Adventure, Innovation, and Grit: The Rise of Nivis Gear The grit of skiing in tough conditions shaped me. Growing up in New England, I learned to navigate poor conditions, icy terrain, bitter cold, and fierce winds. It’s a wet cold entirely different from the dry chill out west. You know what I mean if you’ve skied the frozen hills of West Virginia or braved the winds at Stowe. Skiing […] Gear Alex K | February 4, 2025 0 Comments
Jones Pass, CO, Report: First Backcountry Day of The Season Report from Sunday, November 10, 2024 Snow has been accumulating in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, and the backcountry zones across the state are starting to fill in. An early November storm brought in about 18″ over the last few days, and I was itching to get out for my first backcountry tour of the season. Grabbing our splitboards, my buddy and I […] Backcountry Luke Guilford | November 16, 2024 0 Comments
What Are Suncups and How Do They Form? Perhaps you’ve trudged through them—the several-inch-deep snow pockets that litter approaches during the late spring touring months. Complete with miniature peaks and valleys like the mountains they reside on, the cups can range anywhere from a few inches to over two feet in depth. But what are suncups, how do they form, and where are they found? If you haven’t […] Brains Tate Sundberg | June 26, 2024 0 Comments
[PHOTOS] Finding the Best Backcountry Lines in Washington State Washington State is best known for its prominent, glaciated volcanoes, but it also has a variety of lesser-known backcountry lines. To get a better sense of the Washington backcountry skiing scene— especially the access out of Seattle, WA— I got in touch with Adam Pikielny. Adam lives in the Seattle area and, when he isn’t in the park at the […] Brains Nicky Blumm | May 5, 2024 0 Comments
Mount St. Helens, WA, Backcountry Report: Volcano Season has Arrived Report from Wednesday, April 17, 2024 Mount St. Helens, Washington, may not be as big as it used to be, but it’s still a formidable PNW staple. I was excited to return to St. Helens after a wonderful, placid trip in 2023 and this Wednesday did not disappoint. The route from Portland to the Marble Mountain Sno Park was bare and […] Conditions Report Nicky Blumm | April 18, 2024 0 Comments
Niseko, Japan, Backcountry Report: Sunny Skies and Soft Snow Report from January 1, 2024 What better way to start 2024 than by breaking out the skins and looking for some fresh snow. Driving to the backside of Mt. Niseko-Annupuri, there was noticeable snow accumulation on the parked cars. The sun was shining which made for scenic views. I parked and headed up the skin track passing tons of Sassa […] Conditions Report Brett Ploss | January 3, 2024 0 Comments
Winter is Coming! Don’t Let Cold Hands Slow You Down As the temperature drops and the snowflakes start to dance in the air, we know that winter is just around the corner. It’s the season filled with excitement for skiing, snowboarding, winter hiking, and all kinds of chilly escapades. But nothing can put a damper on your winter fun quite like cold, numb hands. Fear not, because we’ve got the […] Featured Article Alex K | October 23, 2023 0 Comments
The Dangers of Early Season Backcountry Skiing Early season backcountry skiing is fun. Skiing in fall among the turning Aspen trees with untracked blower powder is a treat, but being aware of its dangers is vital to keep in mind. Related: Why Early Season Snow is Dangerous in Colorado | News Release: CAIC Trees Tree skiing is some of the best backcountry skiing, but early season snow coverage […] Avalanche Clay Malott | October 20, 2023 4 Comments
Avalanche in Austria Buries 14 Touring Skiers A massive avalanche in Schruns, near the ski resort Montafon in Austria, swept away and buried 14 touring skiers on Saturday, March 11, 2023. The group of 18 German touring skiers had set out on a ski tour to Öfapass when a cornice above them at 7,218 ft (2,200m) gave way. The weather was not optimal, with light snowfalls, poor […] Avalanche Julia Schneemann | March 13, 2023 0 Comments
[VIDEO] Snow Pit Basics with IFMGA Guide Evan Stevens [arve url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcXogVHecFQ"] AvyBrains | January 19, 2023 Likes Tweets 1 Comment
