The daily humming of helicopters has been an accepted part of life for backcountry skiers in the greater Salt Lake City area, but that may change soon. The Utah Forest Service has opened a public comment period, running from June 10 to July 10, to reevaluate the permit for Utah Powderbird (UPB)—a helicopter-skiing operation based in Little Cottonwood Canyon—that has been unchanged since 2004.
Josh Jespersen sets new Colorado 14er speed record
In 1991, Lou Dawson, of Wild Snow fame, became the first person to ski all of Colorado’s 14ers over a period of 13 years. As of May 21, ski-mountaineer and Navy SEAL Josh Jespersen scaled them all in less than five months.
Down to Earth: Freeskier Lexi Dupont dishes on new expedition education series
This past April, a team of skiers and educators from around the U.S. set out on a trip to Iceland with the intention of using their travel experiences as a teaching tool for students at the Bend, Ore. Waldorf School. The educational journey, dubbed Down to Earth, was developed by teacher Michaela Precourt along with seven other team members, including freeskier and environmental advocate Lexi DuPont, as a way to connect the passion of the expedition members for skiing with on-the-ground environmentalism, community engagement and educational outreach for students back in the states.
How world-champion freeskier Alison Gannett slashes glass ceilings
When Alison Gannett won the Freeskiing World Championship in 1998, she established her name in the sport. In 2001, she created her women-specific Rippin Chix Steep Camps and, in doing so, challenged skiing’s male-dominated landscape. Now, this year, Gannett is putting another crack in skiing’s glass ceiling.
No Avy Deaths in Utah: UAC director Mark Staples unpacks this year’s benchmark season
The 2017 winter season—bringing record-breaking snowfall, high winds and extreme avy danger on more than one occasion—is over. And Utah has surfaced at the end of this season with the accomplishment of having experienced zero avy deaths.
Granite Backcountry Alliance gains preliminary approval for glading projects in the White Mountains
On Wednesday, May 25, New Hampshire’s Granite Backcountry Alliance (GBA) announced that it received preliminary federal approval to begin planning for two backcountry skiing-specific clearing projects in the White Mountain National Forest—the first of their kind in the history of the WMNF.
The Alchemists: Photographer Blake Jorgenson talks about the new era of digital photography
Blake Jorgenson, longtime photographer for Backcountry Magazine, recently joined forces with Second Ave. Films to create a documentary discussing the role of photography in the digital age.
A Devine Path: Canadian-certified guide Kate Devine looks to mom for inspiration
Mothers and daughters: it’s a relationship not often talked of in the ski-guiding world. But as the number of female guides grows, so too does the source of inspiration for ladies taking on the challenges of this particular career path. For Canadian-certified guide Kate Devine, her relationship with mother Grania has fueled her professional pursuits and helped her find guidance.
Caroline Gleich completes McLean’s Wasatch Chuting Gallery
On April 6, 2017, 31-year-old Caroline Gleich became the first woman to finish all the lines in Andrew McLean’s Chuting Gallery. To hear about this achievement and what it means to her, we caught up with Gleich at her home in Cottonwood Heights. Here is what she had to say.
Reggae Turns: How two Vermont skiers are reshaping backcountry terrain throughout the state
Nestled in the mountains of central Vermont, the sleepy town of Rochester is usually a brief, 10-second view out the window for anyone passing through. But long volunteer hours from Rochester-area residents like Angus McCusker and Zac Freeman are giving visitors a reason to linger in town—and the surrounding woods.
