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Video — Backcountry Skiing During High Avalanche Danger

Bookmark and Share            By Lou

So, what do you do when avy danger is in the red zone but you want to earn your turns? Find some low angled powder on exposures with less hazard. Pick the lowest angle possible on lines that are not “avalanche slopes.” Check things with a few pits. Watch for bad signs and adjust goals on the fly. Ski conservative lines that have been regularly skied though the last few storms. Buddy system. Don’t get cocky. Add fun by using fat waxed skis and doing some video. So, that’s what we did and here is the video. Welcome home Louie.

Posted by Lou on December 19, 2008 | Filed Under Trip Reports, avalanches 

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Comments

9 Responses to “Video — Backcountry Skiing During High Avalanche Danger”

  1. powderjunky December 19th, 2008 10:57 am

    NIce! Looks fun!

  2. Steve December 19th, 2008 2:26 pm

    Outstanding! Who is doing the background music?

  3. Louie December 19th, 2008 2:42 pm

    The music is a song by the black keys

  4. Sean December 19th, 2008 5:15 pm

    Nice footage. 3 different skiers? Looked that way, looked like 3 different styles of skiing anyway.

    Good music choice by Louie too.

  5. Lou December 19th, 2008 8:45 pm

    Nope just Louie and I, mostly Louie. I’m the chameleon, and he probably is too. Editing and music all by Louie, idea to actually take out my point-and-shoot and actually use it in the middle of the storm, that’s me (grin).

  6. Peter December 19th, 2008 11:38 pm

    I am jealous. Not enough snow here in SW BC.

  7. Darek Smorczewski December 20th, 2008 11:41 am

    Lou,

    I enjoy your site and the VIDEOS are a GREAT ADDITION! I would love to see more clips on general backcountry topics such as avalanche safety, skinning, snowmobiling and etcetera. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is at least ten grand.

    Epertvillage is a neat site with video instructions on many topics including outdoor sports. Last time I checked there was nothing there on backcountry skiing. You may drive some extra traffic by posting there as well.

    Keep up the good work.

  8. Todd December 21st, 2008 9:23 am

    Hey Lou and Louie –
    Thanks for sharing and I’m sure it’s good to be back in CO, Louie. Ski well, be safe, and take good care!
    Todd from Crested Butte

  9. Hart December 29th, 2008 11:57 am

    good stuff lou! i find a safe slope and just go into rando race mode to keep it fun. see how many vertical feet i can get in. i challenge myself to finish the climb faster each lap, etc.

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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.

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