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Backcountry Skier’s and Rider’s Code of Ethics

By TheEditors

Here we go. This was buried, we resurrected and edited. It’ll be much more accessible as a blog post rather than an archived article in our old website content. Comments appreciated.

If I choose to access the backcountry by mechanized means, I will do so in a respectful fashion, obeying all rules and regulations, and driving with care when around foot travelers such as snowshoers, snowboarders and skiers.
I will respect designated areas, trail use signs, and established ski tracks. When traveling on foot or snowshoe, I will not damage existing ski trails that backcountry skiers have broken out and are using.
When stopping, I will not block the trail.
I will not disturb wildlife and will avoid areas posted for their protection or feeding.
I will not litter, and I will pack out everything I packed in.
I will adjust my backcountry skiing or riding pace and level of risk to that which my whole party is comfortable with.
I will not encourage or push others to take risks they are not comfortable with.
I realize that my destination and travel speed are determined by my equipment, ability, terrain, weather, and traffic on the trail, and will plan accordingly.
In case of an emergency, I will volunteer assistance. I will always carry basic emergency equipment such as a light source, shovel, and first aid supplies.
I will not interfere with or harass other recreationists involved in legal/normal activities. I recognize that people judge all other winter recreationists by my actions.
I will promote a friendly and positive attitude while in the backcountry. I will smile and greet others on the trail, offer information about conditions, and offer assistance if necessary.

Posted by TheEditors on August 5, 2009 | Filed Under Backcountry Skiing, Mountain Culture

Comments

32 Responses to “Backcountry Skier’s and Rider’s Code of Ethics”

Jason August 5th, 2009 9:33 am

Good re-post! In the recent years I moved from the base of the mountain to about 10 miles out. I have since bought a snowmobile to get back to the mountain in a timely fasion. It is crucial that you take your time around xc-skiers especially. I usually stop and talk to them, since there are only a handful of people where I ski. They are all stoked to talk for a moment and don’t mind me when I slip by the next times. Good stuff.

I think you might want to put something in there about taking a leek on the trail?! Why not move off to the trees? or at least 10 feet?
Lou August 5th, 2009 9:41 am

Jason, good point about the yellow snow!

As for dogs…
Randonnee August 5th, 2009 11:34 am

Do not ski onto the same potential slab avalanche as another skier or above other skiers on an avalanche path. Many lives could have been saved if skiers and their famous Certified Guide had followed this simple rule. In my experience I have decided to be defensive and stay away from others and try carefully to avoid any opportunity to allow an oblivious or inconsiderate individual to threaten with death from above.
Randonnee August 5th, 2009 11:36 am

Oh yeah, be sure that the path is clear below when ski cutting.
Halsted August 5th, 2009 11:53 am

Or cornice cutting…..
Randonnee August 5th, 2009 12:01 pm

Yea, I kick cornices with skis. Less time, more thrill. It is a bit of a skill set to have one ski above the break, that is kind of important.
Mac August 5th, 2009 9:36 pm

I would second the idea of a easy to find link to the basics like this. I certainly know that your website was one of the first places I was directed to when I started out on my ski mountaineering career.

For those who are interested in such esoteric things as ethics and the like, the UIAA has a couple of excellent documents, including the elegantly concise Mountain Code.

You can see it at: http://www.theuiaa.org/news_179_-New-code-lays-out-ethics-and-best-practices

Mac
Jack August 6th, 2009 12:36 am

Ethics code as written is not bad, but not great. The key element for the backcountry ethic is that one should plan on self reliance for survival. Perhaps self reliance is the backcountry axiom.

I don’t quite understqnd No. 8; I realize a lot of things, but are realizations equivalent to ethics? Is no.8 promoting manners on the trail? If so, how about this: I will always be courteous to other backcountry travelers.

The first part of no. 9 is good, but the last part is not. Assisting in an emergency is a requirement of the backcountry ethic, but carrying emergency gear is not a requirement of backcountry ethic.

