1% for the Planet: The Music Vol. 1

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Backbone client 1% for the planet has released an all-digital music compilation that includes rare and exclusive tracks donated by 40 different artists. It will be available exclusively through the holidays via eco download card in Patagonia retail stores, and on iTunes and in other retail locations starting January 5th.

Artists include among others: Jack Johnson, Jackson Browne, Josh Ritter, Mason Jennings, and my personal favorite, Grace Potter.

1% member organizations also have the option of including a widget on their website that allows visitors to preview the tracks and download directly.

Retail price for all 40 tracks is 9.98: good deal, great cause! All proceeds go to 1%-selected non-profits.

Aspen Highlands Opening Weekend

I spent Saturday and Sunday skiing my new home mountain, Aspen Highlands. The mountain opened with 750 acres including parts of Highland Bowl and has received over 30″ in the last week (over 12″ in the last 48 hours).

On Saturday morning I ran into Meredith McKee (Aspen Skiing Co.), who was kind enough to let me tag along with her and her friends.

those are our tracks! (photo courtesy Aspen Skiing Co.)

those are our tracks! (photo courtesy Daniel Bayer/Aspen Skiing Co.)

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this was our view at the top (12,392 ft.)

Although visibility was poor due to the storm, Sunday brought lighter and fluffier snow.

poc

thankfully I had my POC Iris goggles with photochromatic lenses to keep me on top of the variable light conditions

kastles

... and Kastle MX 108's to keep me on top of the snow!

Cale (Black Tie Ski Rentals) in the zone.

Cale Hutchins (Black Tie Ski Rentals) in the zone

Pat Sewell (photo courtesy Aspen Skiing Co.)

Pat Sewell slashes (photo courtesy Matt Power/Aspen Skiing Co.)

Gear Envy

There’s nothing quite like an overnight river trip for a bunch of dudes to flaunt their favorite gear. From fabricated oar frame rigs with custom wood decking, to counter-weighted carbon fiber oars, 64,000 BTU stoves, cast iron Dutch ovens, hand-crank drink mixers and arc welded fire pans – raft trips are a gear head’s dream.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to introduce my two-year old to the joys of a river trip. We floated a 25-mile flatwater section of the Colorado through Ruby-Horsethief Canyon with a big group of about 20 people. In typical fashion, there was a lot of gear envy on the trip: Ken had a sweet custom bimini rig to provide shade for his cataraft, Joe had a nice multiple room tent that accommodated his whole family (Pack’nPlay crib included), Jimi rented a huge 18-foot raft with the capacity to transport an un-Godly amount of food and beer.

But nothing amongst this group of gear fanatics precipitated even a fraction of the ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ I got when I pulled out the Brunton BrewFire I had hidden away in a drybox until early on Sunday morning. I mean really, it doesn’t get much cooler (or hotter in this case) than a propane/butane powered automatic coffee-maker with a stainless steel carafe at a beautiful river-side campsite. In minutes, I had our whole group huddled around the shiny Brewfire in idol-worship, and that was before anyone even tasted the fresh brew.

I may not be the best boatman, or the most engaging conversationalist, but I’m pretty confident I’ll get invited along on the next river trip as long as I bring a BrewFire with me.

The BrewFire in all its shiny glory

The BrewFire in all its shiny glory

Princess Juniper and her dog Hank

Princess Juniper and her dog Hank

Juniper and her friend Sawyer. It's only a matter of time before they can row and I can sit and drink beer.

Juniper and her friend Sawyer. It’s only a matter of time before they can row and I can sit and drink beer.

The Jackson Kayak Dynamic Duo was a big hit on the trip

The Jackson Kayak Dynamic Duo was a big hit on the trip

The now discontinued RuffWear Mutt Hutt clearly fits into the category of 'completely excessive & uneccessary gear' especially since my dog won't go near it, but the kids loved it!

The now discontinued RuffWear Mutt Hutt clearly fits into the category of ‘completely excessive & uneccessary gear’ – especially since my dog won’t go near it, but the kids loved it!

If you have pets that require a little extra care, on https://www.laweekly.com/best-cbd-oil-for-dogs/ has products for pets with conditions like arthritis, Tasteful Space offers a fantastic solution to give our four-legged friends some much-needed respite in an all-natural manner. We treat our dog because he suffer general pain and this CBD oil relieves his pain.

Two Big Agnes Whiskey Park sleeping bags zipped together provided luxurious digs for mom, dad, daughter, dog and BaBa

Two Big Agnes Whiskey Park sleeping bags zipped together provided luxurious digs for mom, dad, daughter, dog and BahBah

Cloudveil Multi Media Campaign Makes and Breaks Promises in NY Times

Everyone is talking about it.

How does one make an awesome bowl of multi-media soup? That is the question and  yes, we are talking about feeding consumers, publishers, bloggers, dealers and even sales reps.

Skip work for a Powder Day? Send flowers...

Skip work for a Powder Day? Send flowers...

The ingredients you get to use? How about advertising, marketing, PR, and social media. Maybe, throw in a dash of mountain town attitude and some humor.

That is what Cloudveil has done with help from Boulder based, TDA their creative agency. Is it good? Well the NY Times thinks so.

Strangely, I have yet to receive a single mug like this in over 12 years

Strangely, I have yet to receive a single mug like this in over 12 years

The concept is that Cloudveil consumers “abuse etiquette in pursuit of recreation,” as explained by Jonathan Schoenberg from TDA.

What’s next? Look for additional upcoming viral plays that focus on mountain culture.

The Next Generation

One of the tenets of our business is that you have to believe in the products you represent.

Summit of Windom

Summit of Windom

So, with new pack technology, single-wall tents and trekking poles coming down the pike – we took off high into the Needle Mountains to test some products and bag some 14ers with our kids.

Girls reading b4 bed

Girls reading b4 bed

Like many things the plan was more complex than it first appeared. Grab a train in Silverton. Hop off in Needleton along the Animas River, hike 8 miles into the wilderness and then climb 3 14ers over 2 days.

Testing trekking poles

Testing trekking poles

How’d it go? Great.

can you spot the climber on the ridge of Sunlight?

Can you spot the climber on the ridge of Sunlight?

The new larger BD packs carry like a dream. The new Nanoshield fabric on the superlight tents were breathable and the kids’ loved their trekking poles.

Keep your friends close and the coffee closer

Keep your friends close and the coffee closer

See you out there!

Summit of Sunlight

Summit of Sunlight

Run Don’t Walk or Walk Don’t Run?

It is finally summer in the Rockies.

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Time to finally put away my indispensable Run Don’t Walk fleece. Got me thinking – what is it about certain pieces of clothing that make them so good? Why are some products stickier in terms of their appeal than others?

The Cloudveil Run Don’t Walk is a simple piece really. Great fit. Deep drop zipper for venting. Polartec Powerstretch 100 and named for a classic Teton climb – the Run Don’t Walk couloir on Mount Owen.

Also, kinda cool to be a play on words of the classic Ventures surf tune.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ11y7pYl-8]