The current spell of great weather has created some fine snow conditions on Mt. Hood and other Northwest volcanoes. Still sporting near full winter coats of snow, spring conditions are evolving nicely, and the coverage is great. For skiers, now is an ideal time to climb Mt. Hood, attempt a summit ski or simply ski some of her more prominent features like Barret Spur, the Wyeast Face or even the killer circumnavigation of the full mountain.
Of course, cold nights are best for setting up safe and primo skiing and climbing conditions, so keep an eye on the weather before you pull the trigger for a day on the hill.
Check out our cool Mt Hood climbing routes and features poster; it's got aerial photographs of Mt Hood from all aspects with all of Mt Hood's climbing routes and their first ascent dates.
Hood River area mountain bikers should turn out to hear Jim Thornton from the USFS share his experience with building mountain bike trails for the USFS. Given the ice storm damage this winter and the industrious trail building scene here in Hood River, it's a great time to learn some of the finer points of trail design, construction and maintenance. Thornton has, dare I say, decades of trail building experience, and he is a passionate mountain biker. From design and ride flow to reducing impact and the best tools for the job,Thornton will share his years of experience.
Thanks to the hardwork of WSDOT crews, the North Cascades Highway 20 is scheduled to open at noon on May 10 (today!). Crews started clearing the 34-mile stretch of closed highway on March 26 with their sites set on opening by the first week of May. Although they didn't quite meet their goal, we are psyched to see the road opening tomorrow. Thanks to a March and April flush with storms, the snowpack is sure to serve up excellent spring skiing for many weeks to come.
For those in the know, Highway 20 allows some of the most extensive and varied roadside attraction skiing in the the lower 48. From the classic chutes and lines out of Hairpin Valley and Washington Pass to extended tours from Rainy Pass, the North Cascades have it all.
Last fall, Garmont moved their North American offices from Vermont to Portland, Oregon. I recently had an opportunity to visit the new headquarters and meet with President David Fee and Marketing Coordinator Ashley Powers. Located in Northwest Portland, the new digs offer a nice relaxed but professional atmosphere, replete with the requisite Portland bike rack (in the office).
Garmont is more than just a ski boot company. They have a long history of hiking, walking and climbing footwear, too. The Portland office now houses the full North American staff for their footwear and ski boot programs, and although their warehouse is still currently in Vermont, Fee expects to have a new Portland warehouse open in the next few months. Of course, Garmont's Italian HQ remains firmly planted in Montebelluna, the well-established ski and climbing boot capital of Europe.
Why the move to the Northwest? According to Fee, several factors led to the move including a change in the company's structure where the Italian owner assumed 100% ownership of the North American operations and Garmont's desire to maintain and expand on their current North American market presence in part by revamping their office and establishing a presence on the West Coast like may other leading outdoor companies.
Once dominated by Garmont and Scarpa, the telemark and alpine touring ski boot markets have seen pressure from several new players including Black Diamond, Dynafit and La Sportiva and even longtime alpine boot manufacturers like Salomon and Tecnica. Revamping their office and reestablishing their presence in the Western US is part of Garmont's big picture planning to keep the brand's ski boot line in the forefront of the market.
Looking ahead, Fee is excited about the new three- and four-buckle AT boots (as are we): the Cosmos and the Orbit. Having been a strong player in the AT boot market over the years with the MegaRide and more recent Radium, as well as in the stouter freeride category with the Delirium, Garmont saw it was time to turn their focus to the growing lightweight, performance oriented AT boot sector. The new Cosmos and Orbit boots fit the bill nicely. We will be testing boots in this growing category on Mt. Hood in late May and are excited to get some quality up and down time in Garmont's newest boots.
Garmont remains committed to telemark and NTN boots as well, and although the telemark boot line is unchanged for next season, the new NTN Freedom binding will be available this fall. The Freedom offers increased touring performance and a lighter weight construction for the NTN system
Garmont also distributes Bridgedale socks and owns the Life-Link brand. Life-Link, once a primary player in avalanche rescue shovels and probes, adjustable ski poles and even ski packs, has seen little branding or marketing in recent years. Fee said that the Life-Link brand remains an important part of their quiver, and recognizes the need to revamp the brand and suggested we should see some changes in the future.
It's nice to see Garmont embracing their new Northwest home and their dedication to the sport we all love. We'll be sure to post details about the Cosmos and Orbit from our boot testing in May.
Mt Hood's healthy snowpack bodes well for some excellent summer skiing this year. Summer skiing on the scale that Mt Hood offers is a treat unique to the Cascade Volcanos. T-shirts, sun hats and thousands of vertical feet of dreamy corn snow define the summer experience, as does a cold beer in the warm afternoon sun.
Wy'East Nordic is hosting its 28th annual Summer Ski Camp at Timberline ski area on Mt Hood from June 22-24. And it's not just for telemarkers any more! That's right, even fixed heel skiers can join the fun this year. It's hard to beat the full experience of warm weather, great corn snow and expert tips to improve your skiing; it's an ideal scenario for taking your ski skills to the next level. The clinic includes three full days of summer skiing high on the snowfields of Mt. Hood - two days of instruction, plus a day of touring. Bring your tele or AT gear and keep your season going through June!
You can count on the Northwest's best Telemark and Alpine instructors to give you great tips to improve your skiing. Register for the clinic prior to May 1 and you'll get a 10% discount on the cost!
Thanks to everyone who subscribed to Off-Piste for a chance to win avalanche safety gear and skis from Genuine Guide Gear this winter! We gave away G3 shovels, probes, skins and snow saws in December, January and February.
Robert Ray of Helena, Montana was the lucky winner of the G3 Skis. He got himself a pair of G3 Saints! Congrats Robert!
The Saint was one of our all-mountain touring picks for the season. Here is what we said about the Saint in the 2012 Ski Review:
G3 hit a sweet spot with the newly revamped Saint. It may not be a big fat powder gun, but it has remarkable power and stability for a light, touring biased ski. The new early rise tip and traditional camber come together for a smooth, balanced and very capable ride that proved to be a crowd pleaser.
It's also time to get your name in the hat for the annual Alpine Club of Canada Hut lottery for a chance to stay at the Kokanee Glacier and Fairy Meadow Huts.
Finally, here is a cool video of some avalanche control work on Keetenay Pass near Nelson, BC. Nothing like a helicopter and some explosives to get things rolling...
Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center Snowball 2012
As backcountry skiers, we rely heavily on our local avalanche centers for detailed weather and avalanche forecast information. The Friends of the Northwest Weather and Avalanche Center is hosting the 4th Annual Snowball Dinner and Auction on Friday, April 20, 2012, from 6-10pm. This event is the perfect opportunity to share in thanking NWAC for their services and helping to raise funds for next year's operational budget.
This year's end-of-the-season celebration event will be at Mountaineers Program Center in Seattle. Tickets are $75 - buy yours soon; this event sold out last year!
You will find friends and familiar faces at the event plus a great dinner and a chance to participate in live and silent auctions for great gear, trips and more!
Suggested Dress: Backcountry Formal (ie – better than you usually dress)
Location: Mountaineers Program Center, 7700 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle
More information www.nwac.us/snowball
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Thanks to everyone who subscribed to Off-Piste for a chance to win avalanche safety gear and skis from 
As backcountry skiers, we rely heavily on our local avalanche centers for detailed weather and avalanche forecast information. The Friends of the 
