Outdoor Sports Guide Magazine Blog

Cotopaxi Questival 2015

2015-04-11T12:35:00.000-06:00

Outdoor Sports Guide Magazine is competing in this weekend's Questival and it's been a blast! Our team is All forOne and One for Llama and we've loved traveling all over the state ( and into Nevada). Check out our photos and give us a like if you get a chance!

Find us on Twitter @osportsguidemag.

TOP SKIERS AND SKI FILMS HONORED AT 15th ANNUAL POWDER AWARDS

2014-12-06T11:13:00.000-07:00

The 15th Annual Powder Awards, the longest running skiing awards show in the world, celebrated the skiing community by honoring the top skiers, cinematographers, and photographers to a sold-out crowd at The Depot in downtown Salt Lake City on Friday night.

“It was an absolutely beautiful evening with the best community in the world...skiers,” said Powder Editor John Stifter. “The 15^th anniversary show was the best ever, blending unprecedented skiing and filmmaking that will continue to advance the sport in the most positive of directions.”

The evening kicked off by honoring the winners of the Powder Poll with Ingrid Backstrom taking home her 10th consecutive award for the number one female.

“I’m speechless, it’s kind of unbelievable to be recognized among such an amazing group of women,” says Backstrom. “There have always been incredible female rippers, but I’m so excited to be honored in a year that really honors such a huge group of diverse and talented women skiers.”

In one of the greatest moments in the 15^th anniversary of the Powder Awards, the winner of this year’s Powder Poll went to the late J.P. Auclair as the packed house stood for an eight-minute tribute—produced by Sherpas Cinemas and Poor Boyz Productions—featuring the iconic skier who passed away this last winter in a tragic avalanche in Chile. There wasn’t a dry eye in the audience as the infectious spirit of J.P. filled the room, reminding everyone of the pure joy he exuded on and off the mountain.

“J.P. was a grand skier in his own right, but it was his genuine humanistic approach to life that will be his legacy. He was the most engaged friend, partner to Ingrid [Van Swae], father to Leo, philanthropist, artist, and skier. He truly lived life in the present, doing everything at 200 percent,” said Hans Smith, co-founder of Armada alongside Auclair.

Passion for life and skiing set the tone for the evening as Angel Collinson picked up Best Female Performance, and top five for Powder Poll Awards, for her hard-charging season filming for Teton Gravity Research. In fact, her segment was the first time in the 20-plus-year history of TGR that a woman had the opening segment.

But it was Cody Townsend who truly cleaned up tonight with his trifecta win of Best Line, Full Throttle, and Best Male Performance. Lamenting about epic straight lines and preparing for the most controlled environments, the ever-humbled Townsend reminded the crowd that, “regardless of skill, it’s the skier that is having the most fun that is truly the best skier.”

The crew from Teton Gravity Research reinforced the importance of community in the skiing industry in their acceptance speech for Movie of the Year with Almost Ablaze. “The authenticity of our community has always been there but it came down to capturing those moments on film. It’s not about the brands or the awards, it about the athletes—the individuals—who make up this amazing family of skiers, friends and visionary, “ said TGR co-founder Todd Jones. It’s TGR’s second Movie of the Year award.

For more coverage, photos, and video from the biggest night in skiing visit PowderAwards.com.

15^th ANNUAL POWDER AWARDS RESULTS

Photo of the Year

Photo: Oskar Enander/Sweetgrass

Eric Hjorleifson

Sentry Lodge, British Columbia

Full Throttle

Cody Townsend

Breakthrough Performer

Nick McNutt

Best Line

Cody Townsend, Days Of My Youth, MSP Films

Best Manmade Air

Henrik Harlaut, Oil and Water, Armada

Best Natural Air

Richard Permin, Days Of My Youth, MSP Films

Best Powder

Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Johnny Collinson, Dylan Hood, Nick McNutt, Almost Ablaze, Teton Gravity Research

Best Jib

Phil Casabon, Oil and Water, Armada

Best Female Performance

Angel Collinson, Almost Ablaze, Teton Gravity Research

Best Male Performance

Cody Townsend, Days Of My Youth, MSP Films

Best Short

Afterglow, Sweetgrass Productions

Best Editing
Ten and Two, Stept Productions

Best Cinematography

Afterglow, Sweetgrass Productions

Best Documentary

Dream Line, Endlessflow Films

Movie of the Year

Almost Ablaze, Teton Gravity Research

Powder Poll Men

1. J.P. Auclair

2. Candide Thovex

3. Tanner Hall

4. Sage Cattabriga-Alosa

5. Seth Morrison

6. Sean Pettit

7. Tom Wallisch

8. Eric Hjorleifson

9. Henrik Harlaut

10. Cody Townsend

Powder Poll Women

1. Ingrid Backstrom

2. Lynsey Dyer

3. Michelle Parker

4. Angel Collinson

5. Tatum Monod

SECOND ANNUAL SKIING & TREES SYMPOSIUM

2014-11-25T16:13:00.003-07:00

Learn About Utah’s New State Tree, Current Issues and What it Means for Utah

PC: Jay Dash

Quaking Aspen trees have become iconic subjects in photographs and artwork depicting the American west. So it comes as no surprise that on March 26, 2014 it was designated as the new state tree of Utah, where riding the Greatest Snow on Earth® through a beautiful aspen grove can make the trip of a lifetime.

TreeUtah is partnering with Alta Ski Area to present the second annual Skiing & Trees symposium. This year’s topic will be Aspen — their current state throughout Utah and the potential effects on recreation and the health of Utah forests. We invite businesses and community members alike to join us for an early morning of pre-public skiing, breakfast, and a lively discussion with leading experts. Speakers include Director of the Western Aspen Alliance (WAA) Paul Rogers and USDA Forest Service Forest Pathologist John Guyon. “This is an exciting event that brings the skiing community and local experts together to discuss the future of trees, how it will impact our businesses and the places we all love” says Amy Collins, TreeUtah Executive Director.

TreeUtah is excited to have the support of Maverik as a ‘Black Diamond’ sponsor, and Visit Salt Lake as a ‘Blue Square’ sponsor for this year’s symposium.

"Maverik’s brand revolves around exciting outdoor adventure so it only makes sense for Maverik to support Skiing and Trees. We at Maverik feel a strong connection to our environment and urge all outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy our natural resources responsibly and do what their part to ensure an amazing outdoor adventure-land for future generations.”- Ernie Harker, Executive Director of Marketing, Maverik- Adventure’s First Stop

"TreeUtah's 'Skiing & Trees' program complements our sustainability efforts perfectly," said Eric Thompson, vice president of marketing for Visit Salt Lake. "Being 'green' is much more than simply marketing our organization and Salt Lake as such; supporting like-minded programs, particularly those that benefit our community like TreeUtah's efforts, is critical to our effort in being good stewards of what we promote to a worldwide audience.” – Eric Thompson, Visit Salt Lake Vice President of Marketing

When: Friday, December 5th, 2014

Where: Albion Grill, Alta Ski Area, Alta, UT

Learn more: www.treeutah.org/skiing-trees

www.facebook.com/events/848905751809633

Sunglass Review: Switch Lynx

2014-08-25T23:17:00.000-06:00

Switch Lynx

Switch Lynx: further evidence that Switch is to sunglasses as sliced is to bread.

The first pair of sunglasses I remember owning were a $2 add-on with a large pepperoni pizza at Mazzio's in Jenks, Oklahoma. I was nine-ish, and they were awesome-ish. They were nothing like the multi-neon-colored wayfarer frames the other kids in the fourth grade wore. With fancy plastic tortoiseshell bits glued to lenses and temples framed in thin "gold," my Mazzio's shades were very adult. And not only because my dad had also bought a pair for himself.

A good mountain man carries a big stick...

...and wears sweet shades.

Who knows what happened to those sunglasses? Whatever. They were good while they lasted.

I've gone through a lot of sunglasses since then. Some were cheap gas station shades. Some were pricey, save-your-pennies objects of optical lust. But most met their end at some point. My silver Arnette's melted out of shape on a hot dashboard. A classic pair of wireframe Oakley's got stepped on. Others fell off during mountain bike crashes, disappearing into thick underbrush at sundown, or were lost in slot canyon potholes. And some simply disintegrated with wear, bridges snapping inexplicably and lenses dropping out of frames like gold coins from the eyes of a wild west corpse on a bumpy wagon ride.

