Base Jumping out of his Subaru with super dog Utah in tow, Matthias - dropped in at I/O Bio HQ’s today for a recharge.  Recharging us that is.  All energy all the time Matthias, had just pulled the plug on a weathered out Volcano ski base-jump on Mt. Rainier...responding with an “Ahhh..Next time!”  and was headed to Europe for some big ski base attempts.  When asked about flights to Europe being shut down...he answered with “Oh, we’re flying to Iceland first!

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Word is that Matthias’s Rainier ski base is on hold due to a soupy forecast.  He’s coming to reload on more I/O BIO tomorrow before flying to Iceland for some ski/base adventures.  We’ll find out more about Iceland, Mt. Blanc and other upcoming super hucks and post a quick interview of Super Frenchie’s adventures after his “always eventful” whirlwind through the office Tuesday.

“Loving the I/O. The I/O Bio gear has been awesome! My favorites are Contact 3/4 Tight and Contact LS Crew. I've been solely wearing the I/O stuff all winter and they are holding up great!” Thanks! Travis. Here’s a review: http://travisscheefer.blogspot.com/2010/04/io-bio-merino.html I/O HUN Team Tester- Travis Scheefer is one of a select few contenders for the podium in the I/O Bio supported Five Peaks Ski Race this weekend in Breckenridge, Colorado.

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Last week, the first ski BASE jump off Ingram Peak, CO went down!

It took us 4 hours to skin up to the cliff and 1hr to scout out the edge. The snow was excellent around the exit point but quite shallow. We tried to pack down a runway but the more we would pack it, the more rocks would poke out... So we decided to just ski it as it is and ski little to avoid catching an edge and tumbling down the face.

It wasn't a sheer drop either so we had to "cheat" by carrying a lot of speed in order to get separation from the cliff and have enough room to open the parachute.

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Travis Scheefer- "My Men's Contact LS Crew Top and 3/4 Tight was perfect under my racing suit at Ski Mountaineering World Championships in Andorra. The teams race was 7,800 vertical feet of climbing over 23km in under 3 hrs! Thanks to I/O Merino for keeping me comfortable." http://www.wildsnow.com/2700/world-championship-ski-mountaineering-randonnee/

aka Super Frenchie, fills up the pages of Skiing Magazine’s February issue….while laying down (some great turns) on the job once again!

Kim Havel- I/O Bio HUN Team Member, Big Mountain / Expedition Skier

"Underneath it all is I/O Bio. Keeps me warm before, during and after powder filled ski tours," Kim.

Skier: Kim Havel
Photo: Casey Day

Here is the sweaty-palm video-link of Matthias Giraud on the Aiguille Croche first descent and ski BASE the day after Christmas 2009:

http://www.skipass.com/articles/saison-09-10/46264-premiere-en-ski-base.php

The video was shot and edited by Nico Favre. The interview is in French but the video has subtitles.

HUN Cyclocross Diva- Amy Dombroski’s name showed up on our online orders over the Holiday weekend, reloading I/O Bio baselayers for the chilly training and racing in Belgium, France and the Czech Republic…in January and February. She has just retreated from a frozen Belgium to England to keep training and stay on the form that put her on the podium at US Nationals and inked her name on the US Cyclocross Worlds Team that will race for all the marbles in Tabor, Czech Republic in February. Her secret- besides thighs of steel? The W’s Contact Top!

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HUN athlete and Cyclocross Diva, Amy Dombroski, took a step onto the box today in Bend, Oregon with her 3rd place finish at the U.S. Cyclocross Nationals. Earning an automatic berth to worlds with the podium finish, Amy D conquered the ice, snow and mud in temperatures hovering at the freezing mark with a little help from her I/O Bio LS Crib. Now go kick some butt in Belgium next week!