Kid's Snowman Ski Set 70cm Ski (Poles included!): $55.00
Kid's WildCat Ski Set 95cm Ski (Poles included!): $79.95
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Backcountry Snowtubing with Hanz Hokie
Highlights from the Swedish legend, Hanz Hokie's trip to the rugged backcountry of Denver, CO. Serious backcountry action! J/k, but it's the only snow on the Front Range right now...
Kid's Snowman Ski Set 70cm Ski (Poles included!): $55.00
Kid's WildCat Ski Set 95cm Ski (Poles included!): $79.95
Kid's Snowman Ski Set 70cm Ski (Poles included!): $55.00
Kid's WildCat Ski Set 95cm Ski (Poles included!): $79.95
Friday, November 18, 2011
AE Films presents "Facets of Winter" at WildyX
Wilderness Exchange is pleased to host a showing of AE Ski Film's first film, Facets of Winter. AE Films is a local, grassroots company, and Facets is shot 100% in Colorado. The film features stories from many aspects of exploring the Colorado mountains in the winter - ski mountaineering on the 14ers, skiing extreme lines in the Crested Butte backcountry, and many stories of the unique personalities found in the ski community. Don't miss it!
Check out the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcTQXt1e8w0
Thursday, December 1st
Doors open at 8:00pm
Tickets are $5 at the door.
Our good friends at Avery Brewing will be on hand pouring their delicious craft brews - FREE with entry!
Friends of Berthoud Pass will also have a table selling calenders, t-shirts, and more to support their important mission of providing grassroots, low cost avalanche awareness education and providing valuable advocacy for the backcounty ski community in the Front Range.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
TRIP REPORT: Mammoth Gulch
So last August I came across this book in our consignment section. It’s called Skiing Colorado’s Backcountry, written by Brian Litz and Kurt Lankford. Published back in 1989 out of Golden, it does an amazing job describing some awesome tours around the front range: everywhere from RMNP to Vail’s Gore Range, Hoosier Pass by outside of Breckenridge up to Rabbit Ears by Steamboat. It has great route descriptions, seasonal info, decent maps, and some great info on lesser know tours in the front range. Anyone know why this isn’t still published?
So through out the winter I hope to explore and write about some of these routes. There’s literally dozens of routes that I’ve never heard of before, never thought possible (e.g. Skyline Traverse From Berthoud Pass to St. Mary’s Glacier? Sounds awesome, no?).
So this book inspired to me to check out a place called Mammoth Gulch, located outside of Rollinsville, real close to the East Portal.
View mammoth gulch in a larger map
Basically, I had my hopes way too high. Wanted to ski, makes some turns, charge some lines. Still too early.
Thankfully, the road had enough snow on it so the touring was decent. Definitely should have brought theRossignol BC 125s and a Voile Hardwire 3-pin set up.
It’s always amazes me how close things are here in the front range. I was really surprised to see the east face of James Peak, usually the main show when touring around St. Mary’s. Connect the dots between Tolland and St. Mary’s? I bet it could be done pretty easily.
Dead end road? Maybe with these heavy Voile Chargers and Scarpa Skookums. Let’s do lunch instead.
No pow today. Let’s pray for some more snow, soon.
So the skiing was, well, non-existent. Maybe made one turn all day. Still, I always do love getting out and seeing new country. There’s always more to explore...
Fingers
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
GEAR REVIEW: Voile Chargers
WildyX's very own Reilly 'Fingers' Anderson doing a gear review of his favorite ski: The Voile Chargers. Wilderness Exchange Unlimited, Denver, CO.
Maintain!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Shelf Road season!!!
Hey everyone!!! Temps is crisp and the season for Shelf Road is upon us. That’s why I was sooooo freakin’ stoked to receive 12 copies of the NEW SHELF ROAD BOOK!!!
Training tips for climbing Shelf Road:
- Don’t eat. EVER!!! You may think your stomach is saying “yo dude!! I need some carbs to send!!” But what its actually saying is “listen, you pudgy little punter, if you weigh me down with one more delicious organic treat I can guarantee that you will NOT be sending that sad little pile you’ve been calling your project”.
