When Mali Noyes got on the phone with me on April 17, she was spent. Her exhaustion, miraculously, wasn鈥檛 from the physical effort of her latest project: skiing every line in the famous Utah backcountry聽skiing guidebook The Chuting Gallery, by Andrew Mclean, as fast as possible; she was frazzled by the mental toll of exposing herself to hazards and dangerous terrain day in and day out.

“The mental fatigue is so intense that it鈥檚 hard to wrap my head around,” Noyes told聽国产吃瓜黑料.

Noyes, 35, works as a pro re nata nurse (an on-call schedule) at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City. After clocking out of a shift on Tuesday, March 11, she began her skiing objective鈥攚hich she calls “Project Rapid Fire”鈥攅arly the next morning.

Noyes skinned up Broad Fork in Big Cottonwood Canyon and skied down the east face of Twin Peak, followed by the Stairs Gulch. The standout lines were highlights due to the beautiful exposed skiing, and massive vertical drop down the gulch. She immediately began ticking off technical, steep, and hazardous ski descents up and down the Wasatch mountain range. When we spoke, she had skied 77 lines in 37 days, including just seven rest days.

鈥淭he crux for me hasn鈥檛 been the vert,鈥� Noyes told 国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淢y brain has been doing so much decision making day after day, skiing objective hazards. I feel a little trapped in the process.鈥�

The Chuting Gallery was published in 1998 while McLean was working as an engineer at Black Diamond. The book has become the quintessential document of the Utah backcountry skiing scene, and anyone who skis every descent in the book cements their name in ski history. Caroline Gleich was catapulted into the spotlight after becoming the first woman to ski every line in the book. The book details 90 of the hardest backcountry ski lines in the Wasatch Mountains that loom over Salt Lake City. Many skiers argue over the final number of chutes, since the book often describes areas that are home to multiple couloirs. Noyes has determined her number to be 93.

“Andrew McLean鈥檚 writing and book captured my imagination,鈥� Gleich told Backcountry magazine. 鈥淚t gave me a roadmap to becoming a ski mountaineer. His quirky book became a shaping force in my career, and I鈥檓 grateful for his leadership and vision in writing The Chuting Gallery.鈥�

Noyes’ idea to ski all 93 lines in succession was born during the 2023 winter, when Utah received over 900 inches of snow. 鈥淚 was having so much fun skiing big objectives, and I started linking up more and more of them at once,鈥� Noyes said. Also a professional big mountain skier, Noyes began her athletic career as a Nordic ski racer. 鈥淚 just love long days, and the logistical and strategic challenge of skiing all 93 couloirs in The Chuting Gallery in record time excited me.鈥�

Prior to launching her project, Noyes shared the idea聽with fellow professional backcountry skier聽Cody Townsend, who is her mentor and teammate on the Salomon backcountry team. She told Townsend she was waiting for the right year for this project. Noyes wanted all the snow conditions to align perfectly. Some of the聽Chuting Gallery ski lines descend rocky and exposed terrain, and require a deep snowpack to be skiable.

But Townsend told her she鈥檇 never find the perfect year, and that she should take on the challenge as soon as possible. 鈥淚t鈥檚 through the suffering and bad snow conditions that you make the experience your own,鈥� he said to Noyes.

The March 12 start date was less than ideal. Noyes started so late in the season because she was waiting for avalanche danger in the Wasatch to subside. The late start didn鈥檛 hamper her early in her mission, but as she kept ticking off chutes and March rolled into April, the remaining ski descents melted quickly.

Many of these ski lines are clustered in the same drainages, but while in years past Noyes has been able to complete multiple descents in a day, this year, the hot April sun shortened the windows during which those couloirs would be safe from wet avalanches. This means that Noyes has only been able to ski one or two of those chutes in a day. She has had to repeatedly bushwack and hike far into gullies that on a different year she鈥檇 only have to visit once.

鈥淎 week ago I slipped in a creek on the way to the Y-Couloir in Little Cottonwood Canyon. I broke down and began to cry,鈥� Noyes said. 鈥淚 wondered if I still loved skiing, and why I was skiing this shitty snow over here instead of great snow elsewhere because of this list.鈥�

But Noyes has a new strategy to deal with the mental crux. 鈥淓very time I scream and tell myself 鈥業 fucking hate this,鈥� I鈥檝e tricked my brain into saying 鈥業鈥檓 really fucking good at this.鈥欌�� And she is. Noah Howell, a legendary Wasatch skier, took 13 years to complete the guidebook. Caroline Gleich skied every line in The Chuting Gallery over the course of four years. Noyes is on track to finish out the book in less than two months.

She鈥檚 had great days, like when she linked three lines on Kesler Peak in Big Cottonwood Canyon in stable powder. 鈥淚t was a 10,000-foot day with a good crew and great snow,鈥� Noyes said. She owns a home nestled聽in Little Cottonwood Canyon, and hasn鈥檛 explored the neighboring canyon enough. She told 国产吃瓜黑料 that this project has been an amazing way to branch out of her skiing bubble. Noyes also skied the Great White Icicle鈥攁 popular ice climb that is in the book as a novelty and is often skied on rappel鈥攐n snowblades at night. Noyes jokingly called that a first descent of its kind.

But it hasn鈥檛 been all bluebird powder days. 鈥淚 had a week where I had three close calls in four days,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat felt like it broke my brain a little, like 鈥業 have to keep going back into these mountains that are trying to kill me.鈥欌��

Her least favorite day of the project so far was when she skied Lisa Falls with New Zealand pro skier Sam Smoothy. The ski line is at a relatively low elevation, and the very top of it commonly avalanches and collects windblown snow. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a complicated 5,000-foot approach, and the second the sun hits the face it can shed,鈥� she said. Noyes and Smoothy began at 2 A.M., planning to climb the line, ski it, and climb it again to link up with faces on the other side of the peak. But Smoothy didn鈥檛 feel well that day and they were moving slower than they wanted. Sunlight hit the face when they were climbing and the couloir heated up quickly. 鈥淚t was way more danger than I ever wanted to put myself in,鈥� she said. The skiers were able to descend safely, but they saw many natural avalanches on their way out of the canyon.

Her latest lines have looked the hardest, as a melting snowpack has revealed multiple rappels with sketchy-looking anchors in the middle of the couloirs that are sometimes fully skiable. 鈥淩opes slow things down, and they can create other hazards鈥� Noyes told 国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淭wo days after Lisa Falls, I went into Hogum Fork to ski a line called Montgomery, which had a rappel at the bottom. But we couldn鈥檛 find an anchor, and it took so long that the snow heated up and started shedding.鈥�

Noyes lamented that if she hadn鈥檛 been chasing this project, she would never have been in that spot. But she said days like that provide good teachable moments. She鈥檚 been getting up even earlier, often at 1 A.M. to beat the heat.

Risk to life and limb is just one aspect of her stress. Noyes told 国产吃瓜黑料 that her cat, Beater, has been a source of concern. After a coyote ate a neighbor鈥檚 cat, Beater hasn鈥檛 been allowed out at night. But at 1 A.M., Noyes isn鈥檛 always alert enough to stop him from slipping out of the door. 鈥淗e鈥檇 snuck out the night we left for Lisa Falls, and I鈥檇 be lying if I said he wasn鈥檛 adding to the pure stress I felt that day,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 saw him dashing into the woods, and all I could do was tell him, 鈥楳ake good choices, bud.鈥欌��

When asked about how she鈥檚 been able to maintain her motivation throughout the challenge, Noyes is quick to credit the large group of friends, most of whom are professional skiers, who have rallied to ski these couloirs with her. 鈥淪kiing is not an individual sport,鈥� Noyes told 国产吃瓜黑料. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 a Mali project, it鈥檚 a community project.鈥�

Noyes has to work a minimum of two days a month at the Huntsman Institute to fulfill her contract. She鈥檚 hoping to finish Project Rapid Fire with enough time to clock back in for two days in April.

At the time of publication, Noyes has completed 88 of the 93 chutes in The Chuting Gallery in just 43 days.

The post This Nurse Is Skiing Utah鈥檚 Hardest Descents in Record Time appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

To those who have already hung up their skis for the season now that winter is officially over鈥攜ou鈥檙e missing the good stuff. April is a great time to hit the resort and enjoy soft turns in spring corn, short lift lines, and end-of-season closing festivities.

Watch: How to Choose a Line in the Bumps

That said, hitting the sweet spot with springtime conditions can be a challenge when the snowpack enters a melt-freeze cycle. Too early in the day, and those slushy bumps are glazed over and filled with death cookies. Too late, and you might as well be skiing through real mashed potatoes. When it comes to spring skiing, timing is everything.

