This situation is symptomatic of a greater challenge that anyone who backcountry skis in a popular area faces.
More people are skiing bigger lines than ever before.
And having other backcountry travelers above or below you adds another layer of risk to an already risky pursuit.
Its not a secret.
So we werent surprised when we caught up to another group.
They were moving slowly, breaking trail in a little fresh snow.
We offered to take turns breaking with them.
They responded that they didnt want that because they wanted first tracks.
They asked us what we were skiing and we told them.
They didnt say what they were going to ski.
Eventually, less than halfway to the top, they pulled over to change layers.
We passed them and broke trail the rest of the way.
It was a small interaction that was very indicative of classic toxic backcountry ski culture.
Crappy communication aside, the skiing was still friggin great.
And I totally get that desire.
Often we carry that secrecy too far.
It doesnt foster a culture of open communication.
That whole approach is asinine.
And its not like there are that many secrets anymore around here anyway.
Hey, whats up, we were going to ski Cougar Bait, what are you going for today?
Be the bigger person, proffer your own information, and then ask them for theirs.
