The BackCountry

09/08/2026

Scenes from your freindly neighborhood mountain bike shop

09/06/2026

09/05/2026

Labor Day WEEKLONG SALE is on and we are off to a slow start, but the Sun about to pop and the trails are in prime condition. Check the previous post for the details. Thank you for shopping local! If you live next to another great shop, go in there! Shipping manufacturer direct, BC.com and EVO does not benefit your community.

09/04/2026

SALE TIME! Our most simple and deep discount program starts right now for a week. You have to bring it up at the register. Repeat after me: “don’t you know who I am?” This unlocks 20% off storewide and 40% off ALL clothing on receipts totalling at least $1000. Fine print- bikes not included and 3% cc fee added back to discounted items. Yes, that’s 40% off clothing even if it came in yesterday. And 20% off 2027 product arriving today to go ski touring, backpacking, rock climbing or mountain biking.

09/04/2026

Todd Offenbacher and I just got our first taste of Fall Sierra exploring. Summer is out and the next beautiful season is in! Our minds were blown again as we checked out a new to us area just 2 hours from home. Do it while your healthy and the sun is out! Or mostly out, it was a bit chilly on the north side of this baby.

08/28/2026

Second 10 phone shots from Drew Smith and my phone from our magic wedsday. We camped at 12,400 just below Thunderbolt Col for the water trickle under a snow patch and an easy start to the climb. Southwest Chute on Thunderbolt was really fun and a good warmup to the type of climbing above on the crest. Route finding between the 4 peaks up there was the challenge of the entire day. Keeping it under 5.7 took consistent analyzing. There are many ways that work up there but I really wanted to keep moving. I had some internet beta saved to my phone and found it hard to reconcile with my eyes. Between trying to keep Drew in sight and picking alternate lines I could trust myself to do, we both got a taste of adventure for sure. Next time I’ll go from the Sam Mack on the East side and climb the Sill Arete before traversing to Thunderbolt the other way. But I highly recommend the west side start we did.

08/28/2026

First 10 shots from yesterdays Thunderbolt to Mt.Sill adventure with Drew Smith and I’ll show you the rest tomorrow. What an epic little romp to test out the gear we sell and our mountain skills. We spent 7 hours climbing from camp and 4 hours boulder navigating back. Or at least that’s how long it took the slower half of the team - being me! I rapped 6-7 times. He downclimbed it all and even solo’d thunderbolt and milk bottle in approach shoes. He was on a long stroll. I was in a marathon. It worked, no one had to walk in the dark.

08/22/2026

Every Eastern Sierra adventurer ends with this view as I drop back Into Tahoe from Spooner Summit. Todd Ulz and I got on two more climbs before heading back to family and work. Our 4 pitch Tuolumne mission this morning was The Coming on Medlicott Dome. What an incredible wall. I would rate our climb 10 out of 4 stars. The previous day we did a new October 2025 route called OG which I rate 11 stars. It’s a 9 pitch 5.9 backcountry route put up and well engineered by 2 locals who have inspired me (and many of you) to get out on the mountains and push a little. Text me for a perfect hand drawn topo for you want to walk an easy 1600’ on trail to a mostly bolted route on a beautiful formation, with a sweet summit, about an hour drive south of Bishop.

08/19/2026

Tuesday we went up a peak named after someone named Pal. Which one of these pieces of gear do you not need on a climbing trip? C.A.M.P. USA Outdoor Black Diamond Equipment Petzl Mammut rab crankbrothers GU Energy Labs La Sportiva North America MSR Mountain Safety Research Sterling Mountain House Jetboil Mons Royale Platypus

08/19/2026

all to ourselves on Monday with Todd Ulz thank you Sierra