Luke Toritto, a fully-certified PSIA ski instructor at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, is well acquainted with the mixed bag of snow conditions that spring skiing can hold. 鈥淏ut when you can time it right and ski soft groomers in the morning and slushy, playful bumps in the afternoon, that鈥檚 the best,鈥� he says.

Working as a ski instructor for over a decade, Toritto has fine-tuned his strategy for optimizing soft, forgiving turns in the spring. Here, he shares his tips for how to make the most out of the end of the season.

Come in with a different mindset

While winter resort days are usually about sniffing out the best powder stashes on the hill, springtime is a good time to be more strategic. According to Toritto, step one of spring resort skiing is changing your mindset. 鈥淢idwinter, you can sometimes come to the resort and bank on getting good skiing the whole day in cold snow. But in the spring you have to look for a window here and a window there,鈥� he says. 鈥淪pring skiing is less about charging hard all day and more about having fun and celebrating the season.鈥� For Toritto, spring turns are like a bonus, icing on the cake to a successful season. It鈥檚 a time to relax, enjoy a sunny lunch on the deck, and wrap up the day with live music.

Know your aspects

Slope aspect is everything with spring skiing, and getting familiar with the aspects of some of your favorite runs will help you time them. In the northern hemisphere, north-facing slopes are the most shaded, often holding dry, cold snow when the rest of the solar aspects are heating up. South and east aspects get the most sun, and will be most susceptible to big temperature fluctuations. Toritto says in the spring he鈥檒l often stick to north-facing aspects earlier in the day, until the sun softens the south and east aspects. Midday, south and east slopes can ski really well, until they鈥檝e gotten too blasted by the sun by late afternoon.

Related:

Work your way up the mountain

Elevation can play another key role in choosing terrain. At most resorts, where temperatures are higher at the base and colder up high, starting low and working up higher throughout the day as it warms can be a good strategy. When the corn gets slushy and grabby down low, head to the upper mountain for cooler temps. It鈥檚 worth checking your local resort for temperatures at different elevation bands (often the resort website will list a base and summit temperature) to check if that鈥檚 the case. Resorts like Jackson Hole often have temperature inversions, so some days it pays to start up high where it鈥檚 warmer.

Check the grooming report

Many resorts put out a daily grooming report, a trick that Toritto uses to determine where to start his day in the morning. 鈥淚t鈥檚 worth checking what got groomed overnight and what was groomed in the morning,鈥� he says. 鈥淎nything groomed in the morning tends to be softer and smoother than the snow that was groomed overnight, which can set up to be weird and chunky.鈥�

Quit early

Yeah, you read that right. When temps are rising into the 40s throughout the day, don鈥檛 get lured into skiing until last chair. Grabby and sloppy conditions at the end of the day can be challenging, but also dangerous. Toritto says he鈥檒l often call it at 2 p.m. if it鈥檚 getting too warm. 鈥淎 lot of injuries happen late in the day in sloppy, heavy snow. Keeping an eye on the snow and how your body feels can keep you from getting hurt,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat might be the best time to enjoy some beers in the sun and catch live music at the base.鈥�

Ski the East

Again, you read that right. While it鈥檚 hard to compare the midwinter skiing in the Rockies to anything out east, Toritto firmly believes the East Coast corn skiing rivals the West. Toritto has noticed that man-made snow, which is prevalent at , corns up more easily and he鈥檚 found East Coast corn snow to be more smooth and consistent compared to the West鈥檚 more complex snow conditions. 鈥淒on鈥檛 underestimate the East Coast, especially in the spring,鈥� Toritto concludes.

The post 6 Tips For Finding and Skiing the Best Spring Snow appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

The sun had set by the time I reached the top of the skin track on Earthquake Dome, a popular backcountry skiing zone near my home in Mammoth Lakes, California, and I hadn鈥檛 packed a headlamp. It was a February evening and I鈥檇 driven ten minutes from my home in town to ski an after-work lap. I鈥檇 overestimated my speed and underestimated the low winter sun, and now I was transitioning a pair of uniquely shaped skis鈥攕o rockered they looked like a banana鈥攆or their first ever lap downhill. I couldn鈥檛 see a thing and just prayed I wouldn’t slip and take a pratfall like in a cartoon.

A few weeks earlier I sat on a Zoom call with Xan Marshland, the co-founder of WNDR Alpine. Marshland had wanted me to test the Intention 108, the Salt Lake City-based brand鈥檚 flagship ski made partially with stringers of an algae-derived plastic. Very few ski manufacturers put polyurethane (i.e. plastic) in skis right now, typically opting for combinations of wood, fiberglass, carbon fiber, and aluminum alloys. But polyurethane is an engineered material, meaning ski makers can tune its stiffness, rebound, and vibration damping properties to make the ski do exactly what they want. And only WNDR’s plastic is fully renewable. Marshland believes that not only does the algae make WNDR’s skis eco-friendlier, but it also makes them perform better. 鈥淚n the mountains, materials matter,鈥� he told me.

I鈥檝e tested skis for a living for the last five years, and I have long been skeptical of space-age and eco-friendly materials being responsible for marked increases in performance. But as I’ve spent more and more time on the WNDR Intention 108, it has turned into my favorite ski ever made.

Unfortunately, the future of WNDR Alpine is unknown at this time. The company recently put all of their skis and snowboards on clearance and seem to have sold the entirety of their backstock. Marshland told me that the brand has some prospective buyers in the wings, but did not offer specifics. It seems that, without a fresh infusion of cash, WNDR Alpine may fold entirely. I, for one, hope the brand finds a new home and continues to be a driving force of innovation and sustainability in skiing.

How Does WNDR’s Algae-Based Plastic Affect Ski Performance?

Standing atop Earthquake Dome that night and clicking into the skis, it was time for the algae-based plastic to hit the snow. (People say that, right?) I let my headlamp-equipped fianc茅e lead, figuring I could follow her light through the maze of tight trees back to the car. I followed, skiing by the faint, quickly-receding glow of white鈥攎y only guide. After getting used to the ample rocker (e.g. after a few tumbles in the dark) I began to increase my speed and feel what Marshland had described on our call in the ski鈥檚 construction. The Intention 108 was remarkably damp, the polyurethane in its core muting the vibrations that should have been transmitted to my body from the firm and choppy snow that had been sitting for a few weeks since the last storm.

As I began to ski the WNDR Intention 108 more and more in the coming weeks, I realized that the plastic was the secret sauce鈥攖hat it was sustainably sourced was just icing on the cake. Think of it like a ski boot. Heavier ski boots designed for expert skiers, and ski racers in particular, are made from a heavy polyurethane that is formulated to produce a smooth, progressive flex when a skier drives their shins into it. That flex then rebounds, popping a skier into their next turn. This ski had the exact same feeling鈥攖he dampness, the stability, and, when pushed, the return of energy that drew me across the fall line.

Why I Love Skiing the WNDR Intention 108

Since that first tour, I鈥檝e been skiing the WNDR Intention 108 whenever I can. Though I mounted them with a lightweight pin binding for backcountry skiing, I often ski them at the resort when the snow is soft. I鈥檝e traveled with the Intention 108 to Canada for my bachelor party at RED Mountain Resort, I鈥檝e skied waist-deep powder, bulletproof wind-crusted snow, and even rappelled with them into a 55-degree couloir with dubious sun-crusted ice. With its substantial weight, I could see putting a hybrid binding like the or ATK Hy Free on it and skiing it both in and out of bounds.

I鈥檝e skied many hundreds of different pairs of skis in my life, but the Intention 108 is hands-down my favorite. I trust it high in the mountains, deep in the backcountry, and in a variety of snow conditions. I ski more bad snow than good, and these skis are not just dependable鈥攖hey鈥檙e so much fun.

You can tame the loose, unlocked feel of the Intention 108’s full rocker shape聽by putting the ski on edge, or聽聽fully embrace it by skiing it on a flat base.聽In steep terrain with firm snow鈥攖he conditions many experts will tell you necessitate having camber under your feet鈥攖he Intention 108 can pivot and slide, making it easy to hop turn down sketchy stuff.聽The full rocker profile also makes the Intention 108 is easy to ski in moguls and聽air off the slightest bump or takeoff. It even carves surprisingly well for its width and lack of traditional camber. I鈥檝e never ridden a ski that possessed such mind-boggling versatility.

An obvious sticking point for a lot of skiers will be the Intention 108’s weight. In a 188 centimeter length, this ski weighs 2,000 grams. That’s a lot for most skiers to lug uphill, but WNDR doesn’t bill the Intention 108 as a dedicated backcountry ski. If your average day in the mountains has you clocking more than 3,000 to 4,000 feet of elevation gain, you may want to consider a lighter ski.

