The North Face Journal

Let's say you've had a down parka from The North Face that you've been wearing for the last ten years. It's kept you warm as you've trekked to remote mountains tops as well as on frigid walks home from the office in the dead of winter. You've got memories with that jacket, you've developed a bond with it. But over time the zipper stops working. Maybe you feel like 10 years is enough time to have got your money's worth from the jacket, but it still seems like a shame to toss a perfectly good jacket because one small part stopped working. If the problem is due to a failure of materials or workmanship, our warranty comes in to keep your jacket from becoming "waste". Instead of throwing it in the trash, just send it back to us.

The North Face warranty department is housed in a 55,000 square foot facility on our campus in California, just a short walk from the main office buildings. As warrantable products come in from our customers, they're identified and sorted before moving on to the repair department. Many of the staff in the department have been with the company for decades—over thirty years for some—and the amount of knowledge they have of the products that come in is astounding. Once in the hands of the repair staff, the magic begins. Because no two repairs are exactly alike, the process is akin to the creation of a custom garment each time. Bags are disassembled and rebuilt with new harnesses, custom zippers are created and installed, old jackets are refilled with down, and 20-year-old tents are re-sealed and fitted with replacement parts. Would it be easier to replace a lot of this stuff? Sure, but that's not the point. The operation keeps waste out of landfills and makes sure that you can continue to use a product that may hold many happy memories.

The department repairs up to 90,000 products a year, products which were originally manufactured at any time in our 50 years of production. That’s 90,000 items that are kept out of the waste stream, which is nothing to scoff at.

A key part of the operation is the enormous stockpile of fabric and hardware that supports the repair work. You can’t patch a jacket from 1998 if you don’t have the fabric that was used to make it in the first place, so the warranty department stocks up on extra supplies for each product that gets released. Walking into the warehouse is not too different from walking into a Costco: Row after row of shelving reaches up towards the ceiling, holding containers of patches, straps, bolts of fabric, and more, all so that the missing snap on your 1997 Steep Tech jacket can be replaced with exactly the right one. We take our responsibility to support our products once they’re put into the world seriously, so extra materials are ordered with each product run to make sure we can repair it properly if the need arises.

If for some reason a product can’t be repaired to like new condition, it gets pulled out of the flow so the owner can be contacted. After all, the product still belongs to the customer and it’s not up to us to take any liberties with it. Often the call is to simply get approval to replace a piece of hardware with a similar one in a different color if the original stockpile has been used up. Sometimes, if a warranted item really is beyond repair, a replacement is worked out with the owner and the damaged product is recycled. In many cases where repair is not possible, the owner asks that we return the item so they can keep it as a memento of their years of backcountry adventure.


In the end, the lifetime warranty is a promise to the customer that we stand behind our product, and it allows us to take care of them in a way that minimizes our impact on the environment by reducing the amount of gear that ends up in the landfill. It’s just one more way we’re working to protect the places where we love to play. [TNF]

Our products are fully warranted against defects in materials and workmanship with a lifetime guarantee.  Footwear holds a limited one-year guarantee.

If your product fails due to a manufacturing defect we will repair it without charge, or replace it, at our discretion. Only original, unaltered and unmodified materials and workmanship are covered by this policy. This warranty does not cover damage caused by accident, improper care, negligence, normal wear and tear, or the natural breakdown of colors and materials over extended time and use. Damage not covered under warranty may be repaired for a reasonable rate and a fee will be charged for return shipping.

The products eligible for warranty are covered to the original owner, for the lifetime of the product.  Unfortunately, this does not mean your lifetime. Your The North Face® sleeping bag may not survive to the ripe old age of 70. (But we have heard from folks whose well-loved and cared for 1973 Superlight sleeping bags are still going strong!)

The same year that the factory opened, The North Face hired a fellow by the name of Mark Erickson after he had applied for a job a mere five times. Beginning as an assistant, Mark was quickly promoted to lead product designer. After persevering through those initial rejections, he went on to design many of the legendary products to come out of The North Face throughout the 70's. Erickson's roommate, Bruce Hamilton, had also been hired as a shop worker and was a Buckminster Fuller devotee. “He was pretty deep into Fullerisms,” Erickson recounts. A recent Vanderbilt graduate with a biology major and chemistry minor, Hamilton had fled west to join the counterculture and protest the Vietnam War. At 21 years old, he started work setting grommets in backpacks for $2.25 an hour. “I had been reading a lot of Buckminster Fuller,” Hamilton confirms, including Fuller’s “World Game” book. Hamilton also attended Fuller’s Pajaro Dunes Conference, and had been corresponding with the legendary genius. “He was a believer in high-tech, but not for war purposes, so that resonated with me,” Hamilton says. He realized that many of Fuller’s concepts, especially those pertaining to geodesics, would have applications for a revolutionary new tent design.

Fuller also had a tangential connection to The North Face through Hap Klopp; a fellow Stanford alumni happened to be family friends with Fuller. While working on an early dome tent prototype, Klopp reached out to Fuller, who responded with some interest. Although he was too busy to take on the project himself, he agreed to meet with some of The North Face staff during the final product design.

“I’ll never forget,” Erickson says. “Bruce and I went down to Santa Monica. We’d heard from one of Bucky’s nephews he was holed up in a beach hotel working on a book—which turned out to be ‘Synergetics’, his classic work. We went out there, and the hotel was this total fleabag place—we weren’t sure we had the right spot. We knocked on the door, expecting a secretary or someone to answer, and instead Fuller himself opens the door. We couldn’t have been more excited, and he couldn’t have been more gracious. So we found a space in the parking lot and put up the Oval prototype. He was like five foot six inches, in khakis, a blazer and Sperry Top-Siders and he gets down on his hands and knees and crawls in our tent like a kid. He was just thrilled, and of course we were too.”

