Snowboarding
fromSnowBrains
10 hours agoLessons I Learned in the Backcountry - SnowBrains
Effective communication and patience are crucial for safety in backcountry skiing.
"As we wrap up the season, I want to thank our loyal guests who showed up smiling day in and day out to support their local hill. I also want to thank our dedicated staff whose immense efforts and pride in their work kept Eldora running all season long. We hope everyone comes to celebrate the season with us this weekend." - Andrew Gast, Eldora's president and general manager.
"We're always glad to welcome winter back, and this latest round of snow has ensured there are still great turns to be had as our spring season continues. Late season powder days are a bonus, and with the spring events and deals we have planned, it's not too late to get up here for some great skiing and riding!" - Mike Pierce, Marketing Director, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe
Runaway snowboards were a cause of great concern in the early days of snowboarding as snowboards don't have breaks like skis. This concern was justified in many ways as proto snowboard bindings much less secure and reliable than modern systems using simple straps, rubber components, or basic buckles that could loosen or fail more easily during a crash.
Mt. Baker is the PNW's snow vacuum. It's close enough to the Pacific to get storm after storm, and the North Cascades do what they do best: force moist air straight up, wring it out, and bury everything in sight. Maritime storms roll in wet and heavy, then pile up fast when they hit terrain.
The midweek stretch looks like the most reliable window for fresh turns, with the steadiest snow lining up Wednesday night into Thursday and lighter add-ons into Friday. Snow levels run a little high early, then step down late week, so snow quality should improve as the storm cycle matures. Some areas could see the next wave begin as early as Sun night (02/15), but confidence drops quickly with lead time and placement.
Arctic air and a Friday-Saturday storm deliver the best Colorado refresh to the southern and central mountains, with lighter but high-quality snow farther north. Snow levels start modestly higher early, then crash through the event, so conditions trend drier and fluffier as temperatures drop into Saturday night and Sunday morning; next week looks milder and mostly quiet after the cold weekend.
The recent winter storm that slammed North America over the weekend brought along heavy snowfall, delivering some serious snow totals to ski resorts and ski areas from the Rocky Mountains to New England. The past 24 hours brought just around 24 inches of snow to Mountain Creek Resort, creating a serious powder wonderland across the New Jersey ski area. As of January 26th, 43 trails and 8 lifts are open to skiers and snowboarders, with powder and machine groomed conditions found around the mountain.
The most dangerous ski runs will always be those located outside of ski resort boundaries. With no avalanche control or ski patrol to help you out in the event of an injury, a run in the backcountry comes with risks that rarely exist on resort. But what are the most dangerous ski runs on resorts? It would be near impossible to make a definitive list without injury statistics that simply don't exist, but Uncovering Skiing still took a stab at it.