South America’s Famous Santa Rosa Storm In South America, there’s a meteorological phenomenon known as La Tormenta de Santa Rosa (The Santa Rosa Storm) that is both fact and legend. In folklore, it’s said to be the most violent weather of the year, sinking ships and burying entire villages in snow with little mercy. Reality may be a bit different, depending on who you ask. The festival […] Brains Mike Lavery | August 16, 2023 15 Comments
Sunski Sunglasses: Save The Planet and Look Good Doing It! Plastic is incredible stuff. Our lives would be completely changed without it.  It’s light, strong, easily made into whatever shape we want, and lasts forever. Without plastic, we’d probably all still be skiing in leather boots. That last point that plastic basically lasts forever is a double-edged sword. It’s amazing when put to good use, but plastic waste is becoming […] Featured Article Mike Lavery | May 1, 2023 0 Comments
Chris Davenport’s Top 5 Tips for Backcountry Skiing Brought to you by Peak Skis and Scarpa North America Spring is officially here, and ski season is almost over, right? Wrong! April and May can be the best months of the year to head into the backcountry. The weather is warm, the days are long, terrain is filled in, and the avalanche hazard is more manageable. Whether you’re a […] Backcountry Mike Lavery | March 29, 2023 0 Comments
[GEAR REVIEW] Peak Skis 104: Modern Day Charger or Marketing Hype? If you’re a SnowBrains regular, you know that we covered the launch of Bode Miller’s Peak Skis last spring. Since then, they’ve added big names like Chris Davenport, Michelle Parker, and JT Holmes to their lineup, which begs the question, are these skis the real deal or just a bunch of marketing hype? Luckily, Peak hooked me up with a pair […] Gear Mike Lavery | March 13, 2023 2 Comments
Conditions Report: Snorkel Season in the Tetons! The northern Rockies have been off to a great start this season. The Tetons just got hit with a major storm, so the wife and I headed south from Montana for a few days to take part. We rolled into the parking lot of Grand Targhee at 3 pm on Thursday, and it looked like mid-winter. Two feet of cold smoke […] Conditions Report Mike Lavery | November 14, 2022 0 Comments
How To: Wax Your Bike Chain For the Cleanest Smoothest Ride You’ve Ever Had Whether you like to ride your bike in spandex or body armor, there is one universal truth to cycling: chain maintenance sucks. Keeping your chain clean and lubed can be a full time job that no one wants. The solution: Hot Wax. You already wax your skis, time to wax your bike! No joke, dipping your chain in hot wax is […] Biking Mike Lavery | August 22, 2022 8 Comments
How To: Choose The Right Mountain Bike Tire Size Fifteen years ago, you threw a 2.1″ tire on your mountain bike and went riding. Maybe you rode crazy wide 2.4″ tires if you were a DH guy. It was that simple. Now a days, there’s everything from skinny 1.8s all the way up to 5 inch monsters. How the heck are you supposed to choose? Here’s a quick guide to […] Biking Mike Lavery | August 5, 2022 1 Comment
How Much Money Would You Pay For Private Resort Skiing? I hate waiting in lift lines. You probably do too. It’s no surprise that the backcountry segment of the ski industry continues to explode. Peace and quiet, untouched snow, what’s not to like? Well, the backcountry does have a few downsides. Why slog all day for a couple runs when you can knock out hot laps on a powder day at […] Mike Lavery | August 5, 2022 3 Comments
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