Gallatin Good Times

Hi all,

We were testing out our creek boats on the Gallatin this weekend before heading to Hyalite and other more burly creeks around. The water levels have been pretty crazy. A Bozeman Daily Chronicle article a few days ago indicated that the snow pack was about 20% of last year at this time, which results in a much shorter spring runoff and lower rivers. Luckily, we’ve been getting a lot of rain here and it’s helping keep things green, and the rivers alive for a while. Cheers everyone and I hope your Memorial Day was a great deal of remembrance and good times.

Tagged: Powderfin, Outdoors, Outdoor Gear, Creekboat, Gallatin, Hyalite, Bozeman, Montana

Mo Mo Browns

Yeah Bernie!!!

Pacific Outdoor Equipment now online....

We're proud to announce the addition of Pacific Outdoor Equipment products to Powderfin.com. Not only are these some of the best sleeping pads, dry bags, and river duffels in the business, but they're also headquartered right down the street here in Bozeman, MT.


It's always nice to do business with local companies, especially when they have similar philosophies. P.O.E. is an innovative company with their minds on creating useful products with minimal environmental impact. In fact, for they're 2007 Eco Thermo 6 Sleeping Pad (pictured below), they recently won the Outside Magazine Green Gear of the Year Award.


We're excited to be on board with P.O.E., and we hope our customers are too! If you'd like to learn more about the company, check out their website, or our Pacific Outdoor Info Page. As always, we're here to help with product questions via email or toll free at 1-800-986-0656.

Creekboating and Infinity Mountain

Creekboating often draws a “what is that?” response for family and friends. It’s kayaking… but it’s the kind of kayaking you watch and say, “holy crap I can’t believe he/she just did that”. It has a higher inherent danger level and requires more river intelligence and skill than most traditional play-boat runs. Generally speaking, you’re talking about a class 4 or 5 river with steep gradient which may include waterfalls, giant holes, log jams, sieves, potential pitons, swift water rescue skills, boat extraction knowledge… the boats them selves come in many shapes and sizes, but have higher volume than play boats and usually a displacement hull and sort of bulbous features.

With that said, I have my first creekboat, and I can’t wait to put a few scratches in it! It’s a Bliss-Stick Huka… check it out. As a beginning creek-boater, I look to people pushing the sport for inspiration. Montana has no shortage of people running rivers that make my knees week, but the majority of them don’t have sites that are regularly updated on their adventures. Someday I’ll paddle that runs through my mind constantly when I take a look at what Robin and friends are up to at Infinity Mountain. They're still getting the site dialed in... but the pics are incredible. Check it out and understand the level these guys are at. They also backcountry ski, climb, hike, and generally make use of their surroundings in the best way… something we really dig at Powderfin.

Tagged: Powderfin, Outdoors, Outdoor Gear, Infinity Mountain, Creekboating, Kayaking, Bozeman, Montana

POWDERFIN.COM Memorial Day Sale

Clearwater River Cruise

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to check out a river here in Montana that was new to me. I travelled up to Missoula and met a friend who had some visitors in town from Greenville, South Carolina. We decided to rent a raft and head up to the Clearwater River, which feeds into the Blackfoot due East of Missoula.


We put in at Salmon Lake and rowed through it to the mouth of the river...luckily the wind was at our backs, or it would have been a looooooooooong day. It's a gorgeous lake, with some pretty impressive houses on it. Not exactly in the backcountry, but beautiful all the same. The river sections of the float between 3 different lakes were a lot of fun to row through, featuring some mild whitewater that bumped us around enough to soak the girls...making the rest of the trip a bit cold in the Montana spring wind.


Luckily, everyone on board retained great attitudes, including the dogs, Zeus and Cody. Our friends from SC, Lagare and Hunter enjoyed being on the river, and we all got to see a new section of Montana by raft...always a nice thing. Hunter (above) has a pretty cool gig going at home, where he started a website called www.whatsgoinongreenville.com... it's still under construction, but stay tuned to see how it develops.



After a day on the river in the wind and sun, there's nothing like a good meal at the campsite to re-fuel. On this particular night we dined on some Tenderloin Steaks cooked in butter and some instant mashers. It didn't suck.


