A year long period of sideline recovery fueled an unprecedented motivation within her, igniting the idea of crafting a human-powered film capturing her return. While this setback momentarily challenged her identity, Claire embraced positivity, focusing on regaining strength and health. Her determination drove her to explore new backcountry lines, eager to test the limits of her revitalized knee. This film also portrays the challenges individuals may encounter in the backcountry, highlighting the determination required to overcome fear and push through obstacles while exploring the mountains.
Film by First Tracks Productions
Follow @wheres_claire_now for more pow slayin greatness
]]>Directed by Divya Gordon. Featuring Tim van der Krogt, Chris Wills, Divya Gordon, Aaron Dickfos and Lewis Foster. Filmed by Divya Gordon and Aaron Dickfos.
Made with support from Arc'teryx Australia, Weston Backcountry, SunGod, Mountain Designs, Bridge Road Bewers and On Track Meals
Produced by Rampage Media, Chris Wills and Tim van der Krogt
Featured Weston Boards & Skis: The Ridgeline Split, Summit Carbon Skis
Brian's secret to success? Basically having fun, giving no f***s and splitboarding for zen. After almost calling last season his final season pursuing the FWT, he decided to go back to riding purely for fun. That's when he landed himself on the tour.
Steney will be competing on the first ever Weston pro model, the Ridgeline x Stenerson Pro. Keep an eye out for the board hitting the public in Fall 2024.
Go Forth & Crush em’ Steney! We’re all rallying behind you here at home.
Filmed and Produced by Alex Rupp (@_alexrupp) and Brian Zigulich (@therealbrianzig)
Edited by Alex Rupp
Additional filming by Grady Haskell (@grady_haskell) and Jake Little (@jakelittle94)
Title Poster by Brodie Hall (@the.great.brodini)
Photography by Grady Haskell
With support from:
Weston
SOL Paddle Boards
Ortovox
Zeal Optics
Riders: Chuck Morin, Danny Leblanc, Sammy Carlson, Lauren Powers
Filmed by: Chuck Morin, Danny Leblanc, Jeremy Black, Ben Sandford, Felix Gertz
Chuck's Boards: Weston Ridgeline, Backwoods, & Japow
Follow @chuckosaurus for more pow slayin' greatness.
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Follow @rileybathurst for more pow slayin' greatness!
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"I don’t ski in bounds anymore. I’d rather only get one run of the best snow, having to earn it, a run of consequence, than ski all day on icy hard bumps and groomers. The solitude and the powder are why I go and the friends I bring with me are why I keep going. I joke with them about my cult, The Church of the North Facing Powder Stash. If you’ve skied with me, you’re a member."
Read the full interview with Fritz and Cam Burns of Powder.com HERE.
Fritz's Ski Of Choice: Grizzly Carbon Skis
Read Fritz's Blog Best Colorado Zones Away From I70: Staying Far From The Usual Passes To Escape The Masses
Pick up some of Fritz's legendary guidebooks HERE.
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In this installment of the Weston Upcycle Series, we're diving into the world of après-ski culture and showing you how to create every ski bum’s favorite drinking accessory, the Shot Ski! If you're ready to elevate your gatherings and make lasting memories with your crew, let's get started!
Step 1: Gather the Essentials
To build your own Shot Ski, you'll need a few key ingredients:
Step 2: Prep and Personalize
Before you start attaching the shot glass holders, give your ski a thorough cleaning to remove any dirt or grime. If there are any stickers or decals on the ski, decide whether you want to keep them or give your shot ski a clean slate. Feel free to get creative and add your own personal touch with custom stickers, paint, or even a unique design. This is your chance to get weird and showcase your individuality and passion for the mountains!
Step 3: Placement and Alignment
Measure and mark the positions where you want to attach the shot glass holders or holes on the ski. Typically, shot glasses are placed evenly along the length of the ski, ensuring each participant gets a fair shot at the fun. Use a measuring tape and a pencil to mark the spots, ensuring they align perfectly. This attention to detail will make your shot ski look sleek and professional. Depending on the length of the ski, we recommend using between four and six shot glasses.
Step 4: Secure the Shot Glass Holders
Now it's time to attach the shot glass holders to the ski. You can use a strong adhesive or screws and washers for a more secure fit. If you opt for adhesive, choose one that is specifically designed for bonding metal to wood. Apply the adhesive generously and press the shot glass holders firmly into place, allowing them to dry according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you choose screws, drill pilot holes to prevent the ski from splitting, then carefully fasten the shot glass holders using the screws and washers. We opted to just drill holes into the ski to allow the shot glasses to be placed inside it, and then glued in place. Make sure your hole diameter is larger than the base and smaller than the mouth so that the shot glass won’t just slip through the ski.
Step 5: Test and Celebrate
Once the adhesive is fully cured or the screws are tightened, your Shot Ski is ready for action! Assemble your crew, pour your favorite libations, and let the good times roll. Remember to celebrate responsibly and ensure everyone participates safely.
Building your own Shot Ski is a fantastic way to infuse fun and camaraderie into your gatherings. By repurposing a beloved ski, you’re not only keeping that ski out of the landfill but creating a one-of-a-kind centerpiece that embodies your spirit of adventure and shared experiences. So, gather your friends, raise your glasses, and toast to the memories you'll create together. Cheers, and go forth and slay the après!
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Africa might not be the first destination that pops in your head when you think of a splitboarding expedition. Not many know that the highest peak in Morocco, Mount Bou Nasser, reaches 3,340 meters (10,958 feet) and receives a brief period of snow throughout the winter.
This past winter, at the 50th Anniversary Summit of the National Brotherhood of Skiers, Weston Ambassador Bryce Barnes connected with a group of 12 Black skiers and snowboarders who had their eyes set on riding snow on all seven continents. Africa was their next target, and Barnes was invited to join them. He departed for a 14 day trip through Morocco and, after a few days in Marrakech, headed into the mountains of the Middle Atlas.
“There’s snow in Africa! It was something I’ve never felt before. It was like deep, deep corn. You could turn into it and just sink and push all kinds of snow. I don’t think anybody had any sluff slides, but it was like deep, rooted corn. It sounded different than all the other corn I’ve been skiing, too. I mean I’ve been snowboarding for 21 years now, and it was something else. Deep enough that you could cut an edge and grab a rock if you weren’t careful, and there were many rocks that were grabbed.”
"My first African summit! It was such a different scene than I’d ever imagined. Still fairly hot on the summit, views of snow covered northern facing slopes contrasting to dry sandy ridge lines and south faces, almost could see the Sahara on the horizon looking South. There were big patches of snow all around where sand had been blown from the desert to the mountains in winter storms.
One thing I think could have been noted in the packing list for this trip was how many rocks you’d be unable to avoid and that it could be worth bringing rock skis. Dropping in from the summit of Azorki was a dream otherwise. Surfed the Africa corn down to a ridge line that we followed to a rollover. Into a 1500’ face split in two by a rock band in the middle, which we used to divide the big group into two small groups. Nearly got bucked by a shark under the snow in the beginning of my line, definitely don’t want to look at that one. All high fives and cheers as we got back down to the base, quick transition and back in the vehicles to drive down to the next village where we’d stay for the next three nights, Dar Itrane."
"We were the first to the top, so I was able to get shots of everyone making their summit push, and we all got to share the summit together! That meant a lot to me, and the group photos at the top were so fun taking. The camaraderie at the top isn’t something I’ve felt before. At least not at that level. All of us, the three guides, were all smiles as if it was setting in for the first time in each of us that we were in the Motherland and doing what we all love so deeply. The ski down was another euphoric ride. Like if the terrain from Star Wars was covered in snow, orange rocks with a sparse cactus on either side. I’ve ridden so much snow and slush but never ever this deep! I can only assume it’s from the intensity of the sun and lack of skier compaction and snowpack. The sun factor also made it hard to dress for. I packed base layers (but never pulled them out of my bag) and a puffy that I used once just at the summit. Even boot crampons didn’t get used. We got just enough boot penetration without them. Ski crampons were very used though, we couldn't have done most of the skinning today without.
At the bottom of the line we skied were some more Nomadic huts and dwellings. In the winter they migrate south into the northern rim of the Sahara to live and graze their livestock of sheep or goats. Then as spring brings summer, they’ll begin migrating North back into the mountains and the children will do schooling in the nearby villages and settlements. They use the rocks and stones around their plots to construct the walls of the shelters they inhabit through the summers. Even the goats and sheep get well built rock stables and enclosure. Some small groups were arriving early when we were approaching. They can be smelled or seen trying to keep warm by burning small dry cactuses or the random herd of goats or sheep on the road at 8000’."
Follow @backcountrybryce for more pow slayin greatness.
Images courtesy of Bryce Barnes.
]]>A return to snowboarding the homeland for Weston Ambassador Riley Bathurst. The Southern Alps of New Zealand, with their unique club fields, consist of a selection of mountains where some good old kiwi ingenuity built high speed rope tows to access ridgelines and terrain that's worth the escape from the heat of the northern summer.
Follow @rileybathurst for more pow slayin' greatness.
There are a few cars at the end of the road when we roll up. A rumble of a tractor engine in the air. You know, like the one Sir Edmund Hillary drove across Antartica. New Zealanders love tractors. We're a little rural country at the end of the world so if we see a problem, we're going to use a tractor to fix it. One day that problem was there's some fantastic snowboard terrain in the Southern Alps (OK, well maybe skiing...snowboarding wasn't a thing back then). Anyway, a couple mates got together and now we have the Clubbies.
This feels every one of the seven thousand miles from my adopted home. I'm fortunate enough to be at the base of Palisades Tahoe, California. I put my boots on inside my little apartment and walk past Starbucks to the mountain with another Starbucks, including a ski up window in the middle of mountain, but also powder days so frequent that I often just give up and go work before the mountain is tracked out. My Northern Hemisphere seasons can hit a hundred days if all goes well but we've managed just a half dozen so far on this three week trip.
We started well including a trip to the Southern Lakes region. The snow was good but not great. We've been poking around looking for pockets, getting some good ones and some icy turn on others. Then came the wind. New Zealand spring has an awful habit of getting hit by a nor-west wind that is so warm it pours rain on the West Coast and rips every flake not buried in ice off the rest of the range. A week of other biking, skating, and hanging with family and friends I don't see often enough. Christchurch is good for everything and great for nothing which means a lot of just looking longingly at the mountains.
The battering winds finally gave way to a southerly storm leaving a few inches of snow covering the ice. We returned to the Clubbies Aafew hours driving across the Canterbury plains from the beachside suburb I grew up in. There's sheep, sheep and more sheep then the roads get smaller, the pavement gives way to gravel, and the mountains rise up through the farmers gate and into the belly of the beast. We're back to Mt Olympus, aptly named playground of the gods, for the last day of the trip and the snow looks to be holding in the shade, the clouds are hanging outside of the basin and we've got avalanche gear, some pointy things, a packed lunch and an optimistic attitude.
Any good day to the Clubbies includes hiking and Little Alaska has a plethora of lines. We scramble up through the rocks and into a couple, dropping into lines with Ben Comber, an ex-slopestlye rider, I've been dragging into the bigger mountains every chance I get and Kenzie Bathurst my wife and adventure partner. I'm stoked to find edgeable conditions but always remember to keep your edges sharp and take the stiffer board when you are back home. The Ridgeline holds on through some chatter and traverse lines.
I remember every line, nearly every turn of this trip, the good and the bad. Riding the Clubbies isn't easy but it's worth it. I was fortunate enough to grow up close to them and have people take me there and teach me to ride. I'd suggest anyone put in the effort, go experience these rad little spots with funky lifts and variable snow. My snowboarding wouldn't be the same without them.
Follow @rileybathurst for more pow slayin' greatness.
]]>In the Weston Upcycle Series, we'll show you ways to breathe new life into old equipment, giving it a fresh purpose and preserving the spirit of adventure within each piece. By upcycling, we can reduce waste, promote a circular economy, and extend the lifespan of cherished gear. Stay tuned as we provide you with step-by-step guides, tips, and a newfound appreciation for the possibilities that lie within your old gear.
