Please enjoy the Guest Post by Forrest Coots. Find out how the Sherpa 120 Adventure Kit gave him 'Power Anywhere'. "Dwarfed by our overstuffed packs, we slogged into the vast Patagonian landscape. Our packs—heavy with camera gear, personal equipment, tents, cooking supplies, fuel, three days of food, climbing ropes and hardwear—were loaded down to prepare us for the unfamiliar terrain ahead. Had we underestimated this venture? A self supported athlete-filmed project with complete control of concept and film direction… what could go wrong? Just four days prior, our crew—Jason Thompson, Drew Stoecklien, Chuck Mumford and I—had landed at the small rural airport of Balamaceda, roughly 600 desolate miles from the bustling metropolis of Santiago. From here our journey would be dictated by the winds and whims of the Chilean winter. With a little luck and fortune from mother nature our expedition would be a success. We were only beginning to wrap our eager minds around the size and scope of these mountains. Severe and inspiring, the craggy spires, granite walls, deep river valleys and snow-capped volcanoes draw mountaineers, climbers and adventurers alike. The biggest obstacle we soon learned once at base camp was because we were so far south the sun would only get so high in the sky and with the consent threat of a new storm on the horizon we weren’t going to get a ton sunlight. Unable to charge the batteries off the solar panel would spell an end to our project and the months of work getting to this point would have been for nothing. We were equipped with GOAL ZEROs Sherpa 120 kit, it soon became our lifeline between success and failure. Over the next 15 days we would witness the harsh and unrelenting power of Patagonia. Most mornings we wake to the sounds of the hollowing wind with a few sun rays poking through the clouds. Racing to make sure the solar panel was angled right getting the most from the sun and to charge our batteries was an everyday occurrence. But as morning turned to afternoon new storms would blow in, with new rain and snow raging down on our little camp.

Even though we only had a few hours a day of sun each morning, we were able to collect enough solar energy to keep four DSLR cameras rolling non stop capturing the climbing & skiing over the next 15 days. During an expedition like this having reliable power is a must, and in the harsh Patagonia, the Sherpa 120 did everything we needed to keep going.

Finally the barometer rose and leveled out with four days left on the trip, signifying the arrival of our weather window. For three days we climbed and skied beneath the blissful afternoon sun. We skied coveted lines and earned each turn with the patience and perseverance we learned there. On the evening of the third day, our window had passed and the wind had returned. As we skied back to camp, we hoped for just one more day of sun. Our selfish prayers were not heard. Instead, lenticular clouds engulfed the mountaintops and 36 hours of hard rain followed. Our camp was melting and it was time to pull the plug and get the 'hell out of dodge', as they say. The following morning we wake to the alternatively sweet, however brief, sound of snow on the tent walls. It’s better then packing up in the rain. Once again we face our backbreaking dilemma of hauling gear. With packs that took two of us to get on, it turned out to be a long day of slogging in the rain. Seven grueling hours later we arrived back in Villa Cerro Castillo. With only 5,000 Chilean pesos (10 dollars) between us, we made the best of it, buying the best box wine at the store, and raised a toast to a great trip." Interested in learning more about his adventures visit Forrest Coots website.