Check out feature stories, how-to articles, product comparisons and more about backcountry ski gear, skiing and culture.
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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
Tech bindings have evolved quickly over the past few years and the 2017 Outdoor Retailer (OR) show in Salt Lake offered a glimpse of the latest innovations on the tech binding front. Dynafit and Fritschi unveiled new AT tech bindings at OR, while G3 and Salomon continue to refine their offerings. Here’s quick overview: DYNAFIT: The brand that literally invented the… Read More
Ski Clothes for Kids – Setting Kids Up for the Backcountry A big part of getting kids to enjoy backcountry skiing is making sure they stay warm and dry. We (adults) take managing our body temp and comfort level for granted, but kids have to learn how to manage uphill and downhill comfort. It’s not rocket science, but it requires… 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
Efficient Ski Touring Transitions Efficient transitions while ski touring help you manage your time, temperature and gear effectively. Check out this video of Jeff Ward, IFMGA Mountain Guide and co-owner of North Cascade Mountain Guides, as he talks us through several ski touring transitions. Jeff does a great job walking us through the steps and thought process behind efficient transitions between ski… Read More
Rogers Pass Glacier Park Lodge to be Demolished Rogers Pass sits between Revelstoke and Golden, British Columbia, on the Trans-Canada Highway. The Pass boasts an annual snowfall in excess of 40 feet and roadside access to some of the best ski-touring terrain on the planet. For more than five decades, the Glacier Park Lodge offered accommodation at the Pass, making… Read More
Off-Piste Mag Editors’ Choice Ski Reviews 2017 – Round I Here’s our first round of Editors’ Choice ski reviews for 2017. We’ve got three boards that are worthy of quiver-of-one status for backcountry skiers: The Voile SuperCharger, The DPS Wailer 106 and the Völkl 90EIGHT. We’d gladly grab any one these boards as our go-to ski for a full season of mixed backcountry… 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
What’s Your System? Managing Your Human Factor – Joe Stock I’ve never been caught in avalanche. Maybe it’s because I’m good at mountain travel. Maybe it’s because I maintain a healthy margin for error. Maybe it’s luck. In any case, I work hard to avoid avalanches. I’m in the snowy mountains most of winter. The odds are against me. One of the… 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
Alpine Singletrack on the Rise Story and Photos by Steve Shannon A hundred kilometers south of Revelstoke, British Columbia, tucked away in an alpine meadow in the Monashee Mountains, sits a growing alpine singletrack hotspot: Sol Mountain Lodge. Sol has operated as a ski touring lodge since 2005 but with the lodge accessible by car after the snow melts, owner, Aaron… 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
Aeropress Portable Coffee Maker The AeroPress is the best travel coffee maker on the market. It’s simple to use, durable and easy to clean. But most importantly, it makes a great cup of coffee. From car camping to road trips and backcountry to bikepacking use, AeroPress is our go-to portable coffee maker. How The AeroPress Works Using a small paper… Read More
The Fritschi Vipec 12, having weathered a few initial glitches last season, hit the market in 2015 refined and I’ve spent the past couple months logging hours on the current model in the backcountry and at the ski resort. The bottom line is that Fritschi has set themselves up as a viable player in the tech-binding market and the Vipec offers… Read More
Burnie Glacier Chalet Spring is underway in the valleys, but the mountains still harbor a taste of winter and that’s exactly what I got while visiting the Burnie Glacier Chalet outside of Smithers, British Columbia at the end of March. Located in the Howson Range on the east slope of British Columbia’s Coast Mountains, Burnie delivered cold snow in the alpine… Read More