But for me, with a lightweight tech binding (a ) and a medium-weight AT boot (the ), I find that I don’t start to drag below 4,000 vertical feet. Even on huge days in the backcountry, the ski’s weight can be advantageous鈥攐n long tours in the high alpine you often encounter all sorts of weird and difficult snow textures; the Intention’s weight can help mellow out rough conditions.

I wish more ski manufacturers would consider putting polyurethane in their products. Regardless of the sustainability, which is awesome, they鈥檙e just more predictable than twitchy, carbon-filled backcountry skis, or even solid-wood core alpine skis. WNDR’s algae-based plastics and resins replace toxic glues and petroleum products in their skis, leading to a ski that’s both easier to recycle and less harmful if it ever does end up in a landfill.

Granted, skiers who prioritize edge hold in nasty snow will want to opt for a cambered ski. Those skiers are in luck: the Intention 108 also comes in a cambered shape.

Making Skis More Sustainably

WNDR made a move last year to make their Intention 108 in the Sideways Sports (SWS) factory in Dubai. The idea was to bring their algae oil technology, developed by WNDR’s parent company, Checkerspot, to a facility that also makes snowboards for Arbor, Jones, and Liquid Force. Once the factory knows how to use the microalgae-oil plastic, they can use it in other brands’ products.

I have mixed feelings about this.

On the one hand, making their product in a facility that uses 100-percent green energy is a huge win. And I’m hugely supportive of the sharing of ideas that could make the snowsports industry less harmful to the environment. The SWS factory also has the capability to produce a binding plate made from the factory’s own reclaimed waste that is 35 percent stronger than the industry standard. That means fewer bindings rip out of skis, and fewer skis end up in the dumpster.

That said, making skis in Dubai鈥攆ar away from the snowsports world鈥攙astly increases product shipping distances, requiring more fuel and energy. Dubai also has a suspect history with labor rights and safety standards that shouldn鈥檛 be overlooked. My greenwashing (and ) antennae tend to prick up when I hear of sustainability and the United Arab Emirates, but I leave that for the reader to parse.

That said, I am certain that WNDR Alpine is good for the ski industry. Though its future is uncertain, I hope the company finds a competent buyer and continues to push skiing forward. In the meantime, you can find me high in the alpine through the summer months with the Intention 108 under my feet.

The post I’ve Tested Hundreds of Skis, But this Ski Made from Algae Is My All-Time Favorite appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

When I drive into the parking lot at Homewood Mountain Resort鈥攁 small, beloved ski area on the California side of Lake Tahoe鈥攐n a recent sunny morning, the place is deserted. There鈥檚 snow on the slopes, but no skiers in sight. The parking lot is empty, save for a few storage containers and idle construction vehicles. The Madden chair, a relic installed in 1966, five years after the ski area opened, is surrounded by orange ropes with signs that read: closed.

This past October, Homewood announced that the ski resort wouldn鈥檛 be opening for this winter, a blow that devastated local skiers who鈥檝e come to call this place home. It鈥檚 not what anyone wanted. This winter鈥檚 closure is just the latest bad news in a series of bad years for Homewood鈥檚 public image. You see, a couple of years ago, word trickled out that Homewood was going to become a private resort for the rich. Think the Yellowstone Club, only with a grand view of Lake Tahoe.

鈥淗ad [Homewood鈥檚 owners] set in front of our community this member-only concept, there would have been lines out the door in protest,鈥� local resident Renee Koijane wrote in a public comment soon after Homewood鈥檚 privatization plan leaked out. 鈥淭his type of plan is the opposite of what any community should be planning for in the wake of climate change, wildfire, and affordable housing issues.鈥�

The threat of Homewood going private came as other small resorts across the country either adopted the business model or entertained it as a way to compete with the ski industry鈥檚 move toward megapasses and consolidation.

In Utah, Powder Mountain has made sections of its terrain accessible only to members of its private ski community. In New York, Windham Mountain Club bills itself as a 鈥減ublic-private mountain community鈥� with skiing for everyone and luxury amenities like access to a private lodge for dues-paying members (memberships start at $200,000). Discovery Land Company has submitted plans to turn a defunct ski area near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, into a private ski and golf resort.

These privatization plans have generated headlines and elicited grumbles in communities across the country. But at Homewood, the prospect prompted a loud and angry response. An outraged group of locals began to put up a fight. They formed a group called Keep Homewood Public and began hanging red signage all over town and holding community meetings to organize a resistance.

Their efforts worked鈥攎ostly. As of March 2025, the it will still welcome the general public when the resort reopens hopefully next winter. But there were consequences to all of the town meetings and angry signs: namely, the cancellation of the 2024-25 ski season. Losing a ski season dealt a financial blow to local businesses and was a loss for area skiers who love this place. The setback left even the most ardent activists wondering if the pushback was worth it.

But the ordeal at Homewood represents something much larger than a small ski area shutting down for one season. If feisty stalwarts can save skiing from becoming something only the rich and richer can participate in, then maybe we all still have a chance.

To understand why you should care about the closure of a small ski area that perhaps you鈥檝e never heard of before, first you need to understand the backstory and know that what is happening here could happen anywhere.

The saga of Homewood is bogged down by bureaucracy, but beneath it all is a clear theme: The world of skiing is getting privatized and you鈥檙e either in the club, or you鈥檙e out of it.

Homewood used to be the kind of place where beginners skied in starter jackets, you could score a $60 lift ticket from the gas station down the road, and passholders were given free breakfast burritos and early lift access on appreciation days. But, apparently, none of that was contributing to the financial well-being of the resort, which has allegedly been in dire straits for years now.

The resort, which sits almost entirely on private land, was purchased in 2006 by a real estate investment firm called JMA Ventures. In 2022, Discovery Land Company, known for its private resorts like Wyoming鈥檚 Yellowstone Club and other ultra-luxe private ski, beach, and golf clubs around the world, partnered with JMA. The following year, Mohari Hospitality, an investment company based in Cyprus that funds luxury properties around the world, became the main equity investor in the Homewood development. Mohari is the one that pulled out their subsidy for this winter, forcing Homewood鈥檚 hand to close.

鈥淭he notion of subsidizing another winter loss without the certainty of the project moving forward caused a lot of ripples,鈥� Andy Buckley, Homewood鈥檚 vice president of mountain experience, tells me when I pull into the parking lot. 鈥淭he closure of the mountain this season is not what we wanted.鈥�

In November 2022, JMA Ventures founder Art Chapman wrote a letter to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), the local regulatory agency, that indicated a 鈥渂alance of public and private use鈥� business model. According to JMA Ventures at that time, this exclusive model was needed for the resort to stay afloat.

The letter indicated that Homewood would open to the public several days each month (not on holidays or weekends) as well as on so-called community days, where residents could purchase tickets that would benefit local philanthropic causes. But on all other days, the resort would be exclusively open to property owners. 鈥淚n doing so, Homewood would still be available to the local community, albeit on a more limited basis,鈥� Chapman wrote at the time.

A former mountain manager at Homewood during that time told business owners in the area that things would soon be changing. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to start seeing fur coats,鈥� the resort manager said. Locals were outraged at the thought of losing access to their cherished ski hill. So, in February 2023, that prompted the formation of Keep Homewood Public, which organized quickly and fiercely.

鈥淧ublic access is our number one, number two, and number three issue,鈥� says Candice Wilmuth, a spokesperson for Keep Homewood Public. 鈥淲hen I talk to Homewood employees and they call us the opposition, I say, we are not the opposition. You have the biggest lovers of Homewood in this group. We do not want to stop the development. We want the resort to be open and thriving. All of us want to go skiing there.鈥�

Homewood鈥檚 location on the western shore of Lake Tahoe is both a blessing and a curse. When all the big, flashy ski resorts around Lake Tahoe shut due to wind and blizzards, little old Homewood would keep its eight meager lifts cranking. Some of the deepest powder turns of my life have been on storm days in the trees off Homewood鈥檚 painfully slow Ellis chair. Homewood is where old-school powder chasers, families seeking affordable adventure, and anyone who wanted a quiet, uncrowded place to ski escaped to.

But these days, unless you鈥檙e coming from the sleepy neighborhoods that dot Lake Tahoe鈥檚 west shore, on busy days, you鈥檒l sit in traffic heading to other, bigger ski areas like Palisades Tahoe or Northstar in order to get to Homewood. In recent years, skiers and riders have not been choosing to do that. Even west-shore residents have bypassed Homewood for more amenity-rich mountains. Revenues at the resort have gone down since 2010, and the number of visitors to the ski area has dropped by 70 percent since then. The rising popularity of mega passes like the Ikon Pass and Epic Pass have further driven down profits at Homewood, which is not on a collective pass.

