On the heels of the country’s deadliest winter in modern history, which saw 37 avalanche fatalities, our editors delve into the lessons from a tragic season in our first-ever Avalanche Issue. Also inside, Drew Zieff catches waves on his powsurfer to stay safe on high-danger days in the Utah backcountry, a group of avalanche survivors called the Mountain Muskox band together to create new support systems, and Jason Sumner explores how the Crested Butte Avalanche Center’s hyperlocal model keeps users safe. Plus, we review beacons, shovels, probes and other safety gear and meet Nikki Champion, North America’s youngest female avalanche forecaster.

With profiles of both the young and old, the Generations Issue stands as proof that backcountry skiing and riding are lifelong sports. Throughout its pages, we highlight a 25-year-old splitboarder who charges pillow lines and consequential couloirs, a 20-year-old skimo star and a pair of first descentionists who haven't yet hit a quarter century. Additionally, we share wisdom from those who have been in the skintrack for three decades and counting, like Jane Gallie and Margo Krisjansons, whose friendship runs deeper than their favorite snow condition, which they call "old gal powder." Jason Hummel returns to Washington's grueling Picket Traverse to explore new corners of the map; Connor Ryan explores his dual identity as a skier and Hunkpapa Lakota; and Drew Zieff breaks down the growth of women in splitboarding.

You don’t have to travel the world to find good skiing, so our Backyard Issue highlights some of the best close-to-home locales. After evacuating her home during a series of California megafires, Tahoe resident Megan Michelson explores the impact wildfires have on skiing, now and in the future. Andrew Findlay takes advantage of travel restrictions to ski Vancouver Island’s Comox Range, and Tom Hallberg delves into the history of huts in the United States, including a movement to make sure all Americans can access overnight adventures. Plus, we review backpacks and GPS watches, and we check in with Christina Lustenberger, who notched five first descents last season within a few hours of her home in Canada.

Behind the cover of the Perspectives Issue are profiles of influential figures and ideas about having hard conversations in the skintrack, mobilizing the masses to combat climate change and connecting winter snowpack to a new generation of farmers. Additionally, guide Michael Brackenhofer goes for a walk on the wild side in Smithers, B.C., and Mallory Duncan, a.k.a. Galactic Brown, reflects on his place in skiing. Cementing the issue are profiles of professional splitboarder and funny hat-enthusiast Nick Russell and Hadley Hammer, who shares her experience of love and loss in the mountains after the death of boyfriend, David Lama.

Inside the Photo Annual, you’ll find voices from the Wasatch Range delving into the mountains’ history and future, an overview of Larry Dolecki’s Canadian hut empire as it expands one building at a time, and Adam Wirth’s reflections on raising kids on the skintrack. Andrew Drummond spearheads a New England backcountry revival, and NASCAR crew chief Cole Pearn leaves the racetrack behind. As is our tradition with the the Photo Annual, photographers from Tahoe to Vermont showcase studies of powder melding with light, mountains towering over valleys and, of course, skiers and riders leaving their ephemeral marks on snow.

After studying last winter’s remote testing notes for months, we’re ready to share our top picks in our 2022 Gear Guide. Inside the issue you’ll find 35 Editors’ Choice winners and the 51 skis and 26 splitboards our testing crew deemed worthy. Plus, 28 boots, 14 bindings and 37 accessories to fill out your kit. These are deep, detailed reviews of products we tested hard, with real and credible feedback from mountain ranges East to West. Finally, we look at how the gear we use is changing with stories on ski and boot recycling programs, how the pandemic upended supply chains, the rise of splitboarding and which outerwear companies are going green.


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Behind the cover, you'll find photographer Chris Bezamat making the most out of a bust of a trip to Iceland, former Navy SEAL Josh Jespersen carving a new path for veterans in the outdoors while smashing Chris Davenport's Colorado 14ers record and a look at the past, present and future of British Columbia's Sea to Sky corridor. Also included is a debate on how kids can safely enter avalanche terrain and lessons on how, where and when to pull out your ice axe and crampons.

