If youre part of last years COVID induced influx of new backcountry skiers, welcome!
Its gonna be a blast.
I get something new from it every time through, and I think most other folks will as well.
Another, often overlooked piece of literature isThe Avalanche Review.
Finally, its a good idea to run through incident reports from last season in your normal touring areas.
I like to work up from specific days to more general trends.
Come up with a system that works for you.
For me, ideally Ill come away from a mud season debrief with a few actionable items.
Examples include things like: Im going to work on communicating my unease more articulately this year.
Im going to make a habit of checking multiple weather sources before every tour.
Im going to check my pack and reload food and water at the end of every tour.
This doesnt have to be a dramatic, confrontational event.
Its very useful to have an idea of what your regular touring zones look like without snow.
It helps reveal hazards that are easy to overlook in the winter.
Just be sure to be aware of hunters.
Wear bright clothing and avoid hiking in hunting zones near dawn or dusk.
Its a really easy way to gain perspective on the areas you like to ski in.
Its free, and its entertaining.
Usually, the best way to develop a ski lap is to start with clearing hanging deadfall.
Check with local land regulations, but in most areas, clearing deadfall is completely legal.
A few hours with a hand saw can reap you big benefits down the road.
If you need a new hand saw, I highly recommend Silky Saws.
Theyre packable, and cut very fast.
I like to start at the bottom and work my way up.
Check your skis for core shots, and maybe hit them with a new coat of wax.
Lord knows they deserve it.
Check binding screws and release values.
If theyre loose, hit them with some loctite and crank them down.
Losing buckles in the backcountry sucks.
double-check to remove your insoles, and spray them down too.
You wont have time to do any of this once the skiings good, so get after it now!
Run a skiblade possy down Glory in the spring.
And finally to get more 360s off natural hits in the backcountry.
My abstract goals include things like: Become better at skiing with beginners.
Communicate my concerns better at home, before we even get to the parking lot.
Be more aware of changing weather conditions.
Be more open to changing plans on the fly.
Articulating goals helps hold us more accountable to complete them.
So how do you like to get a head start?