鈥淲e saw a lot of Keep Homewood Public stickers and banners, but not a lot of people buying passes or tickets,鈥� one former Homewood employee, who asked not to be named, told me. On a deep powder day in March 2022, this employee said the total skier count at 11 a.m. was 38 people on the mountain. 鈥淲e were getting face shots after lunch,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was amazing. But you can鈥檛 run a business with that.鈥�

And as other resorts have built new lodges and faster lifts, Homewood has made few upgrades over the past two decades. The South Lodge, at the base of the Quail chair, burned down in 2016 and in its place sits a row of dilapidated structures and storage sheds. The Ellis lift, a creaky triple chair that notoriously left skiers stranded for hours, got a mechanical update in 2020, but plans to replace Ellis with a detachable quad haven鈥檛 happened yet. West Shore Inn and Caf茅, formerly a hotel and restaurant across the street from the ski area that JMA purchased in 2010, has been closed since 2023, allegedly for renovation, and will likely remain a private facility going forward.

Homewood used to offer some of the cheapest lift tickets in the Tahoe Basin, but in recent years, those ticket prices have spiked. In 2022, Homewood set the record for most expensive day lift ticket in the U.S.: $279 for a single-day ticket to a homestyle ski hill with antique chairlifts, a mid-mountain pit toilet, and on-hill dining that requires you to microwave the chili yourself. Some theorize that Homewood was trying to price out skiers ahead of time to show they needed to go private in order to stay afloat.

The resort ownership has lofty goals for a major redevelopment of the mountain and base area, but it鈥檚 taking forever for any of that to be implemented. Homewood鈥檚 original master plan, which was first passed by the TRPA in 2011, lays out plans for a much improved future Homewood. The master plan鈥攚hich includes many community improvement benefits ranging from fire protection to workforce housing鈥攈as been nearly universally supported, including by those at Keep Homewood Public. (鈥淲e want the plan. Stick to the plan,鈥� Wilmuth says.)

In late September, the TRPA regional planning committee met to discuss Homewood鈥檚 master plan, which had no real directive regarding public or private access. The KHP crew arrived at the meeting ready for a fight. Over 100 people gathered in the parking lot in red T-shirts with the words Keep Homewood Public emblazoned across their chests. The meeting room filled to capacity and public attendees were relegated to three overflow rooms to await the comment period.

After a lengthy committee discussion, the public comment period opened and one red shirt after another stood in front of the microphone to implore the committee to reject the developers鈥� application unless they add clear language about public access. Each had their own distinct point to make, but many included the same request: a hard reset on the master plan. 鈥淲hen the developers say anyone can ski at Homewood, what they really mean is anyone with a whole lot of money,鈥� one speaker said. 鈥淭his is not the general public.鈥�

Toward the end of the public comment period, a speaker named Lynne Hurst got emotional, tearing up at the mic as she said, 鈥淚鈥檝e skied at Homewood most of my life. I have Christmas pictures every year at the top of that hill that I treasure. It鈥檚 the most beautiful place in the world to ski 鈥� Come together with the developer, make it work for everyone 鈥� Don鈥檛 take it away to only let a few enjoy it.鈥�

But just like that: The chances of anyone skiing at Homewood this winter disappeared. A few weeks after that September meeting, Homewood announced on October 11 via an email to staff and the resort鈥檚 mailing list that the ski area wouldn鈥檛 be opening at all for this winter. In a statement, the resort declared, 鈥淔or many years, Homewood Mountain Resort has been subsidizing the community鈥檚 ski experience while operating at a deficit 鈥� Hypothetical fears and false rumors regarding public access to the mountain from Keep Homewood Public鈥檚 leadership have dramatically slowed the pace of the approval process 鈥� Without a clear path forward, our financial partner has withdrawn support for this ski season.鈥� It was almost like the resort was saying, you want to put up a fight? Remember who has the upper hand here.

The news of the closure was a blow, but it wasn鈥檛 all that surprising. 鈥淭he writing was on the wall,鈥� one Homewood resident told me. Season passes typically go on sale in the spring for the following winter, but by September, Homewood still hadn鈥檛 opened up season pass sales. In a presentation to a Homewood homeowner鈥檚 association last fall, resort execs said that they reserved the right to not open for the season if the approval for the new gondola didn鈥檛 come through. And in September, Homewood canceled its J-1 visa contracts, the hiring of foreign workers that the resort has relied on in past winters to perform seasonal jobs.

Around 200 people work at Homewood, with roughly 40 of those employed year-round in managerial or administrative positions. The rest are seasonal employees鈥攍ift operators, ski instructors, food and beverage staff鈥攚ho were laid off or not hired for this winter. The trickle-down impact of the closure on Tahoe鈥檚 west shore is already being felt.

鈥淥ur winter business relies heavily on Homewood being open and that day-to-day visitor, which has dwindled year after year due to their increasing rates,鈥� says Trevor Larkins, owner of West Shore Sports, a ski shop located down the road from Homewood ski area. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a progression of price increases pushing their customers away.鈥� Last year, profits at his shop were down 35 percent.

But still, after all of this, the questions remain: Who will be allowed to ski at Homewood in the near and distant future? Everyone? And for a reasonable price? Or just private members paying six-digit dues? Homewood鈥檚 execs have kept mostly mum on the subject of privatization, but that鈥檚 changing now, as they鈥檝e switched gears with more open communication and聽 promises to remain committed to public access. 鈥淲e recognize that it鈥檚 been a mistake to remain silent for so long,鈥� Buckley tells me.

This winter, Homewood management unveiled a plan that represents a compromise. Under a part of its website titled Community Access, the vision lays out future day ticket and season pass offerings that ensure that anyone with a valid ski pass or ticket will be able to access the mountain during operating hours. It also lays out discounted passes for west-shore residents that will remain 35 percent below the cost of a pass or ticket to nearby Palisades Tahoe or Northstar. 鈥淧eople ask us to define public,鈥� Buckley says. 鈥淲ithout being flippant, it鈥檚 everybody.鈥�

He says public access has been there all along, it鈥檚 just changed in scope. 鈥淭here was always going to be a component of private membership in the plan, but upon really reviewing the plan documents, it became absolutely clear that the mountain had to have public access,鈥� Buckley tells me. 鈥淔rom that day forward, that is what the partners have been saying.鈥�

Residential property owners will be able to access members鈥� lounges in the base area and at mid-mountain, but the lifts and ski runs will be open to everyone. 鈥淵es, there鈥檚 going to be an HOA with member amenities like many places,鈥� Buckley says. 鈥淏ut the public component of the whole business plan is critical.鈥�

The promise to stay public is now on a banner hanging over the parking lot of the closed ski area that reads, 鈥淪mile! Homewood will always be public.鈥� But getting that in legal writing has been a long time coming. 鈥淭hey closed the resort, then they started this PR campaign around public access. But it鈥檚 still not effectively written into their documents. Without that, we鈥檙e worried it鈥檒l be public for a few years and then they鈥檒l start restricting access or pricing everyone out,鈥� Wilmuth, from KHP, says. 鈥淎 lot of people are saying, 鈥極h, we won. This is good enough.鈥� Which means people are so desperate to have this ski resort open that they鈥檙e willing to believe the developers. But we don鈥檛 think that the job is done until it鈥檚 documented.鈥�

Wilmuth says nothing was gained by having the mountain closed this winter. 鈥淲e never wanted or expected that to happen. That was Homewood鈥檚 decision. There is still nothing stopping Homewood from operating right now and season passes have yet to go on sale for next year,鈥� she says. 鈥淥ur community had to get vocal to ensure what was always part of the plan鈥攑ublic access鈥攚as followed through on.鈥�

In late January, the TRPA governing board finally voted to approve Homewood鈥檚 master plan amendments as long as the resort includes a clearly-defined community access plan. With that approval, the ski area and its new gondola could be up and running by next winter.

Dave Powell, who鈥檚 86 and skis with just sunglasses, no hat, is holding out hope that his treasured ski area will reopen鈥攆or everyone鈥攏ext year. For five decades, Powell has clicked into his skis on the deck of the cabin he built in 1974, nestled into a grove of pine trees near Homewood鈥檚 base area, and glided through the forest to the Madden lift. This mountain is deeply personal to him, just like it is to many people in Tahoe. He used to work on ski patrol with his late wife, and he taught his now-grown daughters to ski here. 鈥淚 would not be surprised if there鈥檚 some kind of deal where those who buy into the new real estate get primo access to the mountain,鈥� Powell says. 鈥淎nd that doesn鈥檛 bother me, as long as the rest of us can still enjoy the place.鈥�

Megan Michelson lives in Tahoe City, California, five miles down the road from Homewood. She鈥檚 had some incredibly deep powder days at Homewood in the past.

The post Locals Unified to Fight Homewood Going Private. Will it Save the Resort? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

I was smoked, shellacked, completely and utterly exhausted. It was a bluebird afternoon in late-March, and I had just finished a full day of skiing with my five-year-old daughter at Colorado’s Keystone Resort.

