Trip Report: Snowmass, CO – August Turns at 12,000 Feet Report from August 6, 2021 I’m now on my 26th consecutive month of skiing, and I’m now entering my third “tough season”; August, September, October, when the skiing gets more and more difficult. Fortunately, just above home in Snowmass Village, Colorado, lies Snowmass Ski Area. With a summit elevation of 12,510′, Snowmass typically holds at least some snow into the fall. Yesterday, […] Trip Report Clay Malott | August 7, 2021 1 Comment
Direct Weather Shares 2021-2022 Winter Forecast Direct Weather issued their 2021-2022 winter forecast this week. Long-range forecasts like these aren’t necessarily gospel and should be taken with a grain of salt, however, teleconnection patterns can sometimes accurately indicate synoptic-scale trends. Summary: The forecast calls for above-average snowfall in the Pacific Northwest, Montana, Wyoming, and most of the East Coast this winter. The forecast calls for a drier […] Weather Clay Malott | August 5, 2021 2 Comments
2021’s Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecasted to Intensify in August and September Recent forecasts indicate that the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season may be trending towards increased storminess throughout August and September. So far, the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season has seen a relatively weak start. There have been four named tropical storms (Ana, Bill, Claudette, and Danny) and one Category 1 hurricane (Elsa), which made landfall in Florida in early July. However, most long-range […] Weather Clay Malott | August 2, 2021 2 Comments
Gear Review: DPS PHANTOM Permanent Base Treatment Almost 2 years ago, Salt Lake City based DPS Skis made waves through the ski community. They had made a permanent alternative to ski wax. So, what was the big deal? Well, this base treatment was nothing like ordinary ski wax. DPS PHANTOM, as it was called, could be applied once. That’s it. You put the base treatment on once […] Gear Clay Malott | July 31, 2021 5 Comments
Gear Review: 2021-2022 DPS Foundation 106 C2 Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, DPS Skis has always been known to push the boundaries of materials and technology, ultimately resulting in high-quality, performance-driven skis. Newly updated for DPS’s 2021-2022 fleet is the Foundation 106 C2, now available for their Dreamtime Sale. Here’s what DPS has to say about the ski: “The Foundation 106 C2 has undergone some key updates, […] Gear Clay Malott | July 31, 2021 0 Comments
First Snow of the Season Falls at Aspen Snowmass, CO On Friday, July 30, the first snowfall of the season dusted the upper elevations of Aspen Snowmass ski resorts. It was the first snowfall for the area since mid-May. Flakes began to fall at about 3:30pm as a powerful convective cell moved through the area. Within an hour, the cell had moved through and cleared, leaving stunning views of the […] Clay Malott | July 30, 2021 8 Comments
Snow in the Forecast for Northern Montana, British Columbia The latest run of the GFS forecast model shows small amounts of snow in the forecast for the Northern Rockies of Montana and British Columbia. The forecasted snow is the result of an accompanying blast of cold air sweeping in from the Northern Pacific. The colder airmass combined with the high elevations of the region may provide the necessary ingredients for […] Weather Clay Malott | July 29, 2021 0 Comments
Trip Report: Pika Glacier, AK – July Ski Mountaineering on the Final Frontier I woke up on July 17 just as I had the previous 30 days; I crawled out of my sleeping bag, packed up my gear, tent, and food into my pack, and began walking. It was my final day of a 30-day expedition bagging peaks on the Nelchina Glacier in the Chugach Mountains, and I was headed straight into my […] Trip Report Clay Malott | July 26, 2021 0 Comments
Long Term Review: Outdoor Research Trailbreaker Touring Pants In the world of backcountry touring, gear is everything. Unfortunately, finding the right gear for the right occasion is really, really hard. Unbiased, detailed gear reviews can help you narrow down the choices, and here at SnowBrains, that’s what we’re all about! I was sent the Outdoor Research Trailbreaker II pants to review this past winter and spring. I’ve broken the […] Gear Clay Malott | June 17, 2021 0 Comments
Long Term Review: Outdoor Research Ferrosi Touring Shell Back in February, I was sent the Outdoor Research Ferrosi hooded touring shell to review. These are my honest opinions after four months of significant use. I’ve broken the review up into five sections: fit, uphill performance, protection from the elements, miscellaneous pros/cons, and “the bottom line.” Reviewer Stats: Name: Clay Malott Days toured with the Ferrosi Shell: 55 Height: 6’3″ Weight: 160lbs Testing […] Gear Clay Malott | June 17, 2021 0 Comments
