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What has Your Mom Taught You?

Associate Editor Liam McGee talks snowpack and line choice with his mom. It’s one of the few times he’s the one doing the teaching. Erin Carr

I recently found myself on top of a line, waiting for morning ice to melt into corn. It was one of those magical spring days. Bluebird and sunny with a hint of a breeze and twinkling mountaintops peeking out in all directions. To fill the time, I pulled out my phone and FaceTimed my mom.

I’m not sure I said anything, I just flipped the camera and panned over the expansive landscape. Serene and silent. At peace. There were no words needed. She knew it was one of those experiences I search for when venturing into the backcountry.

“I’m so happy for you, I could almost cry.” She meant it. Seeing my joy brought her joy. A mother’s connection to her children, to my limited powers of observation and vocabulary, transcends words.

The other day, on the phone again, our conversation turned to family and death and hardship. The importance of saying ‘I love you’ through it all.

It’s Mother’s Day this weekend. So, tell someone you love them, because caring for others is likely the ultimate form of humanity. It’s something I suspect mothers have always known.

Thanks for teaching me, Mom.

—Liam

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There’s a reason we keep coming back to the skintrack. Why we eagerly load skis into the car before the sun rises; why we diligently study avalanche danger and snow conditions; why we walk uphill for hours or fly across the world. It turns out there’s a lot we’re willing to do for a few (hopefully) good turns. Some are willing to do far more.

Meet The Outliers, the folks Issue 162 is dedicated to. Christina Lustenberger, Jim Morrison and Chantel Astorga: The athletes putting a first descent on one of the world’s most famous climbing walls. There’s Seth Beck, a splitboarder traversing the remnants of an ancient continent’s mountain range. And don’t forget Stratton Matteson: The man who spent five years forsaking gas-guzzling vehicles to make a statement about fighting climate change and kept logging epic lines in the Cascades anyways.

Of course, we’re still suckers for good ‘ole fresh pow and a touch of history. Editor in Chief Betsy Manero dives into the origins of skiing, snow science and mountaineering in Japan’s northernmost prefecture and global powder capital, Hokkaido, and investigates the ramen and onsen-nurtured backcountry ski scene.

The rest? Well, you’ll just have to grab a copy to find out. And take your time, this issue will last through the corn, the mud and the sun.

The Backcountry Team

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