My lower back throbbed from the several-dozen times I’d scooped her up from the snow. Carrying my skis and poles in one hand, her skis under an arm, and her hand in mine, I awkwardly hobbled through Keystone’s base area toward the bus. One thought echoed through my head: I gotta find a better way to carry all of this crap.聽

The very next morning, while riding the ski bus, I glanced over and saw a guy using a device I’d never seen before: a neon bag that enveloped his bindings with a drawstring at the top, and slits on the top and bottom allowed the ski tips and tails to protrude. His wife and kids, seated next to him, also had bags on their skis. When the four of them stood up, they wore their skis and poles like backpacks.

The man introduced himself as Phillip Peterson, unzipped his jacket, and tossed me one to try. I couldn’t believe how small and lightweight it was鈥攊t crumpled down to the size of a handkerchief in my pocket.

Philip told me that the device, called The Ski Pack, was sold by a company called that he co-owned. I asked him how he had come up with such a cool and innovative design. He smiled.

“My son and his friend invented it,” he told me.

How Two Kids Invented a Game-Changing Ski Bag

News flash: skiing with small children is hard. Really hard. You have to juggle meltdowns, snack time, weather conditions, and yeah, tons of gear. To hang out at a typical ski resort’s kiddie area is to see dozens of parents finding creative ways to schlep skis, boots, water bottles, helmets, and yes, the occasional rag doll-like toddler, across the snow.

The Ski Pack was born from this epic struggle. Back in 2020, Phillip Peterson’s son, Zachary, was a fourth-grader at Redstone Elementary in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. He and his friend, Madeline Gacnik were both involved in an extracurricular activity called Destination Imagination, which prompts kids to find creative solutions to everyday problems.

Anyone who is familiar with the long-running kids’ programs Odyssey of the Mind or Olympics of the Mind is familiar with the concept.

Both the Peterson and Gacnik families were passionate skiers, and the kids’ problem solving idea stemmed from their own trips to the resort.

“They originally wanted to solve world hunger, and we had to rein them in a bit,” Phillip, who works for the Colorado Department of Public Health, told me. “The problem they moved to next was that parents get tired of carrying their kids’ skis and they could get more ski days in if kids could carry their own skis.”

No notes from me on this logic.

The kids had two months and a $100 budget to create their prototype before presenting it to a panel of adults. Julia Gacnik, Madeline’s mother, told me that the families took regular trips to Hobby Lobby to examine fabrics suitable for carrying skis. Then, the kids had to investigate various designs that solved the problems of other minimalist ski carriers.

“If you’re putting a basic shoulder ski strap on a three-year-old, they’re going to be hitting cars and scratching up their skis,” said Julia, who works in data analytics. “We’d prompt the kids with these scenarios. How should it fit? What should you do with it when you get to the ski lift? What should it look like?”

The questions helped Madeline and Zachary zero in on a concept. The bag should fit like a backpack, they decided, because young children are accustomed to wearing backpacks. The bag should be made from lightweight and collapsible fabrics. When not being used, it should be able to fit in the pocket of a toddler’s jacket.

The original prototype was made from Colorado Rockies-branded fleece. Julia helped the kids sew it together on the Gacnik family dinner table. But it had a flaw.

“It didn’t dry very well and it didn’t have adjustable straps,” Julia said. Employees at Hobby Lobby pointed the kids toward a nylon ripstop fabric instead. That material worked better, and the kids’ designs evolved around it.

After two months, Zachary and Madeline presented their product to the Destination Imagination panel, who offered feedback. There are no winners in the activity. But with the project done, the kids’ still saw room for improvement, and their parents encouraged them to continue working on it.

Julia said a lightbulb went on in her own head during one of her family ski trips. The Gacniks have four children, and all of them were using the bags as they walked through the parking lot.

“It was the end of the day when kids are usually in meltdown mode and we walked in peace and quiet. There were no tears, no struggle,” she said. “It was validating, like 鈥榟ey, we’re onto something.鈥�”

The Gacnik and Peterson family decided to safeguard the design. They filed for a patent in 2020 and founded a company later that year. They began selling it through word-of-mouth and also to parents’ ski groups. The product evolved too, and the kids’ eventually sourced reused parachute nylon for the bags. The design also evolved.

Right now, the .

“Every parent is proud of their child, but seeing my kid go through this鈥攕ewing a product together, evolving it, pitching it to adults鈥攎ade me so proud,” Phillip said. “To see Zachary and Madeline grow this way has been special.”

Testing the Ski Pack on the Slopes

Whether or not to bring a backpack has become the seminal question of my ski days.

Before having kids, I’d only bring my pack when I planned to bootpack to expert terrain. But when I started skiing with my daughter, the backpack became a semi-permanent part of my setup, specifically so I could A-frame my skis for the trudge back to the bus. In truth, I dislike skiing with a pack鈥攏o matter the design, all of them are hot and cumbersome on a chairlift. I miss the carefree days of hitting the slopes pack-free.

My assessment of The Ski Pack was borne of that experience: could I enjoy a day on the slopes鈥攈alf of the day by myself, the other half with my kiddo鈥攚ithout the crutch of my backpack?

The first part of my day went swimmingly. After placing my own skis in the Ski Pack, I walked with ease to the chairlift. Sure, it took a few moments to adjust the straps to my torso and to dial in a snug fit. But after that initial monkeying with the product, I was off.

The Ski Pack’s magic was most evident when I wasn’t using it. I folded it into a wad no bigger than a roll of kids’ socks and just tucked it into my pocket. I never felt a bulge in my side, nor did I inadvertently bump into something due to a protruding pocket. I just forgot about it.

That’s a big upgrade from the other ski slings, straps, and carriers I’ve tried over the years. You can find dozens of these products on Amazon, but the ones I’ve tried are all bulky enough to be an annoying item in your pocket.

Hours later, when it was time to go home, I produced the Ski Pack, tucked my kiddo’s skis into it, and wore it like a backpack. My wife wore it, too. We even put it on my daughter and had her walk around wearing her skis. It was that simple.

I have minor quibbles about The Ski Pack. The shoulder harnesses are not connected by a cross-chest strap to better distribute the weight of your skis. There’s also no padding on the shoulder harnesses, so if you have a thin jacket, you might feel a pinch. Both issues are harder on adults, due to our heavier skis. My daughter never complained.

Of course these two additions may alleviate these problems, but they would also add to The Ski Pack’s overall bulk鈥攁nd the product’s minimalist size is the key to its success.

“I think as adults inclined to overcomplicate designs with additions,” Philip Peterson told me. “The kids wanted something extremely simple.”

I have no clue what the future holds for The Ski Pack. Phillip told me that the product is at a crossroads, as both Zachary and Madeline are now teenagers who have obligations and interests outside of the company. They’ve had to change manufacturers recently, and both families are in talks about what to do next with the whole project.

I sincerely hope they keep it going. After all, skiing with your kiddo isn’t going to get any easier. The Ski Pack solves a big part of the struggle.

The post This Tiny Ski Bag Is a Game Changer for Parents. It Was Designed by Two Colorado Kids. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Three men were killed and one critically injured in a devastating avalanche on Monday, March 24, near Kaslo, British Columbia, according to reporting by Global News and the Vancouver Sun. The slide occurred in the Clute Creek watershed, on the east side of Kootenay Lake, while two groups of heli skiers with were staging below the treeline.

A transport helicopter pilot approaching the zone saw the avalanche release and alerted the skiers. One group was able to escape, but the other group of four was swept into the trees.

Friends and industry colleagues have identified the deceased as:

• Jason Remple, owner and lead guide of

• Alex Pashley, Global Sports Marketing Manager (Snow) at The North Face, who previously spent nearly a decade at Smartwool and held roles at Slash Snowboards, Dragon Alliance, and Rossignol

• Jeff Keenan, professional snowboarder and co-founder of Dinosaurs Will Die Snowboards.

A fourth skier, a 40-year-old man from Nelson, survived with critical injuries and was flown to hospital for treatment. Kaslo Search and Rescue manager the group was 鈥渧ery, very proficient,鈥� adding that even with conservative terrain choices and expert guides, conditions can turn unexpectedly dangerous. The team recovered all four individuals from the debris; attempts to resuscitate the three men were unsuccessful. The North Face shared a tribute to Alex Pashley on Instagram, describing him as a kind, curious, and adventurous spirit whose work as a photographer was celebrated in snowboard media. 鈥淗is search for adventure will forever guide us,鈥� the brand wrote, offering condolences to his wife, Erin, and his beloved Bernese Mountain Dogs, Dale and Rainer.

Brent Sandor, VP of Marketing at 686 and a longtime friend of the deceased, shared many memorable days with both Pashley and Keenan鈥攐n and off the snow.

