conference center in the heart of a 74 acre valley just a short walk from Lake Tahoe, this one-of-a-kind event is designed for those just starting their yoga practice and experienced yogis alike.

See what 6,300 feet can do for your soul. Rejuvenate and relax under the guidance of experienced Tahoe instructors. Join Ashley Aarti Cooper on an ecomeditation hike through the Tahoe pines, or enjoy a Yoga Nidra meditation with Lauri Glenn to re-center and align your intentions for your healthiest and happiest summer season yet.

Most meals are included with the weekend fee of $240, as well as all of the workshops and social hours. granlibakken.com/wellness-packages

Promote YOUR Event Do you have an event you’d like to see featured in this section? Contact us to learn about our event promotion packages – we specialize in raising visibility for YOUR events! info@adventuresportsjournal.com

LOST & FOUND GRAVEL GRINDER June 3, Lake Davis

This year’s Lost & Found offers three ride options (100, 60, and 30-mile) on new courses, all supported by aid stations. The race takes riders through remote areas of the Sierra Nevada not often seen by the public.

Breathtaking views, wildflowers, wide-open alpine meadows, and mountain streams grace a journey of pavement, dirt road, gravel road, and historic railroad grade. Attendees can enjoy camping, lakeside trail hikes and rides, swimming, kayaking, SUPing, and fishing, plus shopping at the Lost Sierra Marketplace which features local artists and vendors. At the conclusion of the ride, there will be food, an awards ceremony, raffle, and cold Sierra Nevada beer.

Proceeds go toward Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship’s efforts to maintain and build trails. The Lost & Found is the first event of the Lost Sierra Triple Crown – which also includes the Downieville Classic and Grinduro – to crown a true King and Queen of The Lost Sierra. lostandfoundbikeride.com

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GROVELAND GEARS AND GROOVES MINI-TRIATHLON June TBD, Groveland

The Groveland Gears and Grooves Triathlon, presented by the Groveland Area Partnership, is scheduled to take place in and around the town of Groveland, near Yosemite National Park.

The course is a three sport event where you start where you want to start and end where you want to end. Think of it as a “Choose your own adventure” event! Stage One is a swim on Pine Mountain Lake. Participants start at the Lake Lodge, swim a mile, and end at the Marina.

Stage Two is a cycling ride from the Marina, east on State Route 120, through the countryside, and up to the Rim of the World overlook. Riders will finish this stage at the Pine Mountain Lake Stables. Stage Three is a run from the Pine Mountain Stables, through the airport and outlying areas, ending at Mary Leveroni Park.

Whether you individually run, swim, or ride or you go for it all by doing it all, the cost for this event is $50.00 per person or $130.00 per team of three, and participants under the age of 18 are $25.00. Volunteers are needed and much appreciated. grovelandgearsandgrooves.com

THE JAY RACE June 17, Capitola

One of the most iconic paddleboard races in the world, the Jay Moriarity Memorial Paddleboard Race is held in honor of one of big wave surfing’s favorite sons – the late Jay Moriarity. Jay was known as much for his fearless big wave surfing as he was for his positive and always friendly attitude. To stay in shape for the winter big wave season, Jay became an avid paddleboarder and could regularly be seen logging countless miles on his paddleboard on the beautiful waters of Monterey Bay. Participants gather annually to remember Jay and paddle their hearts out in his honor. All proceeds benefit the Jay Moriarity Foundation to raise funds for Junior Lifeguard programs to purchase equipment and provide scholarships in Jay’s name as well as other ocean related beneficiaries.

Now an Olympic qualifier, the 2017 event celebrates its 16th year on the majestic Monterey Bay and features a challenging 12-mile long course, a two mile short course, Waterman Challenge, and kids’ obstacle course race in a family-friendly atmosphere. Also check out the preregistration party, and raffle that includes surfboards, paddleboards, wetsuits and more. jayrace.com

Called To Creation

Nelly

CALIFORNIA ENDURO SERIES Mammoth Bar Enduro – May 6 Toro Enduro – May 27 Wild Wood Adventure Enduro – June 17-18 China Peak Enduro – July 1 Crafts & Cranks Enduro – July 22-23 Northstar Enduro – August 26-27 Kamikaze Bike Games Enduro – September 14-17 Ashland Mountain Challenge – October 7-8 The California Enduro Series (CES) is primed to present another great year of enduro racing.

CES is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization dedicated to promoting world-class Enduro events that everyone from amateur to pro can enjoy, at a geographically diverse range of venues. The series is renowned for fostering an exceptional sense of community, and encourages its participants to be involved in its planning.

The 2017 season sees the return of The Golden Tour (pro series triple crown within CES), plus debuts CES Live!, a new Live Race Tracking System featuring live race results, live Instagram feed, and live Twitter feed to follow all the CES race action as it unfolds. californiaenduroseries.com

2014

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www.adventuresportsjournal.com 33

420 for the Run A healthy new image for Cannabis

By Jennifer Stein

A

lthough recreational marijuana use recently became legal in California and Nevada, destigmatizing its use in connection with running and other endurance sports is still a challenge.

Meet Deuvall Dorsey, aka the Vegas 420 Runner, an ultrarunner and triathlete. As a cannabis advocate, Dorsey aims to dispel myths and help raise awareness about cannabis benefits in the athletic community. Through his PR firm, Redefine Cannabis, and his Vegas running team, 420 Cross Country, Dorsey is on a mission to promote marijuana’s healthy new image.

Q

Why and when did you start running and how did you become the ultra runner you are

today?

I started running in May 2012 when I was elected student body president of Nevada State College. While taking classes full time and leading the student government I had a very busy schedule and discovered that I could use running to help me with time management by structuring my schedule around my training.

