Outside ski resort boundaries, there are many ways to ski fresh powder on untouched slopes. Heli and cat skiing are the usual choices, but Powder Mountain is opening up new out-of-bounds terrain with guided tours. The location in question is Wolf Canyon, known by “those in the know” as DMI (as in “Don’t Mention It.”)…
Tag: Wasatch Mountains
2010 Wasatch PowderKeg backcountry ski race
The Wasatch PowderKeg is the premiere backcountry ski race in Utah. But a lot of changes have been made for the 2010 event. New this year, the race starts and finishes at Brighton (instead of Alta as in previous years.) Also, a new splitboard division has been added to the competition lineup. The race division, the course this season is 8.9 miles with…
Video: Wasatch backcountry skiing 2010 season
The Utah 2009-10 ski season may have been less than desirable as compared to previous years, but if one knew where to look, then lots of powder could be found in the Wasatch backcountry while the resorts looked bare as a bone. Despite the lack of blower powder shots during epic dumps, there were still…
Skiing without puking at Solitude
Location: Solitude Mountain Resort, Utah Activity: Skiing the first time in over a year. If you’re a fair weather skier, read on. If you ski no matter what the conditions, stop now or you might want to throw your old rear entry boots at me. I could lie and say I’ve done tons of skiing…
Snowshoeing with dogs in Neffs Canyon
There isn’t much in life that makes me smile more than watching dogs play in the snow. Neffs Canyon, located above the Olympus Cove neighborhood in Salt Lake City, is one of the few canyons on the Wasatch Front where dogs are allowed, making Neffs a great place to take your dog for a winter…
Backcountry skiing the north face of Mount Superior
Mount Superior is a beautiful peak that towers over Alta on the north side of Little Cottonwood Canyon, and the massive south face is one of the most classic backcountry descents in Utah. Often times, when getting a late start on a sunny day, the south face gets baked and wet slide activity becomes a visible concern. So the other option is…
Travelocity Gnome comes to Utah… and there was much rejoicing
Have You Seen This Gnome? Maybe you haven’t heard yet – but it was the closest outcome since the over-under poll for toilet paper! Right now Travelocity’s famous roaming gnome is experiencing several of Utah’s cultural hot spots including Deer Valley near downtown Park City. Facebook voting for the little guy’s winter trip ended Wednesday…
Tree skiing in Beartrap Fork: A photo essay
On days when the avalanche danger is considerable or high, there are few places to go backcountry skiing where it is safe. Generally, low angle slopes with lots of trees that anchor the snowpack are the only option. One place that is a good choice for a safe tour is in the aspen groves that…
Rock Canyon: The red-headed stepchild of Wasatch climbing
Rock Canyon gets a bad rap, and few non-local climbers climb there. Salt Lake climbers mock this rugged little canyon directly east of Provo as a backward choss pile with bolted cracks all over the place. There is a degree of truth to these accusations: there are a fair amount of chossy routes, and yes,…
Snowbird offers free backcountry awareness clinics
Considerable avalanche danger in the Wasatch, along with three fatalities just this week, means it’s time to step back and rethink how to travel safely in the backcountry. One way of doing this is to attend one of Snowbird’s free backcountry awareness clinics. Whether you’re a newbie or a backcountry veteran, it’s always a good…