We didn't do much fishing on this trip, mostly just sightseeing and hanging out. However, the water is gin clear while most other rivers are muddy right now, and I hear there's some Northern Pike in the upper stretches. Next time I'll be slingin' Yellow Bunny Strips and we'll see what happens

Yellowstone and Teton Adventure

Hello all,

If you’re lucky enough to live in Bozeman, you can make a trip down through Yellowstone and Teton in a day or two (more if you want to really get away). Abbey and I headed down on Saturday for our annual Spring hiking and picture taking adventure. If you make it down to Teton be sure to drive to the South Jenny Lake parking lot and do the hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. I think it was about 5 miles with a few detours. Spring is awesome because the animals are active and there is much less tourist traffic to deal with. Our longest wait was a heard of buffalo hanging out near the west entrance to Yellowstone. Abbey just got the Joby SLR Zoom Tripod and loves it.
Cheers

Tagged: Powderfin, Outdoors, Outdoor Gear, Yellowstone National Park, Teton National Park, Joby Tripods, Bozeman, Montana

In honor of Mother’s Day…

Wrinkle Neck Mules… what you’ve been missing

Let me start by saying I’m not a “country” fan, at least not by today’s standards. In fact I avoid most new popular country music like the plague. However, every now and then I find a bluegrass, jam-band, or down-home-country group that I can’t get enough of. I can’t even remember how I stumbled upon Wrinkle Neck Mules, but Wow. It’s music that represents Montana so well its ridiculous… and they’re from Virginia. Anyway, here is what I want you to do…

1. When you’re winding down after a hard day’s work or play with a beverage in your hand. Go to their My Space page.

2. First, click on the song “Push the Pedal” and listen to the whole thing (maybe 2 or 3 times).

3. Then, when you’ve gotten the vibe, click on "Sugar and Sunshine" and enjoy.

Ok, now that you get the idea and you’ve downloaded them from iTunes, or bought the CD. There are a few other tracks to check out as ranked by my favorites… “Minor Enough”… “Liza”… “San Gabriel”… “No Consolation”… and a few more that escape memory right now.

For more… here is their home page.

Tagged: Powderfin, Outdoors, Outdoor Gear, Wrinkle Neck Mules, Moboogie.com, Country Music, Bozeman, Montana

The Mighty Mo

As you can see from our kayaking/rafting posts, many of the rivers here in Southwestern Montana are pretty blown out right now, as runoff is in full swing. In order to try to find some trout in a period of high-water, my friends Jason, Jeremy and I decided to meet up with our guide buddies Zandy and Trevor over on the Missouri. They had just moved back to the area for the season, but didn't have any trips booked quite yet, so we thought we'd pay them a visit from Bozeman. Our ol' pal from Missoula, Jessica Hazzard Jones, brought her dog Ruby to round out the crew. We stayed over by the little town of Craig, and it proved to be an excellent place to kick off the summer here in Montana. The sun was high and bright, the wind surprisingly calm, and the fish were lookin' up!


Saturday (Cinco de Mayo) ended up being more of a booze cruise than anything else, but we loved every minute of it...caught a few fish on nymphs, then just played music and drank wine on our journey back down to Craig...(read - Local Joe's Bar). It was a hell of a float, and as shown below, Hazzard showed us how they do it over in Missoulatown.

1)
2)
Yep, that pretty much sums up Saturday. Sunday was a different deal, we were lucky enough to have Zandy and Trevor row us on their home water. They didn't dissapoint, getting us into a few beautiful rainbows and more than a few hungry, fiesty, gorgeous browns. Jessica caught her first trout on a dry, thanks to Zandy's instruction. Trevor gave me ample opportunities to poke sipping browns, a few of which I flailed on, but stuck enough to make my wrist ache by the end of it. All in all, we had an amazing day. One hightlight was a brown that jumped 3 or 4 feet out of the water after being hooked, something we rarely see. We caught several nice browns on dries that day...none of which were small.



It was the first weekend that we realized... "nice, the winter's really over". That's a great feeling when you live in Montana, and we're all psyched to have finally rounded the corner.

