CHRIS MIKAIL --YOU MAY WANT TO CHECK THIS!

TWO THINGS:

1st. is Dailyhiker mikail this website seems to be really hitting what you have been talking about!

2nd. is a bad ass company called Klymit



with that said now click here to see their core product--they're working on full jackets too!

then check out their website http://www.klymit.com/index.php/

I think there is obvious overlap with the direction Nemo has gone with the innovative concept Klymit is pushing
chris you should get the family company to invest with this and merge it with NEMO!

Public Record

I just wanted to get these ideas out in the public record so they don't get lost in the ether quite as easily.

WINTERISH RAFTING IN THE GRAND CANYON.

HAMMOCK CAMPING ON A DOUBLE PITCH.

Expedition Impossible

This is the TV show we are applying to, and our application and supplemental video. I think we have a 92-97% chance of getting a part, give or take.

Show page

Name/Age/Location:
Nathan Stern - 20 - Bellingham, WA,
Chris Baran-Mickle - 20 - Dante Garcia - 20 - We live on Bainbridge Island, WA. Come April we will be in South America nearing the end of a 5 month multi-county adventure ready to begin on a new expedition.
Level of individual and team's experience with competitions/races:
Nathan: high school soccer, competitive submission wrestling, competitive rock climbing,
Chris: high school and collegiate ultimate frisbee player, recently competed in a sprint triathlon, high school soccer player, local adventure race winner.
Dante: select soccer player, local adventure race winner, climbing enthusiast.

Brief description of why your team is great for this competition and why you will win: We are great candidates for this competition because we thrive in and seek out adversity outdoors. Last summer we together completed all 220 miles of the John Muir Trail in 2 weeks (over 15 miles a day). Previous summers the same group of friends has gone on equally trying and rewarding climbing/backpacking/white water rafting trips. In addition to all the trips we take together each of us independently leads an extremely active outdoorsy lifestyle. Chris completed a NOLS mountaineering semester (along with several other WFA and mountaineering courses), is an avid skier, climber, and is an aspiring ultralight backpacker. Nathan partook in a Outward Bound river rafting course, skis, climbs, cycles and fights competitively. Dante first left the country by himself to travel to Venezuela when he was 15 and recently hitchhiked around New Zealand. He is a veteran outdoorsman and social activist/artist working as a union organizer. All of us are very fit and bring different and valuable outdoor skills to the table. We will win because we know how to work together, solve problems and deal with difficult situations in the outdoors and aren’t afraid to trust each other.

Anything else that makes your team memorable and unique: We have been friends since elementary school. During high school we started adventuring together as a team and family, pushing each other through hardships like snowstorms and dehydration; climbing mountain peaks and getting lost in canyons. Over the last few years we have drifted apart following our different paths in life. This expedition may be one of our last great adventures before diving into the real world of and careers and families. We are still a deeply connected team that knows how to work together and push each other to the limit, we certainly can push each others buttons, but we think we can make this work.

A glimpse of us and our adventures (OUR VIDEO)

Chris: chrisbaranmickle@gmail.com 206-403-5151
Dante: dantebgarcia@gmail.com 206-755-4729
Nathan: nerts.n8@gmail.com 206-963-4760

Thanks for considering us!

November 13th and 14th Mountain Climb

on the second weekend of november i'm working and planning on bringing a large group peopleup to a high elavation to catch a glimpse at a winter sunrise--if all works out on the morning of the 14th we'll wake up early--the clouds will have dropped below our elavation and we'll be perched above them--i'll be bringing some friends from bellingham who also have some (other's have none) technical climbing skills--and chris is finding a good location so that we can all have a informal skill share and colaboration--all are invited for those who can make it --any ideas, suggestions are desired

sorry the post is rushed i'll refine it later...

Backpacking Lifestyle

Hey everybody, it’s nice to read all your comments, see you posts, and chew on the thing's you've all been talkin' about.

