Chris Kussmaul began exploring the Montana backcountry as a student at Montana State University. He found plentiful skiing, but very little information. With his guidebook, Peaks and Couloirs of Southwest Montana, Kussmaul set out to change that.
Setting the Bar: Anna DeMonte Records the Fastest Known Women’s Ski Time on Mont Blanc
When Anna DeMonte arrived in Paris, France for a work trip in February, she intended to use the opportunity to ski classic steeps in Chamonix before returning to her home in Utah. Four months and one Fastest Known Time later, she now hopes to inspire others.
Mountain Skills: Professional vs. Recreational Avalanche Training…what’s in it for me?
This winter, avalanche education in the U.S. will be evolving. The old system of Level 1, 2, 3 will be replaced with two options: a recreational track and one geared toward professionals. The goal of the split is to deliver better, more focused courses to each user group. So how do you know which one’s for you? Here’s the breakdown.
Mountain Skills: Hydrate or Die
We lose fluids through perspiration (sweating) and respiration (breathing). While ski touring, high elevation and drier air make this even more dramatic. And during the spring, warm weather further exaggerates the amount of fluid lost. Dehydration leads to a drop of performance—in stages from slowing down to bonking to needing medical attention.
Remembering Sylvain Saudan, “Le skieur de l’impossible”
Steep skiing pioneer Sylvain Saudan, 87, died of a heart attack on July 14, 2024. Saudan is remembered for his 23 first descents, including Mount Hood’s Newton-Clark headwall, which Tom Hallberg wrote about in our Feburary 2023 issue.
Mountain Skills: Taming Your Dragons
Ken Wylie’s newest course teaches the skills to manage the most dangerous hazard—human factors.
Sweet Summer Turns
Splitboarder Claire Hewitt-Demeyer dreams of snow year-round. As sweltering summer temperatures swept into her home Sierra Nevada Range, she set off to escape the heat and celebrate the last vestiges of winter.
Remembering William Altenburg: The Backcountry Pioneer You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
In 2003, Brian Irwin wrote an article for Couloir about Phillips Brook Backcountry Recreation Area. This spring, the founder of the New Hampshire backcountry yurt system passed away. Twenty-one years since writing the initial article, Irwin reflects on Altenburg’s impact on backcountry skiing on the East Coast.
Next Steps: Why Everyone Needs to Take a Wilderness Medicine Course
I’ve spent enough time in the backcountry to start becoming complacent. This isn’t a badge of honor; it’s more of a humble learning process. Every so often, I start cutting corners, seeing how many steps I can skip before I find the limit, and I’ve found that limit a handful of times. Rock fall, knee-twisting […]
Once in a Lifetime: A Skier’s Twist on Capturing Vermont’s Solar Eclipse
Adam Kruszyna fell in love with adventure and developed his ski, mountaineering and photography skills in Vermont’s Green Mountains. Experiencing a solar eclipse there, with a skier in front of his lens was a dream come true. While brief, capturing that moment required extensive preparation. Kruszyna walks us through what it took to pull it off.