- Shelf limestone is really sharp. You need to get your hand-flesh in shape. Wrapping your finger board in barbed-wire is a good way to start.
- The footwork required at shelf is very pocket and micro-edge intensive. Crampons actually work way better than climbing shoes for this. You might get some dirty looks, but most people back off pretty quick once you bust out your Tae-Kwon-Do skills with your G14s on.
- Skip bolts – all of them.
- Don’t accept failure. It is very important to be INSANELY hard on yourself if you can’t send something. If you don’t have a COMPLETE breakdown EVERY time you fall off something, then you’re not taking the sport seriously.
- Revel in glory. Every time you send something, be sure to let everyone and the crag know about it. If they seem not to care, it’s because they are jealous – revel in this as well.
- Only take on a draw when you feel the need to “spray down” a climber on a much harder adjacent route with unsolicited beta. If you take for any other reason everyone will know that you suck.
That’s all I can think of.
Climb on,
Training tips for climbing Shelf Road:
- Don’t eat. EVER!!! You may think your stomach is saying “yo dude!! I need some carbs to send!!” But what its actually saying is “listen, you pudgy little punter, if you weigh me down with one more delicious organic treat I can guarantee that you will NOT be sending that sad little pile you’ve been calling your project”.
- Shelf limestone is really sharp. You need to get your hand-flesh in shape. Wrapping your finger board in barbed-wire is a good way to start.
- The footwork required at shelf is very pocket and micro-edge intensive. Crampons actually work way better than climbing shoes for this. You might get some dirty looks, but most people back off pretty quick once you bust out your Tae-Kwon-Do skills with your G14s on.
- Skip bolts – all of them.
- Don’t accept failure. It is very important to be INSANELY hard on yourself if you can’t send something. If you don’t have a COMPLETE breakdown EVERY time you fall off something, then you’re not taking the sport seriously.
- Revel in glory. Every time you send something, be sure to let everyone and the crag know about it. If they seem not to care, it’s because they are jealous – revel in this as well.
- Only take on a draw when you feel the need to “spray down” a climber on a much harder adjacent route with unsolicited beta. If you take for any other reason everyone will know that you suck.
That’s all I can think of.
Climb on,
Sam Benedict
Shipping/Receiving Manager
Wilderness Exchange Unlimited
2401 15th st Suite 100 Denver, CO 80202
303 477 0881
Monday, September 19, 2011
The magical land of Kayland
Dear reader,
Allow me a page or so to take you to a magical land called Kay.
The land of Kay is a small planet that very much resembles this one. It is much smaller, and frankly, way better. There are no seasonal changes in Kay because they are unnecessary. There are no troubles with overpopulation, hunger, war or pollution. The people of Kay figured out all of their global issues long ago and thought them all to be pretty simple. The political climate of Kay is a Libertarian/Anarchist utopia – this works because everyone is very nice and globally conscious.
The native language, in its written form, consists of only four letters and about thirty punctuation symbols. Translations for the following words and concepts cannot be found in the Kayland language: work, theft, choss-pile, crappy beer, ugly, lame, totally lame, unfair, unjust and poorly manufactured. Kay is much like the American folk song “The Big Rock Candy Mountain,” except that it was not inspired by the great depression and there is more of an emphasis on outdoor recreation.
Kay is half ocean and half land and half ocean (they also have no concept of the “whole”). All of the beaches are perpetually bequeathed with perfect surfing waves and are always lit by fireflies at night. The tallest mountains in Kay reach up to 6,668,000 feet above sea level with enormous granite spires penetrating through magical rainbow clouds, nearly reaching the upper limits of the candycoatosphere. Below the Granite spires lay a wonderland of forested slopes that receive 12 feet of powder each night and are blue-bird everyday. Most of the slopes are between 45 and 90 degrees, but for some reason, nothing ever slides.