After my first 5k, peer pressured by a friend, I signed up for my first half marathon a month later. I went from 5k to 10k to half marathon to 30k and with the completion of each new distance came the desire to go further. While training for a 70.3 half triathlon I began using ultra running as a training tool to help me prepare for the fatigue of the final running portion of a triathlon.

Q

How long have you been using cannabis in connection with your running? Do you use it as a performance enhancing drug?

I’ve used cannabis my entire adult life so using it with running came naturally for me. Although I use cannabis to enhance my experience and not to enhance my performance, I do believe it does. I’ve found that cannabis eases muscle inflammation, spasms, cramps, and overall pain when I’m deep into an ultra-training session. I sometimes get a feeling of nausea after 30 or 40 miles and cannabis has helped me manage that. Also, I believe ultra-running is 90% mental so cannabis has played an important role of helping me keep my cool and focus on the task at hand.

And then there’s the obvious: rest and recovery. After training or racing, having some edibles is a relaxing way to deal with post workout pain. I use cannabis after every training session and race.

34 ASJ — April/May 2017

Q

What happened when you went public with your marijuana use?

I went public with my cannabis use as part of a school project but hadn’t thought about the possible consequences of revealing my marijuana patient status online. I transformed my endurance athlete blog into a cannabis running website. Many friends and supporters took a step back to give me room to maneuver and space to grow.

Q

Since legalization, have you had any reactions from the people who gave you a hard time in the

past?

As time went on people warmed up to the idea and I later learned that the only reservation many had regarding cannabis was due to the legal mysteriousness of the substance and what others would think. As my running career developed so did the cannabis legalization movement in Nevada, leading to more efforts being made to raise awareness across the state which have trickled down to the running community, who are slowly becoming more knowledgeable about the benefits of cannabis.

Q

How did you become involved with the public relations side of the cannabis industry?

My bachelor’s degree is in visual media and communications with a focus in public relations. For the last two years of my undergrad program I completed a number of cannabis themed class projects and assignments, as well as several independent study courses focused specifically on the Nevada cannabis industry under the guidance of my professors. Through my assignments I put together an imaginary public relations firm called High Performance PR complete with brand guide, mission statement, cannabis concepts and athletic promotional campaign ideas, target audiences, strategies, tactics, budget, and timeline.

After developing a robust network and learning through hands-on experiences and on the job training with Nevada cannabis industry leaders, I turned that school project into a real world PR

PHOTOS

Main image: Deuvall Dorsey taking on the Desert Dash Trails of Glory 2016 course at Cottonwood Valley in Las Vegas (Shanti Colangelo-Curran); Circle: The interviewer with Dorsey at Trail Trashed 2017 held at Sloan Canyon Conservation Area in Henderson, Nevada (Phil Rosati).

firm, REDEFINE Cannabis. We specialize in redefining cannabis and those who use it by way of athletics and academics.

Q

Marijuana use recently became legal in California and Nevada.

Did that change the negative stigma associated with cannabis and sports? What challenges are you and the industry still facing?

The post legalization era appears to be ushering in a more favorable outlook on cannabis in athletics. The Nevada Athletic Commission is considering striking cannabis from the banned substances list. With major governing bodies of professional sports beginning to take a second look at cannabis, local people seem to be softening up to the idea that it’s going to be around bringing benefits to people they know.

One of the main challenges the industry faces is educating people on what exactly cannabis is. Many people are under the impression that it’s just “weed” that can be smoked to get high and feel relaxed.

Most runners have no idea about topical lotions, tinctures, sublinguals, drinks, and bath oils all offered as CBD (Cannabidiol) with no psycho-active effects. That means runners can benefit from the relief cannabis offers without even smoking or getting high. There is a lot of work to be done raising awareness in the running community.

Q

You’re the founder of the 420 Cross Country race team. Tell us about your mission and goals.

The 420 Cross Country team is a group of runners and cannabis supporters who promote cannabis use among athletes as a healthy alternative to alcohol and aspirin for post workout recovery. Our overall goal is to normalize cannabis and destigmatize it across the country. This year we hope to sign up 420 runners at the pro and rookie membership levels.

We also want to establish multi-city teams that will be first in line to have their entry fees paid once we begin partnering with cannabis businesses to promote their brands in the running community. To bolster recruiting we are creating a web series called Puff & Run Tv that follows us to each of the 420 Games.

Q

You’ll be competing in the 420 Games in Los Angeles in April. Is this your first time participating?

Yes, the 420 Games in Los Angeles will be my very first 420 Games event. This year I plan to attend all eight 420 Games events in six different states. As a Vegas 420 Runner I feel I have a responsibility to do whatever I can to help the 420 Games event in Vegas (in November) be a huge success. 420 Games speaks directly to my target audience of cannabis/fitness/ running, so my 2017 race schedule was built around their event calendar. For me it’s important to attend these events to collaborate with the 420 Games organizing leaders to learn ways that we can make the Vegas event the best ever.

Q

What do you see for the future of the cannabis industry? And what are your personal goals in relation to that?

In the future, cannabis businesses will pay athletes top dollar to represent their brands. The healing benefits of cannabis will penetrate every athletic competition leading to rule and regulation changes in all professional sports allowing for increased amounts of cannabis use.

The performance enhancing aspects of cannabis will be proven to exist within select athletic competitions, particularly those involving endurance or long physical/mental fatigue. Cannabis products will be viewed as vitamins and essential supplements for peak performance. Cannabis brands will sponsor ultra teams to represent their brand while competing in international multi-day ultra marathons.

My personal goal is to destigmatize cannabis in my local community and across the country by using my life story, my running, and the 420 Cross Country team to educate people about the plant.

I also want to help the student Cannabis Awareness Network go from being a Nevada based student organization to becoming a multi-state national organization.