Outdoor Industry Association, Amy Roberts, Executive Director Appalachian Outfitters, Mike & Karen Leffler, Owners Ascent Solar Technologies, Victor Lee, President & CEO Backbone Media, Penn Newhard, Founder & Managing Partner Backcountry, Jonathan Nielsen, CEO Backcountry North, Tracy Mayer, Owner Backwoods Retail, Inc., Jennifer Mull, Owner & CEO Benchmade Knife Company, David Fee, Vice President BioLite, Jonathan Cedar, Founder & CEO Black Creek Outfitters, Joe & Liz Butler, Owners Cascade Designs, David Burroughs, President Chaco, Seth Cobb, President Champaign Surplus, Dan & Shira Epstein, Owners Clif Bar & Company, Kevin Cleary, CEO Columbia Sportswear Company, Tim Boyle, President & CEO Combat Flip Flops, Matthew Griffin, CEO Confluence Watersports, Sue Rechner, President & CEO Dakine, Ken Meidell, CEO Darn Tough Vermont, Ric Cabot, President & CEO Denali, Chris Howe, Owner Diamond Brand Outdoors, Will Gay, Owner Eagle Creek, Roger Spatz, President Eastside Sports, Chris Iversen & Todd Vogel, Co-Owners Exxel Outdoors, LLC, Harry Kazazian, CEO Far Bank Enterprises, Travis Campbell, President & CEO First Lite, Kenton Carruth, Co-Founder and Owner Fishpond, John Land Le Coq, Founder & CEO Flowfold, James Morin, Owner & COO Goal Zero, William Harmon, General Manager Grassroots Outdoor Alliance, Rich Hill, President Great Outdoor Provision Co., Travis Zarins, Owner HipCamp, Alyssa Ravasio, Founder & CEO Ibex Outdoor Clothing, Ted Manning, CEO Idaho Mountain Touring, Chris & Jill Haunold, Owners JanSport, Steve Munn, President Kammok, Haley Robison, CEO Keen, Casey Sheahan, CEO Kuhl, Kevin Boyle, President La Sportiva N.A., Inc., Jonathan Lantz, President Light Speed Outdoors, Brian Cox, CEO Lucy, Laurie Etheridge, President Massey’s Outfitters, Mike Massey, President Mountain Hardwear, Dennis Randall, CMO Mountain Khakis, Ross Saldarini, President Mountain Safety Research (MSR), Chris Parkhurst, Vice President Mountain Works, Inc., Jim Smith, President My Outdoor Alphabet, Seth Neilson, CEO Nemo, Cam Brensinger, CEO New Balance, Rob DeMartini, President & CEO Oru Kayak, Roberto Gutierrez, Founder & CCO Orvis, Perk Perkins, CEO Osprey, Layne Rigney, President Outdoor Research, Dan Nordstrom, CEO Outside Brands / Outside Hilton Head, Mike Overton, CEO Pack & Paddle, John Williams, President Pack Rat Outdoor Center, Scott & Carolyn Crook, Founders & Owners Patagonia, Rose Marcario, President & CEO Peak Design, Peter Dering, Founder & CEO Piragis Northwoods Company, Steve Piragis, Owner Packtowl, Doug Jacot, Vice President Platypus, Doug Jacot, Vice President Point6, Peter Duke, CEO prAna Living, Scott Kerslake, CEO Ramsey Outdoor, Stuart and Michael Levine, Owners REI Co-op, Jerry Stritzke, President & CEO Redington, Travis Campbell, President & CEO Rio, Travis Campbell, President & CEO River Sports Outfitters, Ed McAlister, Owner Roads Rivers and Trails, Emily White, Co-Founder & Owner Rock Creek Outfitters, Dawson Wheeler, Founder Ruffwear, Patrick Kruse, R&D Director & Founder Rutabaga Paddlesports, Darren Bush, Owner & CEO Sage, Travis Campbell, President & CEO SealLine, Doug Jacot, Vice President Simms, K.C. Walsh, President & CEO Skinny Skis, Phil Leeds & Scott O’Brien, Owners Soar Communications, Chip Smith, President Sorel, Mark Nenow, President Stanley PMI, Kelly Kraus, Vice President, Stanley Brand Summit Hut, Dana Davis, President & Co-Owner Sunlight Sports, Wes Allen, Owner Superfeet Worldwide, John Rauvola, CEO Tahoe Mountain Sports, Dave Polivy, Co-Owner Tenkara USA, Daniel Galhardo, Founder The Base Camp, Scott Brown, Owner The Mountaineer, Vinny McClelland, President The North Face, Scott Baxter, Group President The Trail Head, Todd Frank, Owner The Toggery, Trek Stephens, President Therm-a-Rest Brands, Doug Jacot, Vice President Timberland, Jim Pisani, Global Brand President Toad&Co, Gordon Seabury, CEO (& OIA board chair) Trail Creek Outfitters, Ed Camelli & Brian Havertine, Owners Travel Country, Mike Plante, Owner Ute Mountaineer, Bob Wade & Maile Spung, Owners VF Corporation, Steve Rendle, President and CEO Weighmyrack, Allison Dennis, Founder & CEO Western Spirit Cycling, Ashley Korenblat, CEO Woolrich, Inc., Nick Brayton, President Zumiez, Inc., Tom Campion, Founder & Chairman

Although he claims his photos were not very good in the beginning, he caught on fast and began selling images in his second season in Switzerland. However, it was a chance connection with another pilgrim to the Swiss Alps that really catalyzed his career, a then-little-known snowboarder by the name of Xavier de le Rue. Tero and Xavier, along with filmer Guido Perrini, became a tight-knit crew. As Xavier turned into a household name in the international scene, Tero was increasingly busy supplying the media with images: “In the best years, we had, I don't know, 500 photos of Xavier published. It was a full time job to organize them between the magazines. His riding was getting so good, and I was there at the right time.”

