These days, with this company telling you to buy a whose-it to monitor your kidney, liver and large intestine functions while skinning and that company telling you to buy a whatsit to quadruple your V02 max, it can be tough to figure out what tech essentials you really need in the backcountry.
Reasons to Ski Powder
Powder is to skiing as good beer is to tailgating—what’s the point of having one without the other?
Hut Routes: Six North American Hut-to-Hut Traverses
Hut traverses were born in Europe, where groups like the Swiss Alpine Club began building and managing high-mountain shelters as early as the mid 19th century. And while North America can’t hold a candle to Europe’s extensive mountain-chalet infrastructure and deep hut heritage, there are more than 200 backcountry huts, lodges and yurts throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Pack ‘N’ Play: What to Bring on your Next Hut Trip
If you’ve ever been winter camping, then you’re all-too-familiar with the crushing heft of an expedition pack. But carrying a load for a hut trip is far less weighty—that is, unless you’re on 30-rack duty. Hut essentials vary depending on location, approach method and amenities offered, so check in with the operation for a final packing list (and consult your partners for their thoughts on appropriate sauna attire). Regardless, these necessities should keep you covered.
Lodge Logistics: Pack, Plan and Execute a Hut Trip
Guided or self-guided? Purcells or Monashees? Late January or early March? Whether you’ve been to one backcountry hut or a half dozen, there’s still a whole lot to determine when planning your next trip. But for the guides and owners who run these outfits, the only thing that outnumbers their days in the field is the volume of tips they can offer for packing, planning and executing an all-time trip. Our advice? Think of lodge operators as your backcountry concierge and don’t hesitate to call when preparing for a trip. They have more beta than you can imagine.
Testers’ Choice: DPS Wailer 99
A five-year ski tester, Marla Bailey has teled exclusively for 12 years since her start in Winter Park’s “No Pain, No Jane” bumps. She enjoys skiing what she calls “balls-deep powder, knee-deep powder and piles of powder from other people’s knees or balls.” Her pick of the test? The DPS Wailer 99.
Jackson is a Wrap: Snow and Safety at Backcountry Basecamp Stop #1
Jackson Hole didn’t only see a foot and a half of snow in the last few days. It also saw the first stop of this year’s Backcountry Basecamp tour, the three-part, nationwide roadshow that’s bringing the backcountry scene to the masses. Here’s a slideshow from the event.
Wendy Fisher: The Iconic Super Mom
“Wendy is a pioneer in every true sense of the word,” skier and writer Molly Baker said in our January Issue. That’s why Wendy Fisher made the list of the 37 most influential women in the backcountry. “It’s still relevant to watch her grease Alaskan spines..her kind of impact just never goes away,” Baker added. The latest episode of Salomon Freeski TV captures Fisher’s influence from her early ski racing career to today.
The Mountaineer Hosts 12th Annual Skifest
Sure, the Northeast has had a slow winter, but that won’t stop The Mountaineer in Keene Valley, N.Y. from hosting their 12th Annual Backcountry Ski Festival. Skifest is the Northeast’s premiere backcountry event, with massive offering of guided tours, a full-blown equipment demo on a throwback hill and weekend-long instruction. And this year, Chris Davenport […]
Backcountry Basecamp Heads To Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Backcountry Magazine, in association with GORE-TEX, Patagonia and Marmot is proud to announce its nationwide backcountry skiing and snowboarding tour. Featuring education, safety, and the latest gear, Backcountry Basecamp will visit some of the most iconic ski resorts in the country to bring the backcountry to the masses.
