It’s February and winter is in full swing. Here is a selection of this month’s backcountry events you may want to brave the cold to attend. ALASKA CHUGACH NATIONAL FOREST AVALANCHE CENTER—FREE CNFAIC AWARENESS TALK Tuesday, February 2 | 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. | REI, Anchorage | More info: cnfaic.org CHUGACH NATIONAL FOREST AVALANCHE CENTER—FREE […]
Boardroom: An interview with Pallas Snowboards co-founder Stephanie Nitsch
Stephanie Nitsch is a woman of many hats. I first met her in 2014 at the SheJumps all-women ski and splitboarding mountaineering course, Alpine Finishing School, held outside of Revelstoke, British Columbia. She was there as both participant and journalist, and I got to know Stephanie through stories of her roving lifestyle. Now Stephanie splits her time between her house in Whistler, B.C. and Park City, Utah, where her new company Pallas Snowboards is based.
Eastern Avalanches: Unstable snowpack doesn’t care if you live in the east
Yesterday, David Lottmann, an AIARE instructor based out of Conway, New Hampshire, posted on the blog, North East Alpine Start, about an avalanche incident he witnessed this past Sunday, January 17 on Mt. Washington when five climbers triggered a slide next to where Lottmann was instructing an AIARE class.
Avalanche fatalities spike in western U.S.
Between January 16 and 24, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) has reported 10 fatalities due to avalanches—six of the victims were skiers or riders. Before Jan. 16, there had been no skier or rider deaths to date in the winter of 2015/16.
The American Alpine Institute forms Liz Daily scholarship for aspiring women mountaineers
The American Alpine Institute (AAI) is an organization that provides instruction for ice climbing, rock climbing, glacier skills and off-piste skiing to those who are looking to grow their skills in the outdoors. In a recent gesture, the AAI has set up a scholarship in honor of the late Liz Daley, snowboard athlete, mountaineer, guide and instructor for the AAI. The hope is that this scholarship, ranging from $1,000 to $2,500, will help more women venture to become guides like Liz.
Jackson Hole Basecamp: Day 2 Dispatch
The sound of avalanche control bombs rang in the break of day on Sunday at Backcountry Basecamp. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort reported five new inches of snow overnight and crowds were lined up for tram laps early in the morning. With fully booked guided tours and another day of demos during day two of Basecamp, skiers and riders were able to explore sidecountry terrain and learn about avalanche safety from Jackson Hole Mountain Guides and AIARE certified instructors.
Jackson Hole Basecamp: Day 1 Dispatch
The Jackson Hole, Wyo. Backcountry Basecamp stop started with mild weather and overcast skies. It was a busy weekend for the resort, with a recorded 59 inches of new snow falling between Jan. 12 and 21. The recent storm drew big crowds, and as a part of the Basecamp schedule of events, guided tours were offered with Jackson Hole Mountain guides where participants could get out-of-bounds and away from the bustle. Groups left through the backcountry gates after avalanche safety debriefings to find fresh turns.
Alpenglow Mountain Festival: a community gathers to celebrate the backcountry
Alpenglow Sports of Tahoe City, Calif., is looking forward to hosting the upcoming Alpenglow Mountain Festival for its third consecutive year this February. Festival organizer and owner of Alpenglow Sports, Brendan Madigan, is excited for another opportunity to bring together the outdoor community of the greater Tahoe area to celebrate backcountry travel.
Skins on, skins off
There are more ways to peel and store a pair of climbing skins than there are crayons in a coloring box. From one-legged skimo race transitions to the casual posthole option, discovering your preferred skin-removal technique is akin to finding your true identity as a backcountry skier. This transitional soul searching can be quick, or […]
Hot smoke, cold smoke: Wildfires burn both ways on the heels of a destructive season in the Northwest
“What pictures will never give you is the smell of the smoke,” says Stefan Hood, a Forest Protection Technician and backcountry skier from Houston, British Columbia. “You’re smelling the organics of the soil burning, and you’re smelling trees [that] are on fire. That kind of smoke permeates everything. It permeates your clothes and your hair; everything ends up taking on that scent.”
