Hardwear Sessions

ESPN Story, Taking Oakland Kids From the Killing Field to the Football Field

2009-11-18T16:28:41Z

Marquis Perrilliat, son of Mountain Hardwear Employee Mark Perrilliat, is on the undefeated and unscored Berkeley Junior Bears Pop Warner football team which is featured in an ESPN story called, Choosing Between Death and Football.

The Junior Bears are undefeated and unscored on this year. | Photo by Tim Keown/ESPN.com

By Tim Keown
Say you drive by an old softball field next to an old schoolhouse like the one on the 6200 block of San Pablo Avenue in Oakland, Calif. There are a bunch of little kids out there in blue-and-gold football uniforms, 11 of them moving together like mercury under the dim lights. You glance over, maybe take a look until the traffic light turns green. Then you're gone.

But let's take a closer look. Park next to the playground, walk across the asphalt, through the infield dirt -- careful to tiptoe through the goose poop -- and onto the grass. See that guy in the blue-and-gold windbreaker and the blue-and-gold baseball cap and the huge smile? That's 47-year-old Todd Walker, the assistant coach of the Berkeley Junior Bears Pop Warner football team. You want to know what sports can do? Spend a few minutes listening to Coach Walker.

>>Read it here.

Making weekend plans? Come to MHW!

2009-11-17T21:59:03Z

Newfoundland, New Routes and Exploration

2009-11-17T17:26:32Z

Sarah Garlick, Kirsten Kremer, and Janet Bergman head north to Newfoundland for unclimbed granite and massive blueberry patches.

>>Read the Article, FAR found on Alpine Briefs, a newsletter from the editors of the American Alpine Journal.

Weekend Golden Nut Winners!

2009-11-16T20:13:45Z

Mountain Hardwear gave out 10 itunes gift certificates for finding the Golden Nut! Join the hunt and win big, enter here.

Marc Hoffmeister is the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year!

2009-11-13T17:02:58Z

Photograph by Matt Hage

Operation Denali, an expedition of wounded Iraq war veterans who, sponosored in part by Mountain Hardwear and our Expedition Sponsorship Program, put an assault on Denali in June with a team of 6 (including a few amputees), was honored today when the team leader, Marc Hoffmeister, was selected as a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year.

>>View Marc Hoffmeister photo gallery

June 1, 2009 - The Operation Denali team takes the "mandatory" pre-climb picture at the airfield in Talkeetna before departing for base camp. Front row, left to right: Marc Hoffmeister, Gayle Hoffmeister, Todd Tumolo, Dave Shebib, and Matt Nyman. Back row, left to right: Bob Haines, Jon Kuniholm, Matt Montavon, and Kirby Senden.

By David Roberts
It was April 2007. Serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq, Hoffmeister, then 37 years old, was riding in an Army Humvee. The troops were on patrol outside Al Hillah when an IED tore their vehicle to shreds. "I knew I was badly hurt," Hoffmeister says today. "I was staring through a large hole in my left arm. I couldn't feel anything. I couldn't hear." Hoffmeister was evacuated to a hospital in Germany, then sent on a 29-hour "hell flight" home. Eight surgeries on his arm followed, and months of pain-racked convalescence. Then the depression set in. Though back in his hometown of Eagle River, Alaska, Hoffmeister felt completely at loose ends. "I was just on the couch, doing nothing," he says.

>>Read the Story here

2010 Applications are due November 15th! The Mountain Hardwear Sponsorship Program was founded to encourage people to explore the outdoors and to push our products to perform in physically demanding environments. Download the 2010 Application Here

Hardwear Crew

2009-11-11T19:43:05Z

" One of my favorite perks about working at Mountain Hardwear is its location at the north end of the Bay Trail. Everyday I have a beautiful bike ride along the bay and which often includes a ride up into the Berkeley Hills on my way to work in the morning. Coming down those hills can be chilly in the early hours! My Heavyweight Powerstretch Gloves keep my fingers from freezing and they have a gripper patches on the inner palm which provide more protection and help when picking up my bike.

