Tuesday, August 10 is National S’mores Day! To celebrate this momentous occasion, we’re giving away a prize package through Alpine Shop’s Instagram page.
Celebrate National S’mores Day with Alpine Shop
Where to Find Winter Sports in Missouri
Where to Find Winter Sports in Missouri
Skiing? In Missouri?
If you’re used to the thrilling peaks of Colorado or Utah, it may surprise you to learn that you can find places for winter sports right here in Missouri.
There’s plenty to do here, from sledding down Art Hill to hiking some of the beautiful Missouri trails.
Here are our recommendations for skiing, snowboarding, ice-skating, and hiking in our very own Midwestern winter wonderland.
Ski Hidden Valley
Formerly owned by Peak Resorts, Hidden Valley has recently come under the operation of Vail Resorts. Skiers in the Missouri area are excited about this change, because they’ll now have ski passes to their home base, as well as mountain resorts all over the country.
If you’re staying close to home this winter, Hidden Valley is a great spot for both novice and experienced skiers. With 17 trails, 9 lifts, and 65 ski-able acres, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to ski or snowboard. There’s no need to worry about a lack of snow here in the heartland; this resort creates its own snow. Lessons for all ages and abilities are available at their Snowsports Academy. Plus, there’s a popular tubing area for non-skiers
Ski Snow Creek
Skiers in the Kansas City area can hone their skills at Snow Creek. This resort features 14 trails and a vertical drop of 300 feet. Like Hidden Valley, it provides snow, whether Mother Nature is cooperating or not. Snow Creek also boasts a spacious lodge with places to eat, drink, or relax by the fire. This resort is located just 40 miles north of Kansas City in Weston, Missouri.
Winter Hiking in Missouri
If you’re not a skier but still want to get out and enjoy what this state has to offer, consider a winter hike. There are plenty of beautiful trails that are open all year long:
- Prairie State Park – Hike with the buffalo or check out Drover’s Trail in this beautiful state park located in Mindenmines, Missouri.
- Katy Trail – Start in Rocheport, Missouri, for a beautiful trail head that features views of the Missouri River. The towering limestone bluffs are even more stunning when they’re dusted with a light layer of snow.
- Klondike Lake – Near Augusta is the Klondike Lake Park, which – while not as mountainous as the Yukon – still boasts some beautiful winter scenery.
- Taum Sauk Mountain – With the tallest waterfall in the state of Missouri, the Mina Sauk Trail gives you a chance to see it in its frozen glory in the wintertime.
- Crowder State Park – Over 17 miles of trails, some along a frozen lake, make this park in Trenton, Missouri, a must during the winter season.
Ice Skating in Missouri
Ice skating is for everyone, young and old. It’s a great family activity, and many Missourians have made it a winter tradition. There are great skating rinks in Missouri; here are just a few:
- Steinberg Skating Rink – The Steinberg in Forest Park is the biggest outdoor skating rink around. Open daily to the public, it’s the most popular winter spot in St. Louis, hands down. Don’t forget your camera. You’ll want to take a few selfies while you’re here.
- Centenne Community Ice Center – This brand new spot in Maryland Heights, Missouri, is where the Stanley Cup Champion St. Louis Blues practice! It’s also open to the public, and it offers four NHL-size ice rinks as well as a covered outdoor rink for general public skating.
- Burlington Creek – If you’re traveling to Kansas City, put this spot on your list. The outdoor rink at Burlington Creek offers skating lessons and annual events for the kids.
- Crown Center Ice Terrace – Those of us who grew up in Kansas City are familiar with this ice skating rink; it features in our winter memories. The Crown Center Ice Terrace has been around for over 50 years, and it’s a great place to go with the family.
Visit Alpine Shop for Warm Winter Gear and More Tips
At Alpine Shop, we have the base layers, ski goggles, winter coats, and cold weather gear you need to make the most of the season. Our staff loves to snowboard and hike, so we’re sure to have more tips for you as well. Stop in for a visit!
Author: Holly Sinclair
Celebrate National S’mores Day with Osprey Packs
Saturday, August 10 is National S’mores Day! To celebrate this momentous occasion, Osprey Packs is providing everything you need to make your very own s’mores at our stores – including the fire to roast the marshmallows. At Alpine Shop Kirkwood and Chesterfield, s’mores hours will be from 5 pm – 7 pm! At our Columbia location and at the Pathfinder in Manhattan, Ks., s’mores will be served from 4-6 pm.