As the snow melts and makes its way down, it is gradually converted into the most delicious beer imaginable. This hoppy runoff cascades down beautiful canyons that are lined with walls of every type of stone from perfect limestone to windgate sandstone. By the time it reaches the ocean (which takes exactly 12 years) it has become the most perfect scotch imaginable.
The lowlands of Kay are lush with all sorts of vines, bushes and enormous cigarette trees. Cigarettes are Kay’s primary intergalactic export. Everyone in Kay smokes like a chimney and is incredibly healthy.
Like, for example, the unicorn, Kay's primary indigenous creature. These unicorns can talk and are always willing to offer infallible advice on how to handle any problem. However, Kayland people rarely have problems so the Unicorns are often quite bored. These unicorns want nothing more than to help others, and so sometimes, lacking the opportunity to do so, they cry sad little unicorn tears and waste their days drinking from the rivers and smoking from the trees until their stomachs upset and they fart glitter in trails sometimes exceeding 12-1/2 feet. Legend has it that it was this circumstance exactly that inspired these charitable creatures to turn their attention to a more needy planet and bestow the following magic unto the WildyX:
Kayland Women's ZEPHYR Hiking Boot
Kayland Men's ZEPHYR Hiking Boot
Kayland Men's VERTIGO HIGH
Kayland Women's CRUX GRIP (2009/2010)
Kayland Women's M11+
Kayland Women's CONTACT
Last I checked, they're still sleeping. But you're not. So come on in and get in on the magic.
Allow me a page or so to take you to a magical land called Kay.
The land of Kay is a small planet that very much resembles this one. It is much smaller, and frankly, way better. There are no seasonal changes in Kay because they are unnecessary. There are no troubles with overpopulation, hunger, war or pollution. The people of Kay figured out all of their global issues long ago and thought them all to be pretty simple. The political climate of Kay is a Libertarian/Anarchist utopia – this works because everyone is very nice and globally conscious.
The native language, in its written form, consists of only four letters and about thirty punctuation symbols. Translations for the following words and concepts cannot be found in the Kayland language: work, theft, choss-pile, crappy beer, ugly, lame, totally lame, unfair, unjust and poorly manufactured. Kay is much like the American folk song “The Big Rock Candy Mountain,” except that it was not inspired by the great depression and there is more of an emphasis on outdoor recreation.
Kay is half ocean and half land and half ocean (they also have no concept of the “whole”). All of the beaches are perpetually bequeathed with perfect surfing waves and are always lit by fireflies at night. The tallest mountains in Kay reach up to 6,668,000 feet above sea level with enormous granite spires penetrating through magical rainbow clouds, nearly reaching the upper limits of the candycoatosphere. Below the Granite spires lay a wonderland of forested slopes that receive 12 feet of powder each night and are blue-bird everyday. Most of the slopes are between 45 and 90 degrees, but for some reason, nothing ever slides.
As the snow melts and makes its way down, it is gradually converted into the most delicious beer imaginable. This hoppy runoff cascades down beautiful canyons that are lined with walls of every type of stone from perfect limestone to windgate sandstone. By the time it reaches the ocean (which takes exactly 12 years) it has become the most perfect scotch imaginable.
The lowlands of Kay are lush with all sorts of vines, bushes and enormous cigarette trees. Cigarettes are Kay’s primary intergalactic export. Everyone in Kay smokes like a chimney and is incredibly healthy.
Like, for example, the unicorn, Kay's primary indigenous creature. These unicorns can talk and are always willing to offer infallible advice on how to handle any problem. However, Kayland people rarely have problems so the Unicorns are often quite bored. These unicorns want nothing more than to help others, and so sometimes, lacking the opportunity to do so, they cry sad little unicorn tears and waste their days drinking from the rivers and smoking from the trees until their stomachs upset and they fart glitter in trails sometimes exceeding 12-1/2 feet. Legend has it that it was this circumstance exactly that inspired these charitable creatures to turn their attention to a more needy planet and bestow the following magic unto the WildyX:
Kayland Women's ZEPHYR Hiking Boot
Kayland Men's ZEPHYR Hiking Boot
Kayland Men's VERTIGO HIGH
Kayland Women's CRUX GRIP (2009/2010)
Kayland Women's M11+
Kayland Women's CONTACT
After the unicorns were done providing the WildyX with fantastical deals on Kayland footwear, they were quite tired. They had forgotten how much work doing stuff was. So they returned to their home planet and took a nap.