I also love bicycle camping and have found that the Sprite/Ghisallo tents are essential pieces- they are very lightweight and packable and have specifically-designed vestibule to keep my bicycle out of view. When I go for a quick excursion I usually pack the Sprite tent. The Power Stretch Jacket is a well-fitting hooded layering piece that keeps me warm both on overnight camping trips and rides along the windy Bay Trail." - Brooke Appler, Design Associate/Outerwear

Visit the Mountain Hardwear Facebook Page and SHARE what Mountain Hardwear gear you recommend on the Discussions Tab up top.

>> Click here to view Mountain Hardwear Employees

Fall Sample Sale!

2009-11-10T17:51:34Z

It's November already and that means the Fall Sample Sale is almost upon us!!!

Grand Prize - A Complete Mountain Hardwear Gear Collection!

2009-11-09T16:34:25Z

Find the Golden Nut!

Mountain Hardwear fans know the Nut stands for adventure, so we thought we'd add a little adventure to your Web wanderings too. When you find the Golden Nut in a banner ad, it's your chance to win instantly! For those who seek adventure, the Golden Nut awaits. To enter visit Find the Golden Nut.

Rough Love

2009-11-05T17:48:32Z

By Mountain Hardwear Athlete Julia Niles

Kalymnos is pretty cool I guess. If you like the warm Mediterranean ocean and climbing on huge jugs in overhanging terrain. The living is easy when you are not busy hanging off of stalactites. This simple town of Massouri could not be a more pleasant basecamp.

Sunbathing in Kalymnos Greece | Photo by James Q Martin

That said, there are some inconveniences. There are killer mosquitoes that barely make a noise and bite! It causes skin to well up into poison ivy like blisters that last up to a week. (Apparently they do not have the same effect on everyone.) And the goats. Tim almost got rammed early in the trip. He slapped it on the ass as he was fed up with the raunchy smell and threat to human food. This, we learned, is not the proper tactic. The goat turned, bowed his head, and charged Tim's gonads. Luckily, Tim's cat-like reflexes allowed him to grab the projected horns and show the cud chewing beast who's boss. But, it was a good lesson. From then on, we simply humored the goats with the odd banana peel and stayed away. And then there's the weather. Apparently this November has been the coldest in eight years. Poor Sean takes his first vacation in a year only to visit an island across the seas with only a little less rain than our home in Squamish.

Downpours while on vacation. | Photo by Julia Niles

Now this may sound like complaining but as Dawn declared early on in our adventure, "Anyone who complains here is a jerk." Therefore, from then on nobody complained. We simply "stated facts."

I would say that the crescendo of our trip came three days ago. When I on-sighted Ivi (7b), and thus inflated, hopped on the epic Priapus (7c). Sadly, this was an epic journey on a fabulous route, with only one problem - me. Somehow, Gravity chose this moment to flex its (very large) muscle, and I morphed from monkey into bird- flight can be just as fun as climbing sometimes. But my timing sucked. After Sean rescued me by putting the rope up there, I got to top-rope it. It felt easy! Not only because of his merciful belaying technique: it's called "keep tension at all times because its getting dark and my girlfriend's crazy."

Climbing at dusk. | Photo by James Q Martin

We awoke the next morning with all sorts of battle scars. As I've been saying, this island is brutal! The climbing since then has been a bit rough. I tried a route I onsighted easily at the beginning of the trip and barely got up it. Somehow that Priapus gravity stuck. Or maybe it is all the cheese. The Greek eat a lot of cheese. A couple of our climber friends don't eat cheese. This is not acceptable to the locals. You have to specify "please no cheese, and no feta" because they don't consider feta to be cheese. This statement is about fifty percent effective when ordering food.

However, I must say that it is hard to ignore the glaring fact that this place will make a sport climber out of anybody. Even Dawn, Sean, and I, three cold-weather, alpine loving fools, are beginning to rethink our specialty. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard to just sport climb. Our destinations would shift from The Waddington, Patagonia, Pakistan, and Alaska to Sardinia, Mallorca, and at the extreme, Turkey. It might be a good prescription for health. The steep climbing feels like the best cross training ever. Instead of making the crimps smaller as you increase the grade, here the routes simply get steeper. My whole body gets pumped.