鈥淎s I entered the snowboard community, both Pashley and Jeff loomed larger than life, having already built lasting legacies for themselves,鈥� Sandor told SKI. 鈥淭hey, along with their partners Leanne and Erin, were an omnipresent force in our community鈥攝igging and zagging, always a constant presence as they crossed paths with everyone in and out of the mountains.

鈥淭heir presence put you at ease and reminded you why we all chose this path. My thoughts and entire heart go out to Leanne, Khyber, Erin, and everyone else in Jeff and Pash鈥檚 inner circle who are deeply affected by this tragedy. As a community, we鈥檒l support those who need it most and get through this together.

鈥淭ell your friends you love them.鈥�

 

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Avalanche Conditions Were Critical

On the day of the incident, Avalanche Canada had issued a High (Level 4) avalanche danger rating at all elevations in the Kootenay Lake region. warned that rising temperatures and strong sun were creating 鈥渧ery dangerous avalanche conditions,鈥� with the potential for large, destructive natural avalanches. Recreationists were advised to avoid all avalanche terrain due to persistent slab avalanches on north to east aspects at alpine and treeline elevations due to deeply buried weak layers; wet loose avalanches on all sun-exposed slopes, and weakening cornices, capable of triggering deeper slides on slopes below.

Avalanche Canada reported widespread natural avalanche activity on Monday and Tuesday, including a size 4 avalanche on Sunday that ran to the valley bottom and climbed the opposite side of the drainage. The snowpack was described as highly complex and unstable due to multiple buried weak layers dating from January to March.

The B.C. Coroners Service is investigating the incident near Kaslo. has suspended operations and extended its deepest sympathies to all affected.

Recent Tragedy in Alaska

This incident follows another deadly heli-skiing avalanche earlier this month. On March 5, three men were killed while skiing with Chugach Powder Guides near Girdwood, Alaska, in a slide over half a mile wide with debris as deep as 100 feet, according to the Anchorage Daily News. Despite deploying avalanche airbags and being accompanied by a guide, the victims could not be rescued in time due to burial depth and terrain complexity. The avalanche was the deadliest in the U.S. since 2023. Conditions that day were rated 鈥渃onsiderable,鈥� with a buried weak layer noted as a known hazard in the region. These back-to-back tragedies in Canada and the U.S. are a powerful reminder of the inherent risks of backcountry skiing鈥攅ven when guided by seasoned professionals鈥攔einforcing how unpredictable and unforgiving the mountains can be. Please check your local avalanche forecast before venturing into the backcountry, and bring (and know how to use) avalanche safety equipment and a partner.

The post Industry Mourns Three Killed in Avalanche in B.C.鈥檚 Kootenay Mountains appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

It鈥檚 day five of our seven-day stay at Icefall Lodge, and Larry Dolecki, the lodge鈥檚 owner and lead guide, requests our attention as we鈥檙e finishing breakfast. He鈥檚 in his late 50s, married with three kids, yet still has a mischievous smile, the physique of a linebacker, and a smart-ass answer for all of our very important logistical questions.

Watch: Ski Touring From B.C.鈥檚 Icefall Lodge

鈥淭he good news is, it鈥檚 1 degree warmer today,鈥� he says. 鈥淪o, it鈥檚 -14C.鈥�

We laugh nervously. This is the balmiest day we鈥檝e had so far; the coldest: -26C.聽 I don鈥檛 know what that number means regarding temperature, as I gave up converting Celsius to Fahrenheit days ago. But I do know it means to layer up and keep track of my feet and hands. Once in the sun, it鈥檒l feel a lot warmer. Metrics and time don鈥檛 matter here. What matters is that we鈥檒l be out all day, skinning from the lodge鈥檚 front door to the untouched bowls and mountain saddles above.

This is Icefall, a heli-accessed backcountry lodge outside of Donald, British Columbia. Its appeal is its affordability and simplicity. The lodge is basic and isolated, heated by a lone woodstove and without indoor plumbing, cell service, or internet. There are indoor 鈥減ee toilets,鈥� but the rest happens in one of two wooden outhouses. All ski access is by skinning. The chopper delivers guests on a Saturday with the promise of a pick-up seven days later, weather permitting.

What Icefall lacks in bells and whistles, it more than makes up for in soul, camaraderie, and the ability to get up close and personal with the wildness and beauty of a B.C. winter.

This is my second trip to a heli-accessed backcountry lodge. I booked a week at Icefall鈥檚 sister lodge, Snowfall Lodge, in the nearby Selkirk range, two years ago with eight ladies from my Telluride ski squad to celebrate some 50th birthdays. The lodge鈥檚 capacity was 20. Ten women from Vancouver and a French couple from Los Angeles booked the other 12 spots. Of the 20, there was one dude.

At first, we were all cordial, but we sat at different tables for dinner. However, we bonded by mid-week, and by the end of the week, we鈥檇 become friends. So when the Canadian women booked Icefall for 2025 and asked if we wanted to join, it seemed a foregone conclusion. And that鈥檚 how we ended up with the same core group, plus a few new members on each team. And still only one dude.

The Icefall Lodge Experience

As we reunite at Icefall, there is no awkward cordiality; we greet each other with hugs and quick life updates. Each morning, we stretch on yoga mats, trade blister management strategies, and confirm the needed layers as Larry announces the day鈥檚 plan. It becomes our refrain.

鈥淭oday, you have two choices,鈥� he announces. 鈥淥ne group will ski above the hut to the right, and the other group will ski above the hut to the left.鈥�

Our tours are conservative the first few days. We gain a bench in the sun and ski laps in a specific area. We stay within a reasonable distance of the hut if someone needs to get down due to the temperatures.

On these days, there are more transitions鈥攖he ultimate exercise in self-care and being present. At the top of a pitch, we methodically go through each step of putting layers on for the descent, taking off skins, transitioning boots and skis to downhill mode, and drinking water and eating.

Then, we enjoy the bliss of skiing. The day before we arrived, the area received a foot of snow. It fell wet, but the week鈥檚 cold, dry temps have sucked the moisture out of it, providing us with lighter, deep, powder. We ski each pitch one at a time, no lifts or crowds, surrounded by sharp peaks and the textured lines of glacial cracks and shadows.

At the bottom, we do the reverse for the ascent, shedding layers and moving slowly; sweating while skinning is a cardinal sin. Sweat will freeze, destroying efforts to keep the core warm.

Forging a Deeper Connection

Toward the end of the third day, we ski our last pitch and transition in the shade, putting on our skins to gain elevation for the final ski back to Icefall. With no sun lingering, we feel the cold.

鈥淲henever I think things are hard in the mountains, I think of Hil,鈥� I say to Annie, one of my Telluride friends I鈥檝e been skinning behind.

On the skin track, conversations commonly freely flow from silence to stream-of-consciousness, intimate, and logistical.

鈥淚 know,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his is nothing.鈥�

We fall quiet, both thinking of Hilaree Nelson, one of the most accomplished ski mountaineers of her time. She is famous for becoming the first woman to summit Everest and Lhotse in 24 hours and for ski descents off Lhotse and Denali. But her accomplishments span pages.

To us, she was a friend and fellow Telluride mom who agonized over the same parenting and relationship issues we do. She told us of the behind-the-scenes, unpublished incidents on her epic trips. We skied, mountain biked, camped, and stood on the sidelines watching high school sports with her.

On September 26, 2022, Hilaree summited Manaslu, an 8,163-meter peak in Nepal. At the beginning of her ski descent, she was swept off the peak by an avalanche and died.

As we skin, Annie and I trade images of Hilaree鈥檚 escapades in the mountains. In less than an hour, we will be welcomed with hot soup and a beer in a warm lodge, while she would have been heading into a tent at 4,000 meters or higher. We do not compare ourselves to her, as what we鈥檙e doing isn鈥檛 comparable, but the tangential trickle effect of her existence subconsciously infiltrates us on trips like this.

The Power of Female Bonding

On the fifth day, Larry announces the good news. The temperatures are as high as -14C, and the forecast calls for sun. Today鈥檚 plan is a bit more complex.

The group going above the hut to the right will gain a high ridge and continue up the adjacent alpine valley to ski Groove Tube, a beautiful couloir with a wide apron below a prominent peak called La Clytte.

The group going above the hut to the left will ascend higher to a saddle below Mount Kemmel and ski a wide, pristine pitch called Springboard.

We laugh. La Clytte is pronounced like the female body part. We question if the male guides really know where La Clytte is, and well, you get the idea. It鈥檚 all par for the course on a (mostly) girls鈥� trip.

I fall in behind Clara, one of the Canadians, on the route to La Clytte. She is originally from Colombia and speaks English with the rhythmic intonation of a native Spanish speaker.