How did you develop your skills and learn the trade?

I didn't really take any courses. I read a few books, and what I was doing the most was reading all the ski magazines I could find. That was my school, staring at them for hours.

Were there specific photographers you looked to for inspiration?

There was one guy I was really looking out for, Jancsi Hadik. He used to work a lot here in the Swiss Alps with riders like Gilles Voirol (who died in Bella Coola quite a few years ago), and the Falquet brothers, and I just thought that his style was really, really clean.

How has your own style developed?

I really like scenic stuff. It was difficult in the beginning because people were saying I'm framing my photos way too wide, and there's too much room and the skiers are tiny, but that's how I want to do it. Now I've done that for many years, and I kind of want to go back to the basics and shoot more in the ski resorts and on the slope. More closeup stuff, bring more emotions into the photo.

I remember my first photos in Europe. European magazines were like, "We're looking for closeup shots, we're not interested." And then Nick Hamilton from Transworld, he was still the photo editor, said, "I'm going to publish a few photos like this, it's something a little bit different." Then one year later, European magazines started to run them as well.

What kind of gear do you shoot with?

It's actually pretty simple. Back in the day, I used to travel with all my gear. And then you realize after the trip, "Oh, I only used two lenses." Now it's a lot easier if you know what kind of trip you’re going to do.

I'm a Canon guy, pretty much all the photos I take with a 5D mkIII. From the heli, I shoot with a 24-70mm, or 24-105mm, and then a 70-200mm f2.8. If I have to hike up, then I normally take a 300mm and a 1.4x converter. For really wide angles, I use a 14mm f2.8 because I don't really like the fisheye style. And then 50mm, it depends where I’m going. If I'm hiking I take the 50mm f1.4 because it's a lot lighter and it's still great for the portraits. The one that I really like for the portraits and stuff is a 45mm f2.8 tilt-shift. I don’t use the tilt-shift that much, but I think that lens is really nice quality.

For the lights, I use Elinchrom mainly. I have two Quadras and then I have the Ranger AS, and well, it depends what I'm shooting. I try to travel as light as possible, but it never really happens with flashes.

Do you shoot with light much when you're not in the heli?

Actually, yeah. If I go shoot at a ski resort, I'm really keen to take lights and try to find some easy access spots. Maybe people recognize me more for the big lines and big mountain stuff but personally I think some of my best photos are with the flashes. If I'm traveling, I take just the basics and if I need something extra I rent the stuff.

What keeps driving you year after year?

That's a very good question. There was a moment last spring when I had to stop, because there were all these accidents and I just didn't feel good. My blood pressure started to go down and up. I was uncomfortable with that whole scene, I was just thinking, "My god, if any of this will happen in front of my camera, I don't know how to deal with that." I had to take a little break, a couple weeks, and then I was like, "OK, I can do this."

To be honest, I don't know how much longer I could push on this level, shooting extreme skiing and snowboarding. The more you do that, the more risk you have that something bad will happen. I'm not really scared for myself, because a lot of stuff we do with the heli, but just the fact that you lose someone you know really well. It's not just a rider or skier, it's a friend. I've been super lucky to work with the athletes that are super focused and I can rely on them. I know they're not taking stupid risks, but even then, you never know. You can't say, "OK, let's play safe," if someone is riding a 55° ice wall.

“After watching my footage year after year and realizing ‘I almost got killed there, and there,’ it was like ‘OK, come on,’” he says. “Pushing further and further would’ve been suicidal.” De le Rue, now 37, began selecting his projects more carefully. “Knowing I could lose my life was the best way to feel alive,” he says, “but I decided to pursue my vision of the sport.”

De le Rue has a knack for reinvention. In 2007, he ditched boardercross berms to freeride big mountain faces. That year, “There was a clear moment when it all changed,” he says. “I was filming a video segment near Haines, Alaska, and I jumped a huge cliff that I had never been able to do.” From then on, “I started going full speed and jumping bigger features,” de le Rue says. “I thought, ‘Hey, fuck it; this is the way I ride.’” From 2007 to 2013, he leveled up freeriding with his breakneck descents on near-vertical terrain, and pioneered snowboard mountaineering, scaling alpine routes with ice tools and crampons while his peers rode in helicopters.

Since 2013, de le Rue has invented a drone, expanded his production company, and developed an emergency transponder, which will hit the market soon. And he is still among the most prolific snowboard mountaineers on the planet. “I’ve always wanted to inspire people,” de le Rue says. “That’s what drives me.”

What are your projects this season?

I’m in Switzerland, planning my winter expeditions. I want to traverse the Chugach [mountain range] in Alaska. Alaska is the mecca, so it’s cool to find new locations there.

Last year my wife and I traveled in a camper van for the DIY web-series—I’m continuing it this year. We’re going to Alaska, Japan, and some islands in the Pacific. We’ll meet up with riders in different places, and they’ll show us around. The DIY series is all self-produced and self-shot. It’s the surreal freedom I’ve been dreaming of. In a way, I’ve rediscovered snowboarding.

What does snowboarding mean to you now, compared to five or ten years ago?

