Latest
Odin Ultimate Infinity Jacket – Lightweight Backcountry Simplicity
Every gram counts when you spend the day earning your turns on a skin track. The Helly Hansen Odin Ultimate Jacket strikes a nice balance between lightweight minimalism, pro-level storm coverage and breathability that keeps pace with trail breaking and extended climbs. As the industry pushes to eliminate PFAS from waterproof, breathable outerwear, Helly Hansen developed LIFA INFINITY™, a professional-grade waterproof, breathable membrane made without solvents. Much like the latest PFAS-free GORE-TEX PRO technology, the LIFA INFINITY membrane has an extra-light, unrestrictive feel. While we are not out there in lab coats measuring breathability performance, the LIFA INFINITY membrane offers excellent all-around comfort skiing uphill and down in back-to-back days with a lightweight GORE-TEX PRO jacket. Balanced Minimalism The Odin Ultimate Infinity shell is a…
Features
Arc’teryx Rush Jacket and Pants – Lightweight GORE PRO for the Backcountry
Terrain choices and weather patterns shift daily, and your layers need to adapt. The Arc’teryx Rush jacket and pants are the GORE-TEX shells purpose-built for all things backcountry. Made with full weather protection and dedicated touring wear in mind, they let you adapt to whatever the day brings over long tours, storm days and spring missions alike. Arc’teryx Rush Jacket… Read More
Ski Goggles – Photochromic vs. Changeable Lens
Photochromic Versus Changeable Lens Goggles Ski goggles come in many flavors. Choosing the best goggles to match your needs requires a basic understanding of tech and setting a few priorities. If you’re not familiar with lens shapes and their advantages, check out our Ski Goggles 101 article for some basic goggles tech and know-how. When it comes to key goggles… Read More
Top Gifts for Backcountry Skiers
Skier Gift Ideas Make your gift search easy. Check out our curated list of gift ideas for backcountry skiers. We’re talking real gear picks by real people. And it’s all stuff we actually use and endorse. Black Diamond Tour Pro Ski Gloves – $130 Ski gloves are not as glamorous as a new down puffy or a pair of skis,… Read More
Avalanche Education Online
Avalanche safety education is better than ever. Between improved forecasting and conditions reporting, the unified teaching curriculum brought by AIARE, along with elevated public awareness, there is more information and higher-quality educational opportunities than ever before. And you can add a new resource to the list: AvalancheAware AvalancheAware is a free, online starting point for anyone interested in heading into… Read More
Gear
Odin Ultimate Infinity Jacket – Lightweight Backcountry Simplicity
Every gram counts when you spend the day earning your turns on a skin track. The Helly Hansen Odin Ultimate Jacket strikes a nice balance between lightweight minimalism, pro-level storm coverage and breathability that keeps pace with trail breaking and extended climbs. As the industry pushes to eliminate PFAS from waterproof, breathable outerwear, Helly Hansen developed LIFA INFINITY™, a professional-grade… Read More
Arc’teryx Rush Jacket and Pants – Lightweight GORE PRO for the Backcountry
Terrain choices and weather patterns shift daily, and your layers need to adapt. The Arc’teryx Rush jacket and pants are the GORE-TEX shells purpose-built for all things backcountry. Made with full weather protection and dedicated touring wear in mind, they let you adapt to whatever the day brings over long tours, storm days and spring missions alike. Arc’teryx Rush Jacket… Read More
Ski Goggles – Photochromic vs. Changeable Lens
Photochromic Versus Changeable Lens Goggles Ski goggles come in many flavors. Choosing the best goggles to match your needs requires a basic understanding of tech and setting a few priorities. If you’re not familiar with lens shapes and their advantages, check out our Ski Goggles 101 article for some basic goggles tech and know-how. When it comes to key goggles… Read More
Simple, Organized Design – Gregory Targhee 24 Ski Pack
A Ski Pack for Skiers Simple, organized design doesn’t have to mean bare-bones minimalism. The women’s Gregory Targhee 24 packs a range of features into a simple, thoughtful design that offers good organization and easy access to essential day touring gear. The Targhee has been a fixture in the Gregory backpack line for many years, and the latest edition is… Read More
