Until last week, Associate Editor Lucy Higgins and I had never traveled in the backcountry on a high avalanche danger day. It was not something I wanted to check off my bucket list, and neither of us dared to self-guide during conditions like those seen last Tuesday in Crested Butte, Colorado. But on that day, as part of a Dynafit press trip, Lucy and I were scheduled to head into the surrounding backcountry with Donny Roth of Irwin Guides.
Five killed in avalanche in the Austrian Alps
WATTENTAL VALLEY, AUSTRIA. This past Saturday, February 6, 20 skiers from the Czech Republic were caught in an avalanche in the western region of Tyrol. Five suffered fatal injuries, reports The Guardian.
Working for the Weekend: Presidential Spring
The latest episode of Ski The East’s backcountry series Working For The Weekend, “Presidential Spring,” might be the thirst quencher for parched East Coast snow enthusiasts. In the episode, Ben Leoni—a lawyer from Portland who spends his two days of freedom from the daily grind skiing with similarly job afflicted friends—travels to Mt. Washington to ski some technical, less traveled lines on the famous peak.
Backcountry Experience panel at SIA: Inside the Female Mind
DENVER, COLO. This past Friday at SIA, Backcountry Magazine Assistant Editor Louise Lintilhac led Inside the Female Mind, a discussion panel focusing on how women approach decision-making, group dynamics and problem solving in the backcountry. The panel, held at the Backcountry Experience’s booth, was comprised of journalist Berne Broudy, freeride athlete Lynsey Dyer, freeride athlete Pip Hunt and photographer and guide Kt Miller.
Boardroom: an interview with Christine Feleki, aspiring female splitboard guide
An aspiring splitboard guide from Canmore, Alberta, Christine Feleki is working over the next few months to gain the experience needed to pass her final guide exam. In a world where there are not many splitboard guides, and even fewer female splitboard guides, Feleki has put in the time honing the art of knuckle-dragger guiding and terrain management. Now, she’s on track to become a fully certified guide.
BACKCOUNTRY BULLETIN: FEBRUARY AVALANCHE AND BACKCOUNTRY COMMUNITY EVENTS
It’s February and winter is in full swing. Here is a selection of this month’s backcountry events you may want to brave the cold to attend. ALASKA CHUGACH NATIONAL FOREST AVALANCHE CENTER—FREE CNFAIC AWARENESS TALK Tuesday, February 2 | 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. | REI, Anchorage | More info: cnfaic.org CHUGACH NATIONAL FOREST AVALANCHE CENTER—FREE […]
Boardroom: An interview with Pallas Snowboards co-founder Stephanie Nitsch
Stephanie Nitsch is a woman of many hats. I first met her in 2014 at the SheJumps all-women ski and splitboarding mountaineering course, Alpine Finishing School, held outside of Revelstoke, British Columbia. She was there as both participant and journalist, and I got to know Stephanie through stories of her roving lifestyle. Now Stephanie splits her time between her house in Whistler, B.C. and Park City, Utah, where her new company Pallas Snowboards is based.
Eastern Avalanches: Unstable snowpack doesn’t care if you live in the east
Yesterday, David Lottmann, an AIARE instructor based out of Conway, New Hampshire, posted on the blog, North East Alpine Start, about an avalanche incident he witnessed this past Sunday, January 17 on Mt. Washington when five climbers triggered a slide next to where Lottmann was instructing an AIARE class.
Avalanche fatalities spike in western U.S.
Between January 16 and 24, the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CAIC) has reported 10 fatalities due to avalanches—six of the victims were skiers or riders. Before Jan. 16, there had been no skier or rider deaths to date in the winter of 2015/16.
The American Alpine Institute forms Liz Daily scholarship for aspiring women mountaineers
The American Alpine Institute (AAI) is an organization that provides instruction for ice climbing, rock climbing, glacier skills and off-piste skiing to those who are looking to grow their skills in the outdoors. In a recent gesture, the AAI has set up a scholarship in honor of the late Liz Daley, snowboard athlete, mountaineer, guide and instructor for the AAI. The hope is that this scholarship, ranging from $1,000 to $2,500, will help more women venture to become guides like Liz.