We’ll also have representatives from Osprey Packs that will be on hand with some informational seminars, games and over $600 worth of Osprey backpacks and accessories that they’ll be raffling off throughout the evening to celebrate Alpine Shop Kirkwood’s certification as an Osprey Packs PRO SHOP.
About to embark on an adventure? Pro Shops have you covered with the largest assortment of Osprey products, expert gear knowledge and custom fitting services. Don’t know where to start? Let the experts at one of our pro shops help you choose the best pack from a full range of size and color options, translate the technical specs and fine-tune your pack so it fits you exactly as it should.
Osprey Packs Website
As the only Osprey Packs PRO SHOP in Missouri, and one of only 12 shops across the entire United States with that designation, you won’t find another retailer across most of the Midwest with the kind of selection and service for world-class Osprey Packs that you’ll find at Alpine Shop.
While s’more stations are happening at all of our locations thanks to Osprey Packs, our Kirkwood store will also have one of our famous Al-Pint Nights to support the World Bird Sanctuary. The good folks from the Sanctuary will have a number of raptors on hand for you to see and interact with on an up-close-and-personal level. (Please, for the safety of the birds at this event, we ask that all customers respect a “no dog zone” around the birds, though!)
To support this important organization, you can purchase a STANLEY Al-Pint Night Adventure Stein (see photo below) for just $25 which includes two free pours at the three remaining Al-Pint Nights for the rest of 2019. Every cent goes towards the organizations our Al-Pint Nights support throughout the year. Or, if you have already purchased an adventure stein for the year, come and join us at no cost to yourself! Plastic Pint Night Cups are just $5!
Deuter Has Taken Over Our Backpack Department
From March 1 to March 31, 2019, the backpacking department at our Kirkwood location has been “Taken Over” by one of the top brands in the business: Deuter.
Known for many years because of their best-selling kid carrier packs, Deuter has now established themselves as one of the top backpacking manufacturers we sell, providing comfort, durability and value at a great price.
If you’re in the market for a backpack – whether for day hikes at Castlewood, thru-hiking the Ozark Trail or for a trip like the Camino de Santiago – be sure to try on a couple of Deuter’s packs and see which one fits you best.
And if you purchase any Deuter backpack between March 1–31, 2019, you’ll also receive a Deuter Streamer Hydration 3L Reservoir – a $34 value – for FREE. This reservoir allows you to keep your hands free and stop worrying about carrying a water bottle. With the Streamer tucked safely in your backpack, you’ll be able to just grab the bite valve on your pack strap and drink to your heart’s content!
Get Outside Expo Featured Speaker: Angel Castellanos
The Ultimate Travel & Packing Tips for Any Adventure – Saturday March 2
A Special Presentation by Angel Castellanos – Travel Expert, National Speaker & Eagle Creek Traveler
This highly informative presentation is packed with the most up-to-date, savvy travel tips, and inspirational stories from all over the world, to help travelers travel smarter, better and cheaper. Angel will deliver the best travel tips on packing smart, safety, de-stressing the airport experience, saving money, sightseeing hacks, traveling with technology and much more!
No matter your level of experience, you are bound to come away with practical current travel tips for any adventure. The packing demonstration included in this talk is one you do not want to miss. Packing in a carry on? After this presentation, packing in any bag will not be a problem! Travel smart, well and often!
Don’t miss Angel Castellanos at the Get Outside Expo 2019, along with 30 hours of classes, demonstrations, movies and more, from Friday, March 1 through Sunday, March 3 at our Kirkwood location.
Get Outside Expo Presenter: Marty Koch
One of the most familiar names at the 2019 Get Outside Expo is also one of our most-traveled. Marty Koch is a retired St. Louis park ranger and the former Program Director for Alpine Shop. He has traveled extensively to the wild areas of America, photographing nature’s beauty. He is a photographer, instructor and freelance writer who has authored two books of his photography and is currently working on a third.
Marty is a nationally-recognized speaker from trade shows across the country, where he’s known for his many presentations on “The Amazing Earth.” He’ll be showing us two of those programs this weekend.
