Worth a Watch 📺 ✨
Party Lap
Bleary eyed and brimming with child-like joy as flakes fell past the window in front of me, I opened my computer. Perhaps because the falling snow left me wishing I could opt out of work, curl up on the couch—cup of cocoa in hand—and read until it was deep enough to ski, or maybe because the temps have finally dipped and that first step out of bed is that much harder to take, the morning was starting slow.
Though the first glimpse of my email inbox is generally a reluctant one, when my Gmail loaded this morning, my eyes caught on the second subject line, which read, “WEAK LAYERS MOVIE TRAILER DROP!” Grinning, I clicked on the line, then the link, and waited for the video to load.
Weak Layers is skier, entertainer and leisure athlete Katie Burrell’s latest project. I’ll admit, I’m a fan. After following her steady stream of humorous content, and since writing an article on her for Issue 153, The Core Issue (grab a copy if you haven’t already 😁), I’ve waited for this exact news: trailer drop. It didn’t disappoint. Now I’m counting down the days until it hits theaters. It’s not every day you see industry folks starring in and directing a feature-length film for the blockbuster big screen.
Greta Close
Associate Editor/Community Manager
P.S. Mallory Duncan’s short film with 4FRNT is also awesome, unique and powerful, and it just won Banff Film Festival’s Best Film: Snow Sports Award. It’s worth a watch, too. Check out both (and more) below.
What’s on Your Coffee Table?
Are you a collector? Do you have a favorite issue? Snap a photo with it and tell us why in a few words—send it to greta@backcountrymagazine.com—and we’ll share it in our newsletter and on social media!
Get The CORE ISSUE
Subscribe today and start your subscription with the The Core Issue, No. 153. It’s a shout-out to steep-skiing legends, leisure athletes and everyone in between. An ode to the passion for surfing the perfect turn. An argument against competitively logged Strava lines. And a look at the family ties that bring us back to the mountains.
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Stories |On Hold: Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Says No to Smuggs’-Stowe Connector
After plans for a proposed gondola between Smugglers’ Notch Resort and Stowe Mountain Resort were leaked to the public this summer, the contested project is now on hold due to opposition from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.
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The Scene: How To Observe Your Surroundings
While sometimes what you see on the ground lines up with the forecast, the backcountry is a constantly changing environment. Forecasters’ predictions don’t always come true, so it’s on you to confirm them in the field.
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The Future of The Fifty: Cody Townsend Considers What’s Left to Accomplish
After completing 40 out of 50 of North America’s most iconic ski lines, Cody Townsend is rethinking how he wants to complete the final descents.
Gear
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Editors’ Choice Splitboard Boots
Whether you’re on the bootpack, split skiing or setting a skintrack, these two boots cater to your backcountry needs.
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Editors’ Choice Ski Boot Reviews
From four buckles to Boas to cables, these Editors’ Choice boots cater to all types of missions—pillow stomping, 4,000 feet of vert and more.
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Editors’ Choice Splitboards
Though these splitboards are meant for the skintrack, you can rest assured this year’s field features boards meant to slash, butter, ollie or straight line all over your favorite alpine playground.
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Editor’s Choice Ski Reviews
Whether you’re chasing first descents, fresh powder or your first tour, these skis are built to get you there.
MORE GEAR
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Sea to Summit to Stuff Sack: Packing Systems Reviewed
Stuff sacks, dry bags and compression bags. Are they really necessary? Increasingly, editor Greta Close doesn’t travel without them.
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Bag It & Tag It: Duffels Reviewed
For an extended trip, packing it all takes a sizable bag. These 80 to 100 liter duffels are built to get your gear where it needs to go, safely.
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Lightweight Luxury: The Sleep Setup of the Summer
In the past you’ve had to trade weight for comfort, but these two products prove that’s not the case. This summer, we figured we’d freshen up our gearbox with something more in-season.
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Gearbox: Winter Camping
It’s never too early to start planning that trip for next winter…and tracking down the gear to make it possible.
The Backcountry Podcast
From legendary athletes to iconic product designers, activists to guides, our world is filled with new views, wisdom, determination and crustiness.
Latest Podcast Episodes
Jordan Campbell: Big Mountains and Broken Heroes
In this episode, Jordan reflects on his career in the outdoor industry and how it led him to dedicate his life to humanitarian causes. He talks about his recent trips to Ukraine, and the people who inspire him to risk his life in order to tell their story.
Biff America: Beer is Great, God is Good, People are Crazy
Jeffrey Bergeron, AKA Biff America, has spent the last 50 years living in the mountains, mainly in Breckenridge, Colorado. And yet his signature accent and brash personality—rooted in the South Shore of Massachusetts—is as rich as it was the day he moved West. We caught up with Biff in between adventures to learn where the “Biff America” moniker came from and much more.
Hadley Hammer: Love, Loss and Light
In this episode we speak to professional skier Hadley Hammer on love, loss and reflection and how they have led her to reexamine her path. Her skiing speaks for itself, but she’s now using her platform and writing skills to have an impact that reaches far beyond the skin track.
Mountain Skills
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Mountain Skills: Take the time to be prepared for early season turns
It’s late fall and many mountains throughout the U.S. have seen some decent early season snow. As a result, stoke is high and people are itching to ski. Guide Steve Banks shares his thoughts on how to capitalize on the early bounty.
Resort Skinning Policies
We’ve compiled a database of U.S. resorts with a little about each individual policy—where and when skinning is allowed, whether or not it’s free during operating hours and the link directly to the resort’s guidelines.
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Mountain Skills: How to Prepare for Your Level 1 Avalanche Course
Beacon. Shovel. Probe. For years, these have been the standard required tools for heading into the backcountry. But what good are they without the proper training in how to recognize hazards and use them effectively? That’s where a 24-hour Level 1 avalanche certificate course comes into play.
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Mountain Skills: Why You Should Upgrade Your Avalanche Transceiver
Imagine your best friend buried under frozen avalanche debris. Precious minutes have passed, and you are still fumbling around on the debris surface because the outdated transceiver you are searching with is unreliable and malfunctioning. According to Dale Atkins, former president of the American Avalanche Association and a 30-year avalanche professional, any transceiver more than…
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Mountain Skills: The tools and tricks to stay motivated in the skintrack
In 2016, Aaron Rice skied 2.5 million human-powered vertical feet, and there were definitely times when he just didn’t feel like skinning. He often wanted to ski one less run or even lay down in the snow and cry. But he knew that, to reach his goal, he had to become a master of motivating…
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Mountain Skills: Essential Education
The list of skills and knowledge needed to get into the mountains is never ending. In fact, it’s subject matter that numerous careers are built on, but safe and efficient backcountry travel doesn’t necessarily require a PhD in snow science or a guide’s certification. It takes common sense, good partners, a willingness to learn and,…
