"beacon"

Ryan Burke reflects on how we refine our processes to become humble and aware of the big terrain we’ll undoubtedly encounter in the backcounty .

Will McKay brings us along on his AMGA Ski Guide Course, the first in a series of three required courses to become a certified AMGA Ski Guide in the United States. Along the way, we’ll learn about highlight reels, and making a rescue shelter slightly warmer.

ARVA’s Reactor Tour UL25 airbag pack sets itself apart as a high functioning pack bundling a reliable airbag system with easy access nutrition and hydration pockets for on-the-go backcountry tourers. Alex Lee checks in with an early season first look of the Reactor Tour UL25 from the hills above Anchorage.

Here are 16 tips, count them up, to help those new to backcountry riding/touring and making important decisons, feel more at home in the mountains.

Pre-season is not mid-season: Now is the time to thoroughly check your gear to ensure your backcountry skiing dreams aren’t kneecapped by faulty gear. Here’s a pre-season checklist to help guide you on this important task.

Aaron Rose, a Colorado splitboarder, brings a grounded perspective to interpreting the dynamic backcountry realm. “The observed and felt clues yield the most evidence to consider terrain management and avalanche avoidance. Snow sense is fundamentally built on a visual-tactile experience. Auditory stimulus is secondary, at least for me.”

This morning Black Diamond Equipment announced an official voluntary recall of several PPIEPS and BD branded avalanche transceivers.

Former BD CEO Peter Metcalf’s experience leading a gear manufacturer helps give perspective on the current state of recalls in the outdoor gear industry.

Outdoor Research’s Skytour Ascentshell bibs and jacket offer a weatherproof and breathable kit without significnatly depleting the bank account.

Norrøna Lyngen Gore-Tex Pro pants offer up a 440g weatherproof backcountry ski pant with a modular system for a bib attachment.

Recalls or not, skier/rider trust with PPE manufacturers is critical. It is a two-way street with many moving parts. The bottom line: PPE gear must work. WildSnow explores recent and past gear recalls and what we can learn. (This is part one of a two-part series.)

The good backcountry skiing goods are there on Steens Mountain. For the most part, though, we stumbled through miles of sagebrush and into the Danger Zone.

“BCA, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, is issuing a voluntary recall of a small number of Tracker4 units due to a switch plastics production issue.”

BCA’s FLOAT E2 25 brings to market Alpride’s new E2 electronic airbag system and an understated pack ready for most backcountry efforts.

Let the safety checks ensue. 72 hours in, here’s the burning question: what does a passed test mean in terms of day-to-day in-the-field beacon reliability?

The Mammut Pro Removable Airbag 3.0 is a full-featured 45L airbag pack ready to journey with you on the big hauls during your backcountry adventure.

The problem with scary moderate is that not fully thinking it through is the first step in making some grave mistakes. Should we banish the term?

The marketplace for avalanche bags expands. A few weeks back, we received some spreadsheets from Ortovox providing a useful overview of comparative weights.

Simple, bomber, reliable: The Rocky Talkie radio serves as an effective means for radio communication while backcountry skiing.

When I find a great pair of touring pants, I stick with them—call it ski-gear-monogamy. With the La Sportiva Excelsior pants, it’s time to meet the parents.