January 2006

Backcountry skiing backpack review, Backcountry Access

Book signing yesterday at the Colorado Ski Museum in Vail. As always, incredibly fun to chat with all you backcountry folk who showed up. The variety of people interested in ski touring always amazes me.

Our randonnee binding collection here at WildSnow world headquarters holds a number of interesting classics and antiques. Silvretta 300 is beautiful — a simple and elegant plate binding designed for hard-core alpinism such as climb approaches or ski tours where weight is critical. (Thanks goes to Mark Worley for donating the 300s). To save weight and bulk, the 300 binding didn’t have a lateral (side) safety release. That always seemed a bit iffy to me, but then, just imagine those expert skiing Euros on their short AT skis, flitting about the Alps and beyond. They never fell, so why was release necessary?

Testing gasoline backcountry stoves for backcountry skiing and backpacking

If you’re in the Vail, Colorado area this coming Tuesday, Jan. 10, I’d love to meet you at a book signing I’m doing at the Vail Ski Museum. I’ll be there from 2:00 to 6:00. No obligation to buy anything…

Review of how-to DVD teaching basics of avalanche rescue using a beacon transceiver beeper, specifically Backcountry Access.