Stepping off the skintrack at the base of the Glacier du Chardonnet, I ask the indomitable Gordy Skoog, “What’s Plan B for making the col if the weather socks in?” We are hours into our unguided attempt to ski the Haute Route from Chamonix, France to Zermatt, Switzerland and also hours behind schedule, far below the crux saddle above the glacier. “I think Plan B is to make it,” Gordy replies, loping past.
My Kit: Seven Essentials for The Sierra High Way
From Tahoe to Tioga Pass and all the way down California’s 395 to Mt. Whitney, it’s been a fat year in the Sierra. After a half decade of dismal snowfall, reservoirs are full again, valleys are green as pastures and most East Side couloirs now have passing lanes, pull-over spots and scenic overlooks. Here’s some of the gear I’ve pulled in after a winter of testing to ski a portion of the Redline Traverse.
Not For Sale: Arc’teryx/Gore-Tex Pro Demo Jacket
The late bass player Donald “Duck” Dunn had a great line in Blues Brothers: “If the shit fits, wear it.” Never an image guy and, frankly, a tough fit for jackets, I can abide. Enter this sample Arc’teryx/Gore-Tex piece that I picked up at a press event last year in Chamonix. Made of Gore-Tex Pro throughout, it’s like nothing in the Arc’teryx line. Well, aside from its high-quality construction and anatomical cut.