]]>At Weston, we have always been dedicated to creating high-quality gear that stands up to the rigors of backcountry exploration. But our commitment doesn't end there. We are equally passionate about minimizing our impact on the environment and inspiring others to do the same.
In this series, we'll show you ways to breathe new life into old equipment, giving it a fresh purpose and preserving the spirit of adventure within each piece. By upcycling, we can reduce waste, promote a circular economy, and extend the lifespan of cherished gear. Stay tuned as we provide you with step-by-step guides, tips, and a newfound appreciation for the possibilities that lie within your old gear.
Welcome, adventurous souls and creative spirits! Let's get started.
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
To embark on this exciting project, you'll need the following items:
Step 2: Determine the Size
Measure the circumference of the beverage container you want to fit your coozie around. Add a little extra for ease of sliding the coozie on and off. Use your ruler or measuring tape to measure and mark the length accordingly on the backside of the skin. We found 8.5” x 3.5” for the inner piece to work well, and 9” x 3.5” for the outer piece. The bottom/strap pieces are both roughly 10” x 1.5”. Feel free to mess around with the dimensions for other objects like a Nalegne bottle or other can.
Step 3: Cut and Shape the Skin
Carefully cut along the marked line, ensuring clean and even edges. Take your time to achieve a precise cut, as this will affect the final appearance of your coozie. Remember, measure twice, cut once!
Step 4: Create the Seam
Now, it's time to join the ends of the skin together to form a cylinder shape. Wrap the first piece around the can with the glue out, and back up with some tape.
Step 5: Apply the Bottom Strap
To prevent your beverage from slipping out the bottom, lay a strap over the bottom of the cylinder. Again, put the skin side in to prevent your can or beverage from sticking. You can back this up with more tape to keep everything in place.
Step 6: Repeat With Plush On the Outside
Finally, mirror what you did in the previous steps with the plush on the outside this time! Lay a second strap over the base, and then wrap the outer piece around to finish everything off! By doing two layers you’ll keep your drink extra cold, and have a cozy outer finish that feels great in your hand.
Step 7: Decorate and Personalize
Let your creativity shine! Sew on a Weston patch, use embroidery thread to add a personalized touch, or stick on some fun stickers. The choice is yours! Once your coozie is ready, slip it onto your favorite beverage container, and voila! You've created a one-of-a-kind coozie, reimagined from your old ski climbing skins. Feel free to share your masterpiece with us using #SlayPow. We’re stoked to see what you've come up with!
Remember, every adventure deserves a touch of uniqueness, and your coozie will be a testament to your passion for the outdoors. So, grab your scissors, don your creative hat, and let your imagination soar as you transform your old climbing skins into a cherished piece of gear. Happy crafting!
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Standing at 14,410’, Mt Rainier is an icon for those in the Pacific Northwest, and a beacon for skiers and climbers across North America. If you’re reading this you probably already know this, but it’s one of the highest points in the continental USA, and boasts the longest continuous skiable descent. There are something like 20 named routes to the summit, but the classic ski descent is the Fuhrer Finger on the south side. This is one of the famed “50 Classics” of North America (thanks Cody Townsend for blowing this up), and probably the most popular descent for skiers on the peak. Having grown up outside of Seattle looking up at Mt Rainier, checking this off the todo list has been a goal for as long as I can remember. On top of that, both of my parents had also climbed it in their 20’s, so I felt the desire to continue that tradition. Nolan and I had tried to ski the peak a couple of years ago, but got shut down before even starting because of a fluke snowstorm in May. This time we’d set aside a week to go peak skiing somewhere, but intentionally hadn’t decided where we’d go until we could see what the weather was going to do. It was starting to look like there would be a stable weather window in the Pacific Northwest, so we pulled the trigger on tickets and started to get things in place to go bag as many peaks in single pushes as possible! Rainier was the main goal of the trip, but we’d also wanted to try and get Mt Baker, Mt Hood, Mt Saint Helens, and Mt Adams if our legs would allow. Our “weather window” became “record May heatwave” and things got too hot to ski the rest of the peaks, but we got Rainier checked off the list in pretty ideal weather. In looking for beta on this we found very few trip reports about doing the peak in a day, so we hope this is helpful for others considering to do it in a single push!
The land administered as Mount Rainier National Park has been since time immemorial the Ancestral homeland of the Cowlitz, Muckleshoot, Nisqually, Puyallup, Squaxin Island, Yakama, and Coast Salish people.
I’ll forgo the getting to and from WA as that could be an article by itself, but will focus on Mt Rainier logistics specifically. Doing Rainier in a day makes the permit process a lot easier than if you’re camping overnight on one of the routes. That being said, we learned a couple of lessons along the way.
Everyone needs to pay the Annual Climbing Fee online ahead of time, which was $65 when we climbed in 2023 (apparently it can change from year to year). This is pretty simple to do through their website, but make sure to screenshot your confirmation number as you’ll need it for completing your separate climbing permit. Each person in the party must do this, and there’s service at the Paradise Visitor Center/Ranger Station area if you forget to do it ahead of time. I don’t believe you can pay this in person.
The Climbing Permit was admittedly a pain for us to figure out. If you’re doing this in October-April, you can self-register at the poorly marked, but fairly self explanatory, Old Paradise Ranger Station before starting. The Ranger Station is the old looking building (hence the name) in the middle of the parking lot between the Visitor Center and Lodge. May is apparently a weird transition period where they’re just starting to staff up the Climbing Rangers. You can self-register Monday-Thursday, but Friday-Sunday you are expected to register in person with a Ranger between 9am and 5pm to ensure there aren’t too many parties camping on the mountain in each zone. However you can’t register at 2am when you’re most likely about to start climbing for a single push, and in my opinion, it shouldn’t matter for people doing it in a single push. But policy is policy, so we ended up going down the afternoon before to register with a Ranger just to be sure (after being told three different things by three different Rangers over the phone…). It sounds like we probably could have just registered in person the morning of, but it ended up being nice having the evening to get the lay of the area. I’d default to this if you haven’t been there before.
Finally, and this is probably obvious, but you also need a National Parks Pass or Day Entry to enter the park. This is separate from the above items and costs $35 for a week or $80 for a year. It’s totally worth getting an annual pass as it quickly pays for itself over multiple trips, and those fees cover a substantial portion of the upkeep of the park. Entrance fees usually aren’t enforced after 8pm, but do the right thing and get a Pass.
Mt Rainier is more than just a big day of backcountry skiing, and takes a different set of gear. Weather can roll in quickly, and it can go from sunny to completely socked in in minutes. We felt very confident in our weather window and were able to pair down our gear pretty substantially, but this will vary from trip to trip. I won’t go into every single detail, but here’s a quick overview of what each of us brought.
This is probably the hardest part to make suggestions on, as it varies significantly person-to-person. I’d be comfortable with doing 5000 '+ days of touring, and have done some of those days recently/leading up to the trip. We’d been doing 5000’ days pretty regularly throughout the season with some 8000’-10000’ days in the mix, but that was because we enjoy that, and not specifically for “training.”
Also you should be comfortable with spending extended periods of time at altitude. I live at 9000’ and regularly tour at 10000’-14000’ so this wasn’t an issue for me, but the altitude effect was the biggest comment we heard from others. I wouldn’t recommend coming from sea level and trying to do Rainier in a day unless you’ve recently spent time at altitude. This is why many people take a couple of days to acclimatize, even if physically you’re capable of doing the push in a day. That being said, you do you.
We had mixed feelings about crevasse rescue on the “Standard Route” (more on this later), but you should have experience with this before going onto any glacier. Youtube has plenty of videos on how to do this as it’s a straightforward concept, but taking a class with a professional instructor is really the best way to learn these skills. The concepts are straightforward, but practice is invaluable.
Finally, weather plays a big role in planning for a peak climb. It’s also the hardest part to really plan for. Starting about two weeks out, we’d been tracking what was looking like a week-long weather window of warmer temperatures and clear weather. Sites like Noaa and MountainForecast are good resources for pinpoint weather forecasts. This window ended up being even hotter than expected and messed with the rest of our ski plans that week, but you never really know what you’re going to get when you’re chasing snow and weather.
As a result of the permit snafu mentioned above, we ended up at Paradise pretty early the evening before the climb. After grabbing food at the Whittaker Bunkhouse in Ashford, WA (highly recommended), we headed back up to the Paradise Visitor Center. While not explicitly allowed, the Overflow Parking Lot unofficially allows overnight sleeping for climbers, and there were probably 20 of us spread out throughout the lot. I think setting up a tent would be frowned upon, but sleeping in a car/van seemed ok. Please be respectful though, as this would be a shame to have shut down.
Hydrating before bed.We had most of our gear packed ahead of time, and slept in the back of our rental car, passing out around 9:00 pm to try and get as much sleep as possible. Alarms went off at 2:00 am, and we quickly threw on our layers, drank as much water as possible (both drank about 1.5L, most of which was caffeinated Tailwind to wake up, and so we didn’t have to carry as much liquid weight), and ate some food. Shoutout to my mom for making us a loaf of English Muffin Bread for breakfast! By 2:20 am we were skinning over to the main area/Visitor Center. After a bathroom break (yes they seem to be open 24/7) and some final adjustments, we started climbing by like 2:45 am.
I hadn’t been up to Camp Muir in a while, and navigation in the pitch black was a little bit more difficult than I remembered. Generally you’re just heading uphill though, and we quickly found a skin track. The path is pretty obvious once you find it, and you start to have a faint outline of Rainier to work off of by like 4:00 am. Once you have some light, you’re essentially shooting for the lookers right of the Nisqually Cliffs, a prominent rock formation to the right of the Finger route. We had a GPX file of the Muir route on our phone that served as a backup as well. Generally, the skin to Muir is quite pleasant, and we didn’t need ski crampons. There was a decent breeze once we broke above the treeline, but it was still warm enough that we were just in our sun hoodies.
We’d debated climbing the Fuhrer Finger to scout the route, but ultimately decided to climb the Standard Route/Ingraham Direct as we thought we’d be able to keep skins on for longer. It ended up being a lot easier to navigate, so if you’re going for speed, I’d do this as well.
We made good time, and hit Camp Muir at like 5:30 am, stopping briefly for a bathroom break and some snacks. We had been told the outhouse had been snowed in and wasn’t open, but it ended up seeming fine. Not sure if I would count on this, but the Rangers should know the status if you’re worried. From Camp Muir to the summit, there’s a very obvious path that is probed and flagged/wanded every couple hundred yards by the guiding services. We started up the marked route across Cowlitz Glacier with skins, but ended up taking them off and just walking up through Cathedral Gap. We felt fine without crampons or an ax at this point, but watch your step as it does get a bit steeper.
Sunrise behind Little Tahoma.We were rewarded with a beautiful sunrise coming up behind Little Tahoma as we roped up, grabbed our axs, and put crampons on at Cathedral Gap around 5:45 am. We debated continuing to skin to Ingraham Flats, but decided walking would probably be quicker and cruised up to Ingraham Flats from there. This is the split point between doing Ingraham Direct (“ID”) and Disappointment Cleaver (“DC”) to climber’s the right. Being early in the season, the established route was up ID, and we started to switch back up that. We did experience a couple of small snow bridges, but the cracks were only 1’-2’ wide at this point in the season. This can be a fairly dangerous section later in the season, but was straightforward this early with good coverage and a well marked route.
Climbing, Disappointment Cleaver on the right.The routes come back together at the top of DC. We stopped for a snack and some water again quickly, but largely just kept cruising. I don’t remember the exact timing through here, but my guess is we hit it at about 7:45 am. From the top of DC to the Crater Rim was essentially a series of switchbacks, and we powered through them. We’d realized that we had a shot of going Sub 6 hours for the climb, so we’d picked up the pace and made a good push for the summit. There was another small crevasse crossing at one point, but not much to note besides some great views of the surrounding area!
