Month: December 2015

Brad Nierenberg’s Bucket List

Brad Nierenberg Favorites, Inspiration, outdoors, skiing, travel, Uncategorized, winter sports

Sorry all, been off the grid a little bit because of the holidays! As we are heading into the new year, I thought I’d post a bucket list. Everyone’s got one. Mine is constantly evolving and I’m always adding something new if I’ve checked something off.

  1. Skydive with my girlfriend. (Checked skydiving off my list years ago!)
  2. Go heliskiing.
  3. Climb a big mountain. Not sure which one. Denali, Kilimanjaro, we’ll see where the wind takes me.
  4. Swim with sharks.
  5. Thru-hike at least part of the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail.
  6. Run the Boston Marathon.
  7. Run an Ultramarathon.
  8. Believe it or not, I have never seen a show in the Red Rocks Ampitheater. Crazy, but I’ve got to do that someday soon.
  9. Compete in a rally race.
  10. Be at the game when the Avs win the Stanley Cup.

Some of these are easy, some are left to chance. Some will take an awful lot of work and running. What is on yours?

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Extreme Sports Are Changing Lives

Brad Nierenberg Favorites, Inspiration, mountain biking, outdoor sports, outdoors, travel, Uncategorized, winter sports

Stumbled upon this fantastic article about Paralympians starting an adventure camp for people with disabilities.  A lot of people experience the world in a different way, and extreme outdoor sports haven’t always been the most accessible to them. It is great to see these champs creating exciting and accessible opportunities. Bringing more diversity and different perspectives to extreme sports can only enrich the experience for everyone involved.

With sports like waterskiing, downhill biking, kitebuggying and kayaking, this is a great step toward supporting everyone in following their passions.

How do you think we can make the world of extreme/outdoor sports more inclusive?

Food Essentials for a Ski Day

Brad Nierenberg Favorites, outdoors, skiing, snowboarding, winter sports

When it’s been a long day on the slopes, my legs are beat and I am starving, because I like to ski through lunch and sometimes I forget to eat it altogether.

So some of my essentials are:

  • Thermos full of coffee and a big breakfast to start the day off right.
  • A king-size snickers bar – Clif bars and gu’s just don’t do it for me. I’d rather chomp on a candy bar on the lift.
  • A crockpot dinner (made by my lovely girlfriend) so we can have a hot, delicious meal waiting when we get home.

Minimal effort, maximum enjoyment is my philosophy when it comes to food.

What about you? How do you fuel for a day of skiing, hiking, or climbing?

What is your favorite thing to do when you get home?

3 Things to Think about When Buying Skis

Brad Nierenberg Favorites, equipment, skiing, Uncategorized, winter sports

Terrain

If you are into groomers, go ahead and get a nice carver that will rip down a steep face. But if you like to venture into the backcountry, you will find the narrow underfoot a little unstable. Think about your favorite terrain, and whether or not you want skis specifically for that terrain. There are plenty of great all-mountain skis that will allow you versatility if you like a little bit of everything.

Over the years, I have collected a few pairs of skis. I have some longer, stiff skis for the days that I want to tear up the frontside, some fat skis for deep powder days, and a pair of shorter, softer all mountain skis if I want to spend a day skiing bumps.

Length

This depends on your level of skiing as well as the terrain you plan to ski. Longer skis carry more speed and cut through cruddy snow, but can also be harder to control for novice skiers, and can create some unsavory situations on crowded slopes. Shorter skis are easier to control for novices and also better suited to more technical terrain.

Level of skiing

If you are an expert skier, let me ask you one thing: why are you coming to my blog for ski buying advice?! Kidding. I know my stuff as much as the next guy. But if you are an expert, you probably already know what you are looking for. In my opinion it is best for beginners to buy something all-mountain to start since you may not know your abilities very well or have an idea of what terrain is your fave.

Happy Ski Season everyone! Let’s make it a good one.

A Darker Side of Skiing

outdoors, Ski resorts, Ski trips, skiing, Uncategorized, winter sports

I found this article from a little while back and thought it needed to be shared.

Nothing beats the quiet of backcountry skiing when it is just you, the mountain and the trees. However, this is some seriously upsetting news. Skiers should be trying to preserve the environments where we ski, not tearing them down. Cutting down a few trees to create a new trail may seem harmless, but this article talks about many consequences that people obviously aren’t thinking about.

Respect the environment, after all without, we couldn’t ski, hike, or bike without it.