Gear Recall: Black Diamond Voluntarily Replaces Ascension Climbing Skins Made in 2021 Black Diamond (BD) announced they are voluntarily replacing their Ascension Climbing Skins that were manufactured between January and March 2021 due to defects in the glue. According to BD’s press release the defect was related to “…a particular batch manufactured during the noted timeline does not meet Black Diamond product standards due to glue-to-plush bond issue causing accelerated glue failure […] Industry News Ryan Kime | July 11, 2022 0 Comments
You Have A Ski Quiver, Should You Have A Boot Quiver Too? Your boots are the most important piece of ski equipment you own. Besides keeping your feet warm, they’re the only connection you have between you and your skis. Go ahead – buy the best skis and bindings, and hire Bode Miller as your personal coach, but if your boot fit sucks, so will you. You’ve got skis for every pursuit and […] Backcountry Mike Lavery | May 2, 2022 6 Comments
Going Farther in the Backcountry with Intuition Liners Brought to you by Intuition Liners For backcountry skiing, comfortable boots are the key to longer tours and more aggressive descents. With the right boot and liner, you can take your backcountry stamina to the next level without cold, painful feet. Replacing the stock liners in your favorite boots can bring them to life and increase your performance, both uphill […] Featured Article Katy Shipley | November 24, 2021 0 Comments
The Alta Skiing Journal, Vol. 5: “Tombstone” [arve url="https://youtu.be/5IADewASM34"] Martin Kuprianowicz | November 9, 2021 Likes Tweets 0 Comments
Alta, UT Report: Muggy, May Powder Skiing in Devil’s Castle Brought to you by 10 Barrel Brewing Report from Monday, May 24, 2021 Powder is powder. I don’t care who you ask. At about 8:30 this morning I was cruising up Little Cottonwood Canyon, which felt wet and sleepy. There was a dead bull moose on the side of the highway. About five inches of new snow fell at Alta this […] Conditions Report Martin Kuprianowicz | May 24, 2021 0 Comments
Wasatch Range, UT Report: A Murder-Suicide on Mount Superior Brought to you by 10 Barrel Brewing Report from Thursday, May 13, 2021 Often the best things in life are unexpected: relationships, job opportunities—Chuting Gallery couloir link-ups. This morning at 11, two buddies and I set off for Suicide Chute—a Wasatch-classic couloir on Mount Superior. I’ve already skied Suicide several times, so I figured I’d take a look at Homicide Chute […] Conditions Report Martin Kuprianowicz | May 14, 2021 0 Comments
9 People Caught in Colorado Avalanches in Past 7 Days View this post on Instagram A post shared by Friends of CAIC (@friendsofcaic) It’s been one of the worst seasons for avalanche fatalities in Colorado in the past 100 years. This past week alone, 9 people were caught in avalanches in Colorado. Thankfully, no one has been seriously injured or killed. Friendsofcaic, a social media page geared towards […] Avalanche AvyBrains | April 23, 2021 0 Comments
The Disadvantages of the Quiver of One There is undoubtedly lots of uncertainty surrounding the 2020-2021 ski season. Resorts will likely be running at reduced capacity, meaning fewer skiers are allowed on the mountain per day. This has triggered a mass exodus to backcountry skiing, the likes of which we have never seen. To backcountry ski, of course, you need to buy the right gear. This year, many […] Backcountry Clay Malott | April 20, 2021 1 Comment
Wasatch Mountains, UT Report: Big Cottonwood Canyon Pillows and Powder Stashes Brought to you by 10 Barrel Brewing Report from St. Patrick’s Day, 2021 We took a stroll in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, this morning for St. Patrick’s Day. It was crisp and clear, and we heard that north-facing terrain was skiing proper. We set off from Spruces at 10:45 towards the sky. The more elevation we gained, the better the snow […] Conditions Report Martin Kuprianowicz | March 18, 2021 0 Comments
VIDEO: Avalanche Forecast Analyzes 10-Foot Deep Avalanche in McAtee Basin, Montana [arve url="https://youtu.be/65JO-4w4qXo"] AvyBrains | February 24, 2021 Likes Tweets 0 Comments
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