On Saturday, Marty will be the first presenter of the day at 10 am with The Amazing Earth: Zion National Park. Zion National Park is an amazing place full of canyons, rushing rivers, seasonal waterfalls, and astounding views. This presentation will cover the most popular sites as well as a couple of hidden gems. Learn about the parks geology, natural history, accommodations and much more.
On Sunday, Marty will lead off the the final day of the EXPO with The Amazing Earth: Wonders of Canyonlands National Park. The largest of Utah’s five national parks is Cayonlands National Park near Moab, UT. As the name suggests, this park is all about the canyons, geologic formations, and big rivers. This program will explore the three sections of the park: Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The Maze. Topics will cover visiting the park, lodging, and camping facilities, other attractions in the area.
Get Outside Expo Presenter – Scott Mansker, MR340 Race Director
Find out how the MR340 grew from 11 boats in 2006 to over 500 boats in 2019. The World’s Longest Non-Stop River Race has been listed as one of National Geographic‘s Top 100 American Adventures and it draws paddlers from around the world. Best of all, it happens right in our backyard.
Scott Mansker is the race director for the MR340 and will be presenting during the 2019 Get Outside Expo at noon on Sunday, March 3
Scott Mansker is the race director for the MR340 and will be presenting during the 2019 Get Outside Expo at noon on Sunday, March 3
From www.rivermiles.com:
Imagine a race across the entire state of Missouri, just you and your boat thrown against 340 miles of wind, heat, bugs and rain.
The Missouri 340 is an endurance race across the state of Missouri. Competitors will start in Kansas City and finish, some of them anyway, in St. Charles. With numerous towns and hamlets, the course offers plenty of opportunity for resupply while en route. The Missouri River is also incredibly scenic and isolated in some stretches, with wildlife and beautiful vistas to rival any river in North America. But if you’re trying to win this race, you won’t have time to enjoy any of it.
Participants are allowed exactly 88 hours to complete the course. There are nine checkpoints along the route where paddlers are required to sign in and sign out. Cutoff times will be associated with these checkpoints based on the 88 hour pace. Failure to miss two consecutive deadlines is grounds for disqualification. To finish this race in 88 hours is a huge accomplishment. Only 2/3 of the teams were able to do that last year.
There are no dams, locks or portages on this stretch of the Missouri. You could, conceivably, finish this race without ever having left your boat. (We don’t recommend it.) This doesn’t mean that the race is without danger. Any time you put yourself on the water, especially moving water, you assume a certain amount of risk. The Missouri 340 course is all on Class I water. The current is about 3 mph and there are no rapids. The biggest hazard to paddlers would be motorboats, mostly fisherman, and the occasional towboat pushing barges. In river obstacles would include wing dikes, buoys and bridge pilings.
DamNation – a Featured Presentation of the 2019 Get Outside Expo
On Saturday evening, March 2 at 7 pm, at the 2019 Get Outside Expo, Alpine Shop is proud to present – on the side of our building weather permitting! – DamNation, a feature film presented by Patagonia, on the impact of dams throughout our nation.
The film is FREE to all participants and will also feature a complimentary beer from Urban Chestnut Brewing Company for those 21 and older.
The Story
This powerful film odyssey across America explores the sea change in our national attitude from pride in big dams as engineering wonders to the growing awareness that our own future is bound to the life and health of our rivers. Dam removal has moved beyond the fictional Monkey Wrench Gang to go mainstream. Where obsolete dams come down, rivers bound back to life, giving salmon and other wild fish the right of return to primeval spawning grounds, after decades without access. DamNation’s majestic cinematography and unexpected discoveries move through rivers and landscapes altered by dams, but also through a metamorphosis in values, from conquest of the natural world to knowing ourselves as part of nature.
DamNation opens big, on a birth, with the stirring words of Franklin D. Roosevelt at the dedication of Hoover Dam, and on a death, as the engineer at Elwha Dam powers down the turbine on its last day. DamNation stints neither the history nor the science of dams, and above all conveys experiences known so far to only a few, including the awe of watching a 30-pound salmon hurtling 20 feet into the air in a vain attempt to reach the spawning grounds that lie barricaded upriver. We witness the seismic power of a dam breaking apart and, once the river breaks free, the elation in watching wild salmon – after a century of denied access – swimming their way home.