Alex Blanchard and Nolan Hurd Getting ready to climb.We hit the Summit Crater rim at just before 9:00 am, missing the 6hr mark by a couple of minutes. We unroped at the rim, and hiked across to the true summit on the other side. We’d seen this called out as a 45 minute round trip, but I think it took us less than 10 minutes to get across. I would 100% do this, and I don’t see why many people call the crater rim the “summit.” You’re over 100’ below the true summit, and the views aren’t anywhere near as good. But I digress… Enjoy the views and take pictures if that’s your thing, you’ve earned it at this point! The log book box was buried under more snow that I was willing to search through, so that doesn’t become an option until later in the season unless you’re super motivated.
Adams on the left, St Helens on the right.We chilled on the summit for about 30 minutes as we were way ahead of when we’d expected to be there. What we were seeing also didn’t match weather reports, and things were more frozen than expected. Neither of us are very patient people, so we decided to roll the dice on conditions and started descending. Make sure you have your bearing right starting out, as the first 1000’ doesn’t always have much in the way of landmarks. In our case there were 50+ tracks from the day before, so it was obvious.
Nolan getting ready to ski (note the crowds coming up from below).Here was the other decision point as far as the route goes. The classic route descends the skiers right shoulder of the Nisqually Ice Field, but we’d heard mixed reports of a bergschrund that had formed. Some had said it was a hard no-go, and others had said it was a sizable but reasonable jump. We (and apparently everyone else) had decided to descend through the Nisqually Ice Field instead, which was continuous down to the top of the Finger. There was some interesting route-finding and I generally would stick to the classic route, but with the presence of so many other tracks, we continued down. There were some super cool features through here, so it is aesthetically quite cool, even if the skiing was mediocre. We found the previously mentioned bergschrund, and while it was sizable and more than I wanted to jump, there was a go-around on the ridge that would have been fine. We largely skied this section together with a bit of separation to keep eyes on eachother, as we felt avalanche danger was essentially zero.
Skiing through the Nisqually Ice Field on mediocre snow.By this point, we were approaching the top of the Fuhrer Finger proper. Snow was still garbage, so we finally found a shady spot (there isn’t much in the shade on the route) and proceeded to kill some time. Fun fact, you have decent service again by now, so I called my parents and said hi! We let another couple of groups ski through, but eventually got bored and decided to ski it. The main shot is fairly unimpressive in my opinion, but the skier's right flank/variation is 500’ of 50 deg steep skiing and the best pitch of the descent. It also had the best snow of the descent! We decided to pitch that section out as things were finally starting to warm up. Coming through the bottom of the Finger a couple of rocks whizzed by (probably from climbers not paying attention above), so we boogied out of there ASAP to the apron.
Bergschrund below the classic route, sneak (not pictured) to the left.The apron under the Finger was enjoyable and finally soft enough to open up larger turns. You’re generally trending skiers right with a decent traverse to get on the right shoulder of the Wilson Glacier, but it was doable even on a splitboard. This shoulder seems to be where most people camp if you’re trying to climb the Finger directly and do it in two or more days.
We did make a mistake here that I want to note. You can (if there’s enough snow) ski all the way out to the Nisqually River Bridge further down the drainage, which makes it the longest continuous ski in the continental USA. Or you can traverse around under the Nisqually Cliffs to Paradise. We wanted to ski it all the way out (and didn’t want to skin the 300’-500’ back up towards Paradise), so we trended pretty far right following some tracks. This led to us getting cliffed out, and having to skin back up a couple hundred feet. We think that people had been skiing this for fun or to acclimatize from the camp on the shoulder, and then skinning back up to camp. However, we hit it late in the day and got closer to the cliffs than we should have, which was a lesson learned on scouting/checking your route. It was easy enough to traverse back up and skiers left to get to the obvious exit bowl/chute under the Wilson Glacier, and continued down from there.
The exit to the bridge was solid type two fun, with mostly continuous snow, but a bit of scrambling in one section. You can see the bridge from pretty high up, so you’re just working down the skier’s left side of the creek until you hit it. I personally wouldn’t do it again, but it was fun to check off the left. Either descent could be done in an hour to an hour and a half if you’re moving continuously, but between killing time at multiple points and our misadventure, taking us over two hours.
There’s a pathway on the skier’s left that takes you from the river back up to the top of the bridge, and congratulations, you’ve done it! We were rewarded with some weird stares from tourists that had no idea what we were doing. Pro tip, stash a beer in the snow bank to celebrate with! Pro tip #2, a hazy IPA is probably too strong when you’re mostly looking to hydrate, and I’d definitely recommend a lager in hindsight. We hitched a ride back to Paradise (which took longer than expected), or you can park a car on the other side of the bridge in the viewpoint parking lot if you have two cars.
If this report makes Rainier seem easy, that’s because we thought it was. But I want to heavily caveat that with a couple of points. We hit this in absolutely PERFECT weather. We had almost zero wind, perfect clear skies with zero cloud cover, and good temperatures. We were also early in the season so coverage was great. This doesn’t happen very often, and it made for “goldilocks” conditions. If we had been much earlier or later it would have added more complexity to the route.
As an extension of this, six hours to climb probably isn’t a realistic number to work off of. We had budgeted eight hours based on reading some other trip reports in the seven to nine hour range. This all comes down to conditions and fitness, so once determining your summit time, you can work backwards from there. We were used to altitude and had to do almost no route-finding required along the way, so we were able to just put our heads down and hit cruise control the entire time. Based on this, people were climbing without ropes, but I’m not sure I’d be comfortable with that conceptually. To each their own though.
The ski itself is fairly average from a purely skiing standpoint, and I’ve skied steeper and harder at a resort. Granted, this is with a light pack, and would become more challenging if you had a massive pack (which is another reason to do it in a day). I don’t see the need or want to do this in more than a day, but that’s just me.
The magic of the line comes from the overall experience, and is totally worth it! All in all, this was a stellar Type II fun activity with some great Type I fun along the way. It was great to check it off the list, and I’m sure I’ll be back in the future!
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"My grip strains as I cling to the Kilter Board, two holds from topping out on a 40-degree overhang, forearms pumped, left hand balancing on a sloper hold, left hip bracing the wall. Right hand on a crimp, I’m nervous to reach for the next hold. My right leg starts to Elvis shake. I let go of the wall, pushing away slightly and dropping to the floor. Both feet land on the mat, with my left knee angled inward. Two loud pops sound and I’m rolling on the mat, holding my knee to my chest, repeating, “My knee, my knee.” I stretch my left leg, but my knee shakes, able to extend just 30 degrees.
That fall in October 2021 I met one of the hardest obstacles I’ve faced. I tore seven parts in my left knee, requiring a surgical repair of my ACL and both meniscuses. Three weeks after my injury, I was out of surgery and facing a year of recovery. As an athlete, I don’t usually think about injuries, but this one rocked my world—and messed with my identity. As someone who struggles to sit still; who is always excited for the next adventure, any amount of down time is a challenge.
But losing my ability to walk forced me to find creative ways to enjoy the outdoors. I caught the tail end of fall in Lake Tahoe and crutched my way to the nearby beaches and meadows with my favorite canine, Buddy. Tommy Bahama chair strapped to my back, packed with essentials (coloring book, chocolate and headphones for my audiobooks), I would take grand adventures—of about 50 feet—before feeling exhausted. Slowly, I worked my way up to 3-mile treks. But regardless of distance, the fact that I was able to be outside and embrace the outdoors meant the world to me."
It’s a rare day that conditions line up to party ski a couloir midwinter, but Hewitt-Demeyer and Van Aken scored those unusual conditions on a February day in Colorado. Photo: Cooper Long.
In a remote Colorado zone, Claire Hewitt-Demeyer and Corey Van Aken didn’t need to worry about who got first tracks. Spoiler alert, they both did. Photo: Cooper Long.
Follow @transient_trev for more pow slayin' greatness.
Not feeling the read? Watch the Slay At Home Episode: Ski/Splitboard Mountaineering 101 with Trevor and Golden State Guiding.
The feeling of being high up in the mountains is a feeling unlike any other. Whilst I have yet to walk on another planet, I imagine it to be similar to the ski and splitboard mountaineering outings I have experienced in the past. The darkness of the night lit only by drifting headlamps and the sound of crunching metal on snow and ice, greeted over time by a cacophony of colors overhead as the morning sky awakens is a pretty remarkable instance. Enjoying that experience with the skills of ski/splitboard mountaineering can make it even that much more special.
In this blog post, I am going to as simply as I can break down the ideas and concepts found in ski/splitboard mountaineering with the hopes that you will have a better idea of what it is and if it is an activity you may want to add to your repertoire in the future.
What is ski/splitboard mountaineering and why should I explore it?
Splitboard/Ski mountaineering is a different way of experiencing the mountains - imagine taking all the intriguing traits of backcountry skiing and snowboarding and mashing them together with the intensity and skills of mountaineering. Some of these defining factors means a more extensive gear kit, increased levels of fitness, knowledge of different skill sets in understanding terrain, movement, and hazards as well as how to manage a long day(s) in the field. The skillsets may seem daunting at first but with a little bit of proficiency your journey into ski/splitboard mountaineering will be welcomed with open arms.
Where to start?
It is beneficial to approach ski/splitboard mountaineering with a firm base of backcountry skills and knowledge. Being confident in navigation, understanding avalanche problems and where to find them, following good backcountry etiquette, leave no trace principles, and having a solid level of fitness, will help you to get a leg up on your start. If you have a decent understanding of all these aspects the next step is figuring out what sort of objectives to look ahead to in order to get you on your way.
Terrain & Trip Planning
The terrain you choose to ride or ski is going to help to dictate the skills, equipment, and mindset of where and how you choose to travel both up and down hill. Are you looking for bootable roadside couloirs or lengthy glaciated ascents to the top of your favorite volcanoes? Single day strike missions with an alpine start or multi-day objectives that involve camping or a bivy? Whatever route you take, invest some time in planning your ascent and descent. There are a ton of online mapping resources out there like GAIA, CalTopo, Avenza, etc. and coupling that with google earth can help to give you a good idea of what your route will look like for those special missions. There is also the old fashion map and compass method as well.
Guide books can also play a pivotal role in helping you to get beta on something you may have missed in the planning process. Is that snowy route more rocky in the spring? Does it require some mixed alpine and rock climbing to get to the top? Can you see the down route on the ascent or does it require an approach that brings you in blind to your ski objective? All considerations that could potentially sway your decision making process. Also, don’t forget about the weather and how that plays in terrain choice and timing.
Skills
Every mountain involves some sort of skill set necessary to get to the top. A volcano like Mount Shasta is multi-faceted and involves not only knowledge in moving with crampons but also an understanding of how to hold and operate an ice axe. If you go to the glaciated side of the mountain you have to consider how to move as a rope team while taking into consideration crevasses and how to mitigate that risk. Keeping that in mind a mountain like Rainier (Tahoma) or Denali will be a totally different experience.
Non-Glaciated Terrain
Traveling in non-glaciated terrain is the best starting point for those that are beginners to ski/splitboard mountaineering. It involves the least amount of gear and not a ton of learning to get involved. Most of the skillset revolves around your footwork such techniques as the french step, rest steps, front pointing, etc. and with the ice axe understanding self belay, self arrest, and how to hold and position the ice axe is essential. In addition to these skills adding a rope for short roping could be beneficial for protection but I can’t stress enough how this should not be done if you have not learned the proper methods of how to use a rope and given it a fair bit of practice.
Glaciated Terrain
Moving through glaciated terrain is definitely a more advanced form of ski/splitboard mountaineering and as mentioned above should involve a significant amount of knowledge to ensure safe travel. Understanding knots, how to travel as a rope team, rope management skills, as well as how to perform crevasse rescue are all necessary prerequisites to incorporating your skills into traveling on glaciers. From this point the possibilities are endless and can involve mixed climbing, ice climbing, rappelles, short roping, placing gear, etc. for those beginners take the time and energy to become acquainted with this in a learning environment and get a fair bit of practice before introducing this skillset into your mode of travel.