I digress. Disintegration is certainly not something I'm worried about with the pair I'm wearing now, in spite of the interchangeable lenses.

The Lynx, by Switch, may be my favorite all-round pair of shades. You probably wouldn't run a marathon in them, but you could. You might not wear them during an enduro mountain bike race, but you could. Perhaps you would not take them base jumping in the Swiss Alps, but...you get the picture.

What you could do in the Lynx is just about anything. They're sporty enough for sports, stylish enough for a downtown stroll, and subdued enough for an outdoor wedding reception.

The Lynx, by Switch, in the rain.

Switch is not a flashy brand. They don't seem to advertise at all. But frankly I'm surprised that the buzz about Switch hasn't been a little louder.

The unique concept behind switch is that the best way to do interchangeable lenses is with magnets.

Why has no one thought of this until now?

Switch frames have two magnets in each eyepiece that correspond with two magnets embedded into each lens. This makes lens changes fast and simple: pull one pair out, pop another in.

You don't have to wrestle or dismantle the frame while being careful not to break it, and there's no risk of the lenses wearing loose from frequent swaps.

I'm a bit OCD about smudges, so probably my favorite thing about magnetic lenses is the fact that they are so easy to clean. Pop out, polish, pop in, presto.

The Lynx is one of Switch's first full-frame models. Embedding magnets in lenses is a painstaking, hand-fitted process, and getting them to look right in a full frame is tricky, especially if you want the lenses to look like they're built into the frame.

Switch got it right with the Lynx. (See photos.)

Now, what about materials and performance?

Switch's nylon frames are tough and resistant to heat. My Lynx have spent many hot days in a parked car and have no signs of deforming. Not even the rubberized contact pieces on the temples and nosepiece have been affected.

The lenses are equally impressive. Each pair of Switch frames comes with a polarized lens for bright sunlight, and a rose amber lens for overcast conditions. Switch claims they'll put their lenses up against anyones. For clarity and durability they're at least as good, but probably better, than many lenses I've tried.

Switch gives you plenty of different lens options (sold separately). Any golfers, tennis players or trail runners ever need a high contrast lens? How about drivers? Prescription lenses? Check!

Spare lenses come in a compact plastic case that is also magnetized. The case protects the lenses and tucks away easily.

Good for reverse-duckface selfies with babies.

Performance is great too. As I've mentioned, the Lynx is sporty, but not sport specific. That said, I've run, hiked, cycled and napped in them, and I have no complaints. The lenses do not pop out of the frames on their own, even after being knocked off of my face on several occasions by my kids as I carried them on my shoulders. They are still as scratchless and clear as the first day I donned them.

I just hope I can hang on to these for a while.

(MSRP: $149, switchvision.com)

Aaron tweets @aarontlovell

The Head And The Heart Close The 2014 Twilight Summer Concert Series This Thursday

2014-08-25T19:28:00.002-06:00

Join Outdoor Sports Guide Magazine and everyone else in Salt Lake City for the very last (sniffle) show of the 2014 Twilight Summer Concert Series.

The Head and the Heart will play with San Fermin / Westward The Tide this Thursday at Pioneer Park.

Gates 5pm | Music 6:15pm
Admission is only $5!
http://twilightconcertseries.com/

I saw The Head and the Heart open for Dave Matthews Band at Usana Ampitheater last summer and they are not to be missed!

About The Head and the Heart:

Formed in Seattle by a group of northwestern transplants, the Head and the Heart is an indie folk band whose influences include Americana, country-rock, and classic Beatlesque pop. The lineup came together in 2009, when songwriters Jonathan Russell and Josiah Johnson met at an open mike event at Seattle's Conor Byrne Pub. Pianist Kenny Hensley, bassist Chris Zasche, violinist Charity Rose Thielen, and former Prabir & the Substitutes drummer Tyler Williams rounded out the roster, and the Head and the Heart spent the first half of 2010 touring the Pacific Northwest before self-releasing their eponymous debut in June. By the end of the summer, they'd created enough buzz in the Pacific Northwest to entertain offers from several record labels, eventually signing with Sub Pop that fall and reissuing their album -- this time with remastered tracks and one new song -- in early 2011.

The band spent much of their time on tour during 2012 and subsequently began the writing process for their second album on the road. They eventually returned to Seattle to record their sophomore release, 2013's Let’s Be Still.

De La Soul Performs at the Twilight Concert Series

2014-08-19T10:17:00.002-06:00

Photo Credit: Creative Commons/ Tyson K. Elder

The ever-popular Twilight Concert Series is winding down for the year with only two shows remaining! This Thursday, August 21, see hip hop trio De La Soul take the stage!

About De La Soul:

The group formed in 1987 in Long Island, New York when the three members--Posdnous, Trugoy The Dove, and DJ P.A. Pacemaster Mase--attended high school together.

Their first album, 3 Feet High and Rising, was released in 1989 and called the future of hip hop. Unlike the more hardcore rap that was popular at the time, De La Soul differed by preaching peace and infusing their music with humor and fun. Their first hit "Me, Myself, and I" was Number One on the R&B charts and it topped the Top 40 Pop chart as well. This sound brought in new fans to the rap scene who didn't listen to the rap popular at this time.

But as their popularity grew among this new fan base, De La Soul changed direction when they with their second album in 1991--a much more serious project called De La Soul is Dead. Reviewers liked the album, but it failed to draw appeal from the masses and netted just one hit. But this pioneering group did not give up and continued creating albums that drew a different audience from their first, but nonetheless helped them establish a dedicated fan base.

In 2000 they released the first of what De La Soul said would be a trio of records called Art Official Intelligence. The first in the set, Mosiac Thump, debuted in the Top 10 and developed a following that De La Soul had been hoping for, and MTV.com even named it, "one of the year's most inventive albums." The second and third installments of the trio were released in 2001 and 2004 respectively.
In 2014, to celebrate their 25th anniversary as a group, De La Soul gave away their entire catalog online on Valentine's Day for 25 hours. Some of this music had never been available online and was hard to find in stores too, so De La Soul released it all as a generous thank you to their fans. They even received the Artist of the Year Webby Award in April for this massive catalog release.

For the remainder of 2014 De La Soul is touring not just the United States with their Utah and Philadelphia stops, but around the world with shows planned in the United Kingdom and France.

Beck Peforms at the 2014 Twilight Concert Series This Thursday

2014-08-11T13:41:00.000-06:00

Don't miss one of the most anticipated concerts of the summer season. Beck will perform with Future Islands on Thursday night.

About Beck:

Initially pegged as something as a voice of a generation when "Loser" turned into a smash crossover success, Beck did wind up crystallizing much of the postmodern ruckus of the '90s alternative explosion, but in unexpected ways. Based in the underground anti-folk and noise rock worlds, Beck encompassed all manner of modern music, drawing in hip-hop, blues, trash rock, pop, soul, lounge music...pretty much any found sound or vinyl dug up from a dusty crate, blurring boundaries and encapsulating how '90s hipsters looked toward the future by foraging through the past. In another time, Beck may have stayed the province of the underground, but he surfaced just as alternative rock turned mainstream, with his 1994 debut Mellow Gold launching "Loser," a hit that crossed over with the velocity of a novelty, a notion Beck quickly punctured with a succession of indie LPs delivered in the wake of Mellow Gold, including the lo-fi folk of One Foot in the Grave, delivered on the K imprint. But the album that truly cemented Beck's place in the pantheon was 1996's Odelay a co-production with the Dust Brothers that touched upon all of his obsessions, providing a cultural keystone for the decade while telegraphing all his future moves, from the soul prankster of Midnite Vultures to the melancholy troubadour of Sea Change.