If anyone's interested in fishing the Missouri River with a seasoned guide, give these guys a call and they'll put you on fish.

Zandy Zechella (706) 614-0780 - Trevor Madden (406) 459-9221

Zandy has a new Montana Fly Fishing Guides website. Check it out to book a trip.

Crazy Creek now available at Powderfin.com

Today at Powderfin.com, we're proud to announce the launch of Crazy Creek Camping Chairs, a staple in the outdoor industry for 20 years. Located in Red Lodge, MT, we're excited to do business with another Montana company, especially one with such useful and innovative products such as Crazy Creek.
Below you'll find out more about the company, as well as some links to get you to the various new product categories we've added. Feel free to contact us with product questions!

The Crazy Creek Story

The idea for the Original Crazy Creek Chair came out of the rigors of a season teaching at Outward Bound. While appreciating a Spartan approach, Rob Hart (founder/owner) also wanted a "warm, dry butt and something comfortable to lean against" after a long day in the mountains.

So, in 1987, Rob adapted an old wooden canoe-chair design and updated it with high-tech materials. The rest is history - - the Chair has become a legend as one of the most inventive and versatile products on the planet.

Crazy Creek Chairs have revolutionized lightweight, portable sitting comfort - - wherever you are, whatever you're doing!

Outside Magazine wrote: "Our verdict was unanimous: the Chair is the greatest invention in camp comfort since the foam sleeping pad."

And the Chair has been proven by leading outdoors people throughout the world in every tough condition imaginable - - from the North to South Poles and from the Himalayas to Patagonia. Whether you're going for a day hike or to the stadium, out for a picnic or lounging at home, Crazy Creek has a chair designed just for you.

All Crazy Creek chairs feature innovative designs and meticulous attention to materials and workmanship.

Look through our products here on our website to learn more. And remember - - Don't Just Do Something . . . Sit There!

• Need a backpack chair for hiking or backpacking? Check out the Crazy Creek Adventurer Line

• Want Air Cushioned seating comfort? Try the Crazy Creek Air Line

• Need Kayak or Canoe Seats? Look at our Crazy Creek Canoe and Kayak Seats

• Camping Chairs for RVing or car camping? the Crazy Creek Crazy Legs Camping Chairs

• Watching the game at the stadium or field? Check out the Crazy Creek Stadium Seats

• Need the perfect lightweight tarp or hammock? We have 'em! Crazy Creek Tarps and Cribs

Beartrap Canyon Rafting/Kayaking

Hello!
Sunday was a great time in Beartrap Canyon. You know something crazy is going to happen when there is a raft with 3 foreign exchange students. The only major rapid at 1800 cfs was Kitchen Sink, a class IV shown in the video. It’s not a good place to swim because rescue is pretty difficult until the swimmer reaches calm water at the bottom of the rapid. Mica, the German exchange student and one of the strongest paddlers, got tossed at the beginning. She swam the majority of it before I was able to pull her out. A little shaken up, but still smiling! Other rapids like Green Wave and Kicking Horse were fun wave trains. As a whole, it was a great time with the sun shinning and good/goofy company. Rafting and kayaking at it finest.

Tagged: Powderfin, Outdoors, Outdoor Gear, Beartrap Canyon, Madison River, Kayaking, Bozeman, Montana

The Way We Roll

The Friends of Powderfin are at it again. We’ve been running the Gally for the last couple of weeks and yesterday was both the coldest run and the only time we convinced someone to take pictures and video of us. The Gallatin was running at 1,800 cfs… last year it got up to 4,500 and my knees get weak just thinking about it. Will it get that high again?

Tagged: Powderfin, Outdoors, Outdoor Gear, Gallatin River, Kayaking, Kayaking Video, Bozeman, Montana

The Gally Rising

It looks like spring runoff is here. I was on the Gallatin Wednesday evening at 2000 cfs and it was great to be back on my home river, it’s a lot like seeing an old friend. Last year the Gally reached about 4500cfs and was incredible ride. If you’re ever in the Bozeman area and get a chance to paddle the Gally at high flows you'll know what I mean. At this flow, I’d say the majority of the run fell into the class III+ range. Higher and it gets to be a solid class IV. All went well; with some fun play spots and one sort of beat down in a retentive hole, but I made it out ok. If you ever have any questions about paddling in the Bozeman Area, let me know. For those who haven’t decided to leap into kayaking, rafting the House Rock section of the river is also a great experience and there are a few excellent raft companies to choose from. I'm going to try to get out on Friday and hopefully I have some photos or video for ya!