I do not like no. 10 at all. It seems ok if you encounter only reasonable gentle people. But, I will interfere with someone in the backountry in extreme circumstances, e.g. if one is abusing or injuring another.

No. 11 is great.
Lou August 6th, 2009 6:52 am

Good feedback Jack, thanks, I’ll see if I can do a bit more editing based on your comments.
Matt Kinney August 6th, 2009 8:57 am

Seems that quieter, cleaner 4-strokes should be part of the ethic.
Scott Portnoy August 6th, 2009 10:16 am

Big fan of #11, the 5 minute chats during any mountain excursion always make my day better, and chances are I’ll probably learn something about what Im doing from the convo
Jordan August 6th, 2009 1:03 pm

Hey Matt,
Only if you’re buying!
J
Matt Kinney August 6th, 2009 1:53 pm

Yeaa I need to replace my 96 Polaris Wide-Trak some day. I did get it tuned up last winter, but only ran it to load onto my truck to take it to get tuned up by “Chad-The-Man” and to move out of the way for my snow plowing efforts. Actually I did take it out once last March to see if it could still do 90mph and yes it can! I remain pure though..earn your turns.
Randonnee August 6th, 2009 7:21 pm

Quote: “Seems that quieter, cleaner 4-strokes should be part of the ethic.”

Hey Matt, how about -

12. I will not make ridiculous, wide telemark turns, instead I will use randonnee skis, I will make symmetrical tight turns and leave lots of powder lines for everyone. I will make crisp, efficient uphill kick turns and lay an excellent grade uptrack.

: ) }

( Yeah, you probably do that, just kiddin’ Matt.)
Brian August 6th, 2009 8:56 pm

12. I will always carry a bottle opener
Matt Kinney August 6th, 2009 10:53 pm

I prefer wide ridiculous alpine turns with free heels. Why do one turn when you can do all turns!.

Seriously ….it is all good as long as it has p-tex covered with glide wax.

13. Spooning tracks is a sin in Alaska.
Euro Rob August 7th, 2009 1:22 am

“2. I will respect designated areas, trail use signs, and established ski tracks. When traveling on foot or snowshoe, I will not damage existing ski trails that backcountry skiers have broken out and are using.”

I’d been backcountry snowboarding (with snowshoes) for a few years before going back to skis. Once or twice a season people would get vocal about destroying the skin track with the snowshoes. This is pointless. The vocal ones were never those who broke the trail in the first place. The ones who broke the trail are surely strong enough to handle a few bumps in the track. If you can’t handle that stay on the groomers. Or break your own track. The track doesn’t belong to anyone.
Lou August 7th, 2009 6:49 am

Brian’s is probably the one I’ll add (grin)!
Lou August 7th, 2009 7:33 am

I did some editing. Keep the comments coming if you like…
Tom Gos August 7th, 2009 9:58 am

How about “I will participate in group decision making and repsect the group decision. I will ski with the group unless it endangers me.” I’ve skied with people who insist on doing their own thing regardless of the group. This can be dangerous for the group and individual, can create delays, and creates a lot of stress in the group as they worry about where the Lone Ranger went to.
Shane August 7th, 2009 10:43 am

Rob, Re shoes in the skin track.

I gotta disagree. When I set a skin track (on my splitboard) I do it with the intent that myself and others can use it over and over again to get to the top of the mountain much quicker than I did on the intial climb. In areas that see a lot of use the track can get unuseable once it’s hammered by snowshoers and dogs. This is especially true if it gets a little icy when the holes (bumps aren’t the problem) eliminate any opportunity for my skins to grip.

Follow your own advice and break YOUR OWN trail if you want to use snowshoes.
Slave.To.Turns August 7th, 2009 1:53 pm

Seriously, why is a snowmobile even mentioned? I don’t get it. Maybe because Lou has one, but I have to say, the majority sure as hell does not.

