Day two, we overslept. It was only 8 AM but we missed our window of opportunity to climb and ski anything of significance. We conceded that the day would be better served by setting up an auxiliary camp close to some of our targets as well as observing the snow and sun movement in order to have a more educated idea of our possibilities. The basis of our conversations the night before revolved around the large, open north-west face of the peak looker’s right of Kickstep. Due the sun’s movement, we figured our magic window would be between noon and one, just after the sun began to hit the slope. Anything before would be rock hard ice, anything after would be too soft and run the risk of wet slides.

There we were digging again, not skiing. Pausing for lunch, we were treated to a fireworks show of sorts. It was just before three and like clockwork, southerly and easterly faces around us let go of what was left of the snowpack. Our serenity was interrupted by what sounded like jet engines echoing around the valley every five minutes. They served as stark reminders of the omnipresent dangers that exist in the mountains, amplified by below average snowpack and above average temperatures. After lunch and some impromptu nude foot races, we put our gear back on and collectively skied some fun, low-angle terrain before returning to camp and calling it a day.

Up before the dawn, the four of us set out on the day’s mission. As we reached Camp II, Lange, Sage, and myself continued towards the ridge as Sales remained behind with the promise of hot pancakes and bacon upon our return. The three of us traversed along a route that alternated between snow and exposed tundra on the way to the base of the ridge. We decided the quickest way up the ridge would be to boot pack so we strapped up and began the hike. Lange took point and broke trail – MVP of the day. The ridge was a lot longer than it looked but after an hour of solid hiking, we made it to the top.

The sun had yet to hit the face and sure enough, it was frozen solid. We found a cozy plot of exposed tundra to rest our legs as we cracked jokes about what Sales had been doing by himself for the past four hours. Over the radio, Sales’ voice crackled, “Okay, you guys ready to drop?” Our reply was concise and resounding, “No dude, it’s rock hard!” I awoke from a nap about an hour later, slightly startled at my surroundings. This place is indescribably beautiful with layers upon layers of mountains as far as I could see. Testing the snow, it was go time.

One by one, we descended the ridge to the top of the open face. I won – or lost, depending on your view point – rock, paper, scissors for first drop. Pointing down the fall-line, I made a few cautious turns as I approached the blind roll-over. Feeling confident with the perfect corn beneath my skis, I raced down the remainder of the slope and raised my arms in elation as I made one final arc towards the direction of camp. In a safe spot, I cheered as I watched my two friends snake down the two-thousand foot face at high speeds.

Stoke was high as we rendezvoused at Camp II. Sure enough, we had hot pancakes and bacon waiting for us. Jet engines signaled that the day was done, but we didn’t mind. One run was all that we needed. That feeling still hadn’t worn off as we sat around the fire that night on our three-piece sectional made out of snow. Returning to Anchorage the following day to see Sage off on his journey for higher education, we took the time to recoup, refuel, and resupply. Real furniture that wasn’t constructed out of snow sure was a welcome sight.

Check out the beginning of this series in Part I of the Myst crew’s Alaska trip report.

We’ve teamed up with one of our favorite local companies, Soul Poles, to bring you:

Phase 1 of our #SustainableStoke Challenge

We all share a passion for the outdoors, we conquer our fears, quiet our minds, and express infinite enjoy when we emerge ourselves in it. The outdoors is our playground, with unlimited possibilities, yet fragile barriers.  The playgrounds we love: our oceans, mountains, lakes and deserts must be protected. We are all one with our surroundings and environment; so let’s make every little choice with that in consideration.

Let’s all take an effort to spread sustainable stoke

During the next 2 weeks, we are holding an Instagram challenge in dedication to spreading the word about protecting our playgrounds and to share how we protect our Earth. Our hope is that we continue to inspire both friends and strangers to step in and make a difference, so we can pass down this beautiful world for generations to come.

We are asking YOU, the Spread Stoke community, to help pass the notion of #sustainablestoke forward.  In exchange, we are giving away a pair of customized “Spread Stoke” bamboo Soul Poles so that you can continue doing what you love with gear that makes you feel good about it. On Christmas morning, we’ll announce the winner (selected at random) on Instagram and send them out their new quality shafts.

To Enter the #SustainableStoke Instagram Challenge:

1. Follow both @spreadstoke and @soulpoles on Instagram
2. Share a photo on your Instagram that sums up how you reduce your impact on the environment or how you directly partake in a sustainable activity
3. Use the hashtag #sustainablestoke so we can see your post

Here’s to the playgrounds we love and to making continuous steps towards a sustainable future!

• Learn More: Read our interview with Soul Pole’s Co-founder, Bryon Friedman.
• Special Gear Offer:

I got my first pair of Soul Poles several years ago as a Christmas present.  I was ecstatic, because not only was it a great conversation starter on every chairlift, I was also impressed with its functionality.  These shred sticks made out bamboo and post-consumer plastic grips were durable and fluid.  With a background in environmental studies, I often lose sleep over how detrimental the ski industry can be on the environment.  But, my passions lay both in skiing and the environment and I know with creativity, consideration, and enthusiasm there is opportunity in the industry for sustainable  products to thrive.  Soul Poles is doing just that.  Their mission is this: “Build quality products that inspire momentous living and the protection of the mountains we love.”

