The skis, splitboards and testers have all gone home, but we still have lots of work to do. With another Gear Test Week in the books, we’re taking a couple of hard-earned days off before jumping into the massive endeavor of turning hundreds of review forms into our annual Gear Guide. We have a lot of info to parse—after we sneak in a little remote testing in our home range, that is.
Out of the Office: The 2023 Backcountry Gear Test Week
Hello, and thank you for coming to our website! Our editors and staff are currently very busy corralling 60 testers, 154 pairs of skis, 50 splitboards and more around Powder Mountain, Utah. Needless to say, we probably won’t have time to share any news on our website this week. Interested in learning about how our Gear Test Week runs or hearing about the latest trends in backcountry equipment? Head to our Instagram account, where we’ll share daily insight into next year’s gear and more.
Skier Dies in Slide Near Colorado’s Buffalo Pass
Steamboat, Colorado, resident Andrew Hyde died after being caught in an avalanche in Routt County.
Avalanche kills solo snowboarder in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains
Devin Overton, a 29-year-old Colorado native, was killed Thursday in an avalanche in the San Juan Mountains. Guides from a heli-skiing operation found the solo snowboarder after flying near the debris pile.
Avalanche Kills Skier on West Slopes of Wyoming’s Teton Range
Wyoming reported its first skier avalanche fatality of the season Thursday when a man was caught, buried and killed on the western slope of the Teton Range. Authorities are withholding the name of the deceased until next of kin is notified.
The Tough Things: Finding Serenity in the In-Between Places
Dani Reyes-Acosta shakes off the stress of her mother’s illness and the Covid restrictions keeping them separated with a frozen skintrack and supportive touring partners.
Checklists, Beacon Checks and Route Planning: Building Systems as a Backcountry Traveler
Avalanche educator Sarah Carpenter knows consistency is the key to backcountry safety. With that in mind, she’s created a system to make sure her beacon is turned on, her plan is in line with the forecast and her entire group is on the same page.
Gearbox: Gloves and Mittens
Cold hands can turn a pleasant ski trip into a nightmare. Lucky for you, we reviewed gloves that will keep you hands the right temperature on the skintrack and on the worst storm days.
A More Connected Future: A Vision for the Growth of U.S. Huts
In this essay borrowed from the longform piece on huts from Backcountry No. 144, author Sam Demas makes the case for how more U.S. huts can increase affordability and access across this country.
Observation Overload: How to Prioritize Data from Pits, Weather and Snowpack
It can be hard to approach backcountry skiing like a scientist, especially on bluebird powder days, but taking a note from scientists can help us sort and prioritize information. A systematic approach creates practiced habits that improve our decision-making process. Additionally, it can allow us to understand which data to prioritize as we gather information on changing weather, snowpack structure and more. Here’s how.
