Even though antique skis are thought to be completely straight, a hint of sidecut has graced ski design since Norway’s early telemark skiers of the 1880s. The subtle one- to three-millimeter sidecut of old underwent a dramatic advancement in the early ’90s with the boom of turn-centric hourglass-shapes. And all that changed again about a decade back, with the introduction of a new sidecut concept that’s now almost ubiquitous in backcountry skis.
Backcountry Events Bulletin: November 2018
Across the U.S., late October and early November 2018 have brought winter weather, and early season turns are becoming the norm. To generate stoke and avalanche awareness for the quickly approaching winter season, backcountry alliances and avalanche centers are hosting a wide variety of parties, film festivals and education series—here’s the lineup for November 2018 events.
Grassroots Glades
Holly Knox has been managing recreational opportunities as a Green Mountain National Forest District Recreation Program Manager for the last decade, a time when the number of backcountry skiers seemingly multiplied overnight. With 400,000 acres of national forest stretching through central and southern Vermont, and many different groups vying for space to recreate, Knox has plenty of work cut out for herself, focusing her efforts on the Rochester and Middlebury Districts. But after spearheading the country’s first backcountry ski zone of its kind, she clearly has it all under control. Here’s what Knox had to say about her recent effort with Vermont’s glades.
A Cinderella Story: how to find the best-fitting boot for winter 2019
It’s a brave new world of AT boot design on the winter 2019 skintrack, but with options like shell moldability, four buckles or no buckles, flex ratings up to 130 and weights ringing in at a scant 3.9 lbs., picking the right boot for conditions and terrain can be as hard as finding your soulmate on Tinder.
Connecting the Spots
In 2016, R.J. Thompson struck up a conversation with the then-executive director for Vermont’s Catamount Trail Association, Amy Kelsey. What started as a discussion about a potential yurt in Stowe, Vt.’s Nebraska Notch transformed into Kelsey connecting Thompson with Devon Littlefield, a Mainer-turned-Vermonter also curious about the lack of cohesive backcountry accommodations in the state.
Testers’ Choice: John Lauer’s Picks
From carving smooth powder turns to busting through crud and shredding corduroy, each tester aims to test eight products per day, a task that provided us with more than 1,100 individual reviews to craft the 2019 Gear Guide, available now and packed with tester feedback.
The Old Goats
Between a winding Nordic network, long-distance point-to-point routes that trace the Green Mountains’ spine and ample glades that snake through tangled birches, the only thing more extensive than Bolton’s offerings is its legacy. And that history—which predates most Northeastern skiing—is as essential to the story of Vermont’s backcountry as Johnson Woolen Mill pants and the motivation to push beyond the underbrush.
Testers’ Choice: Will Sardinsky’s Picks
From the 236 products we ran up and down the mountain, each tester nominated their personal favorites. Here are their picks and profiles, so you know who’s doing the dirty work and what they liked best.
How one trailbuilder is reshaping access to Vermont’s winter landscape
Hardy Avery has a knack for scoping lines, and it’s a skill that’s established him as one of Vermont’s most sought-after trailbuilders—no matter the season. Avery’s best known work is often of the mountain-biking flavor, with signature trails in Waterbury, Hyde Park and Stowe—including his namesake trail, Hardy’s Haul—drawing visitors from near and afar. In […]
Testers’ Choice: Lawson Yow’s Picks
It’s not all fun and games at Gear Test Week. Our 43 testers—32 skiers and 11 splitboarders—hit the slopes at Utah’s Powder Mountain with the dawn’s early light and don’t go to bed ’til the day’s reviews are complete. From carving smooth powder turns to busting through crud and shredding corduroy, each tester aims to test eight products per day, a task that provided us with more than 1,100 individual review to craft the 2019 Gear Guide, available now and packed with tester feedback.
