I have long awaited the arrival of the new Black Diamond Vector Helmet. I like to carry as little weight up the hill as possible and since my LG/XL Vector weighs in at a trim 8.5 ounces (SM/MD 8.1 ounces) I…
Conditions Pictures from RMNP
Winter is making it’s way! Here are a few shots from the past week that CMS Guides Mike Lewis and Joey Thompson took from the field. All Mixed Up is IN and in great condition from bottom to top. Mike and Joey…
Guide Gear Review: Black Diamond LightWeight Glove
The Black Diamond LightWeight Gloves are a consistent item in my pack no matter what time of year. The LightWeight Glove does not receive the time in the spotlight it deserves. This is partly because in the winter they…
Guide Gear Review: La Sportiva Xplorer
Recently, I’ve been out in La Sportiva’s latest approach shoe incarnation, the Xplorer. I first heard mention of this shoe from a Sportiva employee after inquiring why they hadn’t yet released an updated Exum model. I prefer approach shoes that…
Guide Gear Review: Black Diamond Half Dome Helmet
Kevin Baines rocking his new Black Diamond Half Dome Black Diamond has revised and updated their helmet line for 2012, including their stalwart, the Half Dome. The Half Dome has been my go-to helmet for years. It is dependable, sturdy, and…
Guide Gear Review: La Sportiva Xplorer Approach
For big days out it is hard to imagine a more important piece of gear than your shoes. You often leave and return to the trailhead in the dark, without ever taking your shoes off. How your shoes treat your body in between is pretty…
Conditions Report – Flagstaff Fire – 90% Contained
Eldorado Canyon reopened on Friday the 29th. On June 29, CMS Guide Steve Levin and his client Ed spent the afternoon climbing the Wind Tower. They reported a bit of smoke/haze in the air (see photo to the right) but…
Conditions Report
As we all know, there are fires burning throughout many areas of Colorado. Climbers are calling our offices to find out if and what climbing areas are being affected. Here is the local breakdown. The following fires are all within 50 miles of our…
Guide Gear Review: Black Diamond Hoodwire Carabiner
Last season I retired many of my well-used carabiners and decided to try the new Black Diamond Hoodwires. According to BD: “Their hot-forged construction combines a keylock design with wire gate functionality.” Translation: greatly reduced snagging when you’re clipping gear,…
Guide Gear Review: Marmot Nano Jacket
Ian Fowler here with Colorado Mountain School. Originally from England, I grew up with three-hundred days of rain annually. Thus, I have a lot of experience with waterproof shells. The ultra-light Marmot Nano is a streamlined GORE-TEX® Paclite® shell that…
Gear Review: Marmot Women’s Jena Jacket
Jane here with Colorado Mountain School, checking in about another high-performing product from Marmot! Known for their incredibily lightweight primo down insulation, Marmot does not disapoint with the Women’s Jena Down Jacket. Marmot uses only the highest quality goose down and it…
Guide Gear Review: Black Diamond Spot Headlamp
Russell Hunter, full-time guide with the Colorado Mountain School, here to share with you my opinion on the Black Diamond Spot headlamp. Recently I have been using the Spot headlamp and it has quickly become one of my new favorite…
Circuit Training at the BRC
BRC trainers have developed a training circuit incorporating Tru Blue auotobelays. Check out this video on how to better train for your climbing objectives.
Mountain Climbing Safety
CMS guide Russell Hunter recently spent the day climbing with Outside Television. Here’s and excerpt where they spend a few minutes discussing mountain climbing safety. Enjoy!
Weekly Monday Gear Review: Black Diamond Primrose SA Harness
The Black Diamond Primrose SA Harness is a great women’s-specific harness for all climbing uses: sport, trad, multi-pitch, gym, snow and ice! This is the second Primrose harness that I have owned. Recently, I have been wearing it regularly for…
Weekly Monday Gear Review: Sterling Evolution Duetto 8.4mm x 40m Alpine Touring Rope
Spring has arrived in the Rockies! This is a fantastic time to get into the high country to enjoy the stable weather and stable snow conditions on those steep slopes that have been tempting you all season long. In the…
AMGA Ski Guide Course with Norie Kizaki
CMS Guide Norie Kizaki recently took the AMGA Ski Guide Course with help from funding through a scholarship that she received from Backcountry Access. Luckily for us, the camera was rolling. The course was great and Norie crushed it! Thank you BCA, you’re the best!!!
Spring Skiing in RMNP… I love it!
