Hi there! You know what I realized after I sent the last newsletter? I almost always talk about things I love, things I’m grateful for, or generally optimistic takes on the state of the world on here.

At my core, I’m at optimist—but dig a little deeper and, occasionally, you’ll find something a touch more insidious. I thought I’d use today as an opportunity to introduce you to my inner hater. Reader discretion is advised.

Without further adieu, here’s my list of hot takes and pet peeves, especially as it relates to the outdoors, because we’re nothing if not on-theme for the respective section.

Let me set the stage: It’s a Friday night. After a crazy week, you made it to a place you can proudly call Off The Grid™. The work week is finally over. You’re sitting around a bonfire with a group of people you’re so excited to get to know better over the course of the next 36 hours. You take an big, deep breath of mountain air and let our an audible exhale as your shoulders release.

Cue the record scratch: “Does anyone have cell service?” someone asks. I won’t bother to describe the person asking, because we’ve all been this person one time or another for different reasons. Regardless, this person sucks. Dare I say, the entire point is the whole not-having-cell-service-part? How many opportunities do you get in your day to day life where you’re completely off the grid? I’d venture to guess not many.

Here’s my dream rewrite of the above scenario:

“Does anyone have cell service?” someone asks. *Gunshot*. An anvil falls from the sky, causing you to tumble down a cliff and into a portal that transports you directly back to your desk. Enjoy the cell service.

Disclaimer: This doesn’t apply to chill day hikes with friends. If I’m doing some sort of hike as a way to just get some light exercise and catch up with a friend, I don’t care when we stop or how often. However. HOWEVER! When it comes to longer days where the intent is to push yourself and do something hard, I’m a believer that 90% of the pain you feel during a big hike is just natural aches—and aches that you’ll feel the rest of the day, regardless of whether or not you stop.

Obviously, if you’re nursing a tweaked ankle or any sort of injury, need to recollect yourself to drink water and have a snack, or your dog needs a break, take as much as you need. I just mean when you’re on the back half of a hike, feeling tired, and then every 100 yards or so we’re taking a break. Please do me the biggest favor and get comfortable inside the pain cave. We’re gonna be here for a hot second.

I love the dissemination of information about bindings, touring skis, and boots that’s happened with the influx of ski media over the last 5 years, but dudes in Denver: I’m looking at you when I say this one. If you’re skiing 2 miles and 1.2K of vertical gain on Berthoud or Loveland Pass, you don’t need an ultra light setup—you need to go to the gym.

Save the $1,200 you were gonna drop on a pair of QST Echos and Dynafit Superlite 150+’s and spend $16.49 a month at 24 Hour Fitness. I promise it’s a better long term investment.

You know what all the best mountaineers, skiers, and climbers I know all have in common? Never talking about how sick they are at mountaineering, skiing, or climbing.

Same sentiment for gear. Anyone who dogs on someone else for their bindings, base layers, or whatever they’re using to do their hobby isn’t someone I’m gonna look to recreate with.

These next two are unrelated to the outdoors, but I’m on a hater heater, so why stop now?

My first question: Why? Second question: What did you gain? 37 seconds of your time back that you would’ve used otherwise to…. use your brain?

I get that there are legitimate use cases for AI, most likely in a corporate setting, that make your life easier. That’s fine and dandy; just don’t outsource your creativity to a machine. Your creativity is your humanity.

My personal their, there, they’re. If you’re “apart” you’re separated by a distance; at a specified distance from each other in time or space. If you’re “a part” you’re a piece or segment of something such as an object, activity, or period of time, which combined with other pieces makes up the whole.

If I see another post about how excited someone is to “be apart of this season of Love Is Blind Denver”………..

Here’s a progress update of 20 or so hours into a commission I’m working on. Lots of little details to be added here, but I’m so happy with how it’s coming together.

Also, I think the sunglasses might be my favorite thing I’ve ever drawn. Being able to invert the actual drawing and reflect the helmet, heart rate strap, shoes, and everything back into the sunglasses landscape was so challenging and so rewarding to throw together.

⛷️ Remember when I said it’s ski film tour season in Denver? Here’s a rapid fire list of ski films and show episodes that made their way into my personal zeitgeist over the last two weeks:

🍪 Speaking of skiing, Beaver Creek is holding their annual Cookie Competition on opening day (11/26). My mouth is already watering. Someone with an epic pass please report back.

🏔️ Gwyneth Goes Skiing is doing a limited 6-week run in New York City. I’m begging on my hands and knees for this to either come out on YouTube or come to Denver.

💸 I’ve been thinking a lot about the billboard-ification of influencers, where it feels like influencers and celebrities feel the need to scrap themselves of values and beliefs to essentially create a blank canvas out of themselves so they’re as monetizable as possible. I thought this article said so eloquently what I’ve been chewing on in that regard.

🍿 Is this the greatest monologue of all time? Yes.

PS: this is your friendly reminder that the CAIC starts daily avalanche reports back up on November 1!!! Gird your fuckin’ loins, folks.

- McCall 🌻

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