Gear
Normal avalanche gear should accompany you on your ski/splitboard mountaineering adventure, i.e. beacon, shovel, probe. Aside from this, choosing high quality, light, durable gear that you can count on will make a world of difference. Having a splitboard or skis that can efficiently travel through all types of terrain is important because the downhill portion of most missions typically involves a variety of snow conditions. Having hardboots or softboots that are compatible with your crampons is also important. Stiff snowboard boots are super helpful for the uphill travel and are compatible with soft toe bail crampons which make it possible to achieve your mission in just your set of snowboard boots as opposed to having to bring mountaineering boots.
Deciding between steel or aluminum crampons is the next step. Most folks that do a lot of ski/spliboard mountaineering opt for aluminum because they are lightweight, however whilst the steel crampons are heavier they tend to prove to be durable and worthy in bulletproof conditions. Aside from boot crampons having a set of ski or splitboard crampons are clutch on these excursions.
Next up, choosing all the items to accompany the crampons. Imagine that we are heading into non-glaciated relatively simple terrain on a single day mission. Choosing a lightweight helmet can help to avoid the weight and bulkiness of a helmet that is specifically designed for the resort. Polarized glasses preferably glacier glasses can be helpful with strong sun and/or weather. A small but sturdy backpack anywhere from 30-55 liters that is predominantly built for backcountry ski/splitboard travel with the ability to attach an ice axe and ski/splitboard on the outside should suffice for a day excursion. For a multi-day mission you will want to get something a little larger, think more like a 60-75 liter bag.
As far as ice axes go there are a fair bit of lightweight ice axes specifically made for ski mountaineering on the market. The difference between ski mountaineering ice axes as opposed to traditional and technical ice axes tends to be the weight as they tend to be lightweight and size wise fall between the two styles. Once again for those beginners new to ski/splitboard mountaineering keep it basic as there shouldn’t be a need for technical ice axes unless you are introducing ropes and advanced ice terrain. Keep the ice axe shorter than a traditional ice axe for ease-ability with carrying.
When you introduce ropes and glaciated terrain then the quiver of gear increases. A sturdy glacier kit should include both locking and non-locking carabiners, a micro traxion, a tibloc, cordelette, runners, a harness and a rope that is appropriate for the chosen terrain. In ski/splitboard mountaineering a 30m to 60m dynamic rope that is a bit lighter around 6.0 mm should do the trick. The Petzl RAD LINE is a great choice as it is ultra lightweight, functional, and appropriate for rescue, rappelling, and glacier travel.
Fitness
The fitness involved in ski/splitboard mountaineering can be at times rigorous and borderline painful. Booting 2,000 to 3,000 feet up a 50 degree couloir after ascending 6,000 feet to the base over a three to five mile span may be a prime example of what you may find once you start to dip your toes in the world of big ski mountaineering lines. It comes in super clutch to have trained beforehand (that should go without saying). However, easing into ski/splitboard touring at the beginning of the winter and continuously adding to your elevation gain and mileage throughout the season will help to create an effective base. Being able to get in around 5,000-7,000 vertical in a day is a great place to be late in the season when the time comes to approach those lines you have been eyeing all season from a far. Keep up with the core exercises, the stretching, the leg exercises, and the endurance (trail running can do wonders), even lugging around a heavy pack and walking up a bunch of steep stadium stairs can help you to enter into the spring season feeling physically prepared to tackle whatever objectives lay before you. Also, knowing how to navigate the down with a heavy pack ain’t too shabby as well.
While being physically fit is super important for ski/splitboard mountaineering, mental tenacity and fitness can be just as important. Breathing exercises, meditation, focus and concentration practice, as well as getting some exposure in and pushing your levels of comfort a little (within reason) can all be wonderful and effective ways to build up your mind for when you in the off chance encounter a little too much pucker factor. Meditation practice over the years has contributed a significant difference to the way I approach and handle hairy or unpleasant situations in the backcountry.
Multi-Day
Taking into consideration everything listed above the question of an overnight or a multi-day trip may pop into your head. Multi-day ski/splitboard mountaineering objectives provide an exhilarating experience that can take you deep into the wilderness exploring fun peaks and lines that you may not have the time or energy to approach in a day. If you are considering this, having camped in the past is an essential prerequisite. From there it is all about bringing the right lightweight gear while ensuring that you are not bringing too much (it is never fun to have a bunch of gear swinging off your pack). On multi-day trips a lot of the everyday luxuries go out the window but items like a stove, a dehydrated meal, a functional tent, and warm sleeping bag can make the difference between a comfortable night as opposed to a miserable one.
Adding ski/splitboard mountaineering to your quiver of activities in the backcountry world can create a different level of excitement and edge in regards to moving around on snow. It will push you to greater lengths and can even help you to see the mountains in a different light. Remember to start small and keep it simple, be open to learning new techniques and never try to test mother nature. Whatever your goals may be, know that there are many different paths to get to the top of the mountain but once you are there, only half of the journey is complete. Be safe, be diligent, travel wisely, and choose your partners wisely because getting back to the car is the goal in every mission.
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Follow @samuelthackeray for more pow slayin' greatness.
(Photo: Pierce Cameron)
Kyrgyzstan. The name elicits different thoughts and emotions for everyone. Some immediately remember the tale of Tommy Caldwell and Beth Rodden’s harrowing travels there in 2000. Others imagine gray streets, gray cement buildings, under gray skies, while soviet tanks roll through. Others yet conjure images of Genghis Khan’s hordes on horseback ravaging the Steppe. Perhaps the most common reaction is an empty thought cloud, a WTF, or a series of stutters as someone attempts to repeat the name. The country is indeed all of these things, but so much more. As a country, it’s younger than I am, but has a history dating back millennia. Its history is steeped in conquest. At times in the past, it has been ruled by the Chinese, Mongols, Persians, Muslims, and Soviets. Not until 1994 did Kyrgyzstan gain independence. With such a tumultuous past comes quite the melting pot. People clearly of Mongolian or Chinese descent, others with Slavic ancestry. Mosques and Eastern Orthodox Cathedrals. Cement buildings which look like WWII era bunkers, sickle and hammer carved above the doors. Others with giant pillars appearing more like ancient Greek or Roman citadels. Massive sculptures of Manas, the legendary and mythical ruler who united the 40 Tribes of Kyrgyzstan, other sculptures of Buddhist monks. Cities familiar to any modern Westerner and a country side harkening back to the days of the Wild West. A country still reeling from the collapse of communism, but learning how to move forward as a globalized democracy. One foot planted in the future and another rooted in a distant past.
My initial draw to the country were the large, remote, and infrequently ridden peaks. A combination that is invariably appealing. I landed in the capital city Bishkek following 34 hours of travel and was met by a driver who spoke about as much English as I speak Kyrgyz, who would take me on a six-hour journey to the opposite side of the country. Portions of the drive remind me of my home in Idaho, others let me know I am in a far-off land. The majority of the drive traverses the shores of Lake Issyk Kuhl, the second largest alpine lake in the world, and drops me at the foot of the Tian Shan Mountains. The following morning, I start the skin from the village up to our yurt camp at 8,000 feet to meet my fellow guide, support crew and settle in for the coming 5 weeks.
(Photo: Pierce Cameron)
I still find it difficult to describe the snow in the Tian Shan. One thing I can say for sure, is that it is unlike any other place I have been. It’s a shallow snowpack averaging about 3 feet per season. The majority of which comes from moisture picked up from Lake Issyk Kuhl as storms roll over and crash into the Tian Shan. It’s also cold. So now the alarm bells are going off in all of us Avalanche Nerds heads. Cold and shallow equals FACETS, the nightmare snow grain that haunts every backcountry skier and snowboarders’ dreams. And you’re not wrong, it’s a nightmarish setup. The entire snowpack consists of facets and depth hoar, some as large as 7 millimeters, where you can see the cupping and striation with the naked eye. The saving grace is it’s rarely windy and storm totals rarely amount to more than 10 centimeters, meaning there usually isn’t a slab on top of all that sugar snow. Riding with speed is your friend, and the unconsolidated snow means you can get face shots on demand, All Day Every Day. Never not powder as we say.
(Photo: Ryan Koupal)
In the first few weeks, every step was exciting. New terrain, new views, new snowpack, new coworkers, learning Kyrgyz words, living life at 8,000 feet in traditional Kyrgyz yurts and snowboarding every day. Yeah, that’s a dream! There was seldom a moment when I wasn’t smiling. Getting to know fellow travelers and skiers on the skin track, endless fresh tracks and stoke by day. Amazing local cuisine, Yahtzee, and the famous Kyrgyz Cognac by night. Options abound for riding and it’s possible to ski for weeks without ever taking the same run, let alone crossing a track. Each day was met with sunny skies and barely a breath of wind. We really sunk our teeth into everything the zone has to offer, shredding from bell to bell every day and returning to cozy yurts as the sun sank behind the distant Kazakh skyline. It is hard to overstate how cool of an experience living in a yurt for weeks on end is, fully immersed in the mountains. There are a few places in the world where we imagine standing on top of a 1,500 or 2,000 foot run and being able to see all the way to the bottom. Alaska and The Alps immediately come to mind, but Kyrgyzstan is one of those places as well. Standing at 11,000 feet and peering into the distance at mountains towering above the one I stood on left me dreaming of future expeditions. But those thoughts were quickly replaced by a flow state as I dropped into untouched slopes of powder and giddy friends waiting below.
(Photo: Pierce Cameron)
During week three every step got REALLY exciting! A series of storms rolled through putting down several feet of snow and starting the largest avalanche cycle I have ever personally witnessed. The first morning we woke to see a ridgeline spanning well over a mile had avalanched wall to wall during the night. We tip-toed our way into the mountains, cringing as every step sent a shockwave of collapsing facets rippling away from our feet. We proceeded to remote trigger avalanches for the next several days. Partially terrifying, partially amazing, wholly an eye opening and educational experience. Despite the dicey avalanche conditions, we were able to have a blast riding the fresh snow in low angle trees. We began to slowly step back into steeper terrain by traveling and riding slopes which had already slid. Eventually it seemed like everything had slid or we had collapsed every square inch of the place, still we remained diligent. Finally, our patience was rewarded by more days in the alpine and some beautiful ridge walks. We were even able to ride one of the most aesthetic lines above camp, known as The Shrine, which required multiple descents, traversing several alpine bowls and ridgelines to access. Indeed, we had come a long way.
(Photo: Pierce Cameron)
A trip like this would be extremely difficult, if not impossible without the support of locals, and we were lucky to work with many. “King Nurbek '' as we refer to him, really makes the magic happen. In a previous life he worked for a decade as a cook for the Soviet army, and then another ten years for the Kyrgyz. Now he is the cook at our yurt camp, local knowledge keeper, and horse packing extraordinaire. All while running his family farm which consists of horses, a handful of cattle, a herd of sheep, and an orchard. During the summer months he also works as a truck driver. Nurbek is a testament to adaptability and ingenuity. We gain so much by having his support and it’s a two-way street. Through this partnership he has been able to put an addition on his house, add indoor plumbing, and send his daughter to college in Karakol. It’s safe to say it has changed his and his family’s life and is an example of what responsible ecotourism can look like.
(Photo: Pierce Cameron)
There are many aspects of my time in Kyrgyzstan that will stick with me. The lessons learned about snowpack and avalanches are invaluable. The opportunity to meet mountain lovers from across the world is always welcome. And certainly, the endless powder turns and face shots were worth every minute crammed on a plane. The Tian Shan or Heavenly Mountains weren't named by accident. They are a powerful range creating the borders of many countries. For us, they create one amazing playground and a conduit to connect with locals and fellow world travelers. The snowboarding is amazing, but a trip to Kyrgyzstan is so much more. One thing that cannot be overstated is the kindness and generosity of the people. It’s common for locals to carry a stoic expression, but it doesn’t take much more than a smile to get a beaming grin back. Both are traits I have found in many poor parts of the world and a beautiful reminder of what is important in life. From a Western perspective, Kyrgyzstan may have a long way to go, but it also has plenty to teach; about snowboarding and life!
