Hey everybody, welcome back to Gear 30 on the Blister Podcast Network.

I'm Jonathan Ellsworth, and you can check out everything we're doing and reviewing over at blisterreview.com.

Okay, today we are talking with Rachel and Drew Harding, who are the owners of the Spokane

Alpine House in Spokane, Washington.

This is one of our Blister Recommended shops, and I think you'll understand why after listening

to this episode.

Now, in this conversation, I have a couple personal favorite moments for highlights, and the first has to be, let's just say it, the rather shady circumstances under which Rachel and Drew met, but it's cool. We aren't going to report you, Rachel, to HR or anything like that, because you're really nice. So it's all good. It seems like this

story's had a happy ending and let's just roll with it. Anyway, you guys will see what I mean and

Rachel's probably going to kill me. We also not only talk about that shady introduction,

but we do actually talk about Spokane itself, which maybe you already know about

the ski scene there, but if you don't, Rachel and Drew make a really compelling case for it,

and I know I personally want to get out there soon to check it out.

And on kind of a related note, we talk a good bit about the Alpine House's

major equipment leasing program, which is really cool. And I confess, I wonder if this might be

something that some of the shop folks listening to this episode might be able to implement

in your location. I don't know. And then we also talk about

kids gear, which we don't often do on gear 30. And I don't know, maybe we should change that.

Anyway, Rachel and Drew are terrific and we love what they have going on in Spokane. And so with

that, let's get to our conversation.

And again, apologies, Rachel.

Well, Rachel and Drew, it's great to be with you today. We've just been on a little technological

adventure. So, you know, I think that was kind of a bonding moment for all of us.

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