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Category Archives: Backcountry Skiing
Hunger Mountain, a Snack-Sized Tour | Into the Backcountry Feb-Mar 2012
An early January rainstorm decimated most of the New England snowpack, and snow was at a premium. Only far-northern Vermont had a fresh six inches of the good stuff, and so I was headed north. Originally the plan was to … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Backcountry Skiing, Into the Backcountry
Tagged crampons, hunger mountain, northern vermont, rock ledges, skis, snow report, snowfield, snowpack, steep pitch, white rocks
In the Grasp of the Gaspé | A Journey by Ski in the Western Chic Chocs
Never had we been more excited for a little rain. Barely 12 hours into a five-day ski traverse of the western Monts Chic Chocs on Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula, it felt like we had been in the mountains for days. Ski … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Backcountry Skiing, Expeditions
A Pretty, Darn-Good Day
This past Monday morning I met my friend Gary in the parking lot of the Stratton Mountain Resort. The plan was to leave his truck at Stratton and drive mine to Kendall Farm Road in Winhall for the start of … Continue reading
Free Range Skiers | Vermonters Are Ditching Passes and Commutes for Trips Out the Back Door
Whether it’s the cost of a pass, the time it takes to get to and from the mountain, or an aversion to riding lifts, there are plenty of reasons why ski areas aren’t for everyone. But that doesn’t mean skiing … Continue reading
Posted in Backcountry Skiing, Skiing
The Land of Plenty | ‘Backcountry Skiing’ in the Northeast Kingdom Is What You Make It
After circling snowy back roads in the Northeast Kingdom and scanning the white horizon, I had begun to despair. A friend had shared directions, including notable landmarks like maple trees, old red barns, and missing road signs. I was about … Continue reading
Posted in Backcountry Skiing
Tagged backcountry skiing, deep snow, ski adventures, ski goggles, teleskiing
Altai Hok Skis, Scarpa T4 Boot, Gecko Glueless Climbing Skins | MNM Gear Review Nov. 2011
Altai Hok Skis A few years ago, a Canadian company, Karhu, made great Nordic skis, including a unique ski called a Sweeper, which was a wide and short metal-edged ski with a climbing skin glued to the bottom and a … Continue reading
Posted in Backcountry Skiing, Gear, Muscles Not Motors, Other Snow Sports, Skiing, Snowshoeing
Tagged Altai, backcountry boots, backcountry skiing, climbing skins, gear, Gecko, Scarpa, Skiing
2011-2012 Backcountry Gear Review | Skis, Boots, and Bindings for the Secret Stashes of the Northeast
By Brian Mohr and Emily Johnson This season’s options for backcountry-oriented skis, boots, and bindings—designed with the thrill of a gravity-fueled descents in mind—are more numerous than we’ve seen in the past. However, if there is one thing most of … Continue reading
Posted in Backcountry Skiing, Gear, Skiing
Tagged backcountry, bindings, boots, gear, reviews, Skiing, skis
Who Should Pay for Backcountry Rescue? | From Vermont Sports Nov. 2011
Balancing risk and reward is a large part of outdoor sports. There are inherent risks in any sport, and each of us has to ask ourselves how much we are willing to push, and for what. Sometimes finding that awesome … Continue reading
Posted in Backcountry Skiing, From Vermont Sports
Rescue Me | Experiencing a Backcountry Rescue
Last winter, a party of skiers headed into the backcountry of Mount Mansfield from Underhill. With visions of fresh snow, powder turns, and good times, their trip took a turn for the worse when one member of the party lost … Continue reading
Posted in Articles, Backcountry Skiing, Skiing
Tagged backcountry, rescue, Skiing, Vermont
Muscles Not Motors March 2011
Fischer S-Bound 98 and 112 When the first Fischer S-Bound skis came out many years ago, Fischer became one of the early pioneers of a new category of wider, lightweight backcountry skis that featured significant sidecut in their profiles for … Continue reading
Posted in Backcountry Skiing, Gear, Muscles Not Motors, Skiing