(Photo: Pierce Cameron)
To much of the Western world, Kyrgyzstan is an unknown swath of land situated somewhere amongst a number of other “stan” countries in a politically volatile region of the world. “Isn’t that where Tommy Caldwell was kidnapped?” the outdoor adventure community would ask, referring to the professional climber who was held hostage during a climbing expedition in the late 1990’s.
And while that event did occur, and the landlocked country is in fact, nestled between Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and China, knowledge about the country typically stops there. But for the adventurous few who have dared to travel to this unfamiliar and distant corner of the earth, Kyrgyzstan is a world of calm, centered around the simplicity that can be found in the mountains.
In the bustling urban center of Bishkek, shops and markets serve hot tea and laghman, a traditional noodle-heavy dish often topped with horse meat, while in the countryside, nomadic tribes continue to live traditional lifestyles, untouched by any political turmoil that may occur. Craggy skylines make up the horizon almost everywhere in the country; a dream for the adventurous and outdoor-focused. So when the first Community-Based Tourism (CBT) office was opened in the early 2000’s, it was no surprise the potential for climbing, mountaineering, trekking, and skiing truly began to be discovered by the rest of the world.
In January 2022, I had the privilege of joining East Coast-based guide service Northeast Mountaineering on their inaugural trip to the country, using both my camera and snowboard as a vessel to discover and learn about a new-to-me culture and region.
[DSC1385] Once a major stop along the ancient Silk Road trade route, city markets and bazaars sell spices, dried fruits, nuts, and other essentials to community members. Trips to Kyrgyzstan often start in the capital city, Bishkek, where travelers can wander the streets, taking in the sights, smells, and sounds for the first time.
[DSC7978] The mountains just beyond the city limits serve as the perfect place to brush up on avalanche safety skills, ensuring everyone in the group is on the same page. In the remote corners of Kyrgyzstan, there are no avalanche reports. In fact, it’s difficult to acquire much of an idea about what has been going on in terms of snowfall and conditions prior to arriving and making your own assessments.
[DSC9079] Ancient walnut forests engulf the hillsides above Arslanbob, a small village in the southern part of the country, that we’d call home base for the next six days. These forests, which are said to have provided the walnuts Alexander the Great took with him to introduce to Europe, are the oldest in the world. Using a snowboard or skis as a means to travel through these trees, which are just as important now to the local community as they were back then, instills a sense of historic, cultural, and economic significance unmatched by anything else I had experienced to date.
[DSC687] Alpine ridges, situated high above the valley floor, just out of reach of car and horseback, provide a world of un-skied, or seldom skied, fields of powder.
[DSC1251] With 94% of the country being composed of mountains—the highest of which exceed 7,000 meters—adventurous skiers, riders, and mountaineers find themselves in a playground unrivaled by some of the most popular destinations in the world, with no one to compete with for first tracks.
[DSC0505] Kyrgyzstan, which emerged from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, is an unlikely place to find a community of skiers. But with the introduction of the first Community-Based Tourism (CBT) office in 2001, whose goal is to promote tourism in an effort to stimulate the local economy and preserve both natural and cultural resources throughout the country, an increasing number of locals in communities nationwide are learning to ski, speak English, and host guests on excursions in the mountains.
[DSC1057] In a community where the unemployment rate hovers around 85% during the winter months (and 80% during the summer), skiing not only provides a welcomed source of income for locals, but also an enjoyable way to spend time.
[DSC9173] In town, the next generation of excited ski and snowboard guides welcome tourists, eager to learn as much as possible about the sport and its inevitable evolution. Much of the gear in rural communities through Kyrgyzstan is outdated, acquired only on rare occasions through donations by visitors.
[DSC8815] For centuries, nomadic tribes traveled (and in many cases, continue to today) by horseback through the countryside, living a traditional lifestyle. Today, horses are still an important means of transportation, and serve as a great way to get travelers to the start of the skin track on the outskirts of town.
[DSC0832] During each tour, guides haul food and drink into the backcountry by horseback, preparing traditional lunches consisting of walnuts, breads, pasta and rice dishes, and meats (often horse or beef), to be enjoyed on a makeshift table of snow. As there isn’t a grocery store accessible, food is always sourced from within the community.
[DSC1956] Each week throughout the winter, male community members gather in the fields on the outskirts of town to compete in games of ulak tartysh, which is a traditional nomadic game similar to polo, but with a headless, legless goat carcass instead of a ball. At the end of the game, the victor must prepare the goat meat, now tender from being batted around for hours, and host a feast in which all the participants are welcome.
[DSC1461] Despite the immense number of steep lines, technical summits, and narrow couloirs surrounding Arslanbob, some of the most memorable runs were in the low angle walnut forests just above town. Hollers of joy often echoed through the valley as we made turns in seemingly bottomless powder, often against a backdrop of the rising sun.
[DSC1671] At the end of nearly two weeks in Kyrgyzstan, spent skiing memorable lines, eating traditional meals, and sleeping in the home of a local, this mystery world no longer felt like a far-flung dot on a map, but instead, the home of a people with a vibrant and beautiful culture, living in the midst of one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world.
"The Splitboard Show" is a season long journey that follows a crew as they explore different themes, aspects and styles of human powered backcountry snowboarding. This year, tag along with Tim van der Krogt and his crew of riders based out of Revelstoke, BC as they take you with them on their splitboard adventures.
Follow @the_splitboard_show to catch the latest episodes, updates, highlights and more! Follow Weston Athlete Tim van der Krogt @carve_invader for more pow slayin' greatness.
Featured Boards: Ridgeline Split, Hatchet Split, Eclipse Split, Ridgeline Carbon Split
Featured Riders/Skiers:
Tim van der Krogt (@carve_invader)
Kai White (@kai_white)
Thomas Honneger (@carve_invasiion)
Oscar Bascones (@oscarbmas)
Claudia Bambi (@bambibacon)
Allison Ray (@alliemarieray3)
Christopher Wills (@christopher.wills)
Brian Stenerson (@instasteney)
Ashley Epis (@mtnsnowmad)
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"Split" showcases Brian Stenerson's approach to backcountry snowboarding. A splitboard is the single tool capable of both moving through the mountains and riding the features for every shot of this project. Two winters of human powered high speed lines and hand built kicker tricks based around the Lake Tahoe region of California. Captured and created by Riley Bathurst.
Follow the dynamic duo @instasteney and @rileybathurst for more pow slayin' greatness.
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Imaginary Peaks is a little story about exploring your backyard and dreaming about riding mountains you have almost no information on. Just a distant photo of a couple peaks to let your imagination run wild with.
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“After our traverse last year we identified so much amazing terrain, but there was one zone in particular which really stood out and we knew we had to go check it out. So we loaded up and headed back into the Frank Church for a round two base camp mission. We had stellar conditions and the stoke to match it! We named this one Imaginary Peaks. It's about the experience of seeing a far off zone, grabbing a couple distant photos and then planning and imagining what the zone might be like based off of a few photos and maps. We pretty much had a year to let our imaginations run wild and create all kinds of scenarios and ideas about what kind of cool terrain might be hiding just out of view. This zone did not disappoint!" - Sam Thackeray, Weston Guide Ambassador.
(Tracks above Camp. Photo: Sam Thackeray)
Follow @samuelthackeray for more pow slayin' greatness.
Watch “Imaginary Peaks” the full video.
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Creating inclusivity in the snowsports space is a real and current challenge. We at Weston were so happy to see Alex Showerman find her herself, and yet it was equally challenging to watch first hand as doors shut ever so slightly at the same time. There’s most certainly work to be done in the industry and not just for LGBTQ+. Check out this exclusive interview with Alex herself for The Snowboarder's Journal.
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Creating inclusivity in the snowsports space is a real and current challenge. We at Weston were so happy to see Alex Showerman find her herself, and yet it was equally challenging to watch first hand as doors shut ever so slightly at the same time. There’s most certainly work to be done in the industry and not just for LGBTQ+. Hopefully if we keep the foot on the gas of elevating underrepresented voices, in authentic ways, we can keep bringing powder to the people. Check out this exclusive interview with Alex herself for The Snowboarder's Journal.
During her high school years in Vermont, snowboarding became a way of life for Alex Showerman. Aside from holding various jobs in politics following college, Alex began freelancing articles for TransWorld SNOWboarding, Splitboard.com, and other publications before landing her first gig in the industry with Protect Our Winters in 2015. She connected with Weston Backcountry and led public relations efforts for the brand. But despite her success in the sport she loved, Alex was miserable. She felt trapped, like she was living a lie—presenting as male. These days Alex is much happier, because she’s finally living proudly as the queer trans woman she knew herself to be.
The 32-year-old began finding the strength to come out after persevering through a broken neck in 2019. In 2020, Alex transitioned. She’s since become a prominent advocate for inclusivity in action sports, although in recent months, she’s grown increasingly distant from snowboarding. While the act of sliding sideways will always hold a dear spot in Alex’s heart, she says the snowboarding community has a long way to go regarding its support for trans riders. We recently sat down with Alex to hear her story, as well as what she thinks the community can do to further its push for inclusivity on the mountain and beyond.
Blake Hansen for The Snowboarder’s Journal: Let’s start with your life-changing events in 2019.
Alex Showerman: There was a monster under the bed that I’d been avoiding for years. It started to give me so much anxiety that I started taking unrealistic risks while snowboarding and biking. Eventually, I literally smashed my issues head on [into a tree mountain biking] and broke my neck. I was stuck in a hospital bed. I couldn’t move or distract myself anymore.
What a visceral experience. What were you facing?
Well, I had already accepted that I was transgender years back but had been avoiding it. Something we both know all too well.
Avoiding acceptance of who you really are by stuffing it away and ruining your life… because you’re scared of doing something about it and it ruining your life?
Precisely.
Yeah, we know a thing or two about that.
So, I was forced to sit with myself, and it changed my life. It started with the choice to take care of my injury and turned into taking care of myself overall. I started seeing my therapist again. I eventually started hormones and subsequently, my transition. A little after that it also started to hit me that, even though I’d been making healthy moves for myself and feeling good, I was going to have to deal with coming out. Then the pandemic hit. I lost my job a little bit after that and having to face all those things collectively took me to a place where I would say that I lost the will to live. Unfortunately, alcohol became the thing that I started to rely on, and I would just sit there in my room, in the dark, staring at the ceiling drunk for hours. I spent multiple nights like this just contemplating suicide. Luckily, I never did it, and I think breaking my neck was what gave me the tools to push through that time and come out the other side.
Isn’t it weird how talking about it takes you back there? Remembering what that’s like never fully goes away.
Yeah, I guess talking about it is reminding me of how close I actually was.
At what point did things start to turn around for you?
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Here is your in-depth guide to splitboard specific backcountry gear recommendations straight from the pro guides themselves. Reading not your thing? WATCH THE VIDEO sponsored by CAPOW! Canadian Powder Guiding.
If you’re reading this, odds are you’ve been snowboarding for at least a few years now. You know what you like in a solid board, so you figure you might as well get something similar in a split version. Makes sense, right? Well, not so fast…
If you’re only going to own one splitboard, you want to make sure you pick something versatile. Conditions in the backcountry can be highly variable - you’ll need plenty of float for the deep snow we’re usually seeking, but also need to make sure that you can confidently hold an edge when conditions aren’t so friendly.
The ideal do-it-all splitboard should have the following...
PRO RECOMMENDATION: What do you ride and why?
I ride the Weston Backwoods Carbon Split every day, regardless of conditions. It’s incredibly versatile, floats beautifully in powder, and has enough of a tail to feel solid when stomping big landings. It’s stiff enough to break trail well and charge downhill with confidence, but still retains enough flex to feel playful and sporty. Edge hold and skin contact is awesome thanks to the cambered profile, and its incredibly low weight makes it a great choice for the biggest, most challenging days of splitboard mountaineering. Really, it seems like there’s nothing this board can’t do!
Have sizing questions or need help finding the right splitboard model for you? Read → How To Choose Your Snowboard or Splitboard
Spark R&D and Karakoram are the main options for bindings on the market today, both make a great product and I’d recommend either. Union and Voile also make split bindings and there are some other smaller companies coming into the market like Plum out of France.