When I was young, it was all about charging. Later on, it became a tool to learn about myself and understand life—to explore in a deeper way.

It puts me in extreme situations way beyond my comfort zone, close to death. I have to hold my emotions together, work hard, and know my values and weaknesses—which makes me understand who I am.

How do you approach your big mountain projects?

I always try to imagine the worst case scenario when I analyze lines. The mountain will always trick and surprise you. If you envision the worst, you can react without thinking when bad things happen. I was in a huge avalanche ten years ago, and I’ve become stricter and more paranoid. I rarely allow myself to get stoked, because if I’m slightly freaked out, I stay focused.

How does mountaineering enhance your snowboarding?

I’ve always looked toward the mountains that are inaccessible. I’ve been climbing full-on for many years now. Mountaineering is a tool, it’s a way to explore.

I love it—being on the ridges, navigating tricky passages—when you hike your line, you really feel the mountains. A strong connection builds. Then when you ride, there’s a different feel and you really understand what’s around you.

If I had a choice, snowboard mountaineering is all I’d be doing. I love being outside, away from civilization.

The Himalayas have always made me dream, but I don’t want to go for a month and only ride two lines. The elevation scares me—I hate that I could die because of physiological factors like altitude.

What is the next evolution in snowboard mountaineering?

I’ve never seen anyone mix mountaineering, freestyle, and freeriding, each at a high level. Some people are good at two of those, but not all three.

Jeremy Jones and I decided to become professionals, but there are guys in Chamonix who aren’t famous but ride every day, living the dream, who are crazy good alpinists. Jonathan Charlet, Julien Herry, and Davide Capozzi are also really good.

You’ve ridden dangerous lines since 2013—so you’re not giving up big mountain descents?

I don’t feel any pressure to charge, but if it’s the perfect conditions, I go for it. I just don’t feel like I have something to prove, you know what I mean? I think it’s an evolution—getting older and wiser. I was in progression mode when I was young: I was pushing the limits of big mountain snowboarding, and it was thrilling.

You’re known for riding faster than most big mountain freestyle snowboarders—what’s your secret?

Competing in boardercross perfected my technique. Going fast became natural, so when I started freeriding it was easy. I don’t try to go fast, that’s just my experience and personality.

The first time I competed in a freeride event, people told me I was going way too fast. I tried to slow down for years, and then after jumping that cliff near Haines, Alaska, in 2007, I got the fire.

What’s your dream expedition?

I have some ideas for the Kuril Islands [off the coast of Russia]. I want to go there in a small boat—we’ll see, there’s a lot of ice there. Honestly, it’s hard to find places that can compete with Antarctica. I haven’t found anywhere that beats it, but I’ve found new methods for exploring.

Will you ever hang it all up?

Oh yes, for sure; it’s part of my life plan. I love the DIY film project because I get to go out like a normal person. It feels natural, and at the end of the day, that’s what I love. After this winter, I think I’ll do less and less films. I’ll slowly fade towards having the life I’ve been dreaming of—just surfing, climbing, mountaineering and snowboarding. [TNF]

All images by Tero Repo

Let’s start with how you got into painting. Were you always an artist?

Well, I'm 35 now and I started to paint pretty late. I was 27 and I started out of the blue. I just needed it. My first drawing was really a piece of shit. But now I feel so happy that I started. I wish I could go back in the past to start earlier, but it is how it is.

Did you start using photos as your background at the beginning, or did that start later?

It was later. The first thing I was doing was just painting on everything: canvasses, pieces of paper. With photos, it was something like two or three years later. This Vice magazine was right next to me and I started to paint. I checked the contact inside and sent it to the guys from Vice. They replied really fast and said, "This is sick, do you want a subscription?" And as I was really into skateboarding, I did the same, I painted on a couple magazines, and sent it to people from those magazines. Now I receive something like 35 magazines from all around the world every month.

How did you get into skateboarding and snowboarding?

I remember when I was five or six, my brother and I used to just ride on our knees. I didn't know what I was doing, but it was sick. I really started to skate when I was 13, and it became everything. All the passion I have today, all the influences I have today are from the skate world.

Snowboarding was a year later. I love snowboarding, but if you want to go you need time, you need money, you need a car, you need snow, you need a lot of stuff. What I love with skateboarding is that it's accessible to everybody. But I love snowboarding too. I wish I could just snap my fingers and go snowboarding.

So when you have a photo, how do you decide how to paint your characters on it?

You know, I'm obsessed with my characters. I dream about them all the time. It's funny, because before I was drawing I used to have a lot of nightmares. Monsters were trying to eat me or kill me. When I started to paint, it was gone. So I felt like it was really deep inside. Now when I see a photo, I just need two seconds to know what I'm going to do. If I don't see something in two seconds, it's not for me.

I've painted maybe on 2000 photos and, I'm not kidding, no photographer has come back to me and said, "What are you doing with my photo?" I think they understand that I respect the photo and I respect the photographer. I just want to add a couple of guys. It's a way to put myself there and see what happened. I'm a dreamer, you know? I wish I could be there in these mountains, so it's instinct.

What do you do besides art and skateboarding?

Traveling, traveling is everything. This year, we took probably 100 different flights. I used to say that art is an excuse to travel. Because traveling is not just going somewhere to have a good time, traveling is to get something you that you don't have and it's to meet different people and that's what I love. Through this process of meeting people you get something special and you can keep creating. So it's vital for me, it's really important.

At The North Face we’ve been talking a lot about this idea that what is crazy for one person is totally normal for another. Are there people who think your lifestyle is crazy?