This is what’s been on my mind, and it will certainly go under the “outdoor” section:

As most of you know, I have been working on a website since mid-Summer. The original idea I had was to create a gear blog where we could all dump our pictures, stories, and reviews of our gear. With the intent going into it, that if done well enough we could become gear testers for companies such as Patagonia, Mountain Hardwear, GoLite, etc... As I have found out, building a website is very difficult, but not as hard as making one that people will actually want to look at, and read. There have been many things I’ve learned along the way, that go far beyond the graphic element of a web page. How do we build credibility? How do we put ourselves out there, and more-so how do we get well known? Well, that’s why I’m writing this to you all.

It is time that I tap into the great resource I have at my hands, which is all of you. I’m here to light the review-writing fire under your outdoorsy asses. So here’s what I need:

-Thorough reviews on different pieces of quality gear that you have. We will be more successful in the long run if we target certain companies. Since between us we have four Nemo tents, that would be a fantastic place to start, but to our advantage, between us we have a wide range of gear from almost all the big companies.

There will be categories on the website, i.e. Backpacks, jackets, base layers, stoves, sleeping bags, tents, etc - So we need reviews for all of them. I have gotten a good start on reviews, and have almost 15 written, but we need many more to even be noticed, because we got competition. Hopefully one day a forum can be opened up where other viewers can write their own reviews. I’m writing this on my laptop, but when I get home I’ll post an example of a review that I’ve written. You are all good writers, and I have no doubt that you can write a compelling few sentences on why you like the product, where you’ve used it, and how it saved you from getting water-logged on the John Muir. Everyone who writes a review will get credit for it, which addresses the biography section.

-Also, if one or two people are super enthused with this idea and want to pick up more responsibility, I have an XXX@backpacking-lifestyle.com account for you.

-I want stories as well, bring in the practical aspect of spending time on an extended backpacking trip, along with the spiritual and mystical components of being in the woods. Write about the personal importance of spending time in the woods. Talk about the philosophy of backcountry nutrition, leave no trace, or ultralight. Find environmental initiatives - write a quick blurb about why we should care, and that can go up too. Those are just a few things.

-There is much more that I have to say, and other aspects I have not revealed here, but you get the idea. I implore you to share your ideas about how we could make it all the more awesome as well, for we have many possibilities.

So guys, if you are interested, write some reviews with your free time, or just get the brain-storming going here. Since gear (and in the bigger picture the wilderness) is a way of life for us, it should come without to much strain.

Thank you,

Mikail

the Mountain Project.

saw that colin had posted this on nate's FB--thought i'd highlight it.

a thread for climbing.

Winter Adventures

I just spent this weekend up in bellingham and had a great time. Used some mushrooms on sunday and it really set me in a good state. some friends of mine are wanting to adventure up to some high altitudes and catch the sunrise while the clouds are low and below us (on mushrooms). But this or an adventure out to exit 28?? (is that right)would be a great opportunity to either get a climbing or snow expidition together, if we combined Chris's stuff with some kid's stuff up here (Nick and Uri have a lot of gear)we could really get somethign going. we've got enough know how and gear to make a great cross pollination of talents. I know Nathan is game and chris too but anybody else, Mikal, Corbin, ect. if your in we are making it happen!

adventure idea

This is what I think about during class...
Chris, if you think it would be easy enough you should aquire some climbing hammocks. If we had three or more climbing hammocks you dante and I (or more if we had more hammocks) could go half way up a 200ft double pitch climb that overlooks pristine forest, the ocean, and the sunset. We could eat camp/hammock and then finish the climb in the morning. Oh, and we would have a pleasant 2 mile hike to even get to the wall.

The Mountaineers

the mountaineers

-the photo above is of the MOuntaineers first summit of mt Ranier in 1909!

a co-worker of mine recently told me a John Muir story: at one point John Muir found himself with a terrible ear infection--where as most people would camp down in bed and sit it through. John went out and climbed a glacier knowing that the bug couldn't survive at that altitude!