PRO REC: I ride the Spark Surge - it’s a bit stiffer than the Spark Arc and allows immediate power transmission in ride mode. It is a fantastic binding that will last many, many years and well worth the price. Karakoram makes a really cool cross over binding too - the Prime Connect - that can be both a great resort binding AND a great splitboard binding. Both companies make amazing bindings and it is hard to choose one over the other, what you can get your hands on might be the deciding factor.
Many splitboarders do just fine with whatever boots they already own for the resort. However, if you’re in the market for a splitboard-specific soft boot, you’ll want to keep an eye out for features like heel welts for semi-automatic crampons, vibram soles, and protective toe caps - especially if you intend to spend a lot of your time chasing ski mountaineering objectives. ThirtyTwo, K2, Deeluxe, and Fitwell all offer splitboard specific boots. More than anything though, focus on just picking boots that fit your foot and suit your downhill riding style. Personal preferences vary a lot.
PRO REC: My advice is spend your money on other gear and buy splitboard specific boots once you really need them or decide yours won’t work. I use the K2 Aspect and it has held up very well over the years and has all of the features I’d like to see in a splitboard specific boot.
In a perfect world, your skins would be frictionless as they move forward along the snow during each step forward, and grip like hell once engaged - but in reality, you have no choice but to strike a balance between these two characteristics. There are two materials that the plush material on climbing skins can be made from: nylon and mohair. Nylon provides more grip, less glide, and is heavier. Mohair isn’t as grippy, but glides better and weighs less. It’s also possible to get skins that are made from a combination of the two (my personal favorite).
There are very high traction skins available made out of thick nylon but I wouldn’t recommend these to anyone. The extra grip may serve as a useful crutch when you’re first learning to splitboard, but you’ll outgrow them very quickly. They’re also extra awkward to slide downhill with, which has to be done from time to time. Skins made out of thinner nylon are a nice middle-of-the-road option for beginner skiers that aren’t completely dialed with their skinning technique. The skins I use are made out of 70% mohair and 30% nylon, and are a great choice for users with at least an intermediate level of touring skill.
Check out the all-new Weston Custom Pre Cut Skins coming for Winter 22/23! Stay tuned...
Trim your skins so that when it’s on your ski, you can just barely see the entirety of the metal edge on both sides. In the field, you don’t need to bother using “cheat sheets” when you fold your skins up, nor do you need to place them in the bag they came with - these are just extra items to carry and steps to take that don’t really serve a purpose. If your skins are hard to separate, you can put them between your legs and use your lower body to assist you, or you can use the rigidity of one of your skis as something to pull against. When taking your skins on and off, try not to get snow on the glue - this will prevent it from sticking well. If your glue does get a bunch of snow on it, you can scrape it off using the edge of one of your skis or a dry pant leg.
If you’re traveling through snow that’s especially wet and soft (ie. hot pow baking in the sun on a spring day), it will probably start to stick to the bottom of your skins and make travel difficult. To combat this, you can rub skin wax onto the plush side of your skins - it’s not perfect, but it certainly helps. If the snow continues to stick, I’ll pick up my foot and whack my ski with my pole every so often as I walk, and maybe start swearing a little.
PRO REC: Pomoca Climbing Skins
Wanna bag some beta on some of the most epic backcountry terrain on the planet? Let's hear it straight from the BC lokes themselves. CAPOW! Backcountry Guide Adam Zok and Kootenay Backcountry Guide Judson Wright share their favorite backcountry touring zones in Revelstoke and Nelson, BC.
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Please Note: It's important to know that the backcountry is filled with hazards that go beyond what one might face at a ski area. There are many things to consider before getting into backcountry skiing like equipment, avalanche education, trip planning, and mentorship. Avalanche education is an important step to take for those that are interested in getting into backcountry skiing and riding. Plan to be self-sufficient with a beacon, shovel and probe for each member of your group, along with the knowledge of how to use them. Check out our previous blogs and Slay at Home Episodes for more details on all of these topics and get educated BEFORE ever venturing into the backcountry or hire a guide near you! Check out the Avalanche Canada for backcountry avalanche, weather, and snow conditions in Canada.
In the eyes of many, backcountry skiing and splitboarding in Revelstoke, BC is simply unparalleled. The nearby Selkirk and Monashee mountains generally possess a deep intermountain snowpack, and offer terrain ranging from perfectly spaced trees, incredible pillow lines, glaciers, couloirs, big alpine faces, and more. While there’s something here to please almost every skier and rider, it’s the advanced backcountry traveller that will find the greatest appreciation for what Revelstoke has to offer.
All of this incredible riding does come with its challenges. There’s a ton of complex avalanche terrain, glaciers create hazards that may be unfamiliar to visitors from other areas, and the tree wells can be fierce. As with anywhere, it’s critical that you give these mountains a healthy dose of respect in order to enjoy them safely.
SKILL LEVEL
Intermediate-Advanced
TERRAIN
Trees, Cut Runs, and Alpine
GUIDEBOOK
revelstokemountainresort.com
ELEVATION
512m-2450m (lifts to 2225m)
BEST SEASON
Winter, Spring
TRAILHEAD
Revelstoke Mountain Resort Base
For those with a lift ticket, Revelstoke Mountain Resort offers incredibly easy access to fun and varied ski touring terrain. Of course, once you’re out of bounds, the snowpack and terrain require the same level of assessment that you would give to any other piece of the backcountry - there’s no avalanche control work being done, and you’re left fully to your own devices.
Relatively close to the boundary, skiers can find low angle treeline features and steep glades that usually offer relatively safe skiing. Even in this most benign zone, it’s important to beware of overhead hazards, cornices, and tree wells, as well as skiing too low and becoming lost. If you’re willing and able to travel farther from the resort boundary, it’s easy to find more challenging terrain. There’s only a small amount of true alpine terrain, and most runs are relatively short, so you’ll probably do at least a couple laps over the course of the day. The main exception to this is the skiing off of the backside of the resort - these features offer more vertical relief, but take you through more committing avalanche terrain, and require more advanced navigation and route planning skills to make your way back in bounds.
One additional benefit to touring from RMR is the ability to start your day up high - when freezing levels are an issue, taking a gondola to elevations with below-freezing temps can be pretty appealing.
(Touring in Revelstoke Mtn Resort Slackcountry. Photo: Adam Zok)
SKILL LEVEL
Intermediate-Advanced
TERRAIN
Trees, Alpine, Glacier Travel
ELEVATION
1000-3300m
BEST SEASON
Winter, Spring
For many backcountry skiers and splitboarders, Rogers Pass is the main attraction of Revelstoke. It’s possible to find good skiing here most days, but the place really shines during periods of good visibility - the riding and scenery in the alpine are both top notch. Most tours here require a significant amount of walking, and offer 1 or 2 long descents as opposed to several short laps. If you’re unable to ascend at least 1000m of vert, your options here will be limited - many of the best tours require about 1200-1600m of climbing.
In many of the most popular drainages for ski touring (including Connaught Creek), it’s often easy to find skin tracks in place beneath significant overhead hazards. It’s critical to assess the terrain for yourself, and not allow yourself to become complacent just because the track is already in. A crossing that was safe yesterday, or even an hour ago, may be significantly more dangerous by the time you get to it.
Avalanche control work to protect both the highway and the railroad can create an additional complicating factor for ski touring within Rogers Pass. This control work is NOT intended to stabilize slopes for backcountry skiing. Some parts of the national park, including parking lots, can be closed on a day-to-day basis depending on whether or not the howitzers are firing. It’s critical that these boundary lines, as well as any closures for the day, are well understood before embarking on your tour. To ignore either opens you up to the possibility of getting blown up or swept away in a massive avalanche, and also jeopardizes the future of ski touring access in the entire national park. Historically, there was a time when skiing was not allowed in any of the areas impacted by this control work, and if the military loses confidence that skiers are being kept out of the areas they’re trying to blast, it’s entirely possible that the park will revert back to its previous state. Please, don’t get yourself killed, and don’t ruin the incredible ski touring access at Rogers Pass for everybody else. Violations are a really big deal.
(Rogers Pass Discovery Center. Photo: Sean Eno.)
In order to make sure that you understand the Winter Permit System, it’s best to complete an online quiz to obtain an Annual Winter Permit ahead of time. This is also enormously convenient for skiing at the pass, as it eliminates the need to pick up a daily permit before you go touring. Getting a daily permit eats up time in the morning, and can only be taken care of at 1 of the 8 trailheads available for skiing. For more information, including a link to apply for an annual permit, you can Google “Glacier National Park Annual Winter Permit”, or visit this link.
Lastly, you’ll also need to pay for parking in order to go tour anywhere within Glacier National Park. It’s possible to pay for a single day, but most people find the annual National Parks Pass to be the most convenient. You can purchase these at the Rogers Pass Discovery Center or order them online.
It may be a bit of a complicated system, but the touring at Rogers Pass is more than worth it. For route beta, the maps and guidebooks from GeoBackcountry titled “Rogers Pass: Uptracks, Bootpacks & Bushwhacks” are excellent resources. Additional terrain photos can be found by Googling “Glacier National Park Winter Terrain Atlas”, or visiting this link.
(Rogers Pass. Photo: Adam Zok.)
ELEVATION
640m-2427m
BEST SEASON
Winter, Spring
NEAREST TOWN
Revelstoke
When the skiing’s good all the way to valley bottom, touring on Mt. MacPherson can be an excellent option. It’s quite a bit closer than Rogers Pass, and is rarely impacted by highway closures. Park at the Revelstoke Nordic Ski Club (bring $6 cash to pay for parking), and navigate your way up the groomed cross country skiing trails. After about a mile or so, the groomed trails peter out, and you’ll either be following a skin track or punching in your own. The Fingers, Womb, Burnt Knob, and Fuzzy Knob all have some really great lines on them. If you’re willing to pay a few bucks, you can find more detailed route info and photos here.
There’s a whole lot more to shred close to Revelstoke than I’ve laid out for you here. With a little creativity and decent routefinding skills, there’s truly a lifetime worth of skiing scattered throughout the Selkirks and Monashees. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box!
ELEVATION
1600m-2400m
BEST SEASON
Winter, Spring
NEAREST TOWN
Nelson
Kootenay Pass is B.C.’s highest highway pass. The top of the pass is 1780m. Most of the peaks are at 2200m. The valley bottoms between 1700-1800m. This gives you some lines that are 400m vertical (or 1200ft). The terrain at Kootenay Pass is very accessible, meaning there are lots of runs near the road and many shorter tours for the intermediate backcountry user. For experts there is still plenty to chew on though, with steeps and couloirs within day trip range. Peaks at Kootenay Pass top out at 2200m (7500ft) Snowfall is reliable with an average 250cm (100 inch) base by mid February. Your best place to stay when accessing Kootenay Pass would be Nelson if you crave the nightlife and restaurant scene. Nelson is 1 hour away from Kootenay Pass. Plan to stay in Ymir if you want an off the beaten path location. Ymir is 40 mins from Kootenay Pass.
(Camel's Hump, Kootenay Pass. Photo: Lauren Powers.)
ELEVATION
1000m-2900m
BEST SEASON
Winter, Spring
NEAREST TOWN
Kaslo/New Denver
1.5 hours North of Nelson there is a highway pass that used to have 10’s of thousands of people living there at the turn of the century. Now the highway corridor is virtually deserted with only a cat ski operation, some counter culture folks escaping, and of course the odd ski bum getting the goods. The mountains here are significantly bigger than the ones right around Nelson (Mount Brennan) towers above the pass at a height of 2860m or (9385ft).
This highway pass can take a lifetime to explore. It is best to access with a snowmobile as many of the tours are massive. The snowpack is massive in this highway corridor with a reliable 250-300cm (100-130 inch) base. London Ridge is your best bet as a starter zone, but beware the tour up to the top is close to 4000ft in elevation gain. There is a backcountry based resort being pitched (Zincton) that plans on putting a chair lift up London Ridge to access the terrain. Get there before everyone else does and explore this zone. Your best bet is to stay in Kaslo or New Denver. Kootenay Backcountry Guides has access to an exclusive lodge at the base of Mount Brennan where we run 5-day long avalanche courses. The lodge has hot and cold running water and private rooms for two.