In the Northern Hemisphere, it is true that the north face is usually colder and icier than the other faces of a given mountain. On both a daily and yearly basis, the northern side receives less sunlight and spends more time in the shadow, giving snow and ice a greater chance of remaining year-round. A group of climbers planning an approach from the north side of a peak may need to prepare and equip themselves for rock, snow, and ice in the span of a single day. Even if the conditions aren’t particularly treacherous, frosty toes and a lack of sunlight have a way of adding psychological difficulty to any northern approach.

But the north face is characterized by more than just colder temperatures and an increased chance of snow and ice on the surface. Although we tend to think of mountains as eternal figures, towering over the surrounding landscape forever, the fact is that they change dramatically over time. According to Hayden Miller, a climber and geochemistry PhD student at Caltech, "Physical weathering is the principle driver of our most dramatic mountain landscapes". That is to say, the mountains that we love to play on are constantly being sculpted by erosion from sediment that is carried by water and ice.

One major cause of physical weathering on steep faces comes from temperature fluctuations in the rock, says Miller. As the temperature goes up and down, any water or ice found in the rock expands and contracts, and will eventually cause the rock to collapse, crumbling away to create a slope with a more gentle angle. Over thousands of years, steep slopes that receive more sunlight are slowly massaged by the freeze and thaw cycle to become less and less extreme, while northern faces remain steep and can even be held together by permafrost that acts like glue.

On the other hand, Miller points out, a more extreme force for erosion is glaciation. Glaciers are a very effective tool for carving steep, shear faces, becoming particularly forceful where the headwall of a glacier comes in contact with steep terrain. While their colder nature makes north faces less susceptible to the effects of the freeze and thaw cycles, it also means that glaciers are more likely to form on their flank. Since the Northern Hemisphere has experienced more glaciation than the Southern Hemisphere in recent history (recent meaning the last 2.58 million years!), glaciers have had a profound impact on the mountains that we love to explore so much.

Before opening this brick and mortar shop, “The North Face” was essentially a collection of gear that Doug found while he scoured army surplus stores and European mail order catalogs, looking for well-built, minimalist outdoor equipment. At that time in the U.S. it was difficult to find gear made for serious outdoor pursuits—the term backpacking hadn’t yet entered the American lexicon—so he started selling his extra finds to friends. As word spread, it became clear that what started as a project of necessity was quickly becoming something much bigger. With a few thousand dollars, Doug rented a small space tucked between the bars and coffee shops in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco where the legendary party was held. It quickly became a cultural hub for climbers and adventurers with an in-house museum of historic hardware donated by Valley climbers, and its own guide service.

Behind both the shop and The North Face brand was a guiding ethic defined by Doug in a 1966 mail-order catalog, a sentiment that continues to guide the company today:

“It is our express aim to help people equip themselves with the most practical gear to fit their needs and reduce over-equipping. In a sport, which is sacred to those who have taken it up in an attempt to get away from the crowded city, to prove themselves hearty for a difficult climb, or to feel the enjoyment of walking and carrying their own loads with them, the equipment manufacturers and retailers should not try to reduce the standards to the lowest common denominator. We will always aim to provide adequate and practical items to those interested in mountain sports.”

A few months after the initial rager, a young Steve Miller and his band played a gig at the North Beach store. The show came on the heels of a second The North Face store opening in Palo Alto, just a short trip south of San Francisco. All things considered, Doug’s vision was a certified cultural and business success.

Perhaps it was the whirlwind of a year spent building a brand and partying with Beats—or maybe it was simply the pull of the mountains—but 12 months after he opened the doors, Doug sold The North Face and left to pursue his dream of skiing competitively. While it might sound like a strange decision to sell off a company that was in the throes of a wild upswing, those closest to Doug saw the decision as inevitable for a man who valued his time in nature above all else.

Under the reins of a young Stanford Business School graduate, Kenneth ‘Happ’ Klopp, the brand headquarters crossed the bridge to settle in Berkeley. Klopp and his business partner, Jack Gilbert, began manufacturing gear in the back of the new store. Two years later, in 1970, the pair opened The North Face’s first factory in a warehouse—the space was shared with Creedence Clearwater Revival, who practiced in an adjacent room.

A moment’s pause, to use the washroom, to think. But he misses the turn and instead walks out a side exist of the bar. He is on the street. It is night. Late night.

He is confused, disoriented. He starts running. South. Away from the bar; away from that place. The man is accomplished, but he is not happy. He drives a nice car, lives in a nice house. The man is miserable.

South he continues running. His pants become burdensome, so he removes them. Liberating. The man is in his underwear. He is not a runner. Not now, at least. Used to be, his younger self. Used to love running. Running was freedom. Running made him feel alive. He hadn’t felt alive in years. Tonight he felt alive.

He would run 30-miles tonight, to commemorate his birthday, he decided, in that moment of reflection. But he is not a runner; he is drunk.

He doesn’t stop. Soon the city lights disappear. He keeps running. And running. And running…

All night he runs. The stars are out. The sky is bright. For the first time in years he can actually see. For the first time in years he can actually feel his skin tingling and his soul stirring. The running is painful, but it does not hurt.

He keeps running, and running, arriving the next morning at a different township, one 30-miles away from where he began. He is sober now. Very sober. He is sore and blistered and chaffing, and very, very content.

The sun is coming up. The man calls his wife. Collect. From a payphone. From a payphone outside a 7-Eleven. Wife is relieved. He is safe. He loves his wife. Loves her dearly. They were high school sweethearts. His first love, she was. His only love. Wife drives to retrieve man, no questions asked. They talk on the ride home.