Learn more about Dorsey’s efforts at 420crosscountry.org and REDEFINEcannabis.com.

2017 Keeper Calendar

Do m ore fun stuf f.

Visit us online for a full listing of upcoming California events.

Go to AdventureSportsJournal.com and click on the EVENTS button.

Adventure Racing OCTOBER 21 — Dawn to Dusk / San Luis Obispo / 12 Hour / alloutadventureseries.com

NOVEMBER 11-12 — Gold Rush 30 hour Challenge / NorCal / GoldRushAR.com

Biking MARCH 18 — Gravel Gauntlet / Panoch / SuperProRacing.com

APRIL 1 — Sonomas - A Marathon MTB Race / Lake Sonoma / 3 routes - 35mi, 25mi, 14mi / BikeMonkey.net 1 — Tierra Bella Bicycle Tour / Gilroy / Tierrabella.org 8 — Bike Around the Buttes / Sutter / BikeAroundTheButtes.com 15 — Sierra Century / Plymouth / SierraCentury.org 15 — Nevada City Dirt Classic #1 / Nevada City / USA Cycling CA State MTB XC Championship / XC Bike Series, all ages and levels, kids’ course / ybonc.org/events/dirt-classic 20-23 — 26th Annual Subaru Sea Otter Classic / Monterey / 10,000 athletes and 50,000 fans / SeaOtterClassic.com 22 — Ridge-to-Bridge / Marin County / Hike or ride through beautiful south Marin / RidgeTrail.org 29 — San Diego Tour de Cure / Del Mar Fairgrounds, San Diego / TourDiabetes.org

7 — Grizzly Peak Century / Moraga / 5 routes / Grizz.org/century 7 — Napa Tour De Cure / Yountville / Tour.Diabetes.org 7 — Nevada City Dirt Classic #2 / Nevada City / USA Cycling CA State MTB XC Championship / XC Bike Series, all ages and levels, kids’ course / ybonc.org/events/dirt-classic 7 — Silicon Valley Bikes! Festival & Bicycle Show / History Park, San Jose / Join the Valley’s biggest cycling enthusiasts and groups for a day of family fun and community building! / SiiconValleyBikesFestival.org

NOV 5 - TRIATHLON

Olympic / sprint, paddle option, relay! Navigate the harbor, bike HWY1, and run beach and boardwalk to a finish under the Rock!

20 — Heartbreak Double Century / Palmdale / Spectacular course / PlanetUltra.com

ALL-OUTEVENTS.COM

20 — Nevada City Dirt Classic #3 / Nevada City / USA Cycling CA State MTB XC Championship / XC Bike Series, all ages and levels, kids’ course / ybonc.org/events/dirt-classic 20 — Tour of the Unknown Coast / Humboldt County / 5 routes / California’s toughest century / TUCcycle.org 21 — Strawberry Fields Forever / Santa Cruz County / 3 routes - 30mi, 100K, 100mi / StrawberryFields.org 26-29 — Great Western Bike Rally / Paso Robles / GreatWesternBicycleRally.com

SEPTEMBER 9-16, 2017 The Arthritis Foundation’s California Coast Classic Bike Tour is a scenic bike ride that takes place over 8 days and covers 525 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The event benefits the Arthritis Foundation by raising vital funds needed to find a cure for arthritis, America’s leading cause of disability.

Register today with code ADVENTURE and receive $25 off at

arthritis.org/CaliforniaCoastClassic

*note new web address

Presented by

27 — Ridin’ High at the Ranch / Susanville / SabaDirtRiders.com

30 — Chico Wildflower Century / Chico / 4 rides to choose from / ChicoVelo.org

2-4 — New Wente 8 Hour Mountain Bike Relay / Wente Scout Reservation, Willits / Family camping extravaganza / BikeMonkey.net

6 — Wine Country Century / Santa Rosa / 200K, 100mi, 100K, 35mi / Srcc. com

Bike, trek, paddle, and more solo or with a team - gathering checkpoints. A month’s worth of adventure in one day!

13 — Santa Cruz Old Cabin Classic / Wilder Ranch State Park / OldCabinClassic.com

27 — Toro Enduro / Toro Park, Monterey / Round # 2 of CES / CaliforniaEnduroSeries.com

6 — Mammoth Bar Enduro / Auburn / Round # 1 of the California Enduro Series / CaliforniaEnduroSeries.com

OCT 21 - 12 HOUR ADVENTURE

13 — I Care Classic Bike Tour / Alameda / 4 routes / Icareclassic.org

29 — Superpro Spring Classic / NorCal / Rough roads, long miles, big climbs, and screaming descents / SuperProRacing.com

MAY

MULTISPORT ADVENTURE ON THE CENTRAL COAST

JUNE

3 — Eastern Sierra Double Century / Bishop, Mammoth Lakes, Mono Lake & more / This is road bike heaven! / PlanetUltra.com 3 — Lost & Found Gravel Grinder / Lake Davis / 30mi, 60mi, 100mi / SierraTrails.org

7 — 39th Delta Century / Lodi / Cannibas Defined StocktonBikeClub.org Something short and sweet here about other resources or short description or ?????

www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com

35

bike • paddle • run • swim • triathlon Biking, cont.

