Black Diamond for everything climbing and skiing.    Dynafit -- Speed Up!    Tracker beacons, Stash packs, shovels, more more more.    Terrific deals on randonnee AT rando backcountry skiing gear.    K2 has the skis that stay true to earning your turns.    Garmont boots -- excellent choice for backcountry skiing.

author
 Book Review – The Third Man Factor

By Lou

Do you believe in angels? If you Google your way to some angel research, you’ll find that polls show around 1/2 or more of Americans believing in some sort of heavenly beings — many believing in the classic sense that these beings sometimes involve themselves in our affairs.

We have so much snow here at WildSnow HQ that Im glad I dug out Geiger's book and started looking for some help from my Third Man, as my shovel arm is about to give out.

We've got so much snow here at WildSnow HQ that I'm glad I dug out Geiger's book and started looking for some help from my Third Man.

Of course, science is always here to break up the party and prove angels to be figments of the mind, most often experienced during times of extreme duress due to some sort of poorly understood brain chemistry. But over the years I’ve heard of quite a few angelic encounters, convincing me that that the existence of angels as a species (I use that as a term of art) is something to ponder — or perhaps even believe.

Read more

Posted by Lou on December 8, 2009 | Filed Under Book Reviews | 8 Comments 

author
 Snow Camping 101 — Denali Training

By Lou

Our first trip as a group, just some roadside camping at 9,000 feet in Colorado’s Elk Mountains to test a variety of gear. Luckily it was cold and snowed a bunch. We even had wind to top off the experience.

Denali training, luckily it was cold.

That's 3 POINT 5 not 35. Denali training, luckily it was cold.

With this year’s shallow snowpack, we couldn’t dig a pit for the kitchen tent but the BD Megamid still cut the breeze. The ‘Mid’s wind performance is counter intuitive, as you’d think something that sticks up in the sky like that would get a lot of wind effect. But the pyramid shape compensates for that by the upper area having much less surface than the lower, more stable sides. We’d like the ‘Mid to have better ventilation while running two MSR XGK flamethrower stoves, so we’ll add a draft tube to the top of the tent during sewing sessions this winter. Next testing session will include a bunch of backcountry skiing, so cooking will be even more important!

The Hilleberg Nammatj 3 tent we’ve been testing was quick to set and did well in the wind. This tent could sleep three people, but we concluded that for extended use we’d rather have two people in it. So we’re still working on our tent plan.

The cooktent.

The cooktent. Steam marks cloud of carbon monoxide that can be quite detrimental on a long trip, as CO accumulates in your blood and has a compounded effect after multiple exposures.

Read more

Posted by Lou on December 7, 2009 | Filed Under Backcountry Food, Denali McKinley, Misc Gear Reviews, Trip Reports | 21 Comments 

author
 Exploring the Coast Mountains On Skis — New Edition

By Lou

Younger guys can ignore this first paragraph. On the other hand, you might want to keep reading. That especially if you know the call of adventure, and already feel the reality of “so many mountains, so little time.” Because for you, now is the time. And if you have doubts about that, just pick up John Baldwin’s 447 page guidebook and start a gas money jar.

New edition of Baldwin guidebook.

New edition of Baldwin guidebook.

Yes, when the mailman delivered Baldwin’s 447 page 3rd edition of “Exploring the Coast Mountains on Skis,” not only did Baldwin tweak the mail guys back muscles with the weight of the new tome. But the author made me laugh because I’m one of those guys who has faith in heaven, and if I didn’t NEED such faith before this book arrived I do now, since things like the SIX month complete Coast Mountains Traverse (page 443) are just probably not going to happen for me here while I’m in this earthly cuerpo — but if doing such a traverse is as special as I think it is, I’ll get another chance to pull something like that off. Yes, so many mountains…”

Replete with everything from a trip rating system to an extensive trip planning section, those new to the Coast Mountains of Canada and the northern U.S. will have an edge if they study Baldwin’s book. Likewise, dealing with weather that produces biblical snowfall is also covered.

And don’t let my mention of six month trips scare you off. “Coast Mountains on Skis” also includes enough day trips to keep a backcountry glisser happy for a lifetime — and beyond. Terrific gift.

Shop for it here. Oh, and THANKS JOHN for all your hard work communicating about the mountains you so obviously love with all your heart and soul.

