A few short weeks ago, more than 40 testers converged on the sunny slopes of Powder Mountain, Utah for Gear Test Week 2018. Along for the ride was photographer Matt Kiedaisch, who documented each day, from the sometimes bleary mornings to raucous nights and the many turns in between.
How Romp Skis crafted the ultimate one-quiver backcountry tool
At 2018 Gear Test Week, 40 testers put more than 200 pairs of skis, 70 pairs of boots and every pair of backcountry bindings through the ringer. But one particular product stood above all the rest—and it doesn’t come as a pair, at least on the descent.
Backstory: How a Season Without Skiing Brought Me Back
Before my family left our home in Sun Valley, Idaho for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend the winter in Morocco, my plan for handling a year without skiing seemed simple enough: just don’t think about it.
Gear Test Week 2018 Instagram Recap
Gear Test Week 2018 has come to an end, and all 40 testers, 200 skis and 70 boots have made their way back home for the remainder of the season. For the editors at Backcountry Magazine, the work to compile tester comments and reviews for the 2018 Gear Guide is just beginning, but this upcoming issue is fueled by memories of a week of fun, sun and a heck of a lot of shredding at Powder Mountain, Utah.
2018 Gear Test Preview: Bindings
With Backcountry Magazine’s 2018 Gear Test kicking off tomorrow, we’re looking ahead to the latest in skis, boots and bindings that are rolling in to Powder Mountain today. Each year, to make sure we’re testing the most contemporary gear, we operate under a simple rule: Only first- and second-year skis, boots and bindings, or older models with construction updates, are eligible […]
Wisdom: Bruce Engelhard on Walking the Walk
For the past three decades, Bruce Engelhard has been teaching avalanche courses and ski guiding in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. In that time, he’s learned that the mountains always win—but even so, there are ways to manage risk and decision making to keep getting out there and to keep tragedy at bay. And this weekend, Engelhard is […]
Wisdom: Nancy Bockino Practices Patience
Nancy Bockino keeps really busy. Her work takes her between Teton County Search and Rescue, teaching avalanche courses, guiding for Exum Mountain Guides and researching high-elevation pines in Grand Teton National Park. How does she balance it all? Patience, she says, plus a passion for the mountains.
2018 Gear Test Preview: Five Skis to Stir Up the Lineup
Next week, for the 10th year running, Backcountry Magazine staff and over 50 testers are heading to Powder Mountain, Utah to ride and test the latest in skis, boots and bindings as part of the 2018 Gear Test. And to make sure that we’re testing the most contemporary gear, we operate under a simple rule: Only first- and second-year skis, […]
Reggae Turns: How two Vermont skiers are reshaping backcountry terrain throughout the state
Nestled in the mountains of central Vermont, the sleepy town of Rochester is usually a brief, 10-second view out the window for anyone passing through. But long volunteer hours from Rochester-area residents like Angus McCusker and Zac Freeman are giving visitors a reason to linger in town—and the surrounding woods.
Mt. Washington’s Cogs of Change: How a future hotel on New England’s highest peak could affect the East Coast bc mecca
In late 2016, it was announced by Wayne Presby, owner and operator of Mt. Washington’s cog railway for the past 34 years, that a new mid-mountain hotel might be added to the iconic mountain’s viewshed—potentially impacting access to the mountain’s much-loved ski lines.
