Backcountry Aspirations

What is something you wish you knew how to do?

I am very much a resort skier and I am happy with that. I enjoy the atmosphere and that I can get in a lot of runs over varying terrain during one day on the slopes. I enjoy being able to watch other skiers from the chairlift and check out what the next run might be.

That being said, I would like to be comfortable skiing in the backcountry.

Backcountry skiing generally means skiing out of ski resort boundary. This is achieved by hiking uphill with special ‘skins’ on the bottoms of your skis that allow you to slide uphill then grip with each step. At the top, the skins are removed and you ski fresh tracks down before going again.

Usually, backcountry skiers only achieve a few runs each day; backcountry skiing is as much (if not more) about the overall experience and being in the mountains as it is about the downhill run(s). While backcountry skiing takes a downhill skiing skill, there is a lot of knowledge required to stay safe.

Backcountry skiing can be done with a guide, but it is the skill and knowledge to stay safe in the mountains without a paid guide that I would like to have. These survival skills would come in handy even in poor in-bound conditions of if we ever get lost (like that one time in Chile, which is a story for another day). It would also be nice to have the option to take on bigger terrain or avoid the crowds on busy resort days.

I love my resort skiing, but I’m also always up for a new challenge that will improve my skiing.