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TBT: Silvretta Tour Part 3- Weisbadener Hutte & Ochsentaier Glacier (28 Feb 2019)

February 27, 2020February 27, 2020 Brittany Walker Konsella 0 Comments

The day before, we toured from Jamtal to Weisbadener Hutte. We had plans to potentially complete what most people call the Silvretta Tour by staying one more night at the Silvretta Hutte, just over the border in Switzerland. However, we knew that bad weather was on the way, and snow falling could make glacier travel difficult and dangerous, and we could have a challenging exit back to Galtur. So, we decided to jump the gun and skip the last night. But, that didn’t mean that we couldn’t enjoy a tour on the Ochsentaier Glacier before we departed, which beckoned us with it’s twinkly white from the Weisbadender Hutte.

Backcountry Skiing Interviews Park Range / Steamboat

Bluebird Backcountry Ski Area

February 14, 2020February 14, 2020 Frank Konsella 0 Comments

That’s right, paying customers will have to earn their turns at this new ski area, located between Kremmling and Steamboat. Many of Colorado’s other ski areas also started this way before ski lifts were a thing, with local residents hiking up hillsides to ski back down. It was only later that ski lifts and groomed runs became the norm.

Reviews - Gear & Other

Review: LEKI Tour Guide Glove

February 9, 2020 Brittany Walker Konsella 0 Comments

The LEKI Tour Guide Glove is built for what it is named – touring. It’s a light glove with maximum dexterity & ventilation, but minimum insulation and waterproofing. But, the LEKI Tour Guide glove excels in the category for which it was built. And here’s why.

Gimps Resort Skiing Trauma Incident

Unlucky Lucky: Skiing Again!

February 4, 2020February 9, 2020 Brittany Walker Konsella 3 Comments

At the end of the appointment, the doctor sat me down and said, “Let’s talk about skiing.” In my head I said, “I thought you’d never ask!” But, I refrained. He asked, “Do you even want to ski this year?” I nodded my head in silent response, but inside I was screaming, “Oh hell yeah!” Then he asked, “Do you have a seasons pass?” I nodded my head again and mumbled something about buying it before the accident and just keeping it because I thought I’d be skiing in spring for sure. Then he said, “I think you should get out and ski. I think it will help you mentally.” Yep, this doc knows me, or at least knows my type. Of course, there was the whole spiel about starting out slow, on groomers only, etc. But, I already knew this. It’s not like I haven’t been through 3 ACL surgeries before.

Reviews - Gear & Other

Gear Review: Smith 4D MAG Goggles

January 6, 2020January 6, 2020 Frank Konsella 0 Comments

OK, goggles don’t sound that interesting and at this point it’s true that there are a lot of good ones out there. But the Smith 4D MAG goggles are actually pretty different- possibly even revolutionary. 4D presumably stands for a fourth dimension, but the basic idea of the goggles are that they add a significant amount of peripheral vision.

Miscellaneous

My 2020 Bucket List

January 3, 2020 Brittany Walker Konsella 0 Comments

Last year I started an annual tradition – my yearly bucket lists. As I mentioned in my 2019 post, the term can sound so morbid. How many things can one cross off the list before you die? It’s the “before you die” part that gives “Bucket List” the negative connotation. But, Google puts it in a little better words defining bucket list as “a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime.” Yet, in 2019 the bucket list became even more real to me…. because, well, I almost died. And I realized that I have so many things that I still want to do. The saying is true, when you’re life flashes before you, you don’t regret the things you did do, but you regret the things you didn’t do.

Backcountry Skiing Reviews - Gear & Other

Outdoor Retailer Highlight: Black Diamond JetForce Pro – Now Modular!

December 29, 2019December 29, 2019 Brittany Walker Konsella 0 Comments

Let’s face it. Avalanche airbags are expensive. And they’re heavy. Not to mention that traveling with them on planes can be a a real hassle – some models of airbags can’t travel on planes or you have to discharge a canister of pressurized air and find some place to refill it, or buy a new one. And let’s talk about deployment – how many times have you pulled your airbag? Maybe 1-5 times a year? Did you ever have a deployment fail? How do you know your airbag is actually working and that you aren’t carrying all this extra weight for nothing? And how do you actually practice deploying an airbag? The Black Diamond JetForce Pro has solved a lot of these problems.

Reviews - Gear & Other

Gear Review: LEKI Tour Stick Vario Carbon Ski Poles

December 9, 2019December 10, 2019 Frank Konsella 0 Comments

When folding poles first came out I played with them a little bit and quickly determined that they weren’t for me- they were simply too flexy. The connections added too much slop, so even a little bit of pressure would make the pole bow like a bow and arrow.

Gimps

Where I Am Now….

December 2, 2019 Brittany Walker Konsella 2 Comments

To most people, I appear healed. It would take the average person to notice the subtle things, like how I can’t turn my head all the way, and how much I have trouble with using my arms above my head to get things off a top rack or shelf. To most, I walk fine, I talk fine, I smile fine, I have a few extra scars but so what…. I am healed but not healed.

Today, it has been 3.5 months since I nearly died under the wheels of my car – now named Voldemort after giving me a large “Harry Potter” scar, among dozens of other injuries….