John S., Family Ambassador Truth be told, I didn’t leave home without my Tubbs snowshoes. They were in the 50 pound bag of gear I checked on a flight from Seattle to Phoenix. Yes, Phoenix. As in Arizona. The plan was to snowshoe/climb Humphrey’s Peak, the highest point in Arizona. It’s over 12,000 feet …
Our family is committed to the fight against breast cancer. It began about 10 years ago when a dear friend was diagnosed. Then another. Then a cousin. Amazingly, we’ve never lost anyone. I credit the incredible advances in awareness, early detection, and improved treatment. So does the American Cancer Society. Deaths from breast cancer have …
I’ve been snowshoeing for about 10 years. I’ve seen a lot of different styles and brands of ‘shoes in that time. Over the last couple of years I’ve been pretty Tubbs-centric, as you might expect of an ambassador. I figured it was high time I take a look around and compare the latest and greatest …
While the Polar Vortex has most of the U.S. in a deep freeze and some places are getting feet of snow, the West has only 25-50% of its normal snowpack. Snoqualmie Pass, an immensely popular ski resort 50 miles east of Seattle has only 10″ of snow and is more than a month behind its 75 year …
The biggest challenge in picking snowshoe trips for the family is balancing epic views with not-necessarily-epic capabilities. To be sure, I can snowshoe a wee bit farther than my six year old son. At least for now, I’m the most capable. Throw in a couple of grandparents and suddenly it’s not looking good for views. …
I used to hear the phrase, “There are only so many hours in the day,” and think, “No kidding. I wish I could find time for snowshoeing.” The problem is that we snowshoers are diurnal thinkers. It only makes sense since snowshoeing takes place between 8am and 4pm, right? Outside those hours it’s dark and …
One of the most frustrating aspects of being an avid snowshoer is waiting for the season to begin. I’m not a patient guy to begin with and seeing other parts of the country (I’m looking at you, Colorado and Utah!) getting snow while the Pacific Northwest is just rain makes me want to sit in …
-John S. Kids/Family Ambassador People have often asked me what I do as a Tubbs Ambassador when there’s no snow. What a silly question! Here in the Northwest, there’s always snow somewhere. You might just have to work for it. In the first week of July the hardworking crews in Mount Rainier National Park have …
Name: John S Where did you grow up? Western Washington, in a rural setting with horses and birds and nine acres to explore. Where do you live now? Western Washington, at the foot of the Cascades. 3 things we should know about you? I’m a dad first, husband second, adventurer third. We have three …
Way back in 2003 I took my first steps into the dark world of nightshoeing. At that point, I’d been snowshoeing for about a year and I did day hikes as well as the occasional backpacking trip. Certainly, I was not an extreme adventurer and my wife was only outside when I dragged her along. …