The People
DamNation’s filmmakers have done their documentary homework. Rediscovered archival footage and pristine vintage photography reveals the young archaeological “salvage” team working against time to recover priceless Anasazi artifacts before the flooding of Glen Canyon in 1958. We meet singer Katie Lee, who was among the last to experience the canyon and, at the age of 94, still recalls the vivid beauty of its walls. Her nemesis, Floyd Dominy, the long-time Bureau of Reclamation czar who dammed Glen Canyon, exudes pride in his power to alter a landscape. We also hear from dam defender Congressman Tom McClintock and dam critic, ex-Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt.
Most of the voices in DamNation ring far from the lobbied halls of our capitols, and closer to the heart of a river. We hear the smoldering outrage of a Nez Perce elder recalling from his youth the flooding of his people’s sacred falls and fishing ground along the Columbia, and the quiet testimony of a river keeper who has manned his post 12 hours a day for 13 years to count, observe and protect a Rogue River steelhead run. And DamNation is not without its action heroes, including the activist/artist who two decades ago painted under moonlight a giant crack down the face of Hetch Hetchy’s dam.
The Shift
DamNation shows how far things have moved and how quickly, from the assumption 50 years ago that dams were always a power for good, to the first successful attempt to remove a marginal dam 20 years ago on the Kennebec River. The film highlights other dam removal stories, including the Elwha and White Salmon Rivers in Washington, the Rogue River in Oregon, and the Penobscot River in Maine.
Diverse interests across the country are coming together to remove obsolete dams and find more cost-effective options to meet power, shipping, irrigation and other needs, while helping to restore rivers, preserve tribal customs, recover fish stocks, revitalize waterfronts, improve recreational opportunities and render watersheds more resilient to climate change.
Dam owners, impacted communities, and politicians are now reevaluating the usefulness of certain dams and often advocating for decommissioning and removal. Some call it a movement, others call it a generational shift in values.DamNation documents both – and the undeniable momentum behind river restoration that has begun to take hold in our country.
Origins
When, as a young man, DamNation producer Matt Stoecker witnessed migrating steelhead jump at, and bounce off, Stanford University’s Searsville Dam, he recognized the destructive power of a single dam on an entire watershed and beyond. Matt is now a fish biologist, who has since spearheaded the removal of more than a dozen such barriers to migration and is actively involved in efforts to dismantle several others. He and Patagonia founder/owner Yvon Chouinard, a long-time “dam buster” who for years has supported groups working to tear down dams, share the desire to free our rivers. Together they decided to capture such efforts, and their healing effects, on film and share them with the world. Teaming up with Felt Soul Media’s Ben Knight and Travis Rummel, DamNation was born.
Join us on Saturday, March 2 at Alpine Shop Kirkwood at 7 pm for our presentation of DamNation!
All New Tune Shop for 2017
For the 2017-18 Winter Season, Alpine Shop has completely revamped our Ski and Snowboard Tune Shop, bringing in all-new tuning machines to make sure we can continue to give you the professional tunes you’ve come to expect from one of the top ski shops in the country.
Featuring a full complement of Wintersteiger machines dedicated to making it easier than ever to perfect the edge or bevel on your skis or board, Alpine Shop can handle any type of service your gear may need.
So what does that mean to you? Faster skis, better turns and more enjoyable days on the slopes.
Our trained technicians are ready to help you take advantage of what’s looking to be one of the best winter seasons in a long time – especially out west, where snow has already been falling in the Rockies for the past couple of weeks.
Drop in to our Kirkwood location with your gear and let us show you just how much fun you can have on the slopes this year. Or, drop off your skis or board at one of our other locations. We’ll take care of the transportation to our Kirkwood store at no charge to you.
Preparing for Mt. Rainier: The Ultimate “Suffer-Fest”
Article written by: Will Nagengast
Edited by: Chloe Tennant
“If we can make it work, I am so down for a suffer-fest!”
That’s the sentiment my good friend Robbie expressed when I talked to him last. We were talking about a tentative schedule for climbing Mt. Rainier in Washington. Robbie lives in Olympia, Washington, which is about an hour away from Seattle and Rainier. When he’s not at school in Olympia, he’s been working as a climbing ranger on Rainier. It’s a job he loves enough to volunteer for. When he does get paid, it is just a nice bonus.
