A Certain Uncertainty
Covid-19, masks and politics, oh my! What a wake up call—finally, the rest of the world gets a taste of what it’s like to deal with avalanches. Here, I present you with a learning opportunity, so to speak. Perhaps experienced backcountry skiers and avalanche workers are better qualified than most to deal with the current […]
Gearbox: The Finer Points of La Sportiva’s Skorpius CR
There’s an old K2 Telemark poster of a skier doing an inverted grab with the tagline: “Take something hard, make it harder, then make it look easy.” Surely that poster wasn’t on the minds of La … [Read More...]
Backcountry Access Updates Software for Tracker 2 Transceiver
On June 29, Backcountry Access (BCA) announced a software update for their popular Tracker 2 transceiver. Prior to the update, the Tracker2 switched to power-saving mode after 12 hours without user … [Read More...]
A Grand Design: Bill Briggs reflects on his groundbreaking ski descent
Mt. Moran—where Bill Briggs trained for his descent of Grand Teton—is named for frontier landscape artist Thomas Moran. Here, the mountain is photographed at sunrise from Jackson Lake. [Photo] Jack … [Read More...]
Height of Land Publications Equity and Inclusivity Statement
Like so many among us, we at Height of Land Publications—the parent company of Alpinist, Backcountry, Cross Country Skier and Mountain Flyer—are grieving the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, … [Read More...]
As Public Lands Reopen, What Does SAR Want You to Know?
“Do you have any painkillers?” A strained voice called out across the Coleman Glacier, one of the most direct routes up Washington’s volcanic Mt. Baker in the North Cascades, as my party of three … [Read More...]
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. Not many ski areas are open yet, however, and … [Read More...]
Higher Learning: The nuances of how, when, where and why to take a course
Two Marches back, as I stood on the edge of the frozen Bell Lake in Montana’s Tobacco Root Mountains, I knew I was exactly where I needed to be. Together with a half dozen no-longer-strangers, I … [Read More...]
2020 EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARDS: SKIS 105-108 MM
This year at Powder Mountain Utah, testers gathered for the 2020 Gear Test Week to review 157 pairs of skis. Of those, there was a noticeable abundance of standout mid-fat chargers that boasted waist … [Read More...]
Fjell M1542S Splitboard
The only thing identifying Fjell’s lightweight, directional MT1542s model is a “^” and coordinates for Ålesund, Norway, the home of their showroom—that’s it. This muted marketing left testers unsure … [Read More...]
Telos DST Ultralight Splitboard
“By far the most stable and responsive board in its weight class,” one test veteran said. “The first ultralight board I want to take off the scale and actually ride.” “all-mountain dominator—I felt … [Read More...]
Patagonia Snowdrifter Jacket
“exquisite articulation and dreamy man-bod flattery.” The Tech: Patagonia’s new SnowDrifter jacket (and matching bibs) are made from the brand’s proprietary DWR-treated H2No three-layer fabric … [Read More...]
2020 Testers’ Choice: Nick Rustigian’s Picks
The 17 inches of powder that fell on Powder Mountain, Utah this past March didn’t distract testers at the 2020 Gear Test Week from logging hours on this coming season’s newest skis, splitboards and … [Read More...]
2020 Testers’ Choice: Meg Schultz’s Picks
The 17 inches of powder that fell on Powder Mountain, Utah this past March didn’t distract testers at the 2020 Gear Test Week from logging hours on this coming season’s newest skis, splitboards and … [Read More...]
2020 Testers’ Choice: Betsy Manero’s Picks
The 17 inches of powder that fell on Powder Mountain, Utah this past March didn’t distract testers at the 2020 Gear Test Week from logging hours on this coming season’s newest skis, splitboards and … [Read More...]
2020 Testers’ Choice: Hans von Briesen’s Picks
The 17 inches of powder that fell on Powder Mountain, Utah this past March didn’t distract testers at the 2020 Gear Test Week from logging hours on this coming season’s newest skis, splitboards and … [Read More...]
2020 Gear Guide: Splitboard Accessories
In 1994, Voilé release the first ever splitboard kit for those who wanted to transition their solid board into a backcountry friendly device—all you needed was a table saw and a bunch of free time. … [Read More...]
2020 EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARDS: STANDOUT OUTLIER SKIS
There is a time and a place for niche taste and from uphill-oriented speedsters to lightweight powder slaying, women’s specific and brawny freeride chargers, these unique standouts will help you with … [Read More...]
2020 EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARDS: SPLITBOARDS
It was a brave new world for splitboard brands at this year’s Backcountry Magazine 2020 Gear Test at Powder Mountain, Utah. Five new companies submitted boards to be tested and reviewed, and three of … [Read More...]
2020 EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARDS: APPAREL
In its third year, the Backcountry Magazine Apparel Test is based on the in-depth reviews from our dedicated team tasked with skinning, sweating and shredding with the upcoming season’s … [Read More...]
2020 EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARDS: SKIS 105-108 MM
This year at Powder Mountain Utah, testers gathered for the 2020 Gear Test Week to review 157 pairs of skis. Of those, there was a noticeable abundance of standout mid-fat chargers that boasted waist … [Read More...]
2020 EDITORS’ CHOICE AWARDS: BOOTS
The story behind many of the boots in this year’s 2020 Gear Guide is one of lightweight chargeability. With two Editors’ Choice-winning boots ringing in at less than 5 lbs. and two more under 6 lbs., … [Read More...]