Something is swirling. Something dramatic. Wife senses this. The conversation is cut short, however. Man abruptly passes out in front seat mid-sentence, drooling slightly, from his mouth, the corner. His job. His corporate job. His corporate job with healthy stock options, liberal bonus plan, 401K matching and fancy company car; what about these things? What about this job? It wasn’t a bad job, it was a good job. There was nothing wrong with this job, it just wasn’t right for this man.

So he resigns.

Apologizes to his boss. He is a good employee, a valued employee, well liked and a hard worker. But now he is going to be a runner. He says goodbye. He is going to run. But not just anywhere, he is going to run in strange and remote places, long-distances along isolated trails in every imaginable weather condition earth can serve up. Snow, sleet, hail, mist, fog, rain, and sun. Sometimes lots of sun. Sometimes sun so hot bread toasts, eggs can be fried on the pavement. This is his new life. This is how the man now lives.

To be honest, it's something that I think a lot about myself. Is this a career? Is it silly for me to pursue these goals potentially at the detriment of developing a more traditional job trajectory? When I'm too old to compete or if I get a serious injury, what will I do with my life? These questions take up a lot of headspace in all professional athletes. When people look at me like I'm mad, it's hard not to be insecure about my life choices and the direction I'm headed.

But when I ask myself honestly why I pursue this life, the answer is easy and intuitive. Because it's truly what I love to do. Because it's what motivates me everyday. Ever since I can remember, I've dreamt of being a professional athlete. When I was little, I wanted to be a quarterback in the NFL. In high school and college, I was obsessed with lacrosse. At the same time, I've always been a mountain person and have enjoyed being out in the wilderness for long periods of time. Luckily, and completely by chance, I found my calling in endurance sport and have been able to achieve my childhood dream through running—one of the few sports that didn't interest me as a kid. The mix of competition and exploration perfectly fits my personality.

Am I A Boulderer?

Statistically, a lot of you are going to be boulderers. The minimal gear makes this the most accessible form of climbing—a pair of shoes and some chalk are all you need to get going.

At its heart, bouldering is all about finding the hardest way up a chossy little nugget that was once attached to a real mountain. Because the goal is trying very hard for a very short time it’s fair to think of bouldering like sprinting—but without the cardio. If you’re into things like getting yolked, pantomiming, resting, and overtraining then you’re most likely a boulderer.

Am I A Sport Climber?

If getting yolked and training piqued your interest but you’d prefer to climb higher than 15ft off the ground then you might be in the right place. Sport climbing—often called ‘leading’ in the gym, but that can be, well, misleading—relies on quickdraws (those hook things) to keep you from falling to your doom.

It’s cool because instead of climbing to the top of a cliff, you stop at an arbitrary point and lower off. Why stop before the top, you ask? Because this is climbing, not hiking. Try to keep up. Plus, you might get into the Olympics. So, there’s that.

Am I A Trad Climber?

If you’re under the age of 50, probably not. But hey, you’re here so let’s just make sure. Trad(itional) climbing is what a lot of people who don’t climb think all climbing is because they’ve seen Cliffhanger. Generally, it’s defined by the use of passive protection—stuff you jam in cracks to secure the rope and take out when you’re done—rather than bolts.

Those cracks will be where you spend a lot of your time, jamming your hands, feet, legs, arms—literally whatever—into constrictions and hanging the entirety of your mass from them. It hurts, sure, but your shoes will be pretty comfy.

Ok, Now What?

That’s it—simple, huh? All that’s left now is to strut into your local gym tomorrow and proudly take your place amongst your new tribe—trad climbers, check the saunas for yours. Introduce yourself and then start watching and listening.

No class, book, or magazine will ever teach you more about being a better climber than a better climber can. It’s called mentorship and it’s worked for centuries. Get into it!

Oh, and one more thing. This is important. Whether you’re a pebble wrestler, rope weenie, or geriatric/old-soul, do not get suckered into Alpinism. Inevitably, you’re going to see Meru and think ‘That’s what I want to do!’ But the thing is, it’s much too cold. You’ve been warned. [TNF]

“Overall, I would spend two days a week in the gym, building strength, power and agility in the major muscle groups of the lower body and core,” says Wolfe. This will help get the most out of your first days on the hill, and lessen the temptation to pack it in after the first quad-searing run. Be sure to include flexibility and balance work in your routine as well, to avoid injury.

“It’s fine to lift heavy, if you know what you’re doing,” he adds, recommending classic lifts such as squats, deadlifts, and lunges, which translate into power on the snow, as well as core work (including the lower back) to bring it all together. Wolfe also recommends plyometric and agility work, especially single-leg agility drills that will help you identify any weaknesses before they become injuries.

In addition to the days in the gym, spend at least one day a week in recovery with plenty of foam rolling and stretching, and mix in a few days of running, hiking, or mountain biking to build fitness and keep things fun.

In addition to weightlifting, here are some bodyweight exercises that can help get you ready for the snow:

Pulse Squat: The pulse squat emulates the natural movements of the body as it absorbs bumps in the slope. With your feet shoulder width apart and your weight rooted in your heels, lower into a squat position. Instead of returning to a standing position, lift halfway and drop back to a squat, alternating continuously for 30 seconds.

Oblique twists with medicine ball: Use this exercise to strengthen your core and improve your turning. Sitting on the floor, hold a medicine ball, plate, or dumbbell out in front of you. Lean back slightly and lift your feet off the floor. Flexing your core muscles, rotate back and forth and touch the weight to the floor on either side of you.