Fittingly, Beck came from a distinctly artistic background, the son of string arranger/conductor David Campbell and Bibbe Hansen, a regular at Andy Warhol's Factory whose father was a pivotal contributor to the Fluxus art movement. Adopting the Hansen surname after his father left, Beck grew up in Los Angeles, dropping out of school in the tenth grade to play as a street busker and attend poetry slams. Bashing out blues and folk, Beck wound up assembling a home tape called The Banjo Story before departing for New York, where he operated on the margins of the anti-folk scene without ever breaking into it.
He returned to Los Angeles, where he continued to play clubs, eventually gaining the attention of Bong Load Records, an independent operated by Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf. All parties agreed to pair Beck's fledgling folk with hip-hop beats assembled by producer Karl Stephenson, whose kitchen provided the studio for their first efforts, including "Loser." These tapes remained unreleased as Beck recorded an album's worth of material with Calvin Johnson for the latter's K label, but the first release Beck had was the Flipside single "MTV Makes Me Want to Smoke Crack" and Sonic Enemy's cassette release of Golden Feelings. But what really broke the doors open was Bong Load's 12" single of "Loser," which garnered considerable play in L.A., coinciding with increased underground attention. Soon, Beck signed with Geffen, striking a deal that allowed him to release on independent labels. One of these immediately followed -- Fingerpaint released a 10" record A Western Harvest Field by Moonlight in January 1994 -- before the Geffen debut Mellow Gold appeared in March of 1994.
Naturally, "Loser" was the lead single from Mellow Gold and it turned into an instant smash, boasting a hook that worked as an ironic underground rallying cry and a novelty crossover. Despite many positive reviews, Beck worked overtime to dispel the notion he was a novelty, quickly releasing two indie albums in succession: the noise-skronk Stereopathetic Soul Manure and One Foot in the Grave. Stereopathetic made few waves, but the stripped-back, folky One Foot in the Graveacted as a counterbalance to the gonzo Mellow Gold, illustrating the depths of his talents.

After a furious 1994, Beck laid relatively low in 1995, touring with the fifth Lollapalooza in between working on a new album with the production team the Dust Brothers, who had collaborated with the Beastie Boys on their landmark 1989 Paul's Boutique. The resulting album, Odelay, appeared in June 1996, preceded by the lanky, funky single "Where It's At," which would go on to win the Grammy for Best Male Rock Vocal. Odelay piled up acclaim and hits -- "Devil's Haircut," "Jack-A**," and "The New Pollution" all charted around the world -- and the record went double platinum, becoming a touchstone of '90s alternative rock. An outtake from the album, "Deadweight," appeared on the soundtrack to Danny Boyle's 1997 film A Life Less Ordinary, then Beck set to work on his next album with producer Nigel Godrich, who had just worked with Radiohead on OK Computer. Their collaboration, originally slated for an indie release but moved to Geffen, thereby setting a precedent where no future Beck LP would be released on an indie (something worked out in the courts the following year), traded futuristic rock -- either the joyous collage of Odelay or the dystopia ofOK Computer -- for a quiet, pulsating, psychedelic folk-rock album called Mutations. Riding high on Odelay, the album charted well without turning out any major hits, although it did garner a Grammy for Best Alternative Music Performance.

Beck took another abrupt change in musical direction in 1999 with Midnite Vultures, a garish party record that was part satire and part salute to soul and funk, particularly Prince. Reviews were divided between ecstatic and skeptical, but the album had some real hits with "Sexx Laws" and "Deborah," and in some ways it was the apex of Beck's hipster prankster phase, a persona he shed with his next album, 2002's Sea Change. Recorded in the wake of a romantic breakup, Sea Change was another Godrich production, but it was gentle and mournful, lacking some of the gritty underpinnings of Mutations yet retaining the psychedelia -- and that psychedelic edge was brought out in the supporting tour when Beck hired the Flaming Lips as his supporting band. The tour was well received but there were some tensions, as reported by Lips leader Wayne Coyne later.

After an extended break -- the longest he had taken between albums to date -- Beck returned in 2005 with Guero, an album that reunited him with the Dust Brothers. Beck returned to original material in 2012 via Song Reader, a collection of sheet music of 20 new, unrecorded songs; Beck did not record versions of these songs but did appear at Song Reader concerts featuring other musicians. Early in 2014, Beck released Morning Phase, his first new album in nearly six years and first album for Capitol Records. Described by the singer/songwriter as a "companion piece" to 2002's Sea Change, Morning Phase was released in February 2014, preceded by the singles "Blue Moon" and "Waking Light."

Sean McColl and Claire Buhrfeind Dominate at the 2014 Psicobloc Masters

2014-08-09T09:10:00.000-06:00

The 2014 Psicobloc Masters Presented by Clif Bar

What is Psicobloc?

Psicobloc (aka deep water soloing) is a form of solo climbing over a (deep) body of water. No harnesses. No ropes. Psicobloc is undoubtedly one of the most unique and purest forms of climbing.

The Psicobloc Masters finals took place at the Utah Olympic Park outside Park City on August 8th. The event featured The North Face team climbers Alex Johnson, Emily Harrington, and Daniel Woods, but Sean McColl and Claire Buhrfeind won the event.

The Psicobloc wall, rated at 5.14, towers 55 feet over a pool and overhangs roughly 25 feet. With no harnesses and no ropes, there’s only one way down from the top — if the climbers made it that far they had to jump from the top with the crowd chanting "jump, jump, jump."

Jonathan Thesenga was the emcee extraordinaire for the event and kept the crowd amped for the entire competition.

The Psicobloc wall will be open to the public at the Utah Olympic Park until August 24th if you want to try it out.

There will be two routes available with varying degrees of difficulty. Day passes are available for purchase in the Quinney Welcome Center/Guest Services at the Utah Olympic Park.

Routes currently available include: 5.8, 5.10, 5.11, 5.12 and 5.13.

PC: Jill Charron

Local Natives at Twilight Concert Series

2014-08-04T23:18:00.002-06:00

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

See 2013’s hardest working band, Local Natives, perform in Salt Lake City this Thursday at the Twilight Concert Series! So what does it take to receive the hardest working band crown? The website Songkick annually crunches numbers on total shows performed by bands to determine the winners, and after a whopping 188 shows in 2013 L.A.-based indie rock group Local Natives came out on top. During this time they visited 26 countries, lapped the Earth 5 times, and traveled about ¾ of the way to the moon…and they’re still not slowing down.

The stop in Salt Lake City is just one of many this year for the group that first began in the early 2000s with three founding members (Kelcey Ayer, Ryan Hahn, and Taylor Rice) who attended high school together in Orange County. But it wasn’t until they graduated college in 2008, added drummer Matt Frazier and bassist Andy Hamm, and moved into a shared home in Los Angeles that their sound developed.

Here they wrote songs, partied with friends, and jammed on thrift store instruments before funding and releasing their debut album, Gorilla Manor, in 2009 in the U.K. then in the U.S.A. in 2010. It was so named after the party pad they shared where the album was written. The album drew acclaim from critics and music lovers alike, and its success on the Billboard Charts and their leap into prominence led them to open for bands like The National and Arcade Fire at festivals around the world.

Bassist Andy Hamm left the group in 2011, and the group's members went through their own dark times in the years that followed, but the addition of bassist Nik Ewing in 2012 and the release of their sophomore album, Hummingbird, in 2013 have pushed the band's continued growth and success.

Listen to Local Natives before the show or learn more about them on their official site.

Wu Tang Clan - Thursday at Twilight Concert Series

2014-07-28T11:37:00.000-06:00

Wu Tang Clan / PC: Daniell Da Silva

About Wu Tang Clan:

Emerging in 1993, when Dr. Dre's G-funk had overtaken the hip-hop world, the Staten Island, New York-based Wu-Tang Clan proved to be the most revolutionary rap group of the mid-'90s -- and only partially because of their music. Turning the standard concept of a hip-hop crew inside out, the Wu-Tang Clan were assembled as a loose congregation of nine MCs, almost as a support group. Instead of releasing one album after another, the Clan were designed to overtake the record industry in as profitable a fashion as possible -- the idea was to establish the Wu-Tang as a force with their debut album and then spin off into as many side projects as possible. In the process, the members would all become individual stars as well as receive individual royalty checks.

Surprisingly, the plan worked. All of the various Wu-Tang solo projects elaborated on the theme the group laid out on its 1993 debut, the spare, menacing Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Taking their group name from a powerful, mythical kung fu sword wielded by an invincible congregation of warriors, the crew is a loose collective of nine MCs. All nine members work under a number of pseudonyms, but they are best known as RZA (formerly Prince Rakeem; aka RZArecta, Chief Abbot, and Bobby Steels; born Robert Diggs), GZA (aka the Genius, Justice, and Maxi Million; born Gary Grice), Ol' Dirty B**tard (aka Unique Ason, Joe Bannanas, Dirt McGirt, Dirt Dog, and Osirus; born Russell Jones),Method Man (aka Johnny Blaze, Ticallion Stallion, Shakwon, Methical, and MZA; born Clifford Smith), Raekwon the Chef (aka Shallah Raekwon and Lou Diamonds; born Corey Woods), Ghostface Killah(aka Tony Starks and Sun God; born Dennis Coles), U-God (aka Golden Arms, Lucky Hands, Baby U, and 4-Bar Killer; born Lamont Hawkins), Inspectah Deck (aka Rebel INS and Rollie Fingers; born Jason Hunter), and Masta Killa (aka Noodles; born Elgin Turner).