Level up your backcountry game with our fourth-annual Skills Guide. In it, we talk to guides, avalanche instructors, ski mountaineers and outdoor educators to glean their best advice on eight essential skills. Improve your trip planning, sleuth better snow and more. But first, Brandon Blackburn shares his experiences of backcountry skiing while Black, David Goodman reflects on the history of touring in the Northeast and Ian McIntosh and Nick McNutt debrief an avalanche in the Pemberton, B.C., backcountry and share a beacon malfunction. Also included is an off-track trip to Hokkaido, Japan, on which photographer Mattais Freddrikson explores lesser-known areas despite the island having its worst snow year in recent history.

Follow the higher calling with the Deep Winter Issue. Inside, we draw back the curtains on X Games expat Sammy Carlson to see how a park skier at the top of his game has turned into a backcountry devotee. But first, we learn how Tyson Rettie, a guide who lost his vision, is getting back on snow and bringing other blind skiers along. Then, former patroller Alex Armstrong reflects on how small mistakes can have massive consequences in the mountains. Also included: A journey into Colombia's Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta range with Ptor Spricenieks and Chad Sayers and how a new wave of ski areas are bringing the off-piste inbounds.

With colder days ahead, we present you with a moment of pause in our Photo Annual: a culmination of the best backcountry photos of the year, meticulously selected to get your brain ready for winter. Alongside our Photo Annual, we include the musings of Fifty Classics Ski Descents in North America co-author Art Burrows on Cody Townsend and Noah Howell’s attempts to ski every line in the book. Then we dive headfirst into the history of splitboarding, from its ’90s garage origins to today’s split boom. Plus, tips for more efficient splitboarding, an accidental split-ski descent of Washington’s Tahoma Mountain and our top picks for splitboard accessories.

With the upcoming winter in question, The Onward Issue addresses how we can continue moving forward through uncertainty. We take a deep dive into how the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting everything from ski films to the guiding industry to professional skiers’ plans with interviews from the likes of IFMGA guide and board certified emergency physical Alan Oram, Freeride World Tour Champion Isaac Freeland and more. We also hear about a first descent 20 years in the making deep in the Sierra, how to make the most of poor weather conditions and how one nonprofit is including and advocating for Indigenous athlees. Plus, a look behind the scenes of Cody Townsend’s The Fifty with Swedish ski filmmaker Bjarne Salén and our favorite helmets and goggles to keep your brain and eyes safe.

This is the year to go remote, and our 2021 Gear Guide has all the skis, boards, boots and bindings to get you there.

Whether you’re looking for your first backcountry setup or just updating those well-loved planks, we’ve got unbiased and in-depth reviews of 51 skis and 29 splitboards that will take you where you want to go, wherever that may be. Plus, 21 boots, 12 bindings and 28 pieces of apparel, all of which was tested at our annual Gear Test Week at Powder Mountain, Utah last March by our team of 43 testers, who hail from Vermont to California and everywhere in between. No matter what happens this winter season, our 2021 Gear Guide has you covered.

The Boundless Issue covers the fresh and far-flung locations across the globe, from Utah’s Manti-La Sal National Forest, where the recent Pole Creek Wildfire has cleared the way for touring, to Norway’s Finnmark Alps, where famers take to the hills in the off-
season to guide above the Arctic Circle. On the East Coast, we dive deep into New Hampshire’s Presidential Range, exploring the ravines of Mt. Washington and how the region has become a proving ground for ski mountaineers of today. As some explorers push physical boundaries, others break mental ones, like the search and rescuers speakingout about trauma incurred in the mountains. Also included, the next evolution in Dalbello’s cabrio boot design, a lightweight update for Black Diamond’s avalanche airbag and how to best travel—when you have to—on a high avalanche danger day.

Safety comes first, second and third in the skintrack. That’s why the 2020 Skills Guide highlights the work of guides and search and rescue personnel who’ve dedicated their lives to education and first response when things go awry. Leading the lineup is internationally certified guide Margaret Wheeler, who talks trading in engineering for the skintrack. Then four SAR members cover the dos and don’ts of backcountry safety, followed by a deep dive into how evolving avalanche courses are bringing better and more effective education to the masses. Also included: nine safety selections for protection from the elements and unique must-have tools, from in-field fixes to injury prevention. 