Arc’teryx Micon 32 Ski Pack – Alpine Minimalism for Ski Touring
It’s easy to be a backpack critic. Designing and building a backcountry ski pack that pleases everyone is difficult. There are countless priorities to consider, from volume to pockets and unique features to access style and materials. Design considerations make trying new packs an interesting project because it’s where you get to put design to a real-world test. The… Read More
Armless Sunglasses – I was Skeptical – Ombraz Refugio Review
Yes, that’s right, armless sunglasses. Sounds a bit unlikely, but that’s exactly the concept behind Ombraz. The idea was born out of necessity when Ombraz cofounder Jensen broke a pair of aviator sunglasses while travelling. He repaired them by replacing the arms with a cord to hold them in place. It was so effective that he continued to use them… Read More
Adventure Ride Essentials
Lightweight Camping Stoves – MSR, Snow Peak, BRS
Like backpacking, efficient bikepacking is all about packing light. Careful choices in tent, sleep system and cook kit are easy places to save weight and space. Choosing a lightweight camping stove and meal plan saves significant weight and space over a more complex cooking plan and stove setup (read about freeze-dried meals and meal tips for bikepacking). There’s no shortage… Read More
Cycling Sunglasses Keep Getting Bigger
The current trend in cycling sunglasses is for maximum coverage, where bigger equals better. From well-known brands like Tifosi, Oakley and Smith to up-and-coming brands like Vallon, maximum coverage offers bold aesthetics and serious performance.
RWGPS Route Planning 101 — Creating Adventure Cycling Routes
Bikepacking Route Craft 101 “All that is gold does not glitter. Not all those who wander are lost.” — JR Tolkien. Gandolf’s words to Frodo as the Hobbit departs in search of Aragorn are equally sage advice for those looking to learn the art of creating bikepacking and adventure gravel routes. Route craft requires equal parts map reading skills, curiosity… Read More
Ride. Clean. Repeat. A Pressure Washer for Bikes
Routine Maintenance Keeping your bike running smoothly is all about routine maintenance. Regular cleaning, lubing and fine-tuning are what keep the miles rolling easy. As the wet season begins here in the Pacific Northwest, regular cleaning is more important than ever to keep your bike running well. As the old saying goes for horses, “rode hard and put away wet”… Read More
Industry News
Spearhead Huts Macbeth Hut Project
In 2019, the Spearhead Huts Society successfully opened the Kees and Claire Memorial Hut, the first of three planned huts on the legendary Spearhead Traverse. The next step in their vision is the Macbeth Hut. At the approximate midpoint of the Spearhead Traverse, Macbeth will be the second of the three huts. Located on Mount Macbeth, the hut will offer… Read More
Backcountry Film Festival Online
Stream the Winter Wildlands Backcountry Film Festival For more than 20 years, Winter Wildlands Alliance has produced the Backcountry Film Festival to celebrate the spirit of human-powered adventure through powerful stories that connect us to wild places, to one another and to the movement to keep winter wild. The festival has traveled the globe, raising millions of dollars to strengthen… Read More
Blown-In 8 – Ski and Outdoor Industry News
Blown-In is a semi-regular look at the latest ski and outdoor industry news, featuring a collection of press releases, new products, and interesting stuff circulating on the interweb that catches our attention. This edition of Blown-In features Everest ski descents, an epic bike-to-climb adventure, a women-centric ski film tour and the latest NOAA winter weather forecast. Girl Winter Ski Film… Read More
Moving Line – 1978 Ski Crossing of the Continental Divide
Black Mountain Productions Presents Moving Line Black Mountain Productions’ first documentary short, Moving Line, tells the story of the first crossing of Colorado by ski. In 1978, three adventurous skiers embarked on an extraordinary journey, starting in Durango, CO, and skiing a continuous line across the entire state, finishing near the Wyoming border. Moving Line explores the incredible 490-mile trek… Read More
Avalanche Safety
Avalanche Education Online