Click Here to listen to Wu Tang's classic track "Protect Ya Neck."

Although RZA wasn't one of the two founding members -- GZA and Ol' Dirty B**tard were the first -- the vision of the Wu-Tang Clan is undoubtedly due to his musical skills. Under his direction, the group -- through its own efforts and the solo projects, all of which he produced or co-produced -- created a hazy, surreal, and menacing soundscape out of hardcore beats, eerie piano riffs, and minimal samples. Over these surrealistic backing tracks, the MCs rapped hard, updating the old-school attack with vicious violence, martial arts imagery, and a welcome warped humor. By 1995, the sound was one of the most instantly recognizable in hip-hop.

The first Wu-Tang Clan single, the hard-hitting "Protect Ya Neck," appeared on their own independent label and became an underground hit. Soon, record labels were offering them lucrative contracts. The group held out until they landed a deal that would allow each member to record solo albums for whatever label he chose -- in essence, each rapper was a free agent. Loud/RCA agreed to the deal, and the band's debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), appeared in November 1993. Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) was both critically acclaimed and commercially successful; although its financial success wasn't immediate, it was the result of a slow build. "C.R.E.A.M.," released in early 1994, was the single that put them over the top and won them a devoted following. The group wasted no time in pursuing other projects, as a total of five of the members -- GZA, RZA, Raekwon, Method Man, and Ol' Dirty B**tard -- landed solo contracts as a result of the success of "C.R.E.A.M." RZA was the first to reenter the studio, this time as a member of the Gravediggaz, a group he founded; in addition to RZA, who was rechristened RZArecta, the group included De La Soulproducer Prince Paul, Stetsasonic's Frukwan, and Brothers Grimm's Poetic. The Gravediggaz's album 6 Feet Deep appeared in August 1994; it eventually would go gold. Labeled "horrorcore" by the group, it was an ultra-violent but comical tour de force that demonstrated RZA's production prowess. Shortly after its release, Raekwon released his first single, "Heaven and Hell," on the Fresh soundtrack; the song was produced by RZA and featured Ghostface Killah.

In early 2007, in anticipation for the Clan's upcoming album, 8 Diagrams, Nature Sounds issued the Mathematics-compiled Unreleased, a collection of new remixes and hard to find, previously unreleased songs from the group and some of its friends. It wasn't until the end of the year, however -- after a couple of delays and some criticism from Raekwon and Ghostface directed at RZA regarding the overall sound of the record -- that 8 Diagrams came out. Solo albums from most members would follow, but the Clan itself would remain dormant until 2011, when the Wu-related compilation Legendary Weapons landed with some new tracks from the full group.

For more information visit twilightconcertseries.com.

Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires Perform at Twilight

2014-07-21T23:20:00.004-06:00

Join Outdoor Sports Guide this Thursday, July 31 for a concert by Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires at the Twilight Concert Series in Salt Lake City!

Bradley is a soul/R&B singer from Florida whose late-life rise to fame story was recently documented in the film Soul of America, which premiered at SXSW in 2012.

His unique path to becoming a singer began at the age of 14 when his sister took him to Apollo Theater for a James Brown concert. Following the show Bradley began doing James Brown impersonations at home, even adopting some of his mannerisms too. But soon after this experience, Bradley's home life turned rocky and he ran away, traveling from place to place before finding work a few years later with the Job Corp.

Because of the Jobs Corp, Bradley studied and became a chef, working in the field all over America for 20 years working and performing small shows singing on the side before returning to Brooklyn in 1997 to live with his mother. It was here that Bradley launched his career as a James Brown impersonator called Black Velvet before finally being discovered by Gabriel Roth, co-founder of Daptone Records.

In 2011 at the age of 62, after a life of struggling, Bradley released his debut album entitled No Time For Dreaming followed by a second album in 2013. He is spending 2014 touring the world with his band called The Extraordinaires. Learn more about Charles Bradley on his personal site.

Shoe Review: Chaco OutCross

2014-07-21T23:04:00.002-06:00

Chaco OutCross

The Chaco OutCross is not a sandal, but it's the best sandal I've ever worn. While you try and wrap your head around that, please let me explain.

I'm not a sandal guy. Never have been and probably never will be. For me, sandals have always been for beaches, gym showers and dorks with huge collections of white ankle socks. Don't get me wrong, though; I'm not opposed to sandals. Every summer they seem to hatch like mosquitos as bare feet beg to breathe fresh air. I just can't get myself to wear them with any kind of regularity.

My biggest beef with going toe commando is probably that I'm worried about hurting my feet. Growing up, I struggled with what seemed like chronic ingrown nails that were painful both to experience and to look at. Luckily, I grew out of that stage, but it seems to have left me anxious about injury and self-conscious about my feet in general–to this day I rarely go barefoot, even at home.

But you're here to find out what I think about the OutCross, not to learn about my naked foot complex.

Chaco OutCross Web Shoe

When I discovered the OutCross at Outdoor Retailer last winter, I was immediately intrigued. It seemed to have all the benefits of a sandal (breathability and water drainage) with none of the drawbacks (toes exposed to injury and ridicule). Frankly, it looked like a great all-around summer shoe. Good for spending time on the river or day hiking in the mountains. But mostly I was interested in its potential as a canyoneering shoe.

And so, to Zion for a trip down Keyhole Canyon. Keyhole's short and steep, up and down approach combined with a semi-technical descent that includes some down-climbing, rappelling, swimming, and stemming is a perfect stage for gear testing. And it's short enough to do laps on if you don't get stuck behind other groups.

Allow me to note that I once wore another keenly popular sandal masquerading as shoe (or vice versa) while canyoneering before. You very well may have a pair in your closet right now. While I found that shoe great in the water and on a dry trail, I also found it to be heavy, useless for stemming, and sometimes downright scary on wet rock, especially granite. [A granite slot? Google: Jug of Salome in Arizona.]

Chaco OutCross in action

The OutCross is also great in the water and on a dry trail, but that is where the similarities end. The OutCross is 20% lighter than it's doppelgänger, and it grips wet stone like a winsome lover. I put it to the test by attempting to stem the entire length of the final long swim in Keyhole, which would only be possible for Spiderman or maybe Adrian Peterson. Let's just say, I got farther than I thought I would.

As expected, the OutCross did a great job protecting my feet from scrapes and drained water and debris like a champ. Not having to stop to empty shoes and socks stuffed with sand pebbles felt like a luxury. And in spite of several pretty good scrape sessions winding down canyon narrows and getting jammed into cracks and under chokestones during downclimbs, the shoes came through unscathed, which is more than can be said for most shoes, even after a single descent.

Overall, I am pretty impressed with the Chaco OutCross's performance all-around and extremely impressed with it as a canyon shoe for anything but the longest, most technical slots.

Chaco OutCross post-Keyhole

I tested the web version of the shoe, but it is also available in a "lace" version that used an adjustable elastic lacing closure system. The web version is secure on my feet, and the materials don't seem to absorb a lot of water, so the shoe retains most of its lightness even when wet. Chaco's LUVSEAT footbed is very supportive and comfy, and the Vibram sole is outstanding. The tread pattern has worked well for me on a variety of trail conditions, and the center lugs have siping, which actually works on this shoe.

Like I said, the Outcross is not a sandal. Chaco's website even refers to it specifically as the "OutCross Shoe." But its as much a sandal to me as a turkey burger is a hamburger to my friends who don't know any better. It's the best we can do.

