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.
It’s Snow and Avalanche Workshop Season
The mercury dipped below freezing this weekend in Teton Valley, Idaho, home of Backcountry Magazine's remote, Western office, which makes us think of winter. Though we're still a couple months away … [Read More...]
A Methodical Learner: Tim van der Krogt Brings Freestyle Flair to Splitboard Mountaineering
After a season of meeting his goals of riding big lines and learning the best way to do them, Tim van der Krogt has something to smile about. [Photo] Carly Finke Tim van der Krogt isn’t the … [Read More...]
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 Precious minutes have passed, and you are still fumbling around on the debris surface because the outdated transceiver you are searching … [Read More...]
Old Gal Powder: Thirty-Six Years of Friendship, Exploration and Skiing
With each step, the snow creaks under our feet. Aside from the noise we make skinning, Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park feels utterly silent. It’s one of those iconic bluebird days, when the snow … [Read More...]
40 Tribes: Backcountry Riding in Kyrgyzstan
When Ryan Koupal first visited the China/Kyrgyzstan border in 1999, he was deeply intrigued by the rugged, remote Tien Shan Mountains. So, after graduating in 2003 with a degree in Mandarin Chinese … [Read More...]
Gearbox: Airbag Packs
Editors' Choice: Mammut Light Short Removable Airbag 3.0 $580 | 2140g (w/out canister) | mammut.com This little number found its way to one of our most airbag-averse testers, who cites … [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...]
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 … [Read More...]
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 … [Read More...]
Mountain Skills: The tools and tricks to stay motivated in the skintrack
Mornings can be rough, and even the most diehard skiers experience days when it’s hard to get out of bed. You cringe at the thought of jamming your bruised feet into your wet-from-yesterday ski boots, … [Read More...]
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 … [Read More...]
Mountain Skills: Cody Townsend Ditches Deviance
What do space shuttles and backcountry skiing have in common? According to freeride skier Cody Townsend, it’s a relationship that stems from an explosion and a theory. Better yet, he’s adapted a … [Read More...]
Talking Risk: How to Better Understand and Communicate About Uncertainty
Alta Ski Area Snow Safety Director Dave Richards once said, “The only certainty in avalanches is uncertainty. The only time you know anything is when you are wrong.” Traveling in the backcountry means … [Read More...]
Mountain Skills: Knowing When To Turn Around
“It’s getting late. I think we should get off this slope and head back.” This is a statement that has good intentions, but the process behind it isn’t perfect. As spring approaches, the days get … [Read More...]
Mountain Skills: Hydrate or Die
I know a lot of guides who manage to ski all day and only drink a half-liter of tea. They also tend to have their first kidney stones around the age of 40. Fun! Conversely, when I toured with Greg … [Read More...]
Mountain Skills: Anticipating Point Release Avalanches
This article was originally publish in April, 2015. As the spring approaches, many of us turn our attention to steeper, more technical lines higher in the mountains. The layers of snow that formed … [Read More...]
Checklists, Beacon Checks and Route Planning: Building Systems as a Backcountry Traveler
Fresh snow? Check. Awesome touring group? Check. Sarah Carpenter checks in with her backcountry posse on Wyoming's Teton Pass. [Photo] Iain Kuo It’s extremely important for backcountry travelers … [Read More...]