Tagged: Powderfin, Outdoors, Outdoor Gear, Spring Runoff, Montana Kayaking, Gallatin river, Bozeman, Montana

Mt. Blackmore Backcountry Spring Skiing

Hi all,

In Montana seasons tend to blend together. Right now, we have a true Bozeman classic going on; Skiing and Kayaking at the same time. Does it get any better? This video is of Mt. Blackmore, a 10,154ft peak south of town. It was 75 degrees and we were skiing in our shorts and t-shirts most of the time. The warmth made it a beautiful day and difficult skiing. Of course, with the friends of Pfin things can get a little crazy, but they’re always fun.

Tagged: Powderfin, Outdoors, Outdoor Gear, Mt. Blackmore, Backcountry Skiing, Hyalite, Bozeman, Montana

Organic Brew and Bike Parts (as random as it sounds)

Beer: Perhaps it’s not as urgent as decreasing our gas consumption or finding cures for major diseases (although some would argue that beer and coffee make living on this planet much more enjoyable), but organic beer is growing in an important way. Thanks in part to the increasing awareness of organic and fair-trade coffee and other goods, brewers and enthusiasts are beginning to take note (our thanks again to Cafe Evoke).

I’ve only had the privilege of a single bottle of organic homebrew, but it was delicious. Tasting a finely crafted beer, and having made my own pathetic (read: tastes like vomit) attempt at home brewing, gave me an appreciation of the intricacies of a well done small-batch. If you get a chance to taste one, or you're thinking of going the home brew route yourself, I recommend going organic. It’s how beer was meant to be.
**Disclaimer: If you're under 21 don't drink, ok.
Interesting Links: BrewOrganic.com & The National Organic Program



Bikes: I love my mountain bike and use it every chance I get. Hey we’re in Rockies. I’ve also considered trying out road biking, although I may leave that until I’m too decrepit to get up a mountain on a dirt trail. With that said, my friends and I ride hard and we break bike parts with curious frequency. Usually this happens when we are at the farthest point from the car, and getting back involves some sort of improvised rigging with duct-tape and tree branches. Our local bike shops swap out the broken part(s) and we’re back out there in no time. But where does that broken part go? Here are a few ideas… http://www.resourcerevival.com/. I received a picture frame and the original model bottle opener for Christmas (Thanks Family!). Unique, functional, and the opener does a great job on your favorite post-ride beverage or organic homebrew. Recycled bike parts make cool gifts (no they didn't pay me to say that).

~Billy

Tagged: Powderfin, Outdoors, Outdoor Gear, Organic Beer, Fair Trade Coffee, Café Evoke, Bozeman, Montana

European Vacation Pfin Style

We love getting adventure pictures, especially when they involve us in someway. The shirts have been really popular (cool logo and all) and people are digging the Pfin vibe. Lets see who can send the craziest/most exotic/ intereting Powderfin related picture! Here are a few from the Sean, Katie, Jess on their European vacation. Also a good illustration of how the Powderfin Shirts look and fit.

Thanks Ya’ll!

~Sconnie


Also, Powderfin Stickers are in. If you'd like a few, drop us an email letting us know you'd like some stickers (while supplies last of course). Include your address. cs@powderfin.com.

Tagged: Powderfin, Outdoors River, Outdoor Gear, Picture Contest, Gallatin River, Bozeman, Montana

The Lochsa

Last weekend I managed to get to the Lochsa for the first time. What a river! Located on the Idaho side of Lolo Pass, only 2 hours away from Missoula by a ’78 Mercedes Diesel lays one of the neatest places in the western US. The forest is old, and the Lochsa runs down a canyon covered in mossy rock. The road runs by the entire length of the kayaking portion of the river, but doesn’t spoil it at all.