(MSRP: $120, chacos.com)

TV on the Radio performs with Twin Shadow at the 2014 Twilight Concert Series

2014-07-14T12:10:00.000-06:00

Join Outdoor Sports Guide Magazine for the second concert of the 2014 Twilight Concert Summer Series this Thursday - TV on the Radio performs with Twin Shadow

Photo Credit: © RD/ Kabik/ Retna Digital/

About TV on the Radio:

The Brooklyn-based group TV on the Radio mix post-punk, electronic, and other atmospheric elements in such a creative way that it only makes sense that their core duo, vocalist Tunde Adebimpe and multi-instrumentalist/producer David Andrew Sitek, are both visual artists as well as musicians. Adebimpe is a graduate of NYU's film school and specializes in stop-motion animation, which his Brothers Quay-like video for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs single "Pin" amply demonstrates. He is also a painter, as is Sitek, who also produced the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Machine EP and their full-length Fever to Tell.

The duo met when Sitek moved into the building where Adebimpe had a loft--each of them had been recording music on his own, but realized their sounds would work well together. Sitek's brother Jason began playing drums and other instruments with the pair during their recording sessions, which resulted in OK Calculator, a self-released disc of four-track recordings. Jason Sitek left the band for a short time due to other musical commitments but returned to the band when it recorded its Touch & Go debut, the Young Liars EP.

After the EP was completed, TV on the Radio added guitarist/vocalist Kyp Malone to their fold. Young Liars, which also features the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Brian Chase and Nick Zinner, was released in summer 2003 to critical acclaim, coinciding with their gigs opening for the Fall. Their first full-length release, Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes, arrived in spring 2004. The band remained busy for the rest of the year, embarking on its own tours as well as dates with the Faint and the Pixies. That fall, they released the New Health Rock EP and won the 2004 Shortlist Music Prize.

In 2005, the band kept busy with touring and returned to Sitek's Stay Gold studio to work on its second album. They also made an MP3 criticizing President George W. Bush, "Dry Drunk Emperor," available on their website. TV on the Radio signed with 4AD for European distribution of their albums and moved to Interscope in the U.S. In summer 2006 they resurfaced with Return to Cookie Mountain, a more polished but still searching collection of songs that featured David Bowie on backing vocals. The band went in a sleeker direction on 2008's Dear Science, which featured cameos from Antibalas and Celebration's Katrina Ford.

Photo Credit: Rock Costeau

The band went on hiatus following Dear Science. Malone worked on his own project, Rain Machine, and appeared on Iran's 2009 album Dissolver, while Sitek formed the collaborative pop project Maximum Balloon, which released its self-titled debut in 2010. As planned, their hiatus ended the following year, and TV on the Radio released their fifth album, Nine Types of Light, early in 2011. In March of that year, the band announced that bassist Gerard Smith, who had joined the TV on the Radio lineup in 2005, was suffering from lung cancer; the following month, on April 20, 2011, Smith passed away at the age of 34 as a result of the disease. Later that year, the band released World Cafe Live, taken from a set recorded for National Public Radio.

About Twin Shadow:

Photo Credit: Tom Øverlie

Born in the Dominican Republic, raised in Florida, and boasting an expansive musical background that includes composing for a touring dance company and fronting a Boston punk group, George Lewis, Jr.put his own multifaceted spin on chillwave when he started making solo bedroom recordings in Brooklyn as Twin Shadow. A born crooner with a nostalgic yet bittersweet ‘80s tone to his music, Lewis made demos that soon caught the attention of Grizzly Bear's similar-minded Chris Taylor, who produced Forget and released it on his Terrible Records imprint in 2010. While spending much of that year and 2011 touring, Lewis, Jr. also made time to record his second Twin Shadow album, Confess, in Los Angeles. Inspired by a motorcycle crash he survived a couple of years prior, the album boasted a glossier sound and more direct songwriting than Lewis, Jr.'s debut.

Lauryn Hill Performs at Twilight Concert Series!

2014-07-09T00:39:00.001-06:00

Even after weeks of pool days, sunburns, and fireworks…this Thursday finally feels like the real start of summer. Why? It’s the kickoff to the SLC Art Council’s popular Summer Twilight Concert Series with headliner Lauryn Hill as the season’s first performer. The concert is Thursday, July 11 at Pioneer Park in Salt Lake City. Gates open at 5:00 p.m. and tickets are just $5. Season passes are still available for $35. Take public transportation or ride your bike there to avoid the crowds! Food is available for purchase on-site. Look at our post below for more vanue information, along with rules and regulations.

Special guest, Thundercat, joins Lauryn Hill for this season opening show that’s sure to draw big crowds to the downtown core. Though Lauryn Hill is best known for being part of the Fugees, her lifelong love of music dates back to her South Orange, New Jersey upbringing in the late 1970s. As a third grader, Lauryn began developing her music taste when she discovered her parent’s collection of single albums from renowned artists. These diverse early listening experiences helped her later create her signature sound.

As the sole female member of The Fugees, Lauryn rocketed to fame with the release of their popular album R&B album, “The Score,” that features Lauryn’s stunning vocals on the song “Killing Me Softly” among others.

The Fugees broke up in 1997, purportedly to work on solo projects, and Lauryn later went on to release an incredibly successful solo album titled, “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” in 1998 that was well-loved by the public, critics, and music industry alike. Lauryn won a record-breaking five Grammy Awards for the album, but in the year 2000 the pressures of fame mounted and she largely disappeared from the public eye and focused on her family and faith.

Though she went through some rough patches during these years, and has yet to release another solo album, Lauryn has recently been returning to the music scene with performances at festivals, much like this show at Twilight. We’re excited to see her perform and can’t wait to see what comes next for her.

In our research we learned much about this singer-songer, but our favorite Lauryn Hill fun fact is that she grew up in same town and attended high school with Scrubs actor, Zach Braff, and even attended his bat mitzvah.

Learn more about Lauryn Hill on her personal website: lauryn-hill.com

Twilight Concert Series - Important Venue Information

2014-07-08T12:46:00.000-06:00

If you're planning to attend the Twilight Concert Series this summer, have a look at the venue rules and other important information.

Gates and the Twilight
Market open at 5:00 PM
Music begins at 7:00 PM

Transportation & Parking

The closest TRAX station is at 150 South 400 West (Planetarium Station). For bus and TRAX information and schedules, visit www.rideuta.com or call 1-888-743-3882. Bicycle valet parking is provided by Salt Lake Bicycle Collective. Street parking and paid parking lots available near the venue.

Accessibility

Pioneer Park is physically accessible. Designated Accessible drop & load area is located at the southwest corner of the park on 400 West near 400 South. There is an ADA Accessible Viewing Platform located south of the stage, at the north end of the dog park. Wheelchair users are allowed up to one guest companion within the ADA seating platform area. ADA accessible restrooms are located just west of the center of Pioneer Park. Services animals are welcome. For questions, requests or additional information, please contact the Salt Lake City Arts Council at 801.596.5000 or DSDHH voice: 801.263.4861; TDD 877.860.4861.

No Smoking &
No pets

No smoking in Pioneer Park.
Service animals are welcome.
Please leave your pets at home.

Venue Rules

Security reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone at their discretion

No refunds – all concerts are held rain or shine

No re-entry

No weapons or firearms

No backpacks or large purses

No smoking – except in designated smoking area

No skateboards

No coolers

No outside food

No outside alcohol or liquids of any kind, including water

Free water is available at designated areas throughout the venue

No glass

No large beach umbrellas, handheld umbrellas only

Low back concert chairs only

No blankets or chairs in the immediate stage area: standing room only

Due to artist requests, no professional audio, video recording devices, or professional photography equipment

Park City Food & Wine Seminar Review: Hike and Hops

2014-05-28T13:12:00.001-06:00

Summer is my favorite season for a host of reasons, but the Park City Food & Wine Classic is a highlight. I get giddy when they release the seminar list a few months before the event, and each year I love attending the Stroll of Main Street and Canyons Grand Tasting. But my real passion at this multi-day festival is the growing number of outdoor seminars that pair spirits with seriously cool adventures.

Snazzy packs for all.

Rain attire.

I felt lucky to get a space on last year's new Hike and Hops event at the Deer Valley Montage before it sold out. Note that this year's is already sold out, but many Classic seminars have a similar format and there are still plenty of spots on the horseback riding, SUPing, and trail running events.

As for last year's Hike & Hops, I reached the Montage at the scheduled time on the rainy July morning, but the weather wouldn't cooperate it drizzled as we checked in for the seminar indoors.

Merrell is a main festival sponsor so all hike participants were outfitted with cool new packs before venturing out. I loaded mine with a rain jacket, camera, and a few snacks before we boarded waiting shuttles to carry us to the top of Guardsman's Pass.

