#backcountry-skiing

#backcountry-skiing

Having settled on where to ski in Norway, I found myself packing up the Kvikk Lunsj wafers and sweet brown brunost cheese sandwiches at the glassy Juvet Landscape Hotel, deep in the Sunnmøre Alps. Then the slow ascent, with skins on our splitboard skis, up to the peak at Mefjellet: torturous in some ways, looking at all that glinting Care Bear snow all the way up, but also a deliciously tantric act of meditation and delayed gratification.

The issue surfaced publicly this week after the Wasatch Backcountry Alliance (WBA) posted that it is actively communicating with the Town of Alta to better understand ongoing access challenges. The organization asked users to document instances where parking reservations show as unavailable while lots appear partially or fully empty, requesting screenshots and timestamped photos to support advocacy efforts. WBA emphasized that this kind of documentation could help clarify whether the problem stems from policy, enforcement, or technology.

I rode the Kicking Horse lifts and absorbed the spectacular dawn. The first chute was intimidating. Steep, sluff-filled, and raw. I made a handful of turns, ripped out a sizeable sluff, and had to plaster myself into the right wall. It passed quickly, and I carried on working the left side of the chute to avoid the sluff track. The snow was delectable. Back up.

I found the chute entrance pretty quickly, but the cornices up here make it tricky. I dropped in and the snow felt good. A ghost track in the chute from before yesterday's snowstorm comforted me. As I entered the chute proper, I smashed a right turn on the far left of the chute and ripped out a small sluff. Honestly, it spooked me and I needed to be conservative as I was solito.

We climbed, then descended with a goal in mind. Christmas Tree Chute. The chute is dramatic. A jagged notch in the rugged ridge lined by a massive rock wall on the right and a fluted alpine wall on the left. Last night's storm enhanced the cornice that guards the chute. It failed in the night, sending a sluff down the length of the steep chute. We carefully climbed up to examine the entrance, found a way in, and clambered into the crack in the mountain.

In the parking lot yesterday, I randomly ran into my friend, Mike, who was a hut keeper on one of my BC hut trips about 5 years ago. He had a crew of 3 and invited myself to ski with them. Mike and his two buddies huddled up, peeked over at me, and then one asked, "Miles, are you cool?" "I'm OK..." I said. For some reason, they let me in.

BackcountryIn this Behind the Line episode, Cody Townsend walks through his onX Backcountry route for skiing Temptation Couloir, a massive, hidden line off Temptation Peak in Alaska's Chugach Front Range. Before heading out, Cody used onX Backcountry's public and private land layers to confirm drone rules and permit requirements for the area. While planning the long, late-season approach, Cody and the crew also marked waypoints for downed trees, bogs, and other obstacles to streamline navigation through the low-snow terrain of the "Frange."

Bikepacking from Chamonix to Norway sounds ambitious. Doing it to chase powder during a slow snow season? That's next-level commitment. Wilder North, from Chamonix-based outdoor brand Simond, documents exactly this journey. A 2,000-mile, human-powered adventure that blends backcountry skiing with long-distance cycling. As climate change makes winter conditions increasingly unpredictable in the Alps, the film offers an inspiring alternative: when the snow doesn't come to you, go to the snow.

Turnagain is a special place for me. One of my first backcountry experiences happened thereback when I had snowshoes, cotton sweaters, and too much excitement. Fast forward fourteen years, and I still can't get enough of how magical this area is. Countless memories and long adventures with incredible people will forever be in my heart. When I decided to make a film that could even begin to capture that magic, I didn't expect it to take two years.

The Ski Utah Interconnect Tour plays on Utah's ski notoriety by guiding riders on an epic one-day traverse of the Wasatch Mountains, stopping at six of Utah's most legendary resorts. The journey includes time spent in the backcountry and turns in untracked terrain. This experience is "not designed for the timid" and should only be booked by advanced and expert skiers.

As the backcountry community continues to demand gear that balances performance, protection, and adaptability, Outdoor Research has responded with one of its most advanced seasonal drops yet: the Cloudchaser Limited Edition Kit. Designed exclusively for Fall/Winter 25/26, this pairing of the Cloudchaser 3L Jacket and Bib delivers lightweight, storm-ready resilience with the mobility and breathability required for serious touring. More than just apparel, the Cloudchaser represents a new standard in technical outerwear for skiers, snowboarders, and backcountry explorers alike.