Posted by Lou on December 4, 2009 | Filed Under Book Reviews | 14 Comments 

author
 Let It Begin

By Lou

Gliding yesterday
Past winter broke the mohair
Now wax slick, take me


Breaking backcountry ski trail.
Click image to enlarge.

Posted by Lou on December 3, 2009 | Filed Under Mountain Culture, Trip Reports | 17 Comments 

author
 NEOS Overshoes — Why Didn’t I Start Using These 10 Years Ago?

By Lou

For years I’ve been walking by the Neos overshoes display at trade shows, thinking to myself, “now those could be useful, but let’s get over to the ski boots.” Yet in the end necessity breeds motivation. We’ll be on Denali with clunky ski boots that don’t exactly make the best camp shoes. Down or synthetic booties are nice for quick exits from the tent, but what about sitting around cooking, or digging a snowcave in a storm, or waiting around for several days at Kahiltna base for a flight out, or just hanging out watching the sun creep along in that weird arctic arc while you’re standing on a slushy glacier? Yeah, some camp boots are needed, and NEOS overshoes seem to fit the bill.

Read more

Posted by Lou on December 2, 2009 | Filed Under Denali McKinley, Misc Gear Reviews | 30 Comments 

author
 AT Boot Lacer — and Anti Blister List

By Lou

The backcountry skiing anti blister list (see comments for details):

- Double socks (two thin ones, theory is you get some friction between the socks instead of on your skin).
- Or, double socks using one super thin under a medium weight.
- Use athletes foot cream on blister area once a day (helps callus buildup).
- Use laceup liners or add-on laces (see below).
- Duct tape over problem areas, BEFORE BLISTERS HAPPEN.
- Pre-tape with athletic tape, similar to taping for sprained ankle.
- To make tape stick, clean area with alcohol wipes, possibly heat tape or warm to body temperature.
- Compeed (Band-Aid) blister cushions (best used for prevention, but possibly helpful to protect blister.
- Sport Slick or Body Glide lubricant applied to problem areas on feet. Zinc Oxide said to be generic version of this stuff.
- Foot powder such as 2toms Blister Shield. Used for prevention.
- Spyroflex pads.
- Change boot brand.
- Layer duct tape over 2nd Skin and perhaps Moleskin.
- Hydropel & Leukotape.

************************************************************
Thanks for WildSnow commenter Christian for bringing this up. I’m definitely in the club: that special group skiing the backcountry who’s heels move up and down and up and down inside their non-lace boot liners. Blisters, worn out liners interiors — the price is heavy. Hence, I wasn’t surprised to see an item available overseas that adds a pullover lace system to any AT randonnee boot liner. But sadly, it seems this device is hard to get as it’s not imported to North America. Yet, wait, what’s that I saw on that basketball player’s foot? A laceup ankle brace? Hmmmm…

Read more

Posted by Lou on December 1, 2009 | Filed Under Boot Fitting, Misc Gear Reviews | 61 Comments 

« Previous (older) Entries         
Welcome to Louis (Lou) Dawson's backcountry skiing information and opinion website. Lou's passion for the past forty years has been alpinism, climbing, mountaineering and skiing -- along with all manner of outdoor recreation. He has authored numerous books and articles about backcountry skiing and is well known as the first person to ski down all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, otherwise known as the Fourteeners! Books and free back country information here, and tons of Randonnee rando telemark info.

All material on this website is copyrighted. Permission is required for reproduction, electronic or otherwise. That includes publication and display on other websites by whatever means. For more about this, PLEASE SEE OUR COPYRIGHT INFORMATION.

Backcountry skiing is a dangerous sport. You may be killed or severely injured if you do any form of randone, randonnee and randonnée skiing. The information on this website is intended only as general information. While the authors and editors of the information on this website make every effort to present useful information, due to human error the information, text and images contained within this website may be inaccurate, false, or out-of-date. By using, reading or viewing the information provided on this website, you agree to absolve the owners of Wild Snow as well as content contributors of any liability for injuries or losses incurred while using such information. Furthermore, you agree to use any of this website's information, maps, photos, or binding mounting instructions or templates at your own risk, and waive Wild Snow its owners and contributors of any liability for use of said items for backcountry skiing or any other use.