Relentless rain left the original trail option flooded and muddy, making for an unpleasant experience, so the leaders opted for a last minute plan change to hiking around a neighboring lake.

The rain let up as we hiked up a hill and toward the lake, but hovering clouds kept the temperature low.

Bull moose near the trail.

The quick jaunt was gorgeous, but some found sections challenging because they wore strappy flip flops instead of hiking shoes. Most people were visiting Park City from out of state and may not have known better, so I won't even comment on why this footwear choice is a terrible idea.

One of the hike leaders even gave his his shoes to another hiker for the remainder of the trek and went shoeless the final half mile. That's job dedication if I've ever seen it!

Mosquitos started gathering near the hike's end, so I sped up to get out of there as I'm a veritable mosquito magnet!

We boarded a shuttle back and headed inside the Montage for the Hike & Hops Barbecue, which was forced inside due to the rain, but still set up beautifully.

Event menu.

The four-course affair paired each dish with a matching beer poured in the correct glass for its style. First came a sampling of cheese, grapes, and nuts served alongside a Stella Artois. This lighter Pilsner is not my preferred beer, but it was fascinating to learn how and why it is poured in a chalice and the flavor and taste enhancement this brings.

Appetizer course.

A tasty and beautifully plated salad partnered with the Hoegaarden beer arrived second. Hoegarden, a wheat beer spiced with orange peel and coriander, is traditionally served in a hexagonal glass that's so shaped to prevent your hand from warming the beer as you drink it. Brilliant, right? I also learned from this course that a bit of head on the beer is a good thing! It's created to be poured that way and actually improves the flavor. This was my favorite beer of the event and one I would order in the future.

Salad course.

Barbecue Brisket was the main course, but I substituted the veggie shish kabobs as I avoid meat. Both came paired with the Leffe Blonde, a blonde abbey beer with a slightly bitter finish, that is also correctly poured with a head on it in the specified glass. This seemed ridiculous to me until I actually tried the beer straight from the bottle, and then from the glass. Turns out the aroma and flavor are vastly improved when poured in the glass! I haven't looked at beer the same way since.

Grilled peaches were a delightful choice for the dessert course, and gratefully no beer was paired with them as we'd had so many!

I said goodbye to new friends I'd made at the event and as we were leaving the seminar leader told us we could keep all our glasses from the tasting. Great unexpected bonus!

If you are interested in trying an outdoor seminar for yourself, the value for the price is definitely worth it! Learn more about available seminars HERE. This year's event takes place July 9-13, 2014. Tickets sell out, so get yours in advance.

*Park City Food and Wine Classic provided my ticket for this event, but all opinions are my own.

Spring Hiking Favorites

2014-05-19T22:36:00.003-06:00

Winter in northern Utah came and went with a whimper, and spring snuck in on its coattails. Late snow showers at altitude combined with valley rain have kept a pristinely thin, white blanket on the local peaks and kept the crowds at bay. On an early season hike into the picturesque cirque beneath Deseret Peak in the Stansbury Range, the Wasatch's neighbor two ranges west, I saw nary a soul. Solitude and snow provided a great opportunity to put some new hiking gear through its final paces. In this review, we've got two all-mountain masters and an all-around wizard of a hiking shoe.

The theme of this review is comfort... Read on...

Camelbak Pursuit 24L & Spire 22L

Available May 2014, the Pursuit (men) and Spire (women) are CamelBak's entry into the world of comfortable alpine hydration. Both feature a 100oz. reservoir that stores in the lower part of the pack, against the lumbar rather than along the upper spine. You can access the reservoir by unzipping a pad in the back panel. The effect is miraculous. Even with the Pursuit loaded with a day's worth of snacks and layers and with snowshoes strapped to the outside, it carries like a much lighter bag.

Pursuit 24L (Men)

Spire 22L (Women)

Both the Pursuit and Spire have the kinds features you'd expect from one of the oldest hydration pack makers. Two zippered outside pockets hold everything you need for an extended day hike, and internal pockets keep small items organized. The outside of the pack has an expandable, buckled overflow pocket, two stretchy water bottle pockets on either side and tool attachments easily hold trekking poles or ice axes. A pocket on one of the hip pads makes a handy spot to stash some calories, lip balm or whatever else you might need to have at hand.

My impression of this pack after having used it on several hikes in both the desert and the mountains is overwhelmingly positive. The comfort afforded by the lumbar-positioned water reservoir is unlike anything else in the category. The suspension is airy, and in cooler weather, you could stuff a light jacket or baselayer between it and the mesh back panel. Zippered and stretchy pockets make organization easy, and tool attachments are intuitive–if you've used tool attachments. For the record, the straps on this bag aren't designed specifically for carrying snowshoes, but with some coaxing, they worked OK for me. The pack's main compartment runs the length of the pack, so smaller stuff should be kept in the smaller zippered pocket (or one of the internal pockets) unless you want to dig. A few picky hikers will will complain that the hydration hose is only deployable from the right side.

Overall, I love this bag and expect to get a lot of mileage out of it. I expect CamelBak to expand its alpine line of packs in the future because of the success they will have with these two models.

(MSRP: $150, camelbak.com)

Leki Micro Tour Stick Vario

Leki's Micro Tour Stick Vario appear a pricey proposition. But consider: they do everything. This single set of collapsable carbon fiber/aluminum poles will take you from the ski slopes to the desert to the mountaintop. The secret: interchangeable pole baskets. And their comfy grips and light weight will beg you to take them out again and again.

The poles are essentially a five-piece design. The top three sections nest within one another, while the bottom two detach for folding and storage. A Kevlar-reinforced cord that keeps everything together. Deployment and adjustment are a cinch, and you can easily do both while walking. To assemble, you just pull the middle section out of the one it nests in until you hear a click. That's the sound of a small metal button locking the poles. To collapse the poles, just press the button and shove the middle segment back in.

If you are a pole user, you know how valuable it is to be able to adjust pole length to account for terrain–shorter for uphill, longer for down. The roughly 45" to 53" deployable range is handy I have found the carbide steel tip to work great on every surface on which I've used these, which includes most kinds of stone we have here in Utah, loamy forest soil, packed dirt, sand and snow (with ski baskets). The tips are barely worn, so I expect them to last for quite a while before needing to replace them.

These poles come with a storage bag and a set of ski baskets. I have not tried the other available baskets, but you can order them online or wherever else you buy Leki pole parts. I'm extremely pleased with this set of poles, the first I've used from Leki. They seem to be of super high quality, and they're versatile for just about any use. Brand new, the length adjustment is a little stiff, but I expect that will loosen to a reasonable degree.

(MSRP: $199, leki.com)

Ecco Men's BIOM Ultra Plus

Ecco has always been known for its high-quality dress footwear, but they are nothing to scoff at in the land of sport. Out of the box, the BIOM Ultra Plus by Ecco is the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn. That is not hyperbole.

The BIOM Ultra Plus is the yak leather cousin of Ecco's BIOM Ultra Quest, which is billed as a trail runner–more on that later. Let's talk materials. That's right, I said yak leather: exotic, exquisitely comfortable, and practically bomb-proof. I tend to wear shoes until the midsole peeps through the bottom, so I love it when uppers outlast soles, which appears will be the case with this shoe. And it's one of the reasons the $180 price tag is palatable. Buying gear that lasts means buying less gear over time.

But the big story here is comfort. BIOM is what Ecco calls the last upon which many of its shoes are built. It's derived from 2500 foot scans, so that BIOM shoes end up being shaped more like feet and less like–well–shoes. For me, the Ultra Plus required virtually no break-in time. No stiffness, no hotspots, no weird rubbing. Just a comfy oh-there-you-are-shoe feeling on the first lace-up.

Yes, the Ultra Plus looks and wears like a "luxury" hiking shoe, if such a thing exists. But don't worry: it's more Jeep than Escalade. It's plush, but it's an off-road performer. The tread pattern works equally well going uphill and down and on all kinds of terrain. Some shoes get sloppy in the toe box on steep downhills, but this one does not. Up and down angled slickrock in Snow Canyon State Park, this shoe stayed snug and grippy. As a side note, the Ultra Plus is great in sand, the bane of most trail runners because it seeps through mesh like water. The leather uppers of these shoes kept my feet dust-free through several miles of mushy sand stepping.

