If you ski the backcountry in Utah, then there is something you must do right now. Get on Facebook, and “like” the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center page. There has been a lot of activity on their wall these days as several videos have been posted showing the extremely weak snowpack we have...
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Backcountry skiing at Rocky Point should really be called “slackcountry skiing” due to its proximity to Alta. A short traverse north from the top of the Supreme Lift takes you to Catherine’s Area and Rocky Point, where in-bounds skiing can be had when ski patrol drops the rope, and backcountry lines spread out in...
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In general, skiing has two options: resort and backcountry. But what some skiers may not know is that you can combine the two and ski the “sidecountry.” In essence, when you’re sidecountry skiing, you ride a ski resort’s chairlifts to the top of the mountain, but then ski down out-of-bounds back to the base....
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You’ll soon be able to add another avalanche safety device to your arsenal, as new and innovative gear is being invented. Along with the basics like shovel, probe and beacons, we’ve seen innovations like Black Diamond’s Avalung, then air bag packs, and now the ROTAUF MRK5 avalanche marking device. Looking at the ROTAUF MRK5,...
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Due to northern Utah’s pathetic, low snowpack this fall, avalanches aren’t a major concern right now. But the snow will come, and when it does, all that rotten, old snow will be a prime weak layer that will rip out deadly slides. To stay safe in the backcountry, education is key. Before you head...
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Skiing is, for most people, the primary winter sport to do in Utah. But when snowfall is downright bleak, and conditions are less-than-stellar, what is a skier or snowboarder to do? We can’t all sit in our homes, bored, waiting for snow to fall. We still need our outdoor exercise. Well, hiking is still...
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If you’re a skier and you ever need justification of why you chose to live in Utah, then the latest installment of Salomon Freeski TV will not only justify, it will make you want to never leave. Season Five, Espiode 8 features Alta, Utah, and the video captures everything that’s amazing about the place...
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The big news out of Amer Sports in Ogden is that Salomon and Atomic teamed up to create a new backcountry ski binding. The new bindings, called the Salomon Guardian 16 and Atomic Tracker 16, will be available next year in fall 2012. From the looks of things these bindings will compete directly with...
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We here at UtahOutside.com are not professional ski movie makers like Powderwhore Productions, or flat out artistic geniuses like the folks at Sweetgrass. But we do like to whip out the video camera from time to time while traveling and skiing the mountains in Utah’s backcountry. During the record snowfall of the 2010/2011 ski season, we shot a...
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It’s only September, and already the coming of winter can be felt in the air. Time to start thinking about avalanche safety and helping those who keep us alive in the backcountry. It’s time for the 2011 Utah Avalanche Center Fundraiser, hosted by Black Diamond. The big party will once again be at the...
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