Last time we caught up with Eric Larsen he had trekked across the North Pole, the South Pole and the climbed Mount Everest all within a single year. Lately, he has spent some time on either end of the world as a polar guide in the Antarctic and a product tester for Terramar in the Arctic. This year he also rang in the 100th anniversary of the first expedition to the South Pole. Things have certainly changed in the last 100 years, but one thing remains: polar climates draw a special kind of person, someone who thrives in nature at it’s most extreme and can’t get enough of its barren beauty.  

We hope you didn't forget about Mother's Day this Sunday! Lucky for you, Backcountry.com offers free 2-Day Shipping on any orders over $50.  Here are some great gift ideas that will make your mom smile this weekend.

Lizzy Hawker is an ultra marathoner whose strength, personal wisdom and sheer endurance have brought her to the forefront of her sport. She also holds a PhD in Physical Oceanography and weaves her commitment to environmental responsibility into her work as a North Face athlete.

Outside Magazine has just released their bi-annual Gear of the Year list.  The products that make the cut undergo “several months of torture-testing the latest crop of rugged cameras, tents, shells, boats, packs, and just about every other piece of gear you need to play outdoors this summer.” Check em out.

Ski resorts are closing up shop for the summer. Are you still thinking about your skis?  Now is the time to start planning your summer trip to South America to catch some mid-summer powder.

Russ Henshaw was the first skier to land a triple cork in competition. He wowed judges at the 2011 X-Games and came home sporting a silver medal. An ACL tear last summer put a kink in his plans, but he made a comeback this season.

Frequent travelers always have to contend with how best to bring along all their necessities; pack too much and you're stuck paying baggage fees, but pack too little and you're wondering how you're going to survive a week without underwear. The AT656's versatile carrying options make it a great choice for a carry-on.

It takes hard work and significant talent to make it to the podium at the X-Games, but standing on the podium for SuperPipe, Big Air and Slopestyle pretty much elevates you to superhuman status. Jossi Wells has done this and more, earning a the title AFP World Champion and ‘Best Freeskier in the World. Find out what else Jossi has going on this season.

Giantnerd is having a sale on all road bikes today, plus an extra 10% off Tommaso bikes when you use the code: TB10.  We decided to boost the value of this deal even more by increasing Giantnerd's cash back to 10%. 

David Portillo from Oviedo, Asturias, Spain won the ActiveJunky.com $1,000 gear shopping spree. The Freeskier Magazine-sponsored contest allowed people to sign up for a chance to win $1,000 in store credit to any of Active Junky's 120+ retailers.