10 — Incarnation 100 / Santa Rosa / A benefit for homeless services / 4 different routes / Incarnation100.org 10 — Los Angeles Tour de Cure / Tour.Diabetes.org 10 — The Wildest Ride in the West / Auburn / 4 routes to choose from / WildestRide.com 11 — Silicon Valley Tour de Cure / Palo Alto / Tour.Diabetes.org 17 — CF Cycle for Life / Half Moon Bay / Fightcf.cff.org 17-18 — Wild Wood Adventure Enduro / Mendocino Coast in Caspar / Round # 3 of the California Enduro Series / CaliforniaEnduroSeries.com 17-24 — Sierra to the Sea Bicycle Tour / Lake Tahoe to Golden Gate Park / 30th Anniversary / SierraToTheSea.org 24 — Climb to Kaiser (& Tollhouse Century) / Clovis / One of the 10 toughest rides / ClimbToKaiser.com

JULY 1 — China Peak Enduro / China Peak Mountain Resort in Lakeshore / Round # 4 of the California Enduro Series / CaliforniaEnduroSeries.com

8 — Death Ride - Tour of the California Alps / Markleeville / 5 pass ride, 129 mi, and 15,000 feet of lungbusting climbing / DeathRide.com 21-23 — Crafts and Cranks Enduro / Snow Summit at Big Bear / Round # 5 of the California Enduro Series / CaliforniaEnduroSeries.com 24 — Kirkwood Mountain Classic / Kirkwood / Sierra Cup Mountain Bike Series / SierraCupMTB.com

AUGUST 3-6 — Downieville Classic MTB Race and Festival / Downieville / All Mountain World Championships, XC Adventure Race, Downieville Downhill / DownievilleClassic.com 5 — Marin Century & Mt Tam Double / Marin County Fairgrounds / 50K, 100K, 220K, 100mi, 200mi / MarinCyclists.com 11-13 — SOCO Homage / Santa Rosa / A multi-day MTB stage race / BikeMonkey.net 17-20 — Mendocino MTB Madness / Mendocino / Fully supported singletrack riding, family-friendly, includes rustic accommodations with fireplaces & meals / SuperProRacing.com 19-20 — Downieville Mountain Epic / Downieville / SierraTrails.org

26-27 — Northstar Enduro / Northstar California Resort, Truckee / Round # 6 of the California Enduro Series / CaliforniaEnduroSeries.com

SEPTEMBER 9 — Mammoth Gran Fondo / Mammoth Lakes / 42mi, 70mi, & 102mi races through beautiful Mono County/ MammothGranFondo.com 10 — Motherlode Century / Coloma / 4 routes / MotherLodeCentury.com 14-17 — Kamikaze Bike Games / Mammoth Lakes / Enduro - Round # 7 of the California Enduro Series / Pro GRT DH, XC, Legends of the Kamikaze, TLD Electric Boogaloo, expo, free kids’ activities, entertainment, and more / KamikazeBikeGames.com 16-17 — Unknown Coast Weekend / Ferndale / 65mi Sat and 35mi on Sun / ChicoVelo.org

30 — Levi’s GranFondo / Santa Rosa / A challenging and competitive mass start cycling event / BikeMonkey.net

OCTOBER 7 — Ashland Mountain Challenge / Lithia Park in Ashland / Finale of the California Enduro Series / CaliforniaEnduroSeries.com 7-8 — Grinduro / Quincy / MTB Enduro with a gravel grinder-style road race / SierraTrails.org 15 — TBF MTB 50-Miler / Granite Bay, Folsom Lake SRA / TBFracing.com 21 — Solvang Autumn Double Century / Solvang / 194 miles with about 11,500′ of climbing / PlanetUltra.com 21 — The Hammer Road Rally / Friant / 3 routes / BikeMonkey.net 21-22 — Bike MS: Bay to Bay / Irvine to San Diego / 1 or 2 days and 4 routes to choose from / BikeMS.org

23-24 — Bike MS: Waves to Wine Ride / San Francisco / 1 or 2 days and 6 routes to choose from / WavesToWine.org

28 — SLO Gran Fondo / Avila Beach / 3 routes through coastal and wine country / SLOGranFondo.com

23-24 — Stetina’s Sierra Prospect / Northstar, Carson, Mt Rose / A road rally micro-stage road race supporting High Fives foundation / 2 routes – 40mi or 98 mi / BikeMonkey.net

NOVEMBER 10-12 — DG Ghilotti Cup/Santa Rosa Cup / Santa Rosa / 3-Day Cyclocross Tournament / BikeMonkey.net

Trail run in Tahoe July 29th 2017

37th Annual Hill Climb up Squaw

squawmountainrun.com August 5th 2017

50 & 30k Point-to-Point Courses Single Track Trails & Dirt Roads

sierracrest50k.org

tahoedonner.com

Fundraisers for ASC Training Center Programs www. advent ur espor t sjour nal. com

37

2017 Keeper Calendar Visit us online for a full listing of upcoming California events.

Go to AdventureSportsJournal.com and click on the EVENTS button.

Paddling APRIL 22-23 — Kern River Festival / Kernville / Brush Creek Races; Triathlon - Run, Pedal, Paddle; SUP/Kayak Downriver Race; T.J. Citizen Slalom & SUP Race / KernFestival.com 22-23 — Women’s River Rescue Class / Coloma / a must if you like to WW kayak or raft / WWCollective.com

MAY 13-14 — Reno River Festival / Reno, Tahoe / The beer, food, bike, music, river adventure / RenoRiverFestival.com 27 — Donner Lake Paddle Race / Truckee / # 1 of the Tahoe Cup Paddle Racing Series / TahoeCup.org

JUNE 10 — Lake Tahoe Thunderbird Paddling Festival / Sand Harbor Beach / 4mi, 8mi, & kids’ race / LakeTahoePaddling.com

17 — 16th Annual Jay Moriarity Memorial Paddleboard Race / Capitola / 12mi, 2mi, & mini Jay race; / JayMoriarityFoundation.org

JULY 8-9 — Women’s Whitewater Kayak Clinic / South Fork American River, Coloma / WWCollective.com 15 — Waterman’s Paddle Jam / Carnelian Bay / # 2 of the Tahoe Cup Paddle Racing Series / TahoeCup.org

