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Betsy Manero previews new skis and the goods that Powder Mountain has to offer.

A Quick Thank You 💜

Last week, a crew of 60 gathered at Powder Mountain for Backcountry Magazine’s annual Gear Test Week. It’s an eclectic group in the very best way, composed of testers, techs, cooks, editors and other BCM staff. More than those roles though, we’re a family.

Over the four days of our gear test we were lucky enough to be treated to some surreal powder days—the kind of blue sky and sparkling, low density snow that made me wonder if someone had slipped Felix Felicis into my morning coffee. (It’s a Harry Potter reference, for the three folks who haven’t read it). It’s only as I sit at my desk, rewinding my memories of the week, that I realize how lucky I am to have been initiated into this community of people who diligently take a week off work, fly across the country (even across the Atlantic) and share their passion for skiing.

Thanks to them, we have 68 skis, 37 boots, 11 bindings, 22 splitboards and 16 split boots and bindings to review. So, while we’re busy recovering right now, us editors will soon be hard at work parsing through tester feedback, interviewing ski designers and researching new products to bring you what we believe is the most comprehensive, honest gear guide on the market.

But that won’t be out until September. For now, enjoy the spring weather, the April snow that’s about to hammer the West, and just maybe start thinking about next year’s gear needs. There are some neat products in the works.

—Liam McGee

Get THE Outliers ISSUE

There’s a reason we keep coming back to the skintrack. Why we eagerly load skis into the car before the sun rises; why we diligently study avalanche danger and snow conditions; why we walk uphill for hours or fly across the world. It turns out there’s a lot we’re willing to do for a few (hopefully) good turns. Some are willing to do far more.

Meet The Outliers, the folks Issue 162 is dedicated to. Christina Lustenberger, Jim Morrison and Chantel Astorga: The athletes putting a first descent on one of the world’s most famous climbing walls. There’s Seth Beck, a splitboarder traversing the remnants of an ancient continent’s mountain range. And don’t forget Stratton Matteson: The man who spent five years forsaking gas-guzzling vehicles to make a statement about fighting climate change and kept logging epic lines in the Cascades anyways.

Of course, we’re still suckers for good ‘ole fresh pow and a touch of history. Editor in Chief Betsy Manero dives into the origins of skiing, snow science and mountaineering in Japan’s northernmost prefecture and global powder capital, Hokkaido, and investigates the ramen and onsen-nurtured backcountry ski scene.

The rest? Well, you’ll just have to grab a copy to find out. And take your time, this issue will last through the corn, the mud and the sun.

The Backcountry Team

Subscribe now to make sure a copy is coming your way 📬.

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Eric Blehm: Meet Your Heroes

Eric Blehm’s roots in snowboarding run deep. He started riding during the sport’s infancy, and after college became an editor at Transworld SNOWboarding Magazine. Years later, he was in a lift line when a fellow rider saw the “Craig Kelly is my Co-Pilot” sticker on his board, and asked Blehm: “Who is Craig Kelly?” He was floored by the notion that there were snowboarders out there who didn’t know who Craig was. And this inspired him to write The Darkest White.

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Mountain Skills

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Resort Skinning Policies

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