Pull-ups: Focussing on your legs and core doesn’t mean you should totally neglect your upper body. Pull-ups keep your back strong and will help with balance too. It’s a pull-up, how much instruction do you need? Grab a bar and pull up. Good form is crucial, so use assistance if you can’t get to the bar without flailing

Plyometric push ups: No matter how good you are, you’re going to fall eventually. These explosive push ups help prepare your upper body to absorb the impact of falls on the snow. This move is performed like a regular pushup, but with an explosive upward motion to drive your body off the floor and catch some air. Bonus points if you can clap. Catch your weight on your hands again and slowly lower yourself back to the starting position

Calf raises: Moreso for snowboarding, a long traverse can leave your calves cramping up if you’re not ready for it. Stand on one foot, balance on the ball of your foot, lift your heel up off the floor and set it back down again. Repeat 20 times and switch sides

There are many signals that are released during running to signal and prepare the body for activity. The first thing that happens is stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, which releases the neurotransmitter epinephrine. The influx of epinephrine prepares the body for flight or fight; heart rate and blood pressure increase to bring blood to the working muscles, glucose and fatty acids are mobilized to provide energy, breathing rate goes up, and we start to heat up.

During running, the muscles require oxygen to release energy. To get to the working muscles, oxygen travels through the body by way of the arteries. This process starts with the lungs: we breathe in and oxygen enters the lungs where it binds to red cells in the pulmonary blood vessels. Oxygen is then transported through the body to the muscles and tissues, where it is taken up for energy production.

The body has three main energy systems. When we first begin a muscle contraction, the body will use the stored energy, ATP, within the muscles. This stored ATP is only able to fuel the first couple seconds of exercise. The next system, anaerobic glycolysis, takes over and can supply the body with additional energy to fuel the activity for up to two minutes. This system is referred to as anaerobic glycolysis, because it does not require oxygen to break down glucose to yield ATP. Since anaerobic glycolysis is limited as well, another type of glycolysis called aerobic glycolysis can also break down glucose to fuel activity. The aerobic glycolysis works in combination with another aerobic system, the citric acid cycle, which uses fat and byproducts shuttled from aerobic glycolysis to produce ATP. Still with me? I know, metabolism is super complex! Just know that all three systems work in harmony to adequately fuel the activity. Still, after one and a half to two hours of activity, stored energy supplies in the body start to diminish and we have to supplement to continue moving at the same intensity. Otherwise we hit the proverbial wall.

Digestion and absorption are complex physiological processes in the body. Normally, food is consumed, broken down in the stomach, absorbed across the small intestine, and enters the bloodstream, where nutrients are carried to the liver and sent out to via the blood vessels to the body.

There are three types of macronutrients: carbohydrates, fat, and protein. All three nutrients are essential to health and optimal functioning of the body. While running, carbohydrate and fat are the primary sources of fuel. Your body uses both carbohydrate and fat, with the amount depending on the intensity of the run. Although many nutrition fads exist, it’s important to understand how metabolism works to provide sports nutrition recommendations. Unfortunately there is a lot of misinformation floating around that is largely based on anecdotal evidence. To best fuel your body during races and long training runs, focus on simple carbohydrates found in sources like gels and sports drinks

To maximize your ability to utilize fat, make sure to run your distance and long runs at an appropriate intensity. The biggest mistake new runners make is running their easy and long runs too fast! Slow down and enjoy the views! Save the fast running for your hard workout days. Protein is not used as a fuel during exercise, but is important for literally all functions in the body, such as signaling, sending messages, building and repairing, and much more. It’s important to consume protein on a regular basis, but focus on quality protein. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not actually difficult to get enough protein. In fact, most Americans overconsume protein. However, endurance athletes require slightly more protein due to the constant breaking down and building up of tissues. Just make sure to vary your sources so you get everything you need.

I didn’t know it at the time, but as a kid I grew up with a thirst for adventure. I think it was a combination of upbringing and geography that made me that way. I was raised in the Northeast, a place that as a climber and skier can leave you feeling rather frustrated at times. So being in a family of outdoor types we did what you do when you have school vacation and you live in New England: We piled into the family Caravan and ventured west.

By the time I was 16, we had seen nearly all 50 states as a family. But with a fresh driver’s license in hand, I had a whole new list of places I wanted to explore. And a whole new list of adventures I could share with my friends and family when I got home.

And that’s how I found photography.

Photography for me has always been about storytelling — sharing adventures from the road with my friends and family back home. To say that I fell into my “career” as a photographer would be an understatement. Some would call it dumb luck (I’d like to say it was artistic genius), but for the last ten years I’ve traveled the globe chasing the world’s best outdoor athletes in some of the most amazingly awesome environments on the planet. From the tip of South America (and the tip of Africa, too) to the Arctic Circle, the art of photography has literally taken me around the world and back again.

Of all of the projects I get to work on, having the opportunity to shoot with The North Face is my favorite. When I tell folks what I do for a living, they always ask: “What’s your favorite photograph you’ve taken?” And while they are all special, I’m not ashamed to say I have my favorites. So with that in mind, here are five shots that I will never forget.

Sept 20, 2007: Cat’s Ears Spire, Shipton Spire, and The Flame — Trango Towers, Pakistan

My first expedition with The North Face was a six-week trip to the Baltoro region of Pakistan — specifically the Trango Towers — with Cedar Wright and Renan Ozturk.

Like any good adventure, this one started as soon as I stepped off the plane in Islamabad. I know now that what happened is called getting “Cedar’ed,” but essentially pretend that you stepped off a plane in a foreign land expecting to meet up with your local contact — except your local contact was really 1,000 miles away and wasn’t told (by Cedar) that you’d be arriving. Renan and Cedar had flown in earlier, but forgotten to pay their sat phone bill so they were completely unreachable. Luckily, through good fortune and helpful locals I navigated the weeklong approach to our alpine basecamp only to find Cedar and Renan going stir-crazy, where among other things they had sat in the rain convincing themselves they had been kicked off the TNF team.

