Photographer and author Mary McIntyre writes, “Dawn patrolling was already ubiquitous when I was growing up in the Wasatch. I thought skiers everywhere on Earth woke at 3, 4, 5 a.m. to greet the day from a mountaintop. It’s just what skiers do, right? Wrong, apparently. Though it does occur on a smaller scale elsewhere, the Wasatch Mountains are unique in the sheer volume of dawn patrollers they’ve inspired to miss out on beauty sleep.”
Stay Tuned for Your Local Avalanche Forecast
The Crested Butte Avalanche Center has an intensely local focus, providing information and forecasts solely for the mountains surrounding its eponymous town. As the center turns 20, writer Jason Sumner looks back at how it started and how it has evolved.
Skier dies in Grand Teton National Park
A skier died Sunday after falling in the Apocalypse Couloir on Prospectors Mountain in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park.
Welcoming People to the Snow Globe
Teton Pass Backcountry Ambassador Ariel Kazunas says that volunteering on the busy Wyoming pass is a way of paying forward the empathy and kindness her friends showed her while she was learning to ski.
Channel Change: Pushing for radio communication in a crowded backcountry
Growing participation in backcountry skiing and snowboarding has created a need for intergroup communication to avoid or respond to accidents. Though some old-timers swear by the effectiveness of hooting and hollering, organizations near popular zones have started developing systems using localized radio channels to address the problem.
Gearbox: Sunglasses
From high-pressure weather to over-cast storm cycles, these six sunglasses balance clear vision with stylish looks.
Hideout: A Getaway from Covid in the French Alps
In March 2021, skiers Pat Vuagnat and Thibaud Duchosal took the opportunity to step back and shelter away from the world for a couple of days, using their Covid lockdown time to go on an adventure that became a story in the first-ever issue of Backcountry France.
Girl Crush: Lessons Learned in the Storm
When five female skiers set out for a weekend of camping and skiing big lines on Wyoming’s Mt. Moran, they expected to be pushed physically. But a spring storm forced them to adapt their mindsets and expectations when their objectives became unattainable.
Seven Outdoor Books to Add to Your Library
Having crested the solstice, we’re past the deepest days of winter, but it still gets dark pretty early right now. If you’re looking for something other than streaming TV shows to occupy the several hours of darkness before bed, we’ve got some book recommendations. Outdoor publishers filled bookstore shelves with new titles at the end of last year with narrative nonfiction, detailed guidebooks and skills guides. For rest days and trip planning, these books have you covered.
Mad Men: Drew Hardesty on the past, present and future of the Utah Avalanche Center
Utah Avalanche Center forecaster Drew Hardesty reflects on connecting with backcountry skiers and riders in a constantly changing medium.
