[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 Review Mike Lavery | September 6, 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
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, 2023 3 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 Review 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
The Top 10 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 30, 2022 3 Comments
Mike Lavery
Gear Review
Brains
Featured Article
Backcountry
Conditions Report