Our patchwork, skin-track conversation ensues. I learn that she started skiing at age 29, when she moved to Vancouver to earn her graduate degree in engineering. She followed some of her classmates to the mountains, joking that it was mostly about partying.

Her story makes the ascent go by faster and the hard work feel lighter. She turns on a switchback and recounts the nascent days dating her husband. He grew up in a ski racing family and was working toward his guide certification.

鈥淚 went backcountry skiing with him early on,鈥� she says. 鈥淗e watched me ski and said, 鈥榊ou need help.鈥� I realized I had to do something about this.鈥�

She put herself in lessons whenever she could and kept working to improve.

My respect builds as I compare her ski journey to mine and reflect on her competence. I was put on skis as soon as I could walk, raced at one of the best ski academies in the nation, and competed for a top NCAA school. I see clearly that out here, your ski r茅sum茅 doesn鈥檛 matter;聽 it鈥檚 about who you are and how you show up every day.

Later, she鈥檇 tell me, 鈥淣ow I鈥檓 a part of a group of people who are good skiers, and I feel like I fit in.鈥� I couldn鈥檛 agree more.

It Takes a Village

We transition to ski mode at the saddle of La Clytte and make our way through Groove Tube鈥檚 variable snow to its apron鈥攁 long, 1000-foot vertical pitch of pristine powder. We鈥檙e in the sun, we鈥檙e warm, and we鈥檙e done with most of the day鈥檚 climbing. We have two more playful pitches into a shaded ravine before heading into the woods back to the hut.

On the last pitch, the snow becomes thicker, and one of the French women, Emilie, falls backward. Nobo, our tail guide, radios that she has hurt her knee. Gauthier, the lead guide, and most of the group are already in the shade below.

We are abruptly reminded how quickly a situation can turn in the mountains. The most significant danger is the dropping temperature. Those waiting in the shade climb a small ridge to get in the sun. A few of us skin up to Emilie and Nobo with Gauthier. We don鈥檛 have immediate access to a heli or snowcat. There is a sled the guides can bring up from the hut, but they want to avoid using it because it鈥檚 a cold ride during normal temps and even more challenging during this especially cold snap.

Emilie is able to traverse partway down on one leg, then, Gauthier puts her on his back and skis her the rest of the way as we all follow.

The Healing Properties of Outdoor 国产吃瓜黑料

On our final ski day, I join the group heading to Springboard in the shadow of 10,207-foot Mount Kemmel.

I fall in behind Caroline, the only snowboarder on the trip. She learned to board as a child in the mountains of France and competed in the early days of snowboarding before qualifying for World Cup events. Even as a group of skiers, we can recognize her grace and comfort on the board. She plays with the terrain on her descents like a surfer riding a wave.

Caroline seemed a bit quieter and introverted than I remember. She lost her dad just three weeks earlier. Processing the grief has been compounded by a knee injury that has prevented her from getting out in the mountains. She鈥檇 been focusing on strengthening her knee for this trip.

Later, she鈥檇 tell us, 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 find one moment that brought me relief and happiness until we did that first climb and took that first run. Instantly, I felt alive again.鈥�

We skin to an ice cave and explore it before advancing further through glacial terrain and snow-covered crevasses. Gauthier instructs us to put on our harnesses. If one of us falls into a crevasse, the guide will fish us out with a rope.

We approach the top of Springboard, and Gauthier gives us an option to skin an additional short pitch to the saddle to see the view. Corie, from the Telluride group and one of strongest skiers,聽 is uncomfortable with exposure. She eyes the shadows and contours of the snow, indicating crevasses, and decides to stay where she is.聽 Sarah, a Canadian, joins her. They鈥檙e in the sun and will take advantage of the extra time to transition to downhill mode, drink water, and eat.

Throughout the trip, it has become clear that, in general, women are not greedy skiers or mindless adventurers. There is a balance between each person wanting to push herself; no one wants to be responsible for holding others back or lessening the experience. However, each has her boundary and limit. Time at Icefall is just as much about pushing those boundaries as it is about accepting them.

The rest of us, summit and navigate back down. Then, we open up our turns down Springboard. It鈥檚 our last high alpine run. We have a few more pitches and short skins before approaching Homerun, a perfect,聽 consistent pitch down the bowl above the lodge. Corie and I rename it 鈥淲alk Off,鈥� referring to a game-winning home run at the bottom of the final inning, after which the team walks off the field.

We approach the lodge elated and relieved. There is a collective exhale and an anticipation that the lodge hang鈥攁rguably the heart of the trip鈥攚ill start earlier and last longer tonight. We鈥檒l have a sauna, drink beer, tell stories, and play games like the previous nights, but there will be no anxiety, preparations, or doubts. Tonight is about letting go.

The post What a Girls鈥� Ski Trip to a Backcountry Lodge Taught Me About Letting Go appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

I鈥檇 put on tire chains before, and I might have set a speed record for attaching them had I been in my own driveway. But, somewhere on the side of a snowy mountain pass in the tiny alpine country of Andorra, all that muscle memory evaporated. We鈥檇 bought the correct chains for our vehicle down in town, but now they didn鈥檛 seem to fit around the tire on my rental car. Temperatures were plunging.

While I Googled tire chain tutorials, my partner smacked the frozen chains against the ground, hoping to gain a little elasticity. After an hour of struggling, a friend with four-wheel-drive vehicle showed up, and we opted to leave our rental ride on a snowy shoulder.

As we rolled back to town, I assessed my abysmal performance with the car. I am not a bad winter driver鈥擨 live and work in the mountains after all鈥攂ut driving a new car in dreadful conditions torpedoed my experience.

Driving a rental car鈥攐r any vehicle that’s not yours鈥攊n the snow is inherently uncomfortable. A lack of preparation can make things worse, quickly. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to avoid the pitfalls I experienced on my doomed Andorran adventure.

Set Yourself Up for Storm Driving Success聽

If you鈥檙e traveling to a snowy area, or a place where you could run into winter weather, your preparation must start well before you get the keys. Most rental car agencies offer four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive options (even internationally), but these vehicles get booked fast. If you’re traveling in winter, secure your rental car with enough lead time.

Check if your rental company offers a cold-weather package. These packages sometimes include comforts like ski racks, heated seats and steering wheels, and also remote start capabilities, so the car can begin defrosting before you enter the driver鈥檚 seat.

Rental car agencies that operate in snowy regions of the United States typically offer all-weather and snow tire options, but check with an agent to confirm your rental is equipped with the proper winter rubber. Remember that all-weather tires are generally suitable for a wide range of conditions, but winter tires are specifically designed specifically for snowy and icy driving conditions.

You should also assess your driving routes prior to your trip. Say your next trip is to the desert, but is there a mountain pass between the airport and your sunny oasis. Knowing exactly where inclement weather may occur, or pinch points can happen, will help you be better prepared when unexpected weather rolls in.

Consider downloading driving map apps that integrate weather forecasts and extreme weather updates into their routes like Navver or DriveWeather so you can prepare for what鈥檚 ahead in real time.

These Tools Can Make or Break Your Trip

There are a few key pieces of equipment that can make or break your winter car rental experience. Here鈥檚 a few we can鈥檛 go without.

Ice Scraper

To keep your windows and mirrors clear, make sure you have an ice scraper that鈥檚 up for the job. Again, this item is an easy add, but an even easier one to forget. Most rental car agencies will provide a scraper for free upon request, but you might want to consider bringing a small one of your own, just in case.

Check out the Hopkins SubZero 80037, which is equally good for scraping ice as it is for shoveling and sweeping snow.

Windshield Wiper Fluid

Underrated and understated, wiper fluid can be the difference between seeing the road and staring through an iced-over windshield. Reduced visibility is a major cause of winter accidents, so keeping your visual pathways clear is a huge safety boost. Wiper fluid has a lower freezing point than water and will prevent your wipers from icing up, but that stuff can go fast鈥攅specially in the heart of the storm. Make sure you鈥檝e got an extra container of wiper fluid in the car anytime you head into the mountains. Remember that wiper fluids come at different temperature ratings鈥攇et one that will freeze well below zero.

An Emergency Kit

You never want to expect the worst, but you do want to plan for it. Having a properly stocked emergency kit is a big plus for driving your rental car in the snow. What should you bring? For starters, add a flashlight, first aid supplies, a phone charger, a blanket, water, and a non-perishable snack or two. If you鈥檙e forced to pull over and spend the night in your vehicle, it鈥檚 important to stay warm and fueled up, all while keeping your devices charged for potential emergency contact.

We recommend the Haiphaik Emergency Roadside Kit.

Tire Chains鈥擸es or No? Well, it Depends.

While tire chains are commonly used in snowy regions around the world, rental car agencies don’t always provide them. In the U.S., agencies typically dissuade renters from using them on their vehicles, and some, like Hertz and Enterprise, prohibit their use entirely. The agencies maintain that their cars are fully equipped and winter ready.

