Chalk it up to nerves … or maybe he was distracted. But when backcountry ski and mountaineering guide Steve Charest proposed to his wife-to-be, Andrea, while skiing in the Jay Peak sidecountry some 15 years ago, he toppled over into a tree well. Both were working at Petra Cliffs Climbing Center … [Read more...]
David Goodman’s classic is still the defining source of backcountry insight
They call it the bible of Northeast backcountry skiing, and that’s kind of how my interpretation of David Goodman’s seminal “Best Backcountry Skiing in the Northeast” has evolved over the years. When I was new to the concept of off-the-grid ski exploration sometime during the early ’90s and was … [Read more...]
Top tutors from Stowe, Sunapee, Okemo and Mount Snow weigh in on new-school techniques
Have you been to ski school lately or is it too hard to remember that far back? Maybe you’re there now, mom and dad dropping you off in the mornings since realizing how challenging it can be to teach their own children. Or, perhaps you’ve just booked a lesson with a pro this weekend in order to get … [Read more...]
Innovation boosts performance in these 2021 ski models
Manufacturers aren’t tapping into newly discovered materials and compounds to produce this season’s most innovative skis, but rather, they’re incorporating creative thinking and engineering during the construction process to strategically boost on-snow function and performance. It’s the industry’s … [Read more...]
What ski resorts are doing to anticipate inbounds touring boom
Experienced alpine skiers who have bolstered their quivers recently with touring-capable equipment — and data shows there are a ton of them out there — are no doubt hoping to dip their ski tips into the backcountry this season. And why wouldn’t they? Serious questions persist about what the season … [Read more...]
Here’s what to ‘know before you go’ into the backcountry this winter
A surge in backcountry skiing and snowboarding has been bolstering an otherwise flat snowsports participation bell curve for the better part of the past decade. And now with the global COVID-19 pandemic resulting in a spike in uphill-oriented equipment sales during 2020, experts are becoming … [Read more...]