You Must Learn Avy Skills

The North Face is on tour with a little snow safety mission called KNOW Boundaries and they swept through Portland last night with their message of backcountry awareness. Pro ski mountaineer Hilaree O'Neill broke it all down, from picking the right probe to picking the right partners. The presentation was based mostly on this video series and was in absolutely no way meant to replace a Level 1 Avalanche Certification. I'd call it a Level 0 certification: a free hour that doled out basic information about all the things you should be considering when you leave a resort gate and enter avalanche terrain. An interesting starting point, nothing more. If you've got time and want a free shirt, find the tour stop nearest you and get learned! (if that's Olympia, Wash., you get to hang out with Lucas Debari)

Hilaree, what's up with this pack with the bright red handle?

New Kid in Class: Homeschool Snowboarding

I know you. You need an excuse to party. How about this? Portland is home to a new outerwear label called Homeschool Snowboarding. Their product launches this season. What better way to celebrate than a launch party. What does that mean? Beer, music, product viewing, mingling with Portland heads.

Don't make this Saturday like last Saturday, when you ate ice cream, watched a couple TiVo-ed sitcoms, scratched yourself and went to bed early, worn out from the beating at the hands of the man for the previous five days. It doesn't have to be like that. Homeschool can help.

Ready for Vacation?

Forum's new team video Vacation is premiering in Portland this Saturday night (October 15). Twice actually. Get to the Mission Theater (1624 NW Glisan) by 8:30pm if you're a minor or wait 'til 10 if you want to drink. If you're really ambitious and want some autographs, stop by US Outdoor at 5pm and get Peter Line to sign your Technical Difficulties VHS box (so I'm not the only one). If you're not in Portland, check Forum's site for a premiere near you. If you hate leaving home, just wait for iTunes.

Shred-tober?

I can see Rock-tober, Jock-tober, Shock-tober, Cock-tober and even Manitowoc-tober; but Shred-tober doesn't so much roll off the tongue as it stutters and gets spit out. Shred video double features are fun, though, whatever you call them. Sporting goods mega-store US Outdoor is teaming with K2 for three nights of action for a quality cause. That cause is Portland ripper Kevin Nimick's battle against cancer. All shows are $2 and at Portland's Clinton Street Theater. Here's the rest: