The Summit Register - Page 56 of 57 - The Mountain Safety Research Blog

As the Glacier Churns: Unfortunate Events on Everest

May 2, 2013

A Report from Chad Kellog MSR Ambassador Chad Kellog is on Mount Everest, acclimatizing for his 2013 speed attempt from Base Camp to the summit. Earlier this week, Chad reported from Base Camp after a violent incident occurred between a group of European climbers and a group of Sherpas at Camp 2. “I want to say that there were four or five men responsible for this unfortunate incident at Camp 2. Since I do not know their names I have used the name “Sherpas” to represent the mob of men who rallied against Ueli Steck, Simone Moro and Jonathan Griffith. However, I do not want to misrepresent the Sherpa community that I have grown to love over the past 15 years of traveling to Nepal and sharing in adventures with…

Reactor Stove System—Behind the Gear:

Apr 30, 2013

MSR Product Manager Steve Grind answers a few questions about the design and performance of the Reactor Stove System. Who was the Reactor Stove System engineered for? The Reactor is designed for folks who are heading outside into real and often challenging mountain conditions. That means cold, windy, and often space-constrained. Whether you’re tucked into a port-a-ledge on Baffin Island, or doing an ultralight traverse of the Sierras, this is a stove that performs when most other canister stoves will not. It is certainly an elite piece of gear, but it’s also amazingly versatile for people doing more moderate activities where the weather conditions might not always cooperate. How is the Reactor different from other stove systems on the market? One of our favorite anecdotes is a story we’ve heard…

Take a virtual tour of the Tengboche Monastery

Apr 26, 2013

Can’t manage to escape this weekend? Take a tour inside the Tengboche Monastery! Our friends at Mountain Madness brought this to our attention and we had to share it with you. The Monastery is situated at 3,867 metres (12,687 ft), along the Everest Base Camp Trekking Route in Khumjung, Nepal. You can take a tour of your own courtesy of Google Maps here if you’re bound to your desk!

Camp Cooking 101 with Tim and Christine Conners

Apr 25, 2013

It’s here! We’re excited to be a part of this camp cooking series. In this episode of Lipsmackin’ Campin, Tim and Christine Conners cover the basics of camp cooking. It’s possible to be a master chef on the trail—all you need is a review of the basics, and a little up-front planning! You can find more mouth-watering camp recipes, and invaluable information for making your next camp trip a culinary success. Just check out Tim and Christine Conners’ bestselling series of books.For more information, visit Lipsmackincampin.com!

Trail Lite Duo Cook System—Behind the Gear

Apr 18, 2013

Who was the Trail Lite Duo System engineered for? A lot of folks head into the backcountry in pairs—this is a super common arrangement that we like to refer to as the “Dynamic Duo.” The Trail Lite Duo system is designed for the adventurous twosome for whom weight and space are high on the list of priorities. It is not a minimalist, bare-bones system, though. It includes luxuries like double-wall insulated mugs and deep, usable bowls. This system is designed for people who want to do some simple cooking that often involves more than simply boiling water. How is the Trail Lite Duo different from other cookware on the market? The TLD is comparable in size and weight to the GSI Dualist, but that is about where the similarities end….

Time to go

Apr 16, 2013

MSR Contributor Aili Farquhar shares her thoughts on the shoulder season. Closing-day skiers adorned in neon one-pieces and Mardi Gras beads (most probably under the influence of several blue-ribbon winning adult beverages) fly off jumps and stock makeshift slopeside bars carved in ice with cans from their backpacks. Across the river gravel bike trails and million dollar homes of the valley I fill my living room with well used down gear and the finest rock and ice pro money can buy. Skiers wait at the bus stop down the street as tennis players in shorts dodge lingering snowdrifts in the court across from my house. My small calico cat looks on with nervous attention. She knows the drill. All year she has seen my going and returning. I have left…

MSR Backcountry Café: French Press Coffee

Apr 10, 2013

A French press can produce rich, strong coffee that will supercharge your day in the backcountry. Collapsible presses allow you to use your cooking pot for a brewing vessel, saving weight and space in your pack. Best of all, good French press coffee is simple: get the grind and water temperature correct and you’re likely to have a great cup, or three. The Coffee: You’ll need about one ounce of coffee per finished cup. It should be course-ground and stored in an air-tight container. With French Press coffee, an even grind is important – use a burr grinder rather than the blade type. Normal drip coffee will work if you can’t find the proper grind; our presses are designed to work with generic drip grounds too. The Water: Backcountry water…

New Video Alert! MSR Stoves: Liquid Feed Mode

Apr 3, 2013

Did you know that a MSR Whisperlite Universal or WindPro II stove can operate on canister fuel in liquid form? This allows the stove to perform much better in cold conditions and maintain higher fuel pressures over the life of the canister. Take a look at the new video above and see how it’s done. For more information on what fuel to use with your MSR stove.

The Summit Register #1: April 1, 2013

Mar 28, 2013

MSR began in 1969 as a newsletter committed to improving mountaineering safety. Our founder, Larry Penberthy, was an engineer, professional inventor and lifelong mountaineer who dedicated himself to making the backcountry safer. At first Penberthy set out to meet this challenge under a committee of The Mountaineers. He spent more than eighteen months testing stove fuels, the elongation of ropes, the holding power of pitons, the strength of ice axes and a whole list of other important but generally neglected issues. As time went on, the scope of the project stretched far beyond what the organization, and Penberthy, could afford. “After six months, it became apparent that the outlay was more than I could manage alone, and so I formed Mountain Safety Research, Inc. as a vehicle to make and…