Tag: backcountry

Reading Time: 4 minutesBackcountry 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 minutesBackcountry 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 minutesBackcountry 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 minutesThe 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 minutesSlackcountry 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 minutesMy 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 minutesBY 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 minutesAlpine 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 minutesSki 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 minutesSki 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 minutesSki 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 minutesDRESS 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 minutesSki 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 minutesSki 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 minutesSki 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 minutesKICKING 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 minuteAs 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 minutesOnly 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 minutesMont-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 minutesPurcell 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 minutesIcefall 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 minutesBackcountry 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 minutesWhere: 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 minutesThe 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 […]