I skied Dragon Tail Couloir (DTC) this morning along with one of my coworkers, Andrew Councell, and my husband who wanted to get some skiing in before going to work. For a change, we decided to drop in from the…
Weekly Monday Gear Review: Marmot Minimalist Jacket
Here is a telling statistic regarding the Marmot Minimalist Jacket: I wore the Marmot Minimalist every day this past winter. Yes, that is correct – every single day while ski guiding in Hokkaido, Japan this past January and February. Historically,…
Alpine, Rock & Ski Trip Report
Recently I had the pleasure to climb and ski with Jake Lauer form Durango. Jake is an aspirant in the mountain guiding realm working hard to achieve AMGA Rock Certification – and he is well on his way. Day #1: AMGA Single…
Skiing Dragon Tail Couloir
Spring skiing is still crankin’ in Rocky Mountain National Park! CMS Guides Matt Lipscomb, Joey Thompson and Mike Alkaitis spent this morning on a training outing up and down Dragon Tail Couloir.
Rocky Mountain National Park Conditions
We’ve had a lot of guides out in the field recently – on rock, ice and snow. The following is a compilation of conditions reports from the past few days. THE DIAMOND, LONGS PEAK THE NORTH FACE, LONGS PEAK…
Revo Bearing Sunglasses
Hey there, It’s Colorado Mountain School Senior Guide Joey Thompson here to talk to you about my favorite sunglasses – Revo Bearings. Revo’s High Contrast Polarization blocks glare while maintaining clear optics while I am working in the high alpine environment. …
Dragon Tail Couloir
Colorado Mountain School Guide Rainbow Weinstock heads to Rocky Mountain National Park to climb a local classic, Dragon Tail Couloir, with Outside Television. Mountaineering season is here, let’s go climbing!
Black Diamond Guide Glove
Growing up I spent a lot of time working in the yard with my father. He taught me the importance of hard work, physical activity and being outside. He also showed me the importance of a good set of work…
Weekly Gear Review: BD Speed 40 Pack
As I have said in gear reviews past: I am old and set in my ways. I like my old stand-by gear. I know it well, it works. Gear companies, however, don’t understand my dependency on unchanging gear. No –…
Jonathan Siegrist FAs His Hardest Line to Date!
Le Reve – Jonathan Siegrist from MAXIM DYNAMIC ROPES on Vimeo.
Weekly Monday Gear Review: Revo Guide Sunglasses
One thing a Mountain Guide must have is a good pair of sunglasses. With the amount of time outdoor professionals spend in the sun, UV protection is paramount. I recently acquired a pair of the “Guide” sunglasses from Revo and…
2012 CMS In-House Guide Training – Photo and Video Montage
Each winter the guides of the Colorado Mountain School travel to a location to practice and stay current on their ski guide training. With the snow the best in our very own backyard, the team decided to do the training in…
Weekly Monday Gear Review – Black Diamond Stinger
The Black Diamond Stinger crampon is the latest entry to the lightweight, steep ice and mixed category from our friends at BD. This crampon is designed for anything and everything from steep waterfalls to mixed, roadside or alpine. Stainless steel…
Weekly Gear Review: Black Diamond Express Ice Screws
The Black Diamond Express Ice Screw provides the ice-climber with fast and efficient placements. The design of the BD ice screw cuts through ice with remarkable precision and ease allowing for fast protection. The flip lever, which resembles a crank,…
Weekly Gear Review: BCA Float Airbags
Backcountry skiing is dangerous, especially this year where we live. So far, I’ve witnessed one of the more hazardous and unpredictable snowpacks that I’ve ever seen. But no matter the location or the stability, we all accept a certain level…
Trip Report: Ice Climbing with CMS Guide Andrew Councell
Being from Ohio, Toby Gandy doesn’t have much access to big terrain for skiing. He made the trip out to Colorado to take an AIARE Avalanche Level 1 Course with us, along with a guided day in Rocky Mountain National…
Weekly Monday Gear Review: Marmot Spire Pants
At first glance I thought the Marmot Spire Pants were bibs, and bibs are often just too hot for me on the up portion of the day. But they are really pants with suspenders, which are easily removable. However with the…
Ice Conditions: Hidden Falls and Vail
Hidden Falls is in great. I was there on Tuesday (1/17). The main flow is moving towards a mixed line to the right and growing over the rock. I have been ice guiding up in Vail for the past couple…
Scarpa Maestrale Ski Boot review
The Scarpa Maestrale is the lightest four buckle boot on the market and is designed to be the perfect touring boot. What does this mean? For me it means a touring boot that fits my foot well (Intuition Liners are…
Weekly Monday Gear Review: Black Diamond Punisher Gloves
Climbers are pretty finicky when it comes to climbing gear…any climbing gear. This is especially true, however, when dealing with climbing gloves because it’s with our hands that we feel connected to the mountain. Since our hands are so integral…
Weekly Monday Gear Review: Marmot Powder 8 Jacket
I’d like to introduce everyone to my new jacket of choice, the Marmot Powder 8. I’ve been wearing my Team Red version for some time now and I have to say that is my go-to jacket. The Powder 8 Jacket…