Avalanche safety education is better than ever. Between improved forecasting and conditions reporting, the unified teaching curriculum brought by AIARE, along with elevated public awareness, there is more information and higher-quality educational opportunities than ever before. And you can add a new resource to the list: AvalancheAware AvalancheAware is a free, online starting point for anyone interested in heading into… Read More
Avalanche Beacon Tech – Barryvox S2
Since the advent of digital signal processing and the three-antenna transceiver design, avalanche beacon tech advances have been relatively incremental. There have been minor design updates, processing improvements and some promising features like voice direction and signal flagging. Nonetheless, for the average user, it’s hard to see the differences between most beacons. The Barryvox S2 by Mammut aims to change… Read More
Rocky Talkie – Pro-Grade 5-Watt Expedition Radio
Raise the Bar on Backcountry Communication – Rocky Talkie Radios If you don’t ski with two-way radios, you should. Good communication makes for a good day and safe travel protocol in the backcountry. On the most basic level, good communication is about staying in touch with your ski partner(s) while climbing and skiing. When the terrain splits your group, or… Read More
Must Watch – To the Hills & Back
To the Hills & Back is not your typical ski movie. It’s a story of risk and consequence. What is risk? Risk is the likelihood of something bad happening and understanding the consequences. The new Sherpas Cinema film explores the consequences. It’s a story of loss, humility and resilience. No one heads to the mountains thinking about the worst that… Read More
Movies
Backcountry Film Festival Online
Stream the Winter Wildlands Backcountry Film Festival For more than 20 years, Winter Wildlands Alliance has produced the Backcountry Film Festival to celebrate the spirit of human-powered adventure through powerful stories that connect us to wild places, to one another and to the movement to keep winter wild. The festival has traveled the globe, raising millions of dollars to strengthen… Read More
Tordrillo – An Alaskan Ski Film
Five friends, dubbed the Five Blind Mice, set out to explore a lesser-traveled corner of Alaska, the Tordrillo Mountain Range. With a general zone on a map, a hopeful weather window and a confident pilot, the Five Blind Mice loaded a plane with enough food for a small village. What followed was six days of gorgeous landscapes, stable snowpack and… Read More
Black Diamond Presents Slope Ascenders
Slope Ascenders Step away from the big budget, go-big ski films and check out the latest DIY adventure ski film from Black Diamond Equipment. Welcome to the half-dream, half-reality world of Mya and Dorian, Black Diamond athletes paving their way through DIY mountain adventures with hard work and creativity. Self-produced at all levels, Slope Ascenders chronicles their season as they… Read More
2025 Ski Movie Trailers
Winter 2025-26 Ski Movie Trailers As summer fades to fall, it’s time for the annual parade of ski movie trailers. Not sure you’re ready for ski season yet? Take a few minutes to view the latest films from the big players like TGR and Matchstick, as well as smaller productions to fuel the stoke and kick the powder dreams into… Read More
The Vault
What’s The Problem? Understanding Avalanche Hazard
The classic backcountry ski checklist – shovel, probe, beacon, brain – has also come to include the avalanche forecast, and most of us make an effort to check the forecast before we head into the mountains. But an important question that’s often overlooked is, “Are you really absorbing the most important information contained in the forecast?” Sure, the avalanche hazard… Read More
Avalanche Accident – A Perfect Storm
A Perfect Storm – Reflecting on an Avalanche Accident Never have I fought so hard to suppress the overwhelming urge to panic. Before I realized what I was doing, I heard my own muffled screaming. I told myself to calm down. Again, I realized I was screaming. A few deep breaths later, I gained a small measure of composure. I… Read More
Avalanche Safety – The Morning Meeting
Avalanche Safety – Have a Clear Plan and Conditions Dialogue The number one response I hear from students when asked why they are taking an avalanche class is “to be safer in the backcountry.” Avalanche instructors work hard to send folks away with many of the tools they need to be safer skiers. Some of these avalanche safety tools are… Read More
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 spontaneous partner was a local… Read More
