Category: Featured

ZAG Adret 85 Review

ZAG Adret 85 Review

Written by | Oct 14, 2023

The Adret 85 fits an interesting niche amidst skinny and light skis. I hesitate to call any 1100g ski “hard-charging,” but relative to its class, the Adret is quite capable at speed and in variable snow. From the inside out, the Adret starts with a Paulownia wood core, wrapped in multiaxial carbon/fiberglass and capped with a phenol reinforcement in the mountain area. Paulownia and carbon—pretty standard fare at this point. The phenol reinforced mounting area is interesting to me. I certainly prefer a metal mounting plate – something about a tapped hole through metal gives me warm fuzzies. That said, I didn’t have any issues with stripped holes or the like—the phenol plate seemed to have a solid bite with screws. A 3.8x9mm bit was recommended. I used a 3.6x9mm as that’s what I had on hand. 

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Life Happens: Becoming a Ski Dad

Life Happens: Becoming a Ski Dad

Written by | Sep 19, 2023

I skied every week of the winter, and yeah, I slid down plenty of vert on skis, and of course, I set my share of skin tracks, enjoyed plenty of ridge top time, and sucked cold air through a buff with snow flying in my face…Fine, maybe I have to concede I skied a lot this year, but it was different. I didn’t get any big days in the backcountry. I didn’t venture off into the big mountains. My summits were all familiar. I never slept in a tent in the snow. I skied no dawn-to-dusk ‘full days.’

My daughter was born last fall. Along with a myriad of major and wonderful life changes, I am becoming a ski dad. 

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A Welcome Letter from The High Route

A Welcome Letter from The High Route

Written by | Sep 4, 2023

Welcome to The High Route.

We’re guessing you found us because you thrive on moving through the mountains, especially under your own power, on skis or boards.

We wanted something different at The High Route—a place where we get granular about celebrating skinning, the climbing, and the turn making without a whole lot of extraneous noise. Or extraneous influence.

Our focus is narrow and we are sticking to it. As a site funded by the backcountry community, we understand who we are writing for. The folks behind The High Route are part of this community. 

Risk is an interesting calculus. It carries a particular allure, but it’s also unnerving. We’re taking a risk and we’re hoping you help us nail the landing.

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