ELEVATION
1200-2400m
BEST SEASON
Winter, Spring
NEAREST TOWN
Red Mountain
With Whitewater Ski Resort established as the backcountry Mecca of the Kootenay Region, Red Resort and Rossland can fly under the radar. The Rossland area has a deep rich history with skiing and is regarded by some as the birthplace of skiing in Canada. Rossland itself is like a quieter smaller version of Nelson. Beautiful heritage downtown core with a decent food scene, but you are not there for that!
Red Resort is massive and the crowds thin out quickly leaving in bounds powder for days. It is home to some of the rowdiest in bounds terrain in the interior. When the Resort runs dry head straight to the easily accessible backcountry terrain. Mount Roberts is an easy skin up from the Paradise chair and has epic steep and deep lines on it. I learned to backcountry ski on Mount Roberts and can attest to the sheer amount of steep spins and drops available here. Record Mountain is also easily within striking distance from Red Resort and offers more mellow lines for intermediate riders.
If the backcountry surrounding the resort does not appeal to your senses, you can take a quick 10-20 minute drive up the road and head to Strawberry Pass and many objectives in that area. Old Glory stands above all the other peaks in the Rossland Range and offers a serious North Face that should only be attempted in optimal conditions with a fit crew! If objectives close by are your thing, Mount Plewman or Lepso are right near the highway. The Rossland Range gets less snow than other locations to the West and North with mid winter bases usually topping out at 200cm (80 inches). Do not let the lack of massive snowfall in Rossland get you down, this zone is one of the best in the southern interior and savvy backcountry riders can find epic lines!
(Old Glory, Rossland Range. Photo: Lauren Powers.)
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As more people get outside the need to preserve landscapes is more important than ever. Since 2010, Leave No Trace has been working with land managers to identify, and then rectify, recreation spaces with high rates of degradation through a program called Hot Spots.
Weston is incredibly proud to partner with Leave No Trace and OnX Backcountry to celebrate and preserve the places you love. These can be local crags, trails, or even national parks. For every onX Backcountry membership purchased in the month of June through onXmaps.com they’ll be donating $10 of it towards Leave No Trace’s Hot Spot program.
It’s a recreation location nominated by its land manager and chosen by Leave No Trace that has experienced being “loved to death” or otherwise been degraded by overuse. Each year, Leave No Trace works with local communities to equip them with education tools they can pass on to their visitors.
Use onX Backcountry to help find routes that are well away from over-traveled trails and hot spots in your area. Dispersing some of our activities from the centers of heavy traffic we can mitigate our impacts on the landscapes we love most. #exploreandrestore
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Leo Tsuo setting up the Backwoods Fellowship Snowboard (Photo: Andrew Maguire)
Whitelines Snowboarding Magazine just dropped an awesome article about what we're doing here at Weston to help pave the way for inclusivity in the ski and snowboard industry. Fueled by strong leadership from our fearless leader, Leo Tsuo, and activations by Weston ambassadors like Caitlin Yong (@sk8powder) of Backcountry Together to help encourage more BIPOC folks to get out in the backcountry, we hope to help build a brighter future for a more inclusive backcountry community. Plus, with the 2022/23 debut of the new artist-driven "Mission Series" lineup of boards and skis, our goal is to amplify the diverse voices of the backcountry community through partnerships and genuinely reciprocated relationships rather than culturally appropriated graphics. Give it a read!
"In 2016, when Leo Tsuo took the reins at @westonbackcountry , a brand dedicated to that soulful side of snowboarding, he realized that even freeriding wasn’t free from judgment. Anyone who didn’t fit the stereotypical mould—upper-middle-class, straight, white, male—faced severe barriers to entry. #WestonBackcountry
In pursuit of a more welcoming and diverse snowboard community, Weston doesn’t subscribe to the typical snowboard marketing model—there’s no traditional team of marquee pros who promote the brand in contests and video parts. Instead, Weston supports the efforts of over 175 ambassadors who share Tsuo’s vision for building community, spreading backcountry safety, and fostering inclusivity."
Follow @whitelines_snowboarding_mag for more pow slayin' greatness.
Diné Navajo graphic artist Vernan Kee and the all-new Mission Series 22/23 Ridgeline Splitboard followed by the Ridgeline x Vernan Kee Snowboard (Photo: 1. Steve Yazzie, 2. Carly Finke).
Sunshine and Stoked at the Inaugural Ladies Weekend Out Splitboard Event in Mammoth Lakes, CA with Golden State Guiding. Words & Photos by Rachel Lightner.
]]>Read the full blog HERE
Golden State Guides ran their first Ladies Weekend Out splitboard event in Mammoth Lakes, CA on March 12th and 13th. Six participants, along with myself and GSG guides Tailer Grey and Jessica Olsen, took to the backcountry to dial in splitboard skills and hangout with a group of awesome ladies. I had the pleasure of tagging along for the event and capturing some of the moments over the two-day course, from the high vibes to the parking lot apres beers.
Day one began at the Visitor Center in Mammoth Lakes, where the ladies were introduced to their gear provided by GSG. This included all of their avalanche safety gear: beacon, shovel, probe, as well as touring gear, including bindings, skins and Weston Backcountry splitboards. Several of the ladies were really excited about the partnership with Weston Splitboards and were looking forward to giving them a try, including participant Carman Cheung. “I was already looking into demoing a Weston board and then my friend sent me the class and was like well you could demo a board, take a class, have a guide and learn to splitboard. And there’s beer!”, said Cheung. “So it was the whole package. I signed up as soon as I saw it.”
After some binding adjustments and demonstrating how to pack all of the new gear into packs, we did a round of introductions. We learned everyone’s favorite snack and the fact that every participant had come up from somewhere in southern California for the event, so the comradery was instant. The ladies were stoked to get onto snow, so we headed to the Mammoth Rock trailhead and began our day.
We started off with our first transition, learning how to turn our complete board into touring mode, which can be one of the hardest parts of learning how to splitboard. Tailer walked everyone through her methodical steps on how to take the board apart and keep your gear organized, ensuring that all the ladies felt confident with each step along the way.
Check out Golden State Guiding in the Eastern Sierra
]]>Over 16 days, Weston guide Sam Thackeray and crew cover 130 miles and 67,000 vert, finding some amazing descents, maddening travel conditions, and a lot of time to reflect in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.
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In the Spring of 2021, Weston Guide Sam Thackeray, Brian Peters, and Jess Asmussen, set off to traverse the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. Covering a large part of Central Idaho, the Frank Church totals 2.3 Million Acres. As the largest wilderness area in the lower 48, the Frank Church is the definition of remote, and it’s becoming more so. The trio’s plan is to snowboard and ski from East to West across the expanse of the wilderness and experience a place few have ever had the opportunity to see in this way. Over 16 days, the crew covers 130 miles and 67,000 vert, finding some amazing descents, maddening travel conditions, and a lot of time to reflect.
"The Frank Church Wilderness is located in Central Idaho. It’s 2.3 Million acres and is the largest wilderness in the lower 48. It’s very rugged and wild. Outside of the Salmon River and a few main trails used for hunting it sees almost no visitation.
We splitboarded, skied, and walked across the expanse of the wilderness. The trip took us 16 days in which we covered 130 miles and 67,000 vert. We had a resupply via airplane on day 9. There is very little information about riding in the Frank Church, but most likely we are the first to complete this route. A few other groups have done traverses, but via different routes. We also likely made 7-10 first descents.
However, we chose not to highlight these statistics in the film because we felt they don’t really do the trip or the place justice. For us it was a much deeper experience of overcoming challenges and the unknown. An opportunity to grow individually and as friends and ski partners. To really appreciate what we have and just the intrinsic value of the place. And to be fully immersed in one of the last and most remote places in the country, which is highly unforgiving and presents obstacles at every turn." - Sam Thackeray, Weston Guide Ambassador.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE: The Inertia.
Follow @samuelthackeray for more pow slayin' greatness!
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Weston athlete, 14er Ski Record holder, mountain guide, and former Navy SEAL Josh Jespersen floats his crew of rugged adventurers into the depths of uncertainty on the wildly remote Animas River. The team emerges downriver, albeit a little soggy, with water samples gathered along the way. The expedition’s contributions add to reclamation efforts and bring into sharper contrast the need for active participation in one’s home watershed.
The Animas Expedition intends to rally a larger army of diverse advocates in defense of the natural world. The film stresses that anyone, anywhere can be a champion of conservation and a staunch defender of wild places. An expedition into the unknown is but one way to engage in this fight. We all can do something, even if it is as simple as putting water in bottles.
Photos by @isaiahjboyle
Follow @joshjespersen for more pow slayin' greatness.
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Here is your in-depth guide to ski specific backcountry gear recommendations straight from the pros.
]]>With earning your turns exploding in popularity over the past years, you might be thinking about getting into it yourself. Rather than just struggle busing in a boot pack, or using your heavy park skis, there are a few considerations you need to take into account to get the best out of your weekend. Our resident ski expert and member of our design team Nate Dumais has the low down on what you need. Reading not your thing? Watch the Webinar sponsored by Capow Guiding.
When buying a touring specific ski, you’ll want to look at the following - Weight, Waist Width, Camber underfoot.
Weight
The best AT ski walks the balance of uphill performance with downhill fun. Go too light and you sacrifice durability and that bomber construction you're used to on the resort. Go too heavy and you’ll be calling it a day by 10 AM.
Waist Width
A nice touring width underfoot, is +/- 105mm underfoot. This general sizing will cut some weight versus touring with something +/- 120mm. The 105 range also puts less torque on your bindings and knees if you happen to be on a fall-away icy skin track. In this case a more narrow ski will place your boot and binding closer to the hill and eliminate the need to over pressure that hill side edge. Those big wide powder sticks will add both weight and be a struggle on this slick side hill skin tracks. Balance is key.
Profile
One of the most important things to look for is what is the profile of your ski. We find the ideal profile is camber under foot with early rise tip and tail. Camber under foot allows for maximum skin contact while skinning up, and adds confidence when you hit variable conditions. Early rise allows for you to maintain float in the deepstuff we all seek. Avoid heavily rockered skis, as this will have a narrow contact point for skinning and make getting uphill difficult.
Other factors such as stiffness and turning radius are much more a personal preference and dependent on the terrain you like to ski on. Trees your jam? Go with something that has a tighter radius, and is a touch softer for a more playful and poppy ski to bounce in and out of trees. Big open bowls? Go stiff and big turning radius for stability as you charge big lines.
Pro Rec: The Weston Summit, in a 186, checks these boxes at 105mm underfoot, 16.5m turn, 3.8 lbs, 70% camber and a strong, stable core.
Tech Toe - The industry standard.
The majority of binding manufacturers make a version of a lightweight tech, or toe pin, binding. 4 manufacturers and bindings that stand out above most are the Marker Alpinist 12, Salomon MTN, Dynafit Rotation 12, and G3 ZED 12. All of these bindings are incredibly lightweight, have release settings, option for a brake, and multiple ascension levels. Each binding will have its own little quirks to deal with, but the more you use them, the more second nature it will become. All of these bindings do require a toe pin, or tech, ski boot.
Cross over bindings - one binding to do it all.
If you want a “cross over” style binding, a binding thet features a toe pin setup for the ascent that transfers to a normal alpine toe for the descent, and a step in heel, you can check out the Salomon Shift or the Marker Duke PT. Both of these bindings can be used with either a toe pin boot or normal alpine boot. In order to tour with these bindings, however, you must have a toe pin ski boot. You CANNOT tour with these bindings with an alpine boot.
What about frame bindings?
If you are touring with a normal alpine boot you can look at some frame binding options from Marker with the F10 and F12 or Tyrolia with their Ambition 12 and Adrenaline 14. This is a cost effective way to get into the sport, but you lose out many of the benefits of a modern touring binding. They are the heaviest option, a further forward pivot point also means you’ll be working harder on the up. Additionally, touring with traditional alpine boots means you won’t have as much range of motion on your touring stride. This can be a good option if you just want to get in a lap before lifts open, but generally recommend against it if you are taking getting into the backcountry seriously.