It’s been 25 years since we penned the first issue of Backcountry Magazine, and in this issue, we reflect on the quarter century of stories, photos and the most influential aspects of backcountry skiing and riding that have kept us coming back for another lap. We take a deep dive into our past 130 issues, highlighting stories that have remained timeless throughout the decades, from an account of the first descent of Mt. Robson to Biff America’s contemplations on life and death—it’s an era unbound. Then we celebrate the past and current generation’s notable places, trends, people and pieces of gear have shaped the sport as we know it, celebrating 43 of the most influential elements that have defined backcountry skiing and riding in North America. Also inside, a profile on backcountry maverick Mike Hattrup, the enduring impact of the Dynafit binding and nine gear must-haves that continue to age with grace.

It’s no secret that we love a good skiing or riding story. But sometimes, words just aren’t enough, and you just need to see it. To that end, we present the 2020 Photo Annual. Beyond the 20-page gallery that captures the essence of mountains, touring, skiing and riding, the Photo Annual goes deep into 150 years of grit and lawlessness in Wyoming’s Teton Range, with the complete story of these mountains, their boldest descents and their most compelling luminaries. Also inside, photographer Ming Poon talks mentorship and learning from mistakes on the road to artistic success; guide David Lottman reveals how a spring day on New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington proves that avalanche danger can come from unexpected places; and photographer Mason Mashon and skier Rory Bushfield recall adventures and misadventure while accessing lines via Bushfield’s 1953 Cessna 180.

Even in an age of hyper connectivity, the world still holds untracked ranges—if you know where to look. The Exploration Issue presents far-flung locales that boast unique cultures and untouched peaks for those willing to make the journey. Spain’s Pyrenees Mountains, an often-overlooked range, fosters independent spirits, steep, lines and remote traverses. Then, a quiet valley in Italy’s northern Piemonte region cracks the code of crowd control, and ski mountaineer Jan Reynolds travels to the Pirin and Rila Mountains of Bulgaria to explore knife-edged no-fall zones and the welcoming communities far below.

Backcountry Magazine’s 2020 Gear Guide is brimming with more than 200 reviews of skis, splitboards, boots, bindings and must-have accessories that take touring and downhill performance to the next level. This year’s Gear Guide tells a story of midfat prowess, with middle-width skis that offer versatility and rise to the quiver-killing challenge. Also reviewed from the slopes of Powder Mountain, Utah: splitboards with niche proclivities, sturdy tech bindings and do-it-all boots. It’s all here, reviewed with in-depth detail—because while line choices might be hard, deciding on gear shouldn’t be.

High peaks often equate to high consequences, and the Formidable Issue offers a deep look into daunting mountain ranges and the impressive people who thrive when things become challenging. Inside, we explore Colorado’s northern San Juan Mountains, a range where past generations and an unstable snowpack have informed the grit anddetermination of today’s skiers. Also, Durango, Colo.’s resident vert-crushing Simmons family redefines good genes. Later, ski-mountaineering legend Ptor Spricenieks shares how his global guiding, line tagging and dissemination of a special brand of mountain enlightenment have kept him on the sport’s leading edge. Plus: lightweight, spring-focused skis, how to plan a successful multiday traverse and après beers, tasted and reviewed. 

In the mountains, education is a never-ending pursuit—regardless of experience level. That’s why in this year’s Skills Guide dives deep into the decision-making processes, tools, gear and workshops to help those at all skill levels travel more safely. Inside, we break things down by skill level—from novice to veteran—and offer up ways to hone everything from kickturns to rescue practice and the gear, classes and tools to take your knowledge to the next level. From there, we celebrate those who’ve dedicated their lives and careers to improving mountain safety. We highlight 34 visionaries, engineers, scientists, educators and innovators who have dug deeply into awareness, science and research, in turn making the mountains more accessible and those who travel through them safer. 

