Earning My Turns in the Intuition Tour Tongue Dual Density Liners Intuition Liners, a maker of custom ski boot liners, recently overhauled its product line. So far this season, I’ve been testing the new Tour Tongue Dual Density liner in the Montana backcountry. Related: Intuition Liners: Elevate Your Skiing Experience Intuition makes two touring-specific liners: the Tour Wrap and the Tour Tongue. Both options use dual-density, heat-moldable closed-cell foam and have […] Gear Mike Lavery | January 27, 2025 0 Comments
Top 9 Tips for Buying and Selling Gear at the Ski Swap Fall is here, and that means one thing, it’s ski swap season! Time to grab some new gear for cheap or turn last year’s setup into a stack of cash. Here are our expert tips on how to work the ski swap like a pro. BUYING 1. Get there early. All the best deals will be gone in the first hour or […] Mike Lavery | September 18, 2024 0 Comments
The Ski Area Snow Report: Fact or Fiction? We’ve all had those days: The snow report is claiming an epic dump, but on the hill, it skis like only a few inches. What the heck? Is the snow report just a total lie? A publication in the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics decided to have a closer look. Snow reporting is a challenging process. Things like elevation, wind, and […] Brains Mike Lavery | July 22, 2024 12 Comments
Terror On The Trails. Can’t We All Just Play Nice? Like sunny days and warm temperatures, summertime is the season for mountain bikers getting injured by booby-trapped trails. It’s sad and scary that it has become a common occurrence. Whether these are childish pranks or true attempts to injure others, does it really have to come down to this? Wire snares, spike strips, barbed wire, blockades, and even Punji Stake […] Biking Mike Lavery | May 9, 2024 7 Comments
Is It A Smart Idea to Use Marijuana In The Mountains? When Canada legalized marijuana in October 2018, pushback came from an unexpected place––search and rescue. Not long ago, marijuana was still considered a bad drug mostly used by hippies and stoners. These days it’s becoming legal, socially accepted, and even used for its medicinal purposes. Legal or illegal, the odors wafting off the chairlift don’t lie – people like to smoke […] Mike Lavery | April 20, 2024 3 Comments
9 Amazing Facts About Polar Bears Polar bears aren’t just ordinary big white bears (they’re actually not white at all…), they’re highly specialized for life in the harshest environments. Here are nine amazing facts about polar bears. 1. They’re thought to have evolved from brown bears that became isolated due to glaciation in the eastern part of Siberia. The latest research has the two species diverging genetically around […] Brains Mike Lavery | October 30, 2023 1 Comment
When Is The Best Time to Ski Montana? Winter is coming; time to plan some trips! When’s the best time to ski Montana, you ask? Off the top of my head, I’d say February, but let’s look at the numbers. I compiled average monthly snowfall data at five popular Montana ski resorts. Big Sky and Bridger Bowl are in southwest Montana near Bozeman, Red Lodge is a bit […] Mike Lavery | October 7, 2023 2 Comments
[GEAR REVIEW] Hestra Mountain Bike Gloves It’s no secret that Hestra makes some of the highest quality winter gloves money can buy. I have a pair of Hestra Vertical Cut ski gloves that are at least 10 years old and still going strong. Hestra also makes bike gloves, and they recently sent me the All Mountain Sr., Ergo Grip Enduro, and Bike Long Sr. Gloves to […] Gear Mike Lavery | October 4, 2023 0 Comments
South America’s Famous Santa Rosa Storm In South America, there’s a meteorological phenomenon known as La Tormenta de Santa Rosa (The Santa Rosa Storm) that is both fact and legend. In folklore, it’s said to be the most violent weather of the year, sinking ships and burying entire villages in snow with little mercy. Reality may be a bit different, depending on who you ask. The festival […] Brains Mike Lavery | August 16, 2023 15 Comments
Sunski Sunglasses: Save The Planet and Look Good Doing It! Plastic is incredible stuff. Our lives would be completely changed without it. It’s light, strong, easily made into whatever shape we want, and lasts forever. Without plastic, we’d probably all still be skiing in leather boots. That last point that plastic basically lasts forever is a double-edged sword. It’s amazing when put to good use, but plastic waste is becoming […] Featured Article Mike Lavery | May 1, 2023 0 Comments
