Overexposure: Chad Sayer’s Life in La Grave
In the La Grave chapter of Chad Sayer’s new book, Overexposure: A story about a skier, Sayers experiments with just how close to the edge he can live before falling off of it.
Backcountry Magazine welcomes Tom Hallberg as Associate Editor
Tom Hallberg brings newspaper chops to his new role at Backcountry Magazine. Backcountry Magazine is excited to welcome Tom Hallberg to its production team as associate editor. The Victor, … [Read More...]
Brighter Skies: How Backcountry Resorts are Changing the Game
Colorado’s Bluebird Backcountry is a fully human-powered ski area, complete with rentals, instruction, guiding and lodges and devoid of chairlifts. In a time of uncertainty and change within the ski … [Read More...]
Mountain Skills: How To Become A Better Ski Partner
“Hey. Great to hear from you. I’m out skiing—with partners—and I’m about to drop into a couloir. I’ll call you tomorrow!” With that, Forrest McCarthy, an Exum Mountain Guide who’s guided from the … [Read More...]
Go Your Own Way: Redefining The Most Important Days of Our Lives
We’d been bushwacking through dense pines for over an hour when we finally reached the snowline. Mt. Lassen loomed thousands of feet above us, patchier than it should have been after a lackluster … [Read More...]
Gearbox: There and Back Again
Five skins for going the distance—and a reglue service to test time, not patience Black Diamond Equipment Ascension The Ascension name dates back to the first North American-made skins … [Read More...]
Gearbox: Packing for Anything
Editors' Choice: Scott Patrol E1 30L The Tech: Available this year in a 30L short length for smaller individuals, Scott’s Patrol E1 relies on the Alpride E1 airbag technology: an electronic … [Read More...]
Gearbox: Five tools for touring on high
Black Diamond Equipment Whippet A pole and an ice axe in one, the Whippet is nothing new to Black Diamond’s lineup. But that’s not to say it isn’t worth its 2 lb. per pair weight (picks … [Read More...]
Gearbox: Ortovox Diract Voice
As an avalanche instructor, I spend a lot of time calling out directions to my students: “Zig-zag until you find a signal! Follow the arrows! Make sure the numbers are going down! Get lower to the … [Read More...]
Mountain Skills: How To Become A Better Ski Partner
“Hey. Great to hear from you. I’m out skiing—with partners—and I’m about to drop into a couloir. I’ll call you tomorrow!” With that, Forrest McCarthy, an Exum Mountain Guide who’s guided from the … [Read More...]
Mountain Skills: Planning a trip to an offbeat location requires more than Google
Chamonix. Hokkaido. Portillo. Certain locations are synonymous with international ski travel, meaning resources for trip planning are as plentiful as some places can be crowded. But what about … [Read More...]
Tools of the Trade: When, where and how to use your ice axe, crampons and rope
Jackson, Wyoming-based internationally-certified guide Mike Poborsky has three basic considerations when planning for a day out: Is the mountain going to fall on him? Will he fall into the mountain? … [Read More...]
The Art of the Sufferfest: How to make the worst ski days into the best memories
Photographer Andrew Strain tests his luck by bringing his date, Alix MacKay, on a bushwacking adventure with a three-inch snow base. [Photo] Andrew Strain So, you want to be a ski mountaineer? … [Read More...]
Travel Wisely: How to safely explore and enjoy the backcountry through a global pandemic
With Covid-19 still spreading across the globe, the only answer to the question, “What happens next?” seems to be “Who knows?” Ski resorts are just one example of a disrupted industry, and while a … [Read More...]
Mountain Skills: Streamline the Ride
The word efficiency gets used excessively these days. Everything has to be more efficient: cars, computers, factories and, yes, even splitboarders. Over the past several years, splitboard technology … [Read More...]
Mountain Skills: Managing Risk and Responsibility
In 2014, SnowSport Industries America (SIA) estimated that there were three million backcountry users out there, and industry professionals started to worry about the repercussions of a crowded … [Read More...]
Mountain Account: Unstable Intuition
In April 2013, photographer Chris Christie and three friends ventured north of Pemberton, B.C. to Sun God Mountain and its popular, steep, north-facing terrain. The group split up, and after observing … [Read More...]
Mountain Skills: Set a Plan and Stick to It
You’ve been playing it safe all day. Even though the avalanche bulletin called out “Considerable” hazard for the day (natural avalanches are possible and human-triggered are likely), you haven’t … [Read More...]
Hips Don’t Lie: How a solid foundation leads to strong skinning
In 2014, when Exum guide and longtime skimo competitor Janelle Smiley entered a hospital for double hip surgeries, she worried she might never skin again. She and her husband Mark, an internationally … [Read More...]