AUGUST 12-13 —Ta-Hoe Nalu Paddle Festival / Kings Beach / World’s original SUP race - races, demos, clinics, expo / TahoeNalu.com

SEPTEMBER 10 — Fall Classic Paddle Race / South Lake Tahoe / # 3 of the Tahoe Cup Paddle Racing Series / TahoeCup.org

7 — Sierra Showdown Paddling Challenge / South Lake Tahoe / 5 mi, 8mi, Big Blue Waterman, kids’ race / LakeTahoePaddling.com

Running APRIL

23 — Napa Valley Silverado Half Marathon, 10K, & 5K / Calistoga / EnviroSports.com 23 — Ruth Anderson Ultras 50K, 50M, 100K / Lake Merced / UltraSignUp.com 29-30 — SLO Marathon & Half / San Luis Obispo / 5K and kids’ races / slomarathon.org

1 — American River 50-Mile Endurance Run / Folsom to Auburn / 25mi option / AR50mile.com

30 — Big Sur International Marathon / Big Sur to Carmel / bsim.org

1 — The 420 Games Los Angeles / Santa Monica Pier / Run, ride, skate, or bike; music concert, beer tasting, cannabis education / 420games.org

6 — Miwok 100K / Stinson Beach / Miwok100K.com

8 — Beginner’s Luck Trail Race / Sloan Canyon, Henderson, NV / 5mi, 11mi, 30K, 55K, Kids’ 2K / DesertDash. com 8 — Heartbreak Ridge Run / Camp Pendleton / Half marathon, 10K, 5K, kids 1K / mccscp.com/heartbreak 8 — Mt Tam Wild Boar Half Marathon & 10K / Mt. Tamalpais State Park / Envirosports.com

MAY

6 — Wild Wild West Marathon / Lone Pine / plus 50K, 50mi, & 10mi / LonePineChamber.org/events 6-7 — Armstrong Redwoods / Guerneville / 50K, 30K, 17K, 9K, 5K / PCTrailRuns.com 7 — Mermaid Run East Bay / Fremont / Women’s 5K, 10K, half marathon, & Sirena18mi / MermaidSeries.com 13 — Miracle Miles for Kids 10K Walk/ Run / Morro Bay / mm4k.com

22-24 — Feather River Festival / Tobin 9 — Santa Cruz Half Marathon / Santa 13 — Muir Woods Marathon, Half / California’s biggest whitewater festival / Cruz Beach Boardwalk / Half marathon, Marathon, & 7 Mile / Stinson Beach / AmericanWhitewater.org 10k, & 5k / SantaCruzHalfMarathon.com Challenging trail run / EnviroSports.com

Celebrating 34 Years of Fitness and Fun!

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Youth Fun Run • 5.8K Run & Walk • 13K Run Beautiful Scenery - Chip Timing - Custom Participant Medals

PAVED CLASS I TRAIL COURSES

www.FolsomRunWithNature.com 38 ASJ — April/May 2017

OCTOBER

ogo

bike • paddle • run • swim • triathlon 14 — Quicksilver 100K & 50K / San Jose / Scenic, hilly trails and fire roads / Quicksilver-Running.com

10-11 — Marine Corps Mud Run / Camp Pendleton / 10K, 5K, kids’ 1K / mccscp.com

20 — Folsom’s Run with Nature / Folsom / 5.8K and 13K chip-timed runs on paved nature trails; beautiful scenery, family-friendly format, finisher’s medals, and post-race party / FolsomRunWithNature.com

11 — Run to Squaw / Olympic Valley / 7.9mi run alongside the Truckee River / TahoeTrailRunning.com

20 — The Dirty Vert / Bootleg Canyon, Boulder City, NV / The only event in Las Vegas that includes both running and zip lining as you run up Red Mountain and ride the Flightlinez zip lines down; 1.2mi, 2.7mi, 3.5mi, or 3.7mi / DesertDash.com

17 — Bootleg Beatdown Trail Run / Bootleg Canyon, Boulder City, NV / The ultimate Bootleg Canyon challenge; 5K, 5mi, 10K / DesertDash.com

11 — Squaw Valley Half Marathon / Olympic Valley / SquawValleyHalf.com

18 — Burton Creek Trail Run / Tahoe City / 6K, 12K, Half Marathon, Kids / TahoeTrailRunning.com

21 — Surfer’s Path Marathon, Capitola Half Marathon,10K/5K, Hang 10/5 / Santa Cruz & Capitola / Scenic courses / RunSurfersPath.com

18 — Run in the Name of Love / Carmelby-the-Sea / 5K run & 2K dog-friendly walk / RunInTheNameOfLove.org

JUNE

JULY

4 — See Jane Run Women’s Half Marathon, 5K, & Kids’ Run / San Francisco Bay Area / SeeJaneRun.com 4 — Truckee Running Festival / Riverview Sports Park / 5 & 10K, half marathon, kids / TahoeTrailRunning.com 10 — Henry Coe 5K/10K Fun Run and Walk / Gilroy / CoePark.net

4 — Run to The Beach / North Tahoe / 5K & 10K / TahoeTrailRunning.com 10-12 — Styr Labs Badwater 135 / Furnace Creek & Lone Pine / “World’s Toughest Foot Race” - 135mi from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney / BadWater.com Continued on page 40 ...

2017 SCHEDULE MAY 6 Mammoth Bar Enduro AUBURN MAY 27 Toro Enduro SALINAS JUN 17-18 Wild Wood Adventure Enduro MENDOCINO JULY 1 China Peak Enduro LAKESHORE JUL 22-23 Crafts & Cranks Enduro BIG BEAR LAKE AUG 26-27 Northstar Enduro TRUCKEE SEP 14-17 Kamikaze Bike Games MAMMOTH LAKES OCT 7-8 Ashland Mountain Challenge ASHLAND

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Teams or Individuals Running. Cycling. Kayak or SUP

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39

2017 Keeper Calendar Visit us online for a full listing of upcoming California events.

Go to AdventureSportsJournal.com and click on the EVENTS button.