Long Term Review: 2020-2021 WNDR Vital 100 This past winter and spring, I had the pleasure of skiing on WNDR’s brand new Vital 100 ski. All too often in the ski industry, equipment is reviewed for a handful of days and then is sent back to the brand. I had the incredible opportunity to ski over sixty days on these skis this season, which has given me a […] Gear Clay Malott | June 15, 2021 0 Comments
Trip Report: Eastern Sierra, CA – Matterhorn Peak Ski Dreams Couloir Report from Saturday, June 12, 2021 Matterhorn Peak, located in the Eastern Sierra near Bridgeport, CA is a sight to behold; its craggy cliffs and sharp ridgelines make it a stunning spectacle. We targeted Matterhorn for some late-season corn skiing this weekend. Our line of choice was the Ski Dreams Couloir, a line near the summit of Matterhorn about 500 vertical […] Trip Report Clay Malott | June 14, 2021 1 Comment
Uncertainty in the Mountains: Tips and Tricks to Mitigate a Deadly Killer In the backcountry, knowledge and confidence are everything. Uncertainty is the #1 killer in the mountains—uncertainty about the avalanche safety of a slope, uncertainty about the weather, etc., can all be deadly. If skiers always knew with 100% confidence whether a slope would slide or not, there would not be any avalanche fatalities. Unfortunately, this isn’t the way the world […] Backcountry Clay Malott | June 11, 2021 0 Comments
Ongoing Pandemic Fails to Deter Conga Line Traffic On Everest The ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which emerged into the global spotlight 18 months ago, is still raging around the world and continues to disrupt all avenues of life. However, one thing that it has not disrupted is the infamous traffic on the slopes of Mt. Everest. Photos of the crowded ridges and faces of the climb to the top of the world […] Climbing Clay Malott | June 8, 2021 1 Comment
Authorities Identify Man Killed in 500-Foot Fall on Mt. Hood, Oregon On Wednesday, June 2, authorities announced that a man involved in a deadly climbing accident on Mt. Hood, Oregon, has been identified. Search & rescue teams “immediately responded” to several calls from witnesses who had seen the man fall while at an elevation of around 10,500 feet. Mt. Hood Ski Patrol personnel also assisted in the rescue. 64-year-old Patrick Michael […] Climbing Clay Malott | June 4, 2021 1 Comment
VIDEO: Skiing into an Active Volcano in Japan Mt. Yotei, located near Sapporo on the Japanese island of Hokkaido, is an active stratovolcano and popular backcountry ski spot. This video, shot by photographer Glen Claydon, shows the spectacular skiing and views that Mt. Yotei has to offer – including skiing straight into the caldera! Featured Video Clay Malott | May 27, 2021 0 Comments
How to Plan a Day of Backcountry Skiing Backcountry skiing is an inherently complicated, dangerous activity. However, with the correct planning procedure, you can greatly reduce that risk and the headaches that come with it dramatically. When I plan a day of backcountry skiing, here’s what I think about before I’m out in the mountains. 1.) Know your objective The first thing to nail down about a backcountry ski […] Brains Clay Malott | May 27, 2021 0 Comments
Trip Report: Lassen Peak, CA – Devastated Area to East Ridge Report from May 23, 2021. My buddy Austin and I have had our sights on Lassen Peak for several weeks now. Standing at 10,463′, Lassen typically holds snow well into the summer, and despite the low snowfall this season, this year was no different. Lassen had continuous, skiable snow all the way down to about 8,000 feet, and we decided […] Trip Report Clay Malott | May 25, 2021 4 Comments
VIDEO: Bore Tide Surfing in Turnagain Arm, Alaska People riding the Turnagain Arm bore tide. pic.twitter.com/DRpsZLoCCd — Brian Brettschneider (@Climatologist49) May 14, 2021 Twitter user Brian Brettschneider shared a video of surfers taking advantage of and surfing a bore tide in Alaska. A bore tide occurs when seawater rushes into a river or inlet. Bore tides come in after very low tides created by the full or new moon. […] Surf Clay Malott | May 14, 2021 0 Comments
Trip Report: Elk Range, CO – Star Peak Ski Mountaineering Brought to you by 10 Barrel Brewing Report from Friday, May 7. It’s full-on objective season, and now that the snowpack has mostly stabilized, steeper and more consequential lines are in. Our objective for this mission was Star Peak. Sitting at 13,528′, Star Peak towers along the Elk Crest, looking down at the ski towns of both Aspen and Crested […] Trip Report Clay Malott | May 10, 2021 1 Comment