The main area on Bear Mountain offers 1,200 acres, while those with avalanche training or with a guide can explore an additional 3,000 acres, including some great aspen glades. “The only issue is that this year they are almost all booked for the entire season.” — K.S. While Teton Pass usually has great snow, it doesn’t have enough parking for the number of users, so it fills up quickly. Going into the backcountry requires avalanche knowledge or a guide. Bolton Valley sits high atop the Green Mountains and reaps some of Vermont’s deepest and most reliable snow. 2. The John Sherburne Ski Trail — the Sherbie — is the most popular backcountry ski trail in the East. — D.G. Beginner Backcountry Ski Tour At the trailhead, learn how to use your backcountry ski bindings and skins. An old clear-cut lets you work into wide open bowls while the tight trees offer shelter on stormy days. Teton Backcountry Guides owns four yurts that are available for winter use. Join our Introduction to Backcountry Skiing Couse on Mount Baker. 7 of a mile farther) to try your mettle on steeper terrain, or just to ogle the majestic scenery (Tuckerman Ravine is prone to avalanches — check for the latest advisory). There’s one good option in Utah that not only has gentle slopes to lower avalanche risk, but it also has parking, a commodity coveted almost as much as good snow during prime ski times. You really need to be a competent skier if you want to have FUN when you head out into the backcountry. After skinning up Pineapple Pass (the upper section can be wind loaded and avalanche-prone), there are views to the south of the massive profile of Mount Rainier. There are many options for expanding the tour to venture further into this dramatic mountainscape. An important thing to note, if you go to the sno parks that are groomed (Hyak, Cabin Creek and Lake Easton are the … For those who want a longer adventure, Sawtooth Mountain Guides owns a yurt in the area, and Sun Valley Guides runs trips to the six that are owned by Sun Valley Mountain Huts. For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube! Shuksan and make a classic ski descent. Activity Offerings. HoJo’s. And it seems as if more and more winter adventure-seekers are realizing the same thing: Michelle Parker, freeskier and Red Bull and Mammut athlete, says some stores were selling out of essential backcountry skiing gear as early as March this year, and industry friends have reported that bookings for guided backcountry experiences have increased 100 percent compared to last season. Look for signs of wildlife such as moose and deer scat, and take in views of the soft, rounded summits of the Breadloaf Wilderness to the north. The tour begins at the Adirondack Mountain Club High Peaks Information Center outside Lake Placid, where maps and info are available. Complete a major multi-day tour in the North Cascades on skis or split snowboard. Meals are prepared and everything,” he said. Ski areas have free parking but you pay for a trail pass. From this shoulder of Table Mountain you have spectacular views of Mount Shuksan and Mount Baker. Another good choice is Cardiff Fork on Mount Superior, but again, skiers should go with a guide since it’s in an area prone to avalanches, said Mr. Bradley, who is a part owner of Utah Mountain Adventures. Once you touring the wilderness in winter on a set of skis, it is hard to go back to resort slopes—even if backcountry skiing means having to actually work for … The ski trail snaps back and forth numerous times throughout its downhill journey. If you’re a fit and strong intermediate resort skier and have the right equipment and training, where does a newcomer to the backcountry go? Total elevation gain is about 1,700 feet, with a top at around 10,000 feet. Sun Valley Guides also offers trips in the area. Backcountry skiing has blossomed into a community-supported ski movement in New England, and the Granite Backcountry Alliance is at the vanguard. On the descent, the trail gradually opens to about 15 feet, and then enters a huge birch glade. Learn to safely backcountry ski with a guide. Pro Guiding Service offers guided ski tours. The backcountry boom is also being driven by a new generation of Alpine touring skis and snowboards that make it easier for newcomers to transition from skiing and riding at resorts to the backcountry. The basin is ringed by the thousand-foot walls of Bryant Peak, Hemlock Peak and the Tooth. “Once you exit the ski area or boundary, you’re officially in the backcountry,” she says, regardless of how you got there. : The ski tour to Pineapple Pass is a classic for its quality terrain and gorgeous setting. It also offers equipment rentals, instruction, a warming hut, guides for hire and parking. You can also seek out the ski patrol to ask if the resort does routine avalanche control, when the most recent control was done, and the results. David Goodman is the author of “Best Backcountry Skiing in the Northeast: 50 Classic Ski and Snowboard Tours in New England and New York” (Appalachian Mountain Club Books, 2020). Brandon Gap has become one of Vermont’s most popular backcountry ski destinations. The “Sherbie,” in New Hampshire, is the most popular backcountry trail in the East. Ski together at a casual, comfortable pace. Baker - Mar 6 - 7 Advanced Backcountry Ski/Splitboard days - Mar 8 - 9 Winter Camping course - Mar 10 - 11 Winter Backcountry Skills Part 3. The Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Backcountry Skiing, Person in colorful ski kit backcountry skiing in Washington with Mt. Karen Schwartz was raised in the Canadian Rockies and now lives in Colorado. Pro Guiding Service offers tours. Follow her on Twitter: @WanderWomanIsMe. “For a simple gear test essentially any public trailhead that has snow on it will do, but we also have some lovely low angle meadows that are great places to enjoy easy powder turns without having to worry too much about avalanches.”. ), gullies (Hillman’s Highway, etc. It’s the Winter of Backcountry. If you’re in the mood for steeper skiing, head uphill to the Stowe View Chutes or Paradise Pass, where you can ski powder through wide-open hardwood glades before climbing back out. 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