The water was crystal clear and freezing cold from the spring runoff. I was a little bit worried about being on a new river for the first run of the season, but the Lochsa allows a paddler to shake off the rust with a few easier class III before building up intensity to later class IV rapids. It was around 4,000 cfs the whole weekend, which is considered medium-low, and allowed some recuperation time between rapids. According to a few of the old-timers we paddled with, at flows over 10,000 cfs things really start to get interesting. The water gets fast, the rapids all run into each other, and the tales of carnage begin to fly.

The lower level made it a great “get to know the Lochsa” trip without causing any ulcers. I’ll be back when the water gets higher, hopefully with pictures next time!
~Sconnie

Tagged: Powderfin, Lochsa River, Kayaking, Fly Fishing, Gallatin River, Bozeman, Montana,Lochsa River

Spring Runoff Countdown...

Spring Runoff is a highly anticipated event in the Rockies. This marks the beginning off the rafting and kayaking season. The water levels rise in the rivers, making the water faster, bigger, and more fun. In Bozeman, we’re lucky enough to have access to incredible whitewater within a reasonable drive. The Gallatin, Madison, and Yellowstone Rivers offer great kayaking for nearly every level of paddler during this time.

For more info on Bozeman area rivers click here. For more on rivers in your area click here. The river links provide some description as well as pictures and movies. This is also handy information for fly-fishermen who buy from Powderfin!

As with the ski season, I prep myself by watching movies of guys doing lines I would never take, Hucking like I would never dream, and I look though last years pictures and think of my goals this year.

My 3rd year kayaking goals are…
1. Many trips down Bear Trap Canyon (Madison River)
2. Get on the Lochsa for my first time
3. First try at real creek boating (Hyalite?)
4. Alberton Gorge at high water.
5. Run the Swan?

I’ll keep you updated on my progress and beat-downs as they occur.

Happy Paddling,

~Sconnie
(the picture above is Mrs. Bubbles on the Yellowstone, when she’s perfect. After that… a Wavesport Z and a Piranha Sub 7 inside the Buick, and they said it coudn't be done… ha!)

Tagged: Powderfin, Lochsa River, Kayaking, Fly Fishing, Gallatin River, Bozeman, Montana,Madison River

Mountain-Link International Expeditions

Friends of Mountain-Link Special Gear Offer

Mountain-Link's sponsor, Ground, LLC has teamed up with Powderfin.com to offer a 40% discount on signature items. To view details about the promotion, click here. Please call 1-800-986-8656 with any questions, we'll be happy to help!

Select Ground products are endorsed by Mountain-Link, a premier international mountaineering guide service offering instructional seminars, guided climbs and expeditions.

For more information on Mountain-Link, please click on the logo.

For a limited time, we're giving away FREE Powderfin.com Logo tees with all orders over $100.00!

Just tell us what size you'd like at checkout, and we'll include the tee-shirt with your order.

Live To Ski Another Day

If you’re traveling west on I-90 toward Montana, you’ll see a lot of flat expanses, few trees, and sunflower and wheat fields… until you reach the Crazy Mountains. They’re your first encounter with the Rockies, and they jut out of the farm and ranch land like they’ve been misplaced by God. There is no build-up, they just appear. Also, they’re incredible.

We decided to ski there Saturday by climbing up the Big Timber Creek Drainage, and into the heart of the relatively small range. Big Timber Creek was a draw both for the skiing and to get an idea of the kayaking in the near future. It’s a sacred place that many class 5 kayakers (which I’m not… yet) look on with a mix of fondness and great respect, and like the mountains it’s impressive. There are some videos of kayakers running it on American Whitewater.

Our journey took us past the meat of the creek and up the eastern ridge. While making our way up, conditions quickly changes as the snow reacted to the increasing temperatures. The freeze/thaw cycle had consolidated the first 2.5 feet of the snow, but left a week layer about 6 inches deep right near the bottom to bear the load. Our tests gave some cause for concern, and similar slopes showed wet snow point-releases. We decided to retreat from the possibility of a wet slide after 4 hours of skiing and climbing. Live to ski another day.
~Sconnie

Tagged: Powderfin, Outdoor Gear, Backcountry Skiing, Big Timber, Crazy Mountains, bozeman, montana,Alpine Touring