Robbie is the one who introduced me to climbing during my sophomore year of college, near Wichita, Kansas. It immediately felt right, and I’ve been rock climbing religiously for the past five or so years. Rob, however, wasn’t content to just stay on the rock. He loves snow, mountains, ice and cold. This led him to move to Washington. I’ve never really gotten to experience the mountaineering side of the vertical world, and I’ve always been curious. I recently decided that there’s never been a better time to start than now!
With that in mind, Rob and I began tossing around ideas about me flying out to Seattle, gearing up, and bagging Rainier. It’s a mountain that sees approximately 5,000 summits every year. Most of these occur during the summer months, however, when the weather is more predictable. During the rest of the year, Rainier’s weather typically consists of either snow, or lots of snow. The average snowfall for Rainier is 635 inches, or over 53 feet, per year. This is what Robbie was talking about when he mentioned a suffer-fest. Sure, we could try for the top in the summer. But it’d be so much more impressive, difficult, and straining to do it in the winter! To be quite honest, a suffer-fest seems like it’s exactly what I need.
Single pitch sport climbing in the South is SO easy. There are incredibly difficult routes, yes, and I am frequently giving 100% of what I have at that moment that I’m on the wall, but in the end the car is 15 minutes away. I’ll have brats over the fire in the evening, maybe sip a warm beer, and get a nice shower in a couple of days when I’m home again. That wouldn’t be the case with a winter ascent of Rainier. We’d be hiking uphill for miles, for several days, with heavy packs, in potentially sub-zero weather, with LOTS of snow. It would be exhausting, draining, probably one of the harder things I’ve done in my life so far. And that sounds great to me right now. I think I need to push my comfort zone, in a way I haven’t done before.
Rob and I are still trying to figure out when might work for both of us to meet up for Rainier. We’ll probably need a week or longer, so that he can give me some tutoring on glacier and snow travel, avalanche conditions, the technical aspects of executing a multi-day ascent of a big mountain, and of course, maybe a week to do the actual climb. Rob’s schedule is always subject to change. He might be in Panama, or somewhere in South America, or in school. But if we can swing it, we’ll try and meet up, perhaps in February, and give it a shot. Hopefully the weather cooperates and allows us on the mountain, but if not, there are plenty of other things to climb in that corner of the world.
While planning ahead, I started picking up pieces of gear that I’ll need on Rainier. My first piece was the Arc’teryx Beta LT; it’s a nice, lightweight but durable, hardshell. It has pockets that are accessible even with a climbing harness on, which lends to its utility in the mountains. It’s a Gore-Tex Pro shell, so I’m not worried about getting wet or wind-blown. Last but not least, it looks pretty awesome too.
My next target is the Black Diamond CoEfficient Hoody. It’s a lightweight fleece that has a great hood meant to fit under a helmet. I’d use this as a layering piece, with some much heavier insulating pieces, on Rainier, but I think it’ll really shine on multi-pitch alpine climbing, where the intense cold isn’t quite as much of an issue, and when I’ll really want to be wearing a helmet. The hood is the best I’ve ever seen as far as fitting snugly underneath a climbing helmet.
I’ve got many more things to look for as well. Pants are an under-appreciated part of the whole “keeping warm” system. Everyone has tons of jackets, but how many pairs of cold weather pants do you have? Poor pants just got the short stick for not being as sexy as a new, awesome jacket. One pair of pants that is on my radar is the Arc’teryx Stingray Pant; Recco Reflector, Gore-Tex hardshell pant can do it all. The waterproof and breathable fabric will help keep you warm, dry, and comfortable. The Recco Reflector is an awesome spec that is important while in the mountains. In the event of an avalanche the Recco Reflector within the garment becomes visible to the Recco Detector (which are used by resorts and rescue teams) making it one of the best safety features aboard a trip of this nature. Underneath the Stingray Pants I’ll layer starting with a 260 weight Icebreaker Baselayer Legging and a pair of Patagonia Piton Pants. Both will be highly useful in staying super warm and comfortable!
I’ll also end up borrowing and renting some of the more specialized equipment, to save on some money. Eventually though, if I discover I like mountaineering and alpine climbing, I’ll save up and get everything I need in a piecemeal fashion. I really hope that Rob and I are able to work out a time to meet up and do something awesome. Nothing makes for better stories than the times that you were the most miserable. A suffer-fest is just what I need, and I have zero doubt that the experience of pushing my limits in that manner will be something I’ll be able to reminisce fondly of for many years to come.