It is not every year that we are lucky enough to have incredible snow conditions during our Gear Test Week, held annually at Powder Mountain, Utah. This year, the snow gods must have taken pity on us—having to live through the worst winter the East Coast has seen in a long time—and so presented us with powder that gave way to blue skies.
Gear Test Week Arrives at Powder Mountain
POWDER MOUNTAIN, UTAH The 2017 Backcountry Magazine Gear Test Week kicked off yesterday, with over 200 pair of skis arriving to be tested over the next week. More than 50 testers flocked to Powder Mountain to give Backcountry Magazine their blood, sweat and toenails in pursuit of finding the best of next year’s skis and boots. And when the testers […]
Director of Wallowa Avalanche Center Dies in Oregon Avalanche
Confirmed in a statement published yesterday by the Wallowa Avalanche Center, Kip Rand, the center’s director, died Tuesday in an Oregon avalanche. Rand, who assumed the role of Wallowa Avalanche Center Director last November, was skiing Chief Joseph Mountain, west of Joseph, Ore., when the avalanche occurred. According to The Observer, Rand, 29, was skiing […]
BACKCOUNTRY BULLETIN: MARCH AVALANCHE AND BACKCOUNTRY COMMUNITY EVENTS
March is here, and the ski season is beginning to wind down. But for those of us who still have snow on the brain, it’s not over till the last flake falls, so celebrate your season at these upcoming events.
BACKCOUNTRY BULLETIN: JANUARY AVALANCHE AND BACKCOUNTRY COMMUNITY EVENTS
It’s January and the snow is flying. Check out some of this month’s backcountry events to put on your calendar—whether you want to brush up on avalanche safety or just have a good time. ALASKA CHUGACH NATIONAL FOREST AVALANCHE CENTER—FIRESIDE CHAT SERIES: WEATHER AND SNOWPACK Thursday, January 7 | 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. | Alaska […]
Airbag Assessment: This winter’s avalanche safety packs and accessories reviewed
Avalanche airbag and backpack choices can be hard to navigate with a range of prices, safety features and sizes to pick from. While not definitive, these selects have caught our eye. From vests to battery-powered inflation, we looked at the ins and outs of five avalanche safety tools for winter 2015-16. Mammut Alyeska P.A.S. Vest […]
BACKCOUNTRY BULLETIN: DECEMBER AVALANCHE AND BACKCOUNTRY COMMUNITY EVENTS
December is here and with it comes avalanche center fundraisers, new educational programs, and speaker series. Here are some of the events to put on your schedule this month.
First U.S. Avalanche Fatality Involves UCLA Grad Student
The body of Michael David Meyers, a 25-year-old grad student at Los Angeles, Calif.’s UCLA, was found over the weekend buried in avalanche debris in California’s John Muir Wilderness. Meyer reportedly went missing earlier this month, and his death marks the first avalanche fatality in the country this winter.
Testers’ Choice: DPS WAILER 99 TOUR1
“DPS, you have done it again. The Wailer is the ski I would like to walk away with. You ask, they do. This ski is the fountain of youth—they make everything feel easy. Turn initiation is effortless; they are incredibly light; they cut through the chunder and make you feel all-around sexy. I would equate the Wailer to my Subaru, the all-terrain vehicle, a true one-ski quiver.”
Avatech Launches Updated Backcountry Observation App
Avatech, the Park City, Utah-based maker of proactive avalanche safety tools, launched an updated version of the Avanet app today. The redesigned app, available now through the iTunes store, incorporates route-tracking and observation-reporting functions, aiming to bring safety-information sharing to the masses.