Last I checked, they're still sleeping. But you're not. So come on in and get in on the magic.
Sam Benedict
Shipping/Receiving Manager
Wilderness Exchange Unlimited
2401 15th st Suite 100 Denver, CO 80202
303 477 0881
Friday, September 16, 2011
Ibex to make you flex!!
Summer is nearly over. We’ve all probably sweat out a few pounds over the hot summer months. I know I have. Sometimes on a nice hot day I like to make the most of a long drive by rolling up the windows and turning on the heat just a bit. I call this technique the “car sauna”. Most people I share this idea with say it sound horrible, some even say unsafe when I tell them that I like to tough it out until I’m about to pass out. Whatever, you can call it crazy, but I call it multitasking. At the end of the day, my man-line is important to me, and I will go to great lengths to maintain it.
I’m sure many of you feel the same. Take our fearless leader for instance. He is a busy fella. He divides his time between leading the WildyX to victory, projecting all the classic boulder problems at Flagstaff, and indulging in his hobbies (fine scotch, rock-umentaries and trying to figure out how to use his wah-wha pedal). Then, on top off all that he spends no less than 4 hours a day punishing himself on his Nordic-track in preparation for rugged-touring season. Our benevolent chief has maintained his fitness quite well over the years.
Don swears that this would have been impossible without the proper clothing. That’s why he got so stoked when we got our recent shipment of Ibex closeouts!! So stoked in-fact that he grabbed an Ibex Men’s SCOUT Full-zip off the rack, put it on, whipped out his phone and started taking care of business in a way that would make Donald Trump look like a sloth who just downed a bottle of Ny-Quill.  >  =  +  So I think I’ve made my point here – if you want to have abs of steel and/or be a formidable business person, you’re gonna need some Ibex clothing. Period.
WildyX understands. that’s why ALL of our Ibex action is 30% off!! Problem Solved.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Six Degrees
Working in a gear shop can be super mind-opening and revealing sometimes. Take, for example, this most recent buy of discounted Omega Pacific climbing gear. While going through hundreds of blemed OP Wedgies, carabiners, Link Cams, and snow pickets, I came across a strange realization that OP climbing gear kinda lies in the middle of the universe. You might ask yourself “are you on drugs Uncle Fingers?” but before you make those kinds of assumptions, let me explain a little and demonstrate.
Through much toil and thought, I propose that virtually anything and everything in the universe can be related to OP climbing gear in no more than six simple associations. As such, this unequivocally proves that discounted OP climbing gear constructs a sort of cosmic axis (Axis Mundi, if you will) of our ever expanding universe.
Here’s my proof:
Sally Struthers → who was satirized on → Southpark → a show that talks about → Casa Bonita → a place known for its grease and giving people diarrhea → just like → scary run-outs in Eldo → a place that will eat up → #3 OP Wedgies like nothing.
Here’s some more proof:
Kim Jong-il →who is a drama queen with big glasses →just like → Nicole Richie → who is → a has-been coke-addict who has 3 too many really stupid dogs → who’s irrily similar to → that guy you climbed with at Rifle the other day → who was super stoked about → how the perma draws on Sprayathon got replaced with with draws that had → OP Classic ‘biners.
See what I mean? Very convincing evidence here. Here’s another.
That awesome YouTube video of Hulk Hogan about being “a Real American” → which reminds you of → how much you love and miss your childhood → which makes you → drink too many Budwieser American Flag beers after you get off work → which has created → a new convinent excuse for why you “aren’t stoked on sport climbing anymore” → which makes you → want to go solo aid climbing → the reason why you bought → OP Doval ‘biners for your aiders.
