On a snowy January weekend, I took my AIARE Level 1 course with Petra Cliffs’ co-owner Steve Charest, who has been an AIARE course provider since 2009. Local Covid restrictions made this year’s courses different from any others Charest has taught over the past decade, and Charest’s Vermont-based courses were unlike others in the country. Throughout the winter, the state had some of the most restrictive regulations in the country.
Olympic Dreams: Benjamin Alexander Trains for Speed in the Backcountry
“I absolutely love speed,” Benjamin Alexander says. “I love any sport that allows you to go fast, especially when your method of propulsion is simply gravity.” The love affair came later in life for Alexander, who started skiing at 32 and is now training to downhill race in the 2022 Winter Olympics. And when lifts […]
The Best of Fest: The Winter Wildlands Alliance Celebrates 20 Years
This year, Winter Wildlands Alliance (WWA) celebrates their 20th anniversary. With Covid-19 barring large gatherings, WWA is releasing a “Best of Fest”—a collection featuring the top film from each of their 15 Backcountry Film Festivals—on September 1 in lieu of a party. The showing will be available on Eventive, an online film screening platform. On […]