Now back to the bit about these being related to the non-leather, trail runner Ultra Quest. I suppose the Ultra Plus could be used for trail running, but mostly in colder weather or dusty environments. My opinion is that these are best seen as a do-anything, long-mileage hiker. I would backpack in these in a heartbeat. Probably will this summer, actually.

[A note on sizing: You may need to go down as much as a full size in Ecco shoes. For example, I wear a men's 11 (45 Euro) in almost every shoe, but in Ecco I wear a 10 (44 Euro).]

(MSRP: 180, eccousa.com)

First Adventure + Gear Expo in Utah on May 9-10

2014-05-06T14:15:00.001-06:00

The inaugural Adventure + Gear Expo opens to the public on Friday, May 9, 2014 and continues through May 10 at the South Towne Expo Center in Sandy, Utah. The expo provides all outdoor action sports enthusiasts an opportunity to browse and shop for high quality outdoor gear, adventure resources, interactive demonstrations, and advice from industry experts in a 100,000 square-foot facility.

Several well-known adventure brands will sell products, host activities and demonstrations on Friday and Saturday at the Adventure + Gear Expo, including:

Jeep Adventure Area
Black Diamond™ and Momentum™ Climbing Clinics
Teton Gravity Research™ Theater
Mountain Bike Demo Track by Alpine Trails
Strider™ Bike Races for Kids
Tour of Utah Cycling Zone
Olympic Legacy Zone
Camp Chef Outdoor Cooking Demonstration
Wilderness Survival Clinic
Slackline Demonstration Area by Gibbon Slacklines
Longboard Skateboard Demos
Climbing Wall for Kids
Verizon Social Media Lounge

In addition to the events throughout the two-day expo, Adventure + Gear Expo attendees will have access to a variety of retailers, brands, and adventure resources, the majority of which are Utah-based companies. Special deals and giveaways at the expo include:

Tour of Utah Ride-Along—Adventure + Gear Expo attendees can enter to win an exclusive ride-along experience in the University of Utah Health Care support vehicle during the “Queen Stage” at the Tour of Utah on Saturday, August 8, 2014.
Tour of Utah Ultimate Challenge race entries
Klymit camping gear
Ogio gear
Rockwell watches
Spot satellite messenger devices
Camping tents
Backpacks
And more

Where: South Towne Expo Center

9575 South State Street

Sandy, Utah 84070

Core Power Fit Kit Giveaway

2014-03-31T10:37:00.000-06:00

If you're always on the go like me, you know having time to eat “real” food after a workout rarely happens. That's where Core Power comes in. Most pre-bottled protein drinks are filled with a sketchy list of flavors and ingredients I can hardly pronounce, but Core Power keeps its products pure by using tasty, healthy ingredients like honey, lactose-free milk, and natural flavors.

Haven't heard of Core Power? You may have seen it and not even know it! This powerhouse brand makes the official protein drink of the Olympics. In Utah, Core Power is a frequent sponsor of local races and events. I've been drinking Core Power post-run and Body Pump class for a long time, but I was especially thrilled to have the opportunity to be an ambassador for them and tell you all about the products...while giving some away to Outdoor Sports Guide Magazine readers!

Designed to be used right after a workout, Core Power drinks fuel your muscles within the ideal 30-minute period after working them to promote better recovery. Plus, they taste delicious, real and without a hint of the requisite fake flavor that's standard in most bottled protein drinks. What I notice most about Core Power is a lack of chalkiness. They're creamy, smooth...and tasty.

I keep my fridge frequently stocked with the lowfat Chocolate and Vanilla flavors, and you can also buy bottles individually at WalMart, Harmons, and many other grocery stores. A case is currently $5 off on Amazon.

Want to win? Follow the instructions in the box below and you could get one!

Or you can try a few bottles for FREE by winning a Core Power Fit Kit filled with workout essentials, including:

Ogio Core Power gym bag
Yoga mat
Towel
Stability Balance Ball
Camelback water bottle

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Core Power Fit Kit will be shipped to the winner in the next few weeks.

I was given a Core Power Fit Kit for review, but all opinions are my own.

Race Report: Running of the Leopards 5K

2014-03-24T16:27:00.005-06:00

Starting line

Billed as "The Fastest 5K in Utah!" Running of the Leopards is a fundraiser 5K for East High School in Salt Lake City held every March. The race was created after 2008 when the principal pledged to lose 100 pounds before graduation (he did it), then the school began doing fun runs and created Running of the Leopards in 2009.

The downhill course is designed for fast finishes, and many people break their 5K PR on this course! Each year the race draws an increasing number of community and students. 2013's race had over 800 registrants, and this year's registrations rose to over 1000. Luckily, the weather for last weekend's race was much better than the previous year. 2013 racers faced a snowstorm, but we lucked out with sunshine and mid-fifty temps. Not a bad way to ring in racing season!

Post-race feast

Racers parked at East High's tennis courts and were bused to the start line at This is the Place State Park. Our bus was one of the last to the start line, so we hustled over and made it just before the gun went off. The course wound down Sunnyside, turning at the post office for a brief sprint through Research Park before turning onto Foothill, which we ran along until intersecting again with Sunnyside. From here to the bottom it was a straight downhill shot before turning onto East High's track to finish. Finishing on a track gave me a tiny taste of what being an Olympian must feel like, and I sped up to pass four people in the final .1 before the finish.

After the race, sponsor Trader Joe's treated us to some of the tastiest post-race snacks I've seen at a finish line! Granola bars, dried fruit, fresh fruit, and trail mix were available in nearly limitless amounts, along with Creamies for a sweet tooth fix.

Trader Joe's also donated reusable bags that were used instead of plastic to hold race packets, which also included a race shirt I'll actually wear and hair or body care samples from Landis Salons.

At the finish line

Though not the best race of my running career, I felt good about finishing in 26:32 to place 9th in my age group, especially after mildly injuring myself a few days prior. My racing partner Allan finished in 19:32, which was actually a slower time for him. However, I did learn from viewing the results that chip times were not captured for the race. Sadly, something went wrong with the timing system, so only gun times were available. This meant we both finished slightly faster than our finish times.

Stoked on the bag full of treats!

After the race awards were handed out to the top male and female finishers. Since we didn't fall into that category we headed to catch pond skimming at Canyons, but many stayed after for the big reveal of East High's unveiling of the "We are One Inside Out" project, which depicted photos of students blown up to a massive size outside the school along with free donuts.

To sum it up, Running of the Leopards is a great race that we'd definitely do again, but hopefully next time chip times will be captured and awards will be given out to all age group winners along with overall speedsters.

Wasatch Backcountry Alliance Statement on Interconnect and Resort Expansion

2014-03-21T14:04:00.000-06:00

Statement on Interconnect and Resort Expansion

As skiers, snowboarders and winter recreationists, the members of Wasatch Backcountry Alliance appreciate and support Utah’s world-class ski resort industry. We recognize the significant contribution to the economy and quality of life that skiing and winter recreation provide for residents and visitors along both sides of the Wasatch.

Furthermore, Wasatch Backcountry Alliance and our members believe the current balance between opportunities for developed (resort) and undeveloped (backcountry) skiing is a crucial component of Utah’s attraction as a winter recreation mecca and that this balance must be protected. Given the significant growth in backcountry skiing and snowshoeing in the face of declining or flat resort skiing numbers, it is evident that backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, winter mountaineering and other forms of human-powered winter recreation are increasingly important contributors to Utah’s economy and quality of life.

The Wasatch Mountains hold value far beyond their unrivaled recreational amenities, terrain and powder snow. These mountains are an ecological and scenic treasure, the source of the water we drink, a place to find solitude and respite from the noise and stress of city life and to experience wild open spaces and wilderness on their own terms.

With respect to future ski resort expansion on public lands, including the Interconnect proposal to link the seven resorts of the Central Wasatch via additional ski lifts, Wasatch Backcountry Alliance supports the direction provided in the Wasatch-Cache Forest Plan. After careful analysis of environmental, economic and social impacts of potential resort expansion, the Wasatch-Cache Forest Plan determined that, “New resort developments on National Forest System lands will be confined to the permit boundaries in effect at the time of revision [2003].”

The Plan goes on to state that, for all resort development decisions, “Special attention will be given to the scenic integrity of views from backcountry and wilderness trails.” Adding that, “visual integrity of ridge lines will be maintained.”

