It’s late fall and many mountains throughout the U.S. have seen some decent early season snow. As a result, stoke is high and people are itching to ski. Guide Steve Banks shares his thoughts on how to capitalize on the early bounty.
Mountain Skills: Take the time to be prepared for early season turns
Recipes for the Skintrack and Après

Backcountry fuel often comes in single-serving, individually wrapped packages, but there’s a way for your transition bites to be more creative and Earth-friendly: Bring them from home. Here Lily Krass shares the first of many skintrack snacks.
Winter Wildlands Alliance Backcountry Film Fest Returns for its 18th Year

After two years of remote or limited hybrid screenings due to Covid, the Winter Wildlands Alliance Backcountry Film Festival returns this year in full force.
2023 Gear Guide Specification Chart

We didn’t run the back-of-the-Gear-Guide chart in the 2022 Gear Guide, and we noted the displeasure many readers registered with that omission. So, here it is for the 2023 version, back by popular demand.
Levels of Obligation: Connor Ryan Shares his Message

Connor Ryan isn’t a typical pro skier, nor does he make typical ski films. Instead he uses his movies to share messages from his Lakota heritage that could transform the ski industry.
Instant Classic: Reflections on North America’s 50 Greatest Lines and Those Who Seek to Ski Them

In fall 2009, Art Burrows, Penn Newhard and Chris Davenport began compiling lines for their new book, Fifty Classic Ski Descents of North America. Now, over a decade later, the book has inspired another wave of ski mountaineers, namely Noah Howell, Cody Townsend and (most recently) Michael Wirth, who have each embarked on a quest to ski the 50 lines—including some so daunting that, Burrows says, “skiing just one during a lifetime would be enough for most people.”
Backcountry Magazine Welcomes Greta Close as Associate Editor

Backcountry Magazine is excited to welcome Greta Close to its production team as associate editor. An intern this summer, she returns—following a month lobstering in Maine—in a new role, joining Editor-in-Chief Betsy Manero and Managing Editor Tom Hallberg.
Rescuers recover body of ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson on Nepal’s Manaslu

Rescuers have recovered the body of renowned ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson, 49, two days after she fell while skiing below the summit of Manaslu in the Nepalese Himalaya. Nelson is being remembered as a super hero of the sport by many on social media.
Renowned Ski Mountaineer Hilaree Nelson Missing on Manaslu

Renowned ski mountaineer Hilaree Nelson is missing on Manaslu in Nepal. Eyewitnesses reported that Nelson, 45, fell more than 80 feet into a crevasse while descending on skis from the 26,781-foot peak with her partner, Jim Morrison.
Mountain Skills: How to Prepare for Your Level 1 Avalanche Course

Beacon. Shovel. Probe. For years, these have been the standard required tools for heading into the backcountry. But what good are they without the proper training in how to recognize hazards and use them effectively? That’s where a 24-hour Level 1 avalanche certificate course comes into play.