Tag: backcountry

Reading Time: 4 minutes Backcountry Gear 2020 – Gear & Gadgets Helly Hansen’s Odin Mountain 3L Shell Jacket ($600) and Bib Pant ($475) offer minimum build and maximum features from a helmet-, backpack- and […]

Reading Time: 4 minutes Backcountry Gear 2020 pt 2 EXPEDITION The essence of backcountry skiing is exploring. It’s wandering up a valley to see where it will go, crossing mountain ranges to get to […]

Reading Time: 4 minutes Backcountry Gear 2020 Editor’s Choice pt 1 Less stiff = more fun Blizzard totally redesigned its Zero G line of skis, softening them up a bit to make them a […]

Reading Time: 3 minutes The day trip is the realm of the powder hunter who wants to get away from the madding crowd. It’s for those who are as devoted to finding untracked snow […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes Slackcountry For most of us this is where backcountry skiing begins and ends. This style of resort-accessed backcountry goes by many names: slackcountry, sidecountry or simply off-piste. Whatever you call […]

Reading Time: 3 minutes My friend Jane summed up the trip well: “Going back to skiing groomers with people whizzing past me at resorts will feel kind of dull,” she told me dreamily. “I […]

Reading Time: 7 minutes BY GREG HILL I love winter, but more than my love for winter is my insatiable desire for powder. It is surely one of the purest pursuits available to man. […]

Reading Time: 8 minutes Alpine touring in the Gaspé’s Chic-Choc Mountains left three boys from Ontario in awe of Eastern powder. STORY AND PHOTOS BY ADAM BUITENHUIS Chest-deep in powder and struggling to pull […]

Reading Time: 3 minutes Ski Canada Test 2019 On-Slope Reviews METAL LIGHTWEIGHT Because Titanal adds dampening and edge grip, it’s a common ingredient in skis. But in the soft snow of the backcountry most […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ski Canada Test 2019 On-Slope Reviews BACKCOUNTRY MANTRA Völkl’s Mantra V.Werks is the super light version of its popular M5 Mantra, an on-piste, all-mountain weapon. While not a backcountry-specific ski, […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ski Canada Test 2019 On-Slope Reviews GREEN = GO FAST Dynafit Speed 90 straddles the line between upward efficiency and enough performance to get down in style. The company says […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes DRESS FOR SUCCESS Innovations in fabric and insulation are making winter more comfortable than ever. Upcycled wool Making clothing results in plenty of scraps. Usually they end up in the […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ski Canada Test 2019 On-Slope Reviews BACK AND BEYOND The Atomic Backland 107 melds the freeride performance of Atomic’s Bent Chetler with the lightweight build of the Backland family. The […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ski Canada Test 2019 On-Slope Reviews THE WAY OF THE OWL Balsa is one of the lightest woods in nature, making it the best wood for the core of Icelantic’s […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes Ski Canada Test 2019 On-Slope Reviews THE HEIGHT OF QUEBEC It’s a sure sign of the rise of backcountry skiing that la belle province is home to another backcountry ski […]

Reading Time: 3 minutes KICKING GRAMS Whatever their spirit creature, ski-touring boots keep getting lighter. The Do-it-all Bragging top-notch downhill and backcountry technology, Lange’s new XT Free 130 is ready for any powder-hunting mission. […]

Reading Time: < 1 minutes As the interest in randonnée continues to escalate, so do the offerings of where and with whom. After a super-successful pilot project last season, the almost fully booked Chatter Creek […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes Only about 28 per cent of people buried in an avalanche survive. These four essentials promise to improve that number. Mammut Barryvox  ($425 ) The Barryvox makes beacon searching a […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes Mont-Sainte-Anne Where: The resort perched above the St. Lawrence, northeast of Quebec City. Why: Not worrying about groomers or skiers plowing you over. Suggested ski:  Salomon S/Lab X-Alp Earn your […]

Reading Time: 5 minutes Purcell Lodge has maintained its rep as a luxe destination for first-timers and seasoned backcountry skiers alike. by STEVEN THRENDYLE in the Winter 2018 issue All backcountry skiers started somewhere. […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes Icefall Lodge Where: A trio of backcountry huts high in the Canadian Rockies, northwest of Golden. Why: Long tours, tree laps, peak bagging and huge terrain. Suggested ski: Fischer Hannibal […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes Backcountry is still hot. At last week’s Outdoor Retailer Snow Show backcountry gear continued to dominate innovation in the ski industry. The annual gear show in Denver was dominated by […]

Reading Time: 2 minutes Where: The massive ski hill right above the town of Revelstoke. Why: Terrain worthy of caviar dreams but lift-ticket priced. Suggested ski:  Icelantic Nomad 105 Lite RMR is surrounded by […]

Reading Time: 6 minutes The chance of dying in an avalanche is probably a lot less than you think. by GEORGE KOCH  *  photos by GRANT GUNDERSON  *  in December 2017 issue Can you put […]