Backcountry skiing and snowboarding has exploded in popularity in recent years, both in user numbers and sales of backcountry-specific gear. In response, a new backcountry skiing and splitboarding-centric magazine will hit newsstands later this year. Ascent – Backcountry Snow Journal will be distributed all across the west, for free, starting fall of 2014. Our good friend, Paul Oelerich, who publishes the Utah Adventure Journal, is steering this shiny, new cruise ship of ski-touring goodness, and has amassed some of the greatest athletes and writers in the backcountry world to make it happen. I for one and excited to see this come to fruition.
Below is the full press release:
Ascent- Backcountry Snow Journal, a New Magazine for Backcountry Enthusiasts, Announce Plans to Begin Publishing in 2014
Park City, UT (January 15, 2014)-Backcountry skiing participation has seen solid and consistent growth over the past several years, with notably large increases when compared to the alpine and snowboarding markets, with the Western U.S. being the driving force in the marketplace. Ascent-Backcountry Snow Journal will be a free publication distributed throughout the Western U.S. that focuses on the traditional human powered aspects of the sport, while providing inspiration for those new to the realm of backcountry skiing, split boarding, and ski mountaineering.
Ascent will be a full gloss publication, 9 x 11, and printed on quality bright stock with an anticipated circulation of around 18,000. Ascent will be printed 3 times during the 2014-15 season, including issues in October and December 2014, and February 2015. An accompanying and dynamic website, ascentbackcountry.com, will precede the launch of the magazine, debuting in spring of 2014.
Paul Oelerich, publisher of the successful regional magazine Utah Adventure Journal, has compiled an editorial board of highly recognizable and qualified backcountry enthusiasts from around the western U.S. to pen and direct the editorial direction of the magazine. All have widespread backcountry and journalistic experience.
Staff members include:
Tyson Bradley- Lead Guide at Utah Mountain Adventures and author of Backcountry Skiing Utah. He’s penned articles about off-piste skiing, mountaineering and the history of both in the Utah Adventure Journal, Couloir Magazine, Rock and Ice, American Alpine Journal, Climbing, and Powder Magazine. Led the first ski descent of Denali’s Wickersham Wall in 1994, Foraker’s Sultana Ridge, Mt. Fairweather’s Carpe Ridge, and attempts on St. Elias, Pik Pobeda, Kyrgyzstan, and Muztagh Ata. He’s also skied in Pakistan, Chile, Peru, New Zealand, the Alps and Mt. Elbrus. In the NW Tyson has skied Rainier 18 times by 5 different routes, including the Liberty Ridge, Adams 22 times, and skied Shasta, Baker, and Glacier Peak.
Craig Dostie- Former publisher of Couloir and Telemark Skier magazines, and a renowned backcountry authority throughout the west. Recognized by as a living icon in the backcountry world Craig continues to share his passion for mountains and snow and sweaty turns at EarnYourTurns.com and in various publications around and about, including this one.
Patrick Graham-Patrick has worked for the past 10 seasons as a Professional Mountain Guide for Sun Valley Trekking in central Idaho. His desire to ski remote lines has brought him deep into the Sawtooth Mountain wilderness in his own backyard. Here, he has pioneered unique traverses including a 45-mile self-supported high traverse from Alturas Lake on the range’s southeastern flanks to the remote mining town of Atlanta, a first descent of the south face of Mt. Horstman, and countless unnamed routes that perhaps haven’t ever been repeated. He is a Professional Member of the American Avalanche Association.
Jim Harris- spent seven years instructing multi-week wilderness mountaineering courses for Outward Bound. He teaches avalanche classes for Alaska Mountain Guides, AIARE, and the Utah Avalanche Center, and has pioneered steep ski descents in Alaska, Antarctica, Bolivia, British Columbia, and Utah. Jim writes and photographs for international publications including National Geographic Magazine, Powder, Men’s Journal, Backpacker, and Canoe & Kayak and shoots video Sweetgrass Productions and Camp 4 Collective.
Noah Howell- Co-founder and producer at Powderwhore Productions, with a passion for backcountry skiing that takes him all over the world in search of new footage and adventure. His winters are dedicated to exploring new terrain and adventure on skis. Produced, directed, and starred in all 9 Powderwhore films to date. Noah has first descents in Svalbard, Antarctica, the Chugach Range, the Wind River Range and the Wasatch Range. He’s a founding member of the Wasatch Backcountry Alliance, an advocacy group for backcountry skiers.
Anna Keeling-An IFMGA mountain guide who divides her time between Utah and New Zealand, where she writes a weekly ski column for the Christchurch Press. A former highly accomplished adventure racer, endurance sports led naturally to mountaineering, rock climbing and backcountry skiing and Anna became an internationally certified guide in 2002.
Andrew McLean- has been a pioneer in North American ski mountaineering for over two decades. His passion for high, steep, remote skiing has led to expeditions and first descents on all seven continents. In 2009 he became the first, and so far only, person to ski the “Alaskan Family” of peaks, which include the 20,320’ high point in North American, Mt. McKinley and the adjacent Mt. Foraker and Mt. Hunter. He has also established over 150 first descents, many of which are unrepeated.
Combining his passion for the outdoors and design, he has created some of the most iconic products in the outdoor industry. His designs include the first wire-gate climbing carabiner, crampons, ice axes and his signature product, the Whippet Self Arrest Ski Pole.
Andrew has also worked as an avalanche forecaster, and his 1998 book “The Chuting Gallery” remains one of the definitive guidebooks on steep skiing in America. Named one of the “Top 25 Outdoor Athletes” by Outside Magazine.
Additional contributors and editorial staff are being recruited in their areas of backcountry specialty, from around the west.
“The amount of folks heading into the backcountry has seen significant increases the past few years,” said publisher Paul Oelerich. “We feel that the Western U.S is the epicenter for the trends, newsmakers, and personalities that make up this sport, and wanted to create a magazine to inform, educate, and inspire the people who have years of experience, or a just venturing out for the first time. We also believe that by offering the magazine for free, is indicative of the freedom that our backcountry passions are all about. The human powered aspect of getting to the top, and the escape we seek in the backcountry of the mountain ranges across the west are what we look to celebrate.”
Ascent will be distributed free of charge to specialty outdoor and ski shops, brewpubs, coffee houses, events, and wherever backcountry enthusiasts congregate throughout the Western U.S. including CO, UT, ID, WY, CA, OR, MT and WA.
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Full disclosure: I’m a regular contributor to the Utah Adventure Journal.