As an avalanche course instructor, I’m often confronted with students who come to me with a ton of questions after taking an Avy Level 1 course. In a lot of ways, that’s what Level 1 courses are for: inspiring questions and pointing out just how complex avalanches really are and how difficult terrain management can be.
Photographer Profile: Ming Poon captures the Tahoe backcountry
In the 2018 Photo Annual, we’ve asked seven photographers to dish on the inspiration behind a favorite photo of their choosing. These featured photographers capture the landscapes, community and emotion that that evoke the untracked experience, from dawn’s light to skintracks cutting across a blank white canvas.
Community Service: Bob Wade’s Ute Mountaineer stands the test of time
Ute Mountaineer, the family-owned purveyor of high-end mountain gear, operator of the Aspen and Snowmass Cross Country Centers and organizer of countless town- and mountain-based events, is an Elk-Mountain staple.
Local Legend Chris Landry: Lessons from a phantom pioneer
Landry is a recluse, that’s a totally fair word. I think he might even characterize himself that way. He was a very influential skier in the ’70s and ’80s not only doing the first descent [of the Landry Line] on Pyramid Peak but also the first descent of Liberty Ridge on Mt. Rainier, which was huge and not repeated for many years.
Skintrack Sketches: Kate Zessel finds creativity on the skintrack
Hailing from Whistler, B.C., 27-year-old artist Kate Zessel seems to have everything figured out. But her path to success hasn’t been a straight one; growing up, she wasn’t sure how to make art a viable profession.
Aspen’s Mountain Man: Lou Dawson
Lou Dawson’s name is synonymous with backcountry skiing. He’s known as a pioneer, historian and walking gear encyclopedia, between countless first descents—like Snowmass, South Maroon Peak and Capitol Peak, to name a few.
Kit DesLauriers talks the future of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge after October’s drilling-friendly Senate decision
On October 19, the U.S. Senate rejected a budget amendment that would have blocked a key panel from raising revenue via drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This area covers 19.64 million acres of land in Northern Alaska.
Adventure Not War: Veterans Return to Iraq to Ski and Heal
Last February, veteran Stacy Bare returned to Iraq for a different type of tour. Nearly 10 years after his deployment as a U.S. Army Captain, the director of Sierra Club Outdoors aimed to ski the country’s second-tallest peak, Mt. Halgurd (11,834 ft.) in Iraqi Kurdistan’s northern Arbil Province. And, along the way, he hoped it would offer something deeper.
Skintrack Sketches: Mimi Kvinge looks to balance authentic artistic identity and brand
Seattle, Wash. resident Mimi Kvinge, 28, believes that every day is an art class. Her expansive portfolio across a multitude of mediums showcases her natural talent and dedication to her craft. Kvinge epitomizes the ‘work hard, play hard’ lifestyle with pursuits in skiing, mountain biking and fishing.
The Little Machine: Eric Hjorleifson’s back in the shop, aiming to change high-performance AT-boot design
Once again, Hjorleifson is working to shift the AT boot conversation. Over the last four years, he, along with Fritz Barthel, boot engineer and inventor of the Low Tech Binding, has developed another evolution in boot equipment.