Other agencies, such as SIXT, Avis, and Europcar, will offer the option to rent tire chains or a tire sock, which provides extra traction. Some others permit chains, but do not provide them. Make sure to check with your rental agency before booking, as these policies often change.

We recommend the SCC Auto-Track.

Check Your Car Before You Go

An individual rental car might see hundreds of drivers each year, and each one treats the vehicle a little differently. Before you roll out of the rental lot, make sure to go through a quick safety checklist.

First, clear all snow and ice from the car. This might sound like overkill, but as the car heats up and snow starts to slide, roof snow can fall onto windshields and obscure vision at intersections or when pressing on the brakes.

Next, check the tire pressure and tread. We mentioned that most rental car fleets have winter tires, but if those tires are noticeably under-inflated, they provide less traction in icy and snowy driving conditions. You should also take a second to check the wiper fluid, as that鈥檚 going to be the difference between an iced over windshield and unobstructed vision on the road.

Lastly, take a look at the wipers themselves. If they鈥檙e caked in ice or wearing thin, that鈥檚 going to affect performance and, ultimately, your view while you drive through that next storm. Again, rental agencies should be replacing these, but sometimes things slip through the cracks, and winter travel is one game that rarely offers do-overs.

Snow Driving Tips

Know Your Comfort Level

Ok, it鈥檚 time for a serious self-awareness test: How comfortable are you driving in the snow on a scale from one to ten? If that number is low, it might be wise to simply wait out a storm or leave for your destination a little earlier.

If you rank a little higher on the scale, think about other drivers on the road. Are you driving at night? Are you in a place where people are also accustomed to driving in snow? Are you driving highways or side streets? Is the area you鈥檙e traveling through equipped for plowing and snow removal? Driving in a snowstorm in New York City is a very different experience than a snowstorm in Dallas, for example.

Low Gears Are Your Friend

A little manual control goes a long way when the mercury dips, so don鈥檛 be afraid to shift into lower gear to get a bit more grip on the road. This is especially helpful while heading downhill when a rash application of the brakes could send you sliding.

Avoid Cruise Control

Driving at high speed in inclement weather is obviously not a great call, but believe it or not, cruise control can also cause unforeseen headaches on highways and interstates. This automatic setting doesn鈥檛 account for changing road conditions and can actually cause loss of traction on slippery surfaces. It may be a temporary inconvenience for road warriors, but stormy weather calls for an active foot on the gas and brake and those hands on the 10s and 2s.

Understand the Challenge

Winter driving comes with challenges, but a little snow in the forecast shouldn鈥檛 reroute your entire itinerary. Like most driving, the more road time you log in adverse conditions, the more accustomed you will become to slippery roads and windblown highways. A new-to-you car can throw a bit of a wrench in that equation, but following these easy steps and being flexible with travel plans can go a long way in making your winter rental woes a thing of the past.

The post Driving a Rental Car in the Snow Is a Recipe for Disaster. Here鈥檚 How to Stay Safe. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Apr猫s is a well-beloved activity of the ski community, but what happens when the traditional after-slope hours spread to social media? Well, a lot of people hitting the slopes, some who aren鈥檛 even skiing.

Resorts are being converted to day clubs and fans are doing anything to get there, including hiking through a snowstorm. Earlier this month, a winter storm in , Colorado, created standstill traffic preventing cars from accessing the show, however, it didn鈥檛 stop the party goers who walked over six miles to make it to the set. It wasn鈥檛 just the foot traffic that was affected: a normal two-hour drive to the mountain took six that evening.

 

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颁补濒颈蹿辞谤苍颈补鈥檚 has gained traction over social media for their weekly apr猫s where Los Angeles DJs often perform. Now influencers and music lovers alike are making the trek just to catch a show and not even hit the slopes. Skiers and snowboarders reported waiting in line for over two hours to get to the apr猫s party when last year there were no lines at all. This massive line is an effect of scanning IDs to enter the event space, ensuring they aren鈥檛 serving minors. These seasoned skiers joked about watching the view from the top level because they couldn鈥檛 deal with the new crowd.

shoutout our rooftop friends

This past weekend, one of the most popular DJs, John Summit, held multiple shows in , California, for his 鈥淓xperts Only鈥� festival. Included: a stage that was placed against a double black diamond hugged with moguls, an advanced request for skiers that led to comical TikToks but serious concerns for ski patrol.

experts only baby 1000% worth it

Sometimes these musical acts will set out a surprise set, unknowingly to other guests at the resort, creating unprecedented crowds for the other skiers.

literally a man of the ppl鈥� im obsessed with him. THE HAT AND C1G I CANT

There is no doubt that apr猫s is a key component of skiing culture, but with the influx of music events, will the resorts be able to keep up? We鈥檒l check in next season but until then, stay safe on the slopes and at the apr猫s.

there鈥檚 behind the booth & then there鈥檚 on top of the booth @john summit @Max Styler

The post Has Apr猫s Gotten Bigger than Skiing Itself? appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Stepping off the train in Kitzb眉hel, Austria, feels like entering hallowed ground: one of the most famous ski towns in the Alps, chartered in 1271 by Duke Ludwig II of Bavaria. I inhaled the crisp afternoon air and began a short walk to my accommodations, passing fur boutiques and high-end ski shops, medieval churches, and brightly lit, glassed-in hotel lobbies. I came to a tiny concrete stairway one block off the main drag and descended into a snow-covered garden, where I passed a few ducks, quacking and nibbling on lettuce. I buzzed the doorbell and waited.

It was Tuesday, January 22, 2025. I had come to Kitzb眉hel to cover the baddest ski race on the World Cup circuit: the Hahnenkamm downhill, alpine schussing鈥檚 holy grail, where skiers become legends on a twisting elevator shaft of ice called the Streif. It is staged in this quaint Tyrolean hamlet of 8,000 residents, and each year attracts 45,000 paying fans, as well as celebrities and politicians who intermingle with depraved commoners like few places in the winter world.

I鈥檇 planned my trip late, in mid-December, when most of the area鈥檚 lodging had been gobbled up. My options were to pay $600 a night for a room in a village four miles away, accessed by train; or $50 a night for a bed in a six-bunk room at the SnowBunnys Hostel, a five-minute walk to the race finish鈥攂reakfast included. I hadn鈥檛 stayed in a European hostel since I was 21. Now I am a 45-year-old father of two who enjoys sleep.

It鈥檚 only six nights, I reassured myself as I booked the hostel.

A few minutes after arriving at the hostel, a heavyset man named Dave with long, stringy black hair and a graying beard opened the door. I followed him upstairs to a small, stuffy quarters on the third floor. He coughed and sneezed without covering his mouth. 鈥淓veryone in the village is sick,鈥� he explained.

Dave, a Kiwi in his fifties, showed me the bathrooms: a cramped toilet stall outside our room and a fourth-floor shower with a sign that read, 鈥淥nly 2 Euros to watch!鈥� A rabbit named Rocky hopped down the hallway.

I met my roommates: Josh, 41, a wildland firefighter from Sun Valley, Idaho, who was here to snowboard; and Jake, a Toronto dad in his sixties who鈥檇 come to watch his best friend鈥檚 son compete in the Hahnenkamm. More would arrive later in the week.

鈥淥h, hey,鈥� Jake mentioned in the common room, before I headed upstairs to bed, 鈥淛osh is a bit of a snorer. I do, too, sometimes.鈥� I soon learned this was like saying Hahnenkamm racers ski 鈥渁 bit fast.鈥� Jake started snoring ten seconds after he closed his eyes. But it was nothing like Josh, whose labored breathing sounded like a semi truck using its engine brake. That night I lay awake for six hours.
The following evening, we sat around a table while Dave held court. He told us he鈥檇 left school at 14, served in the British infantry, and moved to Kitzb眉hel in 1990 with 100 British pounds to his name.

鈥淲hat brought you?鈥� I asked.

鈥淚 met a girl in Prague and she was coming here.鈥�

Dave took a job at McDonald鈥檚, which improved his language skills; he spoke English, German, Bulgarian, and Japanese. Dave鈥檚 family had run the hostel for 27 years. 鈥淪ome people are so shiny,鈥� he lamented. 鈥淲e call 鈥檈m 鈥榮hinys.鈥� They complain about everything to try and get their money back. 鈥極h, my wife was allergic to chickens.鈥欌��

Seeking a bit of optimism, he shifted to the week鈥檚 marquee event鈥攖he reason his hostel would be full come Friday.

鈥淣ow we have the Hanhenkamm. It鈥檚 just bullshit on bullshit. But it鈥檚 amazing how we can put 90,000 people in one little village and nobody鈥檚 shooting or driving trucks through the crowd.鈥�

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