Running, cont.

11 — Run to Squaw / Commons Beach, Tahoe City / 7.9mi / TahoeTrailRunning.com 17 — Jungle Run Half Marathon & 10K / Los Gatos / Firstwave-Events. com 23 — San Francisco Marathon / San Francisco / Full, 1st half, 2nd half, 5K / TheSFMarathon.com 29 — 37th Annual Squaw Mountain Run/Hike/Flower Walk / Squaw Valley / Choose to run or take a more leisurely pace and hike, or Nordic walk (hike with poles); or let the cable car do the 2,000’ elevation gain & join our knowledgeable guides for a beautiful & easy flower walk / AuburnSkiClub.com

AUGUST

24 — Pacific Grove Double Road Race / Pacific Grove / Two stage running event with a halftime in between; 15K, 8K, 1.5mi, 5mi hike / PGdouble.com

OCTOBER 1 — Urban Cow Half Marathon, Relay & 5K Run/Walk / Sacramento / UrbanCowHalfMarathon.com 7 — Skyline to the Sea Marathon & 50K / Santa Cruz / PCTrailRuns.com

9-10 — Headlands Marathon, 50, 75 & 100-Mile / Sausalito / PCTrailRuns.com 17 — Emerald Bay Trail Run / Lake Tahoe West Shore / 7mi mostly single track route with moderate climbs and descents / TahoeTrailRunning.com 17 — Whiskeytown Relays / Whiskeytown Lake / 19.9mi paved, dirt / SweatRC.com 23 — Big Sur Trail Marathon, Half Marathon & 5 Mile / Andrew Molera State Park / EnviroSports.com 23 — Lederhosen 5K & 10K / Squaw Valley / After the awards and raffle enjoy the annual Squaw Oktoberfest / TahoeTrailRunning.com 24 — Truckee Marathon / Truckee / Plus Half Marathon & Relay / TahoeTrailRunning.com 40 ASJ — April/May 2017

JULY 22 — Truckee Donner Lake Open Water Swim / Donner Lake / 1/2mi, 1.2mi, 2.4mi / TahoeSwimming.com

AUGUST

26 — Lake Tahoe Open Water Swim / Tahoma / 1/2mi, 1.2mi, 2.4mi / TahoeSwimming.com

22 — Folsom Blues Breakout Half Marathon / Folsom / Plus 5K and kids’ 1K / FolsomBluesHalf.org

TBD — The 420 Games Las Vegas / TBD / Run, ride, skate, or bike and forge a new respect for cannabis users; music concert, beer tasting, cannabis education / 420games.org

9 — SLO Ultra at Wild Cherry Canyon / Avila Beach / 50mi, 26mi XC, 13mi XC, 5mi / SLOUltra.com

10 — Sand Harbor Open Water Swim / Lake Tahoe / 1/2mi, 1.2mi, 2.4mi / TahoeSwimming.com

8 — Great Trail Race / Truckee, Tahoe City / Bike or run / GreatTrailRace.com

13 — Marlette 50K and 10 Miler “RRCA NV State Championships” / Lake Tahoe NV State Park / TahoeTrailRunning.com

SEPTEMBER

4 — 25th Annual Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim / San Francisco / 1.5mi from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park / SharkFestSwim.com

20 — Lake Tahoe Sharkfest Swim / Incline Village, NV / Sand Harbor 1mi swim / SharkFestSwim.com

NOVEMBER

26 — The 420 Games San Francisco / Golden Gate Park / Run, ride, skate, or bike; music concert, beer tasting, cannabis education / 420games.org

JUNE

7-8 — Bizz Johnson 10K, Half Marathon, Marathon, 50K / Susanville / Run through scenic Lassen National Forest / CoastalTrailRuns.com

5 — Salinas Valley Half Marathon / Soledad / bsim.org

19 — XTERRA Trail Run / Incline Village, NV / 5K & 10K / TahoeTrailRunning.com

Swim

4 — Trail of Glory Trail Run / Cottonwood Valley, Las Vegas, NV / Run just below the beautiful cliff faces of Red Rock Canyon; Marathon, 30K, Half Marathon, 8K / DesertDash.com

SEPTEMBER 23 — Alcatraz Invitational / San Francisco / 1.27mi open water swim from Alcatraz to Hyde Street Pier / South-End.org 30 — Alcatraz Swim with the Centurions / San Francisco / 1.25mi swim from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park / WaterWorldSwim.com 30 — Golden Gate Sharkfest Swim / Sausalito / 1.6mi open water swim / SharkFestSwim.com

OCTOBER

12 — T9 Mermaid Run San Francisco / 5K, 10K, & Sirena10mi / MermaidSeries.com

TBD — South Shore Lake Tahoe Open Water Swim / Lake Tahoe / 1/2mi, 1.2mi, 2.4mi / TahoeSwimming.com

12 — Big Sur Half Marathon / Monterey Bay / bsim.org

8 — San Diego Sharkfest Swim / San Diego Harbor / 1mi open water swim / SharkFestSwim.com

24 — Black Mountain Friday Trail Run / Sloan Canyon, Henderson, NV / Escape the crowds and #optoutside / DesertDash.com

DECEMBER 2 — Death Valley Trail Marathon and Half Marathon / Beatty, NV / EnviroSports.com

21 — Golden Gate Bridge Swim / San Francisco / 3K open water swim from Golden Gate Bridge south tower to Finger Point Rock / WaterWorldSwim.com