BTW, Euro Rob, re: snowshoes on the skin track? Yeah, good luck with that one. You’re wrecking it.
Lou August 7th, 2009 4:06 pm

Slave, “mechanized” is mentioned because one snowmobile used improperly can have the impact of dozens of muscle powered folks — the term “mechanized” also applies to snowcats and helicopters, or even 4×4s and SUV being used to access trailheads.
Kyle August 7th, 2009 5:04 pm

Ditto Euro Rob,

I originally started out snowshoe boarding, Even once had some skier guy try to tell us to stay off the track we had broken that morning.

If your smart about you can actually keep the track pretty level even with snowshoes on. We’ve seen all sorts of people wreck skin tracks, including people on skins.

I don’t even mind post holers anymore, if your that motivated to get some turns in more power to ya. Last season I saw a group post hole the entire Balu Pass trail in Rogers Pass get one lap in ( it was getting dark by then) and head back out. Thats dedication.

Besides in most popular areas around here, the skiers kill the uptrack as it is and new ones get set, most skiers themselves don’t even know how to keep the track useable.
Tony Z August 9th, 2009 4:45 pm

Good repost!
Lou August 9th, 2009 8:13 pm

Kyle, good points. It’s a loosing battle anyway, so why let the messed track harsh a good day? I think that’ll be my take next winter. As it is, I’ve gotten to the point where I mostly just laugh at some of the incredibly messed up tracks I’ve been seeing, especially just off roads in the easier to reach areas.
Euro Rob August 10th, 2009 2:42 am

Ok, I can see that skiers are not happy about completely destroyed tracks, guess I need to put things into perspective.

When my friend and I snowshoed for the entire season here in the region, we would maybe meet 2-3 other snowshoers ALL WINTER.

So people were really complaining about a single guy climbing on snowshoes on “their” (d’oh) track. And, as Kyle said, if you take care the track doesn’t suffer much. Have another like 3 skiers skin it and it’d be perfect again. So often our our own group would flatten the track, as we usually went together with a bunch of skiers (who could handle the bumps by the way).
databot August 10th, 2009 10:04 pm

When breaking trail, I will remember that people may follow me, much as I might wish they wouldn’t, and that said people may or may not have the massive thighs, huge lungs, ginormous 8″ wide skins or many decades of backcountry experience that I have, and may be following my track in different conditions than those in which I set it, and I will accordingly set a skin track that is safe in a variety of conditions and which may be followed with minimal effort even after it’s been polished slicker than a mirror by the hordes who weren’t so lucky or cool as me to get first tracks and thus have to spoon my most beautiful tracks.
Dostie August 11th, 2009 9:08 am

databot and others who recognize the value of setting a good first skin track,

Touche! That’s what the low-angle, Meanderthal track is about. ;)

And getting bent ‘cuz someone used your track to their advantage for slowshoeing, post holing, or even for their dogs to poop on…don’t waste yer energy being negative on such inconsequential stuff. Maintaining good vibes in your head is part of why we earn our turns. It’s simply not worth it to let such trivial matters mar the landscape of your outlook, especially when it’s so darn easy to just set a new line. I mean, aren’t free heels and climbing skins just awesome ‘cz they allow you to go ANYWHERE?!
Dostie August 11th, 2009 9:11 am

PS: Yeah, I already know the argument for Neanderthal, steep as possible skin tracks. It weeds out the wannabes and keeps the vertically challenged in challenge mode. Problem is, it doesn’t affect the dogs one way or the other. They like it and when they mark your trail with their stuff…well, there you go, you just have to make a new path. ;)
databot August 12th, 2009 8:21 am

“meanderthal” vs “neanderthal” – Dostie, that’s a brilliant way of phrasing the distinction between track-setting strategies! Thanks!
blase
kihm September 3rd, 2009 9:45 am

1 snowshoer=bummer 20snowshoers=superhighway! All you have to do is give them something to follow and they will. I usually welcome this as I ski on the east side of the Gore Range in Colorado. Not very much traffic in the winter and I do alot of trail breaking. It is very nice to see another bc skier or boarder and I will offer info on conditions and directions when asked. Please dont be offended when I do not ask for same as I still like to discover these things for myself. I learn more that way. Always remember this “all the kings horses and all the kings men will never track it all out!”