Amazing no? And for the most convincing evidence I have found:
That taco stand on South Federal, Tacos Rapidos → the ultimate destination for → a late-night black out sesh → which led to → indigestion and a messy break-up with your girlfriend → which is a reason why → you started climbing without your shirt on at Movement → which, fortunately, led you to → develop some insight and a deep desire for cold weather and scary ski mountaineering → which is why you got super stoked when you saw the WildyX had → OP Snow Anchors for super cheap!
My defense rests,
Uncle Fingers
Through much toil and thought, I propose that virtually anything and everything in the universe can be related to OP climbing gear in no more than six simple associations. As such, this unequivocally proves that discounted OP climbing gear constructs a sort of cosmic axis (Axis Mundi, if you will) of our ever expanding universe.
Here’s my proof:
Sally Struthers → who was satirized on → Southpark → a show that talks about → Casa Bonita → a place known for its grease and giving people diarrhea → just like → scary run-outs in Eldo → a place that will eat up → #3 OP Wedgies like nothing.
Here’s some more proof:
Kim Jong-il →who is a drama queen with big glasses →just like → Nicole Richie → who is → a has-been coke-addict who has 3 too many really stupid dogs → who’s irrily similar to → that guy you climbed with at Rifle the other day → who was super stoked about → how the perma draws on Sprayathon got replaced with with draws that had → OP Classic ‘biners.
See what I mean? Very convincing evidence here. Here’s another.
That awesome YouTube video of Hulk Hogan about being “a Real American” → which reminds you of → how much you love and miss your childhood → which makes you → drink too many Budwieser American Flag beers after you get off work → which has created → a new convinent excuse for why you “aren’t stoked on sport climbing anymore” → which makes you → want to go solo aid climbing → the reason why you bought → OP Doval ‘biners for your aiders.
Amazing no? And for the most convincing evidence I have found:
That taco stand on South Federal, Tacos Rapidos → the ultimate destination for → a late-night black out sesh → which led to → indigestion and a messy break-up with your girlfriend → which is a reason why → you started climbing without your shirt on at Movement → which, fortunately, led you to → develop some insight and a deep desire for cold weather and scary ski mountaineering → which is why you got super stoked when you saw the WildyX had → OP Snow Anchors for super cheap!
My defense rests,
Uncle Fingers
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Closeout Chacos and canine studies
Well, its late summer now, and fall will soon be upon us. The nights are getting colder, the air more arid, and the local climbing temps are approaching “most best”.
I was going to post a video of me taking an enormous, gear ripping, screamer off some route in Clear Creek… but then I got distracted by a massive shipment of closeout 2011 Chaco footwear. As soon as I saw the overloaded pallets of Chaco goodness, I started jumping up and down, clapping my hands together and shrieking with glee and unbridled excitement. The delivery driver gave me a look of distain that I hadn’t seen since I was 11 and told my Dad I wanted some rollerblades.
I spent the rest of the day in a state of almost uncomfortable jubilation from the incredible fortune that was just bestowed unto us. My co-workers however, were having a hard time understanding what I was so excited about.
 | “We has crazy closeout deals like every single day, Son! You gotsta slow yer roll” |
 | “Dude, will you stop shrieking like that!? Yer freaking out the customers.” |
I appeased their wishes grudgingly… I just wanted to talk to someone who could understand my excitement. When I left work I went to go share the news with someone I knew would understand – my girlfriend’s dogs.
Bean and Ajax are both very discriminating online shoppers. They had no trouble understanding my jubilation.
Here’s some footage:
I know, watching me intentionally tear out a string of poorly placed micro-nuts would have been slightly more epic, but hopefully that left you feeling a little warm and fuzzy inside… if not, then these deals on Chacos ought to do it:
Lastly, I feel obligated to point out that if you take advantage of these nauseating savings that three very magical things will happen:
1: Late summer will never end
2: You will never grow old
3: Every puppy you meet will instantly love you
Happy Labor Day,
Sam Benedict
Shipping/Receiving Manager
Wilderness Exchange Unlimited
2401 15th st Suite 100 Denver, CO 80202
303 477 0881
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