Even though antique skis are thought to be completely straight, a hint of sidecut has graced ski design since Norway’s early telemark skiers of the 1880s. The subtle one- to three-millimeter sidecut of old underwent a dramatic advancement in the early ’90s with the boom of turn-centric hourglass-shapes. And all that changed again about a decade back, with the introduction of a new sidecut concept that’s now almost ubiquitous in backcountry skis.
The Old Goats
Between a winding Nordic network, long-distance point-to-point routes that trace the Green Mountains’ spine and ample glades that snake through tangled birches, the only thing more extensive than Bolton’s offerings is its legacy. And that history—which predates most Northeastern skiing—is as essential to the story of Vermont’s backcountry as Johnson Woolen Mill pants and the motivation to push beyond the underbrush.
Gearbox: With their Procline and X-Alp boots, Arc’teryx and Salomon rethink walk-mode mobility
Certain technologies have a way of interrupting the status quo. Such disrupters are often so simple that consumers wonder why nothing like it existed earlier. They change the way we work and play, often solving a problem we never knew existed.
Consumed: A Note from the Editor in Chief
Andrew McLean submitted his story on p. 76 of the Spring Issue as a Facebook message. It was late January, and the well-known Utah-based ski mountaineer, reflecting on the 20-year history of his iconic guidebook, The Chuting Gallery, was writing from the coast of Antarctica, where he was guiding skiing from a 280-foot yacht. “For […]
Steep School: learning the tools for ski mountaineering in Montana’s Tobacco Root Mountains
It’s the end of April, and the Tobacco Roots, a quiet range 45 miles dead west of Bozeman and sandwiched between the Madison and Jefferson Rivers, are still cloaked in a midwinter snowpack rather than layers of corn. But that doesn’t matter to the four Canadians, me or the three other skiers here at Big Sky Backcountry Guide’s (BSBG) second-annual ski-mountaineering camp.
Security System: Why, even after three decades, the Voilé strap remains the most relevant tool in any kit
Today, the straps are ubiquitous among committed bc travelers. Heli operations use them to tether poles to skis while in flight; most guides carry a half dozen in their repair kit; and any tale of a mountain-bound epic involving broken bindings, buckles, skins or sleds usually incorporates some sort of ski-strap fix.
Smooth is Fast: Increase efficiency to earn more turns
A day in the mountains is best spent traveling through them, not standing around among them. And through practice and planning, it’s possible to minimize down time to earn more turns in a day. Here’s how to increase personal and group efficiency without upping the pace in the skintrack.
Inclinometer Essentials: How, when and why to measure slope angles
Thirty-eight degrees is widely considered the slope angle at which most avalanches occur. But what exactly does a 38-degree slope look like? Calculating slope angle is relatively simple with an inclinometer, which, turns out, is one of the most affordable and compact items you can add to your kit.
Diamond Anniversary: Black Diamond’s 10-year ski designer talks innovation, evolution and his all-time favorite skis
A decade ago, for more than a year straight, Pete Gompert hounded Black Diamond Equipment for a job. At the time, the engineer in his mid 20s had a background developing airbags in the automotive industry and repairing airplane fatigue cracks for the Air Force. But while he’d tinkered with ski building in a friend’s […]
My Kit: Nine Tools for Ski Mountaineering in Montana’s Tobacco Roots
Later this week, Editor in Chief Tyler Cohen heads into Montana’s Tobacco Root Mountains for a ski mountaineering course offered by Bell Lake Yurt and Montana Alpine Adventures. Here’s what he’s bringing along for the ride.
