Patagonia Nano Air vs. Nano Storm An insulated jacket is on the must-have list for backcountry skiing. It’s the layer that keeps you warm during breaks or transitions and offers a safety margin should you have to wait out a repair, deal with an injury or adjust to changing weather. I’ve developed a preference for synthetic insulation versus down over… Read More
Patagonia Nano Air Light Hoody Finding the magic layering system that is warm yet breathable enough to handle breaking trail and uphill travel is no simple feat. First off, every day is different – sun, wind, temp, precip – they all vary by day and even aspect. Second, everybody is different – some of us run hot, others run cool…. Read More
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
Avalanche Safety – Keep it Simple NSAW, the Northwest Snow and Avalanche Workshop, was held in late October. As usual, the event was excellent and is a great way to jump start your avalanche safety brain for the season. NWAC recorded all of the presentations this year and recently posted them on their YouTube channel. All of the presentations are high… Read More
Book Review: Training for the New Alpinism: A Manual for the Climber as Athlete Steve House and Scott Johnston $35.00 from Patagonia Books “You can’t coach desire, and no matter how fancy your training plan or how high your stated goals are, it comes down to getting out the door and doing the work day after day.” – Steve House… Read More
As winter transitions to spring, changes in the snowpack can take place at an alarming rate, catching even the most experienced skiers off guard. Spring avalanche hazard is every bit as important as winter. By the time March rolls around, the sun is significantly higher in the sky than it has been all winter. This increased sun angle can add… Read More
In the national forest around the volcano near my home, there is a pocket formed by the near-perpendicular intersection of two ridges. There’s a steep, old logging road that winds its way up to the ridgetop above this cleft in the earth, past a small spring that seeps downhill and is gathered by a creek and continues onward. I am… Read More
REPAIR, RENEW, REUSE All in a day’s work at Mountain Soles In an era of disposable products where cheaper equals better to many consumers, there stands a testament to quality and longevity in a small shop in Portland, Oregon. Mountain Soles, a fixture in Northwest outdoor gear repair since 1979, has been quietly repairing, altering and renewing quality outdoor footwear,… Read More
Every summer we post the previous season’s back issues of Off Piste Magazine and here’s the links for the 2014-15 digital editions. These are digital “page turners” and it’s the same format that our digital subscription uses. Of course, subscribers get the digi editions during the ski season as they are released. You can look at previous seasons’ back issues… Read More
Download Off-Piste Issue 63 Off-Piste – the backcountry skier’s magazine – Issue 63, December 2014 Issue 63 includes avalanche airbag pack reviews; guide’s corner – morning meeting; dream job – ski guide and more
In this winter of lackluster storms and roller coaster temps around the West, I have learned one lesson over and over: the mountains always deliver. A mid-March trip to Powder Creek Lodge on the west slope of British Columbia’s Purcell Range was a great example of this lesson. The snow gods had been fickle for almost two full months, and so… Read More
Along the Highway 20 corridor in the North Cascades, snowmobiles provide valuable access to backcountry skiing and having a solid set-up to keep your gear dry and attached to your sled is paramount. Giant Loop from Bend, Oregon makes a great waterproof snowmobile bag that suits backcountry skiers well. A quality gear set-up prevents the miles-long yardsale of gear and helps mitigate some of… Read More
The Dynafit Patrol Jacket is a lightweight, minimalist shell designed for all-weather touring using Gore-Tex Active 3-layer fabric. As a longtime softshell jacket convert, it’s the rare day that I seek the protection of a waterproof, breathable Gore-Tex type shell. So, when the Dynafit Patrol Jacket arrived at the office, I wasn’t convinced of its utility. Nonetheless, it was noticeably light. In fact,… Read More
I’ve run the Scarpa Freedom SL for a full season of testing now, and it continues to live up to its first impressions as an incredibly lightweight and touring friendly alpine ski boot. I do not see it as a dedicated touring boot for a devoted backcountry skier but rather as the best of the crossover boots that provide alpine… Read More
The King Pin, Marker’s new tech-style AT binding is making waves across the internet this week. And for good reason, it sounds pretty cool. The tech toe is similar to the growing crop of tech binding options, but it’s the heel unit that looks to set the King Pin apart. It’s got a full TUV Din certificate for one. Second, it’s… Read More