Difficult routes. | Photo by James Q Martin

Despite all the hardship, I truly believe that we might have become better people and maybe even better climbers upon returning home. But if not, at least we'll be fat and happy!

What does Mike Wallenfels, President of MH have on his Ipod?

2009-11-04T23:23:05Z

Mike Wallenfels, President of Mountain Hardwear on Cathedral Peak

Listen to the recording of 106.1 FM The Corner Monday morning "Get Moving Charlottesville" segment with Mike Wallenfels, President of Mountain Hardwear. He talks about staying active despite such a busy career and position.

Go to: 1061 thecorner.com scroll down the page and you will see Mike's interview "Get Moving Charlottesville".

Climb of Mt. Ararat - The Mythical Resting Place of Noah's Ark

2009-11-04T16:48:50Z

By Mountain Hardwear Athlete, Erik Weihenmayer

Petrified Ark Ruins | Photo Courtesy of Erik Weihenmayer

Rising high into the thin dry air of eastern Turkey, Mt. Ararat stands at almost 17,000 feet. Some geologists believe Mount Ararat to be the largest single-mass mountain in the world, since it rises uninterrupted from the plains surrounding it at 2,000 feet, while most other large mountains are in a mountain range with fewer differentials.

Mt. Ararat Straddles the politically embroiled borders of Turkey, Armenia and Iran and has a rich history. It lies on the western edge of what many consider the "Hearth of Humanity." From invading Mongol hordes to the biblical journey of the Apostle Paul, the mountain and surrounding range have long been a pivotal junction for culture and religion. Most famously, according to the story of Genesis, Chapter 6, Ararat is widely viewed as the final resting place of Noah's Ark.

Beautiful scenic view of Mt. Ararat. | Photo Courtesy of Erik Weihenmayer

This fall I teamed up with three Iranian climbers and my brother, Eddi, to scale the dormant volcano and take a step into its rich history. Behrouz Khabbaz Beheshti, the Iranian team organizer, is translating my memoir, Touch the Top of the World, into Farsi. He volunteers with an Iranian disability organization named, Bavar, meaning, "Believe" in English, and plans to sell the book in partnership with this organization. I'm donating all royalties to Bavar, the organization which has also served Behzour's younger brother who was born with cerebral palsy.

Behrouz was accompanied by his friend, Hassan Moghimi, born without one hand while still becoming a professional cyclist and accomplished climber.

Mount Ararat trek. | Photo Courtesy of Erik Weihenmayer

For three days we worked our way up the increasingly steep slopes of Ararat, and at 14,000 feet, stepped on to a spectacular glaciated ice cap 17 square miles in size and 350 feet deep. Kicking steps in the steep slope was tiring, especially for those on our team who started at sea level, yet the summit rewarded us with a windy yet sunny day.

Summit of Ararat | Photo Courtesy of Erik Weihenmayer

Behrouz and I are now planning a future climb of Mt. Damavand (18,600 feet), the tallest peak in Iran. We hope to make a ski descent of the mountain.

Deep Water Soloing

2009-11-02T16:33:24Z

By Mountain Hardwear Athlete Julia Niles

I had a conversation with Dan from England last night at dinner about deep water soloing. He just came from Mallorca so was filled with facts about how to do it properly. Here's the list on how to jump from very high without getting hurt:

15 meters up and Julie Niles forms a know in her throat. | Photo by James Q Martin

1) Always leave your boots on
2) Blow out upon impact to keep your eardrums from blowing out
3) If possible fall into choppy sea
4) If there is no "chop" then throw a big boulder in the water a few seconds before jumping
5) Don't jump from high ground when there are no people in a boat ready to rescue you below
6) Don't breathe underwater: sadly we are no longer in the womb.

