Category Archives: mtnEDUCATION

So You Want to Ski In the Chic Chocs?

Over the Border and Through the Blizzard to The Chic Chocs We Go.

CONTRIBUTION FROM NEM GUIDE, COBY JACOBUS

SOMETIMES, YOU JUST GOTTA GO. WITH PERMISSION OF COURSE.

We all have that one friend who shoots out a random text about some crazy trip to a far away place with mystical blower powder. Well…that’s Ryan Gibbs to me! His Instagram name is @powdergibbs for god’s sake!

Right after Christmas he texted me about this crazy idea to ski some amazing Canadian powder in the Chic Chocs. The drive he said is only eight hours…from Orono, ME. I don’t live in Orono though, so tack on another 2.5 for me! Great!!! 10.5 hours of driving with only a guide book, some random online searching and words from friends and friends of friends! This is a stupid idea I thought. I even told Ryan, “Ryan, I don’t know man, my wife will kill me, I’ve got a dog and a 7 month old at home. Its a lot of driving and we don’t even know if the snow is gonna be good.”

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Three Options to Keep Your Hands Warm This Winter

We spend a lot of time thinking about which layers to buy for our legs and torso, but often times the hands get left out of the mix. Since we layer our clothing on the rest of our body, it makes sense to do so on our hands as well. Here are a few options for layering a combination of gloves and mittens to keep your hands dry and toasty in the backcountry.

Although we use the word “layering”, we are really referring to the different glove and mitten layers that we wear throughout an adventure. Unlike our torso, we rarely add one layer on top of another. Why you ask? The answer is simple. Our hand is the one source of heat so the glove or mitten is doing it’s best to trap the heat and warm the air space around your hand. If you fill that air space with glove material, there is less air to heat and your hands will actually become colder.

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THESE ITEMS CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE

“Who has a first aid kit?”

We have all heard this question asked when packing for an outdoor adventure. Often times, everyone brought something that resembles a first aid kit, but what is actually in there? Can they save your life with some band aids and moleskin? It is extremely important to know exactly what is in your first aid kit and also how to use it. It’s also a great idea to know what is in your partner’s kit as well. Let’s cover some mandatory items for a proper first aid kit. Continue reading →