Chris Davenport’s Top 5 Tips for Backcountry Skiing Brought to you by Peak Skis and Scarpa North America Spring is officially here, and ski season is almost over, right? Wrong! April and May can be the best months of the year to head into the backcountry. The weather is warm, the days are long, terrain is filled in, and the avalanche hazard is more manageable. Whether you’re a […] Backcountry Mike Lavery | March 29, 2023 0 Comments
[GEAR REVIEW] Peak Skis 104: Modern Day Charger or Marketing Hype? If you’re a SnowBrains regular, you know that we covered the launch of Bode Miller’s Peak Skis last spring. Since then, they’ve added big names like Chris Davenport, Michelle Parker, and JT Holmes to their lineup, which begs the question, are these skis the real deal or just a bunch of marketing hype? Luckily, Peak hooked me up with a pair […] Gear Mike Lavery | March 13, 2023 2 Comments
Conditions Report: Snorkel Season in the Tetons! The northern Rockies have been off to a great start this season. The Tetons just got hit with a major storm, so the wife and I headed south from Montana for a few days to take part. We rolled into the parking lot of Grand Targhee at 3 pm on Thursday, and it looked like mid-winter. Two feet of cold smoke […] Conditions Report Mike Lavery | November 14, 2022 0 Comments
How To: Wax Your Bike Chain For the Cleanest Smoothest Ride You’ve Ever Had Whether you like to ride your bike in spandex or body armor, there is one universal truth to cycling: chain maintenance sucks. Keeping your chain clean and lubed can be a full time job that no one wants. The solution: Hot Wax. You already wax your skis, time to wax your bike! No joke, dipping your chain in hot wax is […] Biking Mike Lavery | August 22, 2022 8 Comments
How To: Choose The Right Mountain Bike Tire Size Fifteen years ago, you threw a 2.1″ tire on your mountain bike and went riding. Maybe you rode crazy wide 2.4″ tires if you were a DH guy. It was that simple. Now a days, there’s everything from skinny 1.8s all the way up to 5 inch monsters. How the heck are you supposed to choose? Here’s a quick guide to […] Biking Mike Lavery | August 5, 2022 1 Comment
How Much Money Would You Pay For Private Resort Skiing? I hate waiting in lift lines. You probably do too. It’s no surprise that the backcountry segment of the ski industry continues to explode. Peace and quiet, untouched snow, what’s not to like? Well, the backcountry does have a few downsides. Why slog all day for a couple runs when you can knock out hot laps on a powder day at […] Mike Lavery | August 5, 2022 3 Comments
Mountain Bike Shootout – Flats vs. Clipped In Back when I was growing up and working in bike shops, everyone I knew rode clipped in. Road, Mountain, DH – it didn’t matter. Flat pedals were reserved for BMX, dirt jumpers, and kids. I spent another ten years in the bike industry, and it was the same story. Flat pedals? What the heck are those? This past summer, I’ve […] Biking Mike Lavery | July 15, 2022 4 Comments
5 Courtesy Tips For Conflict Free Mountain Biking This Summer Warmer temperatures, beautiful views, clear skies, and dry trails make summer the best time to be on a bike. After ripping a few evening hot laps, I was reminded of some things we could all do to be better trail users before things get out of hand… Be a good pet owner. I love biking with dogs, but they do […] Biking Mike Lavery | June 3, 2022 4 Comments
D.I.Y. Boot Fitting Part 2: Dialing In The Perfect Fit In part 1 of this series, we discussed how to choose a pair of ski boots. Now that you’ve skied in them for a few days, you may be noticing they don’t feel as good as they did on day 1. Maybe your toes are crushed, your heel is coming up, or they are just starting to feel a little […] Gear Mike Lavery | May 4, 2022 8 Comments
D.I.Y. Boot Fitting Part 1: Choosing The Right Ski Boots The fit of your ski boots is hands down the most important equipment decision that you’ll spend time and money on. When your boots are dialed, it can be an incredible feeling that will take your skiing to the next level. I am not a professional boot fitter, but I am an engineer and a guy who disappears into the […] Gear Mike Lavery | May 4, 2022 6 Comments
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