In an unprecedented move for the ski industry, Utah’s Powder Mountain announced this week that starting in the 2017/18 ski season, they will lower the day ticket cap from 2,000 to 1,500. Powder Mountain representatives say they are doing this to “further preserve the uncrowded, unspoiled, independent spirit of Powder Mountain.” They also say it…
Tag: Skiing
Backcountry skiing Butler Basin in Big Cottonwood Canyon
Spring is the time to backcountry ski or snowboard those big, steep lines you’ve been eyeballing all season. With a more stable snowpack, and melt/freeze cycles creating supportable corn snow, there’s no better time to tick off a steep objective. Butler Basin on Gobbler’s Knob is one such place. Butler Basin is a huge cirque…
Helly Hansen Covert HT Glove review
There are plenty of reasons to love leather, and it’s no surprise that skiers and boarders have embraced it as the glove shell du jor. As Ricardo Montalban once quipped “Cornithian leather? Of course, why not the best?”. The Fantasy Island host had a good point; leather is water repellent, abrasion resistant, and damn if…
Backcountry Basecamp coming to Alta
Backcountry Magazine is coming to Alta Ski Area on March 11-12 for their Backcountry Basecamp tour. The Backcountry Basecamp is an excellent way to see what’s new with the backcountry skiing and splitboarding scene. Backcountry Magazine staff set up a huge yurt and inside show off the latest gear including skis, splitboards, skins, shovels, beacons,…
Spring events and 2017 closing dates at Utah ski resorts
Wow, after what has been a so-far record breaking season, it seems premature to be talking about spring and estimated closing dates at Utah ski resorts. Yet here we are. Ski Utah released a list of closing dates for the 2017 season, which of course is always subject to change. In addition, there are several…
Backcountry Touring in Utah’s Hoodoo Country
If you close your eyes and imagine Southern Utah’s red rock canyon terrain, what do you see? Painted cliffs of yellow, orange and red, crumbling rock spires, groves of juniper and… backcountry skiers and snowboarders? Perhaps that last one seems out of place, and rightly so. Hoodoo country isn’t your typical ski touring terrain, and…
Sign up for 2nd Annual Wasatch Backcountry Alliance Free Shuttle Day
Backcountry skiers looking to promote car pooling in the Cottonwood Canyons should sign up for the 2nd annual Wasatch Backcountry Alliance free shuttle day. Relax in a 12-person van as you ride up the canyon, and don’t worry about finding parking in our increasingly crowded trailheads. The WBA free shuttle day services Big Cottonwood Canyon…
Helly Hansen Sogn Cargo Pant review
When it comes to ski/snowboard pants, the slew of choices borders on overkill. The good news is that with so many options comes the ability to find the perfect pant for any situation: whether it be resort riding or backcountry touring. A balance of comfort, style, performance and price is ideal, and the Helly Hansen…
Wasatch ski resorts get 4 feet of snow in three days
The winter of 2016/17 has been one for the ages, and it just keeps getting better and deeper. Over the course of three days from February 22nd – the 24th, northern Utah ski resorts once again got hammered, with snow totals exceeding four feet of snow in favored areas. Alta Ski Area is one such…
Backcountry skiing Point 10420
Point 10420, at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon near Guardsman Pass, is the closest mountain you can backcountry ski from Brighton that isn’t lift assisted. A pleasant ridgeline skin takes you to the summit, where several descent options can be found on all aspects. Thick evergreen forests called Promise Land fall from the northwest…