Julie Niles Climbing in Kalymnos Greece | Photo by James Q Martin

Not that we did too bad out there. We took a boat from Vathi on the Island of Kalymnos to give our ropes a day's rest. But there is a discernible knot that forms in my throat at about 15 meters that makes it very difficult to go any higher. I'm convinced that a few practice jumps are all I need...

Even the Retailers Want to Win MHW Jackets!

2009-10-29T21:20:42Z

Mountain Hardwear held a visual merchandising contest for our Performance Elevated Retailers this October and encouraged them to get creative using Mountain Hardwear outerwear collections and fun props. The Grand Prize winner gets Mountain Hardwear jackets for their staff and all of our winners get bragging rights. Check out the winning displays...

Grand Prize - Diamond Brand Outdoors in Arden, NC Diamondbrand.com/

1st Place - Wild Iris Mountain Sports in Lander, WY | WildIrisclimbing.com

2nd Place - Beaver Sports in Fairbanks, AK | BeaverSports.com
3rd Place - Summit Hut in Tucson, AZ | SummitHut.com

Goats and Moussaka

2009-10-27T19:35:41Z

By Mountain Hardwear Athlete Julia Niles

Julie Niles Climbing in Kalymnos Greece | Photo by James Q Martin

Dawn and I were scheming and laughing that possibly we could travel somewhere to go sport climbing, rather than travel for our usual suffering on scary icy mountains when not stuck in the tent. It was a novel idea: to unwind from our recent years of guiding exams and cold adventures at the Island of Kalymnos. I thought she was a genius and I must admit I was dubious that it would all work. Now here I am inspired by the ridiculously steep climbing and silly tuffas while being soothed by the indulgent lifestyle. We wake to a swim in the morning. The light turns the world orange as we begin the day with Greek yogurt and Kalymnos honey. The crag is still cool in the early morning. The occasional drip from the tufas above remind you of the routes that make your belly turn. Like Priapus. This is an epic adventure. Thirty five meters of climbing some of the biggest tufas that allow you to sit on them to give your hands a rest. It is an epic journey requiring a whole hike to get back to your belayer when you get lowered. At 7c- it is sustained but if you can milk the rests...

Upon contemplation of this climb- the Grotto Goat shows up. Apparently this guy comes around often- and tends to leave his goat friends behind. He alone has befriended the climbers- wooed by banana peels and apple cores, this guy keeps the crag free of any food not well wrapped. And he does not blink at close contact with the necessary inconvenience- humans- that goes along with the food.

A Grotto goat befriended the climbers. | Photo by Julie Niles

The climbing here is outrageous. As soon as you can convince yourself that the exposure simply equates with safer falls- the rock is your playground. I love the rests- that seem to actually favor the traditional mountain climber types (like myself). There are tufa handjams, stemming, knee bars, back scums, and chimneys. For me- figuring them out is purely necessitated by need. But as soon as I figured out that the key to sending Trela or DNA or Sparticus is milking the rests because the climbing imbetween is far too steep- suddenly the grades melt to manageable journeys through tufa roofs.

Then, we are fueled by healthy and hearty local cuisine. I had been hunting for Moussaka at a few of the restaurants. Finally, last night I pinned down the waitress- asking for Moussaka (pronounced with great flair). I could not believe my taste buds- when all of my hopes of good food were blown out of the water. Cloves and sweet potatoes in a meet pie with eggplant, grape leaves, and cheese. It is rich enough to share and well worth ordering.

Today, we plan to go to a sink hole cave: apparently a stupendous geological wonder with some musical 7bs. Bring it on!

Julie Niles, a Lung Cancer Survivor
At age 25, Julia Niles was an accomplished climber--then a lung tumor threatened to ground her for good. She fought back, and has climbed even higher.
Read the article here.

Julie Niles | Photo by Heather Erson Photography

Manaslu (8156m) Ski Descent - A First?

