Kim Havell logs a first female descent on the Grand Teton

Suunto athlete and all around amazing mountaineer, Kim Havell, is on fire. Based out of Jackson Hole, WY, Kim has racked up an incredible list of ascents and descents in Grand Teton National Park and the surrounding mountains this winter. We've been posting about her accomplishments, photos and routes all winter, but her latest feat might prove to be her crown jewel from this winter. Yesterday, May 15, Kim successfully skied the Otterbody Route off of the Grand Teton --making her the first female to do so. It was also her third descent of the Grand in total.

Her partners in this descent included Brian Warren and Pete Gaston.

Kim is still hoping to get some Teton turns in this spring before heading to Norway with Freeskier Magazine at the end of May.  Stay tuned for more reports. In the meantime, check out these amazing photos of the route and what it looked like from her perspective. Enjoy!

Rappelling off of East face into Otterbody snowfield below

California Waters + Kayak = Adventure

We can't get enough of the stories Suunto athlete Ross Herr brings back from his kayaking adventures. We especially love all of the pictures he and his fellow kayakers take along the way, and once again he's shared with us some pretty sweet shots!

Ross checked in with us from sunny California, where he's been paddling some fantastic water. This trip is part of his nationwide campaign to raise $50,000 for First Descents, an organization that puts on adventure programs for young adults who are fighting cancer. To reach his goal, Ross will spend six months kayaking a combined 50,000 vertical feet.

Below is a shot from Ross' trip down the Fantasy Falls on the Mokelumne River, which he deemed, "An epic adventure with all the essentials of a California Classic."

On his blog, Ross had this to say about Fantasy Falls: "We had a map of the area and my Suunto watch with altimeter to track how far we had made it ... One of the craziest parts about Fantasy is how much the river fluctuates throughout the day. We placed a stick in the beach first where the water was when we arrived, then again at the high point from the night. When we woke the level was over a foot lower."
Before Fantasy Falls Ross paddled Dinky Creek, which is "known for having some ultra clean drops, beautiful surroundings and as much challenge as you wanna bite off."

Check out Ross' blog for more about his team's California adventures, including the rescue of a fellow kayaker!
Looks like an awesome trip, Ross -- we can't wait to hear more!

A Big Day On Big Water: Kayaking Big Kimshew

Well, we've definitely got kayaking on the brain today. We just got an update from Suunto athlete and kayaker Ross Herr, and no kidding, we can't stop looking at these pictures!

Ross and his crew just reached the end of a wild ride down the roaring waters of California's Big Kimshew Creek, and we have to admit, we're a little jealous ... it sounds like it was an awesome day to be in a kayak!



"I was so pumped to finally be in the magic of Cali where you can go bigger, slide longer, and stay smiling for miles," writes Ross.

The Colorado-born kayaker is currently on a mission to raise $50,000 for First Descents, an organization that puts on adventure camps for young adults who are fighting cancer. To reach his goal, Ross will spend six months traveling the nation, kayaking a combined 50,000 vertical feet.

You can read more about the Big Kimshew trip here, and be sure to keep watching our blog for more updates on Ross' next adventure!