Category: White Room

                  When I began Googling surfing earlier this year, there wasn’t much information available using the search terms “my age” and “surf lessons”, thus I had serious concerns about the wisdom of pursuing it.  Frankly, why punish myself?  But as with most of life’s adventures in learning, timing is everything.  This visit to the Hawaiian Islands would follow my ski […]

Town Mountain has a colorful history. The steep narrow ridge that dances to the summit from the green water tank has always enticed trouble. It’s not a mountain to be taken lightly. The Town Mountain Traverse, the recently popular skin trail that strikes up from town to the east through the lower cliff band and across Crooked Creek is steep […]

Last season’s fatalities of backcountry ski blogger Steve Romero and his partner Steve Onufer in Teton National Park were two more in a disturbing trend of avalanche fatalities involving backcountry skiers. Across the western United States there has been a definitive increase in avalanche fatalities paralleling the growth of backcountry skiing, mechanized ski access and the opening of sidecountry gates […]

by Matt Kinney Funny how outdoor gear selections evolve. I might see a revolutionary new ski leaning on a car at a trailhead and from that point on, I must have it. Selecting shoes for everyday use, however, is an entirely different matter. Call them running, trail, jogging or tennis shoes if you like—they’re all the same to me. We […]

The north face of Odessey Peak was the prime venue for the third event. It was the best day in years with a bright sun and not a trace of wind. As WESC entered its third year, it was becoming the premier ski event in North America. The small group of Valdezeans who had dedicated so much energy were overwhelmed […]

Doug Coombs (1957-2006) of Jackson Hole, Wyoming dominated the early years of WESC winning a number of championships and totally humbling many of the local skiers who thought we knew about skiing. I was lucky enough to see him ski many venues with fascination and awe. To see him and some of the best skiers in the world ski lines […]