2009-10-26T23:10:04Z

By Guy Willet from Dream Guides

On 28th September Guy Willett skied Manalslu, which at 8156m is the world's 8th highest mountain. Guy's ski descent is the second ever descent of Manalsu, with the first being in 1981. This just goes to show how infrequently successful ski descents of 8000m peaks are made. (*note - the 'completeness' of the Austrian 1981 descent is still to be confirmed - Guy's could be the first 'complete' ski descent)

About Guy:
Guy is a British IFMGA Mountain and Ski Guide based in Chamonix. Along with MHW athlete Kenton Cool, he runs Dream Guides. He has many steep descents to his credit in the Alps and first descents in Greenland and Alaska.

The Route: North East Face route (in ascent & descent) with deviations to avoid rappelling steep icy sections.

Manaslu ski route (Click to enlarge) | Photo Courtesy of Dream Guides

The Ascent

Basecamp is at 4850m and a moraine walk and rocky step lead to 'Crampon Point' (5050m), where the route joins the glacier and roping up becomes the norm. The route to Camp 1 weaves through crevasses before heading to the top of a rocky promontory on the right at 5750m, just below the Icefall.

Camp 1 weaves through crevasses. I Photo Courtesy of Dream Guides

Leaving the tent at C1 the route continues up a short snow crest to 5850m, where it joins the Icefall and traverses left through several complex crevasses and crosses under an active serac at 5900m (this is the one serious objective danger on the route, but thankfully one is exposed to the potential avalanches for only a minute). After the traverse, we are at the Hour Glass - a V shaped snow slope of 40-45 degrees of 100m providing access through the steepest part of the icefall. Thereafter, weaving through huge crevasses, up ice steps, steep snow and ice crests, the route takes us to Camp 2 at 6300m where the glacier mellows. A simple snow slope (with a few crevasses) brings us to Camp 3 at the North Col (6800m) and truly amazing sunsets.

Snowslope leads to steep glacial ice cliffs. I Photo Courtesy of Dream Guides

Camp 3 to Camp 4 (7450m) is a tough day. A steepening snow slope leads to steep glacial ice cliffs (near vertical) at 7100m. Fixed ropes aid progress but difficulties are sustained until just before camp. Summit day follows straight forward snow slopes to almost 8000m where the slope narrows and steepens to 40 odd degrees as it nears the summit (8156m)

Manaslu summit | Photo Courtesy of Dream Guides

The Descent

Skiing with supplementary oxygen from the top down to 7450m, Guy skied the North East face route (the 'voie normale'), deviating from the line of ascent several times to avoid having to rappel steep icy sections. In all Guy took his skis off once to make a short rappel (5m) over a crevasse at 6200m (in a white out).

Skiing with supplementary oxygen | Photo Courtesy of Dream Guides

I skied the ascent line to C4 in difficult breakable crust and took a 45 minute break to warm my freezing feet. From C4 I skied the exposed line of ascent on chalky snow of 40-45 degrees to 7250m, where I traversed several hundred metres to the skier's right to avoid the ice cliffs. Some great turns down the huge face followed by a traverse back left brought me past C3 and onto the steady snow slope to C2 at the start of the Icefall. The Icefall proved difficult, with many steep sections with big crevasse falls punishing any mistakes. Inconveniently, convection clouds had built up and I was in frequent whiteout. I had to take my skis off once at 6200m to make a short rappel (5m) over a crevasse, but otherwise managed to negotiate the obstacles on skis. Skiing the Hourglass was a real highlight - steep skiing, on an improbable line and in a 'mad' environment! Weaving through crevasses and over snow bridges in poor visibility, on the way back to base camp was stressful but uneventful (I was a few hundred metres away from the ascent line, which by this stage was bare ice and not skiable).

Guy on the descent. | Photo Courtesy of Dream Guides

Who with?: The Dream Guides team. Friend and client Emma Jack also skied the route apart from 350 vertical metres in the icefall between 6250 and 5900m.

When?:September 28th 2009, Summiting at 9am and reaching basecamp the same day at 4pm.

Clothing: Head to toe Mountain Hardwear; Absolute Zero Suit, Medusa Mitt, Power Stretch Gloves, Power Stretch Tight, Power Stretch Zip T, Monkey Man Zip T and Corvus Dome

More Info: Find out more on Dream Guides' blog or Dream Guides website