My personal winter-time inspiration, that I made into my own personal poster.

Mountain Biking

Mountain biking is exactly like skiing and surfing. It’s all about balance through gnarly terrain.

Keep up with me on Trailforks and Strava.

PLEASE DONATE

Note: Please donate to our trails stems. The Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance is wonderful! https://www.evergreenmtb.org/

My inspiration, Remy Metailler, one of the most skilled riders in the world. He’s absolutely shredding Squamish BC, on the North Shore of Vancouver.

Me in Sedona, AZ.

A Condensed Guide to MTB

⭐1️⃣⭐ Download the Trailforks app or use Trailforks.com. This is the single best resource for finding trails using their info-rich map.

Tires

Tires are probably the best cheap(er) upgrade you can make to improve the capabilities of your bike. My advice only applies to Tubeless tires (TR for Tubeless Ready must be written on the sidewall).

I need very different front and rear tires. In the front you must maximize traction, in the rear you want more efficient rolling and large cornering lugs. The rear should also be a beefier casing if you’re someone who takes big hits or ride aggressive downhill.

Front: Maxxis Assegai 2.5″ 3C MaxxGrip DoubleDown casing — the heavy duty casing makes my tire hold a line much better, and gives me more stability at high speed. Also the DH casing is insanely reliable — no flats ever! If you don’t want the weight penalty (~1lb extra to go from EXO to DH casing), then just do DH casing in the rear, but it’s nice in the front too if you have the legs for it.

Rear: Maxxis DHR 2.5 Maxxgrip DD Casing (or 2.4″ or 2.3″ for faster rolling speed). The DD casing is a perfect medium for fewer flats while still being on my trail bike. Heavier casings are even more important in the rear where big hits will brutalize your rear wheel.

Tire inserts: I don’t think they’re worth the trouble. Increased maintenance is not worth it and I doubt the rim protection is all that good. I think I share a majority opinion here, especially amongst more practical riders, but some bike nerds still find them useful.

Jumping

Jumping a bike is a whole skill in and of itself. Start small and stay within your abilities or you will get hurt! To learn in a controlled environment, I’ve built my own jumps where I can slowly progress in size.

The construction is extremely straightforward, but finding the perfect curve is an art and a science. These are all quite “steep kickers” that send you high and short (not low and long).

I’d recommend the “pool noodle” technique for coming up with the desired curve. Rookie move is making the jump too steep!! You want a long ramp (mine are all nearly 4ft in length) with a very gradual curve upwards. Rookies make jumps too steep, so when in doubt go low.

Riding big drops

My technique is to carry enough speed into the drop such that you don’t pull back on the handlebars. Just ride it off smoothly, and keep your weight centered over your wheels. Tires should land simultaneously, or with the front slightly sooner to absorb the impact.

Later, someone offered me a cold beer in the middle of my ride. Doesn’t get much better 🙂

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Backcountry epics – Cle Elum snow biking

Solo camping and living my best life in this moment. So happy to have good food and a good bike.

Check out the Kachess trail.

Love this video, practicing trials riding next to the river:

Rock Climbing

⭐ Download the Mountain Project app, or use their website mountainproject.com, to find all the (public) best climbs near you.

I recommend checking out any of the places I post here, these are the fun ones.

Dirtbagging around Exit 38

Dirtbagging around Leavenworth and Icicle Creek

Dirtbagging around Tumwater canyon

Dirtbagging the Olympic Peninsula

The Olympics are famous for having horrible rock, but I’d highly recommend this lil multipitch: Tyler Peak! The first pitch is a pumpy 5.8 workout, but gets more fun after you clear the tree line 🙂

Goofin near Deception Pass: Mount Erie Powerline Wall

Skiing

my skiing inspiration. printed on a poster in my wall.

Ski goal: big mountain, heli skiing in Alaska. Something as steep as it gets, hopefully with powder.

Ski Japan!

• Videos TBD, need to re-edit.

Mountaineering

Mountaineering goal: navigate the most technical peaks in the North Cascades, e.g. bigger glacier crossings, and 5th class alpine trad climbs.

My First Ascents (two so far)

See Drone Home: my first ascent of the highest unclimbed peak in Colorado using my DRONE to set the ropes in place. Pretty novel and creative way to summit unclimbable peaks.

