Welcome to Louis (Lou) Dawson's backcountry skiing information opinion website and e magazine. Lou's passion for the past 45 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 news and information here, and tons of Randonnee rando telemark info.
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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 and news 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due to human error the information, text and images contained within this website may be inaccurate, false, or out-of-date.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. 
Thanks for the fun trip Louie!
Pretty lucky to have such cool/capable parents . . .
What a cool thing to share. Simply just cool.
At least y’all did not get your feet/boots wet as on the exit from Ruth last July.
And there is a report of a Dawson spotting at Vesper Creek on turns-all-year.com
awesome man! your pictures are worth a thousand words.
Andy, I was dodging paparazzi up there At Vesper Creek, luckily their cameras fell in when they were trying to cross the bridge, but those paparazzi from TAY are persistent! (grin)
Seriously though, quite nice up there but the dirt hike seemed rather rough, me being a spoiled wimp and all… perhaps I need to spend more time in the PNW so I man up.
Glad you guys had a good tour. Our access isn’t always as civilized as CO, but it’s nearly July and we still have snow!
Great to see the family outing!
Great stuff – man that has to be fun going out with your parents!
Unbelievable, think I’m moving overseas
…
Really cool pictures. My favorite backcountry treks start where it is so hot and green that you wonder how you are actually going to be skiing later that day. Also, that crossing that first stream via a wet log with ski boots on seems pretty daring. Looks like a special day
Beautiful! Lisa, what skiis are you using?
Sandy, my skis are 171 women’s Dynafit Manaslus, very sweet! I highly recommend them. They’re super light and they ski great.
@Lisa & Sandy: as my wife is approaching her 70th year, I finally convinced her to switch from tele to AT; now she has Women’s TLT5s, Women’s Manaslus, Manaslu skins, Vertical STs, and 7-summits titanal-carbon poles; a very sweet, color-coordinated outfit; it took her all of 5 minutes to master the in-and-out of the bindings and boots and just one run down a 25-degree slope to get used to the fixed heel; 3 backcountry days now and she is enjoying the new set up.
p.s. Regine is 5’3″, 102 lbs, and the 24.5 fit her US 7.5 W foot perfectly and the 161 Manaslu feels a little long for her but she realizes it will solve the getting stuck in the powder in the winter; I plan to switch out her tele bindings on her G3 Aviatrix skis (157 cm) for Dynafits when she gets ready; the G3s for spring, summer, fall and the Manaslus for winter.