Triathlon/Duathlon APRIL

3 — California International Marathon / Folsom / #1 Boston Qualifier, Spectacular State Capitol Finish / RunCIM.org

8 — Millerton Lake Triathlon (Crow’s Nest) / Friant / SierraCascades.com

9 — 30th Annual Hark the Herald Half Marathon & 10K / Angel Island, San Francisco / Hilly loop / EnviroSports. com

13 — Folsom Lake International Triathlon, Super Sprint Tri, & Aquabike / Granite Beach / TBFracing.com

10 — Jingle Bell Rock 5K / Santa Cruz / Plus kids’ 1K; Bring a toy for Toys for Tots, go for a walk or run along the San Lorenzo River Levee / FinishLineProduction.com

MAY

21 — Auburn Triathlon & Duathlon / Auburn / World’s Toughest Half, the Auburn International Triathlon, the Auburn Mini Triathlon, and the Auburn Long Course Aquabike (1.2mi swim and 56mi bike) / AuburnTriathlon.com

JUNE 4 — Orange County Tri Series / Lake Mission Viejo / OCTriSeries.com 4 — Rodney Strong Vineyards Monte Rio Triathlon / Sonoma / Olympic & Sprint / VineMan.com 10 — #1 Tri for Fun Sprint and Super Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon / Rancho Seco Park, Herald / TBFracing.com 11 — #1 Tri for Real Triathlon, Aqua Bike, 1.2m/2.4m Open Water Swim / Rancho Seco Park, Herald / TRFracing. com 11 — Groveland Gears & Grooves Mini-Triathlon / Groveland / 1mi swim, 22mi bike ride, & 5.12mi run / GrovelandGearsandGrooves.com 24 — XTERRA Tahoe City / Commons Beach / Triathlon, Sprint Tri, Duathlon / BigBlueAdventure.com

JULY 8 — June Lake Triathlon / June Lake / HighSierraTri.org 9 — Dip and Dash Aquathlon #1 / Santa Cruz / Short Swim - 750meter swim & 4mi run, or Long Swim 1500meter swim & 4mi run, or Swim only / FinishLineProduction.com 15 — Eppie’s Great Race / Rancho Cordova & Sacramento / 5.82mi run, 12.5mi bike, 6.1mi paddle / EppiesGreatRace.org 15 — #2 Tri for Fun Triathlon/DU for Fun Duathlon (Sprint & Super Sprint) / Rancho Seco Park, Herald / TBFracing.com 16 — #2 Tri for Real Triathlon, Aqua Bike, 1.2m/2.4m Open Water Swim / Rancho Seco Park / TBFracing.com 22-23 — Donner Lake Triathlon / Truckee / Half Tri, 70.3, Olympic Tri, Sprint Tri, Kids’ Tri, Aquabike / DonnerLakeTri.com 29 — Ironman Santa Rosa (formerly Ironman Vineman) / Lake Sonoma / Ironman.com

AUGUST 12 — #3 Tri for Fun Triathlon/DU for Fun Duathlon (Sprint & Super Sprint) / Rancho Seco Park, Herald / TBFracing.com 13 — Dip and Dash Aquathlon #2 / Santa Cruz / International - 1500yd swim & 10K run, or Sprint - 750yd swim & 5K run, or Swim only / FinishLineProduction.com 13 — Tri Santa Cruz / Santa Cruz / International & Sprint Tri (& relay); Olympic and Sprint Clydesdale & Athena; International & Sprint Aquabike; Sprint Paratri; Dip and Dash / FinishLineProduction.com

MARKETPLACE

14 — Santa Cruz International Triathlon & Sprint Triathlon / Depot Park / FinishLineProduction.com

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19 — XTERRA Triathlon / Lake Tahoe / Olympic, Sprint, Duathlon / BigBlueAdventure.com 26 — Lake Tahoe Triathlon Sprint / Tahoma / LakeTahoeTri.com 26 — Lake Tahoe Splash & Dash Youth Aquathlon / Tahoma / LakeTahoeTri.com 27 — Lake Tahoe Triathlon / Tahoma / Half Tri, Aquabike, Olympic Tri, Duathlon / LakeTahoeTri.com 27 — Oakland Triathlon / Jack London Square / OaklandTri.com

SEPTEMBER 3 — Bear Valley Triathlon / Bear Valley / ItsYourRace.com 10 — Pacific Coast Triathlon/ Duathlon / Crystal Cove State Beach / OCTriSeries.com

© Corey Rich / Aurora Photos

Find your paddle adventure at

LakeTahoeWaterTrail.org Launch & Landing Sites • Maps Paddle Routes • Paddle Shops Campgrounds & Lodging Events • Water Safety Info

10 — Ironman 70.3 Santa Cruz (formerly Big Kahuna Tri) / Santa Cruz / Ironman.com

NOVEMBER 5 — Morro Bay Triathlon / Coleman Park, Morro Bay / Olympic and Sprint / Beautiful coastal route; option to substitute swim with kayak or SUP / MorroBayTri.com

View & list events for free on our website at Adventure Sports Journal.com

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24 — 35th Annual Santa Cruz Triathlon / Depot Park, Santa Cruz / SantaCruzTriathlon.org

15 — XTERRA SuperKid Triathlon and Splash & Dash / Santa Cruz / Ages 7-15 / FinishLineProduction.com

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23 — Semper Tri, Devil Dog Duathlon, & 7K Run / Camp Pendleton / mccscp.com

7 — T9 Mermaid Triathlon & Duathlon / Capitola / International Tri, Sprint Tri, Sprint Du / MermaidSeries.com

MTB Skills Coaching

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17 — Dip and Dash Aquathlon #3 / Santa Cruz / International - 1500yd swim & 10K run, or Swim only / FinishLineProduction.com

OCTOBER

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41

Gear We Love

3 2

Goodies for your active lifestyle 1

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5

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1. Tepui Ruggedized Kukanam Sky 3 Rooftop Tents Maybe you have seen these Tepui tents on car roof racks as you drive around town and wondered what rooftop camping is all about. We say don’t be surprised if you never want to camp on the ground again after trying a Tepui tent for the first time ... it’s that comfortable.