As winter emerges in full force, it’s time to embrace what the season offers, from endless turns to crisp skies to uncharted skintracks. And there’s no better place to partake in the deep than the highest reaches of North America. Inside, Art Burrows immerses himself in British Columbia’s Rogers Pass, telling how vertical relief and a tumultuous history combined to make the most historically significant ski-mountaineering zone in all of North America. Then, Ryan Stuart traces the final journey of a 300-year-old iceman, Kwäday Dän Ts’ìnchi, across glaciers and over crevasses to learn from this region’s earliest explorers. Also: British Columbia’s off-the-radar Slocan Valley, tension over Oregon and California’s Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, the skinny on Scarpa’s lightweight Alien RS and a firsthand account of a Vermont avalanche. 

This year’s Photo Annual is all about escapism—away from ever-refreshing pow-shot feeds and into a celebration of the beauty and timelessness of our sport. To hone in on those enduring qualities, editor in chief Tyler Cohen explores the complete history of telemark and its unassailable link to backcountry skiing. From the turn’s origins in 1800s Norway to the explosion of the sport in the U.S. throughout the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s, this story captures the people, gatherings and gear that shaped a culture and formed the style of skiing as we know it. And from Arctic Norway’s Svalbard archipelago to the gulfs and couloirs of Maine’s Mt. Katahdin, the Photo Annuals other features—and 22-page photo gallery—celebrate the light, shadow and beauty of sliding on snow.

This issue is all about exploring the depths of your own backyard, wherever that may be. In Vermont, managing editor Lucy Higgins covers the complete history of backcountry skiing in the Green Mountain State—from the 1933 creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps, which created some of the Northeast's most iconic ski trails, to the groundbreaking work of today's backcountry alliances. Overseas, Scott Yorko follows French brothers Jean-Baptiste and Jonathan Charlet up and down some of Chamonix's most harrowing lines as the duo adds another chapter to their family's legacy—this time on snowboards. And in far northwestern British Columbia on First Nations Land, Burnie Glacier Chalet serves up lessons deeper than the surrounding powder.

The story of the 2019 Gear Guide is one of transcending boundaries, from the unification of our ski and splitboard tests at Powder Mountain, Utah to the gear itself. This year’s best products excel beyond their categories to do more with less—think powder skis that can rail on corduroy, fast-transitioning splitboard bindings and AT boots without buckles.

The 2019 Editors’ Choice Awards represent our picks that take that transcendence even farther. This year’s 38 top skis, boots, boards, bindings, apparel and accessories may not be quiver killers, but they boast refined traits and are tooled to stand up to winter’s demands.

Backcountry 145 | The Generations Issue

Backcountry 144 | The Backyard Issue

Backcountry 143 | The Perspectives Issue 

Backcountry 142 | The 2022 Photo Annual

Backcountry 141 | The Avalanche Issue

Backcountry 140 | The 2022 Gear Guide

Backcountry 139 | The Journeys Issue

Backcountry 138 | The 2021 Skills Guide

Backcountry 137 | The Deep Winter Issue

Backcountry 136 | The 2021 Photo Annual

Backcountry 135 | The Onward Issue

Backcountry 134 | The 2021 Gear Guide

Backcountry 133 | The Boundless Issue

Backcountry 132 | 2020 Skills Guide

131 | The 25th Anniversary Issue

Backcountry 130 | The 2020 Photo Annual

Backcountry Magazine isn’t about defining boundaries, it’s about blowing them wide open. More people than ever are redefining their ideas of skiing and snowboarding, and Backcountry is their tool; a conduit and catalyst of the backcountry revolution. Each issue of Backcountry is packed with high-definition photography and stories, trusted avalanche safety skills and reliable, unbiased gear reviews. From freeskiing to touring, exotic destinations to backyard zones, the history of skiing to the cutting edge, we cover it all. In Backcountry, the possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Join us and imagine your Untracked Experience.

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Backcountry Magazine - Backcountry 141 | The Avalanche Issue

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