Spread Stoke is about stories, whether it is the story behind a four day trek into the mountains or a story behind a brand that is looking to make a positive impact in the outdoor industry.  I sought the brains behind Soul Poles out because I not only loved my own bamboo poles and it was a local company, but I also felt their brand resonated with how I felt about the ski industry.

I met Bryon Friedman, professional ski racer, musician, and co-founder of Soul Play (soul poles mother company) for an interview at the Soul Poles Shop.  His office was similar to mine… huge white erase board with ideas, visions, and future goals on how to grow the company.  I first noticed the ‘Vision’ on the board: “Reduce our impact on the environment, make durable and quality products, and connect mountain-minded individuals to our brand by having fun and producing uncompromising customer service,”  which made me more excited to delve behind the scenes.

Bryon moved to Park City at a young age from Atlanta, Georgia where his love for skiing perpetuated with having access to skiing all winter long.   His passion then flourish into a ski racing career where he raced on the USA ski team for 10 years.  Outside of racing, Bryon’s love for the mountains came in all shapes and forms, “We have all the seasons, not just skiing, but also mountain biking and fishing. You build some sort of relationship with your surrounding and environment. I was very fortunate enough to grow up in this town” beamed Friedman.  We both shared how stoked we were to have a big playground at the tips of our fingers.  We also agreed that it is imperative to protect these playgrounds.

Thus came the founding of Soul Poles.  Freedman and co-founder, Eric Schlopy, developed the idea by taking a look at the past.  People first started skiing with sticks and eventually bamboo, a natural carbon fiber.  The industry then shifted to aluminum, a light-weight and malleable material that innovates design, yet also contributes to harmful effects like erosion, deforestation and water contamination.  Taking it’s destructive consequences into matter, Friedman and Schlopy looked to create a product with a renewable resource.  Making a sustainable ski or even boot would be too difficult, so to make a quick impact they reevaluated the ski pole (and soon to be ski+hike poles).

The founders started by ordering a bunch of bamboo and glued existing grips from other poles to try it out.  “Every lift ride, someone would be asking about our poles, this was before we even had a name for the company in 2010″ reminisced Bryon.  With their fresh new product, they took it to SIA to show buyers and to their surprise…they got orders!  Bryon smiled, “We jumped in and went for it! We started solving problems.”

Soul Poles has gotten more refined since then. They are now in their 4^th year of business.  They hold ‘quality’ above all in their business model.

“The idea is to be sustainable. You have to have a quality product, and it has to work, it has to survive.  Soul Poles isn’t about how many poles can you complete in a day, but about taking the time to make quality shafts.”

In order to get these quality shafts, they go through a phase production.

They first seek out the best bamboo, making trips to China frequently to search for the right people that will hand pick the bamboo.  The bamboo growers become family to Bryon and the Soul Pole team. They want to make sure everyone is benefiting from this incredible grass. They look over the bamboo, making sure it has the right wall thickness, plus inner and outer diameter. Once the bamboo is in the shop, they sort through it, count it, re-hydrate, and let the bamboo rest.

“The bamboo needs to acclimate to our really dry climate, we learned how to do that with providing the right temperature and treating it with an oil blend,” explains Bryon.

Aw man, it’s like a spa day for the bamboo, I thought.

After the bamboo rests, it is time to go into second phase where all the sanding and grinding is done. This is the awesome dirty work that the boys in the shop bond over.  The bamboo then goes to the laser for engraving and is ready for final assembly, attaching the grips and tips.  As if bamboo wasn’t enough to create a sustainable pole, they make sure to use grips that are from recycled postindustrial plastic with straps that are recycled PET plastic (the stuff that holds your strawberries in the summer).

“It makes sense to reuse, if you already have product lying around, put it to good use.”

The bamboo pole is more than a sleek, sustainable product… it is a message.  Bryon hopes to see more people following suite, using re-purposed material and straying away from wasteful practices. All in all, Soul Poles would like to see more bamboo ski poles then aluminum poles. I would, too!.

Outside of Soul Poles, Bryon also hopes to grow Soul Play as a lifestyle outdoor company encouraging individuals to protect the playgrounds we care about.  Their bamboozie (perfect attire for your PBR) and 100 percent recycled hoodies are great examples of sustainable products that align well with their philosophy.

Another admirable aspect of Soul Poles is their athlete program.  Like their mission, they want their athletes to care about their surroundings. Bryon emphasizes working with like-minded individuals.

“Who do we want to be involved with? As you grow as a a brand, you discover where you are, who you want to spend time with, from the people who work here to the athletes that are brand ambassadors, to the people who you do business with.  If an athlete has any environmental studies background or works with a cause that they have purpose for, we are all about.”

Bryon pauses and then laughs, “It basically comes down to doing only awesome shit, with only awesome people.”

That is definitely a motto I will have to adopt, I thought.

To learn more about Soul Poles, check out their site here: https://www.soulpoles.com/

You can also help support their Kickstarter campaign and pre-order some of their awesome new ski+hike poles.

Follow them on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook (@soulpoles) to learn more about their custom ski pole workshops or follow them on their cross-country mobile tour.