We tried ours for the first time at the Tepuifest in Hollister, an annual camping festival of Tepui owners hosted by the company. It takes less than ten minutes to set up and we slept like babies on the memory foam mattress while it rained all night. At 210 pounds the Ruggedized model is right at the limit for some car roof racks, so make sure you check the dynamic weight capacity of your roof racks in the manufacturers specs of your particular vehicle.

The way Tepui tents work is they basically fold over like a sandwich that is held together with a super beefy zipper. That’s why set up and take down is so simple. When you arrive at your campsite you simply unzip the main zipper and your home-away-fromhome pops up before your eyes and the ladder comes down automatically.

With the ruggedized model you get the diamond plate floor and 360 gram dual stitched Cordura fabric that is 40% heavier than standard models. On clear nights we leave the rainfly off and take advantage of the large sky panels that allow for a panoramic view of stars and trees. Roof rack tents are the next phase in the evolution of camping. We highly recommend these cozy elevated platforms.

2. Helinox Chair Zero Helinox leads the world in technologically advanced ultra lightweight equipment for the outdoor adventurer. Their Chair Zero is a backpacking chair that weighs about a pound and packs down to the size of a large water bottle that easily fits in a bag or pack.

In addition to the comfort, we love the convenient set up and take down that makes these chairs perfect for backpacking trips, car camping, and even family beach days. The anodized poles are very strong and hold up to 265 lbs. while keeping you raised off the ground.

MSRP: $1,995.00 tepuitents.com

MSRP: $79.50 gramicci.com

42 ASJ — April/May 2017

MSRP: $119.95 helinox.com 3. Gramicci Men’s Live Free Jeans Gramicci has been making pants for climbers and hikers since 1982 and makes the most comfortable jeans we have ever worn.

The Live Free jeans are all about versatility. Would you consider a twohour mountain bike ride in a pair of jeans? If you are wearing Gramiccis the answer is yes. These pants have the right blend of lycra and cotton to wear all day regardless of your activity level. Imagine going to the climbing gym in the morning, meeting a few friends for lunch, and then going on a long ride in the afternoon with only one pair of pants all day. That’s what Gramicci jeans are designed to handle, plus you can throw on a nice shirt and go out to dinner as well. For men who love outdoor activities, these jeans won’t slow you down.

4. Camelbak M.U.L.E LR 15 The M.U.L.E. set the standard for mountain bike hydration packs way back in 1996. Since then hydration packs have exploded in popularity, so it’s good to give some props to the company that started it all. We are amazed at how much lighter and ergonomic these packs have become over the years and it’s not surprising that Camelbak is still the gold standard decades later.

The latest edition is built around the brand new Crux reservoir, which is even easier to load and refill, and delivers 20% more water per sip than previous models. And is designed to keep the weight positioned low on your back for better stability in the saddle and on the trail.

The pack is big enough to carry three liters of water and a day’s worth of snacks and gear. Over the years, Camelbak has added air channels to keep your back cool, universal helmet hooks, and clever compartments for stashing tools, keys and electronics. The latest version also features a magnetic tube trap that snaps easily into place, so you can hydrate without taking your eyes off the trail. The pack weighs in at just over a pound and has a dry capacity of 700 cubic inches which is plenty of space for an extra change of clothes, tools and food for a full day of riding.

MSRP: $150.00 camelbak.com 5. Tifosi Optics Synapse Tifosi makes cycling glasses that fit comfortably and rarely get fogged up.

We like the Synapse for its open lens frame and unparalleled field of vision.

Featuring shatterproof and scratch

resistant polycarbonate lenses, the Synapse is our favorite pair of sunglasses for mountain biking. As always the frames are highly flexible and virtually indestructible.

MSRP: $69.95 tifosioptics.com 6. Espro Travel Press We love this compact French press for excellent coffee on the go. Just pour in some fresh grounds, hot water, stir it up, screw on the lid, let sit four to five minutes, and press the plunger.

The Espro is the same size as a regular stainless steel coffee mug but allows you to press and transport coffee in one efficient container. If you love the taste of French press coffee but don’t like the hassle of a traditional set-up, then check out the Espro.

MSRP $26.85 espro.com 7. ENO Eclipse Lantern The ENO Eclipse is the last word in camping lights. This fun and functional light sets the mood with its classic shape and colorful light show.

The Eclipse features six light modes: from bright white that will illuminate your campsite to the variable, multi-color modes for when the party begins. The iconic “Lava Lamp” shape and ambient lights of the ENO Eclipse will take you back to a time of peace, love and good vibes. Powered by three AA batteries.

MSRP $49.95 enonation.com

TESTED TOUGH WHERE WE PREFER TRAILS OVER TREADMILLS.

When you rethink an icon, you don’t mess with what makes it the smoothest ride on the trail. You focus on increasing support, comfort and flexibility with our patented FluidFormTM and Fluide GuideTM technologies.

The Caldorado II is tested tough so you can focus on what’s important, getting out on the trail whenever you can. We know why you put in the miles, because Nothing Beats a Trail.

Caldorado II

Technology has changed since you bought your old CamelBak. The new crux reservoir delivers 20% more water per sip in a pack loaded with our latest hydration technology.

So you can do more of what you love, and stay out there longer. And if we built it, we’ll tm

back it—all of our products are covered by our lifetime Got Your Bak™ guarantee.

CamelBak.com