It is also noteworthy that public opinion overwhelming supports this approach to maintain the current balance. In the 2010 Wasatch Canyons Tomorrow report sponsored by the State of Utah, Salt Lake County, and Salt Lake City, 94 percent of Wasatch Front residents supported limiting resort expansion to existing Forest Service permit areas in a way that would not infringe on existing winter backcountry ski areas and have little or no effect on environmental resources.

While there may indeed be viable options to connect the Wasatch resorts in a way that avoids negative environmental and watershed impacts and maintains the current balance between developed and undeveloped recreation opportunities, Wasatch Backcountry Alliance and our members believe that any consideration of an Interconnect system should take place within the context of a broad and inclusive public planning process such as the current Mountain Accord initiative and that this process must incorporate an overall transportation solution for the Wasatch area.

And finally, we believe that before proposing a large-scale linkage of resorts, the Utah ski resort industry should show a good faith effort to demonstrate benefits from connections and common boundaries already in place between the resorts of the Wasatch. This process should also include careful study of resort connections in other parts of the world for proof of perceived benefits. For example, since the 1997 merger of Whistler and Blackcomb ski resorts in British Columbia to create Canada’s largest ski complex, skier/rider visits to the area have remained stagnant. It appears that combining the resorts into one complex has not created any additional economic or social benefit to the resorts or to surrounding businesses and communities.

Wasatch Backcountry Alliance and our members look forward to participating in partnership with the ski resort industry, local governments and other stakeholders to ensure recreation and transportation solutions that truly benefit all residents and visitors who turn to the irreplaceable splendor of the Wasatch Range for soul-replenishing recreation and rejuvenation.

Ski Utah and Area Resorts Unveil ONE Wasatch Concept: A Vision to Connect Seven Ski Resorts in the Central Wasatch Mountains

2014-03-19T16:09:00.003-06:00

(SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH) – Ski Utah and representatives from Alta Ski Area, Brighton Resort, Canyons Resort, Deer Valley Resort, Park City Mountain Resort, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, and Solitude Mountain Resort held a news conference today at Ski Utah’s headquarters to announce their support for an over-the-snow connection between all seven resorts via chairlift and ski run called ONE Wasatch.

Utah’s central Wasatch Mountains are home to seven world class mountain resorts in close proximity to one another. Connecting these resorts over-the-snow via chairlift and ski run would provide a skiing and riding experience unrivaled anywhere in North America. The coupling of these seven distinct resort personalities would allow access to over 18,000 skiable acres, 100 lifts and more that 750 runs and all on one lift ticket.

“Connecting seven of Utah’s finest ski resorts while preserving both our water quality and a pristine backcountry experience is not an impossible task,” said Nathan Rafferty, president and CEO - Ski Utah. “With thoughtful planning and sincere cooperation, ONE Wasatch would add significantly to what is already one of the greatest ski destinations in the world.”

ONE Wasatch is a concept, not a plan. At this time, resort partners have no specific execution timelines or chairlift alignments. The goal of ONE Wasatch is to establish a vision for a one-of-a-kind mountain experience by providing information, outlining the process, encouraging dialog and listening to feedback.

Because of the proximity of Utah’s ski areas, it is possible to connect seven resorts in just a few steps:

· Connect Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons;

· Connect Big Cottonwood to Park City;

· Connect PCMR and Canyons Resorts; and

· Drop the rope between Deer Valley and PCMR.

ONE Wasatch will offer the largest lift-served ski experience in North America – over 18,000 acres, 100 lifts and more than 750 runs…all on one pass. And all on “The Greatest Snow on Earth.”

General Manager Statements:

Onno Wieringa – Alta

“Alta and Snowbird Resorts created the Alta/Snowbird Connection in 2002. Our collective skiers go back and forth between resorts resulting in a grand, varied skiing experience that our skiers enjoy. ONE Wasatch would give skiers even more choices and variety, resulting in an unparalleled ski experience.”

Randy Doyle - Brighton

“ONE Wasatch is a concept which has developed over many years and whose time has finally come. It will provide the opportunity for an experience unmatched anywhere in the country if not the world. With careful planning and collaboration the positive impacts from ONE Wasatch can benefit everyone.”

Mike Goar – Canyons

“Connecting the seven Wasatch resorts, including Canyons, is a concept that would change the face of Utah skiing forever. Proper planning and development will ensure the natural resources and beauty of the Wasatch remain while still establishing one of the greatest ski destinations in the world.”

Bob Wheaton – Deer Valley

"Our Utah resorts are already blessed with unparalleled access and snow, and by adding a few connecting lifts between seven resorts, we are able to create a ski experience unlike any other. Deer Valley's mission has always been to provide an exceptional guest experience and ONE Wasatch would allow us to offer an even superior ski destination."

Jenni Smith – Park City Mountain Resort

“Together, Utah’s central Wasatch resorts pride themselves on providing a singular ski and snowboard experience. By connecting seven of the country’s greatest resorts – all within a few miles of each other – in an environmentally responsible manner, we can distinguish ourselves as a ski market unlike any other in North America.”

Bob Bonar – Snowbird

“The ONE Wasatch concept would be great for tourism, outdoor recreation and skiers within the State of Utah. I’m hopeful and confident that with the appropriate studies, process and through careful consideration the dream of ONE Wasatch can become a reality, while at the same time preserving our wilderness areas, water quality and the significant backcountry areas we all highly value.”

Dave Deseelhorst - Solitude

“Imagine a European style ski experience with over 100 lifts to ride in a single day, combined with the majestic beauty of the Wasatch Mountains and ‘The Greatest Snow on Earth.’ Utah will become an unrivaled world class ski destination.”

For more information regarding ONE Wasatch please visit our new website at www.ONEWasatch.com.

For media information, contact Ski Utah Director of Communications Susie English at 801.433.2016 or by email at susie@skiutah.com.

RADICAL REELS RETURNS TO SLC AT KINGSBURY HALL FEBRUARY 27, 2014

2014-02-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

Every year, the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival presents the wildly popular Radical Reels night – a presentation of the best high-adrenaline films entered into the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival competition. Inspired by the excitement of the Festival event, the Radical Reels Tour has been travelling with a selection of the hottest action sports films since 2004.

BUY TICKETS! $10 SALT LAKE CITY February 27, 2014 University of Utah Outdoor Adventures Tickets 801-581-7100 Info 801-581-8516

Valentine's Day Chairlift Speed Dating at Brian Head

2014-02-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

Heading to Brian Head for the holiday weekend? If you're single, check out their new chairlift speed dating event on Friday, February 14.

It's a great way to find a special someone with a common interest: skiing and snowboarding. Dedicated lift lines at the Blackfoot lift, one for "single men" the other for "single women" will pair couples for the ride up. The chair ride will provide an opportunity for individuals to become acquainted.

The intimate ride will set the stage for a speed date to the top of the mountain. If you decide you are a match made in the mountains, you can get in the regular line together. or you can speed back down for a second chairlift date with someone else.

Extend the date after the lists close at Last Chair Saloon. Enjoy the couple's special after 4 p.m. with one appetizer, two entrees and one desert to share for only $35.

This Valentine's Day event runs all day during Brian Head's normal hours of operation.

Review: Marmot Women's Spire Jacket

2014-02-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

Marmot Women's Spire Jacket

One of my favorite pieces for this ski season so far has been the Marmot Women’s Spire Jacket. I’ve been wearing it while ski touring, ice climbing, and resort skiing and I’ve been happy with this choice each time—whether I’m getting blown sideways because of the wind or need rapid ventilation because of the surprising sunny days on the slope. It’s made of GORE-TEX® and probably some strands of Superman’s hair. $400 marmot.com

Tech Specs:

100% Seam Taped
ERG Hood Adjustment System + Helmet Compatibility
Integrated Laser-Drilled Pocket Backing
Zip-off Powder Skirt
Internal Zip Mesh Media Storage Pocket
Elastic Draw Cord Hem

How does it work?

The 2-layer construction, designed for a wide range of outdoor activities, uses a specific GORE-TEX® membrane bonded to the outer material and protected on the inside by a separate lining. The separate lining ensures better wearing comfort and versatility.

The 3-layer construction, designed for more demanding activities, uses a specific GORE-TEX® membrane sandwiched between the outer material and backer material. 3-Layer provides added durability without additional weight or bulk.