Why doesn’t everyone do this? A few friends got together and bought an old Thiokol tracked vehicle (a snow cat), and gained access to some incredible backcountry skiing terrain in the Uintah Mountains. Our first trip was exactly what you would hope for–lots of untouched powder and steep, fresh territory. While comfortably climbing back up the mountain for another run, the stereo began to crackle. Then the engine shut down. Then smoke. Then fire! Then screaming, cursing and panic as we fumbled around in our ski boots throwing snow on the fire. Luckily we prevented our electrical fire from becoming a forest fire, but suddenly found ourselves stranded 9 miles in the backcountry…which, it seems, is why everyone doesn’t do this. Wait–wasn’t Thiokol also responsible for the Challenger space shuttle disaster?
The Uintah is made with a natural dark taupe, heavy duty 20 oz hemp canvas. You are seeing the natural color of the hemp fiber–no processing or dying with this fabric. The hemp is grown and harvested in rural China, where it grows quickly and plentifully. Hemp is grown naturally without pesticides, is easy on the soil, and is nature’s strongest natural fiber (if you don’t count the spider web).