Latest
Gifts for Skiers
Gifts for Skiers Need holiday gifts for skiers on your Christmas list? Short of setting them up with a hut trip or new powder skis, we've put together a few of our favorite gifts for skiers to help seed your holiday shopping with fresh ideas - all for under $100. Leatherman Skeletool Multi-Tool $60 Never let your favorite skier head into the backcountry without a proper multi-tool to address unforeseen problems. For the gram-counting minimalist, the Leatherman Skeletool is the clear choice in bit-driver multi-tools. It includes the basic essentials for turning screws, cutting stuff and the utility of pliers in a light five ounce design. Be sure to get the add-on bit extender for added utility. Read more our Multi-Tools for Skiers review for…
Gear
Marker Alpinist 12 Binding – Review
Marker Alpinist 12 Binding Dynafit set the tech binding standard and many have followed. One of the more recent alpine touring bindings to turn our heads is the Marker Alpinist 12. Marker is, of course, well established in the alpine binding world and first stepped into tech binding design with the Kingpin. Blending the security of an alpine binding heel… Read More
Layering for Backcountry Skiing – Baselayers and Midlayers
Layering for Backcountry Skiing – Baselayers and Midlayers Dressing for a full day of backcountry skiing requires a balance of breathability and weather protection. And the only way to really achieve the balance is through layering. It’s not rocket science, but it is easy to overdress for ski touring. It’s an aerobic activity, and you need to be prepared to… Read More
Outdoor Research San Juan Jacket
Outdoor Research San Juan Jacket When is the last time you skied in the rain? Hopefully, it’s been long enough that you can’t recall. I ask because many skiers are too concerned with full waterproof protection when choosing a jacket for backcountry skiing. The reality is that the number of days we spend ski touring in truly wet conditions is limited…. Read More
Ogso Skis
Ogso Skis There’s a rising new ski brand making its way into North America, Ogso Skis. Based in Chamonix, France, Ogso offers a variety of skis ranging from modestly-waisted mountaineering boards to wider freeride designs. Ogso makes lightweight uphill-friendly models and heavier descent-oriented boards. Ogos founder and ski mountaineer, Tom Seidensticker, describes Ogso skis this way, “The skis are balanced… Read More
Multi-Tools for Skiers
Multi-Tools for Skiers Three Leatherman Multi-Tools with Bit Drivers My backcountry repair kit is on the thin side when compared to many skiers, but I do always carry a multi-tool in my pack. In my experience, the highest use tools for addressing boot, binding and unforeseen backcountry issues are a scewdriver of one sort or another, pliers and a good… Read More
Roller Ski Bags
Roller Ski Bag – The Only Way to Travel A minimalist at heart, I travelled for many years with the most basic of ski bags for air travel; a single zip bag with a shoulder strap. I’ve looked on with envy at those with roller ski bags as they effortlessly negotiate the airport and car rental counters but have have… Read More
Features
Gifts for Skiers
Gifts for Skiers Need holiday gifts for skiers on your Christmas list? Short of setting them up with a hut trip or new powder skis, we’ve put together a few of our favorite gifts for skiers to help seed your holiday shopping with fresh ideas – all for under $100. Leatherman Skeletool Multi-Tool $60 Never let your favorite skier head… Read More
Marker Alpinist 12 Binding – Review
Marker Alpinist 12 Binding Dynafit set the tech binding standard and many have followed. One of the more recent alpine touring bindings to turn our heads is the Marker Alpinist 12. Marker is, of course, well established in the alpine binding world and first stepped into tech binding design with the Kingpin. Blending the security of an alpine binding heel… Read More
The Man Behind the Maps – Legendary Ski Artist James Niehues
The Man Behind the Maps – Legendary Ski Artist James Niehues Ski resorts and trail maps are synonymous. What skier hasn’t poured over a resort map taking in the detail in search of the best terrain and the right runs or simply to decide which way to go. You might have guessed that ski resort trail maps are digitally rendered… Read More
Fellow Prismo AeroPress Filter
Fellow Prismo AeroPress Filter Review Portable AeroPress Coffee Maker Made Better For the dedicated coffee drinkers among us, little compares to the ritual brewing of the morning cup. We all have our favorite time-tested methods for brewing coffee in the backcountry or while on the road, and one of the best portable coffee makers around is the AeroPress coffee maker. This… Read More
Avalanche Safety
Avalanche Safety – Communication in the Backcountry
Avalanche Safety – Communication in the Backcountry The freezing levels in the Northwest have been on their typical fall rollercoaster ride and, with the ride, the snow has come and gone and come again. Early season skiing has its attraction, but I like to remind myself that there is no rush. That said, plenty of skiers have seized the moment… Read More
Avy 101 – Weak Layers – A low tech approach to identifying common avalanche culprits
Weak Layers A low-tech approach to identifying common avalanche culprits – by Larry Goldie Believe it or not, regardless of what triggers an avalanche, every avalanche has one thing in common: they all fail on a weak layer of snow. Personally, I would much rather be out skiing than standing around in snowpits looking at snow crystals and analyzing weak layers…. Read More
Movies
Candide Thovex Skis the Great Wall of China
Candide Thovex Skis the Great Wall of China Candide Thovex skis the Great Wall of China without Snow Candide Thovex never ceases to amaze. I think he’s actually pushing the climate change thing a bit by skiing on everything but snow while we still have snow to ski on, but maybe he’s just securing his future for a world without… Read More
Abandoned – A Ski Film about Lost Ski Areas
Abandoned – A Film about Lost Ski Areas Abandoned is about a crew of backcountry skiers who set out to explore Colorado’s lost ski areas in hopes to find adventure amongst the ruins. Instead, they discover the truth behind what made these areas close their doors for good and illustrates what skiing used to be like before mega resorts and… Read More
The Vault
The Art of the Uptrack
The Art of the Uptrack Larry Goldie – Owner, Lead Guide at North Cascade Mountain Guides First, there was the epiphany. It was a deep day, sixteen inches of new and still snowing. The hookup began as many do, spontaneously meeting at the trailhead with the same objective in mind. I was with my two most regular ski partners. Our… Read More
Dream Job – Avalanche Forecaster
Dream Job – Avalanche Forecaster An Interview with ChugachNational Forest Avalanche Center Forecaster Wendy Wagner by David Waag We all appreciate the value of our regional avalanche forecast centers and, let’s be honest, who hasn’t dreamed of working as an avalanche professional. It’s all face shots, field observations and free gear right? Well, it turns out there’s a lot more… Read More