A few weeks of alpine gnarliness ensued, and while those images were great for the story that came from the expedition, this black-and-white image of these massive granite spires has always been one of my favorites I’ve ever shot.

March 5, 2008: Emily Harrington Climbing in Yangshuo, China

These days going sport climbing in China is a pretty popular thing to do, but six years ago not many Westerners had visited the incredible limestone climbing in Yangshuo. With a motley crew of TNF athletes — James Pearson, Lisa Rands, Emily Harrington, and Cedar Wright — we explored and established new climbs all over the region. I shot images for a month straight, but my favorite was this one of Emily, shot the first morning of the first day.

August 31, 2013: Rory Bosio Winning the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc

In the past five years I’ve spent more time in Chamonix, France, than almost anywhere else in the world. In a lot of ways it feels like a second home. The end of summer is always marked by the running of the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, a 100-plus-mile race around the Mount Blanc massif that has become one of the world’s biggest ultrarunning events. Every year I meet up with The North Face ultrarunning team and I spend the weeks leading up the race documenting their training and preparation for the event. The access to epic shooting locations in Chamonix is unparalleled and every year we manage to see a new side of the Alps that I never knew existed. The athletes have become my good friends due in large part to this annual pilgrimage, but what made last year so freaking cool was watching Rory run the race of a lifetime. Not only did she beat her nearest female competitor by more than TWO HOURS, she came in 7th place overall. It was a feat in athleticism that was on par with any Olympic champion — and being there to document it, as she crossed the finish line, was truly special.

February 23, 2009: Renan Ozturk in the Torre Valley — Patagonia, Argentina

There are mountains in the world that I dreamt about traveling to during those road trips across the US in my youth — and Patagonia was one of those places.

When the opportunity came about to join Renan and Cedar again I dropped all my plans to make it happen. As many people know, a lot of your time in Patagonia is spent waiting for the weather to clear … and often it changes without notice. Such was the case on our expedition, where we had spent close to two weeks waiting for the clouds to leave the classic granite spires above the town of El Chaltén where we were based. Then while walking back to our apartment early one morning, after a long night of “disco” with the locals, we saw the peaks clear as day. We immediately packed our bags and hiked through the night to get to basecamp in hopes we could climb. Watching the sun rise as we walked across the Torre Glacier was an all-time experience, and when Renan leaned down to sip from a pool of glacier water, with Cerro Torre towering above, the night of disco was a long forgotten memory. There’s just so much story in this image. I love it.

June 29, 2009: Alex Honnold — Alone on the Ledge — Half Dome, Yosemite

I’ve been on a dozen different climbing adventures with Alex over the past several years, but none is more memorable than this moment.

How did you get into photography and snowboard photography specifically?

I grew up in Southern California, 45 minutes from the beach, 45 minutes from the mountains in the Inland Empire, nowhere special. I started surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding at a pretty young age. Snowboarding kind of just resonated a little bit more. My crew of friends would go to Bear Mountain all the time and film each other and as it progressed we started getting better. I moved to Mammoth right after high school and ended up blowing my knee out super bad in the first year. I had a pretty burly knee brace on but still wanted to be on the mountain for the remainder of the season. I did film class in high school and my mom was an art teacher, and I still wanted to be out there with my friends, so I'd take the chairlift out and slowly make my way down the park to a feature. I'd just shoot photos to be on the hill and a part of everything. I got surgery eventually and transitioned back into riding, but I just wasn't feeling right in my knee and it really messed with my head, so I started shooting more. A shop ended up using one of my photos for their catalog and paid me $50 and I was like, "That's really cool, I want to keep doing this." I ended up working for this website around 2007 or 2008 and they paid me to go shoot events and contests, so I really learned my skills by going to the X Games and US Open. I would see these different photographers that I looked up to shooting these events. I'd see where they were shooting from and see their photos later and it was really helpful to learn how to generate a story.

Eventually I moved from Mammoth to Salt Lake and moved into powder and away from these contests.

Since you started shooting in the backcountry, how has your style developed?

I can look at a snowboard magazine and nine times out of ten I can tell who shot the image just because I know their style, I know how they shoot. A big thing for me was thinking about how I could develop my style. It was in my head for the longest time. I shoot pretty loose, I try to get a scenic image that would be great even without a rider in the shot. I really enjoy the storytelling aspect too, which is why I gravitate to these adventure stories, working with The North Face, looking for those in-between moments. A lot of people, when they go on heli trips, they just focus on the action. When I go on these trips, at the end of the day, I want to have a story that’s more photojournalism style. So my style is to tell a story with a couple of images.

What is some of the behind the scenes labor that goes into getting the shot?

You’ve got to have patience, that's the biggest thing I've learned. You've got to be ready to wait. Especially in Alaska. You can go up there and wait for days without getting anything, and then on one day you can score multiple magazine covers, whole ad campaigns. But it's very rare that it comes together, so patience is a huge thing. I really love being able to tell the story of that whole process in images.

Is it hard to maintain a unique style in the snowboard world?

In Utah there are a lot of photographers who just go to their same spots and 90% of the images look the same: Your standard pow shot with a blue sky, powder canvas and someone making a turn...

It definitely pushes you to get creative. Especially these days with everyone shooting photos and everything online, it's really hard to get a unique photo. Communicating  with who you're working with is really important too, having them trust your judgement.

Is that what drives you to keep progressing and exploring new ideas?