Scarpa North America Blog

Elite Ski Mountaineering with Team Crested Butte

Feb. 25th 2015
By SCARPA

By Jon Brown

GO-CB is an elite ski mountaineering team of athletes from the Gunnison Valley. Jon Brown, Bryan Wickenhauser, Jari Kirkland, Brian Smith and Stevie Kremer make up the accomplished line-up. The Team has enjoyed the support of Scarpa for 12 years and owes its longevity to a shared passion for adventure and competition.

Go-CB on the top of Mont Fort in Switzerland.

Go-CB on top of the world (Mont-Fort) at the Ski Mountaineering World Championships 2015.

March is just around the corner and things are about to get crazy with most of the biggest races on the US Skimo calendar stacked up in the next 6 weeks. Continue reading...

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All About Skimo: Max Taam Recaps the 2015 World Championships

Feb. 25th 2015
By SCARPA

Between ski patrolling full time on Aspen Mountain, training for skimo and racing, SCARPA athlete, Max Taam, rarely has a day out of ski boots all winter and spring. And the 2015 ISMF World Championship in Switzerland this February was no different. This was the fourth Worlds for the 32-year-old representing the US National Team, where he and John Gaston placed an impressive 15th in the Senior Men’s category with a time of 2 hours and 34 minutes.

Max Taam bootpacking up Sunlight Resort during the COSMIC Heathen Challenge. Photo credit: Joe Risi

Max Taam bootpacking up Sunlight Resort during the COSMIC Heathen Challenge. Photo credit: Joe Risi

We chatted with Max about his season so far, and highlights from Verbier: Continue reading...

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SCARPA Alien Series: Ski Mountaineering Meets Rando Race Efficiency

Feb. 25th 2015
By SCARPA

The fusion of rando race efficiency with ski mountaineering is changing the way we ski. Whether it’s big mountain pursuits, in a comp, or simply in our backyard hills, this new dynamic is turning out of reach objectives and better race performances into realities.

Andy Dorais skinning in the Aliens.

Andy Dorais skinning in the Aliens.

Combining the lightweight aesthetics of skimo racing with backcountry proficiency, SCARPA has engineered the Alien and Alien 1.0, the benchmark for ultra-light touring and racing performance. With ergonomics that maximize cuff articulation and natural striding, these boot essentials are available for skiers who want the freedom of movement in a boot that can get them into the hills like they’ve never done before. Continue reading...

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Q&A with Alex Puccio: ABS National Champion Nine Years Running

Feb. 13th 2015
By SCARPA

Alex sent her way to another ABS Nationals victory (her 9th, in fact). We caught up with her to hear about the win and what’s in store for her post-comp season.

alex-puccio-abs-nationals
Alex sends in the SCARPA Instinct VS

How does it feel to come home with another ABS National Title?

A: I was very excited and honored to place first at ABS Nationals this year. This was my 9th ABS National Championship Title. Every year there are more youngsters in the finals and they are sooo strong. And every year it gets harder to win, But I’m definitely going to keep trying my hardest to be the best I can! :) Continue reading...

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My Enduring Love Affair with Trout Creek

Feb. 11th 2015
By SCARPA

By Blake Herrington

I had never been cheered on by a flash mob at the crag until my first visit to Trout Creek, Oregon’s splitter crack-climbing mecca. Trout doesn’t have a single protection bolt and it sits in the middle of nowhere, approached via a mile of riverside hiking, and an 800’ uphill trudge. Maybe the shared challenge ofgetting to the wall, let alone climbing there, puts everyone in a mood to encourage their fellow climber on the sharp end.

Blake Herrington on Fall Line (5.13-)
Photo: Blake Herrington on Fall Line (5.13-) in his SCARPA Vapor Vs. Continue reading...

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SCARPA FIRST FRIDAY FILM FEST: FEBRUARY

Feb. 6th 2015
By SCARPA

Welcome back to our First Friday Film Fest featuring SCARPA athletes on big mountain adventures, free-climb missions and some of Utah’s finest crack.

Dean Cummings’ The Steep Life Film 2015

The Chugach Mountains surrounding Valdez, Alaska are the proving grounds for big mountain skiing and the foundation of Dean Cummings’ The Steep Life. Since 1991 Dean has been dedicated to exploring and guiding in the Chugach and developing the protocols needed to safely access this terrain.

Fine Jade (5.11a) – Utah’s Best Sandstone Tower Continue reading...

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Aaron Mulkey Shows Us How to Build A Wall For Ice Climbing Training

Jan. 21st 2015
By SCARPA

Whether it’s during the offseason or the middle of winter, strength training is always important if you want to take your climbing to the next level. Luckily, SCARPA athlete Aaron Mulkey has a great, cheap, do it yourself method for building a training wall in your own backyard.

Because of the “Dry Tooling revolution,” athletes are putting up harder mixed lines that require not only strength, but focus and comfort with the tools needed to get the job done. Not long after he saw Gordon McArthur train on his creation “The Great Arch,” Aaron knew he had to build one of his own. Continue reading...

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I Had to Have ‘Em: SCARPA’s Phantom Guide

Jan. 20th 2015
By SCARPA

I pulled the hood on my belay jacket over my helmet. Spindrift hissed over my shoulders and I remember looking at my buddy’s feet. “They’re like a belay jacket for your feet,” I said. He didn’t quite hear through the wind and his hood. “Those Phantom Guides! They’re like a puffy jacket for your feet!”

He just smiled. Right then and there, I knew I wanted a pair. Insulated, warm, zipped up and battened down – SCARPA’s Phantom Guide.

Redefining mountain performance, this boot is suitable for challenging the most technical routes in cold climates, whether ice cragging or in the high mountains. Continue reading...

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Freeride Skier Lynsey Dyer Joins SCARPA Athlete Roster

Jan. 14th 2015
By SCARPA

We’re so excited to announce that freeride skier Lynsey Dyer has joined our athlete roster! Based in Jackson, Wyoming, Dyer is well known as one of the most accomplished women in big-mountain skiing.

In 2014, she was named Skier of the Year by Freeskier Magazine, and, through her Film Production Company, Unicorn Picnic, she also spearheaded the release of the industry’s first all-women’s ski film, Pretty Faces.

She’s also been featured in ski films from Teton Gravity Research and Warren Miller, and she’s hosted television shows on NBC and ESPN, along with appearing on Good Morning America. In 2006, Dyer also co-founded the non-profit organization SheJumps, which works to increase women’s participation in outdoor sports. Continue reading...

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IMAGE GALLERY: The 20th Annual Ouray Ice Festival

Jan. 13th 2015
By SCARPA

What started as a small gathering of ice enthusiasts back in 1996 has turned into one of the world’s premier ice climbing events. The 20th annual Ouray Ice Festival hosted over 3,000 climbers this past weekend, from beginners to the world’s best. Our athletes continued to out climb the competition during the main event, where Will Gadd took 1st place in the Elite Mixed Climbing Competition, Sam Elias placed 4th and Matthieu Maynadier placed 6th, while Sarah Hueniken placed an impressive 2nd in the Elite Women’s competition. Continue reading...

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