Pro Rec: Marker Aplinist 12
Like AT skis you want to find a boot that is lightweight, but rugged enough where you are not sacrificing performance. AT or Tech boots have made leaps and bounds in performance over the past few years. Updated plastics have enabled manufacturers to keep the boots light, but stiff. Now, a 130 flex tech boot can perform with the best 130 alpine boot, at half the weight.
What is Walk Mode and why is it important?
Having a boot with “walk mode” allows the cuff of the boot to move more freely from the shell allowing for easier forward lean.
It’s all in the Soles.
Make sure your boot has a vibram sole. Chances are you will be boot packing at some point and having that traction and support is an important safety element. Additionally, if you are every fortunate enough to add a snowmobile into the mix, you can have traction on the rails of the sled. Additionally if you have a Toe Pin binding, make sure you have a Toe Pin Boot.
Buckles - How many should I have?
Some lighter weight boots are dropping buckles to save weight. If your an aggressive rider, keep the four for a ski more similar to your resort boot.
Personal Preferences - Fit
Having a boot that fits properly is key to having a happy day in the backcountry. Two things to pay attention to is the last and the volume. The last of the boot refers to how wide the boot is, typically some companies have a wider last than others so if you have a wide foot, ask your local shop to recommend companies with a wider last and vice versa.
Volume refers to how much space there is in the boot it self. If you have high arches, look for a high volume boot and vice versa.
Pro Rec: There are plenty of amazing AT and tech boots on the market these days. Scarpa has been on the forefront of tech boots for many years. Their Maestrale RS 120 is amongst the most sought after boots on the market. Tecnica’s Zero G Pro Tour 130 is a few generations in and is for those seeking a stiff, high performing lightweight boot.Tecnica is manufacturer that has not been on the tech scene incredibly long, but they have been making ski boots longer than most others and arguably make some of the best boots on the planet. Salomon created the S/LAB MTN and S/LAB X-Alp tour boots, which utilize a 2 buckle system. The X-Alp eliminated the standard toe, moving the pivot point of the boot closer to your foot. If you don’t want to pull the trigger on a full on tech boot, there are options for you. The Lange XT130 Free and Tecnica Cochise are both great choices for cross over boots, utilizing toe pin inserts, as well as, standard alpine boot sole and can be used with tech bindings or normal alpine bindings.
The other piece of the puzzle is skins. Guide Adam Zok gives us the low down on what you should be looking for in skins.
Types of Skins, Nylon, Synthetic or Mix?
In a perfect world, your skins would be frictionless as they move forward along the snow during each step forward, and grip like hell once engaged - but in reality, you have no choice but to strike a balance between these two characteristics. There are two materials that the plush material on climbing skins can be made from: nylon and mohair. Nylon provides more grip, less glide, and is heavier. Mohair isn’t as grippy, but glides better and weighs less. It’s also possible to get skins that are made from a combination of the two (my personal favorite).
There are very high traction skins available made out of thick nylon but I wouldn’t recommend these to anyone. The extra grip may serve as a useful crutch when you’re first learning to splitboard, but you’ll outgrow them very quickly. They’re also extra awkward to slide downhill with, which has to be done from time to time. Skins made out of thinner nylon are a nice middle-of-the-road option for beginner skiers that aren’t completely dialed with their skinning technique. The skins I use are made out of 70% mohair and 30% nylon, and are a great choice for users with at least an intermediate level of touring skill.
How do I trim my skins and care for them in the backcountry?
Trim your skins so that when it’s on your ski, you can just barely see the entirety of the metal edge on both sides. In the field, you don’t need to bother using “cheat sheets” when you fold your skins up, nor do you need to place them in the bag they came with - these are just extra items to carry and steps to take that don’t really serve a purpose. If your skins are hard to separate, you can put them between your legs and use your lower body to assist you, or you can use the rigidity of one of your skis as something to pull against. When taking your skins on and off, try not to get snow on the glue - this will prevent it from sticking well. If your glue does get a bunch of snow on it, you can scrape it off using the edge of one of your skis or a dry pant leg.
If you’re traveling through snow that’s especially wet and soft (ie. hot pow baking in the sun on a spring day), it will probably start to stick to the bottom of your skins and make travel difficult. To combat this, you can rub skin wax onto the plush side of your skins - it’s not perfect, but it certainly helps. If the snow continues to stick, I’ll pick up my foot and whack my ski with my pole every so often as I walk, and maybe start swearing a little.
The short answer is NO. The poles you use for resort skiing are just fine. However there are a few things you do want to look for. Make sure you have a powder basket. Many of the poles skiers use on piste won’t provide enough surface area when you push down in the snow to stay on top. A powder basket addresses this. Some people also like to adjust their pole length. Longer for the up hill or double polling out the approach, then shorter for the down.
Get Educated
Go get your avalanche education before venturing into the backcountry! (Did you know Weston has a scholarship program for Women, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC individuals? Learn more about the Powder To The People Scholarship)
What Other Gear Do I Need?
You will need some other specialized gear including a pack, avalanche safety and even specific layering. Check out our resources on these here.
Where Can I Go?
Check out our post on less crowded touring zones to explore in Colorado here or head over to our main blog page to discover more zones in other regions such as the PNW, California, the Northeast and more!
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We laid out the basics of how to get started in backcountry skiing and splitboarding in this handy blog thanks to our friends at Colorado Adventure Guides.
]]>We're talking basics of getting started in the backcountry from choosing the right board or ski for you to safety equipment, fitness tips, what to expect from your first tour, touring practice tips & more! Reading not your thing? Watch the webinar sponsored by Colorado Adventure Guides.
Backcountry can be defined as an area that is remote, undeveloped, isolated, or difficult to access. Backcountry skiing or snowboarding would be utilizing this sort of area.
How does it differ from resorts?
The ski resort is a developed area that is regularly patrolled with avalanche control, medical personnel, lift access, etc.
What is "sidecountry" and is it still considered the backcountry?
Sidecountry is still considered backcountry as they are undeveloped areas that do not see patrolling or avalanche mitigation from the ski resort. Once you leave the boundaries of the ski resort you are in the backcountry.
Why do we go?
This.
If you are at a good skiing or riding level beforehand, you will get the most out of your experience in the backcountry. You can encounter a variety of snow conditions and you don’t want to be dealing with your skiing/riding technique as there are so many other variables that you need to focus on. I would say that you can definitely backcountry ski or ride if you can get down Blues/Blacks at a ski resort and feel mostly comfortable skiing through trees, but you will be much better off if you are capable of skiing Double Black Diamond terrain on the resort and are very comfortable skiing in trees.
Pro Tip: Get your skill level up on the resort before entering into the backcountry.
Many resorts allow uphill access in the mornings, so a great opportunity to hone in your fitness and skinning techniques. Beyond that just skiing/riding to the point where you can ski most of the terrain on the resort comfortably will tremendously help with your backcountry skiing/riding capabilities. Most resort’s websites will list an uphill policy unique to them. Make sure to find out what your resort’s policies are before you go.
Splitboarder Pro Tip: Practice split skiing in resort. It is an important skill for the backcountry particularly if you ever need to perform a rescue.
Moving through the mountains year round is an excellent way to stay in “mountain” shape. In the winter, touring itself is your go-to. During the off-season, focus on vertical gain, whether it be through hiking, running or biking, is going to benefit you hugely when you are back on the skin track and moving uphill. An increase in the amount of vertical gain you can achieve while on a tour equals more turns earned on the downhill!
Along with consistent aerobic conditioning, cross-training is a great way to supplement your physical fitness for the backcountry. Keep it simple and ideally use the activities you may already participate in. If you’re a rock climber, go climb! If you love to skateboard, tear it up in the skate park. The key is exercising a variety of muscle groups during that activity. For more specific training, focus on the core and legs, as these muscle groups are highly recruited on both the uphill and downhill. Squats, lunges and core work routines, such as Scott’s Killer Core are a great start. Stretching, whether it be basic or more advanced like yoga, and foam rolling are key to recovery after any training and will help prevent future injuries.
It is important for you and your partners to have the widest bandwidth possible out there so your mind is free to make snowpack observations and pay attention to potential risks in your environment and group. Part of maximizing your bandwidth is making sure it is not occupied by the strunuity of walking uphill. Feeling comfortable using your equipment as mentioned before is another important piece of keeping your bandwidth clear.
Pro Tip: Focus on rest and recover as you train. Quality sleep, good nutrition and adequate hydration are key. If you still feel tired from your last run or your muscles are sore from your last training session, take another rest day and re-evaluate. Listen to your body. Training while you are fatigued or not feeling recovered will only do more harm than good, taking you back one step instead of moving you forward.
While there are many different sports to get you into the winter backcountry scene, for skiing or snowboarding you will need specific equipment. For skiing you will need an AT (Alpine Touring) Setup which incorporates bindings that allow your heel to lift up for the ascent and then lock down for the descent), AT boots (boots that have a walk-mode), climbing skins, and poles. For snowboarding you can always snowshoe but your best bet is to get a splitboard, splitboard bindings, climbing skins, and breakdown poles. Your splitboard will break into a set of skis for the uphill and then locks back together as a snowboard for the descent.
Pro Tip: Take advantage of demos to try new gear before you buy. Buy a factory made splitboard and don’t cut your own. Make sure to get 3 piece breakdown poles as a splitboarder. Take care of your skins!
Never go out into the backcountry without your beacon, shovel, probe, pack (and radio) and the knowledge to use them. Check out the Get The Gear webinar and blog to learn more about what else you should be packing.
There are many manufacturers and models of transceivers on the market. Make sure to get a digital 3 antenna transceiver and whichever one you get, read the manual for specific details regarding your specific model. Purchasing a used transceiver is not recommended, as they are electronic devices that require care and maintenance. Know the history of your own device including how old it is, if anyone has borrowed it, and when the firmware was last updated.
Pro Tip: Best to wear your transceiver in the harness it came with. Keep your beacon 30-50cm away from any electric interference. Always do a beacon check before leaving the trailhead.
The shovel may be what you spend most of your time with during an avalanche rescue. Three things to consider when looking for an avalanche shovel are material, blade size/shape, and handle configuration. Make sure your shovel is metal and not plastic. The longer the shaft and bigger the blade the better (as long as it can fit in your pack). The D shaped handle is the best in my experience.
Pro Tip: Some shovels have a special “hoe mode” which is very efficient at moving snow.
An avalanche probe is a critical piece of rescue equipment and should be easy to deploy, have a reliable locking mechanism, and have highly visible depth markers. Similarly there are a variety of probe manufacturers and models on the market. You will find different materials (aluminum, carbon, steel), lengths (240cm to 320cm+), thicknesses, ect.. I would personally recommend carbon or steel with good visual markings and longer length (260cm+).
Pro Tip: Get a snowsport specific pack and ditch the probe bag.
Get a snowsport specific pack that has a pocket dedicated for your probe and shovel. Ideally your daily touring pack size will need to be 30L or more. Airbags are a great idea as well just as long as you understand how they work and when they won’t.
Pro Tip: Organization is crucial. Dial in your pack by giving everything a home and that's the only place that it lives. That way you know exactly where to get it when needed.
AIARE Avalanche Courses. Attend Free clinics, read books and blogs, take an Intro to Backcountry Ski/Splitboard Course, seek out avalanche education courses such as AIARE, AAI or SAS
Find a trusted mentor. We love to be a continual resource for folks. Check out our Free Clinics and other course opportunities that we offer at www.coloradoadventureguides.com
Pro Tip: This is an evergoing process. Don’t try to skimp or jump any hoops. Start easy and work your way up. Find a mentor and only go out with people that you trust.
Typical Timeline: The cool thing about backcountry riding is that it is up to you! Your tour can vary from an hour up to multiple days. The more you get out the more zones you will explore and will be able to pick and choose based on your day's agenda.