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 out,…
Category: Backcountry
Winter hike to Twin Lakes Pass
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 a…
Alta gets love from Salomon Freeski TV
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 in…
Salomon and Atomic team to create new backcountry ski binding
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 Fritschi…
Video: “The Deepest Season”
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 lot…
Black Diamond 2011 Fall Fundraiser Party for the Utah Avalanche Center
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 Black…
Backcountry skiing Tom’s Hill
Tom’s Hill is one of many backcountry ski areas in the ever popular Mill D North Fork of Big Cottonwood Canyon. Open spaces, glades, and low-angle slopes are the main features of this little knob amongst larger brothers like Reynolds and Little Water Peaks. But its diminutive size (9,040 feet) is what sets Tom’s Hill…
Backcountry skiing Mill B South Fork Canyon
The Lake Blanche Trail to Sundial Peak is the most popular hike in the Central Wasatch. Every summer, thousands of people ascend to the crystal waters of Lake Blanche near the top of Mill B South Fork in Big Cottonwood Canyon. But in winter, upper Mill B South Fork is empty. Sure, the backcountry skiing…
Backcountry skiing upper Silver Fork Canyon
When skiers talk about Silver Fork Canyon, we immediately think about the Meadow Chutes near Solitude Mountain Resort. Quick access from Solitude and quality skiing just outside the resort’s boundary make the open faces and steep, aspen tree filled lines hugely popular for anyone seeking a short tour. But there’s a lesser traveled side to…
Backcountry skiing Lambs Canyon
Sometimes backcountry skiers have to get away from the crowds, even outside the ski resorts. Head up a skin track in Little Cottonwood Canyon on a sunny Saturday, and you’ll discover why the Wasatch has earned the moniker, “Wasangeles.” Luckily, there are still less-traveled areas where good backcountry skiing can be found without elbowing the…