Designated Radio Channels for Popular Backcountry Zones It’s commonly understood that avalanche safety often hinges on human-driven factors. Ideas like familiarity with terrain, the expert halo and group communication (or lack thereof) rise to the top of the list as contributors to avalanche accidents. Broadly speaking, group communication is at the root of many mistakes. Communication alone will not overcome… Read More
Adventure Bike Gravel Tires Reviewed So many choices. So little time. Choosing the best gravel tire is a bit like picking the right shoes for the day. It’s all about the terrain and surfaces that are on the agenda. When talking tires for adventure riding, maximum volume and width are key considerations. Tread is important, too. But volume is directly related to… Read More
Backcountry Skier Personalities No backcountry skier profile would be complete without a look at the Luddite. Sometimes grumpy and always enthusiastic, the Luddite is like a snapshot in time from ski gear history. Stay tuned for the still-to=come Bro Brah, Rando Racer and Newbie profiles and be sure to read the Gearhead, Luddite and Jaded Local profiles. The Luddite Similar… Read More
Stream the 2020-21 Backcountry Film Fest Well, heading to your fave local theatre or pub to see this year’s Backcountry Film Festival may not be an option. But you can still support the groups that rely on the film fest for raising revenue and awareness. Just choose the organization you want to support from the list of Backcountry Film Fest… Read More
Backcountry Skier Personalities – The Jaded Local Continuing our sarcastic look at backcountry skier personalities, we profile the typically grumpy and often misanthropic Jaded Local. Also check out Gearhead, Luddite, Bro Brah, Rando Racer and Newby profiles. The Jaded Local The Jaded Local is generally an anti-social creature. Unless you happen to be part of his inner circle or, perhaps,… Read More
Know Your Snowpack Stability Tests With the growing complexity of snowpacks around the country, it’s a great time to brush up on your snowpack knowledge, specifically common snowpack stability tests. The following video presentation of snowpack stability tests by Bruce Jamieson and Mike Conlan from the Applied Snow and Avalanche Research Center at the University of Calgary in Alberta offers a lot of… Read More
Tip Rise Meets Camber and Control If you’re not familiar with Ogso skis, it’s time to get acquainted. Based in Chamonix, France, Ogso Mountain Essentials is a rising new ski brand that makes a range of very fun and versatile touring skis – read more about Ogso and our review of the Ogso Schwarztor ski, which we awarded a quiver-of-one label…. Read More
Can You Dig It – Avalanche Shoveling Technique 101 Avalanche rescue has several stages. The longest and most strenuous aspect of most rescues is the shoveling phase. Proficient shoveling saves vaulable minutes. From where you start digging relative to your probe strike to effectively moving snow, there are several shoveling techniques that help make for fast, efficient recovery of… Read More
Backcountry Skier Personalities Backcountry skiers can be a curious bunch. We come in a variety of flavors, and there are several easy stereotypes to poke fun at. Of course, we all hold traits from a mix of stereotypes, but in the spirit of making fun of ourselves, we broke backcountry skier personalities into six classic stereotypes — Gearhead, Jaded Local,… Read More
Setting an efficient skin track requires using the terrain to your advantage and finding the balance between climbing efficiency and skin track angle. A key component of a good skin track is efficient corners. Jeff Ward from North Cascades Mountain Guides walks through the process behind creating rounded and AVA turns in lower to moderate angle terrain.
Ultralight Insulated Jacket – Patagonia Micro Puff Down vs Synthetic Insulation A puffy or insulated jacket is essential gear for backcountry skiing. Ask a skier if they prefer down or synthetic, and you’ll find less consensus. While synthetic insulation is more durable, stays warm when wet and is better suited to the repeated stuffing and re-stuffing that a puffy experiences… Read More
Wow, Folllow the Forecast has some great deep snow footage. These guys really get the goods. Big Lines. Pillow lines. Deep Lines. Sit back and enjoy. Follow the Forecast
Recognizing Avalanche Terrain Avalanche Canada has a webinar series this season covering a variety of avalanche safety topics. Recognizing Avalanche Terrain and Trip Preparedness provides a good introduction to or refresher on avalance hazards. It includes info specific to Avalanche Canada’s website, but more it’s a solid overview for anyone looking to broaden their backcountry knowledge.
Chest Harness or Pants Pocket – What’s the Best Place to Wear Your Avalanche Transceiver Standard protocol for wearing an avalanche transceiver has long been strapped to your chest in its harness. In the last handful of years, more and more skiers are moving to storing their beacons in a pants pocket. Using a pant pocket makes for convenient access… Read More
You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows, but it sure helps when it comes to ENSO and remembering the difference between La Niña and El Niño and their respective influences on the weather in your local ski stash. Below is an article from the Off-Piste Mag archives that lays out the details about ENSO and… Read More
