There’s a lot of big mountains with tons of skiable vertical in Utah, and much of it lies outside the Central Wasatch. We’ve been taking trips up north to the Bear River Mountains around Logan for some exploratory backcountry skiing, and every time, we’ve come away impressed with the terrain there. But on a...
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Utah has the best ski terrain and snow quality in the country, but when it comes to backcountry huts, we’re sorely behind other states. Sure, we have a spattering of yurts in our mountains, but when compared to the 10th Mountain Division hut system in Colorado, Utah’s backcountry shelters might as well be plywood...
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There are many classic backcountry ski descents in the Central Wasatch. Routes like the South Face of Superior, the Pfeifferhorn’s Northwest Couloir, and Coalpit Headwall come to mind. Well, Bonkers most certainly belongs on that list. This massive ramp of snow is located in Broads Fork, and features a 2,500 foot ski or snowboard...
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The best laid plans can sometimes be laid to waste, especially when it comes to travel in the mountains. Such was the case on a recent trip to backcountry ski Mount Timpanogos, where my objective, along with Mike D, was to ski the famed East Ridge. Warm, spring-like temps, along with lots of recent...
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The tiny house tour is exactly what it sounds like. Three backcountry skiers load up in a mobile log cabin and travel around the mountains of the west in search of fresh snow. It’s all sponsored by Outdoor Research, and the company’s ambassadors Zack Giffin, Molly Baker and Neil Provo are chasing storms and...
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Water drops landed on my face and woke me up from a deep sleep filled with dreams of skiing in a rain storm. Confused, I wiped my face and sat up in my sleeping bag to make sure I was still inside the Snorkeling Elk Yurt, located in Utah’s Tushar Mountains. Earlier that night...
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Backcountry skiing in the Wasatch just got a bit easier. Snowbird just announced that they are now offering guided snowcat ski tours, called “Snowcat Skiing for Nature.” Why? Because proceeds from the operation will go to benefit the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation. It’s the first time since Mineral Basin was brought into Snowbird’s boundaries that...
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Utah was blessed with some of the deepest snowfall of the season over the last weekend of February, when Snowbasin got buried in 26 inches in two days. After pigging out on powder Sunday, Adam and I headed north on Monday in search of backcountry turns untouched by the masses on Logan Peak in...
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So you’ve been backcountry skiing since October, and you’re legs are in damn good touring shape. So why not show off your redwood thighs and enter to race in the 2013 Wasatch Powder Keg. This year is special because it’s the first time the Wasatch’s premiere ski mountaineering event will be a 3-race format....
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The Central Wasatch may be overrun by backcountry skiers at just about every trailhead, but not all is tracked out. American Fork Canyon in Utah County is basically the “backside” of Little Cottonwood Canyon, and is blessedly devoid of skier traffic. We decided to explore this little-skied canyon and chose The Three Temptations as...
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