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First Ascent: The Blocks in San Rafael Swell, Utah

If you’ve climbed damn near every possible peak in Colorado, what do you do? Turn to first ascents to fill your time. That’s what we did with the help of legendary peak bagger, and close family friend, Dave Goldstein.

The area is filled with Monument Valley-style towers rising out of the desert. Most of the tower is essentially unclimbable with no route up, but of course, there was a natural weakness to be found. Our ascent was primarily a 5.6 or 5.7 hand crack.

For the descent, we had little choice but to drill (somewhat suspect) bolts into the sandy rock, hence our triple protection.

Unbeatable view from up there. Check out this 360 Photo-Sphere from the summit!

If you ever make it up there, be sure to leave your name in the summit register 😉

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The Classics with a Classic Friend

Hiking the Enchantments with Terrence was amazing. My parents have climbed almost every peak in that range (Prussik is one of the most scenic!). Following in their footsteps is very fulfilling.

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Trip Report: Boston Peak and Mt. Sahale

📍 Cascade Pass, North Cascades

This trip report is intended to assist anyone attempting to summit Boston Peak in the North Cascades. Our route was 5th class, 16 miles, 6k ft elevation gain and took 13 hours to complete. Background info (including several fatalities on Boston) found on Summit Post.

The approach

We entered via the Sahale Mountain trail. Cascade pass and the Sahale Arm are simply gorgeous, and the arm offers a comfortable non-switchback ascent (woo!), while also being a unique geological feature.

The Ascent to Sahale is great fun scrambling, with a snow crossing required (ice axe highly recommended).

Cascade Pass’s Topo Aurora was simply gorgeous in the morning.

Topo Aurora

“The phenomenon of blue haze that results from the mountains sinking into the atmosphere”

The traverse from Sahale to Boston is best completed STAYING ON TOP OF THE RIDGE. In particular, make sure to take to top line, and DO NOT traverse around the right side as shown below. This point is a little over halfway along the traverse starting at Sahale towards Boston.

The Climb

The climb itself is fun, especially through the crack section. There are plenty of holds, but it’s steep and exposed. The rock quality is okay, and quite protectable with cams, Tricams and nuts. However, bring helmets since there’s LOTS of loose rock!

Natural Weaknesses: 4 Pitches, a STIFF 5.6, and was very steep at times and during the crack pitch. No existing protection, but there are 3 (or was it just two?) rappel anchors right along this route for the descent. My dad and I named this route Natural Weaknesses because I don’t think it’s an existing route, and we just wanted to mess around and find a fun way up.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you get out and about in the great outdoors! If you used this guide, send me an email and, if you want, include a photo from your trip at kastanday[_at_]gmail.

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Russian Butte

Ok this video is hilarious, and super short.

A not often climbed peak, my dad only made it on his 5th attempt. Ropes required for the summit. Read his full trip report here, great info for fellow peakbaggers.

It took us 12.5 hours to make it 9.6 miles, and 4k elevation gain. So it was very slow going through the bushwhacking, so keep that in mind.

See our route below (GPX file in PeakBagger link). We came in from the north, you can also come from the South, but that route faces cliffs near the summit.

We set up 2 rappel stations for the descent. Lucky you if you can find them from these photos!

It does require fording across the Snoqualmie river, and hopping across a stream.

Also, it’s a dream of mind to build a mountain bike track straight down this mountain. Just clear up some of the bigger sticks, and you’d have an insanely steep and rowdy descent. Jumping off rock drops, slaying the brown pow loam.. that’s the dream.

Surfing 🏄‍♂️

God I wish I knew how to surf. If you can take me surfing frfr send me an email kastanday[_at_]gmail.

Sailing ⛵

Goal: I’m working on a trip down the Pacific coast, from Seattle to the tip of south America… One stage at a time, with help. This can only happen after a vaccine is available.

Scuba 🤿

On hold until a vaccine is available. Goes hand-in-hand with our sailing trip down the coast of America’s.

Paragliding 🪂

Goals: Just learn to cruise by myself, alone from the first flight if possible.

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If you think we’d have fun together, email me!
I’ll respond @ kastanday[_at_]gmail